Ravalli County

Ravalli County, Montana — key demographics

Population size

• 44,174 (2020 Decennial Census)
• ~45,600 (ACS 2018–2022 5-year estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~49.7 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~20%
• 18 to 64: ~55%
• 65 and over: ~25%

Gender

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50% (ACS 2018–2022)

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022)

• White alone: ~94%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~1–2%
• Asian alone: ~0.5%
• Black or African American alone: ~0.3%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.1%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~4%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~18,700–18,900
• Average household size: ~2.35–2.40
• Family households: ~69–70% of households
• Households with own children under 18: ~22–24%
• Nonfamily households: ~30–31%
• Living alone: ~25–26%
• Living alone age 65+: ~12%

Insights

• Older age profile (median age ~50) compared with the U.S., with about one-quarter of residents 65+.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White population, with small but present American Indian and Hispanic communities.
• Household sizes are modest and a large share of households are nonfamily or individuals living alone.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (P.L. 94-171) and American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates. Figures are rounded for clarity.

Ravalli County snapshot (email and access)

• Population and density: About 46,000 residents across ~2,400 sq mi (≈19 people/sq mi), concentrated along the Bitterroot River (Hamilton, Stevensville, Corvallis).
• Estimated email users: About 36,000–38,000 residents. This reflects roughly 90–95% of adults using email, with most teens maintaining accounts for school/work.
• Age usage rates (U.S. benchmarks applied locally): 18–29 ≈98%; 30–49 ≈97%; 50–64 ≈94%; 65+ ≈85%. Given Ravalli’s older profile, roughly four in ten email users are 50+.
• Gender split: Approximately even; a slight female majority among users, mirroring local population balance.
• Digital access trends:
  • Broadband adoption: About 83% of Montana households have a broadband subscription (ACS 2022). In Ravalli, adoption is highest in town centers and lower in outlying canyons.
  • Network availability: FCC 2023 maps indicate multiple 100/20 Mbps fixed options on the valley floor; upland and remote tracts rely more on DSL and fixed wireless.
  • Mobile reliance: Around one in five rural adults nationally are smartphone‑only internet users (Pew), a pattern evident locally, making mobile email a key channel.
• Connectivity facts: Stronger cellular coverage along US‑93 and valley corridors; service thins into Bitterroot foothills.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Ravalli County, Montana (2024)

Scale and user estimates

• Population and households (ACS 2023): approximately 47,000 residents and 19,700 households; adults (18+) about 38,000.
• Any mobile phone users: ~40,000 people (≈85% of the total population; ≈95% of adults).
• Smartphone users: ~34,500 people (≈73–75% of the population; ≈86–88% of adults).
• Feature/flip-phone users: ~5,000–6,000 adults, concentrated among seniors.
• Mobile‑only home internet households (cellular data without fixed wireline): ~3,200–3,500 households (≈16–18%).
• Households with no internet subscription: ~2,100–2,500 (≈11–13%).

Demographic breakdown and how Ravalli differs from Montana overall

• Older age structure:
  • Ravalli 65+ share ≈25–26% vs Montana ≈19–20%.
  • Senior smartphone adoption is lower locally (60% of 65+) than statewide (≈68%), pulling down the countywide smartphone rate by several points.
• Income/education mix:
  • Median household income sits in the low $60k range vs mid/upper $60k statewide; BA+ attainment is modestly lower than the state average. These correlate with slightly lower flagship‑device penetration and longer upgrade cycles in Ravalli.
• Settlement pattern:
  • A larger share of residents lives outside town centers (Hamilton, Stevensville, Florence, Corvallis, Darby). This raises the share of mobile‑only internet households (16–18% vs ~12–14% statewide) and the share with no subscription (11–13% vs ~10–11% statewide).
• Usage behavior:
  • Relative to the state average, Ravalli shows higher reliance on voice/SMS among older adults and modestly lower uptake of app‑centric services (mobile payments, streaming, etc.). Telehealth usage is elevated versus rural peers because services cluster in Hamilton, but still trails Montana’s urban counties by a few points.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Cellular networks:
  • All three national carriers operate in the county. LTE is continuous along the Bitterroot Valley; 5G covers the US‑93 corridor and town centers (Florence–Stevensville–Corvallis–Hamilton–Darby). Coverage drops rapidly into canyons and the Bitterroot Range due to terrain and federal land constraints.
  • 5G population coverage is roughly ~80% in Ravalli vs ~85% statewide; geographic coverage is far lower than population coverage because service is concentrated on the valley floor.
  • FirstNet (AT&T Band 14) operates along the corridor and town sites, improving public‑safety reliability during wildfire season, though canyons still present gaps.
• Backhaul and fixed access:
  • Fiber exists in town cores and business corridors (notably via Blackfoot Communications), supplemented by Lumen/CenturyLink VDSL/DSL, several WISPs, and strong Starlink uptake outside the valley floor.
  • Availability of 100/20 Mbps fixed service trails the Montana average outside US‑93; this drives higher reliance on cellular hotspots and fixed‑wireless access (FWA) than in urban counties.
• Performance/congestion pattern:
  • Peak‑hour slowdowns concentrate along US‑93 (commute and evening hours). Outside the corridor, limitations are more often signal/coverage than pure capacity, a different profile than Montana’s larger cities where capacity is the primary constraint.

Trends divergent from the state

• Adoption gap driven by age: Ravalli’s older age profile creates a 2–4 percentage‑point lower adult smartphone adoption than the Montana average, despite near‑universal basic mobile ownership.
• Higher mobile‑only reliance: A larger share of households depend on cellular data or FWA for home internet than the state average, particularly in foothills and benchlands away from fiber/cable.
• Corridor‑centric 5G: 5G availability is strong along US‑93 but drops off faster with distance than in Montana’s urban hubs; practical coverage is more sensitive to topography, producing sharper town‑to‑canyon service contrasts than the statewide pattern.
• Seasonal load: Recreation and wildfire seasons produce noticeable, localized load spikes on valley sites, a seasonal effect that is more pronounced than in many parts of the state.

Notes on sources and method

• Figures are derived from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2023 population/household structure for Ravalli County, combined with Pew Research Center 2023–2024 national and rural smartphone/cellphone adoption rates by age, and FCC/NTIA 2024 coverage and broadband availability indicators. Estimates are rounded to reflect survey margins of error and rural variability.

Ravalli County, MT — social media snapshot (2024)

Population baseline

• Residents: ~45,700 (U.S. Census 2023 estimate)
• Social media users (13+): ~32,700, about 72% of residents (modeled using Pew Research adoption rates for rural U.S. and local age structure)

Age profile of users (share of local social media users)

• 13–17: ~9%
• 18–29: ~15%
• 30–49: ~29%
• 50–64: ~28%
• 65+: ~19%

Gender breakdown of users

• Women ~53%
• Men ~47% (Note: Women adopt Facebook/Pinterest at higher rates, lifting their share among total users.)

Most-used platforms among local users (overlapping use)

• YouTube: ~78%
• Facebook: ~66%
• Pinterest: ~31%
• Instagram: ~34%
• TikTok: ~29%
• Snapchat: ~24%
• X (Twitter): ~16%
• LinkedIn: ~15%
• Reddit: ~13%
• Nextdoor: ~6%

Behavioral trends and usage patterns

• Facebook is the community hub: Heavy use of Groups and Marketplace for buy/sell, local news, wildfire/road updates, school sports, and community events. Public agencies and local media reach the broadest audiences here.
• Video-first consumption: YouTube dominates for how‑to, repairs, hunting/fishing, agriculture, home projects, church services, and local meetings. Older residents increasingly watch via TV devices.
• Youth/young adults split attention: Instagram/TikTok for short‑form video and local businesses; Snapchat for messaging. Event and school‑related content drives spikes.
• Visual outdoors culture: Scenic, wildlife, and seasonal recreation content over-indexes in engagement; Reels/Shorts perform best for local businesses.
• Marketplace and deals matter: High responsiveness to coupons, local job posts, and event promotions; calls to visit/call outperform pure e‑commerce funnels.
• Trust is local: Posts from known people, established groups, and county/municipal pages carry more weight than national accounts; X has limited local reach relative to Facebook.
• Seasonality: Summer–fall upticks tied to tourism, fairs, and wildfire activity; winter increases in DIY/home projects and community updates.

Notes on method

• Statistics are county-level estimates derived from U.S. Census Bureau 2023 population and age structure, combined with Pew Research Center 2023–2024 U.S. platform adoption rates (adjusted for rural profiles). Percentages reflect share of local social media users age 13+ and are rounded.