Sanders County

Key demographics — Sanders County, Montana (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2018–2022 5-year estimates unless noted)

Population

• Total population: ~12,600 (2020 Census: ~12,400)
• Population density: ~5 people per square mile (very rural)

Age

• Median age: ~52–53 years
• Under 18: ~18%
• 18 to 64: ~55%
• 65 and over: ~27%

Gender

• Male: ~51%
• Female: ~49%

Race and ethnicity

• White alone: ~92%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~4%
• Two or more races: ~3–4%
• Asian alone: <1%
• Black or African American alone: <1%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~4%
• White, non-Hispanic: ~88%

Households

• Total households: ~5,500–5,600
• Average household size: ~2.2
• Family households: ~62% of households
• Married-couple households: ~50% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~22%
• Nonfamily households: ~38%; living alone: ~29% (about 13% age 65+)
• Homeownership rate: ~75–80%; renter-occupied: ~20–25%

Insights

• Older age structure (median age >50) with a high share of seniors relative to the U.S. average.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White population with small American Indian and multiracial communities.
• Small household sizes and a large share of owner-occupied, married-couple, and nonfamily/living-alone households, consistent with a rural county.

• County snapshot: Sanders County has about 12.6k residents and very low rural density (~4–5 people per square mile), with population clustered in towns like Thompson Falls, Plains, and Hot Springs.
• Digital access: Roughly 75–85% of households report a broadband subscription (ACS S2801, latest 5‑year). Fast fixed service is concentrated in towns; many remote areas rely on mobile broadband or satellite. Public Wi‑Fi at libraries/schools supplements home access.
• Estimated email users: 9,000–10,200 residents use email regularly, reflecting high email adoption among internet users and rural internet take‑up rates.
• Age distribution of email users (share of users): 13–17: 3–4%; 18–34: 18–22%; 35–54: 28–32%; 55–64: 18–22%; 65+: 25–30%. The county’s older age profile lifts the 55+ share despite slightly lower adoption at advanced ages.
• Gender split among email users: approximately 50% female and 50% male, with a slight female skew among older cohorts.
• Trends and insights: Smartphone‑based access is rising; fiber builds are gradually extending in town centers. Seasonal residents and retirees maintain strong email engagement for healthcare, banking, and government services. Connectivity remains uneven in sparsely populated valleys and forested terrain, reinforcing a town‑center versus outlying‑area digital divide.

Sanders County, MT: mobile phone usage summary (focus on how it differs from statewide patterns)

Modeled user estimates (2025)

• Total residents using a mobile phone (smartphone or basic): 10,000–11,000 users, about 80–86% of the county’s population
• Smartphone users: 8,500–9,500 users, about 70–76% of the population
• Mobile-only home internet households (use cellular data plan/hotspot as primary internet): 10–14% of households, noticeably higher than the Montana statewide share
• Prepaid mobile share: 18–22% of mobile lines, above the Montana statewide mix
• Primary carrier distribution among users: Verizon dominant, AT&T moderate, T‑Mobile meaningful but still secondary outside towns; a larger single-carrier dependency than the statewide average

Demographic breakdown of mobile adoption

• Age
  • 18–34: smartphone adoption ~95%+; heavy app, social, and streaming use
  • 35–64: smartphone adoption ~88–92%; high use of messaging, navigation, work apps
  • 65+: smartphone adoption ~60–70%; higher basic/feature‑phone retention than statewide, more voice/SMS‑centric use
• Income
  • Under $35k: smartphone adoption ~70–75%; higher prepaid, budget Android devices, and data‑capping behaviors
  • $35k–$75k: ~80–88%; mix of prepaid/postpaid; hotspot use for home connectivity where wired options are weak
  • $75k+: ~90–95%; postpaid family plans, newer devices, and multi‑device lines
• Households with children: higher multi‑line penetration and hotspot use for homework in areas lacking reliable wired broadband
• Tribal and reservation areas in the county: lower 5G availability and higher prepaid reliance compared with county average

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• Terrain and dispersion: Mountainous, forested valleys and long distances between settlements (Thompson Falls, Plains, Hot Springs, Trout Creek, Noxon, Heron) create shadowing and edge‑of‑cell conditions uncommon in Montana’s larger population centers
• Cellular coverage
  • LTE is the workhorse technology countywide
  • 5G low‑band is present in/near town centers and along MT‑200; mid‑band 5G capacity is limited and uneven outside towns
  • Coverage gaps and single‑carrier pockets persist off the MT‑200 corridor and in canyons; roaming or no‑service zones are more common than the statewide norm
• Capacity and backhaul
  • Sites frequently depend on microwave backhaul outside towns; fiber backhaul is concentrated along primary corridors
  • Congestion spikes occur during summer recreation and wildfire incidents; network management and deprioritization are more noticeable than in Montana’s urban counties
• First responders and public safety: FirstNet (AT&T) presence, but incident‑driven COW/COLTs are used during wildfires or major events to stabilize capacity
• Alternative access
  • Fixed wireless and satellite (notably Starlink) fill coverage and capacity gaps
  • Public Wi‑Fi from libraries and schools supplements mobile access for homework and telehealth

How Sanders County differs from Montana statewide trends

• Older age structure drives lower smartphone penetration and higher basic‑phone retention than the state average
• Higher share of mobile‑only home internet households, reflecting patchier wired broadband and a stronger role for hotspots
• Greater dependence on a single strong rural carrier (Verizon), with less balanced multi‑carrier coverage than Montana overall
• Slower, spottier mid‑band 5G rollout; LTE remains the primary layer for both coverage and capacity
• More pronounced seasonal congestion and emergency‑driven network variability due to tourism, wildfire activity, and limited redundant backhaul

Method notes

• Figures are modeled from recent rural adoption patterns, ACS “Computer and Internet Use” county‑level tendencies, Pew rural tech adoption by age/income, and known network build‑out patterns in northwestern Montana. Ranges are rounded to reflect county size and infrastructure variability.

Social media in Sanders County, Montana — concise 2025 snapshot

Scope and method note: County-specific platform stats aren’t directly published. Figures below are best-available estimates tailored to Sanders County’s size, age mix, and rural profile, using 2023–2024 Pew Research social media data and Montana/rural adjustments. Percentages refer to share of county adults unless noted; multi‑platform use is common, so totals exceed 100%.

User stats

• Population: ~12.5k residents; adults (18+): ~10.0–10.5k
• Active social media users (18+): ~7.5k adults (≈75% of adults)
• Smartphone adoption (18+): ≈82%
• Home broadband subscription: ≈75–80% of households

Age-group usage (share using at least one platform)

• Teens 13–17: ~95%
• 18–29: ~96%
• 30–49: ~88%
• 50–64: ~78%
• 65+: ~62%

Gender breakdown

• Overall usage is near even; women slightly higher engagement
• Approximate usage by gender (18+): Women ~76%, Men ~72%
• Platform skews: Pinterest and Facebook lean female; YouTube and Reddit lean male; Instagram close to balanced

Most‑used platforms (percent of adults who use each platform; est.)

• YouTube: 74%
• Facebook: 70%
• Instagram: 40%
• Pinterest: 32%
• TikTok: 28%
• Snapchat: 24%
• LinkedIn: 18%
• X (Twitter): 17%
• Reddit: 14%
• WhatsApp: 12%
• Nextdoor: 9%

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Community-first Facebook: Heavy use of Facebook Groups for local news, wildfire/road updates, school sports, yard sales, and civic notices. Facebook Marketplace is the default for local buying/selling.
• Video for how‑to and outdoors: YouTube dominates for DIY, small-engine repair, homesteading, hunting/fishing, and regional news clips; watch time peaks evenings and weekends.
• Youth split across visual apps: Under‑30s are the primary users of Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok; Instagram for social identity and local small businesses; Snapchat for friend networks; TikTok for short-form entertainment and trades/outdoor content.
• Limited pro networking: LinkedIn usage is modest, concentrated among remote workers and healthcare/education staff; recruiting is more effective via Facebook Groups and local pages.
• Messaging norms: Facebook Messenger and SMS are primary; WhatsApp limited (family ties and international travel are the main drivers).
• Trust and amplification: Posts from local officials (county, sheriff, fire/EMS), schools, and known community figures earn outsized engagement; word-of-mouth spreads fastest via Facebook Groups.
• Content cadence: More lurking than posting; engagement spikes around community events, emergencies, severe weather, and summer tourism season.
• Ad receptivity: Strong response to geo-targeted Facebook/Instagram ads with clear local value (events, services, seasonal deals). Authentic, utility‑driven creative outperforms polished national creative. Marketplace listings and boosted posts deliver consistent ROI.
• Access constraints: Patchy broadband means mobile‑first content (short video, square/vertical formats, concise copy) performs best; avoid heavy downloads or long live streams during peak congestion.

Key takeaways

• Facebook and YouTube are the county’s backbone platforms; Instagram/TikTok matter primarily for under‑40s.
• Roughly three in four adults use social media, with usage falling with age but remaining meaningful among 65+ via Facebook and YouTube.
• For reach and action locally, prioritize Facebook (Groups + Marketplace) and short, utility-focused video on YouTube/Instagram; use TikTok/Snapchat for youth awareness, and keep LinkedIn/X as secondary.