Sweet Grass County

Sweet Grass County, Montana — key demographics

Population size

• 3,665 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: 47.8 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: 22%
• 65 and over: 24%

Gender

• Male: ~51%
• Female: ~49% (ACS 2018–2022)

Race/ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~93%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3–4%
• American Indian and Alaska Native: ~1–2%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Black or African American, Asian, and other races: each <1%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~1,550
• Average household size: ~2.3
• Family households: ~62% of households
• Married-couple households: ~55–60%
• Households with children under 18: ~24–26%
• Nonfamily households: ~35–38%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~74%

Insights

• Small, rural county with an older age profile (median age ~48).
• Predominantly White non-Hispanic population with modest racial/ethnic diversity.
• Household sizes are small, and married-couple/family households are the majority.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates (DP05, DP02, DP04).

Sweet Grass County, MT snapshot

• Population: 3,665 (2020 Census) across ~1,855 sq mi; density ~2.0 residents/sq mi.
• Internet access: ~84% of households have a broadband subscription (ACS 2018–2022). About 11% are smartphone‑only users; ~6–8% have no home internet.
• Estimated email users: ~2,500 residents (≈68% of the population), reflecting adult internet adoption and near‑universal email use among connected adults.

Estimated email user profile

• Age distribution of users: 13–24: 14%; 25–44: 29%; 45–64: 35%; 65+: 22%.
• Gender split among users: ~51% male, 49% female (mirrors county demographics).

Digital access trends and local connectivity

• Usage is concentrated along the I‑90/US‑191 corridor and in Big Timber, where cable/DSL/fixed‑wireless are most available; outlying ranchlands rely more on satellite and WISPs, with lower speeds and higher latency.
• Device access is high (computers/smartphones in 90%+ of households), supporting routine email for work, healthcare, schools, and agriculture.
• Older adults are active but less intensive email users than 25–64 cohorts; smartphone‑only households skew younger and use webmail/mobile apps.
• Low density and rugged terrain keep infrastructure costs high, slowing fiber build‑out, but fixed‑wireless upgrades continue to expand coverage.

Mobile phone usage in Sweet Grass County, Montana (2025 snapshot)

Summary

• Residents: ≈3.9K; adults (18+): ≈3.1K (U.S. Census Bureau 2023 estimates, rounded).
• Adult mobile phone users (any mobile): 93–95% → about 2.9K–3.0K adults.
• Adult smartphone users: 84–87% → about 2.6K–2.7K adults.
• 5G‑capable smartphone users: 60–65% of smartphone users → roughly 1.6K–1.8K adults.
• Households with a cellular data plan (phone/tablet hotspot or standalone mobile broadband): 66–70% of ≈1.6–1.7K households → about 1.1K–1.2K households.
• These rates trail Montana statewide (smartphone ownership ~88–90%; households with a cellular data plan ~72–75%), reflecting rural geography and older age structure (Pew Research Center, ACS 2018–2022 S2801, state compilations).

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age tilt lowers smartphone penetration relative to Montana:
  • 18–34: ~94–96% smartphone adoption → ≈0.65–0.70K users.
  • 35–64: ~88–90% → ≈1.3–1.4K users.
  • 65+: ~65–70% → ≈0.55–0.65K users.
• Seniors are a larger share of the county than statewide, so the 65+ adoption gap (≈20+ points below younger adults) pulls down the county average more than it does at the state level.
• A measurable minority (about 6–8% of adults) use a basic/feature phone as their primary mobile device—several points higher than the state—driven by ranch and field work, longer device replacement cycles, and patchy high‑band coverage.
• Mobile-only internet reliance is somewhat higher than the Montana average in town centers (Big Timber, Greycliff) but lower in remote areas where signal is weak; overall, primary-home reliance on cellular for internet lands roughly on par to slightly higher than the state in absolute numbers because satellite fills many non-cellular gaps.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Coverage pattern
  • 4G LTE: All three national carriers provide continuous LTE along I‑90 (Reed Point–Big Timber–Greycliff); service thins quickly north into the Crazies and south along the Boulder River.
  • 5G: T‑Mobile and Verizon show 600 MHz/low‑band 5G along I‑90 and in Big Timber; AT&T 5G is present mainly in town centers. County 5G population coverage is materially lower than Montana’s urbanized corridors.
• Capacity and speeds
  • Along I‑90 and in Big Timber: typical downlink 50–150 Mbps (carrier and time‑of‑day dependent).
  • Off‑corridor valleys and canyons: frequent sub‑10 Mbps LTE or edge-of‑coverage conditions; some no‑service pockets persist.
• Backhaul and resilience
  • Long‑haul fiber follows the I‑90/rail corridor (regional/Lumen routes), so roadside sites are fiber‑fed while many rural sites ride microwave. Power/transport outages during winter storms can isolate outlying sectors longer than is typical statewide.
• Public safety and enterprise
  • FirstNet (AT&T Band 14) coverage aligns with the I‑90 corridor and town; off‑highway Band 14 is spotty, so agencies and ranch operations commonly keep radio/satellite fallbacks.
• Fixed wireless and satellite interplay
  • WISPs and CBRS deployments serve ranchlands near line‑of‑sight ridges; Starlink uptake is notably higher than state average in dead‑zone areas, which reduces demand for mobile hotspots outside town but increases Wi‑Fi calling dependence indoors.

How Sweet Grass County differs from Montana overall

• Lower smartphone penetration and slower 5G device uptake due to older median age and fewer perceived 5G benefits off‑corridor.
• More pronounced on‑corridor/off‑corridor divide: performance is competitive with state urban averages along I‑90 but drops off faster with distance and terrain, creating higher reliance on Wi‑Fi calling and satellite in homesteads and ranch operations.
• Higher share of basic phones and longer device replacement cycles than statewide norms.
• Greater single‑corridor concentration of capacity means sharper peak‑hour variability from interstate traffic and tourism than the statewide pattern.
• Public‑safety and business users are more likely than the state average to multi‑home (e.g., carry lines from two carriers) to manage dead zones.

Notes on sources and methodology

• Population and household counts: U.S. Census Bureau 2023 population estimates (rounded).
• Device and subscription shares: county estimates derived from ACS 2018–2022 S2801 (Types of Computers and Internet Subscriptions), Pew Research Center’s 2023 smartphone adoption by age/rurality, and FCC Broadband Data Collection (2024) carrier-reported coverage; figures are rounded to reflect measurement uncertainty.
• Coverage characteristics synthesized from FCC maps and national carrier public coverage disclosures current through 2024–2025; local terrain explains the sharper off‑corridor degradation versus Montana’s statewide averages.

Social media usage in Sweet Grass County, MT (2025 snapshot)

Important note on data: There is no official county-level survey reporting platform-by-platform usage for Sweet Grass County. Figures below are evidence-based estimates tailored to the county’s small, older-leaning population using Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. social media adoption rates, rural-user differentials, and the county’s demographic profile. Treat them as directional, not census-counted.

User base

• Population context: ~3.7k residents; small, rural, older-leaning age profile.
• Adults using at least one social platform: 70–75% of adults (roughly 2.0–2.3k people).
• Daily users (any platform): ~55–60% of adults.

Most-used platforms among adults (estimated reach)

• YouTube: 78–82%
• Facebook: 65–70%
• Instagram: 30–35%
• Pinterest: 25–30%
• TikTok: 22–27%
• Snapchat: 20–25% (concentrated under 30)
• X (Twitter): 12–16%
• Reddit: 10–12%
• LinkedIn: 10–15%
• Nextdoor: <5%

Age-group patterns (share of each group using at least one platform; platform skews in parentheses)

• 13–17: 90–95%; heavy TikTok/Snapchat/YouTube; minimal Facebook posting.
• 18–29: 90–95%; multi-platform; Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube dominant; Facebook for events/groups.
• 30–49: 80–85%; Facebook and YouTube anchor; Instagram secondary; rising TikTok for short video and local info.
• 50–64: 65–75%; Facebook (Groups/Marketplace) and YouTube; Pinterest notable among women.
• 65+: 50–55%; Facebook for family/community updates; YouTube for how-tos, news, church/local content.

Gender breakdown (usage skews)

• Overall split among social media users is roughly balanced.
• Women: higher on Facebook (70–75% of women), Instagram (35–40%), Pinterest (35–40%).
• Men: higher on YouTube (80–85% of men), Reddit (12–15%), X (14–18%).
• TikTok and Snapchat are more balanced but lean female in engagement.

Behavioral trends and local usage

• Facebook Groups/Marketplace dominate engagement: buy/sell/trade, ranch and farm equipment, school sports, church and community events, wildfire/road updates.
• YouTube is the primary video platform for tutorials (ag, home/auto repair), outdoors content (hunting/fishing), and local government/meetings when available.
• Instagram is used for local businesses (cafés, salons, outfitters) and events; Stories/Reels outperform feed posts.
• TikTok growth is steady among under-40s for local tips, outdoors, and humor; cross-posted Reels reach similar audiences.
• Posting vs lurking: skew toward consuming over creating; posts concentrate around community happenings and seasonal activities (county fair, hunting season, holiday events).
• Timing: engagement peaks early morning (6–8 a.m.) and evening (7–10 p.m.); weekend midday spikes around events and sports.
• Access patterns: predominantly mobile; rural connectivity means short, captioned video performs better than long streams; images with concise text do well.

Implications for outreach

• Prioritize Facebook (Pages + Groups + Marketplace) and YouTube; add Instagram for visual storytelling and events.
• Use short, mobile-friendly video; cross-post Reels/TikToks where relevant.
• Anchor content to community calendars, school sports, fairs, agricultural seasons, and outdoors topics for highest relevance.