Toole County

Toole County, Montana – key demographics (latest available Census Bureau data)

Population size

• Total population (July 1, 2023 estimate): ~5,100

Age

• Median age: ~40 years
• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~20%

Gender

• Male: ~56%
• Female: ~44%

Race/ethnicity (percent of total)

• White (alone): ~84%
• American Indian and Alaska Native (alone): ~10%
• Black (alone): ~1%
• Asian (alone): <1%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander (alone): ~0%
• Some other race: ~1%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~6%

Households and housing

• Households: ~2,050
• Average household size: ~2.3
• Family households: ~58%; nonfamily: ~42%
• Married-couple families: ~45%
• Owner-occupied housing: ~68%; renter-occupied: ~32%

Insights

• Small, aging rural county with a modest share of children and nearly one-fifth 65+, indicating ongoing aging pressures.
• Male share is elevated relative to the U.S. average, influenced in part by institutional populations.
• Predominantly White with a notable American Indian population and a small but present Hispanic/Latino community.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (2023) and American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year tables (DP05, S0101, S1101, DP02, DP04).

Toole County, Montana snapshot (population ≈5,000; area ≈1,940 sq mi; density ≈2.6 people/sq mi)

Email users

• Estimated active email users: ≈3,300 residents (age 13+) use email at least monthly.

Age distribution of email users (share of ≈3,300)

• 13–17: ≈260 (8%)
• 18–34: ≈820 (25%)
• 35–54: ≈1,120 (34%)
• 55–64: ≈560 (17%)
• 65+: ≈540 (16%)

Gender split among email users

• Female ≈50%
• Male ≈50%

Digital access and devices

• Households: ≈2,000; with a computer ≈86%.
• Broadband subscription rate: ≈78% of households (≈1,560 households).
• Smartphone-only internet households: ≈12%.
• Internet use is highest in working-age adults; seniors lag but a majority use email.

Trends and local connectivity facts

• Broadband subscriptions have steadily risen since the mid‑2010s, driven by cable/DSL in Shelby and fixed wireless elsewhere.
• Connectivity is strongest along the I‑15/Shelby corridor; outlying farms and ranches more often rely on fixed wireless or satellite.
• Low population density increases last‑mile costs, reinforcing a split between town-center wired broadband and rural wireless/satellite access.

Notes: Estimates combine recent ACS indicators for computer/broadband access with national email adoption rates applied to Toole County’s demographic mix.

Mobile phone usage in Toole County, Montana (2024 snapshot)

Headline view

• Toole County’s mobile adoption is high but slightly below Montana’s overall rate, with heavier reliance on mobile-only internet among lower-income and renter households. Coverage and 5G availability are strong along I‑15 and in towns (Shelby, Sunburst, Sweet Grass) but drop off quickly in outlying areas, creating a wider gap between “population covered” and “land covered” than the state average.

User estimates

• Population baseline: 5,046 (2020 Census); roughly 2,050 households; county area ~1,900 sq mi. The Crossroads Correctional Center in Shelby (≈500–600 inmates) materially affects per-capita device metrics because incarcerated residents do not carry personal mobiles.
• Unique mobile users: ~3,900–4,200 residents (77–83% of total population), a few points below Montana’s statewide ownership rate (≈86–89%).
• Smartphone users: ~3,200–3,500 residents (64–69% of the population; roughly 82–85% of adult mobile users), versus ~88–90% among adults statewide.
• Mobile-only internet households (no fixed broadband at home, rely on cellular or hotspot): 19–22% of households in Toole, above Montana’s statewide share (14–16%).
• Device mix: Basic/feature phones account for ~12–15% of active handsets countywide, roughly double the state share due to the older age profile and cost sensitivity.

Demographic breakdown of usage

• Age
  • 18–34: ~96–98% smartphone adoption; heavy use of unlimited plans and hotspotting for home access.
  • 35–64: ~90–93% smartphone adoption; highest multi-line family plan penetration.
  • 65+: ~65–70% smartphone adoption; 20–25% still use basic/flip phones, roughly 8–10 percentage points higher than the state average.
• Income and housing
  • Households under ~$35k and renters show the highest mobile-only internet reliance (≈28–35%), driven by the cost and availability of fixed broadband outside town centers.
• Race and ethnicity
  • American Indian residents (roughly high single-digit percent share in Toole) are more likely than the county average to be mobile-only for home internet, reflecting rural location and housing conditions.
• Institutional population
  • The Shelby correctional facility depresses per-capita mobile counts relative to Montana; analyses focused on the non-institutionalized population show adoption rates closer to rural-state norms.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage pattern
  • Strong macro coverage on the I‑15 corridor and in/near Shelby, Sunburst, and the Sweet Grass Port of Entry. Coverage thins west and east of the corridor (e.g., Marias River breaks, Kevin/Oilmont), creating larger dead zones than typical for Montana’s population centers.
• 5G availability
  • Low-band 5G from multiple carriers is present along I‑15 and in towns; mid-band 5G capacity is sparse to intermittent. Compared with Montana overall, Toole has a higher share of LTE-only areas and a more linear “along-the-highway” 5G footprint.
• Backhaul and resilience
  • Fiber backhaul tracks the interstate/rail corridors; many off-corridor sites rely on microwave. Winter storms and power events can isolate outlying sectors more readily than in more populated Montana counties. FirstNet (Band 14) coverage is available on core AT&T sites along the corridor, aiding public safety reliability.
• Cross-border dynamics
  • Proximity to the Coutts/Sweet Grass crossing produces periodic roaming and capacity spikes; Canadian signal spillover near the port requires careful network management. This is a distinct traffic pattern not seen in most Montana counties.
• Alternatives to cellular
  • Fixed wireless ISPs and Starlink are prominent for ranches and farms outside town, reducing but not eliminating mobile-only reliance. In-town fiber/DSL availability is adequate in Shelby; quality drops with distance from town.

How Toole County differs from Montana overall

• Slightly lower overall smartphone adoption and higher persistence of basic phones, driven by an older age mix and cost sensitivity.
• Higher share of mobile-only internet households, despite limited mid-band 5G capacity, because fixed broadband options thin rapidly outside town centers.
• Coverage is more corridor-centric than the statewide pattern, with larger land-area gaps away from I‑15 even though population coverage in towns is good.
• Greater sensitivity to cross-border traffic and roaming effects at Sweet Grass, a niche factor in network planning and peak-load management.
• Per-capita mobile metrics appear lower than statewide partly because incarcerated residents inflate the denominator without contributing active lines; when focusing on non-institutionalized residents, adoption is closer to rural Montana norms.

Notes on estimation

• Counts are derived from the 2020 Census population and household totals adjusted by 2023–2024 rural mobile ownership and smartphone adoption rates, with age-structure and incarceration adjustments typical for north-central Montana counties. Figures are rounded to reflect estimation uncertainty while keeping them decision-useful.

Social media usage in Toole County, Montana (modeled from the county’s rural/older age profile using Pew Research Center 2024 platform adoption rates and recent Census demographics)

Headline stats

• Population: ~5,000; adults (18+): ~3,800–4,100
• Adults using at least one major social platform: ~75–85% (≈2,900–3,300 people)
• Daily social users: ~60–65% of adults

Most-used platforms (share of adults; modeled local range)

• YouTube: ~77–82%
• Facebook: ~62–70%
• Instagram: ~32–40%
• Pinterest: ~32–38% (skews female)
• TikTok: ~22–30%
• Snapchat: ~18–25% (concentrated under 30)
• X (Twitter): ~12–18%
• LinkedIn: ~12–18%
• Reddit: ~10–15%
• WhatsApp/Nextdoor: typically under 10% and <5% respectively in similar rural counties

Age profile

• 18–29: 90%+ on social; YouTube 95%+, Instagram 75–80%, TikTok 65–70%, Snapchat 60–65%, Facebook ~50–55%
• 30–49: 85–90% on social; Facebook 75–80%, YouTube ~90%, Instagram 45–50%, TikTok 30–35%
• 50–64: 70–80% on social; Facebook 70–75%, YouTube ~80%, Instagram 25–30%, TikTok 15–20%
• 65+: 45–55% on social; Facebook 55–60%, YouTube 60–65%, Instagram 10–15%, TikTok 5–10%

Gender breakdown (adoption tendencies)

• Women: Facebook 72–78%, Instagram 40–48%, Pinterest 45–55%, TikTok 28–35%
• Men: YouTube 80–85%, Facebook 60–66%, Reddit 12–18%, X 14–20%, TikTok 20–25%

Behavioral trends

• Local-first engagement: High activity in Facebook Groups and Pages for schools, high-school sports, county and city announcements, weather/wildfire and road updates, buy/sell/yard-sale groups
• Video-forward consumption: Strong growth in short-form video on Facebook/Instagram Reels and TikTok; YouTube used heavily for how-tos, ranch/ag equipment fixes, outdoor/recreation, and local sports streams
• Messaging habits: Facebook Messenger is default for community and commerce; Snapchat dominates teen/young adult peer messaging; WhatsApp niche
• Posting/consumption cadence: Many “lurkers” check daily; small businesses and organizations post 3–5 times/week, often cross-posting to Facebook and Instagram
• Timing: Peak engagement evenings (6–9 p.m.) and lunch hours; sharp spikes during storms, wildfire season, school sports playoffs, and county events
• Commerce: Facebook Marketplace is the primary local trading hub; promotions with clear local value (gift cards, event tickets, rodeo/fair tie-ins) outperform generic offers
• Creative that works: Authentic local photos/video, concise copy, event reminders, and service updates; older audiences respond well to straightforward image posts, younger audiences to short vertical video
• Platform roles:
  • Facebook = community backbone and local news
  • YouTube = education/DIY and longer-form entertainment
  • Instagram = lifestyle, youth/young parents, local businesses; Stories/Reels for discovery
  • TikTok = under-35 entertainment and creator clips (ranch life, outdoor, humor)
  • Pinterest = recipes, home, crafts, trip/outdoor planning; predominantly women
  • X/Reddit/LinkedIn = niche: state news/sports, hobby forums, and professional networking (healthcare, education, energy/transport)

Notes on method and reliability

• Figures are county-specific estimates derived by applying Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. platform adoption by age and gender to Toole County’s rural/older demographic profile from recent Census/ACS, yielding realistic local ranges rather than single-point claims.