Bottineau County

Bottineau County, North Dakota – key demographics (Source: U.S. Census Bureau; 2020 Decennial Census and 2018–2022 ACS; rounded.)

• Population: 6,379 (2020)
• Age: median ~44 years; under 18 ~22%; 65+ ~21%
• Sex: ~51% male; ~49% female
• Race/ethnicity:
  • White, non-Hispanic ~87–88%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native ~7–8%
  • Two or more races ~3–4%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race) ~2–3%
  • Black, Asian, other each <1%
• Households:
  • ~2,700 households; average household size ~2.2
  • ~60% family households; ~50% married-couple families
  • Owner-occupied housing rate ~75%
  • ~25–26% with children under 18
  • ~28–30% one-person households

Bottineau County, ND snapshot

• Population/density: ~6,400 residents; very sparse at roughly 3.8 people per sq. mile.
• Estimated email users: ~4,700 (range 4,300–5,200), based on typical rural ND internet/email adoption and the county’s age mix.

Age pattern (email adoption and share of users)

• 18–34: ~90–97% use email; about 25–30% of users.
• 35–64: ~88–92%; roughly 45–55% of users.
• 65+: ~65–75%; around 15–25% of users.
• Under 18: growing use among teens; limited among children.

Gender split

• Population is roughly even (slight male tilt common in the county); email usage is similar by gender (differences typically <2–3 percentage points).

Digital access and connectivity

• About 75–85% of households have a broadband subscription; 85–90% have a computer/smartphone. An estimated 8–12% are smartphone‑only.
• Fiber is expanding in towns and along main corridors; many outlying farms and Turtle Mountain areas still rely on fixed‑wireless or legacy DSL/satellite.
• Mobile coverage is strongest in population centers and along ND‑5/US‑83; terrain and low density create spottier service in forested/hilly zones.
• State/federal broadband grants are funding additional fiber and fixed‑wireless builds, improving speeds and reliability over time.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Bottineau County, North Dakota

Headline snapshot

• Population baseline: ~6,300–6,500 residents; roughly 75–78% adults.
• Estimated unique mobile users: 5,200–5,700 people.
• Adult smartphone adoption: about 80–85% (lower than ND statewide, which is closer to mid/upper-80s).
• Adult basic/feature phone users: 15–20% (higher than state average due to older age profile and patchier coverage).
• Prepaid share: 22–28% of lines (higher than statewide, reflecting lower incomes in parts of the county, tribal households, and the end of ACP subsidies).
• Smartphone-only/home-internet-by-phone households: 18–22% of households (vs. ~12–15% statewide), especially where wired broadband is limited.

Why Bottineau trends differ from North Dakota overall

• Older age profile: A larger 65+ share than the state drives somewhat lower smartphone adoption and higher basic-phone retention.
• Tribal and low-income impacts: A higher-than-state-average Native American share (Turtle Mountain area) and the lapse of the ACP program increase prepaid use and smartphone-only households.
• Border and tourism effects: Seasonal surges around Lake Metigoshe and cross‑border dynamics near Canada create atypical traffic peaks and roaming sensitivities not seen across most of ND.
• Coverage mix: More dependence on low-band LTE/5G for reach; fewer mid-band 5G sites than statewide averages, leading to wider coverage but lower peak speeds.
• Rural reliance on mobile: More households lean on mobile data or fixed wireless as primary internet compared with state averages, especially outside towns and in the wooded Turtle Mountains.

User estimates and device mix (order-of-magnitude)

• Adults with any mobile phone: ~4,600–4,900.
• Adult smartphone users: ~3,700–4,200; adult basic/feature phone users: ~700–900.
• Teen users: ~700–900 (most on smartphones; coverage and cost moderate adoption).
• Multiple-line effect (watches, tablets, farm/IoT): pushes total active lines above unique users; hotspots and fixed‑wireless gateways are common substitutes for home broadband outside fiber footprints.

Demographic usage patterns

• 65+: Heavier voice/SMS use, larger share of basic phones, growing telehealth/video but constrained by coverage and affordability.
• Working-age adults: Standard app/social/messaging usage; above-average reliance on mobile hotspotting for remote work and farm operations.
• Students/young adults (Dakota College at Bottineau and local schools): High smartphone penetration; campus Wi‑Fi reduces mobile data demand in town, but off‑campus students rely on mobile.
• Tribal households: Higher prepaid share; smartphone-only home internet is more common, and the ACP wind‑down has increased bill sensitivity and plan downgrades.

Digital infrastructure notes

• Coverage and radios:
  • Verizon and AT&T provide the broadest rural reach; T‑Mobile’s 600 MHz 5G has improved highway/town coverage but remains variable in the northern woods.
  • 5G today is predominantly low-band (Verizon DSS/AT&T low-band, T‑Mobile Band 71). Mid-band 5G is mostly limited to Bottineau city and immediate surroundings, if present.
  • Speeds: Good on highways and in towns; uneven indoors and in the Turtle Mountains/Lake Metigoshe area.
• Tower geography: Macro sites cluster around Bottineau, Westhope, Willow City, Lansford, Maxbass/Newburg, Lake Metigoshe, and along ND‑5 and ND‑3. Terrain/trees near the border introduce shadows and handoff gaps.
• Border effects: Canadian coordination zones can limit certain bands and power levels near the 49th parallel; users may see signal variability and conservative channel use close to the line. Cross‑border roamers increase seasonal loads.
• Backhaul and fiber:
  • Town centers and the Turtle Mountain area benefit from fiber built by local/tribal providers and regional cooperatives; this strengthens cellular backhaul in and around towns.
  • Outside town cores, wired options thin out; many households and farms adopt LTE/5G fixed wireless from national carriers or WISPs.
• Public safety and reliability: FirstNet (AT&T) low‑band coverage helps fill rural gaps; carriers use low‑band overlays for winter weather resilience.

What to watch next (county vs. state trajectory)

• Mid-band 5G infill: Any C‑band/2.5 GHz adds could noticeably raise median speeds in Bottineau city and along ND‑5—closing the performance gap with ND’s larger metros.
• Fixed‑wireless broadband adoption: Likely to grow faster than statewide where fiber isn’t practical, reinforcing mobile’s role as primary home internet.
• Seasonal and cross‑border demand management: Summer peaks around Lake Metigoshe and events will continue to drive temporary congestion different from state patterns.
• Affordability: Post‑ACP adjustments will keep prepaid and lower‑tier plans elevated relative to statewide averages, influencing usage volumes and upgrade cycles.

Notes on methodology

• Estimates are derived from 2020–2023 population levels, typical rural smartphone adoption (Pew/Census trends), and rural North Dakota carrier deployment patterns; figures are presented as ranges to reflect local variance by town, terrain, and carrier.

Below is a concise, best-available snapshot for Bottineau County, ND. County-level social stats aren’t directly published, so figures are modeled from Pew Research (2023–2024) adult/teen usage and adjusted for rural North Dakota demographics. Treat as directional estimates.

Overview and user base

• Population: roughly 6,300–6,600 residents
• Estimated social media users: 4,400–4,800 (about 70–75% of residents; ~80–85% of adults; ~90–95% of teens 13–17)

Age mix (who’s active where)

• Teens (13–17): Near-universal on YouTube; heavy Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram; Facebook used for teams/events
• 18–34: Heavy Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok; Facebook for events, Marketplace, and groups
• 35–54: Facebook dominant; YouTube strong; Instagram moderate; Pinterest popular with women
• 55+: Facebook and YouTube dominant; lighter use of TikTok/Instagram; Messenger common for family comms

Gender notes

• Overall user base is roughly balanced. Platform skews: Facebook/Instagram/Pinterest lean female; YouTube/Reddit/X lean male. Snapchat leans female among younger users.

Most-used platforms (share of local social media users; estimated)

• YouTube: 80–90%
• Facebook: 60–70%
• Facebook Messenger: 60–70% (rides on Facebook adoption)
• Instagram: 35–45%
• Snapchat: 25–35% overall; 60–70% among teens/20s
• TikTok: 25–35% overall; 50–70% among under-35
• Pinterest: 20–30% (mostly women)
• X (Twitter): 10–15%
• Reddit: 10–15%
• LinkedIn: 10–15%
• WhatsApp: 5–10%
• Nextdoor: <5% (limited in rural areas)

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the community hub: local news, school sports, weather/road updates, fundraisers, church/community events, buy/sell via Marketplace
• Groups > pages: Private/local groups (swap, yard sale, hunting/fishing, lake life, school activities) drive most interaction
• Video consumption rising: Reels/Shorts/TikTok watched widely; creation is moderate and younger-skewed
• Local-first engagement: Posts featuring familiar people, school teams, obituaries, severe weather, lost-and-found get outsized reach
• Shopping/discovery: Small businesses lean on Facebook/Instagram for promos and hours; Marketplace used for equipment/vehicles/household goods
• Messaging split: Messenger for families/community; Snapchat for teens/young adults; SMS still common with older adults
• Seasonality: Spikes around storms/blizzards, calving/harvest, hunting/fishing seasons, county fair, and Lake Metigoshe summer activity
• Timing: Engagement typically peaks early morning and evenings, with lunchtime check-ins

Notes on uncertainty

• County-specific percentages are scarce; figures above are modeled from national/state rural patterns. For tighter local validation, combine: Facebook Ads reach estimates, school/parent surveys, and page/group insights from key local communities.