Cass County

Here are recent Census estimates for Cass County, North Dakota. Figures are rounded; source years noted.

Population size

• Total: ~197,000 (2023 Census population estimate)
• 2010 Census baseline: 149,778 (growth ~31% since 2010)

Age

• Median age: ~32 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~13%

Gender

• Male: ~51–52%
• Female: ~48–49% (ACS 2019–2023)

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2019–2023)

• White alone (non-Hispanic): ~82–84%
• Black or African American alone: ~5–6%
• Asian alone: ~3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~2%
• Two or more races: ~4%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~4–5%

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

• Total households: ~80,000–81,000
• Average household size: ~2.3
• Family households: ~44% of households
• Married-couple households: ~34%
• Households with children under 18: ~25–28%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 Population Estimates; American Community Survey 2019–2023 (5-year).

Cass County, ND snapshot (estimates)

• Population baseline: ~195,000 residents; household broadband subscription ~90–93% (ACS/FCC), driven by the Fargo–West Fargo urban core.
• Estimated email users: ~165,000 (≈85% of residents). Among adults specifically: ~140,000–150,000.
• Age pattern (share using email):
  • 13–17: 85–90% (school accounts common)
  • 18–29: 96–98%
  • 30–49: 95–97%
  • 50–64: 90–95%
  • 65+: 75–85%
• Gender split: Approximately even (near 50/50; no consistent gap in usage).
• Digital access trends:
  • Very high fixed-broadband availability and subscriptions; strong fiber/coax coverage in Fargo/West Fargo and robust 5G from major carriers in the metro.
  • Smartphone-led access common; older adults’ email adoption continues to rise as telehealth, banking, and government services digitize.
  • Rural edges show somewhat lower adoption, but countywide connectivity remains above U.S. average.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Cass is ND’s most populous county; most residents live in the Fargo–West Fargo area, where gigabit-class service is widely available and public Wi‑Fi is offered by libraries and NDSU.
  • Coverage at 100/20 Mbps tiers reaches the vast majority of households, supporting high email penetration.

Notes: Figures extrapolate U.S./ND email-use norms onto Cass County demographics.

Below is a county-focused snapshot built from ACS/NTIA/FCC public datasets and national benchmarks (Pew/CTIA), combined with local context. Executive takeaways (how Cass County differs from ND overall)

• Cass County is younger, more urban, and more renter/student-heavy than the state average. That translates to higher smartphone penetration, more mobile-only adults, and greater use of prepaid/MVNO plans than North Dakota overall.
• 5G coverage and median mobile speeds are materially better in Cass (Fargo/West Fargo) than statewide, driven by denser macro sites, small cells, and earlier C-band/n41 deployments.
• Coverage gaps common in western/rural ND are rare in Cass; indoor performance and capacity are the differentiators locals notice, not basic availability.

User estimates

• Population baseline: 190,000–200,000 residents (2023–2024 est.; Cass is the state’s largest county anchored by Fargo).
• Adults (18+): about 145,000–155,000 (Cass skews younger than ND overall, but still roughly three-quarters adult).
• Adults with any mobile phone: 92–96% → about 133,000–149,000 users. Method: apply national adult mobile-phone ownership (essentially universal) with a small discount for older cohorts, then add back Cass’s urban/younger mix.
• Adult smartphone users: 88–92% of adults → about 128,000–142,000. Method: start from Pew’s ~85% US adult smartphone figure in 2023; adjust upward 2–5 points for Cass’s younger, urban profile and strong 4G/5G.
• Teens (13–17) with smartphones: roughly 85–90% of ~12,000–14,000 teens → 10,000–12,000 users. Method: national youth adoption benchmarks applied to Cass’s younger profile and school-issued/required connectivity patterns in Fargo-area districts.
• Total people with an active mobile phone (all ages): 170,000–185,000. Method: combine adult and teen estimates; children under 13 contribute marginally via family plans/watches.

How this differs from ND overall

• Statewide adult smartphone penetration is closer to national average (≈85%) because rural/senior-heavy counties pull it down. Cass is 3–7 points higher.
• Total device penetration per capita (lines per 100 people) is likely higher in Cass than the state average due to multiple lines per user (work/IoT/tablets) and university/enterprise lines.

Demographic breakdown (directional differences vs state)

• Age: 18–34 cohort is larger in Cass (NDSU and metro labor market). Smartphone ownership is near-saturation (95%+) in this group; heavy app-first usage and mobile payments exceed state average.
• Seniors (65+): Adoption in Cass is higher than statewide due to better retail support, health systems’ digital front doors, and grandparent proximity to services. Expect a 5–10 point adoption edge vs rural counties.
• Income/education: Higher share of college-educated renters and students means:
  • More mobile-only adults (no fixed home broadband) than North Dakota average, driven by cost/portability in rentals.
  • Heavier reliance on unlimited or high-capacity plans and hotspotting.
• Immigrant/refugee communities (larger presence in Fargo) correlate with:
  • Slightly higher prepaid/MVNO usage than the state average.
  • More international calling/messaging apps, eSIM use for travel, and WhatsApp/Signal adoption.
• Household type: More single-person and roommate households → multiple lines per address and less landline use. Cass has the state’s lowest landline reliance.

Usage patterns

• Mobile-only internet households: approx. 12–18% in Cass vs ~10–14% statewide. Rationale: strong fixed broadband statewide keeps the numbers lower than many states, but Cass’s renter/student mix nudges mobile-only higher than ND average.
• Work/education: High BYOD and remote/hybrid work share in the metro increases daytime load on mid-band 5G and indoor DAS/Wi‑Fi offload in office and campus buildings.
• Platform: Android share likely slightly above iOS overall (consistent with Upper Midwest trends), with iOS relatively stronger among students/young professionals.

Digital infrastructure highlights (what stands out locally)

• Coverage and technology mix:
  • 5G mid-band is broadly available across Fargo/West Fargo:
    • T-Mobile n41 “5G UC” blanket coverage and strong indoor performance.
    • Verizon C-band “5G UW” widely deployed across the core, with capacity layers; targeted mmWave small cells in dense or venue areas are plausible but limited.
    • AT&T 5G with C-band/5G+ nodes around key corridors; robust Band 14 (FirstNet) presence for public safety.
  • Result: Higher median speeds and lower congestion vs ND statewide, where western and far-north counties still lean heavily on LTE with sparser mid-band 5G.
• Site density:
  • More macro sites per square mile in the metro, plus small cells along I‑94/I‑29 corridors and downtown/co‑locations near campuses and hospitals. Cass’s density materially exceeds rural county averages.
• Backhaul and fiber:
  • Strong fiber presence from regional operators (e.g., Dakota Carrier Network members, Midco) and national carriers supports 5G backhaul, enterprise circuits, and campus networks. This enables higher 5G capacity than much of the state.
• Indoor coverage:
  • Hospitals, arenas, and university buildings in Fargo are more likely to have DAS or small-cell solutions; this is rarer outside the metro.
• Public safety:
  • FirstNet Band 14 coverage, 911/NG911 integration, and Wireless Emergency Alerts are mature; Cass’s urban core generally has better redundancy than rural ND PSAP areas.
• Wi‑Fi and offload:
  • Higher density of public/venue Wi‑Fi and municipal/education SSIDs than the state average; reduces cellular load in peak indoor hours.
• Competitive landscape:
  • All three national MNOs compete vigorously in the metro, with more MVNO retail options (big-box and online). Device financing and trade-in promotions are more accessible locally, lifting upgrade rates and 5G device penetration compared to state average.

Quantitative contrasts (directional)

• Median mobile download speed: Cass (Fargo area) notably above ND statewide median due to mid-band 5G density and fiber backhaul.
• 5G availability: Meaningfully higher share of tests on 5G in Cass vs ND average; more time-on-5G and higher 5G-only coverage continuity across daily travel sheds.
• Coverage gaps: Very low in Cass; materially higher in western/rural ND (terrain and tower spacing). Cass gaps are mainly indoor or at fringe river/park areas.

What to watch in the next 12–24 months

• Capacity upgrades: Additional C-band carriers/sectors and n41 infill to handle apartment growth and campus peaks.
• Fixed Wireless Access (FWA): Continued uptake in rentals and small businesses despite strong cable/fiber, because of quick installs and promotional pricing.
• Private cellular (CBRS/5G) on campuses and in logistics/manufacturing around Fargo’s industrial parks, improving indoor coverage and IoT reliability.
• eSIM adoption: Rising among students and travelers, boosting MVNO/secondary line usage.

Method notes

• Population and age structure: ACS 1-year/5-year trends for Cass County; Cass is consistently the youngest, fastest-growing ND county.
• Adoption rates: Pew Research Center smartphone ownership benchmarks adjusted for Cass’s demographics; NTIA/ACS internet-use tables inform mobile-only and cellular-data plan prevalence.
• Network/infrastructure: FCC mobile broadband/5G maps, carrier public coverage maps, and metro vs statewide performance patterns from industry testing datasets (e.g., Ookla/OpenSignal) inform directional speed/availability claims.

Cass County, ND social media snapshot (est. 2025)

Context and user stats

• Population: ~190k residents; ~155–160k age 13+.
• Active social media users: ~125k–140k (roughly 80–85% of residents 13+), higher than rural ND due to Fargo/West Fargo and NDSU student base.
• Daily use: ~70–75% of users check at least daily; 13–24 age group is ~85–90% daily.

Most‑used platforms (share of residents 13+ who use each at least monthly; estimates)

• YouTube: 85–90%
• Facebook: 65–70%
• Instagram: 50–55%
• Snapchat: 45–50% (above U.S. average due to student population)
• TikTok: 40–45% (also above average among under‑30s)
• Pinterest: 30–35% (skews female, home/lifestyle)
• LinkedIn: 30–35% (strong among students/professionals)
• X/Twitter: 20–25%
• Reddit: 20–25% (male/tech/gaming skew)
• Nextdoor: 10–15% (growing in established neighborhoods, lower among students)

Age‑group patterns (high‑level)

• Teens (13–17): YouTube ~95%; Snapchat 80–85%; TikTok 75–80%; Instagram ~70%. Snapchat is primary messaging; light Facebook.
• 18–24: YouTube 90%+; Instagram ~75%; Snapchat ~70%; TikTok ~65–70%; LinkedIn 30–40% (internships/jobs).
• 25–34: Facebook ~70%; Instagram ~65%; TikTok ~50%; Snapchat ~55%; LinkedIn ~40%.
• 35–54: Facebook ~75% and still central; Instagram ~45%; TikTok ~35–40%; Pinterest ~40%.
• 55+: Facebook ~65–70%; YouTube ~70–75%; Pinterest/Nextdoor moderate; minimal Snapchat/TikTok.

Gender breakdown (tendencies)

• Women: Higher Facebook and Pinterest adoption; Instagram slightly higher; strong engagement with local groups, schools, causes, and shopping/recipes.
• Men: Higher Reddit and X/Twitter; heavy YouTube (how‑to, sports, gaming); more tech/automotive/outdoors content.
• Both genders: Instagram Reels and TikTok for short‑form video; Facebook for community and events.

Behavioral trends to know

• Community‑centric: Facebook Groups and local pages (neighborhoods, schools, NDSU Bison, youth sports) drive discussion and event discovery.
• Short‑form video first: TikTok and Instagram Reels for food spots, nightlife, events, and “things to do” in Fargo/West Fargo; creators cross‑post to Facebook.
• Messaging over posting for Gen Z: Snapchat is the default chat layer; IG DMs common for micro‑communities and clubs.
• Marketplace heavy: Facebook Marketplace is a go‑to for furniture, rentals, and student turnover around semester changes.
• News and weather spikes: Severe weather, road closures, and local breaking news cause sharp surges on Facebook, YouTube, and X; school closings amplify morning traffic.
• Sports‑driven cycles: NDSU football and regional pro sports boost weekend engagement and live‑commenting; watch‑party and tailgate content performs well.
• Professional networking: LinkedIn actively used by students and employers; strong traction for recruiting, internships, and healthcare/tech roles.
• Trust and locality: Content featuring recognizable local places/people outperforms generic creative; “shop local” and service recommendations are common.
• Timing: Peaks around 7–9 a.m., noon, and 7–10 p.m.; students also show late‑night spikes (after 10 p.m.).
• Ad responsiveness: Deals/coupons, job posts, event promos, and practical how‑to video ads perform best; authenticity and clear value beat polish.

Notes on data

• Cass County–specific social media panels are limited. Figures above are estimates synthesized from recent U.S. platform benchmarks, North Dakota demographics, and the county’s younger, urban‑leaning profile. Use for planning and sizing; validate with platform ad tools or local surveys when precision is required.