Eddy County

Here are current, high-level demographics for Eddy County, North Dakota. Figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Census and 2019–2023 ACS 5‑year estimates) and may carry margins of error due to the county’s small population.

Population size

• Total population: about 2,300

Age

• Median age: about 47–49
• Under 18: about 20–22%
• 18 to 64: about 55–58%
• 65 and over: about 23–26%

Gender

• Male: about 50–51%
• Female: about 49–50%

Race and ethnicity

• White (alone): about 94–96%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (alone): about 2–3%
• Two or more races: about 2–3%
• Black, Asian, and other races: each under 1%
• Hispanic/Latino (of any race): about 2–3%

Households

• Total households: about 1,000–1,100
• Average household size: about 2.1–2.3
• Family households: roughly 55–60% of households
• Households with children under 18: roughly 24–28%
• Nonfamily households: roughly 40–45%
• Living alone: roughly 35–40% (about 15–20% age 65+ living alone)

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (Demographic Profile); American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates.

Eddy County, ND — email usage (estimates)

• Population and density: ~2,300 residents across ~630 sq mi (about 3–4 people per sq mi). Connectivity is strongest in/near New Rockford; the most rural areas depend more on DSL/fixed‑wireless.

• Estimated email users: 1,700–1,900 residents use email at least occasionally. Method: county population × ~85–90% internet use in rural ND × ~92–95% of internet users who use email (Pew Research, NTIA, U.S. Census/ACS).

• Age pattern (share using email within each group):

  • 18–29: ~95–98%
  • 30–49: ~95–99%
  • 50–64: ~90–95%
  • 65+: ~75–85% Result: users skew middle‑aged; seniors are under‑represented.

• Gender split: Roughly even; male vs. female email adoption differs by only 0–2 percentage points in national and rural ND data.

• Digital access trends: About 80–85% of households have a broadband subscription; 7–10% are smartphone‑only; 10–15% lack home internet. Ongoing fiber/co‑op builds and improved fixed‑wireless are raising speeds, but last‑mile distance and patchy mobile coverage still constrain some farm/ranch locations. Public library and school Wi‑Fi remain important access points.

Sources informing estimates: U.S. Census/ACS Computer and Internet Use, NTIA Internet Use Survey, Pew Research Center on email/internet adoption.

Eddy County, ND mobile phone snapshot (focus: what differs from statewide patterns)

Scale and user estimates

• Population base: roughly 2,300–2,500 residents, older than the North Dakota average.
• Unique mobile users: about 1,800–2,100 people carry an active mobile phone.
• Smartphone users: about 1,400–1,800 (lower share than statewide because of the larger 65+ population).
• 5G‑capable devices: roughly 45–55% of handsets, below the statewide share as upgrades lag among older and fixed‑income households.
• Mobile‑only home internet: a small minority of households (~8–12%) rely mainly on a phone hotspot or cellular home internet—likely lower than statewide because local fiber co‑ops cover much of the county, reducing the need to rely on phones for home broadband.
• Prepaid/MVNO usage: modestly higher than statewide (driven by price sensitivity and limited in‑store postpaid options), but retail access is mostly online or via regional stores.

Demographic breakdown shaping usage

• Age: a significantly higher share of residents are 65+, which correlates with:
  • Lower smartphone take‑up among seniors (many still use basic/flip phones).
  • Slower upgrade cycles and fewer 5G‑capable devices.
  • Greater use of voice/SMS and Wi‑Fi calling, less emphasis on app‑heavy use than in urban ND.
• Working patterns: agriculture and small‑business services dominate; use cases include:
  • Coverage and reliability over raw speed (field operations, seasonality).
  • External antennas/boosters on farm equipment and in metal buildings more common than in metro ND.
• Race/ethnicity: predominantly White, with small Native American and Hispanic populations; language or multicultural app needs are less prominent than in more diverse ND cities.

Digital infrastructure (what’s on the ground)

• Cellular networks:
  • Verizon generally strongest for wide‑area LTE coverage; AT&T close in towns and along highways; T‑Mobile presence improving but more variable in open country. Expect better signal in/near New Rockford and along US‑281/ND‑15/ND‑20.
  • 5G: mainly low‑band coverage in town corridors and along primary roads; limited mid‑band capacity compared with Fargo/Bismarck. mmWave is not a factor.
  • Typical performance: LTE 5–50 Mbps in town, lower at section‑line distances; low‑band 5G can boost consistency but not urban‑class speeds.
• Backhaul and fiber:
  • Rural telecom co‑ops (e.g., NDTC and neighboring providers) have run extensive fiber in the region; towns and many farms have or are close to fiber service.
  • Strong fiber backhaul supports cell sites, but sparse tower spacing still leaves pockets of weak handheld coverage away from highways.
• Alternatives:
  • Fixed wireless is available for some outlying locations; satellite (Starlink, Viasat/HughesNet) fills remaining gaps.
  • Public Wi‑Fi and device lending via the library/schools are meaningful for affordability and coverage workarounds.

How Eddy County trends differ from North Dakota overall

• Older, slower‑to‑upgrade user base:
  • Lower smartphone and 5G‑device penetration than the state average.
  • Higher persistence of basic phones among seniors.
• Coverage over capacity:
  • Residents prioritize dependable LTE signal and voice/Wi‑Fi calling; less demand for high‑throughput 5G than in ND’s urban centers.
  • More frequent use of signal boosters and high‑gain antennas on farms—above the state average.
• Carrier dynamics:
  • Verizon/AT&T tend to have a clearer edge outside the town core; T‑Mobile’s gains are mostly along primary corridors, unlike in Fargo/Grand Forks where T‑Mobile mid‑band is widely available.
• Home broadband substitution:
  • Because local fiber availability is relatively strong for a rural area, reliance on “smartphone‑only” internet is likely lower than the state average, despite lower incomes.
• Retail access:
  • Fewer local carrier stores than in metro ND; device purchases and plan changes skew to online or regional trips, which contributes to longer device lifecycles.

Planning notes and implications

• For outreach or service expansion: emphasize reliable LTE coverage, in‑building penetration, and Wi‑Fi calling support; mid‑band 5G buildouts would materially improve capacity in town and along US‑281.
• For digital equity: senior‑focused smartphone training and affordable device upgrade programs would have outsized impact.
• For emergency communications: continued buildout on primary corridors and co‑location on existing towers will yield the greatest reliability gains.

Below is a concise, county-specific snapshot based on U.S. Census age structure for Eddy County, ND and Pew Research Center’s 2024 social media benchmarks, adjusted for rural Midwest usage. Figures are modeled estimates, not platform-reported counts.

Overview and user base

• Population: ~2,200–2,400 residents; adults (18+): ~1,700–1,900
• Adults using at least one social platform: ~1,200–1,500 (about 70–80% of adults)

Age mix of adult social users (share of users)

• 18–29: ~20–25%
• 30–49: ~30–35%
• 50–64: ~25–30%
• 65+: ~15–20% Notes: Under-30s are heavy on Snapchat/TikTok/Instagram; 50+ lean strongly to Facebook and YouTube.

Gender

• Overall user base roughly even male/female, reflecting county demographics.
• Skews by platform (approximate):
  • More women: Facebook (+5–10 pts), Instagram (+5 pts), Pinterest (majority women)
  • More men: YouTube (+5–10 pts), Reddit (majority men), X/Twitter (slight male tilt)

Most-used platforms among adults in Eddy County (percent of adults)

• YouTube: 70–80%
• Facebook: 60–70%
• Instagram: 30–40%
• Snapchat: 25–35% (dominant with teens/20s)
• TikTok: 25–35%
• Pinterest: 20–30% (strong female skew)
• LinkedIn: 10–15% (lower in rural labor mix)
• X/Twitter: 10–15%
• Reddit: 8–12%
• Nextdoor: <5% (limited local footprint)

Behavioral trends

• Community-first content: High engagement with local news, school sports, churches, county and emergency updates (storms/road closures), and farm/ranch topics.
• Facebook Groups and Marketplace: Primary hub for buy/sell, lost-and-found pets, event promotion, and farm equipment listings.
• Video habits: Short-form video (Reels/Shorts/TikTok) is rising across ages; YouTube used for how-to/repairs, ag equipment maintenance, and hunting/fishing content.
• Messaging: FB Messenger is default for most adults; Snapchat is the daily messenger for under-30s; WhatsApp minimal except for specific work/family networks.
• Seasonality: Engagement dips during planting/harvest workdays; spikes around severe weather, school seasons, county fair, hunting season, and holidays.
• Trust cues: Best results for pages run by recognizable local people/orgs; user comments and shares drive reach more than polished creative.
• Calls-to-action: “Message us,” event RSVPs, and phone calls outperform links to external websites on mobile.

Method notes

• Built from: ACS/Census population and age structure for Eddy County; Pew 2024 social platform reach by age/gender; rural usage adjustments (lower LinkedIn/Twitter, higher Facebook/YouTube; stronger Snapchat/TikTok among under-30s). Ranges reflect uncertainty at county scale.