Foster County

Here are the latest concise demographics for Foster County, North Dakota.

Population

• Total population: 3,397 (2020 Census); about 3.3–3.4K in 2023 estimates

Age

• Median age: mid‑40s (about 45)
• Age distribution: ~23% under 18; ~55% 18–64; ~22% 65+

Sex

• Approximately 50% male, 50% female

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022, percent of total)

• White alone: ~95%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~1–2%
• Black or African American: <1%
• Asian: <1%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2–3%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: about 1,500–1,600
• Average household size: ~2.2
• Family households: ~60% of households (married-couple families ~45–50%)
• Households with children under 18: ~25%
• Individuals living alone: ~33% (including ~15% age 65+)

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5‑year estimates; Population Estimates Program (2023).

Foster County, ND (pop. ~3.3–3.5k; ~630 sq. mi.; ~5–6 people/sq. mi.)

Estimated email users

• 2,400–2,800 residents use email at least monthly (driven by high adult adoption; lower among children).

Age pattern (approx. share using email)

• 13–17: 60–75%
• 18–29: 95–99%
• 30–49: 95–98%
• 50–64: 85–92%
• 65+: 70–85% Older adults lag but continue to gain as telehealth, banking, and government services move online.

Gender split

• Roughly even; small female lead in frequent use is typical, but differences are minor.

Digital access and trends

• Household broadband adoption likely 75–85%; smartphone-only internet 10–15%.
• Fiber-to-the-home is available in and around Carrington and some nearby towns via regional co-ops/ISPs; fixed wireless fills many rural gaps.
• 4G mobile coverage is common along primary roads; 5G mainly in/near towns.
• Public access points (library, schools, some businesses) support residents without home service.
• Ongoing state/federal investments (e.g., BEAD/USDA programs) target remaining unserved farmsteads.

Takeaway: Email usage is widespread among adults and nearly universal for working-age residents; connectivity is strongest in town on fiber, with rural areas relying on a mix of fiber, fixed wireless, and mobile.

Below is a planning-grade snapshot of mobile phone usage in Foster County, North Dakota, with cautious, transparent estimates and key differences from statewide patterns.

At-a-glance user estimates

• Population baseline: roughly 3.2–3.5k residents; about 2.5–2.8k adults (ACS 5-year scale for small counties; 2020 Census was 3,405).
• Adult smartphone users: about 2.1–2.3k (roughly 83–88% adult adoption, weighted down by the county’s older age mix vs ND overall).
• Any mobile phone (smartphone or basic): ~95% of adults.
• Households using cellular data as their primary home internet: countywide roughly 7–12% of households, but with a strong urban–rural split (lower in and around Carrington where fiber is prevalent; higher in outlying townships).

How these estimates were derived

• Started from county population and age structure typical of Foster County (older median age than ND overall).
• Applied Pew Research smartphone adoption by age cohort (very high for under 50, notably lower for 65+) and adjusted downward slightly for rural/older mix.
• Benchmarked “cellular-as-primary internet” against ACS Computer & Internet Use (S2801) patterns for rural Great Plains counties with strong co-op fiber presence: low inside the co-op footprint, higher outside it.

Demographic breakdown shaping mobile use

• Age: Foster skews older than North Dakota as a whole. Expect near-universal smartphone use among under-50s; materially lower (but rising) adoption among 65+.
• Income/education: Slightly below state medians, which tends to lengthen device replacement cycles and sustains a visible share of 4G-only handsets.
• Settlement pattern: Carrington vs. rural townships creates a bimodal pattern—urban-core users look like statewide averages; farm/ranch households show more dependence on cellular and fixed wireless when outside fiber routes.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Cellular networks:
  • Baseline 4G LTE coverage along primary corridors and in Carrington; low-band 5G present in/near population centers and major roads; mid-band 5G (capacity) is spottier than in ND’s larger cities and interstate corridors.
  • Lower tower density than metro ND means more variable speeds and weaker indoor coverage in metal-clad buildings and basements common on farms/outbuildings.
• Wired competition:
  • A local telecom cooperative (Dakota Central) has deployed extensive fiber in Carrington and on many rural routes. Where fiber reaches, households are much less likely to rely on cellular as primary internet.
  • Outside fiber routes, residents often choose between cellular hotspots, fixed wireless, or satellite—lifting cellular data reliance in the more remote townships.
• Public safety and agriculture:
  • First responders and farm operations increasingly depend on reliable low-band coverage for voice, data, and telematics; coverage consistency across fields and section lines matters as much as peak speed.

What’s different from North Dakota statewide

• Slightly lower smartphone adoption: Expect Foster County to trail the statewide adult smartphone rate by ~3–5 percentage points because of its older population profile.
• More pronounced urban–rural split in cellular-as-primary internet:
  • Inside Carrington/co-op fiber zones, reliance on cellular for home internet is below ND average.
  • In outlying areas beyond fiber, reliance on cellular is above ND average.
  • Net effect countywide: a similar or only slightly higher share of cellular-primary households than the state—but with sharper geographic contrast.
• Capacity vs coverage trade-off: ND overall now sees broad low-band 5G, with mid-band capacity building out in larger markets. Foster County leans more toward “coverage-first” with fewer mid-band/capacity sites, so average speeds and in-building performance tend to lag state corridors (e.g., I‑29/I‑94 metros).
• Device mix: A larger share of legacy and 4G-only devices persists than the statewide average, reflecting older users and longer replacement cycles.

Signals to watch (next 12–24 months)

• Any expansion of mid-band 5G sectors in or around Carrington (would lift median speeds and indoor performance).
• Co-op fiber extensions down rural laterals (would reduce cellular-primary households in those areas).
• Adoption shifts among 65+; even small percentage gains materially increase the county’s smartphone user count due to its age structure.

Data sources to confirm/refresh locally

• ACS 5-year S2801 (Computer and Internet Use) for county vs state comparisons.
• FCC Mobile Coverage/Speed maps (LTE and 5G) and carrier buildout filings.
• Dakota Central and other local ISPs’ fiber availability maps.
• Pew Research Center tech adoption by age (to re-weight ownership estimates as new waves are released).

Below is a concise, best-available snapshot for Foster County, ND. Precise, county-level social media metrics aren’t published, so figures are estimates extrapolated from Pew Research Center 2023–2024 U.S. usage, rural vs. urban differentials, North Dakota demographics, and Foster County’s older age profile. Treat ranges as ±5–10 percentage points.

Population base

• Residents: ≈3.3K
• Estimated monthly social media users (any platform): ≈2.1K–2.5K (about 65–75% of residents; rural counties trend slightly below national averages but Facebook and YouTube remain strong)

Gender breakdown (share of social media users)

• Female: ≈52–55%
• Male: ≈45–48% Notes: Women over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; men slightly over-index on YouTube and X (Twitter).

Age mix of social media users (share of user base)

• 13–17: ≈8–10% (Snapchat/TikTok heavy; Facebook light except for school/sports groups)
• 18–29: ≈12–16% (YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok; Facebook for groups/events)
• 30–49: ≈28–34% (Facebook and YouTube core; Instagram/Pinterest moderate; TikTok/Reels rising)
• 50–64: ≈26–32% (Facebook dominant; YouTube; some Pinterest)
• 65+: ≈18–24% (Facebook first; YouTube second; limited use of others)

Most-used platforms in Foster County (estimated monthly reach, residents 13+)

• YouTube: ≈65–75%
• Facebook: ≈55–65%
• Facebook Messenger: ≈50–60%
• Instagram: ≈25–35%
• TikTok: ≈25–35%
• Snapchat: ≈22–30% (concentrated under 30)
• Pinterest: ≈20–28% (skews female, 30–64)
• X (Twitter): ≈8–12%
• LinkedIn: ≈8–12% (lower in rural, non-corporate labor markets)
• WhatsApp: ≈8–12% (niche; family/intl ties)
• Nextdoor: <5% (rare in sparsely populated areas)

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the community hub: local news, school sports, county fair, churches, weather alerts, buy/sell/trade, and lost-and-found dominate. Groups and Pages drive most local engagement.
• Event- and season-driven spikes: planting/harvest, severe weather, hunting season, school year milestones, and county events (e.g., Carrington area happenings) boost posting and sharing.
• Video ascendant: short-form clips (Reels/TikTok) of farm/ranch work, small-business promos, sports highlights, and weather/road updates get strong reach; YouTube used for how‑to and long-form.
• Mobile-first, evening-heavy activity: engagement peaks early morning (6–8 a.m.) and 7–9 p.m.; Sunday evenings are strong for community and school updates.
• “Lurkers” outnumber posters: many residents read and share more than they publish; real-name norms and small-town visibility encourage cautious posting.
• Messaging is practical: Facebook Messenger is a go-to for coordinating youth activities, events, and buy/sell follow-ups; SMS still widely used; WhatsApp niche.
• Ads and commerce: local businesses lean on boosted Facebook posts and Marketplace; Instagram ads reach younger adults; TikTok tests are growing but content consistency matters more than spend.
• Trust is local: posts from known community admins, schools, county agencies, and businesses outperform national sources; weather pages and local radio/news pages are key amplifiers.

Notes on methodology

• Estimates apply national/rural platform adoption to Foster County’s age structure (older skew) and typical rural behavior patterns in the Upper Midwest.
• For planning, size your audience assuming Facebook monthly reach at roughly 55–65% of residents 13+, with YouTube slightly higher and Instagram/TikTok each around 25–35% but younger-skewed.