Mcintosh County

McIntosh County, North Dakota — key demographics

Population size

• 2020 Census: 2,748
• 2023 population estimate: ~2,615
• Trend: small, slowly declining population

Age

• Median age: ~53 years
• Under 18: ~18%
• 18 to 64: ~50%
• 65 and over: ~32%

Gender

• Male: ~50%
• Female: ~50%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022)

• White alone: ~96%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~1–2%
• Black or African American alone: <1%
• Asian alone: <1%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2–3%
• White alone, not Hispanic: ~94–95%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~1,290
• Average household size: ~2.0
• Family households: ~58% (average family size ~2.6)
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~80%
• Households with someone 65+ living alone: ~15–16%

Insights

• Very small, aging population with about one-third 65+, low share of children, predominantly White, high homeownership, and small household sizes.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; 2023 population estimate series).

McIntosh County, ND — email usage snapshot

• Estimated email users: ~2,050 residents (≈79% of the ~2,600 population), based on household broadband adoption and typical email use among internet users.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • Under 18: ~7%
  • 18–34: ~18%
  • 35–54: ~26%
  • 55–64: ~17%
  • 65+: ~32% Older demographics make up a large share of users despite slightly lower adoption than younger groups.
• Gender split among users: ~49% male, ~51% female, mirroring the county’s population balance.
• Digital access trends:
  • ~80–83% of households have a broadband subscription; computer access ~90% of households.
  • Fiber coverage continues to expand via regional cooperatives (e.g., BEK), while DSL subscriptions decline; fixed wireless fills rural gaps.
  • Smartphone-only internet users: ~8–10% of adults.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Very low population density (~3 people per square mile).
  • Towns (Ashley, Wishek, Zeeland) are served by fiber or cable; outlying farms and ranches rely more on fixed wireless and 4G/5G mobile.
  • Anchor institutions (schools, clinics, government) are on fiber backbones, supporting strong local e‑service capacity.

Mobile phone usage in McIntosh County, North Dakota — summary and contrasts with statewide patterns

Snapshot and scale

• Population: 2,747 (2020 Census), one of North Dakota’s smallest counties by population and among its oldest by age structure.
• Settlement pattern: very low density with population concentrated in and around Ashley and Wishek; long stretches of farmland and prairie between towns drive distinct coverage and usage behaviors compared with the state’s metro corridors.

User estimates (people and households)

• Estimated smartphone users (all ages): about 1,800 residents, or roughly 65% of the total population and about 83% of adults.
  • Method note: age-weighted application of current U.S. smartphone adoption by age to McIntosh’s older-skewed age profile.
• Wireless-only households (no landline): approximately 55–60% of households, notably below the North Dakota statewide share (roughly high 60s to low 70s).
• Average mobile lines per adult: about 1.1–1.2, lower than the state’s urban counties where second lines, wearables, and tablets push averages higher.

Demographic drivers of usage

• Older population: The county’s median age is above 50 (state: mid-30s), with roughly three in ten residents 65+. This pulls down overall smartphone penetration and keeps a visible—though shrinking—niche of basic/feature phone users.
• Working-age adults (25–64): High smartphone adoption (mid-80s to high-80s percent), strong use of messaging and voice over LTE/5G for work in agriculture, healthcare, and local services.
• Youth (13–24): Near-ubiquitous smartphone access; however, device turnover cycles are slower than state averages because carrier retail presence is distant and upgrade incentives are less frequently acted on.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Technologies in use: 4G LTE remains the primary workhorse; low-band 5G (600–850 MHz/“nationwide 5G”) is present outdoors across much of the county. Mid-band 5G (C-band/n77 or 2.5 GHz) is sparse to absent locally, so speed uplifts are modest compared with Bismarck–Mandan, Fargo–West Fargo, and the oil patch counties.
• Carriers: Verizon and AT&T provide the most consistent highway and town-center coverage; T-Mobile service is available but more variable in fringe farmsteads. AT&T FirstNet Band 14 is present on key macro sites serving first responders.
• Where coverage is strongest: in and around Ashley and Wishek and along US‑281, ND‑3, and ND‑11 corridors. Metal-sided buildings and basements frequently require Wi‑Fi calling for reliable in‑building voice.
• Dead zones and weak spots: section-line roads away from highways, low-lying areas near small lakes/sloughs, and distant farmsteads where tower spacing is widest.
• Backhaul and fixed broadband context: Town centers benefit from fiber-to-the-home from local telecom cooperatives; many outlying farmsteads still rely on fixed wireless or aging copper. This mix increases reliance on mobile data for some households and on Wi‑Fi calling where indoor cellular penetration is poor. Starlink adoption is growing in the most remote sections as a complement to mobile.

How McIntosh County differs from the North Dakota average

• Lower smartphone and wireless-only penetration: The county sits roughly 10–12 percentage points below the state average for smartphone use and about 10–15 points below for wireless‑only households, primarily due to its older age structure and more dispersed settlement.
• More LTE-dependent experience: With little mid‑band 5G deployed locally, users see smaller speed gains than in metro corridors; median cellular download speeds are typically 30–50% lower than state urban benchmarks, and uplink capacity is more variable during peak agricultural seasons.
• Greater reliance on Wi‑Fi calling indoors: Construction types and longer distances to towers raise indoor signal challenges, increasing the importance of reliable home broadband for voice/SMS continuity.
• Upgrade cadence and device mix: Fewer carrier retail touchpoints and an older demographic translate to longer device replacement cycles and a higher share of basic phones than the state’s average, though the share continues to decline annually.

Implications

• Network planning should prioritize additional macro or small-cell coverage along farm-to-market routes and near grain facilities, plus in‑building solutions for clinics, schools, and government buildings in Ashley and Wishek.
• Consumer programs that pair affordable 5G devices with signal‑enhancement (e.g., indoor femtocells or Wi‑Fi calling setup) will yield disproportionate quality gains versus pure spectrum additions.
• Fixed–mobile convergence opportunities are strong in town centers with fiber backhaul; in outer townships, bundled fixed wireless + mobile plans can close the performance gap that persists with limited mid‑band 5G.

Social media usage in McIntosh County, North Dakota (2025, modeled)

How these numbers were derived

• County-level platform stats are not published. Figures below are modeled for McIntosh County’s rural, older population using the latest Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. adult platform-usage rates (with rural adjustments) and county age structure from Census data. They are suitable for planning and outreach and reflect likely local conditions.

Overall reach (adults 18+)

• Share of adults using at least one social platform: ~75–85%
• Typical frequency: Facebook and YouTube dominate weekly and daily use; Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat are frequent among younger residents but much lighter among older adults.

Most-used platforms (estimated share of adults using each)

• YouTube: ~75–80%
• Facebook: ~60–70%
• Instagram: ~30–40%
• Pinterest: ~25–35% (strong female skew)
• TikTok: ~20–30%
• Snapchat: ~20–25% (concentrated under 30)
• WhatsApp: ~15–25%
• X (Twitter): ~15–20%
• LinkedIn: ~10–20%
• Reddit: ~10–15%
• Nextdoor: ~10–15%

Age-group patterns (penetration of any social media)

• 18–29: ~95%+ use at least one platform; heaviest on YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok; lighter on Facebook
• 30–49: ~90%; use is broad across Facebook and YouTube, with meaningful Instagram/TikTok
• 50–64: ~70–75%; Facebook and YouTube dominate; limited Instagram/TikTok
• 65+: ~50–55%; primarily Facebook and YouTube; minimal on newer apps

Gender breakdown (directional skews)

• Facebook: near even, with a slight female tilt
• Instagram: slight female tilt
• Pinterest: strong female tilt (roughly 2:1 female:male)
• Snapchat and TikTok: near even overall; skews younger
• Reddit and X: male-skewed
• LinkedIn: near even, used more by professionals/administrators

Behavioral trends observed in rural ND counties like McIntosh

• Community-first Facebook behavior: Heavy use of local groups and pages (county/city, schools/athletics, churches, county fair, volunteer orgs), buy–sell–trade, obituaries, road/closure and severe-weather updates, and civic notices
• Marketplace utility: Facebook Marketplace is the default for local classifieds, farm/ranch equipment, vehicles, and seasonal goods
• Video for learning and local interest: YouTube used for farm equipment repair, home/auto DIY, hunting/fishing content, severe weather, and local sports streams or highlights
• Messaging hubs: Facebook Messenger for most adults; Snapchat for teens/young adults; WhatsApp mainly for families, church/mission ties, or international connections
• Temporal patterns: Morning and late evening usage peaks (before/after work or chores); strong spikes during weather events, school sports, elections, and harvest
• Platform choice by content:
  • Local news, events, and official notices: Facebook groups/pages
  • Quick peer-to-peer updates among youth: Snapchat
  • Short-form entertainment: TikTok/Instagram Reels (younger cohorts)
  • Niche hobbies, crafts, recipes: Pinterest (primarily women)
  • Advocacy/politics and statewide/national news: Facebook and X (small but vocal subset)

Implications for outreach in McIntosh County

• Prioritize Facebook (Pages + Groups + Events + Messenger) and YouTube for widest adult reach
• Use Instagram and TikTok selectively to reach 18–39; Snapchat for high school/college audiences
• Leverage Facebook Marketplace for promotions tied to goods or services; use video (YouTube Shorts/Reels) for “how-to,” ag, and local-interest content
• Post around early morning and evening; cross-post critical updates during weather or community events

Primary sources

• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use (2024): U.S. adult platform adoption by age, gender, and community type; rural adjustments applied
• U.S. Census Bureau (Decennial Census and ACS 5-year): County age structure to calibrate local penetration estimates