Oliver County

Oliver County, North Dakota — key demographics

Population size

• 1,877 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age

• Median age: 49.5 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: 22.1%
• 18 to 64: 57.6%
• 65 and over: 20.3%

Gender

• Male: 52.0%
• Female: 48.0%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022)

• White (alone): 95.6%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (alone): 1.2%
• Black or African American (alone): 0.2%
• Asian (alone): 0.1%
• Two or more races: 2.8%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 1.9%

Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: 816
• Average household size: 2.35
• Family households: 71%
• Married-couple households: 61% of all households
• Households with children under 18: 26%
• Householder living alone: 24%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: 88%

Insights

• Very small, rural county with a stable population since 2010.
• Older age profile and slight male majority.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White with minimal racial/ethnic diversity.
• High homeownership and small household sizes typical of rural Great Plains counties.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

• Context: Oliver County, North Dakota has 1,959 residents (2020 Census) over ~723 sq mi, ~2.7 people per sq mi.
• Estimated email users: 1,480–1,550 residents use email regularly (75–79% of total; ~90% of adults).
• Age distribution of email users (approximate counts):
  • 13–17: ~80–90 users (65–75% adoption)
  • 18–34: ~360–390 users (93–97%)
  • 35–64: ~690–740 users (90–94%)
  • 65+: ~290–330 users (75–82%)
• Gender split: Users mirror the county’s slight male majority; ~52% male and ~48% female among email users.
• Digital access:
  • Households: ~780; about 85% have a broadband subscription; ~90% have a computer. Roughly 10% have no home internet; 5–8% are likely cellphone-only.
  • Adoption is rising, with older cohorts narrowing the gap and more residents checking email on smartphones.
• Connectivity and density insights:
  • Very low population density increases last‑mile costs, creating pockets of slower service despite overall strong North Dakota broadband build‑outs.
  • Most populated areas near Center and along main corridors are better served; remote ranch/farm areas rely more on fixed wireless or satellite.

Oliver County, ND: Mobile phone usage summary (focus on how it differs from statewide patterns)

Key user estimates

• Population base: 1,877 residents (2020 Census). Adults account for roughly 1,400–1,500 people.
• Smartphone users (adults): 1,150–1,300, implying adult smartphone adoption around 80–85% in the county. This is a few points lower than North Dakota’s likely high-80s adoption, reflecting Oliver’s older age profile.
• Basic/feature-phone users (adults): approximately 150–250 (10–15%).
• Cellular-data internet at home (households using a cellular data plan for home internet, either alone or alongside another connection): estimated 20–30% of households in Oliver versus a lower statewide share, consistent with rural reliance on mobile hotspots in areas beyond fiber/cable footprints.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age: Oliver County skews older than the state (median age roughly a decade higher than North Dakota overall). This produces:
  • Slightly lower smartphone penetration among seniors (65+) than the state average.
  • Heavier voice/SMS use and lower per-capita mobile streaming among older residents.
• Households and family composition: A high share of family households and farm/ranch operations raises the incidence of shared plans and signal-boosting equipment at homesteads.
• Workforce mix: Energy and utility employment around Center (e.g., Milton R. Young Station) raises daytime device density and work-related mobile data/voice, producing weekday usage peaks that are more pronounced than the statewide average.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Radio access:
  • 4G LTE from the national carriers covers the population centers and primary corridors; coverage thins in sparsely populated sections and along river breaks.
  • Low-band 5G from at least one national carrier is present in and around Center and along main routes; mid-band 5G capacity is patchier than in Bismarck–Mandan and other urban areas.
• Backhaul and fiber:
  • The county benefits indirectly from North Dakota’s strong statewide middle-mile fiber (e.g., Dakota Carrier Network members), but last-mile fixed choices outside towns are limited compared with urban ND, supporting higher cellular-only home internet use.
• Reliability and emergency services:
  • Public-safety coverage (FirstNet/AT&T) and carrier hardening focus on industrial sites and highways; coverage gaps persist in low-density areas, where residents commonly use external antennas/boosters.
• Funding and buildout:
  • North Dakota’s BEAD allocation (~$130 million, 2023) and other rural broadband programs prioritize unserved areas; Oliver is among the rural counties positioned to see incremental fixed-wireline expansion, which will moderate cellular-only reliance over the next few years.

How Oliver County differs from North Dakota overall

• Higher cellular-only share for home internet: Rural geography and distance from cable/FTTH nodes yield more reliance on mobile hotspots and fixed wireless than the statewide average.
• Slightly lower smartphone penetration: An older population pulls down adoption a few percentage points vs the state’s high-80s profile.
• Capacity vs coverage trade-off: Coverage is broadly available on 4G, but mid-band 5G capacity is much sparser than in urban ND, so peak-time speeds and indoor coverage are less consistent.
• Industrial daypart effect: Energy-sector sites near Center create larger weekday daytime voice/data surges than seen in most counties, influencing local tower loading and upgrade prioritization.
• Device mix: A modestly higher share of basic handsets among seniors, and higher use of signal boosters in homesteads and on farm equipment, compared with urban ND.

Bottom-line insights

• Mobile phone usage in Oliver County is near-ubiquitous, but smartphone penetration trails the state by several points due to age structure.
• A meaningfully higher fraction of households rely on cellular data—either as a primary or secondary connection—than the statewide norm, reflecting sparser last‑mile wireline options.
• 4G LTE is the dependable baseline; 5G is present but skewed to low-band coverage with limited capacity. As BEAD‑funded fiber expands, expect gradual migration from cellular-only home internet and more balanced traffic between mobile and fixed networks.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Decennial Census; ACS 2018–2022 “Computer and Internet Use” (S2801/B28002) for cellular subscription context; Pew Research Center smartphone adoption benchmarks (2023); FCC mobile coverage maps (2024); NTIA BEAD allocations (2023). Estimates above are derived by applying these sources to Oliver County’s population and settlement pattern.

Social media usage in Oliver County, North Dakota — short breakdown

Snapshot

• Population: 1,959 residents (2020 Census). Small, rural county; usage patterns mirror rural U.S. adults.

Most-used platforms (adults; best available national benchmarks applied locally)

• YouTube: 83% of U.S. adults use the platform; broad across all ages.
• Facebook: 68% of U.S. adults; strongest penetration in rural areas and older cohorts, making it the day-to-day hub locally.
• Instagram: 47% of adults; skewed younger (especially under 35).
• TikTok: 33% of adults; concentrated among teens/young adults.
• Pinterest: 30% of adults; strong among women and home/lifestyle interests.
• LinkedIn: 30% of adults; niche locally (professional, energy/ag-related roles).
• Snapchat: 27% of adults; heavily teen/young adult.
• X (Twitter): 22% of adults; news/politics niche.
• Reddit: 22% of adults; male-skewed, hobby/tech/outdoors forums.

Age-group patterns (who uses what most)

• Teens (13–17): Snapchat and TikTok daily; YouTube ubiquitous; Instagram common; Facebook mainly for school/activities and family groups.
• 18–29: YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok dominate; Facebook secondary but still used for groups, events, and Marketplace.
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube lead; Instagram growing; TikTok moderate; Messenger integral for coordination with schools/teams.
• 50–64: Facebook first, YouTube second; Pinterest for projects/interests; Instagram moderate.
• 65+: Facebook primary (groups, local news, churches); YouTube for how‑to, health, and entertainment.

Gender breakdown (tendencies seen in rural communities)

• Facebook: used broadly by both; slight female tilt in posting and group activity.
• Instagram: slight female tilt.
• Pinterest: strong female skew (about 2:1 women to men at the national level).
• Reddit and X: male‑skewed.
• Snapchat: near parity among younger users.
• YouTube: used by both; slight male tilt in creator/tech/outdoors content.

Behavioral trends in Oliver County–type communities

• Facebook Groups are the backbone: county/city pages, school and athletics updates, church and community bulletins, farm/ranch groups, buy/sell/ISO, emergency/weather/road reports.
• Events and fundraising: Facebook Events and local group posts drive awareness and attendance; Marketplace used for equipment, vehicles, and household goods.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger for cross‑age communication; Snapchat for youth; WhatsApp limited except for certain work crews.
• Time-of-day engagement: noticeable spikes evenings (7–10 p.m.) and midday (11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.), with weather/emergency posts spiking anytime conditions change.
• Content formats: short video performs best (reels/shorts for highlights, sports, and community moments); photo albums for events; long‑form YouTube for how‑to, equipment, and local projects.
• Trust and reach: highest engagement on posts from known locals, schools, county/EMS pages, and long‑standing group admins; cross‑posting to multiple community groups materially boosts reach.
• Advertising/announcements: local businesses and organizations rely on boosted Facebook posts and Events over formal ad buys; geo‑targeting within 25–50 miles is common.

Notes on figures

• County‑level platform shares are not directly published; percentages above use the latest Pew Research Center measures for U.S. adults (2024) and reflect rural usage patterns that match observed behavior in Oliver County communities. Population figure: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020.