Stark County

Stark County, North Dakota — key demographics (latest available Census/ACS)

Population

• Total: 33,646 (2020 Census); 2023 estimate: 33,356

Age

• Median age: 33.0 years
• Under 18: 24.8%
• 18–64: 62.7%
• 65 and over: 12.5%

Gender

• Male: 52.0%
• Female: 48.0%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2019–2023)

• White, non-Hispanic: 85.7%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): 6.2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: 2.6%
• Black/African American, non-Hispanic: 2.0%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: 0.8%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: 2.4%
• Other: 0.3%

Households and housing (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: ~13,200
• Average household size: 2.49
• Family households: ~65% of households
• Married-couple households: ~48% of households
• One-person households: ~26%
• Housing units: ~14,500
• Owner-occupied rate: ~64% (renter-occupied ~36%)

Insights

• Young, slightly male-skewed population relative to national averages
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White with a small but notable Hispanic population
• Household structure is family-leaning with a sizable share of single-person households

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; 2023 Population Estimates Program. Figures are estimates and may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

Stark County, ND snapshot

• Population and density: ~34,000 residents across ~1,340 sq mi (≈25 people/sq mi).
• Estimated email users: ~25,300 residents (≈74% of total; ≈91% of adults).
• Age mix of email users: 13–17: ≈8%; 18–34: ≈34%; 35–64: ≈46%; 65+: ≈12%.
• Gender split of users: ≈52% male, 48% female (mirrors county’s workforce‑heavy demographics).
• Digital access and trends:
  • ≈86% of households have a broadband subscription; device access ≈96% have a computer or smartphone; ≈11% are smartphone‑only.
  • Most serviceable locations (≈90%) have access to 100/20 Mbps fixed broadband; fiber is densest in Dickinson and along the I‑94 corridor, with ongoing rural expansion via co‑ops and state/BEAD investments.
  • Home speeds are highest in Dickinson (cable/fiber) and lower on rural fringes (fixed wireless/legacy DSL), while 4G/5G mobile covers populated corridors.
• Insights: Email reach is effectively universal among working‑age adults; adoption is modestly lower among 65+. Smartphone‑first users are a meaningful minority, so mobile‑optimized email is essential. Low rural density raises last‑mile costs, but expanding fiber is steadily improving reliability and speeds across the county.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Stark County, North Dakota (2023–2024)

At-a-glance user estimates

• Total population: ~34,000
• Residents aged 13+: ~27,800
• Smartphone users (residents, 13+): ~25,000 (≈90% penetration among 13+)
• Adult smartphone users (18+): ~23,100–23,700
• Teen smartphone users (13–17): ~1,900–2,000
• Mobile-only (no fixed broadband) households: ~1,400–1,700, concentrated outside Dickinson and among highly mobile workers

Demographic breakdown of smartphone users (share and count)

• Ages 18–34: ~36% (≈9,100) — near-universal adoption; heavy app and video use
• Ages 35–64: ~46% (≈11,600) — high adoption with strong BYOD/work-line overlap (oilfield, construction, logistics)
• Ages 65+: ~9% (≈2,300) — adoption lower than younger cohorts but rising with larger-screen devices and telehealth
• Ages 13–17: ~8% (≈1,900) — near-saturation; high social/video usage and school-related connectivity

Digital infrastructure

• 4G LTE: Near-universal along the I-94 corridor and in Dickinson; service can thin in southern and far western townships and in rough terrain.
• 5G availability:
  • Low-band 5G: Countywide from all three nationals (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon), strongest in and around Dickinson and along I-94.
  • Mid-band 5G: Present in Dickinson and the interstate corridor (peak speeds and capacity noticeably higher than in purely rural census blocks).
• Fixed connectivity interplay:
  • Dickinson: Cable/fiber from regional providers enables strong Wi‑Fi offload; 5G fixed wireless (especially T‑Mobile) widely available as an alternative.
  • Rural/exurban: Mix of fiber from local co-ops, legacy DSL, and fixed wireless; cellular fills gaps where fiber is not yet built.
• Public safety and enterprise:
  • FirstNet (AT&T) and carrier priority services are actively used by emergency services and oilfield/logistics operators.
  • Dense tower and microwave/fiber backhaul along I‑94 support higher capacity and lower latency in the corridor.

How Stark County differs from the North Dakota state pattern

• Higher mid-band 5G exposure: Because Dickinson lies on I‑94 and serves as a regional hub, residents see mid-band 5G capacity earlier and more consistently than many rural ND counties. Practical effect: faster median mobile speeds and better video reliability in town and along the interstate.
• More mobile-reliant workers: Oil and gas, construction, trucking, and field services raise the share of work-provisioned lines, hotspot use, and rugged devices versus the statewide mix. BYOD and line churn are higher, and prepaid uptake is modestly above the state average due to itinerant and seasonal labor.
• Greater fixed–mobile substitution at the edge: On the county periphery (outside cable/fiber footprints), households use 4G/5G home internet or phone hotspots at a higher rate than the statewide average. This pushes per-line data consumption above typical rural ND levels.
• Corridor-driven capacity planning: Traffic clustering around Dickinson and I‑94 produces more small cells/sectorization than in similarly sized ND counties off main corridors, improving busy-hour performance locally but leaving some low-density areas with wide-area, low-band coverage only.
• Slightly younger and more male-skewed user base than the ND average (oilfield influence): This correlates with higher smartphone penetration, higher average monthly data use, and faster upgrade cycles than the overall state profile.

Usage and behavior notes

• Data consumption: Above the statewide rural average in and near Dickinson due to better mid-band 5G capacity, streaming/video, and hotspotting for work.
• Voice/SMS: Continues to decline as a share of usage; push-to-talk over LTE/5G and app-based messaging are common in field operations.
• Emergency communications: Strong adoption of carrier prioritization and FirstNet in public safety; coverage resiliency along I‑94 is notably better than in remote counties.

Method notes

• Population and age mix are based on recent Census/ACS estimates; smartphone penetration uses current national rural/urban adoption benchmarks calibrated to a micropolitan hub county on an interstate corridor. Figures are county-specific estimates consistent with observed infrastructure and industry mix in Stark County.

Stark County, ND social media snapshot (2025)

User stats

• Population: 33,646 (2020 Census). Adults 18+: ~24,900.
• Adults using social media: ~17,900 (≈72% of adults; applying Pew Research’s U.S. adoption rate).
• Including teens (13–17): adds ~2,100 users; total users ≈20,000.

Age groups (adult social media users; modeled from county age mix and U.S. adoption by age)

• 18–29: 30% (5.4k users)
• 30–49: 40% (7.2k users)
• 50–64: 20% (3.6k users)
• 65+: 10% (1.8k users) Notes: Use skews younger; 18–49 ≈70% of adult users. Seniors participate mostly via Facebook and YouTube.

Gender breakdown

• Population: ~52% male, ~48% female (county-level).
• Among social users overall: ~51% male, ~49% female (adoption is similar by gender).
• Platform skews: Facebook/Instagram/Pinterest skew female; YouTube/Reddit/X skew male; TikTok and Snapchat are relatively balanced but younger.

Most-used platforms among adults (share of Stark County adults; applying Pew 2024 U.S. rates)

• YouTube: 83% (~20.7k adults)
• Facebook: 68% (~16.9k)
• Instagram: 47% (~11.7k)
• Pinterest: 35% (~8.7k)
• TikTok: 33% (~8.2k)
• Snapchat: 31% (~7.7k)
• LinkedIn: 30% (~7.5k)
• X (Twitter): 22% (~5.5k)
• Reddit: 22% (~5.5k) Facebook and YouTube have the broadest cross‑age reach; Instagram is strong with 18–49; TikTok/Snapchat are concentrated under 30; LinkedIn is niche but relevant for energy, construction, transportation, and healthcare hiring.

Behavioral trends and usage patterns

• Community and commerce: Heavy reliance on Facebook Groups and Marketplace for local news, school/athletics, events, buy/sell, and services. High engagement on storm/road conditions and civic updates.
• Short video first: Reels/Shorts/TikTok drive discovery for local restaurants, events, and outdoor recreation; vertical video outperforms static posts.
• Messaging-centric youth: Snapchat is the default for 13–29 private messaging and quick story updates; TikTok is the primary entertainment feed.
• YouTube utility: Strong use for DIY/home, auto, hunting/fishing, farming/ranching, and oilfield topics; how-to content and product reviews perform well.
• Professional networking: LinkedIn activity clusters around energy, construction, logistics, and healthcare roles; engagement peaks on weekdays (morning and lunch).
• Time-of-day cadence: Engagement typically peaks weeknights 7–10 pm and midday 11:30 am–1 pm; Sunday evenings are strong for community/event posts.
• Device behavior: Predominantly mobile usage; short, captioned video and concise copy improve completion and shares.
• Creative cues: Local faces/landmarks, before–after visuals, giveaways, and practical tips outperform generic brand creative; event-driven and seasonal content (school year, holidays, hunting seasons, severe weather) consistently lifts reach.

Sources and method

• Population and demographics: U.S. Census Bureau (2020).
• Platform adoption rates: Pew Research Center, “Social Media Use in 2024.”
• County figures are modeled by applying current U.S. adoption rates to Stark County’s adult population and age mix.