Stutsman County

Stutsman County, North Dakota — key demographics (latest Census Bureau data)

Population

• Total population: 21,593 (2020 Census); roughly stable at about 21.5k in 2023 (Population Estimates Program)

Age

• Median age: ~41 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~20%

Gender

• Male: ~52%
• Female: ~48%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2019–2023; race alone or in combination unless noted)

• White: ~92%
• American Indian and Alaska Native: ~3–4%
• Black or African American: ~2%
• Asian: ~1%
• Two or more races: ~3–4%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~3%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~89%

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

• Total households: ~9,300–9,400
• Average household size: ~2.2–2.3
• Family households: ~58% of households
• Married-couple households: ~47% of households
• Nonfamily households: ~42%; one-person households: ~35%
• Households with children under 18: ~27%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; 2023 Population Estimates Program.

• Population and density: ≈21,600 residents across ~2,298 sq mi (≈9.4 people/sq mi); most residents cluster in Jamestown, with sparse rural townships.
• Estimated email users: ≈16,600 residents (≈77% of the population) use email. Method: adult email adoption ~92% plus high-teen adoption ~90%.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: 7%
  • 18–34: 25%
  • 35–54: 30%
  • 55–64: 18%
  • 65+: 21%
• Gender split among email users: ≈51% male, 49% female (mirroring county demographics; email adoption is effectively equal by gender).
• Digital access and devices (household-level):
  • ≈92% have a computer.
  • ≈84% subscribe to home broadband; ≈13% have no home internet.
  • ≈8% are smartphone‑only internet households.
• Connectivity context and trends:
  • Broadband adoption is higher in Jamestown; outlying areas lean on cable, DSL, and fixed wireless, with fiber availability expanding from the I‑94 corridor outward.
  • Mobile LTE/5G coverage is strongest along Jamestown/major highways; fixed wireless fills many rural gaps.
  • Overall broadband subscription rates and fiber passings have been rising, supporting steady growth in email use among older adults and newly connected rural households.

Mobile phone usage in Stutsman County, North Dakota — 2025 snapshot

Key user estimates (adults)

• Population base: 21,593 residents (2020 Census). Applying North Dakota’s adult share (≈77% of residents age 18+) yields an estimated 16,600–17,000 adults in Stutsman County.
• Any mobile phone (cellphone) users: ≈95–97% of adults (national adult average, with a modest rural discount) → about 15,800–16,400 users.
• Smartphone users: ≈85–90% of adults in rural areas (Pew Research Center 2023 shows 90% overall, ~85% in rural) → about 14,100–15,300 smartphone users.

Demographic breakdown and implications for usage

• Age structure skews older than the state average, increasing the share of users 65+. Pew’s 2023 smartphone ownership rates (18–29: ~97%, 30–49: ~96%, 50–64: ~90%, 65+: ~76%) imply:
  • Younger cohorts (18–49) in Stutsman approach near-universal smartphone adoption, consistent with state trends.
  • The 65+ cohort’s lower adoption pulls the county’s overall smartphone penetration a few points below the statewide average (which is buoyed by Fargo/West Fargo, Bismarck, and Grand Forks’ younger profiles).
• Rural residence rate is higher than the state’s metro-led average, which typically corresponds to:
  • Slightly lower smartphone adoption than statewide.
  • Higher persistence of basic/voice-first usage among older residents.
  • Greater reliance on voice/text in fringe coverage areas and more frequent use of Wi‑Fi calling in rural homes.

Digital infrastructure highlights (mobile and backhaul)

• Coverage footprint:
  • 4G LTE: All three national carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T‑Mobile) report wide-area LTE availability in and around Jamestown and along major corridors.
  • 5G: Commercial 5G is present in Jamestown and along Interstate 94; coverage thins in outlying townships away from I‑94 and US‑281/US‑52. This is a wider urban–rural gap than the statewide picture, where metro corridors raise average 5G availability.
• Spectrum and performance drivers:
  • Low-band 600/700 MHz underpins broad rural coverage; mid-band 5G (2.5–3.7 GHz) capacity is mainly concentrated in Jamestown and transport corridors; mmWave 5G is not a meaningful factor outside dense micro-areas.
  • Backhaul is strong for a rural county: Dakota Carrier Network’s statewide fiber backbone and Dakota Central’s local fiber-to-the-premises footprint give carriers quality fiber backhaul nodes in Jamestown and many rural exchanges, supporting stable LTE/5G cells and Wi‑Fi calling offload.
• Sites and corridors:
  • Macro towers are clustered along I‑94 and near Jamestown, with sparser spacing north/south of the interstate. This yields more consistent highway/mobile commuting coverage than many equally rural ND counties but still lags state metro reliability.
• Emergency and public safety:
  • FirstNet (AT&T) is provisioned in the county with Band 14 support in population centers and corridors, improving priority access for first responders relative to legacy 3G/early-4G conditions.

How Stutsman differs from the North Dakota statewide trend

• Adoption: Overall smartphone penetration is a few points lower than the state average due to an older age mix and higher rural share; younger adult ownership remains near-universal and aligned with statewide norms.
• Network experience: 5G availability and mid-band capacity are noticeably more “corridor-centric” (Jamestown/I‑94) than the statewide average shaped by Fargo–Moorhead, Bismarck–Mandan, and Grand Forks, where contiguous 5G is common.
• Usage pattern: A higher proportion of older and rural residents translates into:
  • Slightly higher retention of non‑smartphone and voice‑centric usage.
  • More frequent Wi‑Fi calling and in-home coverage aids.
• Infrastructure: Despite rural challenges, the presence of robust fiber backhaul (Dakota Central + DCN) means LTE/5G cells that do exist are generally well-fed, helping reliability; the constraint is radio coverage density more than backhaul—a different bottleneck than seen in urban state markets where spectrum/capacity is the limiter.

Bottom-line figures for planning

• Adults: ~16.6–17.0k
• Any cellphone users: ~15.8–16.4k
• Smartphone users: ~14.1–15.3k
• Coverage reality: Strong LTE and usable 5G in Jamestown/I‑94; expect patchier 5G and occasional LTE edge conditions in rural townships, with performance driven by low-band spectrum reach rather than sheer capacity.

Sources informing estimates: 2020 Decennial Census (population base); Pew Research Center (2023) smartphone ownership by age and rural/urban; FCC mobile coverage filings (4G/5G availability patterns); North Dakota cooperative fiber/backbone documentation (Dakota Central, Dakota Carrier Network). Estimates apply these empirical rates to Stutsman County’s population profile to produce county-specific user counts.

Social media usage in Stutsman County, ND (2024 snapshot)

Scope and method

• Figures are modeled 2024 estimates for Stutsman County using 2023 ACS demographics and recent Pew Research Center U.S. platform adoption by age and gender; values represent at least monthly use, rounded to whole percentages.

User base

• Population: ≈21,600 residents; ≈18,700 are age 13+
• Active social media users (13+): ≈15,300 (82% of 13+)
• Gender among active users: ≈52% female (≈8,000), 48% male (≈7,300)

Age breakdown of active users (share of users; counts rounded)

• 13–17: 8% (≈1,200)
• 18–24: 14% (≈2,100)
• 25–34: 17% (≈2,600)
• 35–44: 17% (≈2,600)
• 45–54: 16% (≈2,400)
• 55–64: 13% (≈2,000)
• 65+: 15% (≈2,300)

Most-used platforms (share of residents 13+ who use each monthly; counts in parentheses)

• YouTube: 80% (≈15,000)
• Facebook: 60% (≈11,200)
• Instagram: 40% (≈7,500)
• Snapchat: 38% (≈7,100)
• TikTok: 34% (≈6,300)
• Pinterest: 30% (≈5,600)
• LinkedIn: 18% (≈3,400)
• X (Twitter): 16% (≈3,000)
• Reddit: 12% (≈2,200)

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of Groups (buy/sell, school, events), Marketplace, and local news. Older adults (50+) over-index on Facebook; engagement spikes around weather, road conditions, school sports, and city/county updates.
• Short‑form video time is rising: TikTok and Instagram Reels drive entertainment and “how‑to” views; YouTube remains the default for long‑form how‑to (home, auto, ag) and sports highlights.
• Youth and young adults (13–29) cluster on Snapchat (messaging/streaks, Stories), Instagram (Stories/Reels, DMs), and TikTok. Snapchat and Instagram are primary channels for school sports, campus life, and nightlife signals.
• Shopping and services: Facebook/Instagram posts and local influencers move traffic for restaurants, health/fitness, auto services, and seasonal retailers; Facebook Events and “what’s happening” posts convert well for weekend plans.
• Trust and information: Residents rely on official pages for storm alerts, ND road updates, and school notices; X is niche but used by power users for breaking weather and sports.
• Timing and devices: Engagement concentrates mornings (commute/school), lunch, and evenings; weekends see planning and marketplace activity. Usage is predominantly mobile; desktop remains for long‑form YouTube and Facebook browsing among older users.
• Creative formats that perform locally: authentic photos/video from community events, youth sports reels, winter readiness tips, farm/ranch and lake/outdoor content, and limited‑time offers; overproduced or generic stock content underperforms.

Notes on interpretation

• Percentages reflect modeled county‑level adoption based on national age/gender patterns; absolute numbers represent unique estimated residents per platform and will sum to more than total users because people use multiple platforms.