Bon Homme County

Here are recent, countywide demographics for Bon Homme County, South Dakota (U.S. Census Bureau: 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Population

• Total population: 7,003 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~42 years
• Under 18: ~21%
• 65 and over: ~22%

Gender

• Male: ~58%
• Female: ~42% (Note: The male share is elevated due to the Mike Durfee State Prison in Springfield.)

Race and ethnicity (shares of total population)

• White alone: ~84%
• Black or African American alone: ~7%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~5%
• Asian alone: ~0.5%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~3% (Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding and race/ethnicity overlap conventions.)

Households

• Total households: ~2,900
• Average household size: ~2.3
• Family households: ~62%
• Nonfamily households: ~38%

Bon Homme County, SD snapshot (≈7,000 residents; ≈12 people/mi²)

• Estimated email users: 4,000–5,000 residents. Assumes rural adult internet adoption ~80–85% and near‑universal email use among internet users (90%+; Pew), plus some teen users.
• Age profile of email users (est.): 18–34: ~25–30%; 35–64: ~45–50%; 65+: ~20–25% (rural counties skew older, so seniors adopt email slightly less than mid‑life adults).
• Gender split (est.): roughly even, ≈49% men / 51% women, reflecting the county’s slight female tilt in older cohorts.
• Digital access trends: Home broadband subscription rates in rural South Dakota counties are typically around three‑quarters of households (ACS), rising as fiber and fixed‑wireless builds expand. Smartphone‑only access remains meaningful among lower‑income and remote households.
• Local connectivity facts: Best wired speeds cluster in and around towns (Tyndall, Scotland, Springfield, Tabor); outlying farms and river‑adjacent areas see more reliance on fixed‑wireless/DSL with variable speeds. 4G LTE covers population centers and highways; 5G availability is limited but growing. Public libraries, schools, and cafes provide community Wi‑Fi that supplements home access.

Notes: Figures are estimates derived from U.S. Census population, rural internet adoption, and national email‑use rates (Pew/ACS/FCC).

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Bon Homme County, SD (with county-vs-state differences highlighted)

Quick scale and user estimates

• Population base: ~7,000 residents; roughly 5,400–5,600 adults. Note: The Mike Durfee State Prison in Springfield inflates the adult count but incarcerated adults are not active mobile users; this makes simple per-adult adoption appear lower than it truly is among community residents—a county/state difference to keep in mind.
• Mobile phone users (any mobile): ~5,000–5,300 adults (about 90–95% of non-institutionalized adults).
• Smartphone users: ~4,300–4,700 adults (about 78–84% of non-institutionalized adults). This is a few points lower than South Dakota’s overall adult smartphone adoption (typically ~84–88%) due to Bon Homme’s older age profile and rural mix.

Demographic breakdown (estimates; rounded)

• By age (most distinct from state average)
  • 18–34: ~90–95% smartphone adoption; ~1,200–1,350 users. Near state-level.
  • 35–64: ~82–88% smartphone adoption; ~2,400–2,700 users. Slightly below state-level.
  • 65+: ~58–68% smartphone adoption; ~900–1,150 users. Notably below state-level, reflecting a larger senior share locally.
• By income/plan type
  • Smartphone-only internet households (no fixed home broadband, use mobile data or hotspots): likely 20–28% in the county vs ~15–22% statewide. This gap stems from patchier fixed-broadband options outside towns, making phones/hotspots a primary connection in rural areas.
  • Prepaid penetration is somewhat higher than the state average, consistent with rural income mix and thinner retail footprints for postpaid carriers.
• Household and occupation effects
  • Agriculture and field-based work increase reliance on voice/text, push-to-talk apps, and signal boosters; heavy mobile video use is somewhat lower than urban/state averages.
  • The prison population skews the male 25–54 demographic upward in official stats but does not translate to active consumer lines, a nuance that can depress “per-adult” adoption metrics if not adjusted.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Radio access
  • 4G LTE is the reliability baseline countywide; low-band 5G (esp. T-Mobile 600 MHz) covers most corridors and towns. Mid-band 5G (e.g., Verizon/AT&T C-band, T-Mobile n41) is limited or absent outside town centers; this is a bigger rural gap than the statewide picture, where Sioux Falls/Rapid City pull up averages.
  • Practical speeds: low-band 5G/LTE typically 10–50 Mbps; mid-band 5G peaks are spotty. Statewide averages look higher due to metro mid-band capacity.
• Towers and terrain
  • Sparse macro-tower grid with 6–10 mile intersite spacing; the Missouri River bluffs and valleys create shadow zones and cross-river coverage quirks (occasional Nebraska-sector dominance near the river). This terrain effect is more pronounced than in the flatter eastern SD counties.
  • FirstNet/AT&T Band 14 coverage is present on main corridors and towns, improving public-safety reliability relative to legacy LTE-only sites.
• Backhaul and core
  • Town sites often have fiber backhaul along US-50/SD-37; many rural sectors depend on high-capacity microwave. This mix makes capacity more variable than in state metro areas with near-universal fiber-fed sites.
• Fixed broadband context (drives mobile reliance)
  • Towns (Tyndall, Scotland, Tabor, Springfield): a mix of fiber/coax/DSL, with decent in-town choices.
  • Rural areas: more DSL and fixed wireless; fiber buildouts exist but are patchy. State grant programs (e.g., ConnectSD/BEAD) are pushing more rural fiber, but Bon Homme’s upgrades lag metro counties—sustaining higher mobile-only use for now.
• Community access
  • Schools and libraries provide upgraded Wi‑Fi through E‑Rate/state grants; these are meaningful off-ramps for data in town but do not eliminate rural coverage/speed gaps.

How Bon Homme differs most from South Dakota overall

• Adoption: Overall smartphone adoption runs a few points lower than the state average, driven by a larger 65+ share and the institutionalized population effect.
• Access pattern: Higher share of mobile-only internet households than the state average; more hotspot reliance for homework, telehealth, and precision ag tasks.
• Network mix: Heavier dependence on LTE and low-band 5G; mid-band 5G capacity is notably scarcer than state urban hubs, so real-world speeds and in-building performance trail statewide norms.
• Usage behavior: More voice/SMS and utility apps; slightly lower streaming/gaming intensity; more common use of external antennas/boosters in farm/riverside locations.
• Measurement artifacts: County metrics that use “per adult” denominators can understate adoption because incarcerated adults are counted in population but not in consumer mobile usage.

Method note

• Figures are derived by applying recent national/rural adoption rates by age to Bon Homme’s age structure and adjusting for institutionalized population and rural infrastructure. For planning, treat these as directionally correct ranges; local carrier reports or school/library device audits can refine the counts.

Here’s a concise, best-available snapshot. Exact, platform-verified counts aren’t published at the county level; figures below are estimates based on Bon Homme County demographics (ACS) and rural U.S. social-media patterns (e.g., Pew 2024). Ranges reflect uncertainty and local variation.

User stats

• Population: ~7,000. Civilian, non‑institutionalized residents age 13+ ≈ 5,500–6,000 (note: the county includes a state prison; incarcerated residents are unlikely social users and skew raw gender counts male).
• Estimated social-media users (13+): 65–75% → roughly 3,600–4,500 people.
• Daily active (on at least one platform): ~55–65% of users → ~2,000–3,000 people.

Age mix (share of people in each bracket who use any social platform)

• Teens (13–17): 80–90% (Snapchat/TikTok dominant; YouTube universal).
• 18–29: 85–95% (heavy multi-platform use).
• 30–49: 80–90% (Facebook/YouTube core; Instagram rising).
• 50–64: 60–75% (Facebook/YouTube first; Pinterest notable).
• 65+: 45–60% (Facebook/YouTube; lighter multi-platform use).

Gender breakdown (among active users; excludes incarcerated population)

• Female: ~50–55% of active users (over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; strong in local groups, schools, churches, community events).
• Male: ~45–50% (over-index on YouTube, X/Twitter; strong in ag, sports, outdoor, equipment/DIY content).

Most-used platforms (share of local social-media users who use each platform; ranges mirror rural U.S. usage)

• YouTube: 70–80%
• Facebook: 65–75%
• Instagram: 30–40%
• Pinterest: 30–40%
• Snapchat: 25–35% (very high among teens/early 20s)
• TikTok: 25–35% (fast growth in 18–34)
• X (Twitter): 15–20%
• LinkedIn: 10–15%
• Reddit: 10–15%
• WhatsApp: 10–15% (messaging mostly via Facebook Messenger instead)

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first: Facebook groups drive attention (schools/sports, churches, county fair, volunteer and buy/sell/swap). Local announcements and event posts outperform generic content.
• Rural utility content: YouTube for how‑to, ag tips, equipment repair, hunting/fishing; weather/safety updates get strong engagement across platforms.
• Messaging > posting: Facebook Messenger is the default for local businesses and organizations; quick replies matter more than polished feeds.
• Younger cohorts: Snapchat for close friends and quick stories; TikTok/Instagram Reels for entertainment and discovery; cross-posting short vertical video works well.
• Creative that wins: People/places locals recognize, practical value (dates, prices, location), and short vertical video. Static flyers underperform video/photo carousels.
• Timing: Peaks before work (6–8 AM), lunchtime, and evenings (7–10 PM). Weekend late mornings/early afternoons are strong for events and retail.
• Ads: Tight geo-targeting (10–25 miles), event-based CTAs, and “message” objectives convert better than generic reach; older users respond to clear, text-forward creatives, younger to video-first.