Brookings County

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Brookings County, SD — email usage (estimates)

• Estimated users: 27,000–30,000 people use email regularly (of ~35–36k residents; ≈90% of those age 13+).
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: ~5–7%
  • 18–24: ~20–25% (large SDSU student population)
  • 25–44: ~28–32%
  • 45–64: ~22–26%
  • 65+: ~12–15% (growing adoption)
• Gender split: Approximately even (≈50% female, 50% male); usage rates are similar by gender.
• Digital access trends:
  • ~85–90% of households have a broadband subscription; smartphone‑only internet reliance ~10–15%.
  • Daily email use is highest among 25–44; older adults’ use is increasing as broadband and smartphones expand.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population is concentrated in the City of Brookings; outlying townships are low‑density and more rural.
  • The city has extensive gigabit fiber (Brookings/Swiftel), plus campus networks at SDSU; rural areas rely more on fixed wireless/DSL, with improving 5G coverage along I‑29 and US‑14.

Notes: Figures are modeled from recent ACS population data and national email/broadband adoption patterns, adjusted for the county’s large university presence.

Headline estimate

• Population base: ~36,000 residents; unusually young age profile due to South Dakota State University (SDSU).
• Estimated smartphone users: 30,000–33,000 (roughly 85–92% of residents). Rationale: very high adoption among 18–29 and teens, plus below‑average 65+ share relative to the state.
• Cellphone-only households (no landline): likely 85–90% in Brookings County vs ~78–85% statewide, driven by students and renters.
• Cellular-only home internet (no fixed broadband, using mobile or fixed wireless as primary): likely 7–10% of households in Brookings County vs ~14–18% statewide, because the City of Brookings has strong fiber/cable availability; rural parts of the county look more like the state average.

Demographic usage patterns (how Brookings differs from the state)

• Age skew: Larger 18–24 cohort than SD overall leads to near-universal smartphone ownership, heavier app usage (food delivery, ride share, campus apps), and higher messaging/social media intensity.
• Students/renters: More prepaid and bring-your-own-device plans, higher eSIM adoption, frequent number porting at semester changes. More iPhone share than the SD average.
• International students: Greater use of over-the-top messaging (WhatsApp, WeChat), international call/data add‑ons, and dual‑SIM behavior—above typical SD levels.
• Older adults: Smaller share than state average, so the county’s aggregate smartphone adoption and mobile banking/telehealth usage are higher than statewide norms.
• Urban vs rural split: In-town residents lean on campus and municipal Wi‑Fi and fiber, reducing reliance on mobile data as a primary home connection; residents in the county’s rural edges mirror statewide rural patterns with more LTE/5G home internet and signal boosters.

Digital infrastructure snapshot

• Cellular coverage/5G:
  • All three national carriers (Verizon, AT&T, T‑Mobile) have 5G in the City of Brookings and along I‑29/US‑14. Mid‑band 5G (T‑Mobile 2.5 GHz; Verizon/AT&T C‑band/3.45 GHz) is present in town, giving faster median speeds than many SD rural areas.
  • Outside the city, 5G thins to LTE in pockets; coverage is best along highways and around towns like Volga, Elkton, Bruce, White, and Aurora. Verizon typically retains the widest rural footprint; T‑Mobile’s mid‑band is strongest in town; AT&T’s FirstNet build improves public-safety coverage.
  • Event/surge coverage: Additional capacity is deployed around SDSU and Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium on game days; noticeable seasonal load swings (Aug–May) tied to the academic calendar—this is atypical for most SD counties.
• Fixed broadband and Wi‑Fi (key to how mobile is used):
  • City of Brookings: Citywide fiber from the municipal provider (Swiftel/Brookings-based) and cable DOCSIS—supports high Wi‑Fi offload and lowers mobile‑only dependence.
  • Rural areas: Mix of fiber from regional co‑ops (e.g., ITC/Alliance in certain zones), fixed wireless ISPs, and satellite. Where fiber hasn’t reached, households are more likely to lean on cellular/fixed wireless.
  • Public and campus Wi‑Fi: Extensive coverage across SDSU and city facilities; this drives heavier app usage but moderates per‑line cellular data consumption compared with many SD counties without similar Wi‑Fi density.
• 5G home internet:
  • T‑Mobile 5G Home Internet is broadly available in and around Brookings; Verizon 5G Home is available in core areas. Penetration is meaningful among renters and students but likely lower than in SD’s rural counties due to strong wired options in town.

Behavioral and market notes

• Higher device churn and plan switching around semester starts compared with the state average.
• More accessory ecosystems (wearables, tablets) among students; raises multi‑line/multi‑device attachment rates.
• SMS/email alert ecosystems (campus alerts, learning management systems) increase message volume relative to SD norms.
• Payment and ID digitization (mobile payments, mobile student ID) more common than statewide averages.

Bottom-line differences from statewide trends

• Higher smartphone penetration and app intensity, driven by a large 18–24 population.
• Lower share of cellular-only home internet in the city core thanks to strong fiber/cable; rural fringes align with SD rural patterns.
• Better in-town mid‑band 5G capacity and heavier Wi‑Fi offload than typical SD counties.
• More prepaid/eSIM, international usage, and seasonal network load swings tied to the university.

Notes on uncertainty and method

• Figures are estimates synthesized from national adoption rates, ACS device/Internet patterns, local age structure, and known infrastructure footprints.

Below is a concise, best-available estimate for Brookings County, SD. Figures are inferred from 2020–2024 Pew Research U.S. usage rates and Brookings’ student-heavy age mix (SDSU), not from an official county census of social platforms.

Snapshot

• Population: ~35,000
• Residents age 13+: ~30–31k
• Active social media users: ~26–28k (≈75–80% of total pop; ≈85–90% of 13+)

Age mix of social users (share of users)

• 13–17: 10–12%
• 18–24: 30–35% (near-universal use; SDSU-driven)
• 25–34: 18–20%
• 35–44: 12–14%
• 45–54: 9–11%
• 55–64: 7–9%
• 65+: 6–8%

Gender breakdown (share of users)

• Female: 52–54%
• Male: 46–48%
• Note: Platform skews vary (e.g., Instagram/Pinterest skew female; Reddit/YouTube skew male).

Most-used platforms (share of social users; rounded ranges)

• YouTube: 85–90%
• Facebook: 70–75% (very strong for Groups/Marketplace/Events)
• Instagram: 60–65%
• Snapchat: 55–60% (especially 16–24)
• TikTok: 45–50%
• Facebook Messenger: 70–75%
• Pinterest: 25–30% (women 25–44)
• LinkedIn: 20–25% (boosted by SDSU, Daktronics, 3M, healthcare)
• X (Twitter): 18–22% (sports/news spikes)
• Reddit: 18–22%
• Nextdoor: 8–12% (lower; mainly in Brookings city neighborhoods)

Behavioral trends to know

• Student-driven habits: Heavy daily use of Stories/Reels/TikTok; Snapchat streaks; event discovery via Instagram + Facebook Events; DMs > email for quick replies.
• Community heartbeat on Facebook: Local news, weather/road closures, school notices, SDSU athletics; Marketplace and buy/sell groups are highly active.
• Sports/event surges: SDSU games, Hobo Day, fairs drive spikes on Facebook, YouTube, and X; live streams and highlight clips perform well.
• Content formats: Short vertical video outperforms; photo carousels and live video are reliable; giveaways and “what’s happening this week” posts get strong engagement.
• Timing: Peak engagement 7–10 pm; secondary bump around lunch; semester cycles and winter storms noticeably lift activity.
• Ads/practical tips: Small market = high frequency—rotate creative weekly; use tight geos (5–10 miles) and campus geofencing; lean on FB/IG for community reach and TikTok/Snap for students.

How to tighten these numbers locally

• Check platform ad tools for Brookings County reach: Meta, Snapchat, TikTok.
• Pair with a short SDSU/community survey and Google Trends (Brookings DMA) to validate platform mix and peak times.