Codington County

Here are recent, high-level demographics for Codington County, South Dakota (Census/ACS):

• Population

  • 28,325 (2020 Census)
  • ~29,500–30,000 (2023 estimate)

• Age

  • Median age: ~38
  • Under 18: ~23%
  • 18 to 64: ~60%
  • 65 and over: ~17%

• Sex

  • Male: ~49.5%
  • Female: ~50.5%

• Race and ethnicity (alone or in combination; Hispanic is of any race)

  • White: ~89–90%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~5–6%
  • Black/African American: ~1%
  • Asian: ~1%
  • Two or more races: ~3–4%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~3–4%

• Households and housing

  • Households: ~12,000
  • Average household size: ~2.4
  • Family households: ~62%
  • With children under 18: ~28%
  • Nonfamily households: ~38%
  • Living alone: ~31% (about 11% age 65+ living alone)
  • Housing units: ~13,000
  • Owner-occupied rate: ~65–70%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Codington County, SD email usage (estimates)

• User count: About 20–22k residents use email regularly. Method: apply U.S. adult email adoption (90%+) and teen uptake (80%+) to the county’s ~28–29k population.
• Age mix of email users:
  • Teens (13–17): ~6–8%
  • 18–29: ~18–20%
  • 30–49: ~30–32%
  • 50–64: ~20–22%
  • 65+: ~18–20% (lower adoption but growing)
• Gender split: Roughly even (≈50/50), tracking the county’s near-balanced population.
• Digital access trends:
  • Around 80–88% of households have a broadband subscription; smartphone-only home internet likely ~10–15%.
  • Fiber and cable are strongest in and around Watertown; rural townships see more fixed wireless and some legacy DSL, with rising 5G coverage improving email access on mobile.
  • Public access points (libraries, schools) remain important for lower-income and rural residents.
• Local density/connectivity context:
  • Population ~28–29k centered on Watertown (urban core), with overall county density around 40 people per square mile—typical rural last‑mile challenges increase costs and can reduce speeds outside town.
  • Coverage is strongest along major corridors (I‑29/US‑212), with ongoing upgrades narrowing urban–rural gaps.

Note: Figures are approximations derived from ACS- and Pew-like adoption patterns applied to local demographics.

Below is a concise, county-focused view based on the latest publicly available datasets (ACS S2801 Computer/Internet Use, FCC mobile coverage filings, and major carrier releases through 2024), plus reasonable local scaling. Figures are estimates; use them as planning ranges.

Headline snapshot (Codington County, SD)

• Population: ~28.5k–29.5k; adults 18+: ~21.5k–22.5k
• Adult smartphone users: ~19k–20k (roughly 88–90% adult adoption)
• Households: ~11.5k–12.5k; households with a smartphone present: ~10.5k–11.5k
• Households with a cellular data plan (any mobile broadband subscription): ~9k–9.6k
• Smartphone-only home internet households: ~10–14% of households (below statewide average)

How Codington differs from South Dakota overall

• Lower reliance on smartphone-only internet at home: Codington’s share (~10–14%) is likely several points lower than the state average, largely because Watertown and nearby exchanges have strong fiber and cable availability, reducing the need to rely solely on phones for home connectivity. Statewide, more remote West River counties and reservation areas drive a higher smartphone-only share.
• Better 5G performance and coverage than the state average: Being on the I‑29/US‑212 corridor and anchored by Watertown, the county sees denser tower spacing and earlier mid‑band 5G deployments (especially from T‑Mobile, with Verizon increasingly present on C‑band in the corridor). Average mobile speeds and indoor 5G availability tend to exceed the statewide mean, which is pulled down by very rural counties.
• More plan and carrier choice: All three national carriers have meaningful 4G/5G coverage locally; T‑Mobile’s 600 MHz (Band 71) and mid‑band 5G are strong in and around Watertown, and Verizon/AT&T low‑band 5G is common. Statewide, choice can be spottier outside of major corridors, making Codington comparatively competitive on pricing and performance.
• Smaller Native American population share than the state: Because statewide statistics include counties with high AIAN populations that face persistent infrastructure gaps, state-level metrics show higher mobile dependence; Codington’s demographics and infrastructure reduce that gap.

Demographic breakdown (estimates)

• Age
  • 18–34: ~95%+ smartphone adoption; heavy 5G use and highest share of unlimited plans.
  • 35–64: ~90–93% adoption; strong use of mobile for work and navigation along I‑29/US‑212.
  • 65+: ~70–80% adoption; lower mobile-only reliance than similar-age peers statewide thanks to better fixed broadband in Watertown.
• Income and urban/rural
  • Lower-income households are more likely to be smartphone-only, but the share is muted versus state averages because many Codington low-income households still have access to affordable cable/fiber tiers in Watertown.
  • Rural townships show higher mobile-only reliance than Watertown proper, but that gap has narrowed as regional co-ops and municipal utilities expand fiber.
• Race/ethnicity
  • Given a smaller AIAN share than the SD average, county-level mobile dependence tied to lack of fixed service is lower than statewide patterns.

Digital infrastructure notes

• Macro coverage: Dense highway/city coverage; fewer dead zones than SD average. Building penetration improved by low-band holdings (600/700/850 MHz).
• 5G mix:
  • T‑Mobile: Broad low-band plus notable mid-band along the I‑29 spine and in Watertown; typically the fastest median speeds.
  • Verizon: Low-band 5G widely available; C‑band present in the corridor markets and expanding—improvements most noticeable in town.
  • AT&T: Low-band 5G in place; mid-band capacity more limited but improving in larger East River nodes.
• Backhaul and fiber: Watertown Municipal Utilities and regional providers (e.g., ITC/co-ops) supply robust fiber backhaul, which lifts mobile site capacity and keeps performance ahead of more remote SD counties.
• Fixed wireless home internet (FWA): T‑Mobile and Verizon FWA are available to many addresses; they complement cable/fiber and further reduce smartphone-only dependence.

Usage trends to watch

• Continued fiber buildouts in rural townships should push smartphone-only households even lower relative to the state average.
• Ongoing C‑band/mid-band 5G adds (especially sector splits and small cells in Watertown) will widen the performance gap versus rural SD.
• Mobile substitution for home internet will stabilize or decline in town, but may persist in the county’s outer areas where fixed buildouts lag.

Bottom line Codington County’s mobile experience is stronger than the South Dakota average because of corridor location, denser infrastructure, and better fixed broadband alternatives. Expect slightly higher smartphone adoption, meaningfully better 5G performance, and a lower share of smartphone-only households than the state overall. Estimated adult smartphone users are around 19–20 thousand, with roughly 9–9.6 thousand households maintaining an active cellular data plan and only about one in eight relying solely on mobile for home internet.

Below is a concise, best-available snapshot for Codington County, SD. Exact county-level social media stats aren’t officially published; figures are estimates derived from 2024 Pew Research U.S. averages, adjusted for South Dakota’s age mix and a rural/Midwest profile, plus ACS population data.

Snapshot

• Residents: ~29,000; adults (18+): ~22,000
• Adults using at least one social platform: 85% (18,500–19,000)

Most‑used platforms among adults (estimated)

• YouTube: 80–85% of adults (18,000)
• Facebook: 70–75% (15,500–16,500)
• Instagram: 40–45% (9,000–10,000)
• TikTok: 30–35% (6,500–7,500)
• Snapchat: 28–32% (6,000–7,000)
• Pinterest: 30–35% (6,500–7,500)
• Smaller/niche: LinkedIn ~18–22%; X (Twitter) ~18–22%; WhatsApp ~12–18%; Reddit ~12–16%; Nextdoor <10%

Age patterns (tendencies)

• 13–17: Near-universal use; Snapchat and TikTok dominate; Instagram strong; Facebook mainly for groups/events.
• 18–29: Very high multi-platform use; top: YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok; Facebook for marketplace/groups.
• 30–49: Heavy Facebook and YouTube; Instagram/Reels growing; TikTok moderate; Snapchat used by parents with teens.
• 50–64: Facebook first, YouTube second; Pinterest notable (home, recipes, crafts); Instagram modest.
• 65+: Facebook for community/news and family; YouTube for how‑to and news clips; limited use elsewhere.

Gender tendencies

• Overall users ≈ evenly split M/F.
• Women: more active on Facebook and Pinterest (+5–10 pts vs men); steady on Instagram; heavier use of local groups, events, and buy/sell.
• Men: higher on YouTube, Reddit, and X; sports, outdoors, tech/how‑to content.

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the county’s “public square”: local gov/school updates, church and community events, youth sports, Marketplace, lost & found, and seasonal alerts (weather, road, ag).
• Messenger is the default private channel; WhatsApp usage is comparatively low.
• YouTube is central for how‑to, farming/ranching, hunting/fishing, small‑engine and DIY content; connected‑TV viewing rising.
• Snapchat is the daily chat platform for teens/young adults; strong during school year, games, and weekends.
• TikTok/Instagram Reels drive short‑form discovery; local businesses cross‑post promos, behind‑the‑scenes, and hiring clips.
• Pinterest engagement spikes around home projects, recipes, holidays, and back‑to‑school.
• X (Twitter) is niche: state politics, weather spotters, sports reporters.
• Best posting windows: evenings (7–10 pm) and early mornings (6–8 am). Engagement dips during harvest/planting weeks and long weekends; surges around storms, school sports, fairs, and holidays.

Notes

• Use these as planning ranges; ±3–5 percentage points is normal at this granularity.
• For campaign planning, validate with platform audience tools (e.g., Facebook/Instagram Ads, Snapchat Ads) filtered to Codington County/Watertown to refine reach and age/gender splits in real time.