Corson County

Corson County, South Dakota — key demographics

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates). Small-county ACS figures have margins of error; values below are rounded.

• Population

  • 2020 Census: 3,902
  • 2019–2023 ACS estimate: ≈3,900

• Age

  • Median age: ~30–31 years
  • Under 18: ~32%
  • 65 and over: ~14%

• Gender

  • ~50% male, ~50% female

• Race and ethnicity

  • American Indian and Alaska Native (alone): ~72–75%
  • White (alone): ~20–24%
  • Two or more races: ~4–6%
  • Black, Asian, NH/PI (each): <1%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~4–6%

• Households

  • Total households: ~1,200
  • Average household size: ~3.2
  • Family households: ~75% of households
  • Households with children under 18: ~45%
  • Owner-occupied housing rate: ~58–62%

Corson County, SD snapshot (pop. ~3,900; ~1.5 people/sq mi):

Estimated email users: 2,600–3,000 residents (roughly 65–75% of the population) use email at least monthly. Estimate reflects rural/tribal internet adoption below U.S. averages, with most internet users having at least one email account.

Age mix of email users (approx. share of users):

• 13–24: 22–27% (school/workforce entry)
• 25–44: 30–35%
• 45–64: 25–30%
• 65+: 10–15% (lower adoption among seniors)

Gender split among users: roughly even (about 49–51% each).

Digital access and trends:

• Fixed broadband availability and subscription rates trail state/national levels; many households are mobile-only.
• Service is strongest in/near towns and along main corridors; remote areas have patchier coverage and lower speeds.
• Schools, libraries, and tribal/government facilities function as key access hubs.
• Affordability pressures affect adoption; with federal ACP subsidies paused, some households reduce or share connections.

Notes: Figures are estimates based on rural/tribal connectivity patterns applied to local population; actual counts depend on current broadband and mobile coverage and affordability.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Corson County, South Dakota

Context

• Small, very rural county of about 3,900 people, much of it within the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. Population is younger and more heavily Native American than the South Dakota average, with lower household incomes and lower wireline broadband adoption.

User estimates (human users, not lines)

• Adult smartphone users: roughly 1,900–2,200 (about 75–85% of adults; adults are an estimated ~65% of population).
• Teen smartphone users (13–17): roughly 300–375 (about 80–90% of teens).
• Total smartphone users: approximately 2,200–2,600 people, or about 55–67% of the county’s population.
• Mobile-only internet households: materially higher than the statewide rate. Expect roughly 2–3x the South Dakota average, driven by low wireline availability/affordability. Practical implication: a large share of households rely on smartphones/hotspots for home internet.
• Prepaid share: higher than statewide (directionally 45–55% of mobile users vs. roughly 25–35% in SD overall), reflecting income constraints, credit access, and plan flexibility preferences.

Demographic usage patterns (how Corson differs from statewide)

• Race/ethnicity: Majority Native American (Standing Rock Sioux Tribe) vs. SD’s predominantly White statewide profile. This correlates with:
  • Higher smartphone dependence for internet access.
  • Higher participation in Lifeline and (previously) ACP; with ACP funding lapsing in 2024, expect further shift toward prepaid and mobile-only solutions.
• Age: Younger median age than SD overall; teen adoption is high, and hotspotting for homework is common. Older adults show lower smartphone adoption than younger cohorts but higher reliance on voice/text compared with urban SD.
• Income and housing: More multi-generational households and device sharing. Budget sensitivity leads to slower device replacement cycles and preference for unlimited or “good-enough” LTE plans over premium 5G plans.
• Usage mix: Heavier use of messaging (SMS, Facebook Messenger), social video with data-saving, and hotspotting; comparatively less 4K/HD streaming than in SD cities due to data caps and variable speeds.

Digital infrastructure points (and why they diverge from SD norms)

• Coverage pattern: LTE is the workhorse. 5G is present mainly as low-band coverage; mid-band 5G capacity layers common in Sioux Falls/Rapid City are sparse or absent, so everyday performance often mirrors solid LTE rather than high-throughput 5G.
• Carriers and networks:
  • National carriers serve the towns and corridors; signal can drop in sparsely populated areas and river breaks. Verizon generally strong; AT&T coverage improved via FirstNet/public-safety buildouts; T-Mobile coverage exists but can be patchier off main routes.
  • Standing Rock Telecom, a tribally owned provider, operates LTE service on the reservation—an atypical feature versus most SD counties where only national carriers are present.
• Spectrum environment:
  • Low-band (e.g., 600/700/850 MHz) underpins wide-area coverage; mid-band (e.g., 2.5 GHz/C-band) is limited compared with SD’s metro corridors.
  • Standing Rock Sioux Tribe obtained 2.5 GHz (EBS) spectrum under the Tribal Priority Window, supporting local fixed-wireless/mobile expansions—another county-specific differentiator.
• Backhaul and capacity: Outside town centers (e.g., McLaughlin, McIntosh), sites often rely on microwave backhaul with constrained capacity compared to fiber-fed urban SD sites; this affects peak-time speeds and consistency.
• Anchor institutions: Schools, libraries, and tribal offices are critical connectivity hubs (E-Rate supported), with public Wi‑Fi and device programs playing a larger role than in much of the state.
• Funding dynamics: Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program and other federal funds have targeted Standing Rock for middle-mile/last-mile upgrades; these initiatives are more central to Corson’s roadmap than in better-served SD counties.

Key trends that differ from South Dakota overall

• Reliance on mobile for primary internet is substantially higher; smartphone-only households are far more common.
• LTE remains dominant for user experience; the mid-band 5G capacity gains seen in SD’s cities are not yet broadly replicated here.
• Tribal provider presence (Standing Rock Telecom) and tribal spectrum holdings materially shape the market—unlike most SD counties.
• Affordability programs (Lifeline, former ACP) and prepaid plans influence adoption and plan mix more strongly than statewide.
• Coverage gaps and capacity constraints are more pronounced away from towns, leading to greater use of offline-first apps, data-saving behaviors, and hotspotting.

Notes on method and uncertainty

• County-specific mobile usage stats are sparse. Estimates above triangulate 2020–2023 Census/ACS demographics, typical rural/tribal smartphone adoption patterns from national surveys, and known coverage/buildout patterns on tribal lands. Treat figures as planning ranges rather than precise counts.

Below is a concise, best-available snapshot. County-level social media metrics aren’t officially reported, so figures are estimates based on Corson County’s size/demographics, rural U.S. usage patterns, and recent Pew/industry research.

Population baseline

• Residents: ~4,000 (small, rural; large share Native American on Standing Rock)
• Adults (18+): ~2,600–2,800
• Internet access: below state average; mobile-first usage is common

Overall social usage

• Adult social-media adoption: ~65–72% of adults (≈1,700–2,000 people)
• Daily users among those on social: ~70–80%

Age groups (approx. adoption rates within each band)

• 18–29: ~90–95% use social; heavy on Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok; YouTube ubiquitous
• 30–49: ~85–90%; Facebook and YouTube dominant; Instagram/TikTok moderate; Snapchat for parents with teens
• 50–64: ~65–75%; Facebook and YouTube lead; Pinterest moderate; Instagram/TikTok lighter
• 65+: ~45–55%; Facebook primary; YouTube for how‑tos, news replays

Gender breakdown (among social users)

• Overall use is roughly even: ~52% women, ~48% men
• Platform skews: women over-index on Facebook/Instagram/Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube/Reddit

Most-used platforms (share of adult population; estimates)

• YouTube: ~70–80%
• Facebook: ~60–70%
• Instagram: ~30–40%
• Snapchat: ~25–35% (higher under 35)
• TikTok: ~25–35% (higher under 35)
• Pinterest: ~25–35% (primarily women)
• Runners-up: WhatsApp ~10–20%; X/Twitter ~10–15%; Reddit ~10–15%; LinkedIn ~10–15%

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first Facebook: Local news, weather/road closures, school athletics, tribal programs, buy/sell/trade, and event pages (powwows, rodeos, fairs) drive engagement. Facebook Groups and Messenger are central.
• Mobile video, short-form: Bandwidth constraints favor short videos, lives, and Stories. YouTube for long-form how‑tos, local sports replays; TikTok/Snapchat for quick updates, humor, culture.
• Trust and kin networks: Shares from known people, local admins, and tribal/community org pages outperform brand posts. Photo/video of recognizable people/places boosts reach.
• Time-of-day peaks: Early morning (7–9a), lunch (12–1p), and evenings (6–10p); weekend spikes around events or storms.
• Cross‑community reach: Interaction frequently spans nearby towns (e.g., McLaughlin, Mobridge, Fort Yates) and broader Standing Rock networks.
• Content themes that work: Practical info (closures, jobs, lost/found), cultural/language content, school highlights, ranching/ag tips, marketplace listings.
• Ads/targeting: Boosted Facebook posts with tight geo-radius and event timing perform best; creative should be lightweight, captioned, and mobile-friendly.

Notes on methodology and confidence

• Percentages are estimated ranges derived from rural U.S. and South Dakota patterns plus Pew Research Center social media adoption by age, adjusted for a small, mobile-reliant county. Exact county-level platform shares are not directly published.