Lake County

Lake County, South Dakota — Key Demographics (latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates, ACS 2019–2023 and 2023 PEP)

Population

• Total population: ~12,500

Age

• Median age: ~37 years
• Under 18: ~21%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Sex

• Female: ~49–50%
• Male: ~50–51%

Race and ethnicity

• White (non-Hispanic): ~90–92%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3–4%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~1.5–2.5%
• Black or African American: ~1%
• Asian: ~1–2%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%

Households and housing

• Total households: ~5,200
• Persons per household: ~2.3
• Family households: ~58–60% of households
• Married-couple households: ~46–48%
• One-person households: ~31–34%
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: ~69–72%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 (5-year) and Population Estimates Program (2023). These are official estimates appropriate for county-level planning and benchmarking.

Lake County, SD email usage (estimates derived from 2020–2023 ACS population, Pew email-adoption rates, and FCC/ACS internet-access indicators):

• Estimated email users: ~9,000 adults

  • Basis: ~12.6k residents, ~9.8k adults (18+), ~92% of adults use email.

• Age distribution of email users (count; share):

  • 18–29: ~2,250; 25%
  • 30–49: ~2,700; 30%
  • 50–64: ~2,070; 23%
  • 65+: ~1,980; 22%

• Gender split among email users:

  • Female 51% (4,590), Male 49% (4,410)

• Digital access and usage trends:

  • Household broadband subscription: ~85–90%
  • Home computer access: ~90%+
  • Smartphone-only internet households: ~10–12%
  • Daily email use among users: ~65–70%
  • Remote work share post-2021: high single digits, sustaining strong email reliance for education, healthcare, and government services.

• Local density/connectivity facts:

  • Population density ≈22 people per sq. mile (land area ~563 sq. mi.)
  • Madison’s university presence supports robust in-town cable/fiber coverage; rural townships commonly use fixed wireless/DSL, with lake-adjacent areas showing patchier service.
  • Countywide fixed broadband availability at basic speeds (≥25/3 Mbps) is broadly available; higher-speed tiers are concentrated in and around Madison.

Mobile phone usage in Lake County, South Dakota (focus: what differs from the statewide picture)

User base and penetration (persons and households)

• Population baseline: 12,698 (2020 Census). Adults (18+): about 9,780 (77% of population).
• Adult cellphone users (any mobile phone): ~9,400 (≈96% of adults), using age-specific usage norms (Pew Research Center).
• Adult smartphone users: ~8,200–8,600 (≈84–88% of adults). The midpoint reflects age-adjusted adoption (very high among 18–44, lower among 65+).
• Households: ~5,400. Wireless-only telephone households (no landline): ~3,700–4,000 (≈68–74%), consistent with CDC/NHIS wireless substitution levels and slightly elevated locally due to a sizable student/renter segment.
• Mobile-broadband–only home internet (households that rely on cellular data plans with no fixed subscription): ~900–1,200 (≈17–22%), higher than the state average, driven by students and renters in Madison and by rural fringe locations lacking competitive fixed broadband.

Demographic profile of mobile users (age-adjusted estimates)

• 18–24: ~1,500 residents; ~1,460 smartphone users (≈96% adoption). Lake County’s share of 18–24-year-olds is above the South Dakota average due to Dakota State University, lifting overall smartphone and app-centric usage relative to the state.
• 25–44: ~3,050 residents; ~2,900 smartphone users (≈95%).
• 45–64: ~3,175 residents; ~2,630 smartphone users (≈83%).
• 65+: ~2,030 residents; ~1,240 smartphone users (≈61%). Despite the lower rate, seniors in and near Madison show better adoption than seniors in more remote SD counties because of closer proximity to healthcare portals, services, and retail support.

How Lake County differs from South Dakota overall

• Younger, more mobile-centric mix: A meaningfully larger 18–24 cohort (college town effect) pushes smartphone penetration and daily mobile app usage above the state average, and raises the share of wireless-only and mobile-broadband–only households.
• Higher 5G availability where people live: Madison and the SD‑34/SD‑81 corridors have denser multi-carrier coverage and earlier 5G availability than much of rural South Dakota, translating to more viable 5G fixed wireless access (home internet) and higher median mobile speeds than the statewide rural norm.
• Lower landline dependence: Landline retention is below the state average, especially among students and renters; voice and messaging are overwhelmingly mobile-first.
• More device turnover and multi-line plans: Student and professional populations tied to Dakota State University’s tech programs and local employers show faster device replacement cycles and higher uptake of mid/high-tier 5G plans than the state’s largely agricultural, older rural counties.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carriers: All three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) provide 4G LTE across settled areas; 5G is available in Madison from multiple carriers, with T‑Mobile’s extended-range 5G most pervasive into rural edges and Verizon/AT&T low-band 5G present in town and along main corridors.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA): 5G home internet from T‑Mobile and Verizon is widely offered in Madison and select nearby ZIP codes. FWA adoption is measurably above South Dakota’s rural average where cable/fiber pricing or availability is less favorable.
• Backhaul and middle-mile: Madison benefits from regional fiber backbones (e.g., SDN Communications) and local last-mile providers (e.g., Midco cable in town; rural fiber from regional telco co-ops such as ITC/related providers), which improve cellular backhaul and resilience. This supports better capacity than typical rural SD counties without college-town infrastructure.
• Coverage texture: Strong, redundant coverage in Madison; good along SD‑34 and toward I‑29; patchier capacity at lake recreation areas and low-lying rural sections, with seasonal congestion spikes. Overall, service quality is above average for rural SD.

Usage patterns and implications

• Heavier app, streaming, and authentication usage than the SD average, reflecting the university and tech employment base; high prevalence of two-factor authentication apps, campus platforms, and cloud services.
• Text and data dominate; voice minutes are relatively low per user. OTT messaging and collaboration tools are widely adopted among students and staff.
• Rural residents increasingly pair mobile with precision agriculture and telehealth; LTE/5G support for ag IoT is available near population centers but remains constrained in the farthest rural tracts compared to town.

Key takeaways

• Lake County’s mobile market is more advanced and mobile-first than South Dakota’s average due to a college-town demographic, better 5G availability in the population center, and strong fiber backhaul.
• Expect continued growth in 5G usage and FWA subscriptions in and around Madison, stable high smartphone penetration in younger cohorts, and gradual but steady gains among seniors as healthcare and public services continue to push mobile engagement.

Below is a concise, county-specific snapshot built from the best available public evidence. Because no source publishes platform-by-platform figures at the county level, the percentages are modeled 2025 estimates for Lake County, SD (triangulating Pew Research Center national/rural/Midwest findings, DataReportal U.S. benchmarks, and ACS age structure), with conservative ranges.

Overall usage (residents 13+)

• Use at least one social platform: 76–82%
• Daily social users: 68–72%
• Average platforms per person: 2.7–3.2
• Average time on social: ~1.8–2.2 hours/day

Age profile (share of each age group using social)

• 13–17: 92–96%
• 18–24: 96–98% (boosted by Dakota State University)
• 25–34: 90–94%
• 35–49: 86–90%
• 50–64: 72–78%
• 65+: 48–55%

Gender breakdown

• Overall social users: ~51% female, ~49% male
• Platform skews among users:
  • Facebook: ~57% female
  • Instagram: ~55% female
  • Pinterest: ~75% female
  • YouTube: ~56% male
  • Reddit: ~65% male
  • TikTok, Snapchat: near parity (slight female tilt on TikTok)

Most-used platforms (adults; share who use each)

• YouTube: 78–82%
• Facebook: 62–68%
• Instagram: 36–42%
• TikTok: 30–35% (heaviest 13–29)
• Snapchat: 28–33% (especially 13–24)
• Pinterest: 26–31% (female-skewed)
• X (Twitter): 18–22%
• LinkedIn: 17–22% (DSU students/grads lift usage)
• Reddit: 18–22%

Behavioral trends in Lake County

• Community-first Facebook: Local news, severe weather, school/DSU sports, and buy/sell/trade groups dominate; native posts and live video see the highest reach and comment-driven amplification.
• Sports-driven peaks: Engagement spikes around high school and DSU athletics; photo carousels and short clips outperform links.
• Marketplace reliance: Facebook Marketplace is the primary channel for vehicles, farm/ranch equipment, and rentals; weekend and late-evening listings get the most activity.
• Short-form growth: Reels/TikTok consumption is rising among under-35s; campus life, hunting/fishing, DIY, and local food content travel well across platforms.
• Dark social sharing: A significant share of link sharing occurs via Messenger/Snapchat DMs; expect direct/none traffic spikes on websites during local news/weather moments.
• Timing patterns: Highest engagement Mon–Thu evenings (7–9 pm) with lunchtime bumps (11:30 am–1 pm); Sunday afternoons perform well for community updates.
• SMB advertising: Most local spend concentrates on Facebook/Instagram; tight geo-radius around Madison and the lakes delivers the best CPC/CPA; on-platform lead forms generally outperform off-site landing pages on mobile.

Sources and basis

• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use (2023–2024 updates for U.S., with rural and age/gender cuts)
• DataReportal U.S. digital 2024/2025 benchmarks
• U.S. Census Bureau ACS (age structure for Lake County) Figures are localized, conservative projections applying these patterns to Lake County’s demographic mix and university presence.