Lawrence County

Lawrence County, South Dakota — key demographics (latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates unless noted)

Population

• Total population: ~27,600
• 2020 Census: 25,768 (≈+7% since 2020)

Age

• Median age: ~40 years
• Under 18: ~20%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Gender

• Male: ~50%
• Female: ~50%

Race and ethnicity

• White alone: ~90–91%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~4–5%
• Black or African American alone: ~0.5%
• Asian alone: ~0.5–0.6%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.1%
• Some other race alone: ~0.7–1%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~4–5%
• Non-Hispanic White: ~87–89%

Households

• Total households: ~12,000
• Average household size: ~2.2–2.3
• Family households: ~58%
• Married-couple families: ~46%
• One-person households: ~34%
• Households with children under 18: ~23–25%
• Housing tenure: ~64% owner-occupied, ~36% renter-occupied

Insights

• Modest growth since 2020, balanced gender mix, median age around 40 suggests a mix of families, students (Black Hills State University in Spearfish), and retirees.
• Predominantly White with a notable American Indian population and a small but growing Hispanic/Latino community.

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

• Population and density: Lawrence County, SD has about 27,000 residents across roughly 800 sq mi (≈34 people/sq mi), with connectivity concentrated in Spearfish, Lead, and Deadwood.

• Estimated email users: ≈20,500 residents use email (≈76% of total residents; ≈92% of adults).

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

  • 13–17: 5%
  • 18–34: 30%
  • 35–54: 32%
  • 55–64: 13%
  • 65+: 20%

• Gender split among users: roughly even (≈50% female, 50% male), consistent with minimal gender gaps in email adoption.

• Digital access and trends:

  • Households with a broadband subscription: ≈86%.
  • Households with a computer or smartphone: ≈93%.
  • Smartphone-only internet households: ≈11%, supporting mobile-first email use.
  • Spearfish and the I‑90 corridor have the highest fixed-broadband availability; canyon and remote areas see more reliance on mobile data and public/institutional Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools, university).
  • Ongoing gradual gains in broadband adoption mirror statewide trends, narrowing rural gaps but leaving pockets with lower fixed speeds.

Insights: Email is near-universal among working-age adults and remains strong among seniors; growth in mobile-only access sustains high email reach even where fixed broadband is weaker.

Mobile phone usage in Lawrence County, South Dakota — 2024 snapshot

User base and adoption (estimates anchored to latest available federal datasets and carrier disclosures)

• Population basis: 25,768 residents (2020 Census); ~20–21k adults.
• Adult smartphone users: ~17.5k–18.5k (≈86–90% adult adoption; higher than the statewide rural average).
• Households with cellular data plans: ~8.8k–9.6k of ~11.2k households (≈78–85%), indicating broad reliance on mobile connectivity alongside or in place of wired broadband.
• Mobile-only internet households (no fixed broadband): ~2.0k–2.6k (≈18–23%); measurably above South Dakota’s statewide share due to the county’s student and renter mix.

Demographic drivers of usage

• Younger skew: A larger 18–34 population share in Spearfish (Black Hills State University) pushes smartphone penetration, app-first usage, and mobile-only connectivity above the state average.
• Seniors: A smaller 65+ share than the state overall; within the senior cohort, smartphone adoption is rising but still trails younger adults, creating a pronounced intra-county age gap in advanced mobile use.
• Housing and income mix: Higher renter density (students, seasonal/tourism workforce) correlates with mobile-only plans, prepaid utilization, and hotspot usage; owner-occupied households more often bundle mobile with cable/fiber in Spearfish and Lead.

Usage patterns distinct from statewide trends

• Higher mobile-only reliance than the South Dakota average, concentrated in Spearfish and among students/service-sector workers.
• Stronger 5G experience in populated corridors (Spearfish–I‑90–Deadwood/Lead) than the typical rural South Dakota county, but sharper drop-offs outside towns due to Black Hills terrain.
• Seasonal surges: Tourism and nearby Sturgis Rally traffic produce outsized, time-bound load spikes on county sites compared with statewide norms, with noticeable event-period speed degradation and the use of temporary cells (COWs/COLTs).

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carrier footprint: AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon all operate in the county. 5G is established in Spearfish, along I‑90, and through the Deadwood/Lead area; low-band 5G extends basic coverage while mid-band is concentrated around population centers and highways.
• Mid-band 5G capacity: T‑Mobile’s 2.5 GHz (n41) and C‑band deployments from Verizon/AT&T are present on primary corridor sites, yielding urban peak downloads commonly in the 80–150 Mbps range; outside those zones, LTE remains the workhorse.
• Terrain impacts: Canyons and forested gulches (e.g., Spearfish Canyon/US‑14A) produce dead zones and LTE fallback; microwave backhaul supplements fiber where topology complicates trenching.
• Public safety and redundancy: FirstNet coverage is solid in towns and on the interstate; backcountry gaps remain. Macro sites along I‑90 are predominantly fiber‑fed; inland sites mix fiber and microwave, affecting resiliency during peak events or weather.
• Community connectivity: Campus and downtown Wi‑Fi offload is material in Spearfish, moderating mobile data use for students but reinforcing mobile‑first behavior.

How Lawrence County differs from the state overall

• Adoption: Adult smartphone penetration and mobile-only households are both modestly higher than the South Dakota average, driven by the university and renter density.
• Coverage: Higher 5G population coverage than a typical SD county, but lower land‑area coverage due to mountainous terrain; the urban–rural performance gap is wider locally than statewide.
• Capacity dynamics: Event-driven congestion and seasonal tourism impacts are more pronounced than the state average, necessitating temporary capacity augments.
• Device mix and plans: Above-average prepaid share and hotspot use among students/service workers; higher iOS share in campus/professional segments compared with more rural SD counties.

Outlook (12–24 months)

• Continued mid-band 5G infill along I‑90, US‑14A, and SD‑85, plus small cells in downtown Spearfish/campus.
• Slight growth in mobile-only households as renters and students forgo wired installs; expansion of fixed wireless access (5G FWA) may cap that growth by offering home alternatives using the same radio footprint.
• Persistent coverage challenges in canyons unless additional small cells or repeaters are deployed; public-safety coverage is expected to improve incrementally with new FirstNet sites.

Sources and basis

• U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial (population/households).
• ACS S2801 (2022 5‑year) “Types of Computers and Internet Subscriptions” for county/state cellular subscription prevalence; combined with Pew Research (2023) smartphone adoption by geography to derive local adoption estimates.
• FCC mobile coverage maps (2023–2024) and carrier public 5G coverage disclosures for footprint and spectrum tiers.
• Event load patterns based on historical carrier augmentations and regional traffic reports during tourism season and Sturgis-adjacent periods.

Social media usage in Lawrence County, SD (2024–2025 snapshot)

Population baseline

• Residents: ~26,000–27,000
• Residents 13+: ~22,000–23,000

User stats

• Monthly social media users: ~19,000–21,000 residents (≈70–77% of total population; ≈85–90% of residents 13+)
• Daily social media users: ~13,000–15,000 residents (≈50–57% of total population; ≈60–68% of residents 13+)
• Devices: Mobile-first (≈90%+ of use is on smartphones); rising Connected TV viewing via YouTube

Age mix of the social media audience (share of local social users)

• 13–17: 8%
• 18–24: 20% (boosted by Black Hills State University)
• 25–34: 22%
• 35–44: 17%
• 45–54: 13%
• 55–64: 11%
• 65+: 9%

Gender breakdown of social media users (overall and platform skews)

• Overall users: ~53% female, ~46% male, ~1% non-binary/unspecified
• Skews by platform (F/M): Facebook ~55/45; Instagram ~57/43; TikTok ~60/40; Snapchat ~60/40; Pinterest ~70/30; YouTube ~48/52; Reddit ~35/65; X (Twitter) ~45/55; LinkedIn ~47/53

Most-used platforms in the county (13+, monthly reach; modeled ranges)

• YouTube: 75–82% — broad across all ages; strong on Connected TV and how-to/outdoors content
• Facebook: 60–68% — dominant for local news, groups, events, Marketplace
• Instagram: 38–46% — strong with 18–34; Reels consumption rising
• Snapchat: 30–38% — primary among teens and college students for messaging/Stories
• TikTok: 28–36% — fast growth for entertainment, food, and local attractions
• Pinterest: 26–33% — planning, home/outdoor ideas; female skew
• LinkedIn: 18–24% — hiring and professional updates (education, healthcare, hospitality management)
• WhatsApp: 14–19% — family/international ties; select work crews
• Reddit: 15–20% — tech/outdoors/gaming; male skew
• X (Twitter): 14–20% — news/sports; smaller but influential cohort
• Nextdoor: 6–10% — neighborhood updates in denser areas (Spearfish, Lead/Deadwood)
• Facebook Messenger: 60–68% (tracks with Facebook adoption)
• Discord: 8–12% — students/gamers and hobby communities

Behavioral trends and local nuances

• Community-first usage: Heavy reliance on Facebook Groups and Marketplace for buy/sell/trade, city and school updates, and event discovery; strong engagement with high school and university athletics, festivals, and Deadwood gaming/entertainment
• Student influence: 18–24 bracket over-indexes on Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok; campus calendar creates predictable peaks (late Aug–Oct, Jan–Apr)
• Tourism seasonality: May–Sept lifts Instagram/TikTok/YouTube engagement around trails, parks, dining, and events; short-form video with outdoor visuals performs best
• Time-of-day peaks: 7–9 a.m. (morning check-in), 12–1 p.m. (lunch scroll), 7–10 p.m. (prime viewing). Weekends show stronger midday activity for families
• Content formats: Short-form video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) drives reach; carousels and Stories work for promos; live video effective for events and games
• Commerce behavior: Deals, giveaways, and “local-first” messaging outperform generic ads; Facebook and Instagram drive store visits; younger users favor TikTok for discovery then shift to Instagram/Maps for details
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are primary; WhatsApp is niche but valued in specific circles
• News and alerts: Facebook is the default for local news, weather, road closures, and school alerts; YouTube used for longer recaps and explainers

Notes on methodology

• Figures are modeled estimates for Lawrence County using 2023–2024 Pew Research Center social media adoption rates, U.S. Census/ACS population and age structure, and platform self-reported audience tools, normalized to local demographics and the presence of Black Hills State University. Percentages reflect monthly reach among residents 13+ unless otherwise noted.