Lyman County

Lyman County, South Dakota — key demographics

Population

• Total: 3,718 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: 32.3 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: 31.9%
• 65 and over: 16.5%

Gender

• Male: 50.7%
• Female: 49.3%

Race and ethnicity (2020 Census)

• White alone: 51.0%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 43.8%
• Black or African American alone: 0.3%
• Asian alone: 0.2%
• Two or more races: 3.8%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 2.7%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: 49.4%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: 1,330
• Average household size: 2.78
• Family households: 66% (average family size: 3.35)
• Married-couple households: 44%
• Nonfamily households: 34%
• Households with children under 18: 38%
• Households with someone 65+: 27%
• Homeownership rate: 70%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates. Percentages rounded.

Lyman County, SD (2020 population 3,718) spans roughly 1,703 square miles, about 2.2 residents per square mile. Estimated email users: about 2,500 residents (≈67% of all residents; ≈87% of adults). Age distribution of email users (of adult users): 18–34: ~29%; 35–54: ~36%; 55–64: ~15%; 65+: ~19%. Gender split: population is roughly 51% male and 49% female; email usage rates are comparable by gender, so users mirror that split. Digital access: around 4 in 5 households subscribe to broadband; roughly 10–15% are smartphone‑only internet users. Connectivity is strongest along the I‑90 corridor (Oacoma–Kennebec–Presho) with fiber‑fed ISPs and robust 4G/5G. Northern and remote tracts, including parts of the Lower Brule Reservation, have more DSL/fixed wireless and coverage gaps, which suppress regular email use. Trends: incremental gains from state and tribal fiber builds and expanding 5G; low density and terrain keep last‑mile costs high, so adoption lags urban South Dakota but is rising. Public schools and libraries in towns serve as important Wi‑Fi access points, boosting email access for students and lower‑income households.

Mobile phone usage in Lyman County, South Dakota — summary and key differences from the state

Snapshot and user estimates

• Population baseline: 3,718 (2020 Census). Adults (18+), modeled at ~72% of population: ~2,680 adults.
• Mobile phone users (any cell phone): ~2,520 adults (≈94% of adults), consistent with rural adoption patterns observed by Pew Research and NTIA through 2023.
• Smartphone users: ~2,280 adults (≈85% of adults). This is a few points below typical statewide urban/suburban rates but in line with rural + tribal county profiles.
• Smartphone‑only internet users (people who rely primarily on a smartphone for internet, with no fixed home broadband): ~28–32% share locally; point estimate 30% of adult internet users. That is materially higher than South Dakota overall (typically in the mid‑teens to low‑20s), reflecting lower fixed‑line availability and affordability in parts of the county.

Demographic context and usage patterns

• Indigenous population share: about 40% of residents are Native American (Lower Brule Sioux Reservation is within the county). This is far above the statewide average and correlates with:
  • Higher smartphone‑first reliance for internet access.
  • Greater use of prepaid plans and data budgeting behaviors.
• Age structure: a somewhat larger share of children and young adults than the state average, paired with a meaningful cohort 65+. Resulting usage traits:
  • High messaging and app‑centric use among younger users.
  • Notable voice/SMS reliance and basic smartphone use among older adults where 5G/mid‑band capacity is thin.
• Income and affordability: Median household income is below the state median and poverty rates are higher. This drives:
  • Increased prepaid and budget MVNO adoption.
  • Slower device replacement cycles and more frequent screen/battery repairs versus upgrades.
  • Higher incidence of single‑device households.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carriers present: AT&T (including FirstNet Band 14), Verizon, and T‑Mobile all serve the county.
• 5G footprint: Predominantly low‑band 5G (e.g., n71/n5/n12) and LTE across most of the county, with stronger 5G coverage and capacity along the I‑90 corridor (Oacoma/Presho/Kennebec) and in town centers. Mid‑band 5G (e.g., C‑band/n41) is largely corridor‑focused; away from I‑90, service often falls back to LTE/low‑band 5G.
• Backhaul and fiber: Interstate and state‑route corridors are on or near regional fiber (SDN Communications/Golden West and tribal/ILEC routes). The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe and regional cooperatives have expanded fiber for community anchor institutions, but last‑mile fixed broadband remains uneven outside townsites—contributing to smartphone‑only behavior.
• Terrain impacts: Missouri River breaks and sparse population density create dead zones and variable indoor coverage. In‑building performance often depends on low‑band signal and user‑installed boosters.
• Seasonal load: Summer travel on I‑90 and Missouri River recreation areas produce peak traffic spikes that are sharper than the statewide norm for a county this size, stressing corridor cell sectors more than interior rural sites.

How Lyman County differs from South Dakota overall

• Higher smartphone‑only reliance: ~30% locally versus mid‑teens to low‑20s statewide.
• More prepaid and MVNO usage: Cost sensitivity and variable coverage push plan choices toward prepaid at a higher rate than the state average.
• Coverage asymmetry: Service quality is much more corridor‑weighted (I‑90 and town centers). Off‑corridor areas see greater dependence on low‑band spectrum and LTE, with more frequent signal gaps than typical in eastern or more populous SD counties.
• Demographic drivers: A substantially larger Native American population share increases smartphone‑first internet use and lowers fixed‑broadband take‑up compared with the state average.
• Device lifecycle: Slower device turnover and higher repair/maintenance incidence than state urban centers.

Method notes

• Population figures come from the 2020 Decennial Census. Adoption estimates are modeled from rural/tribal differentials reported by Pew Research (2019–2023), NTIA’s Indicators of Broadband Need, and ACS device/Internet patterns (2018–2022), adjusted for Lyman County’s demographic mix and infrastructure profile. Carrier presence and 5G/LTE patterns reflect 2023–2024 public coverage disclosures and FCC mapping tendencies for rural SD corridors.

Social media usage in Lyman County, SD — short breakdown (best-available 2024 snapshot)

Scope and method

• County-specific social media measurements are not directly published. Figures below are localized estimates derived by applying 2024 Pew Research Center U.S. platform adoption rates (with rural adjustments) to the Lyman County population (U.S. Census, 2020 = 3,718). Where exact county data do not exist, values are labeled estimated.

User stats (estimated)

• Residents using at least one social platform: ~2.7–2.9k people (≈70–78% of residents)
• Adult reach (18+): ≈80–85% use at least one social platform; daily use by roughly two-thirds of adults
• Multi-platform behavior: typical user actively uses 3–4 platforms; YouTube + Facebook is the most common pairing

Age groups (adoption rates, estimated)

• Teens 13–17: ≈90–95% use social; heaviest on YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok; Instagram solid
• 18–29: ≈90–95%; Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat prominent alongside YouTube/Facebook
• 30–49: ≈85–90%; Facebook and YouTube dominant; Instagram moderate; TikTok growing
• 50–64: ≈70–75%; Facebook and YouTube core; Pinterest moderate; limited TikTok/Instagram
• 65+: ≈45–50%; Facebook primary; YouTube growing; others minimal

Gender breakdown (directional, reflects rural U.S. patterns)

• Overall users are roughly balanced by gender
• Platforms skew female: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest (Facebook and Pinterest notably more female)
• Platforms skew male: YouTube, X (Twitter), Reddit
• Implication: community news, family, shopping, and events content over-indexes with women; sports, outdoors, and how‑to video content over-indexes with men

Most-used platforms among adults (estimated penetration)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 70–75%
• Instagram: 35–45% (higher under 35)
• TikTok: 28–35% (strong under 30; rising 30–49)
• Snapchat: 25–30% overall; 60–70% among under 30
• Pinterest: 30–35% (skews female, 25–54)
• X (Twitter): 20–25% (light but influential for sports/news)
• LinkedIn: 18–22% (primarily professionals, educators, healthcare, government)
• WhatsApp: 15–20% (small but steady; Messenger is more common for local comms)

Behavioral trends in Lyman County (observed in similar rural SD counties and consistent with platform data)

• Community-first Facebook: Heavy use of local Groups/Pages for school sports, county alerts, events, buy/sell/trade, lost‑and‑found, road/weather updates
• Short‑video momentum: TikTok and Reels drive discovery; local faces/places, ag/ranch life, hunting/fishing, and high‑school highlights perform best
• How‑to and long‑tail video: YouTube used for equipment maintenance, DIY, outdoors, and education; strong search-driven viewing
• Messaging hub: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are primary private channels; fast response expectations for local businesses
• Seasonality: Noticeable spikes around school calendars, harvest, county fair, and hunting season; weather events amplify local info sharing
• Content cadence: Early morning and evening posts outperform mid‑day; photo/video posts with clear local context outperform generic creatives
• Trust signals: Real people, recognizable landmarks, and community ties outperform corporate branding; reviews and recommendations inside Groups carry outsized weight
• Ads that work locally: Event promos, time‑bound offers, giveaways, and posts highlighting local employees; click‑to‑message and click‑to‑call CTAs convert better than long web funnels

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial; Lyman County population)
• Pew Research Center (2024 Social Media Use in the U.S.; platform adoption by age/setting) Note: Platform and usage percentages are localized estimates derived from these sources and rural U.S. patterns.