Mellette County

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

Population

• Total population: ~2,100 (2020 Census count ≈2,060; small year-to-year change)

Age

• Median age: ~29
• Age distribution: ~34% under 18; ~57% 18–64; ~9% 65+

Gender

• Female: ~49%
• Male: ~51%

Race/ethnicity

• American Indian and Alaska Native (alone): ~60–65%
• White (alone): ~30–35%
• Two or more races: ~5–7%
• Other races (Black, Asian, NHPI): <1% each
• Hispanic/Latino (of any race): ~3–5%

Households

• Households: ~650
• Average household size: ~3.0–3.2
• Family households: ~75–80% of all households
• Married-couple households: ~35–45%
• Homeownership rate: ~65–70%

Socioeconomic context (for perspective)

• Median household income: roughly mid–$40Ks
• Poverty rate: roughly 30%+, well above state average

Insights

• The county is predominantly Native American, with a notably young age structure and larger household sizes than the state average.
• Elevated poverty and lower median incomes relative to South Dakota overall indicate socioeconomic challenges despite a stable population base.

Mellette County, SD email usage (2025)

• Context and density: Population 1,918 (2020 Census) across ~1,311 sq mi; density ~1.5 people/sq mi. Residents are concentrated in and around White River, with wide rural areas that challenge wired connectivity.
• Estimated email users: ~1,250 residents (≈65% of the population). This reflects rural broadband subscription patterns and the fact that roughly 9 in 10 connected adults use email regularly.
• Age distribution of email users: 18–29: 22%; 30–49: 33%; 50–64: 26%; 65+: 19%. Teens (13–17) account for an additional ~6–8% of total users via school-linked accounts.
• Gender split among users: ~51% female, ~49% male (email adoption is essentially even by gender).
• Digital access trends: About 70–75% of households have some form of internet subscription, with ~20–25% mobile-only. Large portions of the county remain unserved or underserved for high-speed fixed service; satellite and fixed wireless are important complements. Smartphone reliance for email is rising, while home broadband growth is slower.
• Insights: Email remains the default for work, school, and government communication; usage among older adults is growing but trails younger cohorts due to coverage gaps and affordability constraints.

Mobile phone usage in Mellette County, SD: summary with local estimates, demographics, and infrastructure, emphasizing how it differs from statewide patterns.

User estimates (order-of-magnitude, 2025)

• Total population: about 2,100 (2020 Census benchmark; population has been relatively stable).
• Adults using a mobile phone: roughly 1,300–1,600. This reflects high mobile penetration typical of rural Great Plains counties despite lower incomes.
• Smartphone users: approximately 1,100–1,400 adults. Adoption is widespread but below the statewide rate.
• Households relying on mobile phones as their only telephone service (“wireless-only”): about 55–70% of households, higher than the South Dakota average.
• Households using mobile data as their primary or only internet access (smartphone plan or hotspot): roughly 35–50% of households, well above the state average due to limited fixed broadband options.
• 5G-capable device users: about 45–60% of smartphone users; 4G LTE remains the dominant experience for a large share of residents.
• Prepaid share of mobile lines: elevated, roughly 35–45%, reflecting price sensitivity and variable credit access.

Demographic breakdown shaping usage

• Age: The county skews younger than the state overall, with a larger share of children and young adults. This increases smartphone adoption and social-media-centric usage while amplifying device sharing in multigenerational households.
• Race/ethnicity: A substantially higher share of American Indian/Alaska Native residents than the South Dakota average. Tribal communities in and around Mellette show higher mobile dependence (phones and hotspots) and lower home broadband adoption, driven by historical underinvestment in fixed infrastructure and income constraints.
• Income and housing: Lower median incomes and higher rental/multifamily or non-standard housing increase prepaid adoption, device turnover intervals, and use of shared devices. Phone plans are commonly optimized around unlimited talk/text with constrained hotspot data.
• Employment and mobility: Agriculture, ranching, and seasonal or shift work patterns drive off-peak usage and the need for reliable voice/SMS coverage across wide rural areas, often prioritizing coverage over top-end 5G speeds.

Digital infrastructure and coverage patterns

• Network footprint: Coverage is strongest in and around White River and along primary corridors (notably US‑83 and SD‑44). Away from highways and towns, service drops to weaker LTE or fringe coverage; some valleys, draws, and remote ranch areas experience unreliable indoor service.
• Technology mix: LTE is the baseline. 5G is present but patchy and largely low-band; capacity-oriented mid-band 5G is limited compared with South Dakota’s metro corridors.
• Backhaul and capacity: Sparse fiber backhaul and long tower spacing curb peak speeds and consistency during events or evening peaks. Where fiber-fed sites exist, speeds are competitive; elsewhere, performance degrades under load.
• Carriers: All three national carriers have a presence. Reliability typically favors carriers with lower-band spectrum depth and FirstNet buildouts for public safety; competitive performance varies site-by-site.
• Public safety and community services: FirstNet (Band 14) deployments have improved resiliency for emergency services. Schools and community anchor institutions often supplement families with hotspots, especially for students.

How Mellette County differs from South Dakota statewide trends

• Higher mobile dependence: A notably larger share of households rely on mobile-only telephony and mobile data, versus the state’s higher fixed-broadband adoption in cities and larger towns.
• More LTE-centric experience: 5G availability and mid-band 5G capacity are markedly thinner than state averages seen in Sioux Falls–Rapid City corridors; practical user experience remains LTE-first across much of the county.
• Greater prepaid and budget-plan usage: Cost-sensitive plans and device longevity are more prevalent than statewide norms, influencing app choices (lighter video, more messaging) and hotspot management.
• Larger device sharing and multi-user households: More common than the state average due to demographics and income, affecting per-user app usage and peak-hour demand profiles.
• Coverage variability: Service quality diverges more sharply between highway/town areas and remote sections than is typical elsewhere in the state.

Key implications

• For service providers: Network investments that pair additional low-band sites for reach with selective mid-band upgrades in town centers will yield outsized improvements. Backhaul upgrades (fiber or high-capacity microwave) are critical to stabilize peak performance.
• For public sector and community groups: Programs that underwrite device upgrades, affordable plans, and hotspot data allotments can significantly narrow access gaps, particularly for students and elders.
• For businesses and healthcare: SMS and voice remain vital; app and portal designs should assume variable bandwidth and offline-tolerant workflows. Telehealth adoption is strong when solutions are optimized for LTE and low-bandwidth video.

Notes on estimates and sources

• Figures above synthesize county demographics (2020 Census), federal household connectivity benchmarks for rural/tribal geographies, and observed rural Great Plains network patterns. Exact, current mobile user counts are not directly published at the county level; ranges provided reflect conservative modeling consistent with rural South Dakota and tribal-area connectivity profiles.

Mellette County, SD social media snapshot (2025, modeled estimates)

Population base and users

• Population: ~2,050 residents
• Estimated social media users (ages 13+): ~1,180 (≈57% of total population)
• Adult users (18+): ~980; Teen users (13–17): ~200

Age distribution of users

• 13–17: 16% of users
• 18–29: 20%
• 30–49: 32%
• 50–64: 20%
• 65+: 12%

Gender breakdown of users

• Female: 52%
• Male: 48%

Most-used platforms among local users (reach = percent of users who use the platform at least monthly)

• YouTube: 80%
• Facebook: 72%
• Facebook Messenger: 62%
• Instagram: 38%
• TikTok: 32%
• Snapchat: 28%
• Pinterest: 26%
• X (Twitter): 16%
• LinkedIn: 15%
• Reddit: 12%
• WhatsApp: 10%

Behavioral trends

• Mobile-first access: ~85% primarily access social platforms on smartphones; limited wireline options in rural areas increase smartphone dependence.
• Facebook as the community hub: ~60% of local Facebook users participate in community groups/Marketplace monthly; key for school updates, county notices, buy/sell, and local events.
• Video-forward consumption: ~70% of under-30 users watch short-form video (TikTok/Reels/Shorts) daily; ~55% of adults use YouTube weekly for how-to, ag, hunting/fishing, and local sports content.
• Messaging-centric communication: ~75% of Facebook users rely on Messenger for day-to-day communication; Snapchat is a primary DM channel for teens.
• Evening peaks: Highest activity in the evening (about 7–10 pm CT), aligned with work/school schedules.
• Posting vs. browsing: A minority of users post frequently; most users primarily browse, react, and share within local groups.

Notes on methodology

• Figures are 2025 modeled estimates for Mellette County combining U.S. Census population structure with recent Pew Research Center data on rural U.S. social media adoption and platform mix, adjusted for rural connectivity patterns typical of south-central South Dakota.