Moody County Local Demographic Profile
Moody County, South Dakota — Key Demographics
Population size
- Total population: 6,336 (2020 Decennial Census)
Age
- Median age: ~39 years (ACS 2019–2023)
- Under 18: ~25%
- 65 and over: ~17%
Gender
- Male: ~51%
- Female: ~49% (ACS 2019–2023)
Racial/ethnic composition (Census/Hispanic origin)
- White alone (non-Hispanic): ~75%
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone (non-Hispanic): ~15–16%
- Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~6%
- Black or African American alone (non-Hispanic): <1%
- Asian alone (non-Hispanic): <1%
- Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~5% (2020 Census/ACS 2019–2023)
Households (ACS 2019–2023)
- Total households: ~2,500–2,600
- Average household size: ~2.5
- Family households: ~65%
- Nonfamily households: ~35%
- Owner-occupied housing rate: ~74%
Insights
- Small, rural county centered on Flandreau with a majority White population and a notable American Indian presence tied to the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe.
- Age structure is balanced, with roughly one-quarter of residents under 18 and about one-sixth age 65+.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates.
Email Usage in Moody County
- Scope: Moody County, South Dakota (population ≈6,600; density ≈13 people per sq. mile, centered on Flandreau with rural townships).
- Estimated email users: ~5,200 residents use email at least monthly (reflecting ~90% adoption among ages 13+).
- Age distribution of email users (estimated):
- 13–17: 7%
- 18–29: 18%
- 30–49: 33%
- 50–64: 23%
- 65+: 19%
- Gender split of email users: ~51% male, ~49% female, tracking the county’s population mix.
- Digital access and trends:
- ~82% of households have a broadband subscription; ~91% have a computer device.
- ~12% are smartphone‑only internet households, indicating mobile‑first access for a notable minority.
- Fixed connectivity is a mix of fiber/cable in and around Flandreau and along the I‑29 corridor, with DSL and fixed‑wireless in outlying areas; 5G coverage is strong near I‑29 and towns, tapering in low‑density areas.
- Typical served‑area speeds range from 100–300 Mbps on cable/fiber; 25–100 Mbps on rural DSL/fixed‑wireless.
- Insight: High email penetration is supported by strong corridor connectivity, but low rural density sustains pockets of slower access; smartphone‑only households and fixed‑wireless reliance are key for reaching older and remote users.
Mobile Phone Usage in Moody County
Moody County, South Dakota — mobile phone usage snapshot (2023–2024)
Baseline population and households
- Population: ~6,600 (2020 Census: 6,336; modest growth since 2020)
- Households: ~2,500–2,650
User estimates and adoption
- Any mobile phone (adults): ~94–96% adoption, or ~4,900–5,100 adult users
- Smartphone (adults): ~83–87% adoption, or ~4,300–4,600 adult users
- Active SIMs: ~7,200–8,000 (about 1.1–1.2 lines per resident, in line with rural U.S. norms)
- Wireless‑only for voice/contact: ~75–80% of adults rely primarily on mobile rather than a landline (several points higher than the South Dakota average)
- Primary home internet via mobile/fixed‑wireless: ~28–35% of households, materially above the state average due to more limited wired broadband outside town centers
How Moody County differs from the South Dakota state‑level picture
- Slightly lower smartphone adoption: County adults ~85% vs. SD ~88–90%, driven by a larger rural and older share
- Higher mobile‑only reliance: Wireless‑only households several points above the state rate, reflecting patchier wired options beyond Flandreau/Colman
- 5G availability gap: Near‑universal 4G LTE, but 5G population coverage trails the state’s metro‑anchored average (county ~85–90% pop coverage vs. SD ~95%+), with land‑area 5G coverage notably spottier on farms and along river bottoms
- More prepaid/Lifeline usage: A higher share of prepaid plans and Lifeline participation than statewide averages, especially among lower‑income and tribal households
Demographic breakdown of usage
- By age
- 13–17: ~92–96% smartphone adoption; high social/video usage; widespread use of budget and family plans
- 18–44: ~95%+ smartphone adoption; dual‑SIM/MVNO uptake rising for cost control
- 45–64: ~88–92% smartphone adoption; strongest users of fixed‑wireless home internet as a cable/fiber alternative
- 65+: ~60–70% smartphone adoption, below the state’s senior average; above‑average feature‑phone retention and voice‑first behavior
- By income
- Bottom quartile households are ~2× as likely to be mobile‑only for home internet and to use prepaid/MVNO plans
- Before ACP funding lapsed in 2024, an estimated 250–300 Moody County households (roughly 10–12%) benefited from ACP discounts; many have since downgraded data tiers or shifted to prepaid
- By race/ethnicity
- Native American residents (Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe) show high mobile‑only reliance and higher prepaid/Lifeline participation, with lower wired‑broadband adoption off the main town grids; smartphone ownership is broadly comparable to county averages but plans skew toward lower‑cost options
Digital infrastructure highlights
- Cellular coverage and performance
- Carriers: AT&T (including FirstNet Band 14), Verizon (C‑band along regional corridors), T‑Mobile (600 MHz low‑band plus n41 mid‑band near towns)
- Towns (Flandreau, Colman, Egan): 5G widely available; typical median 5G downlink 100–300 Mbps; mid‑band capacity strongest near Flandreau
- Rural areas: Predominantly LTE with low‑band 5G in patches; typical downlink 10–40 Mbps; signal variability in low‑lying areas near the Big Sioux River
- Coverage corridors: Enhanced capacity along the I‑29 corridor just west of the county improves west‑side performance; east‑side coverage benefits from cross‑border sites in Minnesota
- Fixed and fixed‑wireless overlap
- Fiber/cable: Roughly 60–65% of households (town centers and some platted developments) have access to cable or fiber; rural fiber is limited but expanding through co‑op builds
- Fixed‑wireless (LTE/5G home internet): Broad eligibility across much of the county, frequently used where wired options are slow or absent
- WISPs operate on licensed/unlicensed bands in farm areas; service quality varies by line‑of‑sight and tower proximity
- Public‑safety and resilience
- FirstNet coverage present around population centers and key routes; farm and river‑valley dead zones persist in spots
- Power/backup: Most macro sites have backup, but extended outages can degrade rural sectors before town sites
Behavioral and market trends
- Heavier dependence on mobile data as a primary connection outside town limits compared with the statewide norm
- MVNO/prepaid penetration rising faster than statewide, driven by ACP sunset, inflation, and adequate rural LTE for everyday use
- Precision‑ag and telemetry usage growing; several larger farms use cellular modems for equipment, bins, and pumps, increasing demand for reliable low‑band coverage more than peak speed
- Seasonal congestion: Short, predictable slowdowns during harvest and local events; town‑center sectors see the largest peak‑time variance
Key takeaways
- Moody County is more mobile‑reliant than South Dakota overall, with slightly lower smartphone adoption but higher mobile‑only households and greater fixed‑wireless substitution.
- 5G is strong in and around Flandreau/Colman but drops to low‑band 5G/LTE across farmland; this coverage pattern, plus limited rural fiber, shapes the county’s above‑average dependence on cellular for both voice and home internet.
- Affordability shifts after ACP’s funding lapse have nudged a measurable share of households toward prepaid and lower‑tier data plans, a trend more pronounced here than in the state’s larger metros.
Social Media Trends in Moody County
Social media in Moody County, South Dakota (2025 snapshot)
Overall usage (adults 18+)
- Share of adults using at least one social platform: ≈80%
- Daily users among all adults: ≈60% (majority of users check at least once per day)
Most-used platforms among adults (share of adults who use each; multiple platforms per person)
- YouTube: 82%
- Facebook: 70%
- Instagram: 47%
- Pinterest: 31%
- Snapchat: 33%
- TikTok: 32%
- X (Twitter): 22%
- LinkedIn: 20%
- Reddit: 19%
- Nextdoor: 8%
Age profile (share within each group who use any social media)
- 13–17: ≈95% (very heavy daily use; video- and chat-first)
- 18–29: ≈95% (Snapchat/TikTok/Instagram dominant; YouTube universal)
- 30–49: ≈88% (Facebook still central; rising Instagram/Reels; YouTube strong)
- 50–64: ≈73% (Facebook and YouTube lead; Pinterest notable among women)
- 65+: ≈50% (Facebook primary; YouTube for news/how‑to)
Gender breakdown (adults)
- Overall usage: Women ≈82%, Men ≈78%
- Platform skews:
- Higher among women: Facebook (75% vs ~65%), Instagram (52% vs 43%), Pinterest (45% vs ~16%)
- Higher among men: YouTube (85% vs ~80%), Reddit (25% vs 14%), X/Twitter (26% vs ~18%)
Behavioral trends observed in rural SD counties of Moody’s profile
- Community information hub: Facebook Groups/Pages dominate for school athletics, civic updates, weather/road alerts, and buy–sell–trade. Engagement spikes during storms and county events.
- Local commerce: Small businesses rely on Facebook + Instagram (especially Reels cross‑posted to Facebook). Marketplace is a high‑traffic channel for peer‑to‑peer sales.
- Youth/young adults: Snapchat streaks and group chats are daily; TikTok for trends and entertainment; YouTube for music, gaming, and how‑tos.
- Practical video: YouTube widely used for DIY, farm/ranch equipment repair, hunting/fishing, and product research.
- Messaging > public posting: Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, and group chats carry much of the day‑to‑day conversation; X/Twitter use is modest and more news/agency‑driven than community‑driven.
- Nextdoor footprint is minimal; Facebook neighborhood and town groups fill that role.
- Peak activity windows: early morning (before work/school), evening (post‑dinner), and during weather impacts or school sports.
Notes on method
- Figures are county‑level estimates built from Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. social media adoption rates (with rural adjustments) and Moody County’s age profile from recent Census/ACS releases. Percentages reflect adult penetration; teen insights reflect national patterns that closely match rural upper‑Midwest behavior.
Table of Contents
Other Counties in South Dakota
- Aurora
- Beadle
- Bennett
- Bon Homme
- Brookings
- Brown
- Brule
- Buffalo
- Butte
- Campbell
- Charles Mix
- Clark
- Clay
- Codington
- Corson
- Custer
- Davison
- Day
- Deuel
- Dewey
- Douglas
- Edmunds
- Fall River
- Faulk
- Grant
- Gregory
- Haakon
- Hamlin
- Hand
- Hanson
- Harding
- Hughes
- Hutchinson
- Hyde
- Jackson
- Jerauld
- Jones
- Kingsbury
- Lake
- Lawrence
- Lincoln
- Lyman
- Marshall
- Mccook
- Mcpherson
- Meade
- Mellette
- Miner
- Minnehaha
- Pennington
- Perkins
- Potter
- Roberts
- Sanborn
- Shannon
- Spink
- Stanley
- Sully
- Todd
- Tripp
- Turner
- Union
- Walworth
- Yankton
- Ziebach