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.