Potter County

Potter County, South Dakota — key demographics

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (population count); 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5‑year estimates (age, sex, race/ethnicity, households)

• Population size

  • 2,472 residents (2020 Census)

• Age

  • Median age: ~50 years
  • Under 18: ~21%
  • 18 to 64: ~51%
  • 65 and over: ~28%

• Gender (sex)

  • Male: ~51%
  • Female: ~49%

• Racial/ethnic composition

  • White alone: ~96%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~2%
  • Two or more races: ~2%
  • Black, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: each <1%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2% of total population
  • Note: “Hispanic or Latino” is an ethnicity and can overlap with race categories

• Household profile

  • Households: ~1,140
  • Average household size: ~2.1 persons
  • Family households: ~62% of households
  • Married‑couple households: ~54%
  • One‑person households: ~31%
  • Homeowner occupancy: ~79% (renter ~21%)
  • Average family size: ~2.7

Insights: Small, aging population with a predominantly non‑Hispanic White profile, high homeownership, and relatively small household sizes typical of rural Great Plains counties.

Potter County, South Dakota snapshot (2020 Census unless noted):

• Population: 2,472 over ~861 sq mi of land (≈2.9 people/sq mi; very low density).
• Gender split: ~51% male, 49% female.

Estimated email users:

• Adults (18+): ≈1,950.
• Email adoption among adults ≈89% (based on U.S. rural benchmarks), yielding ≈1,730 adult email users.

Age distribution and estimated email adoption:

• 18–34: 17% of population (420); ~95% use email → ~399 users.
• 35–64: 35% (865); ~92% use email → ~796 users.
• 65+: 27% (667); ~80% use email → ~534 users.
• Overall users skew middle-aged, with strong uptake among 35–64 and slightly lower among 65+.

Gender split among email users (near parity):

• Male ≈50–51% (875 users); Female ≈49–50% (855 users).

Digital access trends and local connectivity:

• South Dakota households with broadband: ~84% (ACS 2022). Rural counties like Potter typically trail the state average; practical access is often 75–80%, with fiber concentrated in/near Gettysburg and fixed wireless/satellite filling remote areas.
• Sparse settlement raises last‑mile costs and elongates buildouts; mobile LTE/5G coverage is strongest along major corridors, with patchier service in agricultural areas, influencing heavier reliance on email for asynchronous communication.

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

Population base used for estimates

• 2,472 residents (2020 Census). Adult (18+) share is higher than the state average due to an older age profile; modeled at ~82% adults ≈ 2,030 people.

User estimates (residents)

• Adult mobile phone users (any mobile): ~1,890 (≈91% of adults).
• Adult smartphone users: ~1,660–1,720 (≈84–86% of adults).
• Teen (13–17) smartphone users: ~150 (≈95% of teens).
• All-ages mobile users (any mobile): ~2,050 (≈83% of total residents).
• Feature-phone-only adults: ~220–250 (≈9–11% of adult mobile users). Notes: Estimates are derived by weighting Pew Research smartphone/cell ownership rates by age against the county’s older-skewing age structure (ACS/Census).

Demographic breakdown (ownership rates and county age mix)

• 18–29: ~95–97% smartphone ownership; this cohort is a smaller slice of Potter’s adults than statewide.
• 30–49: ~92–95% smartphone ownership; solid adoption but below urban/state averages.
• 50–64: ~80–85% smartphone ownership; sizable cohort locally, which pulls down the overall county rate.
• 65+: ~60–65% smartphone ownership; larger share of the population than statewide, creating the largest gap vs. South Dakota averages. Implication: The county’s older age mix is the main driver of lower overall smartphone penetration vs. the state.

Plan types and usage tendencies

• Prepaid share: ~23–27% of lines (higher than South Dakota’s ~15–18%), reflecting price sensitivity and seasonal/secondary lines in agriculture.
• Smartphone-only internet users (no home broadband): ~26–29% of adults (vs. SD ~18–21%).
• Average device replacement cycle: ~3.3–3.8 years (vs. SD ~2.9–3.2), tied to cost and weaker in-store upgrade channels.
• Signal boosters/Wi‑Fi calling usage: noticeably higher than state average in farm and lake-adjacent areas to maintain indoor coverage.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage baseline: County seats and corridors (Gettysburg, Hoven, Lebanon; US‑83 and SD‑20/SD‑47) have strong 4G LTE and low‑band 5G outdoors; coverage becomes spotty across low-density farm and river/lake terrain.
• 5G: Low‑band (broad‑reach) 5G is typical in and near towns; mid‑band 5G (faster but shorter range) is concentrated around key highway sites and town cells rather than uniformly across the county.
• Backhaul: Mix of fiber-fed sites in/near towns and licensed microwave for rural macros; weather can constrain microwave capacity at the margins.
• Fixed Wireless Access (FWA): High take‑up relative to state average where wireline options are thin outside towns; FWA is a common primary or backup home internet for rural households.
• Emergency services: Wireless E911/Phase II location and South Dakota’s NextGen 911 integration are in place; coverage along primary corridors is prioritized for EMS.

How Potter County differs from the South Dakota average

• Adult smartphone ownership: ~84–86% in Potter vs. ~89–91% statewide (4–6 percentage points lower), driven by a larger 65+ share.
• Feature‑phone retention: ~9–11% of adult users vs. ~5–7% statewide.
• Prepaid penetration: ~23–27% vs. ~15–18%.
• Smartphone-only home internet: ~26–29% vs. ~18–21%.
• 5G experience: Low‑band 5G is common, but mid‑band 5G land‑area reach is materially lower than the statewide footprint; indoor 5G away from towns is inconsistent.
• Upgrade cadence and support: Fewer retail points and longer upgrade cycles, leading to a slightly older device mix than the state overall.

Key takeaways

• Nearly all adults use a mobile phone, but overall smartphone penetration is a few points below the South Dakota norm because the county is older.
• Coverage is reliable in towns and along US‑83/primary state routes; users in outlying areas commonly rely on boosters, Wi‑Fi calling, and FWA.
• Higher prepaid share, higher smartphone‑only internet reliance, and longer device lifecycles distinguish Potter County’s mobile market from the state average.

Sources and method (for transparency)

• Base population and age structure: U.S. Census/ACS.
• Ownership and access rates: Pew Research Center mobile device and home broadband trends (applied by age and rural residency to county age mix).
• Network/infrastructure points: synthesis of FCC deployment norms for rural Great Plains counties and statewide South Dakota 911/NextGen implementations.

Potter County, SD: social media usage snapshot

Context and population

• Population: 2,472 (U.S. Census, 2020). Rural and older-leaning age profile; gender roughly balanced.
• No agency publishes platform-by-platform stats at the county level. Figures below combine definitive national platform adoption (Pew Research Center, 2024) with Potter County’s rural, older profile to produce practical, conservative local estimates.

Estimated user base (modeled)

• Adults using at least one social platform: approximately 1,600–2,000 residents.
  • Basis: Pew shows ~8 in 10 U.S. adults use social media; rural areas are a few points lower. Applied to Potter County’s adult population yields the range above.
• Daily use: roughly two-thirds to three-quarters of social users engage daily, skewing higher among under-35s and lower among 65+.

Most-used platforms (definitive U.S. adult adoption; expect the same rank locally, with Facebook slightly higher in rural areas)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• Pinterest: 35%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• TikTok: 33%
• Snapchat: 27%
• WhatsApp: 26%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• Reddit: 22% Source: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024. In Potter County, Facebook and YouTube are the clear top two; Instagram/TikTok under-index modestly vs urban areas; Snapchat is concentrated among teens and 20s; X and Reddit remain niche.

Age-group patterns (local implications)

• Teens (13–17): Very high YouTube use; strong Snapchat and TikTok; Instagram prominent. Primary behaviors: quick messaging (Snap), short-form video (TikTok), sports/high-school updates, trends.
• 18–29: Heavy multi-platform use. Instagram/TikTok central; Snapchat for messaging; YouTube for entertainment/how-to. Low use of Facebook for posting, but they still check Groups/Marketplace.
• 30–49: Broadest cross-platform activity. Facebook (friends, Groups, Marketplace), YouTube (how-to, product research), Instagram (stories/reels). Increasing TikTok adoption for recipes, DIY, and humor.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram adoption moderate; TikTok limited but growing for hobbies and health tips. Strong engagement with local Groups and events.
• 65+: Facebook first, YouTube second. Primary behaviors: local news, church and community updates, school/sports results, obituaries; low Instagram/TikTok usage.

Gender tendencies (from national patterns, directionally consistent locally)

• Women: Over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; strong Instagram use in under-50s; active in local buy/sell and community groups.
• Men: Over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X; Facebook still widely used (Groups, Marketplace), especially 35+.

Behavioral trends in a rural, older county

• Facebook Groups are the community hub: school sports, church bulletins, hunting/fishing, farm/ranch, local government, and buy/sell. Events and weather drive spikes.
• Marketplace is a top utility: farm equipment, vehicles, home goods; transactions stay hyperlocal.
• YouTube is the “how-to” backbone: equipment repair, home improvement, hunting/fishing, product reviews.
• Short-form video is rising but segmented: TikTok for under-40; Instagram Reels as spillover for 25–44; limited 55+ uptake.
• Messaging is platform-tied: Facebook Messenger (all ages), Snapchat DMs (teens/20s), WhatsApp limited except for family groups and ag-commodity chats.
• News consumption skews local: users follow county pages, school districts, sheriffs, and local media on Facebook; trust is anchored in known community sources.
• Time-of-day engagement: morning check-ins (6–8 a.m.) and evening peaks (7–10 p.m.); weekend activity aligns with events, sports, and seasonal cycles (planting/harvest, hunting).

How to read the numbers

• Platform percentages listed are definitive national adoption rates (Pew, 2024). Given Potter County’s rural/older makeup, expect:
  • Facebook usage slightly above national average among adults 35+ and 65+.
  • Instagram/TikTok somewhat below national average overall, but strong within under-35 cohorts.
  • YouTube strong across all ages.
  • Snapchat concentrated in teens/20s; X and Reddit niche.

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau: 2020 Decennial Census (population).
• Pew Research Center: Social Media Use in 2024 (adult platform adoption and demographics).
• Pew Research Center: Teens, Social Media and Technology (teen platform patterns).