Roberts County

Roberts County, South Dakota — key demographics (latest Census/ACS)

Population size

• 10,280 (2020 Decennial Census)
• ~10.4k (2023 Census estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~36 years
• Under 18: ~28%
• 65 and over: ~17%

Gender

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Race and ethnicity

• White (non-Hispanic): ~55%
• American Indian and Alaska Native: ~35%
• Two or more races: ~7%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3%
• Black: <1%
• Asian: <1%

Households

• ~3,800 households (ACS 2018–2022)
• Average household size: ~2.7
• Family households: ~68% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~34%

Insights

• Large American Indian population (Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate/Lake Traverse Reservation) drives a higher share of AIAN residents and slightly larger household sizes than the U.S. average.
• Age structure is relatively young with a sizable under-18 population and a modest but meaningful 65+ share.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates; Census QuickFacts (2023 estimates).

Roberts County, SD (rural, low-density ≈9 people per sq. mile) shows high but uneven digital adoption typical of the northern Great Plains and tribal areas.

Estimated email users

• Adults using email: 6,000–6,500 (derived from 2020 population ≈10.3k, adult share, rural internet adoption, and Pew email use among online adults ≈92%).
• Gender split: roughly even; negligible gap (national email use is ~91–93% for both men and women).

Age distribution (share of adult email users; estimates from age structure and age-specific adoption)

• 18–29: 17–20%
• 30–49: 30–34%
• 50–64: 25–28%
• 65+: 20–23%

Digital access and trends

• Home broadband adoption in rural SD is typically ~80–85%; Roberts County likely slightly lower due to sparse settlement and reservation geographies, with a notable smartphone-only segment.
• Fiber and fixed wireless coverage have expanded since 2020 via state/federal programs; libraries, schools, and tribal facilities serve as key access points.
• Mobile coverage is improving along US‑12/US‑81 corridors; gaps persist in outlying townships.

Insights

• Email remains near-universal for adults engaged in work, school, and health services.
• Older adults participate heavily but are most affected by broadband gaps; younger residents commonly rely on mobile-first access while maintaining email for institutions.

Roberts County, SD — mobile phone usage snapshot with county-specific differences from the state

Population baseline

• Population: 10,280 (2020 Census)

User estimates (derived from national/state benchmarks applied to the county’s population profile)

• Active mobile subscriptions: approximately 12,700 (using ~124 subscriptions per 100 residents, in line with recent CTIA ratios)
• Adult mobile phone users (any mobile phone): approximately 7,500 adults (assuming ~75% of residents are 18+ and 97% of adults use a mobile phone per Pew Research)
• Adult smartphone users: approximately 6,550 adults (applying Pew’s ~85% adult smartphone ownership rate)

Demographic context that shapes usage

• Tribal presence: A substantial share of residents are American Indian/Alaska Native (Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, Lake Traverse Reservation covers much of the county). This creates distinct affordability, coverage, and device-reliance patterns compared to the South Dakota average.
• Settlement pattern: Predominantly rural with one primary service center (Sisseton). Dispersed households and long distances between communities increase mobile reliance where wireline options are sparse.
• Income and affordability: Rural and tribal households in Roberts County face tighter affordability constraints than the statewide average, which tends to raise prepaid adoption and increase dependence on mobile data plans for primary internet access.

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• Coverage corridors: Interstate 29 and the Sisseton area are the best-served zones, with broad 4G LTE and commercial 5G availability from national carriers. Coverage remains serviceable along U.S. 12 and town centers.
• Off-corridor gaps: Outside the I‑29 corridor and away from population centers, tower spacing is wider and terrain/vegetation can degrade signal quality; practical speeds often fall back to LTE or weaker, with more dead zones than the state average.
• Cross-border dynamics: Proximity to North Dakota and Minnesota introduces more cross-border roaming and network handoffs than typical South Dakota counties, affecting plan selection and user experience.
• Tribal-land challenges: Consistent with national findings for tribal lands, localized coverage gaps and affordability barriers persist; mobile service is frequently used as a substitute for limited fixed broadband options.
• Fixed broadband interplay: Local providers (e.g., RC Technologies) have deployed fiber in and around parts of the county, but not all rural locations are reached; fixed wireless access from national mobile carriers is increasingly used to fill remaining gaps.

How Roberts County differs from South Dakota overall

• Higher mobile dependence: A larger fraction of households rely on mobile data as their primary or backup internet compared with the state average, due to patchier wireline availability and affordability constraints in rural/tribal areas.
• Greater variability in performance: The county shows sharper contrasts between corridor/town coverage and outlying areas than the statewide pattern, with more frequent signal drop-offs and lower off-peak tower density.
• More prepaid and budget plans: Price sensitivity and coverage variability push users toward prepaid and flexible mobile plans more than the statewide norm.
• Demographic factors: The county’s substantial Native population and predominantly rural settlement drive distinct service needs (e.g., translation of subsidies into mobile plans, prioritization of reliable voice/text coverage for safety and work over top-tier 5G speeds).

Key takeaways

• Roughly 7,500 adults in Roberts County use a mobile phone, and about 6,550 use a smartphone; total active lines are on the order of 12,700.
• Mobile connectivity serves as a critical lifeline and is used more intensively for primary internet access than in South Dakota overall, especially on and near the Lake Traverse Reservation and in remote rural tracts.
• Infrastructure is strongest along I‑29 and in Sisseton; beyond these areas, coverage and speeds drop more than the statewide pattern, reinforcing the county’s higher-than-average reliance on mobile solutions.

Sources and basis

• U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census) for population
• Pew Research Center (recent national adult mobile and smartphone ownership rates)
• CTIA annual mobile wireless metrics (subscriptions per 100 residents)
• FCC Broadband Map observations and widely documented national patterns on rural and tribal coverage and affordability

Roberts County, South Dakota — social media usage snapshot (2024)

Population baseline

• Total population: ≈10,400 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 estimate; rounded)

Estimated social media users

• Social media users: ≈7,500 (≈72% of total population)
• Daily users: ≈4,800 (≈64% of users), with Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok driving most daily use

Age mix of local users (share of social media users; counts rounded)

• 13–17: 8% (≈600)
• 18–29: 19% (≈1,425)
• 30–49: 36% (≈2,700)
• 50–64: 22% (≈1,650)
• 65+: 15% (≈1,125)

Gender breakdown of local users

• Female: 52% (≈3,900)
• Male: 48% (≈3,600)

Most-used platforms in Roberts County (share of local social media users; counts rounded)

• YouTube: 80–83% (≈6,000–6,200)
• Facebook: 68–72% (≈5,100–5,400)
• Instagram: 42–48% (≈3,100–3,600)
• Pinterest: 32–36% (≈2,400–2,700)
• TikTok: 30–35% (≈2,250–2,625)
• Snapchat: 30–33% (≈2,250–2,475)
• Facebook Messenger: 55–60% (≈4,100–4,500)
• X (Twitter): 22–25% (≈1,650–1,875)
• WhatsApp: 18–22% (≈1,350–1,650)
• LinkedIn: 20–24% (≈1,500–1,800)
• Reddit: 16–20% (≈1,200–1,500)
• Nextdoor: 8–12% (≈600–900)

Behavioral trends observed locally

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of Groups (schools, community alerts, local events) and Marketplace; strongest reach across 30+.
• Mobile-first, evening-heavy engagement: usage peaks after 6 p.m. CT and on weekends; short-form video (Reels/TikTok) outperforms links for reach.
• Youth split between Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram: teens and 18–24s are high-frequency Story/Snap users; local sports, school activities, and trends drive spikes.
• Video dominates discovery: YouTube and Facebook video are primary for how-to, agriculture/outdoor content, church and school streams, and local sports highlights.
• Women over-index on Facebook and Pinterest (shopping, recipes, home/education); men over-index on YouTube and Reddit (how‑to, tech, sports).
• Messaging is critical for coordination: Facebook Messenger (and to a lesser extent WhatsApp) used for fast community and family communications; many local businesses respond via Messenger.
• Cross-border and regional follow: residents commonly follow pages/groups in nearby Minnesota and North Dakota communities; regional event pages perform well.
• Trust skews local: posts from known people, schools, tribal/government entities, and local businesses earn the highest engagement; UGC and local faces outperform stock content.

Notes on method and data confidence

• Population: U.S. Census Bureau 2023 county estimate (rounded).
• Platform penetration and daily-use rates: derived from Pew Research Center’s 2024 Social Media Use report and DataReportal’s Digital 2024: USA, adjusted to Roberts County’s rural profile and age mix. Counts are modeled by applying these rates to the local user base; they are best-available estimates suitable for planning.