Shannon County Local Demographic Profile

Note: Shannon County was officially renamed Oglala Lakota County in 2015. Figures below reflect the same county.

Population

  • Total population: 14,177 (2020 Census)

Age (ACS 2019–2023)

  • Median age: ~25 years
  • Under 18: ~38–39%
  • 65 and over: ~9%

Gender (ACS 2019–2023)

  • Male: ~50%
  • Female: ~50%

Race/ethnicity (ACS 2019–2023)

  • American Indian and Alaska Native (alone): ~88–89%
  • White (alone): ~5–7%
  • Black or African American (alone): ~0–1%
  • Asian (alone): ~0–1%
  • Two or more races: ~5%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~4–5%

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

  • Number of households: ~3,400
  • Average household size: ~4.3
  • Owner-occupied housing rate: ~55%
  • Family households: ~80%+
  • Households with children under 18: ~55–60%

Insights

  • Among the youngest counties in the U.S., with large households and a predominantly American Indian population centered on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

Email Usage in Shannon County

Shannon County, SD (renamed Oglala Lakota County in 2015) — snapshot

  • Population and density: 2020 Census population 13,672 across ~2,097 sq mi; ~6.5 people per sq mi (very low density, rural).
  • Age distribution: ~38% under 18, ~54% ages 18–64, ~8% 65+; median age ~25 (one of the youngest U.S. counties).
  • Gender split: ~49.5% male, ~50.5% female.

Digital access and email usage

  • Computer and internet: ACS 2019–2023 indicates roughly 82–85% of households have a computer; ~55–60% have a broadband subscription, with additional households relying on smartphone-only internet. Access remains below South Dakota’s average.
  • Connectivity context: Coverage is patchy outside towns; fixed broadband at modern speeds is not universally available, and many census blocks lack fiber. Mobile coverage is stronger along main corridors, weaker in interior areas.

Estimated email users

  • Adult population ≈ 62% of residents (~8,500). With county-level internet adoption (broadband + smartphone-only) approximated at ~65% and email usage among internet users ≈ 90%, estimated adult email users ≈ 8,500 × 0.65 × 0.90 ≈ 5,000.
  • Adding teens (13–17) likely email users (~1,100) yields an estimated total of ≈6,100 email users countywide.
  • Age tilt: Email use skews to 18–49; elders 65+ participate less, tracking lower broadband adoption.

Mobile Phone Usage in Shannon County

Summary of mobile phone usage in Shannon County, SD (now Oglala Lakota County)

Context and demographics

  • Population and identity: 13,672 residents in the 2020 Census; the county is almost entirely within the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and is overwhelmingly Native American (well over 9 in 10 residents identify as American Indian/Alaska Native).
  • Age structure: One of the youngest counties in the state; roughly 4 in 10 residents are under 18 and the median age is mid‑20s.
  • Income and poverty: Among the lowest-income counties in the U.S.; poverty rates are near one in two residents, substantially above South Dakota’s statewide rate (which is in the low teens).

User estimates and device mix (best available, county-level ACS and tribal-area research, 2018–2023)

  • Adult smartphone adoption: High but below the state average. Estimated 75–85% of adults use a smartphone in Oglala Lakota County vs roughly 85–90% statewide.
  • Smartphone‑only internet users: Significantly higher reliance on mobile as the primary/only internet. Estimated 35–45% of households are smartphone-only in the county vs roughly 12–20% statewide.
  • Households without any internet subscription: Elevated non-adoption. Estimated 20–30% of households lack an internet subscription in the county vs roughly 8–12% statewide.
  • Plan types: Prepaid plans and Lifeline/tribal benefits have historically been common; Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) lapse in 2024 increased cost pressure and churn risk for low-income users in the county more than in most of South Dakota.
  • Sharing patterns: Multi‑adult and multi‑child households are common, pushing heavier shared use of a limited number of smartphones per household and episodic reliance on public/anchor Wi‑Fi.

Network performance and coverage

  • Coverage footprint: All three national carriers are present, with the most reliable service along primary corridors and towns (e.g., Pine Ridge, Kyle, Oglala, Porcupine, Wounded Knee, and along US‑18/SD‑407). Large interior areas still experience weak or no indoor signal.
  • 5G availability: Predominantly low‑band 5G with wide footprint but modest performance; mid‑band 5G capacity is sparse compared with South Dakota’s cities and major highways.
  • Indoor reliability: Metal‑roof homes and distance from towers reduce indoor call reliability and data performance; Wi‑Fi calling is widely used where home internet exists.
  • Roaming and outages: Weather and power reliability have outsized effects; single‑path backhaul in some sectors can lead to localized service degradation relative to the state average.

Digital infrastructure and programs

  • Fixed broadband baseline: Fiber-to-the-home is limited to select pockets; many homes either lack a wired option or face only legacy DSL/fixed‑wireless offers, driving smartphone‑only reliance.
  • Public/anchor connectivity: Schools, clinics, tribal and federal facilities typically have fiber-backed service via E‑Rate/health networks and serve as critical community access points.
  • Investment pipeline: Federal tribal broadband awards (NTIA Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program) have directed tens of millions of dollars to the Oglala Sioux Tribe for middle‑mile and last‑mile projects, with additional state BEAD-funded builds expected to improve backhaul and fill fixed‑service gaps over the mid‑2020s.

How Shannon (Oglala Lakota) County differs from South Dakota overall

  • Higher smartphone‑only dependence: Residents are far more likely to rely on mobile phones as their primary (or only) internet connection than the statewide norm.
  • Lower wireline alternatives: Fewer competitive fixed options and lower fiber availability than the state average, amplifying mobile substitution.
  • Coverage quality gap: Broader outdoor coverage gaps and weaker indoor signal than typical South Dakota counties; capacity upgrades trail the state’s metro and interstate corridors.
  • Affordability constraints: Device replacement cycles are longer; prepaid and subsidy program participation is higher; ACP’s end materially increased affordability challenges locally.
  • Younger, larger households: A younger age profile and larger household sizes translate to high device-sharing and heavy mobile data usage patterns distinct from most of the state.

Actionable insights

  • Mobile remains the primary on‑ramp to the internet for a large share of households; smartphone‑only rates are roughly double (or more) the statewide share.
  • Expanding mid‑band 5G and densifying towers in population clusters and along secondary roads would yield outsized reliability gains relative to the rest of South Dakota.
  • Affordability programs and community Wi‑Fi at anchor institutions materially influence adoption and should be treated as core infrastructure in the near term.
  • As federally funded builds progress, hybrid usage (mobile plus fixed‑wireless/fiber) should rise, reducing smartphone‑only dependence and improving indoor reliability.

Social Media Trends in Shannon County

Social media usage in Shannon County, SD (now Oglala Lakota County) Note: The county was renamed Oglala Lakota County in 2015. Because platforms do not publish county-level user counts, figures below are best-available estimates derived from the county’s age structure (Census/ACS), local connectivity, and 2023–2024 Pew Research platform adoption patterns for rural U.S./Native communities.

At-a-glance population and access

  • Population: ~14.5k residents; among the youngest counties nationally (median age ~24–25; roughly 38–40% under 18).
  • Internet access: Lower fixed-broadband subscription than U.S. average; mobile-first use is common. Expect higher reliance on smartphones/Wi‑Fi at schools and community centers.

User base (13+)

  • Overall penetration: ~70–80% of residents age 13+ use at least one social platform.
  • Age mix of local users:
    • 13–17: ~15–20% of users (very high daily use; near-universal among teens)
    • 18–29: ~35–40% (highest multi-platform use)
    • 30–49: ~25–30%
    • 50+: ~12–18% (Facebook-heavy; lower use of newer apps)
  • Gender breakdown among users (all platforms combined): roughly balanced, slightly female-leaning (about 52% female / 48% male). Females over-index on Facebook and Instagram; males over-index on YouTube and Reddit.

Most-used platforms (share of local social media users; users often have multiple)

  • Facebook: 65–75% (dominant among adults; Groups and Marketplace are central)
  • YouTube: 70–80% (near-universal among youth; strong for music, sports, how‑to)
  • Instagram: 40–50% (strong under 35; Stories/Reels consumption high)
  • TikTok: 35–45% (fast growth, especially under 30; short‑form video)
  • Snapchat: 30–40% (concentrated among teens/young adults; messaging-first)
  • Messenger/WhatsApp: 50–65% combined (family/community messaging; cross‑border ties)
  • X/Twitter: 10–15% (news/sports niche)
  • Reddit: 10–15% (younger male skew; interest communities) Note: Percentages reflect expected share among active local social media users, not the total population.

Behavioral trends to know

  • Mobile-first, data-conscious: Heavy reliance on smartphones and public/tribal Wi‑Fi drives preference for short video (Reels/Shorts/TikTok) and lightweight messaging (Messenger/Snapchat). Video views skew toward shorter formats due to bandwidth constraints.
  • Facebook as the community hub: Closed Groups power local news, school updates, weather/road alerts, ceremonial and powwow info, mutual aid, and buy/sell activity via Marketplace. Page posts with clear local relevance outperform generic content.
  • Messaging over public posting: High use of private/closed channels (Messenger threads, Snapchat) for coordination, family communication, and event planning.
  • Youth-centric content patterns: Teen/young adult users engage daily with TikTok/Snapchat/Instagram; creator-style, music, sports, and humor perform best. School hours depress activity; peaks after 5 p.m. and on weekends.
  • Trust and amplification: Information from known local institutions (tribal government/programs, schools, health clinics) and established community pages earns higher engagement and reshares than outside sources.
  • Language and culture: Locally resonant posts (Lakota language elements, community events, local athletes/arts) get above-average saves/shares versus generic national content.
  • Discovery and commerce: Facebook Marketplace and local Group listings drive micro-commerce and job/service discovery; Instagram DMs and Messenger commonly close transactions.

Practical implications

  • To reach adults fast: Facebook (Pages + Groups + Messenger) remains the most reliable channel.
  • To reach youth: Short‑form video across TikTok/Reels/Shorts plus Snapchat for direct engagement.
  • Creative guidance: Keep it local, visual, short, and mobile-optimized; include clear calls to action and cross-post to community Groups where policies allow.