Spink County

Key demographics – Spink County, South Dakota (U.S. Census Bureau)

Population size

• 2020 Census: 6,361
• 2023 estimate (PEP): ~6.3k

Age

• Median age: ~45 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~22%
• 18–64: ~56%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Male: ~51%
• Female: ~49% (ACS 2019–2023)

Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census; Hispanic can be of any race)

• White alone: ~94%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~2–3%
• Black or African American alone: ~0–1%
• Asian alone: ~0–1%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2–3%

Household data (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: ~2,650
• Average household size: ~2.3
• Family households: ~62% of households; average family size ~2.9
• Nonfamily households: ~38%
• Households with children under 18: ~25%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: roughly three-quarters

Insight

• Small, aging, predominantly White rural county with a balanced gender split, modest share of households with children, and high homeownership.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates; Population Estimates Program (2023).

• Population and density: Spink County has 6,361 residents (2020 Census) across 1,504 square miles (4.2 people per sq mi), a low density that raises last‑mile broadband costs and affects email reliability in sparsely settled areas.
• Estimated email users: ~4,525 adult users (about 91% of the ~4,960 residents aged 18+), reflecting near‑universal adoption among working‑age adults and strong uptake among seniors.
• Age distribution of adult email users (share of users / approx. count):
  • 18–34: 23% (~1,050)
  • 35–54: 33% (~1,510)
  • 55–64: 17% (~780)
  • 65+: 26% (~1,190)
• Gender split among adult users: 51% male (2,310) and 49% female (2,215), consistent with minimal gender gaps in email adoption.
• Digital access and trends:
  • About 80% of households have a fixed broadband subscription and roughly 91% have a computer or smart device; ~9% are mobile‑only, relying on cellular data.
  • Email use is daily for work, schools, healthcare portals, and agriculture supply chains, with fastest growth among 65+ due to telehealth and service digitization.
  • Connectivity is strongest in and around Redfield and other towns; outside town centers, more households depend on fixed wireless or legacy DSL, shaping email access patterns.

Mobile phone usage in Spink County, South Dakota — 2025 snapshot

Baseline

• Population: ~6,400 residents; ~2,800 households (U.S. Census Bureau 2023 estimates; typical rural household size used to derive households)
• Settlement pattern: Predominantly rural with small towns (e.g., Redfield, Doland, Ashton), which shapes coverage and adoption patterns

User estimates

• Adult smartphone users: ~4,300 (≈5,000 adults × ~86% smartphone ownership; rate adjusted downward from statewide urban rates to reflect older/rural profile)
• Wireless-only (no landline) adults: ~3,400 (≈68% wireless-only telephony, aligned with CDC/NCHS national wireless-only prevalence, slightly higher in rural areas)
• Households relying solely on cellular data for home internet: ~330–360 (≈11–13% of households; above South Dakota’s ~8–10% ACS benchmark, reflecting rural last-mile gaps)
• Total active mobile connections (phones + tablets + hotspots + IoT): ~7,500–8,200 (≈120–128 subscriptions per 100 residents, consistent with CTIA ratios; rural mix skews more to IoT/telemetry)

Demographic factors influencing usage

• Age: Larger share of older adults than the state average; estimated 65+ around low‑20s percent vs SD ~17–18%. Smartphone ownership among 65+ typically ~75–80%, pulling down countywide adoption a few points relative to the state
• Income: Median household income modestly below state average, correlating with higher mobile-only internet reliance and greater sensitivity to device and plan costs
• Occupation mix: High share in agriculture and related services increases seasonal mobile data use and lifts the proportion of IoT/M2M lines (equipment telematics, grain bin sensors, pivots)

Digital infrastructure

• Coverage corridors: Strongest, most consistent service along US‑212 (east–west) and US‑281 (north–south) and in/near towns (Redfield, Doland, Tulare, Mellette). Outside these areas, signal quality varies with distance to towers and terrain
• Radio access: Broad low‑band 5G and LTE coverage from the national carriers (AT&T/FirstNet, Verizon, T‑Mobile) in population centers; LTE remains the fallback across much of the countryside; mid‑band 5G capacity is concentrated in and immediately around towns
• Backhaul and local fiber: Regional cooperatives (notably James Valley/Northern Valley) have deployed extensive fiber in and near towns, improving cell backhaul and public Wi‑Fi options; fixed wireless fills many rural gaps beyond fiber footprints
• Emergency and priority: FirstNet Band 14 presence along primary corridors supports public safety and improves rural resiliency during outages and storms

How Spink County differs from South Dakota overall

• Higher mobile-only internet dependence: ~11–13% of households on cellular-only vs ~8–10% statewide, driven by sparse fixed last‑mile options outside towns and the sunset of federal affordability subsidies
• Slightly lower adult smartphone penetration: ~86% vs high‑80s to ~90% statewide, explained by an older age structure and more dispersed households
• More machine-to-machine/IoT lines per capita: Agriculture telematics raises the share of non‑handset connections beyond the statewide mix
• Less mid‑band 5G depth: County coverage is more reliant on low‑band 5G/LTE for reach; mid‑band capacity (faster speeds) is less ubiquitous than in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, or regional hubs
• Greater intra‑county variability: Town centers enjoy fiber‑backed sites and better speeds; outlying townships experience larger performance swings with weather and seasonal network load

Practical implications

• Network planning should prioritize additional mid‑band 5G sectors and rural small cells or repeaters off fiber-fed sites near Redfield and along US‑212/US‑281 to stabilize speeds beyond town limits
• Offers that bundle fixed wireless access with mobile lines will find above‑average take‑up, particularly where fiber hasn’t reached
• Senior-focused onboarding and affordable device programs can close the remaining adoption gap, while ag‑centric data plans and managed IoT services match the county’s usage profile

Sources and methodology

• U.S. Census Bureau 2023 county population and household sizing; ACS S2801 (Types of Computers and Internet Subscriptions) 5‑year patterns for SD and rural counties; CDC/NCHS wireless‑only telephony; CTIA Annual Wireless Industry Survey; FCC mobile coverage maps (2024). County figures presented as point estimates derived from these datasets, adjusted for Spink County’s rural age/income profile and settlement pattern.

Social media usage in Spink County, SD (modeled 2025 snapshot)

How these figures were built

• Sources: Pew Research Center Social Media Use (2023–2024), U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 5‑year (age/sex mix for Spink County), rural-vs-urban differentials from Pew. County rates are modeled by applying rural-adjusted platform adoption to Spink County’s adult population profile. Figures are approximate but decision-grade.

Population and overall reach

• Population: ~6,400 residents; adults (18+): ~5,000
• Adults using at least one social platform: ~72% ≈ 3,600 adults

Most‑used platforms (share of all adults; rural-adjusted)

• YouTube: 80% (4,000 adults)
• Facebook: 70% (3,500)
• Instagram: 38% (1,900)
• Pinterest: 36% (1,800)
• TikTok: 30% (1,500)
• Snapchat: 24% (1,200)
• Also used but smaller: LinkedIn ~18%, X (Twitter) ~18%, Reddit ~16%, WhatsApp ~23%

Age profile (share of each age group using each platform; rural-adjusted)

• 18–29: Any social ~88–92%; YouTube ~95%; Instagram ~75–80%; Snapchat ~65–70%; TikTok ~60–65%; Facebook ~60–70%
• 30–49: Any ~80–85%; YouTube ~90%+; Facebook ~70–78%; Instagram ~45–55%; TikTok ~35–45%; Snapchat ~20–30%
• 50–64: Any ~70–75%; YouTube ~80–85%; Facebook ~70–75%; Instagram ~25–35%; TikTok ~18–25%; Snapchat ~10–15%
• 65+: Any ~50–55%; YouTube ~55–65%; Facebook ~48–55%; Instagram ~12–18%; TikTok ~6–10%; Snapchat ~3–6%

Gender breakdown (share of adults)

• Women: Facebook ~74%; Instagram ~51%; Pinterest ~50%+; TikTok ~32–35%; Snapchat ~26–30%; YouTube ~78%
• Men: YouTube ~84%; Facebook ~66%; Instagram ~43%; TikTok ~28–31%; Snapchat ~20–24%; Reddit ~20%+
• Implication: Women over‑index on Facebook/Instagram/Pinterest; men over‑index on YouTube/Reddit; overall usage levels are otherwise similar.

Behavioral trends observed in rural Great Plains communities like Spink County

• Facebook is the local hub: High daily use for community groups, school and sports updates, churches, events, ag and hunting groups, classifieds/Marketplace, and weather/emergency info. Group and Marketplace participation outpaces posting to personal feeds.
• Video-first consumption: YouTube for how‑to/DIY, machinery and equipment repair, home improvement, and product research; TikTok for entertainment, recipes, and quick tips. Short vertical video performs best for reach.
• Youth skew: Teens/young adults concentrate on Snapchat (messaging/stories) and TikTok; Instagram is key for high school/college sports, activities, and local influencers.
• Messaging and micro‑communities: Facebook Messenger dominates adult DMs; Snapchat for under‑30; WhatsApp is niche (family ties, small businesses).
• Posting cadence and timing: Engagement peaks evenings (7–9 pm) and early mornings (6–8 am). Weekdays outperform weekends for informational posts; weekends better for events and sports.
• Local commerce: Strong response to deals and limited‑time offers from local retailers, farm/ranch suppliers, and service providers. Facebook and Instagram drive foot traffic; YouTube drives consideration via tutorials/reviews.
• News and trust: County residents rely on Facebook groups/pages for local news and weather; posts from recognizable local institutions and people earn higher trust than anonymous pages.
• Platform investment mix for local orgs: Prioritize Facebook (reach + groups + ads), complement with short‑form video on Instagram/TikTok for under‑40 reach, and evergreen how‑to on YouTube.

Notes and caveats

• There is no official platform-by-platform census at the county level; percentages above are modeled from Pew’s latest adoption rates with rural adjustments applied to Spink County’s age/sex structure from ACS 2023. Use them as best-available local estimates for planning and benchmarking.