Todd County

Todd County, South Dakota — key demographics

Population size

• 9,319 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~24–25 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~38%
• 65 and over: ~9%

Gender

• Female: ~50.5%
• Male: ~49.5% (ACS 2018–2022)

Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census; race alone unless noted)

• American Indian and Alaska Native: ~85%
• White: ~12%
• Black or African American: ~0–1%
• Asian/Pacific Islander: ~0–1%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~4–5%

Household data (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~2.4k
• Average household size: ~4.2 persons
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~50%
• Housing units: ~3.0k

Insights

• Predominantly Native American community (Rosebud Indian Reservation), very young age profile, and large household sizes relative to state and national averages.

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

Email usage overview – Todd County, SD (largely Rosebud Reservation; sparse, rural)

• Population and density: ≈9.9k residents across ≈1,400 sq mi (≈7 people/sq mi).
• Estimated email users (age 13+): ≈6,200; daily active email users: ≈4,700.

Age distribution of email users (share of users; counts rounded):

• 13–17: 11% (≈680)
• 18–29: 25% (≈1,550)
• 30–49: 32% (≈2,000)
• 50–64: 18% (≈1,120)
• 65+: 14% (≈870)

Gender split among email users:

• ≈51% female, 49% male.

Digital access and trends:

• Households with broadband subscription: ≈62%; any computer/device access: ≈80%.
• Smartphone-only internet households: ≈24%; no home internet: ≈18%.
• Connectivity patterns: mobile 4G covers population centers and corridors; 5G remains spotty; fiber availability is limited outside Mission and key community facilities.
• Usage trend: rising reliance on smartphones for email, government services, school, and healthcare portals; public Wi‑Fi (schools, libraries, tribal offices) remains a critical access point.
• Implications: lower fixed-broadband penetration and long travel distances increase dependence on mobile email, with older adults showing lower daily-use rates while 30–49 remains the most active cohort.

Mobile phone usage in Todd County, South Dakota — summary

Baseline context

• Population: 9,319 (2020 Census). Roughly 2,200 households; a very young population by U.S. standards.
• Demographics: Predominantly Native American (Sicangu Lakota/Rosebud Sioux); the county is among the nation’s highest in poverty rate (well above 40% per recent ACS cycles), which directly affects device choice and plan affordability.

User estimates (smartphone/mobile internet)

• Adult smartphone users: 4,300–4,700 (based on ~5,700–5,900 adults and 75–82% ownership typical for low‑income rural/tribal areas).
• Teen users (ages 13–17): ~850–920 (85–92% access).
• Total smartphone users (all ages): approximately 5,200–5,800; midpoint ≈5,500.
• Mobile‑only internet households (smartphone or cellular hotspot as the sole at‑home connection): 650–850 households (30–40% of ~2,200 households), materially higher than South Dakota’s statewide share.
• Plan mix: Prepaid and Tribal Lifeline plans account for an outsized share of lines compared with the state average; affordability programs (Lifeline, and—until funding lapsed in 2024—the Tribal ACP) have materially supported adoption.

Demographic breakdown of usage

• Native households: Higher dependence on smartphones as the primary or only internet connection than the statewide average, driven by lower fixed‑broadband availability/affordability.
• Youth skew: A larger‑than‑average share of users are under 18; teen smartphone access is high, with heavy reliance on mobile data for schoolwork and social/video apps.
• Older adults (65+): Smartphone ownership lags younger cohorts (roughly mid‑50s to mid‑60s percent), below the South Dakota average for seniors; many rely on voice/text‑centric devices or shared family plans.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Carriers present: AT&T (including FirstNet Band 14 coverage for public safety), Verizon (Band 13 LTE), and T‑Mobile (600 MHz Band 71) provide the core coverage footprint. Regional/tribal providers support backhaul and fixed wireless.
• 4G vs 5G: 4G LTE remains the primary access layer countywide. Low‑band 5G is present in and around Mission, Rosebud, and along US‑18/US‑83 corridors; mid‑band 5G capacity is limited compared with South Dakota’s metro corridors (e.g., Sioux Falls/Rapid City).
• Typical performance: LTE downloads commonly ~5–20 Mbps with higher variability outside towns; low‑band 5G ~20–80 Mbps where available. This lags state urban 5G mid‑band performance, which often exceeds 200 Mbps.
• Coverage gaps: Notable dead zones persist across sparsely populated areas, secondary roads, and river/valley terrain. Coverage is strongest in/near Mission, Rosebud, St. Francis, and along main highways; cross‑border roaming toward Valentine, NE, influences experience near the southern edge.
• Backhaul and fiber: The Rosebud Sioux Tribe Telephone Authority (Sicangu Communications) has been expanding middle‑mile and last‑mile fiber with federal programs (e.g., NTIA Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program), improving tower backhaul and enabling more fixed connections to community anchors (schools, clinics, tribal offices).
• Public safety and anchors: FirstNet adoption by local responders improves reliability where Band 14 is live; E‑Rate and tribal initiatives support campus and community Wi‑Fi that residents use to offload mobile data.

How Todd County differs from the South Dakota average

• Higher mobile‑only dependence: A significantly larger share of households rely solely on smartphones/hotspots for home internet than the state overall.
• Coverage and capacity: Fewer mid‑band 5G nodes and lower average capacity; performance is more variable and location‑dependent than in state metro areas.
• Affordability‑driven behavior: Greater reliance on prepaid and Lifeline/Tribal benefits; device replacement cycles are longer, keeping many users on older LTE‑only handsets.
• Younger user base: A larger proportion of total users are minors, raising the relative importance of mobile access for education and social connectivity.
• Infrastructure trajectory: Fiber/backhaul upgrades are improving conditions from the core towns outward, but the county’s sparse settlement pattern means 4G will remain the workhorse longer than in the state’s urban corridors.

Trends and implications

• Gradual uplift in speeds and reliability around Mission/Rosebud as fiber backhaul reaches more towers and community anchors; spillover benefits to LTE and low‑band 5G.
• Mobile‑only share is likely to decline modestly as fiber‑to‑the‑home reaches more residences, but mobile will remain the de facto first connection for many lower‑income households.
• Public‑safety and health/education services increasingly leverage FirstNet and campus Wi‑Fi, which mitigates but does not eliminate household data constraints.
• For providers, the highest‑impact actions remain: add/upgrade backhaul, infill low‑band sites along secondary roads, and deploy limited mid‑band 5G capacity in population centers where fiber is now available.

Todd County, SD — Social media snapshot (current as of 2024; estimates where local counts are not directly published)

Population baseline (U.S. Census, 2020)

• Total population: 9,319; median age ~24.5 (very young profile)
• Sex: ~50.5% female, ~49.5% male
• Age structure: roughly 38–40% under 18; ~12–13% ages 18–24; ~24–26% ages 25–44; ~16–18% ages 45–64; ~8–10% ages 65+
• Context: Predominantly Native American (Rosebud Reservation), which correlates with heavy Facebook/YouTube use for community information and events

Estimated user base (residents, 18+)

• Adults (18+): ~5,700
• Active social media users (18+): ~4,600 (≈80% of adults; aligned with Pew’s rural/U.S. adoption)
• Teen usage (13–17): near-universal for at least one platform; teens are concentrated on YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram

Most-used platforms (adults 18+, estimated reach of residents)

• YouTube: ~82%
• Facebook: ~72%
• Instagram: ~42%
• TikTok: ~35%
• Snapchat: ~28%
• X (Twitter): ~14%
• WhatsApp: ~12%
• Reddit: ~11%
• LinkedIn: ~10%
• Nextdoor: <5% (minimal presence in rural areas)

Teen platform pattern (13–17, Pew-based pattern)

• YouTube ~93%; TikTok ~63%; Snapchat ~60%; Instagram ~59%; Facebook ~33%

Age-group usage notes

• 18–24: Very high YouTube/Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok; Facebook used for campus, jobs, and local groups
• 25–44: Facebook and Messenger central for parenting, school updates, Marketplace; YouTube for how‑to and entertainment; growing Instagram/TikTok
• 45–64: Facebook dominant; YouTube strong; modest Instagram; limited TikTok/Snapchat
• 65+: Facebook and YouTube primarily; low adoption elsewhere

Gender breakdown (behavioral tendencies)

• Women: More active on Facebook and Instagram (community groups, Marketplace, family content); higher use of Stories/Reels
• Men: Heavier on YouTube (news, sports, DIY), Reddit, and X; Facebook still widely used for local information
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger commonly used by all groups; SMS remains important

Behavioral trends specific to Todd County

• Community-first Facebook use: Tribal government, schools, health services, and law enforcement pages drive reliable reach; Facebook Groups and Marketplace are key for local commerce, rides, and event coordination (powwows, school sports)
• Video-forward consumption: Short-form video (Reels/TikTok) and YouTube live streams for events; high engagement with local culture, language, and music content
• Mobile-first habits: Many users rely on smartphones and prepaid data; concise posts, vertical video, and lightweight content perform best
• Evening and event-driven peaks: Engagement clusters after 6 p.m. and around school/tribal events; shares amplify faster than original posts
• Lower traction for professional/neighbor apps: LinkedIn, Nextdoor, and niche forums have limited local utility; X usage is modest and news-oriented
• Trust and amplification: Posts from known local institutions and creators are reshared across family networks; authenticity and local relevance outperform polished, generic content

Method note and sources

• Figures synthesize U.S. Census (2020) demographics for Todd County with Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S./rural social platform adoption rates, adjusted for the county’s youthful age mix and tribal community usage patterns.