Walworth County

Walworth County, South Dakota — key demographics (latest U.S. Census Bureau data: 2020 Census and 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates)

Population size

• Total population: ~5,300 (2020 Census; modest decline since 2010)

Age

• Median age: ~45 years (older than U.S. median)
• Age distribution: ~22% under 18; ~57% 18–64; ~21% 65+

Gender

• Male ~51%; Female ~49%

Racial/ethnic composition (percent of total)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~75–80%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~14–18%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~2–4%
• Two or more races: ~3–5%
• Black: <1%
• Asian: <1%

Households

• Households: ~2,300–2,400
• Average household size: ~2.2 persons
• Family households: ~55–60% of households
• Married-couple households: ~45–50%
• Households with children under 18: ~25–30%
• Nonfamily households: ~40–45%; living alone ~35%; age 65+ living alone ~15–18%

Insights

• Small, aging, rural population with smaller household sizes than the national average.
• Notable American Indian population share compared to the state/nation.
• Household structure skews toward nonfamily and single-person households, reflecting an older age profile.

Walworth County, SD snapshot (2024):

• Estimated email users: 4,200 adults. Basis: population 5,315 (2020 Census), adults ≈84% (4,465), with local adoption aligning to rural U.S. norms (~94% of adults use email).
• Age distribution of adult email users: 18–34: 26% (1,100); 35–64: 47% (2,000); 65+: 26% (~1,100). Seniors participate strongly but below younger cohorts.
• Gender split: ~50% female, ~50% male among users; engagement is effectively even.
• Digital access and usage:
  • Households with a computer: ~90%.
  • Home broadband subscription: ~80%.
  • Smartphone-only internet households: ~12%.
  • No home internet: ~18% (most still access email via mobile data or public access points).
• Trends: Gradual gains in fiber/cable in Mobridge/Selby; fixed wireless fills rural gaps; smartphone reliance rising among older and lower-income users. Work, school, health, and agriculture services drive regular email use across ages.
• Local density/connectivity facts: Population density ~7–8 people per square mile; roughly 60% of residents live in/around Mobridge along the Missouri River, where multi‑provider cable/fiber is common. Outside towns, longer loop distances and terrain mean greater dependence on fixed wireless and satellite, shaping slightly lower email frequency but not overall reach.

Walworth County, South Dakota — Mobile Phone Usage Summary

Population baseline

• Population: 5,315 (2020 Census)
• Households: approximately 2,410
• Age mix (est.): 0–11: 12% (≈638), 12–17: 7% (≈372), 18–64: 58% (≈3,082), 65+: 23% (≈1,223)
• Race/ethnicity (est.): White non-Hispanic ≈78% (≈4,147), Native American ≈17% (≈903), Hispanic/Latino ≈3% (≈160), other/multiracial ≈2% (≈106)
• Median household income (est.): ≈$53,000 (below SD statewide, ≈$69,000)

Mobile user estimates

• Smartphone users: ≈3,715 residents
  • 18–64: 86% adoption → ≈2,653 users
  • 65+: 61% adoption → ≈746 users
  • 12–17: 85% adoption → ≈316 users
• Any mobile phone (smartphone or basic): ≈3,945 residents
• Wireless-only households (no landline): ≈62% → ≈1,490 households
• Prepaid lines share: ≈30% of mobile users → ≈1,180 users on prepaid
• ACP participation before the 2024 funding lapse: ≈12% of households → ≈290 households affected

How Walworth differs from South Dakota overall

• Older population, lower income: Drives lower smartphone adoption and higher landline retention versus the state average. County smartphone adoption (70% of total population; ~86% among working-age adults) trails the statewide profile, while wireless-only households (62%) are below the state’s roughly two-thirds to 70% range.
• Higher Native American share: Correlates with a higher reliance on prepaid plans and prior ACP participation than the statewide average (prepaid ~30% locally vs low-20s statewide; ACP ~12% vs ~9% statewide).
• Slower 5G normalization: About 60% of residents live where on-device 5G is regularly available, versus substantially higher statewide. LTE remains the de facto baseline outside population centers.
• Device mix and spend: A higher share of Android devices and longer device replacement cycles than the state average, consistent with income and age structure. Churn is lower, and multi-line family plans skew toward LTE-first value tiers.

Digital infrastructure snapshot

• Coverage pattern: Macro sites cluster in and around Mobridge (the primary population center), Selby, and the US‑12 corridor, with extensions along SD‑1804/1806. Coverage thins quickly outside these corridors, especially near Missouri River bluffs and low-lying areas, leading to dead zones and signal shadowing.
• 5G: Predominantly low-band with spot mid-band along major corridors; service is most consistent in and near Mobridge and along US‑12. Outside these areas, LTE provides most of the usable capacity.
• Typical performance: In covered towns and along US‑12, downlink speeds commonly 40–120 Mbps on 5G/LTE; in rural sections, 5–25 Mbps LTE is typical, with occasional drops to sub‑5 Mbps or fallback to 3G/legacy bands in fringe pockets.
• Backhaul: Fiber backhaul is strongest along US‑12 and into Mobridge; outside that, a mix of fiber spurs and microwave backhaul supports towers. This constrains mid-band 5G buildout beyond core corridors relative to statewide patterns.
• Home connectivity interplay: Fixed wireless (LTE/CBRS) and legacy copper are important for farm/ranch locations; where available, cable/fiber in Mobridge underpins better mobile backhaul and indoor coverage. Mobile hotspots are a notable substitute where wired broadband is limited.

Behavioral and usage notes

• Voice and messaging reliability remain critical in fringe areas, driving continued landline presence, especially among seniors.
• Seasonal load spikes occur around agricultural and recreation periods; networks prioritize corridor capacity rather than broad rural densification, amplifying the corridor-versus-hinterland performance gap.
• Emergency and public-safety users rely on corridor coverage and in-building enhancements in Mobridge; rural dead zones persist longer than the state average due to low site density.

What this means for planning and outreach

• Coverage improvements with the highest immediate impact are additional macro/mini-macro infill between Mobridge–Selby and along SD‑1804/1806, plus targeted mid-band 5G overlays where fiber backhaul exists.
• Senior-focused device literacy and signal-boosting programs will yield outsized gains given the county’s age profile.
• Prepaid and subsidy-aware offers remain essential for adoption and retention as ACP sunsets.

Method notes

• Figures combine 2020 Census/ACS baselines with age-specific adoption rates calibrated for rural, older counties, then applied to Walworth County’s demographic mix. Coverage and performance reflect known rural SD deployment patterns and corridor effects as of 2023–2024.

Walworth County, SD — social media usage (2025 snapshot)

Baseline

• Population: ≈5,300 residents (2020 Census). Residents 13+ ≈4,500.
• Estimated social media users (13+): ≈3,700 (≈70% of total population; ≈83% of residents 13+).

Most‑used platforms (share of residents 13+, modeled)

• YouTube: ≈84% (~3,800 people)
• Facebook: ≈65% (~2,900)
• Instagram: ≈48% (~2,200)
• TikTok: ≈36% (~1,600)
• Snapchat: ≈30% (~1,350)
• X (Twitter): ≈22% (~1,000) Notes: Shares reflect Pew Research Center 2023–2024 U.S. platform reach applied to Walworth’s age mix, with teen-specific rates for teen-heavy platforms.

Age patterns (usage of any social media)

• 13–17: ≈95% use social media; strongest on YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram; Facebook comparatively low.
• 18–29: ≈85–90%; heavy on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok; Snapchat still common.
• 30–49: ≈80–85%; YouTube and Facebook dominate; Instagram secondary; TikTok rising.
• 50–64: ≈70–75%; Facebook and YouTube lead; Instagram modest; TikTok limited but growing.
• 65+: ≈50–55%; Facebook is primary; YouTube for news/how‑to; lower presence elsewhere.

Gender breakdown

• Overall users: roughly even (female ≈50–52%, male ≈48–50%), tracking county demographics.
• Platform skews: Women more active on Facebook and Instagram; men more active on YouTube and X; Snapchat skews female among younger users.

Behavioral trends observed in similar rural Midwestern counties and consistent with Walworth’s profile

• Facebook Groups are the community hub: local news, school sports, church and civic updates, lost-and-found, road/weather reports.
• Facebook Marketplace is widely used for vehicles, farm/ranch gear, furniture, and local buy‑sell‑trade.
• Short‑form vertical video (Reels/TikTok) sees strong watch time; how‑to and outdoors content over-indexes (hunting, fishing, ag, home repair).
• Messaging is practical: Facebook Messenger for coordination; SMS remains prevalent; WhatsApp niche.
• YouTube is the default for tutorials, product research, and farm/ranch equipment content; smart‑TV viewing is common for longer videos.
• Event-driven spikes: school sports, fairs, fundraisers, severe weather updates prompt the highest engagement.
• Local businesses lean on Facebook pages and Groups; Instagram used by food, retail, and tourism; TikTok/Reels effective for younger reach and employer branding.
• Best posting windows typically evenings and weekends; mornings used for road/weather and school updates.

Method note

• Figures are modeled from Pew Research Center (2023–2024) U.S. adult and teen social media adoption by platform, applied to Walworth County’s size and likely age mix (U.S. Census/ACS). They provide decision‑ready local estimates in the absence of public county‑level platform data.