Tooele County

Tooele County, Utah — key demographics (most recent Census/ACS)

Population size

• Total population: ~79,700 (2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~31.3 years
• Under 18: ~33%
• 18–24: ~9%
• 25–44: ~28%
• 45–64: ~20%
• 65 and over: ~10%

Gender

• Male: ~50.6%
• Female: ~49.4%

Race and ethnicity (mutually exclusive; Hispanic is any race)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~76.5%
• Hispanic/Latino: ~15.1%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~4.3%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: ~1.2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~1.1%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: ~1.0%
• Black/African American, non-Hispanic: ~0.8%

Households and families

• Total households: ~25,000
• Average household size: ~3.2
• Average family size: ~3.6
• Family households: ~78% of households
  • Married-couple households: ~64% of all households
• Households with children under 18: ~45%
• Owner-occupied housing: ~82% of occupied units; renter-occupied: ~18%

Insights

• Young, family-heavy age structure with large share of households with children.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White, with a sizable and growing Hispanic/Latino population.
• High owner-occupancy and larger-than-average household sizes relative to U.S. norms.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 (5-year) and 2020 Census DHC (figures rounded).

Tooele County, UT (pop. ≈80,000; land ≈7,300 sq mi; density ≈11 residents/sq mi) shows high digital connectivity concentrated along the Tooele–Stansbury–Grantsville corridor, with sparse coverage in the western desert.

Estimated email users: 55,000 residents. Basis: Utah’s very high household broadband subscription (93–95%), near-universal adult internet use, and the fact that >90% of online adults use email.

Age distribution of email users (share of users):

• 13–17: ~6%
• 18–29: ~22%
• 30–49: ~40%
• 50–64: ~22%
• 65+: ~10%

Gender split among email users: ~50% female, ~50% male (population is near parity).

Digital access and trends:

• ~93–95% of households have a broadband subscription; cable and fixed wireless are prevalent, with fiber expanding along the commuter corridor.
• Smartphone adoption is ~90%+ among adults; roughly 15% are smartphone-only, which lifts mobile email usage.
• Remote work and suburban growth since 2020 have increased reliance on home broadband and email; rural areas rely more on satellite/fixed wireless.

Sources/derivation: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (population, broadband subscription); Pew Research Center (email and device adoption). Estimates reflect Tooele County’s age mix and Utah’s high connectivity.

Mobile phone usage in Tooele County, Utah — 2024 snapshot

Headline estimates

• Population baseline: ≈80,000 residents (2023 estimate), ≈25,000 households (avg household size ~3.2).
• Unique mobile phone users: ≈62,000–65,000 (about 78–81% of residents, reflecting infants/young children lowering the overall share).
• Smartphone users: ≈57,000–59,000 (about 70–74% of residents and roughly 89–92% of mobile users).
• Adult mobile adoption: 96–98% of adults (18+) have a mobile phone; 88–92% use a smartphone.
• Smartphone presence in households: 90–93% of households have at least one smartphone.
• Cellular-only home internet: ≈2,800–3,300 households (11–13%) rely primarily on cellular data/FWA for home internet.

Demographic breakdown (users ≈ number of people who personally use a mobile phone)

• By age
  • 0–12: ≈2,600 users (about 15% of this group), ≈1,800 smartphone users.
  • 13–17: ≈6,100 users (≈95%), ≈6,000 smartphone users (≈93%).
  • 18–34: ≈22,000 users (≈98%), ≈21,500 smartphone users (≈96%).
  • 35–64: ≈25,600 users (≈97%), ≈23,800 smartphone users (≈90%).
  • 65+: ≈6,500 users (≈90%), ≈4,800 smartphone users (≈67%).
• By income/plan type
  • Lower-income households are markedly more likely to be “smartphone-only” and “cellular-only home internet.” Countywide, smartphone-only adults are estimated at 18–22%, a few points higher than the Utah average; among households under ~$50k income, smartphone-only reliance rises into the low-to-mid 20% range.
• By geography within the county
  • Tooele Valley (Tooele City, Stansbury Park, Grantsville): near-universal LTE and broad mid-band 5G coverage; very high device adoption and strong FWA availability.
  • Outlying tracts (Erda fringe, Rush Valley) and western desert (Skull Valley, Cedar Mountain, Dugway/UTTR vicinity): lower population density, more LTE-only pockets and occasional coverage gaps; higher rates of cellular-only internet where wired options are limited.

Trends that differ from the Utah state level

• Higher cellular dependence
  • Cellular-only home internet is roughly 2–5 percentage points higher than the state average (Tooele ≈11–13% vs Utah ≈7–9%).
  • Smartphone-only adults are a few points higher than statewide, consistent with exurban and rural dependence on mobile networks.
• More uneven coverage geography
  • Population-weighted 5G coverage is extensive in Tooele Valley, but countywide 5G “covered POPs” are lower (≈88–92%) than Utah’s highly urbanized average (typically mid-90s+) due to large, sparsely populated western areas.
• Commute-driven traffic patterns
  • An estimated 50–60% of employed residents commute out of county (primarily to Salt Lake County), creating pronounced AM/PM mobile traffic spikes along SR‑36/I‑80 corridors and at park‑and‑ride nodes—more pronounced diurnal peaks than Utah’s statewide average.
• Faster growth in mobile usage
  • With rapid housing growth in Stansbury Park/Tooele City, annual growth in new mobile lines and FWA subscriptions is running a few points above state averages (roughly +5–7% YoY in the valley vs ~3–5% statewide).
• Slightly lower wired-broadband attachment
  • Overall broadband subscription rates in Tooele trail the Utah average by ~1–3 points, reflecting fewer fibered addresses outside core communities; this gap maps directly to higher cellular/FWA use.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Radio access
  • 5G mid‑band coverage from major carriers blankets Tooele Valley population centers and the I‑80 corridor; low‑band 5G/LTE fills most remaining areas. Western desert tracts, Skull Valley, Cedar Mountain Wilderness, and around Dugway/UTTR see spotty service or dead zones.
  • LTE/5G along I‑80 (Salt Lake County line to Wendover), SR‑36, SR‑138, and SR‑112 is strong, optimized for commuter traffic.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA)
  • 5G FWA (e.g., in Tooele City, Stansbury Park, Grantsville) is widely offered and adopted at above‑state rates, providing a key alternative where fiber/cable are unavailable or costly in new subdivisions.
• Backhaul and fixed broadband context
  • Cable and telco fiber are common in the Tooele Valley; DSL and fixed wireless predominate in outlying areas. Lack of countywide municipal/open‑access fiber contrasts with many Wasatch Front cities and helps explain higher cellular dependence.
• Public safety and resilience
  • FirstNet and comparable public‑safety coverage generally match commercial footprints in the valley; harsh terrain and vast military/range lands limit redundancy in the west, making corridor coverage critical for emergency reliability.

What this means

• Tooele County’s mobile market is more commuter‑centric and cellular‑dependent than Utah overall, with higher FWA uptake and larger urban–rural disparities. Carriers that prioritize mid‑band 5G capacity along SR‑36/I‑80 and expand rural LTE/5G reach—paired with reliable backhaul—will capture above‑average growth and reduce the county’s smartphone‑only and cellular‑only gaps relative to the state.

Tooele County, UT — Social media usage snapshot (2025)

Overall profile

• Community makeup: Young, family-heavy, commuter-oriented (to Salt Lake Valley). Engagement centers on schools, youth sports, outdoors, road/weather updates, and local commerce.
• Participation: Mirrors U.S. and Utah patterns; adults concentrate on YouTube and Facebook, with under-35s driving Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat growth.

Most-used platforms among adults (modeled for Tooele using Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. adoption rates; suitable for planning)

• YouTube: ~83% of adults
• Facebook: ~68% of adults
• Instagram: ~47% of adults
• TikTok: ~33% of adults
• Snapchat: ~27% of adults
• Pinterest: ~35% of adults (skews female)
• X (Twitter): ~22% of adults Note: These shares reliably describe the “ceiling” of platform reach among adults in counties like Tooele with high smartphone use; local penetration typically tracks within a few points of these figures.

Age-group usage patterns

• Teens (13–17): Very high on YouTube (95%), TikTok (67%), Instagram (62%), Snapchat (59%) for daily communication and short-form video; Facebook is low and utility-focused (events, parent-tagged posts).
• 18–29: Heavy on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; YouTube universal; Facebook used for groups/marketplace vs. personal posting.
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube dominate (groups, Marketplace, youth sports updates); Instagram used for local businesses, family content; TikTok rising for food/outdoor tips.
• 50–64: Facebook primary; YouTube for DIY, news, and recreation; gradual Instagram adoption; limited TikTok/Snapchat.
• 65+: Facebook for community info, church and civic groups; YouTube for how-to and news.

Gender breakdown

• Population mix is roughly even (about 50/50). Social usage rates are similar by gender, but platform skews differ:
  • Women: Higher engagement on Facebook Groups/Marketplace and Pinterest; strong Instagram usage for local businesses, schools, and events.
  • Men: Higher presence on YouTube (DIY, outdoor, motorsports) and Reddit; Facebook used for local info and buy/sell/trade.

Behavioral trends observed locally

• Community-first engagement: Hyperactive Facebook Groups (city, HOA, school, youth sports, buy/sell/trade). Posts about road closures, weather, youth activities, and city services over-index in reach and shares.
• Marketplace-driven commerce: Strong interest in used goods, tools, outdoor gear, vehicles, and home services; weekend listings perform best.
• Short-form video growth: Instagram Reels and TikTok perform well for local dining, family activities, and outdoors (Bonneville Salt Flats, Stansbury/Deseret Peak recreation). Authentic, non-polished clips outperform ads.
• Event-centric cycles: Spikes around school calendars, youth sports seasons, city fairs/rodeos, and winter travel/weather advisories.
• Commute-shaped usage: Peak mobile engagement before 8:30 a.m., during lunch (11:30–1:30), and evenings (7–10 p.m.); weekends mid-morning to late afternoon.
• Trust and referrals: Recommendations from neighbors, coaches, and school pages outperform brand pages; UGC and community partnerships are key.
• Customer service by DM: Residents prefer messaging businesses on Facebook/Instagram for hours, availability, and quotes; quick replies materially improve conversion.

Practical takeaways

• Anchor on Facebook (Groups + Marketplace) and YouTube for broad reach; layer Instagram for under-45s and TikTok for discovery.
• Use short, locally grounded video; highlight family-friendly value, schedules, and clear CTAs.
• Post around commute and evening windows; cross-post event reminders 24–48 hours prior.
• Encourage UGC and community collaborations (teams, schools, local causes) to unlock word-of-mouth.

Sources

• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (U.S. adult and teen platform adoption)
• Pew Research Center, Teens, Social Media and Technology 2022 (teen platform mix)
• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (age and gender composition reference for Tooele County)