San Juan County

San Juan County, Washington — key demographics

Population size

• 18,600 (2023 population estimate, U.S. Census Bureau)

Age

• Median age: ~55 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~14%
• 18–64: ~51%
• 65 and over: ~35%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2019–2023)

• White alone, non-Hispanic: ~87%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~8%
• Two or more races: ~5%
• Asian: ~2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~1–2%
• Black or African American: <1%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: ~8,900
• Average household size: ~2.0
• Family households: ~56% of households
• Nonfamily households: ~44%
• Married-couple families: ~46% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~18%
• Households with someone 65+: ~39%
• Tenure: ~78% owner-occupied, ~22% renter-occupied

Insights

• One of Washington’s oldest age profiles: about one-third of residents are 65+, with small household sizes and a high owner-occupancy rate.
• Population is predominantly non-Hispanic White; Hispanic/Latino population is the largest minority group and growing gradually.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 Population Estimates; American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates (tables DP02, DP04, DP05).

• Scope: San Juan County, WA (2020 population 17,788; land area ≈174 sq mi; density ≈102 people/sq mi).
• Estimated email users: ≈13,800 adults (18+), derived from the county’s older age profile and mainstream U.S. email adoption.
• Age distribution of email users (share of users):
  • 18–34: ~16%
  • 35–54: ~28%
  • 55–64: ~20%
  • 65+: ~36%
• Gender split among email users: mirrors the county population, roughly 50–51% female and 49–50% male; usage rates are effectively parity by gender.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Broadband adoption is high for a rural, island county (roughly nine in ten households subscribe), but speeds and reliability vary outside town centers.
  • Fiber-to-the-home has expanded notably via the local utility/ISP (OPALCO/Rock Island), concentrating stronger service in Friday Harbor, Eastsound, and Lopez Village; outlying areas rely more on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite.
  • Island geography and low housing density raise last‑mile costs and leave pockets below 100/20 Mbps, though middle‑mile and FTTH buildouts continue to reduce gaps.
• Insight: The county’s unusually large 65+ population means email usage is widespread but skews older; connectivity is robust in hubs yet uneven across sparsely populated islands, shaping when and how residents access email.

Mobile phone usage in San Juan County, WA — 2024 snapshot

Core population context

• Population: ~18,600 residents (2023 estimate), up from 17,788 in 2020.
• Median age: ~55, among the oldest in Washington.
• Housing mix: ~44% of housing units are seasonal/recreational use, one of the highest shares in the state. This drives sharp summer peaks in mobile demand.

Estimated mobile user base

• Unique mobile phone users (residents): ~15,500 (≈83% of residents), lower than the statewide share due to the county’s older age structure and patchier coverage.
• Smartphone users (residents): ~14,000 (≈75% of residents, ≈90% of mobile users).
• Active resident mobile lines: ~17,000–19,000 (many residents hold more than one line/device), with substantial seasonal additions from visitors in late spring through early fall.

Demographic breakdown of users

• Age: High share of 65+ residents suppresses overall smartphone penetration and raises the share of basic/feature phones compared with Washington state. Among seniors, smartphone use is widespread but lags the state average; accessibility settings and larger-screen devices are overrepresented.
• Workforce and households: Atypical mix of retirees, remote workers, and seasonal workers. Mobile-only households are less common than statewide; many retain landline/VoIP for reliability and 911 location accuracy.
• Seasonal dynamics: Visitor influx materially increases the active device count and data demand in Friday Harbor, Eastsound, Roche Harbor, and along ferry corridors, with mid-day and early evening congestion spikes more pronounced than in most WA counties.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Terrain and topology: Island geography, heavy tree cover, and shoreline topography create pronounced dead zones and indoor attenuation. Coverage is heterogeneous at short distances.
• Radio access
  • 4G LTE: Baseline layer across populated areas; strongest in town centers and along main roads.
  • 5G: Predominantly low-band “extended range.” Limited mid-band 5G (capacity) concentrated in town cores; no practical mmWave.
  • Carrier profile: Verizon and AT&T tend to hold the most consistent outdoor coverage; T-Mobile is strong in population centers and ferry terminals. Performance varies block-to-block.
• Backhaul and fiber: Subsea and terrestrial fiber from OPALCO/Rock Island underpins both fixed broadband and many mobile sites; where fiber backhaul is absent, microwave links limit peak capacity.
• Fixed-wireless and Wi‑Fi reliance: Rock Island LTE fixed-wireless and expanding fiber-to-the-home reduce mobile hotspot dependence at residences, but Wi‑Fi calling remains a crucial complement for indoor voice in fringe coverage areas.
• Ferries and parks: Coverage along Washington State Ferries routes is serviceable near terminals but can degrade mid‑channel. Large parks and shorelines (e.g., parts of Orcas and San Juan Islands) have predictable gaps.
• Cross‑border effects: Proximity to Canada causes occasional inadvertent roaming to Rogers/TELUS on north- and west‑facing shores; residents commonly use carrier roaming blocks or manual network selection.
• Public safety: AT&T FirstNet is present and expanding; E911 is supported, but location accuracy and call continuity still benefit from Wi‑Fi calling indoors.

How San Juan County differs from Washington state

• Lower smartphone and overall mobile adoption rates, driven by an older population and more variable radio coverage.
• Heavier reliance on Wi‑Fi calling and VoIP, fewer mobile‑only households, and more conservative device upgrade cycles than the statewide norm.
• 5G capacity layer (mid‑band) is thinner and more localized; countywide experience remains LTE‑centric compared with major WA metros.
• Greater seasonal volatility: summer visitor loads can raise active device counts and sector utilization far more than typical counties, producing noticeable peak‑hour slowdowns.
• Elevated incidence of international roaming events and border‑area interference.
• Infrastructure build is constrained by island siting, permitting, and backhaul logistics, making incremental densification slower than in mainland counties.

Bottom line San Juan County’s mobile ecosystem is defined by an older resident base, island geography, and strong seasonality. Resident mobile penetration is high but below the state average, smartphone use is widespread but more uneven by age, and day‑to‑day experience depends heavily on proximity to town centers, ferry terminals, and fiber‑fed macro sites. Compared with Washington state overall, the county remains more LTE‑oriented, more Wi‑Fi‑dependent indoors, and more sensitive to seasonal demand spikes and cross‑border radio effects.

San Juan County, WA social media snapshot (modeled to county demographics)

• Basis: 2023 ACS population profile for San Juan County (older-skewing; median age ≈57; population ≈18k, adults ≈15–16k) combined with 2024 Pew Research Center platform adoption rates by age, adjusted to the county’s age mix. Figures are rounded, adult (18+) focused, and expressed as best-available estimates.

User stats

• Adult social media users: ≈11–12k (about 70–75% of adults)
• Gender among users: ≈52–54% women, 46–48% men (reflects county’s slight female majority and platform mix)
• Age makeup of users: older-skewed
  • 18–29: ≈10–12%
  • 30–49: ≈25–30%
  • 50–64: ≈28–32%
  • 65+: ≈28–32%

Most-used platforms among adults (share of adult residents; ranked)

• YouTube: ≈72–78% (≈11–12k)
• Facebook: ≈60–66% (≈9–10k)
• Instagram: ≈25–33% (≈4–5k)
• Pinterest: ≈28–34% (≈4–5k)
• LinkedIn: ≈20–26% (≈3–4k)
• TikTok: ≈16–22% (≈2.5–3.5k)
• X (Twitter): ≈12–16% (≈1.9–2.5k)
• Snapchat: ≈8–12% (≈1.2–2k)
• Reddit: ≈10–14% (≈1.6–2.2k)
• Nextdoor: ≈18–26% (≈2.8–4k) Note: Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat are lower than national averages due to the county’s older age profile; Facebook and YouTube are comparatively stronger.

Age-group patterns

• 18–29: High daily use; top platforms Instagram, YouTube, TikTok; Snapchat meaningful in this cohort but small in county totals due to cohort size.
• 30–49: Heavy YouTube and Facebook; Instagram for visuals/events; some LinkedIn; Nextdoor present among homeowners.
• 50–64: Facebook is the hub (groups, local news); YouTube strong (how-to, local content); Pinterest for projects/travel; moderate LinkedIn.
• 65+: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Nextdoor for neighborhood info; lower Instagram/TikTok usage.

Gender breakdown by platform (tendencies reflected locally)

• Women over-index: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Nextdoor.
• Men over-index: YouTube, Reddit, X, LinkedIn.

Behavioral trends in San Juan County

• Community and information flow: Facebook Groups and local pages function as the primary real-time channel for ferry status, community announcements, events, lost-and-found, and local services; Nextdoor supplements at neighborhood scale.
• Visual storytelling: Scenic/nature content performs strongly. Short-form video (Reels/shorts) boosts reach for visitor-facing businesses (lodging, guides, food, arts).
• Seasonality: Summer tourism substantially lifts Instagram and YouTube engagement for hospitality and outdoor recreation; off-season content shifts toward community issues and services on Facebook/Nextdoor.
• Discovery and planning: Pinterest and Instagram aid trip planning (itineraries, hikes, dining). Facebook Events drive local attendance.
• Professional/remote work pocket: A notable minority uses LinkedIn (remote professionals/second-home owners), skewing to information/industry news rather than local community interaction.
• Posting/engagement windows: Evenings and weekends see the highest local engagement; weekday midday also performs for service updates and government/utility posts.
• Ad effectiveness: Facebook and Instagram ads with tight geo-targeting (or WA metro retargeting during high season) convert well for events, attractions, and seasonal offers; YouTube pre-roll can extend reach for destination marketing.

Sources underlying estimates

• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2023, San Juan County profile (population, age, sex).
• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (adult platform adoption and age patterns) and related platform-specific updates.