Skagit County

Skagit County, Washington — Key demographics (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates unless noted)

Population

• Total population: ~132,000
• Median age: ~42 years

Age structure

• Under 18: ~22%
• 18–24: ~8%
• 25–44: ~25%
• 45–64: ~25%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Male: ~50%
• Female: ~50%

Race and ethnicity

• White alone: ~85%
• Black or African American alone: ~1–2%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~2–3%
• Asian alone: ~2%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: <1%
• Two or more races: ~9–10%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~20–21%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~69–70%

Households and housing

• Total households: ~52,000
• Average household size: ~2.6
• Family households: ~64%
• Households with children under 18: ~27%
• Living alone: ~26%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~69%
• Renter-occupied housing rate: ~31%

• Population and density: Skagit County had 129,205 residents in 2020 (U.S. Census). Land area is about 1,731 sq mi, yielding ~75 people per square mile, with most residents along the I‑5 corridor (Mount Vernon–Burlington–Anacortes).
• Estimated email users: ≈100,000 residents use email (about 77–80% of the total population), calculated by applying national email adoption among adults (92%) and teens (90%) to Skagit’s population structure (Pew Research; Census).
• Age distribution of email users (estimated, reflecting county age mix and national adoption): 13–17 ≈ 7%; 18–34 ≈ 20%; 35–64 ≈ 50%; 65+ ≈ 23%. Adoption is near‑universal under 65 and high among 65+, though daily use is lower in the oldest cohort.
• Gender split: Approximately even among users (~50% female, ~50% male), mirroring the county’s near‑parity sex distribution and minimal gender differences in email adoption nationally.
• Digital access trends: American Community Survey data indicate roughly 88–90% of Skagit households have a broadband subscription; device access is high, with an estimated 12–15% mobile‑only households. Broadband availability and fiber builds have strengthened along the I‑5 population centers, while eastern rural areas remain less consistently served at 100/20+ Mbps, reflecting an urban–rural connectivity gap.

Skagit County, WA mobile phone usage summary (focus: how it differs from statewide patterns)

User base and adoption

• Population and adult users: Skagit County has roughly 130,000–132,000 residents, with about 105,000 adults (18+). Applying rural/small‑metro adoption patterns yields an estimated 88,000–92,000 adult smartphone users (roughly 84–88% adult adoption), a few points lower than Washington’s large‑metro counties.
• Household cellular data plans: Approximately 34,000–37,000 of the county’s ~50,000–53,000 households maintain a cellular data plan for internet access. Mobile‑only home internet reliance is meaningfully present—about 8–12% of households—concentrated outside the I‑5 corridor and among lower‑income and Hispanic households.
• Multi‑line and prepaid usage: Prepaid penetration is higher than the state average, driven by agricultural/seasonal workforces and cost sensitivity. MVNOs (e.g., Metro by T‑Mobile, Cricket, Visible, Boost) have strong presence in Mount Vernon, Burlington, and Sedro‑Woolley retail corridors.

Demographic patterns shaping usage

• Older population: Adults 65+ comprise a larger share in Skagit (low‑20s percent) than the statewide average. While senior smartphone adoption has risen, it remains below younger cohorts, pulling overall county adoption modestly below the state average.
• Hispanic/Latino community: Roughly one‑fifth of residents are Hispanic/Latino, higher than the statewide share. This group shows higher smartphone dependence and above‑average mobile‑only internet reliance, raising demand for affordable, prepaid, and bilingual plans.
• Geography matters: Users cluster along the I‑5 spine (Mount Vernon–Burlington), Anacortes/Fidalgo Island, and Sedro‑Woolley. Adoption and quality of experience drop off toward the Skagit River valley and the Cascade foothills.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• 5G footprint: AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon cover the I‑5 corridor and town centers with low‑band 5G. T‑Mobile’s mid‑band (2.5 GHz) and AT&T/Verizon C‑band are live in the main population centers but thin out quickly beyond them, unlike continuous mid‑band blankets seen in Puget Sound’s core metros.
• Coverage gaps and variability: Notable weak/spotty areas persist east of Concrete toward Marblemount/Diablo along SR‑20, in pockets around Hamilton/Rockport, on parts of Fidalgo/Guemes shorelines, and along Chuckanut Drive. Proximity to the San Juan Islands/Strait can introduce cross‑border roaming near the water. These gaps are more common than in urban King/Snohomish/Pierce counties.
• Speeds and capacity: Typical 5G median download speeds in town centers run roughly 50–150 Mbps, with uploads around 5–15 Mbps; fringe and valley areas often fall below 10–20 Mbps down and sub‑5 Mbps up. Congestion spikes seasonally (e.g., Tulip Festival, ferry and tourist peaks) rather than daily rush‑hour patterns common in big metros.
• Site density and backhaul: Fewer macro sites per square mile and limited small‑cell densification outside downtown cores mean more variability than state urban averages. Backhaul diversity is thinner in rural tracts, so storms, landslides, or wildfire impacts more readily cause local outages compared with the state’s urban west‑side counties.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA): T‑Mobile and Verizon FWA have gained traction in cable/DSL‑scarce pockets, making mobile networks a more prominent primary‑home internet substitute here than in fiber‑rich metro counties.

How Skagit differs from statewide trends

• Slightly lower overall smartphone adoption than Washington’s metro average, driven by an older age profile and more rural territory.
• Higher share of mobile‑only households and hotspot reliance, particularly in rural census tracts and among lower‑income and Hispanic households.
• More prepaid/MVNO utilization and seasonal line churn tied to agricultural work cycles.
• Patchier mid‑band 5G continuity and more pronounced coverage gaps, with performance that is good in towns but drops quickly outside them—contrasting with the denser, more uniformly fast 5G seen in Seattle‑area counties.
• Greater sensitivity to weather and terrain for uptime and backhaul, leading to more frequent localized service disruptions than in the state’s urban core.

Practical takeaways

• Expect strong 5G from all three national carriers along I‑5 and in city centers; T‑Mobile often leads on mid‑band coverage in towns, with AT&T/Verizon comparable where C‑band is active.
• Outside town limits, plan for variable signal, lower uplink, and occasional dead zones; external antennas, carrier aggregation‑capable devices, and dual‑SIM strategies improve reliability.
• FWA is a viable primary connection in parts of Skagit where wired broadband is limited, reinforcing the county’s above‑average dependence on mobile networks relative to the statewide norm.

Skagit County, WA — social media usage snapshot (2025)

Key user stats

• Population: ~132,000; adults 18+: ~104,000
• Adult social media users (any platform, incl. YouTube): ~83% of adults ≈ 86,000 (modeled)
• Teen usage (13–17): ~95% use at least one platform (national benchmark; local schools and youth organizations indicate similar patterns)
• Hispanic/Latino population ≈ 19% of residents, informing higher WhatsApp and Facebook usage in Spanish-speaking communities

Age profile (share using social media by age; modeled from Pew US rates)

• 13–17: ~95% (heavy daily use; video-first and messaging-centric)
• 18–29: ~95%
• 30–49: ~85–90%
• 50–64: ~70–75%
• 65+: ~50–55%

Gender breakdown (adult users; modeled)

• Overall user base skews slightly female in line with national patterns and local demographics: ~53% women, ~47% men
• Platform skews: Pinterest and Facebook over-index with women; Reddit and X (Twitter) over-index with men; Instagram and TikTok are near-parity, slightly female-leaning among younger cohorts

Most-used platforms among adults (estimated local reach; applying Pew 2024 US adoption rates to the Skagit adult population)

• YouTube: ~83% of adults ≈ 86,000
• Facebook: ~68% ≈ 71,000
• Instagram: ~47% ≈ 49,000
• Pinterest: ~35% ≈ 36,000
• TikTok: ~33% ≈ 34,000
• Snapchat: ~30% ≈ 31,000
• LinkedIn: ~30% ≈ 31,000
• X (Twitter): ~22% ≈ 23,000
• Reddit: ~22% ≈ 23,000
• WhatsApp: ~21% ≈ 22,000 (notably higher among Hispanic/Latino adults)

Behavioral trends observed locally

• Community-first Facebook: Hyperactive local groups and Facebook Marketplace drive discovery for small businesses, events, and buy/sell/trade activity; public agencies and school districts rely on Facebook for road closures, weather, ferry updates, and emergency notices
• Seasonal spikes: Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok see large photo/video surges during the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival (spring), summer tourism/boating around Anacortes, and fall harvest events
• Short-form video as default: Reels/Shorts/TikTok substantially outperform static posts for food, outdoor recreation, and tourism content; live video boosts real-time event engagement
• Youth messaging ecosystems: Teens and young adults cluster on Snapchat (daily messaging, location features) and TikTok (entertainment, trends); Instagram remains central for peer networks
• Neighborhood and public-safety chatter: Nextdoor and Facebook neighborhood groups used for lost pets, contractor recs, and crime/safety reports; trust in posts from local governments and news outlets is relatively high
• Bilingual engagement: Spanish-language posts on Facebook and WhatsApp perform strongly for health, education, and civic information; bilingual creatives improve reach and shares across families and workplaces
• Timing and devices: Mobile-first consumption with engagement peaks before work/school, lunch, and evenings; weekend spikes around events and retail promotions

Method and notes

• Figures are 2025 modeled estimates for Skagit County derived by applying Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. platform adoption rates to the county’s adult population (U.S. Census Bureau ACS). Platform percentages reflect adult reach; teen figures reflect Pew’s national teen usage benchmarks. Local behavioral insights reflect observed patterns typical of small metro/rural counties in Washington with tourism and agriculture.