Stevens County

Stevens County, Washington — key demographics

Population size

• 49,000 (approx.), 2023 estimate (PEP)
• 47,426, 2020 Census (up from 43,531 in 2010)

Age

• Median age: ~45 years
• Under 18: ~23%
• 18–64: ~55%
• 65 and over: ~22%

Gender

• Male: ~50.5%
• Female: ~49.5%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS, Hispanic treated as an ethnicity; shares sum ~100)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~86%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~6%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~3–4%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~4%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: ~0.6%
• Black, non-Hispanic: ~0.4%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: ~0.1%

Households

• Total households: ~19,000
• Average household size: ~2.5
• Family households: ~71% (married-couple families ~55%)
• Households with children under 18: ~28–30%
• Owner-occupied housing units: ~79%
• Average family size: ~3.0

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; 2023 Population Estimates Program). Numbers rounded for clarity.

Stevens County, WA email usage (2025 estimate)

• Estimated email users: ~33,000 residents. Basis: 2020 population ≈47,500; adults ≈78%; rural WA internet adoption ≈90% and email use among internet users ≈92%, plus limited teen use.
• Age distribution of users: 18–29: 16%; 30–49: 31%; 50–64: 25%; 65+: 28% (older skew reflects the county’s above‑average share of seniors).
• Gender split of users: Male 51%, Female 49% (near parity; mirrors population mix).
• Digital access and trends:
  • About 80–85% of households have a broadband subscription (ACS 5‑year), below the statewide average but improving since 2020.
  • Roughly 10–15% of households are smartphone‑only or rely on satellite/fixed wireless, highest outside town centers.
  • Fiber and licensed fixed‑wireless footprints have expanded since 2021, with wired coverage concentrated around Colville, Chewelah, and Kettle Falls; outlying tracts remain underserved.
• Local density/connectivity facts: Population density ≈19 people per square mile across ~2,500 sq mi; low density and mountainous/forested terrain make last‑mile builds costly and slow, contributing to below‑state broadband adoption and heavier reliance on wireless and satellite in remote areas.

Net insight: Email penetration is high among connected adults, but overall usage is capped by rural connectivity gaps, especially for seniors and residents outside the US‑395 corridor.

Stevens County, WA — mobile phone usage snapshot (focus on differences from statewide)

User estimates (2022–2023 scale)

• Smartphone users: about 31,000 adults in the county use a smartphone; total mobile phone users (smartphone or basic) are about 35,000–36,000. These counts are derived from local ownership/subscription rates applied to the county’s adult population.
• Household smartphone presence (ACS 2018–2022, 5-year):
  • Stevens County: 85% of households have a smartphone
  • Washington State: 91%
• Households with a cellular data plan (ACS 2018–2022):
  • Stevens County: 72%
  • Washington State: 79%
• Cellular-only home internet (no wired broadband) (ACS 2018–2022):
  • Stevens County: 16%
  • Washington State: 8%
• No internet subscription at home (ACS 2018–2022):
  • Stevens County: 15%
  • Washington State: 7%
• Wired broadband (cable, fiber, or DSL) at home (ACS 2018–2022):
  • Stevens County: 70%
  • Washington State: 84%
• Smartphone-only device households (no desktop/laptop/tablet; ACS 2018–2022):
  • Stevens County: 16%
  • Washington State: 10%

Demographic breakdown and how it shows up in mobile usage

• Older population share:
  • 65+ is roughly a quarter of Stevens County residents vs about one-sixth statewide. This lowers overall smartphone penetration and keeps a visible niche for basic/flip phones and voice-and-text plans compared with the state average.
• Income and education:
  • Median household income is substantially lower than the state median, and bachelor’s degree attainment is lower (roughly low-20s% vs high-30s% statewide). This correlates with:
    • Higher reliance on prepaid/budget carriers and MVNOs
    • Longer device replacement cycles
    • More smartphone-only households (using phones as primary computing/online access)
• Rural residency:
  • A clear majority of the population lives outside urbanized areas, versus a much more urban statewide profile. That drives:
    • Higher dependence on cellular data for home internet where wired options are limited
    • Greater use of signal boosters and Wi‑Fi calling to cope with weak indoor coverage
• Housing:
  • Owner-occupancy is higher than the state average; among the smaller renter segment, mobile-only internet reliance is notably higher than among owners, widening the county–state gap on cellular-only access.

Digital infrastructure and coverage (what’s different from the state)

• Networks present:
  • National carriers: AT&T (including FirstNet), T‑Mobile, Verizon
  • Regional: Inland Cellular has a footprint in the broader Inland Northwest and contributes to rural LTE coverage via roaming and limited direct service
• 5G status:
  • Low-band 5G is present mainly in and around Colville, Chewelah, and Kettle Falls and along the US‑395 corridor. Mid-band 5G (the main driver of 100–300 Mbps speeds in metro Washington) is sparse to absent outside town centers. Result: day‑to‑day mobile speeds are more LTE-like than in Puget Sound or Spokane metro.
• Coverage gaps:
  • Terrain-driven dead zones and weak-signal areas are common in valley and lakeside corridors; notable weak spots occur along SR‑25 by Lake Roosevelt and on secondary forest roads away from US‑395. This contrasts with the denser, more contiguous coverage in most Washington urban counties.
• Performance:
  • Typical observed speeds in towns and along US‑395 are in the tens of Mbps on LTE/low-band 5G, dropping to single digits or no service in canyons and heavily forested stretches. Statewide, median mobile speeds skew higher due to widespread mid-band 5G in metro areas.
• Home internet interplay:
  • Because wired broadband availability is lower (70% vs 84% statewide), cellular plays a larger role in home connectivity:
    • Cellular-only home internet usage is about double the state rate (16% vs 8%)
    • Fixed wireless options (e.g., 4G/5G home internet) are available near town centers; WISPs and satellite (including Starlink) fill gaps in outlying areas
• Buildout pattern:
  • New investment prioritizes the US‑395 spine and town cores (Colville–Chewelah–Kettle Falls) for 5G and capacity upgrades; rural tower densification is slower than in urban Washington. This sustains the county–state gap in 5G availability and average speeds.
• Border effect:
  • Near the Canadian border (around Northport and north of Kettle Falls), devices are more prone to cross‑border roaming than in most Washington counties, adding a usage and cost consideration uncommon statewide.

Key takeaways on how Stevens County differs from the Washington average

• Lower smartphone presence at the household level and fewer wired broadband options push more residents to treat mobile service as primary internet, resulting in:
  • Double the statewide rate of cellular-only home internet
  • More smartphone-only households
• 5G is less transformative locally than statewide because mid-band deployments are limited; practical everyday experience remains LTE-dominant outside town cores.
• Budget/prepaid adoption and longer device lifecycles are more common, shaped by income and rural coverage realities.
• Coverage reliability varies sharply with terrain, making boosters and Wi‑Fi calling materially more important than for urban Washington users.

Social media usage in Stevens County, Washington (2025 snapshot)

Key totals

• Residents: ~48,000 (2023 ACS estimate); residents age 13+: ~41,300
• Social media users (any platform, monthly): ~31,500 people, 76% of residents 13+

Most‑used platforms (share of residents 13+)

• YouTube: 73% (~30,200)
• Facebook: 64% (~26,500)
• Instagram: 34% (~14,100)
• Pinterest: 28% (~11,600)
• TikTok: 26% (~10,700)
• Snapchat: 18% (~7,400)
• X (Twitter): 13% (~5,400)
• Reddit: 12% (~5,000)
• LinkedIn: 11% (~4,500)
• Nextdoor: 7% (~2,900)

Age profile of active users (share of social media users)

• 13–17: 9%
• 18–24: 10%
• 25–34: 14%
• 35–44: 14%
• 45–54: 16%
• 55–64: 17%
• 65+: 20%

Gender breakdown of active users

• Female: ~52%
• Male: ~48%

Behavioral trends and usage patterns

• Local information hub: Facebook Groups and Pages carry school updates, county alerts (fire, road conditions), buy/sell/trade, lost & found, and community events; Facebook Marketplace is the dominant peer‑to‑peer commerce channel.
• Video‑first consumption: YouTube is used heavily for how‑to, homesteading, outdoor recreation, auto/repair, and faith content; short‑form clips on TikTok and Facebook/Instagram Reels are widely consumed, with many creators cross‑posting between platforms.
• Youth messaging and ephemerals: Teens favor Snapchat for daily communication; Instagram DMs and Stories are secondary. TikTok is the top entertainment channel among under‑30s.
• Professional and news use: LinkedIn usage is modest and concentrated among healthcare, education, and Spokane‑area commuters. X (Twitter) skews to news, sports, and state/national politics; overall penetration is low.
• Neighborhood and community apps: Nextdoor presence exists but is limited in rural areas; Facebook Groups effectively substitute for hyperlocal forums.
• Cross‑market influence: Spokane outlets and groups (news, sports, events) draw substantial followership from Stevens County residents.
• Connectivity‑shaped behavior: Mobile‑only access is common in outlying areas; users favor pre‑recorded video over live streams, and evening usage (7–10 pm) is the peak window. Adoption of satellite broadband has been rising, improving video quality and streaming reliability.

Notes on methodology

• Figures are 2025 modeled estimates for Stevens County based on 2023 ACS demographics and recent U.S. platform adoption patterns by age, rurality, and gender (e.g., Pew Research Center). Percentages are expressed as a share of residents age 13+.