Green Lake County

Key demographics — Green Lake County, Wisconsin Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates)

• Population size: 19,018 (2020 Census). ACS 2018–2022 estimate is just under 19,000, indicating slight decline since 2010.
• Age:
  • Median age: ~47 years
  • Under 18: ~20%
  • 18–64: ~58%
  • 65 and over: ~22%
  • Insight: Older-than-state-average age profile with about one in five residents 65+.
• Gender: ~50% male, ~50% female
• Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2018–2022):
  • White, non-Hispanic: ~89%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~7%
  • Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~2–3%
  • Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~1% or less
  • American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~1% or less
  • Asian, non-Hispanic: <1%
  • Insight: Predominantly non-Hispanic White with a small but meaningful Hispanic community.
• Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022):
  • Households: ~8,200
  • Persons per household: ~2.3
  • Family households: ~63% of households; married-couple households ~50%+
  • One-person households: ~30%; ~14% are 65+ living alone
  • Homeownership rate: ~75–80%; renter-occupied ~20–25%
  • Housing units: ~10,500, with a notable share of vacant/seasonal units
  • Insight: Small household sizes, high homeownership, and a sizable seasonal housing stock are characteristic of the county.

Green Lake County, WI email usage (2025 snapshot)

• Estimated email users: 13,000–14,000 adults. Method: adult population (15.5k of ~19k total) × rural internet use (90%) × email use among internet users (~94%).
• Age distribution of email users (approximate share of users): 18–29: 14%; 30–49: 32%; 50–64: 33%; 65+: 21%. The county’s older age profile (median age mid‑40s) raises the 50+ share while still reflecting high senior email adoption.
• Gender split: ≈50% male, 50% female among users; email adoption is effectively parity by gender.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Internet access: About 4 in 5 households have a broadband subscription; computer/smartphone access is high, with a minority relying on smartphone‑only data plans.
  • Adoption is strongest in population centers (Green Lake, Berlin, Princeton); lower-density townships show more gaps and slower speeds, but fiber and fixed‑wireless builds are expanding coverage.
  • Public libraries and schools provide free Wi‑Fi/computer access that supplements home connectivity for students, seniors, and lower‑income households.
• Local density/connectivity context: Population ~19,000 across ~349 sq mi of land (≈54 people/sq mi), a rural density that correlates with patchier last‑mile infrastructure and slightly lower home‑broadband adoption than urban Wisconsin, yet still supports near‑universal email use among connected adults.

Green Lake County, WI — mobile phone usage snapshot (focus on what differs from the Wisconsin average)

Population basis

• Residents: ≈19,000 (2020 Census; flat to slightly declining since 2010), with an older-than-state age profile and a notable share of seasonal/second homes around Green Lake.

User estimates (modeled for 2023–2024 from ACS 2018–2022, Pew device adoption by age, and rural-WI patterns)

• Mobile phone users (age 13+): ≈14,500, or about 86% of residents 13+ (≈76% of total population). This is 3–5 percentage points below the statewide rate.
• Smartphone users (age 13+): ≈13,200, about 78% of residents 13+ (≈70% of total population). About 4–6 points below the statewide share.
• By age (share using a mobile phone; share using a smartphone)
  • 13–17: ~90% phone, ~86% smartphone (state: ~93% smartphone). Slightly lower, reflecting smaller teen cohort and rural coverage gaps.
  • 18–34: ~97% phone, ~95% smartphone (near state level).
  • 35–64: ~92% phone, ~87–90% smartphone (2–4 points below state).
  • 65+: ~67% phone, ~54% smartphone (10–12 points below state), the single largest gap vs Wisconsin driven by the county’s older age structure.
• Household indicators (ACS-modeled, 2018–2022)
  • Households with a smartphone present: ≈86% (WI ≈90%).
  • Cellular data plan as the only home internet: ≈8% of households (WI ≈4%). Reliance on mobile networks for home connectivity is roughly double the state rate.
  • No internet subscription: ≈15% of households (WI ≈10%). Digital non-adoption is materially higher than statewide.

Demographic drivers of difference

• Age: Median age is materially higher than Wisconsin’s, depressing smartphone penetration—particularly among 65+.
• Income/education: Lower median household income and a higher share of non-degree households than the state contribute to higher prepaid use and lower multi-device ownership.
• Housing mix: Seasonal/second homes around the lake increase prepaid and month-to-month mobile plans and drive pronounced summer load spikes on nearby cells.

Digital infrastructure points (what stands out locally)

• Carrier presence: All four major operators serve the county (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, UScellular). Coverage is strongest in and between Berlin, Green Lake, Princeton, and Markesan; service weakens in wooded, marsh, and lake-adjacent pockets, where LTE fallback is common.
• 5G footprint: Predominantly low-band 5G across the county with spotty mid-band capacity in and around Berlin/Green Lake. mmWave is effectively absent. Compared with Wisconsin overall, mid-band 5G coverage is sparser and capacity is lower.
• Performance: Typical tested mobile speeds in the county run materially below the statewide median (roughly 20–35% lower), with greater variance by location and season.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA): 5G Home Internet (T‑Mobile, Verizon) is marketed in the main population centers; take-up is higher than the state average due to limited fiber/modern cable in outer-township areas. This elevates mobile network traffic at evening peaks relative to Wisconsin norms.
• Fiber and cable: Fiber-to-the-home availability trails the state average; many outer areas still rely on legacy DSL or point-to-point fixed wireless. Ongoing 2021–2024 fiber builds have improved backhaul on primary corridors but leave notable last-mile gaps.

How Green Lake County differs from Wisconsin overall

• Lower smartphone and mobile adoption: County trails the state by roughly 4–6 points for smartphone adoption (age 13+) and by about 3–5 points for any mobile phone among 13+.
• Larger senior gap: Smartphone use among residents 65+ is about 10–12 points below the state benchmark, the main driver of the overall shortfall.
• More cellular-reliant households: Share of homes using a cellular plan as their only internet is about 2x the statewide rate; “no subscription” households are also significantly higher.
• Capacity vs coverage: Coverage for basic LTE is fairly broad, but mid-band 5G capacity is patchier than statewide, producing lower median speeds and more frequent LTE fallback outside towns.
• Seasonal load swings: The county experiences more pronounced summer surges around the lake, stressing local cells more than typical Wisconsin counties without a large seasonal population.

Notes on data and methods

• Figures are the best available county-level view using 2018–2022 ACS S2801 (Types of Computers and Internet Subscriptions), FCC/NTIA infrastructure indicators, and age-specific mobile adoption rates from Pew Research, modeled to Green Lake County’s demographic profile for 2023–2024 conditions. They should be interpreted as statistically grounded estimates rather than exact counts.

Green Lake County, WI — social media usage snapshot (2025)

Core user stats

• Population: 19,018 (2020 Census). Approx. 15,600 adults (18+).
• Overall reach: Using Pew’s national adoption rates applied to the local adult population, an estimated 13,000± adults in the county use at least one major social platform.

Most-used platforms (Pew Research Center, U.S. adults, 2024) with estimated local reach

• YouTube: 83% → ~12,950 adults
• Facebook: 68% → ~10,600
• Instagram: 47% → ~7,330
• TikTok: 33% → ~5,150
• Pinterest: 35% → ~5,460
• LinkedIn: 30% → ~4,680
• Snapchat: 27% → ~4,210
• X (Twitter): 22% → ~3,430
• Reddit: 22% → ~3,430
• WhatsApp: 21% → ~3,275
• Nextdoor: 19% → ~2,965

Age groups

• The county skews older (median age ~mid‑40s, higher than the U.S. median). Expect:
  • 18–29: Heavy on YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok; light on Facebook compared with older cohorts.
  • 30–49: Broad multi-platform use; Facebook, YouTube, Instagram strongest, TikTok growing.
  • 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram moderate; TikTok/Snapchat limited.
  • 65+: Facebook and YouTube remain primary; minimal use of TikTok/Snapchat/Reddit.
• Net effect locally: Above-average reliance on Facebook and YouTube; below-average share for TikTok and Snapchat relative to national mix.

Gender breakdown

• Overall social media use is near parity by gender, so county social users roughly mirror the population split (about half women, half men).
• Platform skews consistent with national patterns:
  • Women over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; near parity on Instagram and TikTok.
  • Men over-index on YouTube and Reddit; modestly higher on X.

Behavioral trends in a rural lake/agrarian county context

• Community-first usage: Local news, school athletics, churches, festivals, fishing and lake conditions; Facebook Groups and Pages are core.
• Marketplace and classifieds: High engagement for vehicles, farm equipment, home goods, rentals, and services.
• Video utility: YouTube for how‑to, DIY, small engine/boat repair, agriculture, and product research; short-form clips for events and highlights.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is ubiquitous across ages; Snapchat common among teens/young adults; WhatsApp pockets for family/work groups.
• Posting patterns: Peaks in early morning and evenings; weather alerts, closures, and event reminders outperform average posts.
• Creative that performs: Photos of recognizable locations, youth sports highlights, event schedules, deals/limited-time offers, and timely public-service updates.

Notes on methodology and sources

• Local figures are modeled estimates created by applying Pew’s 2024 U.S. adult platform-usage percentages to the county’s adult population (2020 Census). Counts are platform reach estimates (not unique users), and actual active-user numbers vary with device/broadband adoption and multi-account behavior.
• Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census, Green Lake County, WI) and Pew Research Center, “Social Media Use in 2024.”