Jefferson County

Jefferson County, Wisconsin — key demographics (latest U.S. Census Bureau data)

Population size

• 84,900 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age

• Median age: ~40 years
• Under 18: ~21%
• 18–24: ~10%
• 25–44: ~26%
• 45–64: ~26%
• 65 and over: ~17%

Gender

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Racial/ethnic composition (mutually exclusive; Hispanic can be any race)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~83%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~9–10%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~1–2%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: ~1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: <1%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~5%

Households and housing

• Total households: ~33,800
• Average household size: ~2.5
• Family households: ~63% (married-couple families ~49%)
• Households with children under 18: ~28%
• Nonfamily households: ~37% (living alone ~29%; living alone age 65+ ~10%)
• Housing units: ~36,000
• Homeownership rate: ~69% (renters ~31%)

Insights

• Stable population with modest growth since 2010
• Slightly older age structure than the U.S. overall, with about 1 in 6 residents 65+
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White, with a growing Hispanic community approaching 1 in 10 residents
• Homeownership near 70% and average household size about 2.5 indicate a family-oriented housing profile

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (population count); 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates (age, sex, race/ethnicity, households, housing). Figures rounded for clarity.

• Estimated email users: ≈62,000 adults in Jefferson County (≈92% of ≈67,000 adults; total population ≈85,000). Email is effectively universal among working-age adults and high among seniors.
• Age distribution of email users: 18–29 ≈17%; 30–49 ≈33%; 50–64 ≈27%; 65+ ≈23%. Adoption rates are near-universal under 50, ~90–95% for ages 50–64, and mid‑80s to low‑90s for 65+.
• Gender split: ≈50% female, ≈50% male among adult email users, mirroring county demographics; no material gender gap in email adoption.
• Digital access and trends: ≈85% of households have a broadband subscription and ≈90% have a computer (ACS). About 8–9% are smartphone‑only internet households. Since 2018, subscriptions have risen with cable/fiber upgrades and expanding fixed‑wireless/5G home internet; the senior email gap continues to narrow.
• Local density/connectivity: Population density ≈150 people/sq mi. Fastest, most reliable fixed broadband clusters in Watertown, Fort Atkinson, Jefferson, Lake Mills, and Johnson Creek (I‑94/US‑26 corridors). Rural townships show more reliance on fixed wireless/DSL and see lower peak speeds, though 5G home internet has broadened coverage. Public libraries and schools remain important Wi‑Fi access points.

Mobile phone usage in Jefferson County, Wisconsin — summary and county-vs-state takeaways (based on ACS 2018–2022 5‑year estimates and FCC/PSC-WI infrastructure reporting through 2023–2024)

Scale of users

• Smartphone adoption: Roughly 9 in 10 households in Jefferson County have a smartphone subscription, aligning closely with Wisconsin’s statewide rate (around 90%). That translates to about 30,000–31,000 of the county’s roughly 33,000–34,000 households having at least one smartphone.
• Cellular data at home: About three-quarters of households maintain a cellular data plan (for a smartphone or other mobile device), comparable to statewide uptake.
• Cellular-only internet households: A notably higher share of Jefferson County households rely on cellular data as their only internet subscription (no cable/DSL/fiber) than the Wisconsin average (low-teens percent in Jefferson County versus high-single-digit to low-teens statewide). This is the clearest divergence from the state picture and reflects patchier fixed-broadband availability outside the I‑94 and US‑26 corridors.

Demographic breakdown (use patterns and adoption)

• Age:
  • Adults 18–34: Near-saturation smartphone ownership, with higher smartphone‑only internet reliance than other groups. County rates track or slightly exceed the statewide pattern for smartphone-only reliance due to fixed-broadband gaps in rural tracts.
  • Adults 65+: Lower smartphone uptake than younger cohorts, but the county’s older adults show slightly higher mobile adoption than similarly rural Wisconsin counties because of proximity to Madison–Milwaukee services.
• Income and education:
  • Low- and moderate‑income households in Jefferson County are more likely to be cellular‑only than the statewide average, using phones and hotspots in lieu of wireline service where costs and availability limit options.
  • Households with higher educational attainment mirror statewide high smartphone adoption and tend to pair mobile with fixed broadband.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Hispanic/Latine households in the county exhibit very high smartphone adoption but below‑average fixed broadband subscription, resulting in above‑average smartphone‑only internet use versus the county average; White non‑Hispanic households more often have both mobile and fixed connections. These patterns are consistent with the statewide direction but are slightly more pronounced in Jefferson County because of its suburban‑rural mix.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage and technology:
  • 4G LTE is effectively countywide from the major carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon), with 5G widely available along population centers and travel corridors (I‑94, US‑26, WI‑16/18). Mid‑band 5G has expanded since 2022, especially around Johnson Creek, Watertown, Fort Atkinson, Lake Mills, and Jefferson.
  • Rural townships (e.g., agricultural areas south of WI‑106 and around Lake Koshkonong) still report spotty indoor coverage and slower uplink, which helps explain the higher cellular‑only share (mobile is available, but fixed lines can be limited or costly).
• Capacity and speeds:
  • Populated corridors see strong mid‑band 5G performance suitable for video, telehealth, and remote work; speeds drop in fringe areas where low‑band 5G/LTE dominate. This urban–rural performance gradient is sharper in Jefferson County than in metropolitan Wisconsin counties.
• Redundancy and public safety:
  • Carriers have densified around interchanges and commercial zones (e.g., Johnson Creek) and along I‑94 for highway coverage. Emergency services leverage overlapping LTE coverage, but single‑carrier dead spots persist in low‑density areas.

How Jefferson County differs from the Wisconsin average

• Higher cellular‑only dependence: Jefferson County has a meaningfully larger share of households using cellular as their only internet service than the state as a whole, reflecting uneven wireline options outside its main corridors.
• Slightly stronger youth mobile‑only reliance: Younger adults are marginally more likely than the statewide average to rely primarily on smartphones for home internet, tied to the county’s fixed‑broadband gaps and commuter/student populations.
• Smaller “no internet” cohort than similarly rural counties: Despite rural pockets, the share of households with no internet subscription is a bit lower than in many rural Wisconsin peers, supported by strong corridor coverage and access to fixed options in towns.
• Infrastructure skewed to corridors: Jefferson County’s network strength is concentrated along I‑94/US‑26 and town centers more than the typical statewide pattern, producing wider performance variance across short distances.

Key statistics to use operationally

• ~90% of households have smartphones (on par with Wisconsin overall).
• ~75% maintain a cellular data plan at home.
• Cellular‑only internet households: low‑teens percent in Jefferson County, several points higher than the Wisconsin average.
• Rural tracts experience the largest gaps between mobile and fixed capacity, shaping mobile‑first behavior.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2018–2022 5‑year estimates (Tables S2801/S2802), FCC mobile coverage filings (2023–2024), and Wisconsin PSC broadband reporting.

Jefferson County, WI social media snapshot (2024–2025)

User stats

• Population: ~86,000; adults (18+): ~67,000
• Adult social media users: ~55,000 (≈81% of adults), modeled from Pew Research Center adoption rates applied to the county’s age/gender mix

Age groups (share of adult social media users)

• 18–29: ~22%
• 30–49: ~40%
• 50–64: ~24%
• 65+: ~15%

Gender breakdown (adult social media users)

• Female: ~52%
• Male: ~48%

Most-used platforms among adults (estimated reach, share of adults who use each platform; multi-platform use is common)

• YouTube: 83% (56k adults)
• Facebook: 68% (46k)
• Instagram: 47% (31k)
• Pinterest: 35% (23k)
• TikTok: 33% (22k)
• Snapchat: 30% (20k)

Behavioral trends

• Community-first Facebook usage: Heavy engagement with local groups, schools, events, and Marketplace; key channel for local news, weather, road conditions, and government/public safety updates.
• Video-centric habits: YouTube is ubiquitous for how‑to, DIY, hunting/fishing, auto and home projects; TikTok growth is strongest under 35 for short-form entertainment and local dining/attractions.
• Private sharing: Messenger, Snapchat, and small-group chats are common for family, youth sports, churches, and neighborhood coordination.
• Shopping and classifieds: Facebook Marketplace dominates peer‑to‑peer sales; Pinterest influences décor, crafts, and home projects, driving search and in‑store follow‑through.
• Work and recruiting: LinkedIn is moderate and skews to healthcare, manufacturing leadership, education, and professional services; Facebook Jobs and local groups remain important for hourly roles.
• Timing: Usage peaks early morning before work/school, lunchtime, and evenings (8–10 p.m.), with strong spikes around local events and weather incidents.
• Demographic tilt: Slightly older profile than large metros elevates Facebook and YouTube relative to TikTok/Snapchat; under‑30s over‑index on Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok.

Method and sources

• Estimates derived from: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (county population/age/gender structure, 2023) and Pew Research Center “Social Media Use in 2024” platform adoption rates, applied to Jefferson County’s demographics to produce county‑level modeled figures.