Kenosha County

Kenosha County, Wisconsin – key demographics

Population size

• 169,151 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age

• Median age: 38.9 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: 23.9%
• 18–64: 59.6%
• 65 and over: 16.5%

Gender

• Female: 50.5% (ACS 2018–2022)
• Male: 49.5%

Racial/ethnic composition

• Non-Hispanic White: 70.6% (ACS 2018–2022, B03002)
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): 16.8%
• Black/African American (non-Hispanic): 7.7%
• Asian (non-Hispanic): 1.8%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (non-Hispanic): 0.4%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander (non-Hispanic): 0.1%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): 2.7%

Household data

• Households: ~64,900 (ACS 2018–2022)
• Average household size: 2.58
• Average family size: 3.15
• Family households: ~64% of households; married-couple families: ~46%
• Housing tenure: ~64–65% owner-occupied, ~35–36% renter-occupied

Insights

• The county is somewhat younger and notably more diverse than Wisconsin overall, with a comparatively larger Hispanic/Latino population and a lower owner-occupancy rate than the state average.

Notes: Population from 2020 Census; all other metrics are American Community Survey (ACS) 2018–2022 5-year estimates.

Kenosha County, WI email usage snapshot

• Estimated email users: ~121,000 adults. Basis: ~132,000 adults (2020 Census age structure) with high internet use and typical U.S. email adoption among online adults.
• Age distribution of email users: 18–34: 29%; 35–54: 37%; 55–64: 17%; 65+: 17% (applying Pew age-specific email adoption to local age mix).
• Gender split among users: ~51% female, ~49% male, mirroring the county’s population.
• Digital access (ACS 2018–2022, S2801):
  • Households with a computer: ~93%
  • Households with a broadband subscription: ~89%
  • Smartphone-only internet households: ~13%
  • No home internet: ~8%
• Trends and connectivity:
  • High home broadband and smartphone penetration support near-universal email use among working-age adults; seniors trail but a strong majority use email.
  • Cable broadband is widely available in populated areas, with growing fiber footprints in the City of Kenosha/Pleasant Prairie and 5G coverage from major carriers; western rural townships rely more on DSL/fixed wireless.
• Local density/connectivity context:
  • Population 169,151 (2020); land area ~271 sq mi; density ~625 people/sq mi—denser than the Wisconsin median, supporting robust broadband infrastructure and public Wi‑Fi access via libraries and civic facilities.

Mobile phone usage in Kenosha County, Wisconsin (2023–2024 snapshot)

Headline user estimates

• Population base: ~170,000 residents; ~132,000 adults (18+).
• People using any mobile phone: ~140,000 (≈83% of total population).
• Smartphone users: ~134,000 (≈79% of total population; ≈91–93% of adults).
• Wireless-only voice households (no landline): ~75–78% of adults live in wireless-only households, slightly above the statewide share.
• Mobile-only home internet (cellular data plan with no fixed broadband): ~10–12% of households in Kenosha County vs ~7–9% statewide.

Demographic usage profile (estimates reflect local mix plus national adoption patterns)

• By age (smartphone adoption, adults):
  • 18–29: 98–99%
  • 30–49: 96–98%
  • 50–64: 88–92%
  • 65+: 75–80%
• By income (smartphone adoption; mobile-only home internet):
  • Under $35k: 83–87%; mobile-only 20–25%
  • $35k–$75k: 91–94%; mobile-only 10–14%
  • $75k+: 96–98%; mobile-only 5–8%
• By race/ethnicity (smartphone adoption; mobile-only reliance):
  • Hispanic/Latine (higher share in Kenosha than WI overall): 94–97%; mobile-only 18–22%
  • Black: 93–96%; mobile-only 18–22%
  • White (non-Hispanic): 90–92%; mobile-only 7–10%
  • Asian: 94–97%; mobile-only 10–14%
• Households with children: higher device count per household and above-average mobile-only internet reliance, especially among renters.
• Commuters: roughly one in five workers cross the state line to Illinois, reinforcing heavy weekday mobile data demand along the I-94/US‑41 corridor.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage: 4G LTE reaches ≈99% of the population; 5G (low-/mid-band) reaches ≈90–95% outdoors, strongest east of I‑94 and along the lakefront/retail corridors.
• Capacity hotspots: robust mid-band 5G from all three national carriers along I‑94/US‑41, WI‑50, and in Kenosha, Pleasant Prairie, Somers, and Bristol commercial zones; small-cell and C‑band/2.5 GHz upgrades concentrated near the outlet mall, business parks, and dense residential areas.
• Performance envelope (typical user experience):
  • Mid-band 5G zones: roughly 100–400 Mbps downlink, 10–40 Mbps uplink, low double‑digit ms latency.
  • Western/rural pockets (Salem Lakes, Brighton, Randall, Twin Lakes outskirts): frequent LTE fallback; speeds often 5–30 Mbps with higher latency.
• Backhaul/fiber: the Chicago–Milwaukee long‑haul fiber routes parallel I‑94, giving Kenosha earlier capacity upgrades than many Wisconsin counties. Municipal and carrier fiber investment clusters around industrial parks (Pleasant Prairie, Bristol) and institutional anchors (e.g., UW‑Parkside).
• Public safety: FirstNet and band‑14 coverage are broadly available; indoor coverage still varies in older lakefront buildings without in‑building systems.

How Kenosha County differs from Wisconsin statewide

• More mobile-only dependence: A larger share of households rely on cellular service as their primary or only internet, driven by a higher proportion of renters, younger adults, and Hispanic households than the state average.
• Earlier 5G capacity build‑out: Proximity to the Chicago–Milwaukee corridor delivered mid‑band 5G and small‑cell densification sooner than many Wisconsin counties, yielding higher median mobile speeds and more consistent peak‑hour performance east of I‑94.
• Cross‑border usage patterns: A sizable Illinois‑bound commuter base and destination retail traffic create pronounced weekday and weekend peaks unique to this border county; networks have been tuned for corridor mobility more than in interior counties.
• Sharper urban–rural divide within a small geography: Despite strong coverage in the metro/lakefront strip, the county’s western edge retains rural‑style LTE dependence and spotty indoor coverage—an intra‑county gap that is narrower statewide where urban cores are larger and rural areas more expansive.
• Device and plan mix: Slightly higher adoption of unlimited data and hotspot use tied to commuting and mobile‑only households; prepaid penetration is modestly above the statewide average, reflecting the county’s income and age mix.

Numbers above combine the latest public datasets (ACS “Computer and Internet Use,” FCC coverage filings), county demographics, and nationally observed adoption rates (e.g., Pew) adjusted to Kenosha’s age, income, and commuting profile to provide county‑specific estimates.

Social media in Kenosha County, WI — short breakdown (2024–2025)

Baseline and user count

• Population: 169,151 (2020 Census). Adults ≈76% (~128,500).
• Estimated social media users: ~103,000 residents total
  • Adults: ~93,000 (≈72% of adults use at least one platform; Pew Research Center)
  • Teens 13–17: ~10,000 (≈90%+ use at least one platform; Pew Research Center teen surveys)
• Share of total population using social media: ~61%. Daily use among adult users is the norm across major platforms.

Most-used platforms (adult usage; U.S. benchmarks that closely mirror county patterns)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• TikTok: 33%
• Snapchat: 27%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• Pinterest: 30%
• X (Twitter): 27%
• WhatsApp: 29%
• Nextdoor: ~20% Notes: Facebook and YouTube are the broadest-reach platforms locally; Instagram and TikTok are strong among under-35s; Snapchat is concentrated among teens and young adults; LinkedIn is meaningful among commuters/professionals; Nextdoor is neighborhood-specific.

Age groups (who uses what)

• Teens (13–17): Near-universal YouTube; heavy Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok; Facebook minimal.
• 18–29: YouTube (90%+), Instagram (75%+), Snapchat (65%), TikTok (60%); Facebook moderate.
• 30–49: YouTube (90%), Facebook (75%), Instagram (55%), TikTok (40%); LinkedIn relevant for careers.
• 50–64: Facebook (70%+), YouTube (80%+); Instagram/TikTok modest.
• 65+: Facebook (60%+), YouTube (50%); limited use of newer apps.

Gender breakdown

• County demographics: ~51% female, ~49% male (ACS profile; aligns with users overall).
• Platform skew among adult users (national patterns reflected locally):
  • More women: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Nextdoor, TikTok (slight female majority).
  • More men: Reddit, X (Twitter), Twitch; LinkedIn leans male.
• Net effect: Overall social media user base in Kenosha skews slightly female.

Engagement and frequency

• Daily use among users (Pew Research Center):
  • Facebook: ~70% of users daily
  • Instagram: ~59% daily
  • Snapchat: ~69% daily
  • TikTok: ~60% daily
  • YouTube: ~54% daily (many additional weekly viewers)

Local behavioral trends

• Community and information:
  • Heavy reliance on Facebook Groups for neighborhood watch, schools/athletics, events, and community updates.
  • Nextdoor used in subdivisions for safety, services, lost/found; reach varies by neighborhood.
  • Local news and public-safety updates flow via Facebook pages and X; snow emergencies and road closures drive spikes.
• Commerce and services:
  • Facebook Marketplace is a primary channel for secondhand goods and local services; weekend spikes are common.
  • Small businesses, restaurants, and events lean on Facebook + Instagram (reels/stories) for discovery; YouTube for how-to and product explainers; LinkedIn for B2B and hiring.
• Youth and education:
  • High school/college cohorts center on Snapchat and TikTok for messaging and short-form video; Instagram for teams/clubs.
• Content and timing:
  • Practical local content performs best: weather, closures, traffic, local deals, and high school sports.
  • Peak activity windows: morning commute (7–9 a.m.), lunch (11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.), and evenings (7–10 p.m.); Marketplace and event browsing peak on weekends.
• Messaging layer:
  • Facebook Messenger common across ages; WhatsApp pockets exist (families, international ties); Snapchat messaging dominates under-30s.

Sources and methodology

• User counts modeled from U.S. Census (2020 Kenosha County population) and Pew Research Center social media adoption rates (adults and teens). Platform usage percentages from Pew Research Center’s 2024 Social Media Use findings; patterns are consistent with Midwestern suburban counties.