Kewaunee County

Key demographics for Kewaunee County, Wisconsin

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates)

Population size

• Total population: 20,563 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~44 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Age distribution (ACS 2019–2023, percent of population):
  • Under 18: ~22–23%
  • 18–24: ~7%
  • 25–44: ~24%
  • 45–64: ~27%
  • 65 and over: ~19–20%

Gender (ACS 2019–2023)

• Male: ~50%
• Female: ~50%

Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census unless noted)

• White alone: ~95%
• Black or African American alone: ~0.4–0.5%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~0.5%
• Asian alone: ~0.4–0.5%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.0%
• Some other race alone: ~1%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~5% (largest minority group)

Household data (ACS 2019–2023)

• Total households: ~8,200
• Average household size: ~2.5
• Family households: ~69% of households
  • Married-couple households: ~55% of all households
• Households with children under 18: ~27%
• Nonfamily households: ~31%
  • Individuals living alone: ~26%; age 65+ living alone: ~11%
• Homeownership (occupied units): ~82% owner-occupied; ~18% renter-occupied
• Average family size: ~3.0

Insights

• Demographics are characterized by an older age profile than the state/national averages, a predominantly White population with a modest Hispanic/Latino presence, high homeownership, and a majority of households being family and married-couple households.

• Scope: Kewaunee County, WI population ≈20,500 (2023 est.); adults (18+) ≈16,000; population density ≈60 per sq mi (land area ≈343 sq mi).

• Estimated email users: ≈15,000 adults (about 95% of internet-using adults; ≈73% of total residents).

• Age distribution of email users (approx. count; adoption remains very high across ages):

  • 18–34: ≈3.6k (≈24%)
  • 35–54: ≈5.1k (≈34%)
  • 55–64: ≈3.0k (≈20%)
  • 65+: ≈3.3k (≈22%)

• Gender split: ≈50% female, ≈50% male among email users, mirroring county demographics; usage rates are effectively equal by gender.

• Digital access and connectivity:

  • Households with broadband subscription: ≈80–85%
  • Households with a computer or smartphone: >90%
  • Smartphone‑only internet households: ≈8–12%
  • No internet subscription: ≈12–18% (concentrated among older and more rural households)
  • Fastest fixed broadband and fiber availability cluster around Algoma, Kewaunee, and Luxemburg (WI‑42/54 corridor); outer townships rely more on DSL/fixed wireless, with ongoing incremental fiber builds supported by Wisconsin PSC broadband grants since 2021.

• Trend insight: Email remains near‑universal among working‑age adults; growth is tied to steady gains in home broadband and smartphone access rather than demand for email itself.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin (2024)

Context and population baseline

• Population: ~20,600 (2020 Census); adults 18+: ~16,000; households: ~8,300.
• Predominantly rural with small population centers in Kewaunee, Algoma, and Luxemburg; older-than-state age profile.

User estimates

• Adult mobile phone (any cellphone) users: ~15,300 (95% ±2% of adults), reflecting near-universal cellphone ownership.
• Adult smartphone users: ~13,600 (≈85% ±3% of adults), lower than state average due to older demographics.
• Households with any cellular data plan: ~6,200 (≈75% of households).
• Mobile-only internet households (cellular data plan with no cable/DSL/fiber): ~1,050 (≈12–13% of households), above the Wisconsin average.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age
  • 18–34: smartphone adoption ≈95–97%; near parity with Wisconsin overall.
  • 35–64: ≈90–93%.
  • 65+: ≈70–74% (notably below state average), contributing to lower overall smartphone penetration and higher basic/voice-only device retention.
• Income and housing
  • Lower-income and rental households are more likely to be mobile-only (≈20–25% among < $35k income vs ≈8–10% among > $75k).
  • Farms and dispersed rural households show elevated reliance on smartphone hotspots for home connectivity and precision agriculture applications.
• Urban vs rural within the county
  • Rural tracts: mobile-only internet ≈14–18% of households.
  • Town centers: ≈8–10%.
• Seasonal effects
  • Summer tourist traffic along the Lake Michigan shore amplifies peak-hour congestion on lakeside sectors, increasing variability in speeds and reliability.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Mobile network operators present
  • Verizon, AT&T (including FirstNet Band 14 for public safety), T-Mobile, UScellular, and regional carrier Cellcom/Nsight.
• 5G availability and performance
  • Low-band 5G is broadly available across the county; mid-band 5G (Verizon C-band, T-Mobile 2.5 GHz, AT&T C-band) is concentrated around Kewaunee, Algoma, Luxemburg, and primary corridors (WI‑42, WI‑54/57).
  • Typical observed performance tiers:
    • Low-band 5G/LTE: ~30–80 Mbps down in most rural areas.
    • Mid-band 5G where available: ~150–400 Mbps down in town centers and along major corridors.
  • Coverage gaps persist in pockets inland and along bluffs near the lakeshore; sub‑1 GHz LTE/5G provides baseline service but with lower capacity.
• Backhaul and sites
  • Macro sites clustered near towns and highways, with broader rural sectors on low-band spectrum; fiber backhaul is uneven outside towns, constraining mid-band deployment depth and peak capacity in some sectors.
• Fixed broadband context influencing mobile use
  • Cable broadband is available primarily in town centers; many rural addresses depend on DSL, fixed wireless ISPs, or satellite (Starlink), sustaining higher-than-average mobile-only reliance.
  • Ongoing state grant–funded fiber builds are expanding but not yet countywide.

How Kewaunee County differs from Wisconsin overall

• Smartphone adoption is a few points lower than the state average, driven by a higher share of residents age 65+.
• Mobile-only internet households are higher (≈12–13% vs ≈9–10% statewide), reflecting rural geography and patchier fixed broadband options.
• Mid-band 5G footprint is smaller than the statewide average, with more of the county relying on low-band 5G/LTE; this yields lower average 5G throughput outside town centers.
• Carrier mix includes a stronger presence of UScellular and regional Cellcom relative to statewide patterns; T-Mobile’s mid-band coverage is improving but remains more town‑centric than in larger Wisconsin metros.
• Greater seasonal congestion on lakeshore sectors than typical statewide, with noticeable peak-time slowdowns during tourism months.

Notes on methodology

• User counts are model-based 2024 estimates derived from Census/ACS population and household baselines, county age structure, ACS S2801 internet subscription patterns for rural Wisconsin, and Pew Research Center smartphone ownership by age and urbanicity. Figures are rounded to reflect realistic uncertainty while remaining decision-useful.

Social media usage in Kewaunee County, WI (modeled 2024–2025 snapshot)

Baseline

• Residents: ~20,000; adults (18+): ~16,200.
• Figures below are modeled local reach by applying the latest U.S. adult platform adoption rates (Pew Research Center 2024) to the county’s adult population and age mix (U.S. Census/ACS). Platform audiences overlap.

Most-used platforms (adult reach; estimated local users in parentheses)

• YouTube: 83% (~13,400 adults)
• Facebook: 68% (~11,000)
• Instagram: 47% (~7,600)
• Pinterest: 35% (~5,700)
• TikTok: 33% (~5,300)
• Snapchat: 30% (~4,900)
• LinkedIn: 30% (~4,900)
• X (Twitter): 22% (~3,600)
• Reddit: 22% (~3,600)

Age composition of the local social-media audience

• 18–29: ~21% of users. Heavy Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube.
• 30–49: ~34% of users. Broadly omnichannel; strongest on Facebook and YouTube; Instagram stable; TikTok growing.
• 50–64: ~28% of users. Facebook and YouTube dominant; Pinterest notable; Instagram moderate.
• 65+: ~17% of users. Facebook first, YouTube second; lighter use of other platforms.

Gender breakdown of the social audience

• Women ~53%, men ~47% overall.
• Skews: women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X, LinkedIn.

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Facebook is the community hub: high engagement with city/county pages, school districts (Kewaunee, Algoma, Luxemburg-Casco), local events, church/booster groups, buy–sell–trade, and storm/roads updates. Posts with names, faces, and local places outperform generic content.
• Video is the growth format: short vertical video (Reels/Shorts/TikTok) drives the highest discovery; how‑to, farm/rural life, outdoors/fishing, and local business spotlights perform well.
• YouTube is utility-driven: DIY, equipment repair, hunting/fishing, home projects, and long-form local sports or event uploads get steady views.
• Younger users split attention: Snapchat for daily messaging; Instagram for highlights and local sports; TikTok for entertainment and regional creators. Cross-posting short video to Reels and TikTok increases reach.
• Pinterest is strong for recipes, home, crafts, and seasonal planning; effective for promoting local markets, agritourism, and events with evergreen visuals.
• LinkedIn usage is modest but valuable for hiring in manufacturing, trades, healthcare, and agribusiness; target within 25–54.
• X and Reddit are niche: news, sports, and statewide topics more than day-to-day community chatter.
• Timing and device: predominantly mobile; engagement peaks early morning (6–8 a.m.), lunch (11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.), and evenings (7–9 p.m.), with weekend mornings strong for events.

Practical implications

• To maximize local reach, prioritize Facebook and YouTube, add Instagram and short‑form video for 18–44, and use Pinterest for lifestyle/event discovery.
• Use names/locations in headlines, community group sharing, and short captions; include subtitles on video.
• For performance marketing, geo-target within the county and adjacent towns; set placements to Facebook Feed/Groups/Reels, Instagram Feed/Reels, and YouTube Shorts/Feed; add TikTok when targeting under‑40.

Note on methodology

• Adult platform percentages reflect Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adoption rates; counts are applied to ACS-estimated adult population for Kewaunee County. Audiences overlap across platforms and are not additive.