Lincoln County

Lincoln County, Wisconsin – Key Demographics

Population

• 28,415 (2020 Census)
• 28,031 (2023 population estimate)

Age

• Under 18: 20.3%
• 65 and over: 23.3%
• Median age: ~46 years (ACS 2019–2023)

Gender

• Female: 49.6%
• Male: 50.4%

Race/ethnicity (ACS 2019–2023)

• White alone: ~95.1%
• Black or African American alone: ~0.5%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~0.8%
• Asian alone: ~0.4%
• Two or more races: ~3.2%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2.1%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~93.8%

Households and housing (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: ~12,307
• Persons per household: 2.27
• Family households: ~64%
• Married-couple families: ~51%
• One-person households: ~31%
• Householder 65+ living alone: ~14%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~80%

Insights

• Older age profile (share 65+ above state/national averages) and small household size.
• Slow population decline since 2010 and largely stable since 2020.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White with small but present racial/ethnic diversity.

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

• Population and density: ≈28,300 residents across ~880 sq mi (≈32 people/sq mi).
• Estimated email users: ≈22,500 residents (≈80% penetration), reflecting very high adult adoption.
• Age distribution of email use (adoption by age band):
  • 13–17: ~70–75%
  • 18–34: ~95%
  • 35–54: ~96%
  • 55–64: ~90%
  • 65+: 80–85% Approximate share of users by age: <18 (9%), 18–34 (23%), 35–54 (33%), 55–64 (15%), 65+ (20%).
• Gender split among users: essentially even (≈50% female, ≈50% male), with negligible behavioral differences in email adoption.
• Digital access trends:
  • Households with a computer: ~91%.
  • Households with a broadband subscription: ~85%.
  • Smartphone adoption is high (statewide adult ownership ~85%+), supporting frequent mobile email use.
  • Gradual gains in fiber and 5G since 2020, with remaining gaps in sparsely populated northern and lake-adjacent areas relying on fixed wireless or satellite.
• Local connectivity context: Most fixed broadband capacity clusters around Merrill and Tomahawk and along the US‑51/WI‑64 corridors; dispersed rural settlement and low density raise last‑mile costs, keeping adoption below metro Wisconsin levels.

Mobile phone usage in Lincoln County, Wisconsin: 2024 snapshot and how it differs from statewide patterns

Headline user estimates

• Adult mobile phone users (any cell phone): 20,000–21,000 adults, or roughly 92–94% of the county’s adult population
• Adult smartphone users: 17,500–18,500 adults, or roughly 82–85% of adults
• Households that are wireless-only for voice (no landline): 65–70% of households
• Households using a cellular data plan as their primary home internet: 12–15% of households (notably higher than statewide)

Why these differ from Wisconsin overall

• Smartphone adoption in Lincoln County runs about 4–7 percentage points lower than Wisconsin’s urban/suburban counties (which typically reach the high 80s to ~90% of adults) due to older age structure, lower population density, and income mix.
• Reliance on cellular for home internet is several points higher than the state average (often ~8–10%) because fixed broadband options thin out outside Merrill and Tomahawk, making mobile hotspots and fixed wireless more common.
• 5G mid-band coverage is spottier than the statewide picture, with performance relying more on LTE outside the US-51 corridor and town centers.

Demographic breakdown shaping usage

• Age: Lincoln County skews older than the state (roughly one-quarter of residents are 65+ versus ~18–19% statewide). Among seniors, smartphone adoption is materially lower (about 60–70%), which pulls down the countywide average.
• Income and education: Median household income and bachelor’s attainment are lower than state averages, correlating with:
  • Slightly higher Android and prepaid plan share
  • Slower upgrade cycles and more modest data plans
  • Greater persistence of basic/feature phones in 65+ cohorts
• Geography: Outside Merrill and Tomahawk the county is very low-density and heavily wooded/lake-dotted, which:
  • Increases dead zones and indoor coverage challenges
  • Encourages Wi‑Fi calling use at home and work
  • Raises dependence on fixed wireless and cellular hotspots for home connectivity

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• Carriers: Verizon and AT&T provide the broadest rural LTE footprints; AT&T’s FirstNet presence improves reliability for public safety and often benefits nearby subscribers. T‑Mobile has strong 5G in and around Merrill, Tomahawk, and the US‑51 corridor but coverage recedes off-corridor.
• 5G: Mid-band 5G is concentrated along US‑51 and in town centers; elsewhere, service often falls back to LTE. This contrasts with metro Wisconsin counties where mid-band 5G is pervasive.
• Capacity and speeds: Peak speeds in town centers can be high on all three nationals, but off-corridor performance drops faster than state averages. Seasonal tourism (lakes, trails, events) produces noticeable weekend/holiday congestion that is less pronounced in most of the state’s urban counties.
• Backhaul and fiber: Cable/fiber availability is good in Merrill and parts of Tomahawk (e.g., Charter/Spectrum and regional fiber/co-op builds), but many townships rely on DSL, fixed wireless (including Bug Tussel and WISPs), or cellular for broadband—raising cellular network load.
• Tower siting: Macro sites cluster along highways (US‑51, WI‑64, WI‑17, WI‑86). Forested terrain, lakes, and zoning constraints lead to larger inter-site distances than in southern Wisconsin, increasing the odds of fringe/indoor weak-signal areas.

Behavioral and plan trends on the ground

• Higher share of voice/SMS-centric and lower-cost plans among seniors
• Above-average use of Wi‑Fi calling and signal boosters in homes/cabins
• Hotspot add‑ons and fixed‑wireless subscriptions are disproportionately common relative to state averages
• Device replacement cycles are longer; midrange Androids are more prevalent than in Madison/Milwaukee suburbs

What to watch in 2025

• Continued C‑band/2.5 GHz 5G build-outs along secondary corridors should reduce LTE fallback zones
• Additional county/co-op fiber projects will shift some households off cellular-as-primary internet, easing mobile network congestion
• FirstNet and public‑safety upgrades tend to improve adjacent commercial coverage in rural pockets

Bottom line

• Mobile adoption is high in Lincoln County, but smartphone penetration and 5G availability lag state urban/suburban norms by a clear margin.
• Residents rely on cellular for home connectivity more than the Wisconsin average because fixed broadband thins out quickly outside town centers.
• Coverage is reliable along main corridors and in Merrill/Tomahawk, but rural and heavily wooded areas still experience weaker indoor signal and lower peak speeds than typical for the state.

Lincoln County, WI — social media snapshot (2025 modeled estimate)

Baseline

• Residents: ~27,600
• Adults (18+): ~21,900
• Adults using at least one major social platform (incl. YouTube): ~17,600 (≈80% of adults)
• Daily users: ~12,000–13,000 adults (≈55–60% of adults)

Age breakdown of adult social-media users

• 18–29: ~15%
• 30–49: ~32%
• 50–64: ~29%
• 65+: ~24% Notes: The county skews older, so Facebook and YouTube dominate; TikTok/Snapchat concentration is highest in 18–29.

Gender breakdown (share of adult social-media users)

• Female: ~52%
• Male: ~48% Platform skews: Pinterest and Facebook lean female; YouTube, Reddit, and X lean male.

Most-used platforms (share of adults, multi-platform use; rounded)

• YouTube: ~78%
• Facebook: ~66%
• Instagram: ~39%
• Pinterest: ~32%
• TikTok: ~24%
• Snapchat: ~18%
• Reddit: ~14%
• LinkedIn: ~14%
• X (Twitter): ~13%
• Nextdoor: ~6% Top-5 by weekly engagement: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok.

Behavioral trends and local usage patterns

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of local Groups (city/township updates, buy/sell, school athletics, road conditions, events). Marketplace is strong for outdoor/seasonal goods (boats, ATVs, snowmobiles, farm and small-engine equipment). Most activity clusters mornings (6–8 a.m.) and evenings (7–9 p.m.), with Sunday afternoon spikes.
• YouTube is primarily instructional and leisure: hunting/fishing, DIY/home repair, small-engine fixes, local government meeting replays, and regional news/weather. Consumption outweighs creation.
• Instagram is business-facing and seasonal: local eateries, taverns/supper clubs, guides/outfitters, tourism and events. Stories/Reels are cross-posted from TikTok; best engagement around lunch and late evening.
• TikTok is watch-first: outdoors, crafts, wildlife, and local-interest clips perform best. Posting volume is modest but engagement is high among 18–34; evenings dominate.
• Snapchat is utility-driven for teens/20s: private messaging, group coordination, and location features; public posting is limited.
• Pinterest is strong among women 25–64: recipes, DIY, cabin/home projects, seasonal decor; drives save/plan behavior more than immediate clicks.
• X (Twitter) and Reddit are niche: used for statewide sports, severe-weather alerts, and hobby communities; limited local posting.
• LinkedIn is light but steady among healthcare, education, manufacturing management, and public sector; hiring and professional updates more than thought leadership.
• Messaging and DMs matter: Facebook Messenger and Instagram DMs handle many customer-service interactions (hours, availability, reservations, quotes), often outside business hours.

Method and sources

• Figures are 2025 county-level modeled estimates applying Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. social platform adoption by age to Lincoln County’s older-leaning age structure (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023) and rural adoption patterns. Platform skews reflect Pew 2023–2024 breakouts for gender and age.