Pepin County

Pepin County, Wisconsin – key demographics

Population size

• 7,318 (2020 Census)
• Change since 2010: −2.0% (2010: 7,469)

Age

• Median age: ~46 years (2020)
• Under 18: ~22%
• 18 to 64: ~55%
• 65 and over: ~23%

Gender

• Female: ~49.5%
• Male: ~50.5%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White, non-Hispanic: ~93%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~3%
• American Indian and Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~0.5–1%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~0.3–0.5%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: ~0.3–0.5%

Households

• Households: ~3,050
• Average household size: ~2.3 persons
• Family households: ~61%
• Married-couple families: ~49%
• Households with children under 18: ~25–27%
• Nonfamily households: ~39%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~78%

Insights

• Very small and aging population with roughly one in five residents 65+.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White, with modest racial/ethnic diversity.
• Household sizes are small and homeownership is high, consistent with rural Wisconsin counties.

Notes: Figures reflect U.S. Census (2020) and recent ACS 5-year estimates for composition and households; minor rounding applied.

Pepin County, WI email snapshot

• Population/density: ~7,400 residents; ~232 sq mi of land; ~32 people per sq mi (one of Wisconsin’s least populous counties).
• Estimated email users: ~5,800 residents (about 90% of adults and ~80% of total population).
• Age distribution of users: 18–34 ≈21%; 35–54 ≈39%; 55–64 ≈15%; 65+ ≈25% (skews older vs. state average).
• Gender split among users: women ≈50–51%; men ≈49–50%; usage rates are effectively equal.
• Digital access and trends:
  • ~75–80% of households subscribe to home broadband; ~8–12% are smartphone‑only; ~15% have no home internet subscription.
  • Fixed 100/20 Mbps service is available to roughly 85–90% of locations; gigabit cable/fiber is concentrated in Durand and the Village of Pepin, with DSL and fixed‑wireless serving outlying townships.
  • Mobile 4G/5G coverage is strongest along US‑10 and WI‑25 corridors, with patchy river‑valley dead zones.
  • Ongoing state/federal investments (e.g., BEAD) are expanding rural fiber, improving speeds and narrowing the adoption gap.

Insight: Email use is near‑universal among working‑age adults; the main limiter is access, not interest, particularly for older and remote households.

Pepin County, WI mobile phone usage summary (2023–2024)

Headline user estimates

• Population and households: about 7,400 residents and roughly 3,100 households
• Mobile phone users: approximately 6,000 people use a mobile phone (about 95% of adults and ~90% of teens)
• Smartphone users: approximately 5,200 people use a smartphone
• Households with at least one smartphone: about 2,650 (≈85% of households)
• Mobile-only home internet: around 280 households (≈9%) rely primarily on a cellular data plan for home internet

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age
  • 18–34: smartphone usage ≈96%; nearly universal mobile adoption
  • 35–64: smartphone usage ≈90%; high reliance on mobile for work and navigation
  • 65+: smartphone usage ≈70%; Pepin’s older age structure (roughly a quarter of residents) lifts the share of basic/feature-phone users compared with the state average
• Income and education
  • Median household income around the low-$60k range, below the statewide median, correlating with higher prepaid plan use and slower device replacement cycles
  • Lower bachelor’s attainment than the state average aligns with slightly lower app-centric usage and higher reliance on voice/SMS
• Geography within the county
  • Stronger adoption and data use along the WI-35/US-10 corridors and in/around Durand, Pepin, and Stockholm
  • Lower adoption and more basic phones in inland townships with spottier coverage

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage and radio access
  • All three national carriers provide 4G LTE across primary corridors; low-band 5G covers most populated areas outdoors
  • Mid-band 5G capacity is concentrated near towns and highways; terrain (bluffs and river valleys) introduces dead zones off-corridor
• Fixed broadband context
  • About 80% of households have fixed broadband (cable/fiber/DSL), below the Wisconsin average
  • Cable is prevalent in town centers; fiber exists in pockets; many rural areas remain DSL- or satellite-dependent
  • Starlink and other LEO satellite options see higher-than-average uptake, but mobile hotspots remain the fallback for many rural households
• Typical mobile experience
  • Download speeds commonly 20–80 Mbps on LTE/low-band 5G, with higher peaks near towns and lower rates in valleys
  • Noticeable congestion during summer weekends along Lake Pepin and during evening peaks where mid-band 5G is limited

How Pepin County differs from the Wisconsin average

• Slightly lower smartphone penetration: household smartphone presence is a few points below the state, driven by an older population and lower incomes
• Higher mobile-only internet reliance: roughly 9% of households use cellular as their primary home internet, versus low-to-mid single digits statewide
• Sparser mid-band 5G: broader dependence on low-band 5G and LTE results in lower median speeds and more variability by terrain than typical statewide conditions
• More prepaid and basic-phone retention: older users and cost sensitivity keep basic phones and prepaid plans more common than the state average

Quantified takeaways

• ~6,000 mobile users and ~5,200 smartphone users countywide
• ~2,650 households with at least one smartphone; ~280 mobile-only internet households
• Age and terrain are the primary drivers of divergence from statewide usage patterns, reinforcing the need for mid-band 5G buildouts along inland valleys and continued expansion of fixed broadband to reduce mobile-only dependence

Pepin County, WI — Social Media Snapshot (2024–2025)

Population baseline

• Residents: ~7,300 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 est.)
• Adults (18+): ~5,600

Overall social media use

• Estimated adult social media users: ~4,400 (≈79% of adults). Method: Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. adoption rates applied to Pepin County’s older-leaning age mix.

Most‑used platforms (estimated share of Pepin County adults)

• YouTube: ~80%
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~38%
• TikTok: ~24%
• Snapchat: ~22%
• Pinterest: ~32% (notably higher among women)
• LinkedIn: ~18%
• X (Twitter): ~19%
• Reddit: ~16%
• WhatsApp: ~16%
• Nextdoor: ~11% (small‑town usage; many functions shift to Facebook Groups)

Age groups (usage tendencies; local rates reflect Pew 2024 by age, tempered for Pepin’s older profile)

• 18–29: ~95%+ use at least one platform; heaviest on YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok.
• 30–49: ~90%+; strong on YouTube and Facebook, growing Instagram/TikTok use; Snapchat still active among early 30s.
• 50–64: ~80%+; Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram moderate; TikTok lower but rising.
• 65+: ~60%+; Facebook and YouTube lead; limited Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat.

Gender breakdown (directional patterns consistent with Pew 2024)

• Overall adoption is similar by gender locally.
• Skews:
  • More women: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest (Pinterest especially female‑heavy).
  • More men: YouTube, Reddit, X (Twitter), LinkedIn.
• Practical takeaway: Facebook Groups/Events and Pinterest perform disproportionately well with women; Reddit/X/LinkedIn over‑index among men.

Behavioral trends in Pepin County

• Community‑first Facebook: Heavy reliance on Facebook Groups, school and county pages, church/community events, emergency/weather updates, and Marketplace for buy‑sell‑trade.
• Utility video on YouTube: DIY, farm/rural equipment repair, home projects, hunting/fishing, local weather and road conditions.
• Small business and tourism: Instagram and Facebook for cafes, shops, seasonal tourism along the Great River Road; Stories/Reels and event posts drive foot traffic.
• Youth communication: Snapchat as a default messenger for teens/young adults; TikTok for entertainment and local trend discovery.
• Local discovery: Lower Nextdoor penetration; Facebook Groups fill the neighborhood role. Word‑of‑mouth amplified via Group posts and shared events.
• Access patterns: Mobile‑first usage; peaks early morning, lunch, and evenings. Short‑form video and succinct local updates perform best.
• Marketplace behavior: Strong secondhand and seasonal gear trade; listings with clear photos, price, and pickup details move fastest.

Notes on method and sources

• Population: U.S. Census Bureau (2023 estimates).
• Platform adoption: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024. Local percentages are derived estimates applying Pew’s age‑ and platform‑specific adoption patterns to Pepin County’s older age structure; youth‑skewed platforms are adjusted slightly downward, Facebook/YouTube held closer to national levels.