Pierce County

Pierce County, Wisconsin — key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau, 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates)

• Population: ~42,700
• Age
  • Median age: ~37
  • Under 18: ~22%
  • 18–24: ~13%
  • 25–44: ~26%
  • 45–64: ~25%
  • 65 and over: ~14%
• Gender
  • Male: ~50%
  • Female: ~50%
• Race and ethnicity
  • White, non-Hispanic: ~92%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3%
  • Two or more races: ~2%
  • Asian: ~1%
  • Black or African American: ~1%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native and other: ~1%
• Households and families
  • Households: ~16,700
  • Average household size: ~2.6
  • Family households: ~66% of households
  • Married-couple families: ~52% of households
  • Households with children under 18: ~30%
  • Single-person households: ~27%
  • Owner-occupied housing rate: ~76%
  • Average family size: ~3.1

Insights

• Population is stable with modest growth, a younger median age than the Wisconsin average driven in part by nearby university influence.
• The county is predominantly non-Hispanic White, with gradual diversification.
• Household structure skews toward family and owner-occupied households, consistent with exurban/rural profiles.

• Population and density: 42,212 residents (2020 Census) across ~574 sq mi; ~73 people per sq mi.
• Estimated email users: ~33,000 residents (ages 13+) use email regularly.
• Age distribution of email users (share of users): 13–17: 6%; 18–34: 28%; 35–49: 29%; 50–64: 22%; 65+: 15%.
• Gender split: Approximately even (about 50% female, 50% male), with no meaningful difference in adoption by gender.
• Digital access trends: About 92% of households have a computer and roughly 84% maintain a broadband internet subscription (ACS 2018–2022), enabling broad email use. Smartphone-only access exists but remains a minority, and fixed‑wireless is common in rural zones.
• Local density/connectivity facts: Higher‑speed wired options cluster around River Falls and Ellsworth, where population density is greatest; lower‑density townships rely more on fixed‑wireless or cable/DSL, leading to more variable speeds. The county’s proximity to the Twin Cities metro supports strong service availability along major corridors, while sparsely populated areas see fewer fiber passes and longer loop lengths, which can affect reliability and upload speeds.

Pierce County, Wisconsin mobile phone usage summary (focus on local differences vs statewide)

Population baseline

• Population: 42,212 (2020 Census). Age mix skews slightly younger than Wisconsin overall because of the University of Wisconsin–River Falls and proximity to the Twin Cities.

Estimated 2024 mobile users and devices

• Total mobile phone users (any mobile phone): about 36,400 residents
• Total smartphone users: about 34,200 residents
• Method at a glance: Applied Pew Research/CDC ownership rates by age to the county’s age structure (Census/ACS). Adult cellphone ownership ~95%, adult smartphone ownership ~90%; teens 13–17 ~95% smartphone; ages 8–12 ~40% any phone, ~31% smartphone.

Age breakdown (estimated counts)

• 18–24: 5,700 smartphone users (≈96% of this cohort)
• 25–44: 10,000 smartphone users (≈95%)
• 45–64: 9,500 smartphone users (≈90%)
• 65+: 4,500 smartphone users (≈76%); roughly 950 additional 65+ use non‑smartphone cellphones
• 13–17: 2,400 smartphone users (≈95%)
• 8–12: 2,100 smartphone users (≈31%); about 2,700 in this group have any mobile phone

How Pierce County differs from Wisconsin overall

• Higher adult smartphone penetration by 1–2 percentage points, driven by a larger 18–24 cohort and commuter ties to the Twin Cities
• Higher share of residents using mobile data as their primary home internet, concentrated among students and renters in River Falls and Prescott (roughly 14% of households vs ~11% statewide)
• More residents with Minnesota area codes and cross‑border plan mixes due to Twin Cities jobs and shopping patterns; plan pricing and network selection are influenced as much by Minnesota retail competition as by Wisconsin’s
• Wireless‑only telephone households (no landline) are very common and skew higher than the Wisconsin average in student‑heavy tracts; countywide, about three in four adults live in wireless‑only households
• 5G mid‑band coverage reaches a larger share of residents than in many rural Wisconsin counties, reflecting spillover from the metro buildouts

Digital infrastructure snapshot

• Networks present: AT&T (including FirstNet for public safety), Verizon, T‑Mobile, and UScellular operate in the county
• 4G LTE: Effectively countywide along primary roads and in towns; signal can weaken in river valleys and coulees between towns
• 5G:
  • Mid‑band 5G (T‑Mobile n41; Verizon/AT&T C‑band) active in and around River Falls and Prescott and along major corridors, covering a majority of residents
  • Low‑band 5G (600/700/850 MHz) provides broad geographic coverage into rural townships but with LTE‑like speeds
• Fixed wireless home internet (FWA): T‑Mobile and Verizon offer FWA to a large share of addresses, especially in and around River Falls, Prescott, Ellsworth, and along WI‑35/65/63/US‑10; eligibility rates are higher than much of rural Wisconsin
• Fiber backhaul and last‑mile: Pierce Pepin Cooperative’s SwiftCurrent Connect is expanding rural fiber, improving both household connectivity and cellular backhaul stability; charter/cable footprints in towns add additional cell‑site backhaul options
• Coverage constraints: Terrain along the Rush, Trimbelle, and Eau Galle river valleys and wooded bluffs creates localized dead zones off the main corridors; these gaps are more pronounced than in flatter parts of eastern and central Wisconsin

Usage patterns and plans

• Postpaid unlimited plans have above‑average penetration, reflecting commuter data needs and student streaming/gaming
• MVNOs are well represented among students and service workers, but heavy‑data users cluster on the Big 3’s flagship plans to get higher network priority in busy cells near the Minnesota border
• Wi‑Fi offload is strong in River Falls due to campus and downtown fiber/Wi‑Fi, tempering mobile data consumption during daytime hours while evening mobile usage spikes are common in residential areas

Implications

• The county’s younger profile and metro adjacency push mobile adoption, 5G availability, and FWA uptake ahead of many rural Wisconsin counties, while terrain keeps targeted coverage gaps on the agenda for carriers and public safety
• Fiber expansion plus robust mid‑band 5G should continue pulling down per‑GB costs and improving reliability, but infill sites or small cells are still needed in valley communities and along secondary roads to match urban‑adjacent expectations

Sources and methodology

• Population and age structure: U.S. Census/ACS for Pierce County
• Device ownership rates: Pew Research Center (2023) smartphone and cellphone ownership by age; CDC/NCHS wireless‑only telephone statistics
• Network footprint: FCC and carrier buildouts through 2023–2024; local provider announcements (Pierce Pepin Cooperative/SwiftCurrent Connect)
• All user counts are modeled estimates derived by applying national age‑specific ownership rates to county demographics, then rounded for clarity

Pierce County, WI social media snapshot (2025)

Population baseline

• Total population: ~42,200 (2020 Census). Adults 18+: ~33,100; teens 13–17: ~2,600. Figures below model local usage by applying the latest Pew Research Center U.S. adoption rates to the county’s population, which closely matches national demographics in age, education, and broadband access.

Most‑used platforms (adults, share of adults who use each; approx. local users in parentheses)

• YouTube: 83% (~27,500 adults)
• Facebook: 68% (~22,500)
• Instagram: 47% (~15,600)
• TikTok: 33% (~10,900)
• Snapchat: 30% (~9,900)
• Pinterest: 35% (~11,600)
• LinkedIn: 30% (~9,900)
• WhatsApp: 25% (~8,300)
• X (Twitter): 22% (~7,300)
• Reddit: 19% (~6,300)

Teens (13–17) platform usage (national teen benchmarks applied locally; share of teens who use)

• YouTube: 95% (~2,470 Pierce Co. teens)
• TikTok: 67% (~1,740)
• Instagram: 62% (~1,610)
• Snapchat: 59% (~1,530)
• Facebook: 32% (~830)

Age patterns

• 18–29: Heavy on Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok; YouTube nearly universal. Facebook used but less central for daily posting.
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram common; TikTok adoption growing, especially among parents.
• 50–64: Facebook remains primary; YouTube strong; Pinterest popular (especially among women).
• 65+: Facebook and YouTube lead; smaller but rising use of Instagram; TikTok/X remain niche.

Gender breakdown

• Overall user base is roughly gender-balanced locally.
• Skews by platform (Pew national pattern reflected locally):
  • More women: Pinterest (large female skew), Facebook (modest female skew), Instagram (slight female skew), Snapchat (female skew).
  • More men: Reddit (strong male skew), X/Twitter (male skew), YouTube (slight male skew).
  • Close to even: TikTok, LinkedIn, WhatsApp.

Behavioral trends observed in Pierce County and comparable Upper Midwest counties

• Facebook is the community backbone: school districts, youth sports, buy/sell/trade groups, local government and road updates drive high engagement; Events are a key discovery tool.
• Video-first consumption: residents rely on YouTube for how‑to, local sports and outdoor content; short‑form TikTok/Reels increasingly used for local business promos and community highlights.
• Student influence: the University of Wisconsin–River Falls presence contributes to elevated Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok activity in the 18–24 segment.
• Cross‑metro spillover: commuting ties to the Twin Cities broaden LinkedIn usage and boost exposure to Minneapolis–St. Paul creators and events.
• Engagement timing: after‑work evenings and weekend mornings generate the strongest local interactions; weather, school calendars, and hunting/fishing seasons noticeably shape content performance.
• Messaging and groups: Messenger/WhatsApp for family and team coordination; private Facebook Groups and neighborhood forums (including Nextdoor in suburban pockets) anchor hyperlocal discussions.

Sources and methodology

• Population: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census.
• Platform adoption rates: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (U.S. adults) and Teens, Social Media and Technology 2022 (U.S. teens).
• Local figures are modeled estimates applying those rates to Pierce County’s age structure; actual counts will vary with platform growth and migration since 2020.