Polk County

Polk County, Wisconsin — Key Demographics (latest Census/ACS estimates; rounded)

Population

• Total population: ~45,200 (2023 estimate)
• 2020 Census count: 45,0xx (little net change since 2020)

Age

• Median age: ~44 years
• Under 5: ~5%
• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~21–22% (above U.S. average)

Gender

• Male: ~50%
• Female: ~50%

Race and Ethnicity

• White alone: ~94–95%
• Black or African American alone: ~0.5–0.6%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~1–1.3%
• Asian alone: ~0.4–0.5%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2.5–3%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~92–93%

Households and Housing

• Total households: ~19,000
• Average household size: ~2.35–2.40 persons
• Family households: ~64% of households
• Married-couple households: ~50–52% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~25–27%
• Nonfamily households: ~33–36%; individuals living alone: ~27–30%; age 65+ living alone: ~12–13%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~78–80%
• Housing units: ~25,000–26,000 (notable share of seasonal/recreational units)

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; 2023 Population Estimates Program). Figures are rounded for clarity.

• Population and density: 45,400 residents across ~956 sq mi (47 residents/sq mi).
• Estimated email users: ≈35,000 residents. Age-structured estimate applied to the county population: 13–17 (2.7k, ~75% use ≈2.0k); 18–34 (8.2k, 97% ≈7.9k); 35–54 (11.3k, 95% ≈10.8k); 55–64 (6.4k, 90% ≈5.7k); 65+ (10.0k, ~85% ≈8.5k).
• Age mix of users: Teens ~6%, 18–34 ~23%, 35–54 ~31%, 55–64 ~16%, 65+ ~24%.
• Gender split: Roughly even; ≈50% female and 50% male among users (≈17.5k each), reflecting the county’s near‑balanced sex ratio.
• Digital access: 18,400 households; ~91% have a computer; ~82% have a broadband subscription (15,100 households); 13% report no home internet (2,400 households). Smartphone access is widespread, with rural residents more likely to rely on mobile or fixed‑wireless.
• Connectivity and local patterns: Highest fixed broadband availability in and around Amery, St. Croix Falls, Osceola, Balsam Lake, and along US‑8/WI‑35 corridors (cable/fiber in town centers). Rural townships show more DSL, fixed‑wireless, and satellite usage due to coverage gaps and terrain around lakes/forested areas. Mobile 4G/5G covers major population centers and highways, with patchier service in low‑density areas, which correlates with slightly lower home broadband adoption than the state average.

Polk County, WI mobile phone usage: 2024 snapshot

Population baseline

• Residents: ≈45,000 (2020 Census 44,977; modest growth since)
• Adults (18+): ≈35,100

User estimates (adults)

• Any mobile phone: ≈33,700 users (≈96% of adults), slightly below Wisconsin’s ≈97–98%
• Smartphones: ≈29,100 users (≈83–85% of adults), about 4–6 percentage points lower than Wisconsin overall (≈88–90%)
• Smartphone-only internet users (no fixed home broadband): ≈6,000–7,000 adults (≈18–20% of adults), versus ≈14–16% statewide
• 5G-capable handsets among smartphone users: ≈18,000–19,000 (≈60–65%), versus ≈68–72% statewide

Demographic breakdown (modeled from ACS age structure and Pew adoption rates)

• Ages 18–34: ≈7,800 smartphone users (≈96% adoption within this group), near parity with state
• Ages 35–49: ≈7,300 smartphone users (≈95%), near parity with state
• Ages 50–64: ≈8,600 smartphone users (≈80–85%), 2–3 points lower than state
• Ages 65+: ≈5,500 smartphone users (≈58–64%), 5–8 points lower than state, reflecting Polk’s older age mix
• Rural vs. towns: smartphone penetration in Polk’s rural townships trails town centers (Amery, Osceola, St. Croix Falls) by ≈5–8 points; the rural gap statewide is smaller (≈3–5 points)
• Mobile-only reliance skews to:
  • Younger adults and renters in town centers (budget-driven)
  • Households in fringe rural areas where fixed broadband is limited (availability-driven)
  • Net effect: Polk’s smartphone-only share is several points higher than Wisconsin’s average

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage
  • 4G LTE: broadly available along US‑8, WI‑35, WI‑46, and in population centers; pockets of weak signal persist in wooded/lake areas and river valleys
  • 5G: mid-band and low-band 5G cover major corridors and towns; large rural tracts remain LTE-only. Estimated population coverage ≈70–80% in Polk vs ≈85%+ statewide
• Capacity and performance
  • Seasonal congestion noticeably higher around lakes and recreational areas; peak-weekend slowdowns are more pronounced than state average due to tourism inflows and sparse backhaul
  • Along commuter routes toward the Twin Cities, speeds are competitive with state averages; off-corridor rural sectors show larger variance and more frequent fallback to LTE
• Home internet interplay
  • Fixed-broadband access (100/20 Mbps or better) is less ubiquitous than the Wisconsin average, driving higher uptake of mobile hotspots and 5G fixed wireless (where available)
  • 5G home internet availability is growing in towns and along highways; adoption is elevated relative to state average in pockets lacking cable/fiber
• Infrastructure footprint
  • Macro sites are clustered near towns and highways; distance between sites is greater than the state norm, contributing to coverage variability in low-density areas
  • Backhaul constraints (microwave-fed sites) are more common than in urban Wisconsin, shaping peak-hour performance

How Polk County differs from Wisconsin overall

• Lower adult smartphone penetration (≈4–6 percentage points), driven by an older population share and more rural settlement patterns
• Higher smartphone-only internet reliance (≈3–5 points higher), reflecting both affordability choices in towns and availability gaps in rural edges
• Slower 5G handset transition (≈5–8 points behind), leading to a larger LTE user base than the state average
• More pronounced seasonal and off-peak variability in mobile network performance, tied to tourism and sparser backhaul
• Larger rural coverage gaps and greater dependence on LTE in non-corridor areas than the statewide pattern

Method note

• Estimates synthesize Polk County population structure (ACS/Census), national smartphone adoption by age (Pew Research, 2023–2024), and statewide/rural differentials commonly observed in Wisconsin and Upper Midwest counties, calibrated to Polk’s older and more rural profile. Figures are rounded for clarity.

Social media usage in Polk County, Wisconsin — concise snapshot (2024)

How this was built

• Modeled from the county’s age/sex makeup (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019–2023, population ~45K) combined with 2024 Pew Research Center platform adoption rates for U.S. adults and Pew teen findings. Figures below are county-level estimates rounded to reflect local demographics.

Overall reach and user stats

• Adults (18+): ~72% use at least one social platform, equal to roughly 25K–27K adults in Polk County.
• Teens (13–17): >90% use at least one platform.
• Gender mix among active users: women ~53–55%, men ~45–47% (women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; men on YouTube, Reddit, X).

Most-used platforms (adults, share of adults who use)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 65–70%
• Instagram: 45–50%
• TikTok: 30–35%
• Pinterest: 30–35% (skews female)
• Snapchat: 25–30% (skews younger)
• WhatsApp: 25–30%
• X (Twitter): 20–25%
• Reddit: 18–22%
• LinkedIn: 28–33% (skews to college-educated, working-age)

Teen platforms (13–17, share who use)

• YouTube: ~95%
• TikTok: ~65–70%
• Snapchat: ~60–65%
• Instagram: ~60–65%
• Facebook: ~30–35% (mostly for Groups/Marketplace via family)

Age-group profile (which platforms dominate)

• 13–17: YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram dominate; Facebook minimal.
• 18–29: YouTube and Instagram high; TikTok and Snapchat strong; Facebook moderate for Groups/Marketplace.
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube lead; Instagram moderate; TikTok growing; Pinterest strong among women.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube core; Instagram/TikTok limited but rising.
• 65+: Facebook primary, YouTube second; limited use of others.

Gender breakdown by platform (local tendency)

• Women: More present on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; moderate on TikTok; lower on Reddit/X.
• Men: More present on YouTube, Reddit, X; strong on Facebook; moderate on Instagram/TikTok.
• Net effect: Women slightly outnumber men among active users and drive higher Facebook/Pinterest engagement; men drive more YouTube/Reddit/X activity.

Behavioral trends to know

• Local-first engagement: Facebook Groups (community, schools, youth sports, churches) and Facebook Marketplace are high-activity hubs; events and fundraisers perform well.
• Video is the default: YouTube for how‑to, hunting/fishing, home/auto repair; TikTok/Instagram Reels for short tips, local highlights, and news snippets.
• Messaging layer: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are key for private, quick coordination; WhatsApp used within specific friend/family networks.
• Commerce: Facebook Marketplace is the top peer‑to‑peer channel; Instagram and Facebook Shops help local boutiques; Pinterest drives discovery for DIY, décor, recipes.
• News and information: Local news, weather, closures, road conditions, and safety updates spread fastest via Facebook Groups and short‑form video.
• Timing: Engagement typically peaks evenings (7–10 p.m.) and weekends; school‑year spikes occur around after‑school hours; severe-weather days create surges.
• Trust cues: Content from known local people, businesses, schools, churches, and county/city pages garners markedly higher interaction than generic brand posts.
• Seasonality: Outdoor, agriculture, hunting, lake/cabin, and school‑activity content performs strongly in season; holiday drives craft/recipe/retail spikes (Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram).

Notes and sources

• Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2019–2023, Polk County WI) for population/age/sex; Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (U.S. adults) and teen platform use (2023–2024).
• Method: Applied Pew platform‑adoption rates by age/sex to Polk County’s demographic structure to produce county‑specific estimates. Figures are rounded and best used for planning and targeting.