Rock County

Rock County, Wisconsin — key demographics

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5‑year estimates)

Population size

• Total population: 163,687 (2020)

Age

• Median age: ~40 years
• Under 18: ~23%
• 18–64: ~59%
• 65 and over: ~18%

Gender

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50%

Race/ethnicity (percent of total population)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~81%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~9–10%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~5%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: ~1–2%
• Two or more races and other (incl. American Indian/Alaska Native, NHPI): ~3–4%

Households and housing

• Total households: ~65,000–66,000
• Average household size: ~2.5 persons
• Family households: ~64% of households
• Married-couple households: ~45% of households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~68%

Insights

• The county is predominantly non-Hispanic White with notable Hispanic (≈1 in 10) and Black (≈1 in 20) communities.
• Age structure is balanced but aging, with roughly 1 in 6 residents 65+.
• Household composition is family-oriented, and homeownership is typical for Wisconsin at about two-thirds of occupied units.

• Population baseline: Rock County ~164,000 residents; density ~228 people per sq. mile. Most residents live in the Janesville–Beloit corridor, which has the strongest broadband and mobile coverage.

• Estimated email users:

  • Adults (18+): ~128,000; with ~92% U.S. adult email adoption, ≈118,000 adult email users.
  • Including teens 13–17 (high adoption), total email users ≈125,000–130,000.

• Age distribution of email users (share of users, reflecting local age mix and national adoption rates):

  • 18–29: ~15%
  • 30–49: ~34–35%
  • 50–64: ~27%
  • 65+: 23–24% Adoption is highest among 18–49 (97–99%), slightly lower among 65+ (~90–92%).

• Gender split:

  • County population is roughly evenly split by sex; email adoption is essentially equal across men and women. Expect ~50% female, ~50% male among email users.

• Digital access and connectivity:

  • About 85% of households subscribe to broadband; ~90%+ have a computer device at home; roughly 10–12% are smartphone‑only internet households.
  • Fixed broadband availability is widespread: ≈98% have access to at least 25/3 Mbps; roughly 85–90% can get ≥100/20 Mbps, with higher speeds common in Janesville and Beloit.
  • 5G and LTE coverage are strongest along I‑39/90 and urban areas; rural edges see more variability in speeds and plan options.

Mobile phone usage in Rock County, Wisconsin (2024 snapshot)

Headline findings

• Estimated users: roughly 130,000–135,000 residents actively use a mobile phone; 115,000–120,000 are smartphone users. Among adults (18+), about 122,000 use a mobile phone and ~107,000 use a smartphone.
• Mobile-only reliance stands out: smartphone-only internet households are higher than the Wisconsin average, and fixed‑wireless (5G home internet) adoption is measurably stronger in the Janesville–Beloit corridor than statewide.
• 5G coverage is robust along I‑39/90 and in urban areas (Janesville, Beloit, Milton), with mid‑band 5G widely present; rural western and southern fringes lean more on low‑band 5G/LTE and can see indoor coverage gaps.

Population context and demographics (ACS 5‑year through 2022; rounded)

• Population: ~163,000; households: ~65,000.
• Age: ~23% under 18, ~59% 18–64, ~18% 65+ (younger share in Beloit; older share in rural towns).
• Race/ethnicity: more diverse than Wisconsin overall—about 10% Hispanic/Latino (vs ~7% statewide), ~5–6% Black (near the state average), and a lower share of non‑Hispanic White than the state average. This mix correlates with higher smartphone‑only and prepaid usage segments in Beloit.

User estimates and adoption

• Adult mobile phone ownership: ~97% (Pew 2023), yielding ~122,000 adult mobile users in Rock County.
• Adult smartphone ownership: ~85% of adults, or ~107,000 smartphone‑using adults. Including teens (13–17), total smartphone users reach roughly 115,000–120,000.
• Wireless‑only (no landline): about 70–75% of adults live in wireless‑only households; Rock County skews a bit above the Wisconsin average due to a younger, more renter‑heavy profile in Beloit.
• Smartphone‑only internet at home: approximately 13–15% of households (about 8,500–9,500) rely on a cellular data plan without fixed broadband—above the statewide share (~10–12%). This is most common in Beloit and parts of Janesville.
• Prepaid segment: above state average in Beloit (driven by income mix and younger demographics), closer to the state average elsewhere in the county.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Networks and coverage:
  • All four carriers—AT&T, Verizon, T‑Mobile, and UScellular—operate in the county with 5G. Mid‑band 5G (Verizon C‑band, T‑Mobile n41, AT&T 3.45 GHz/C‑band) is broadly available in Janesville–Beloit and along I‑39/90; low‑band 5G/LTE predominates in rural areas west/south of US‑14 and WIS‑11.
  • Practical speeds: urban mid‑band 5G commonly delivers 150–400 Mbps down; rural low‑band 5G/LTE more often 20–80 Mbps, with building penetration challenges in older brick structures downtown in Janesville and Beloit.
• Fixed‑wireless access (FWA):
  • T‑Mobile 5G Home and Verizon 5G Home cover most addresses in Janesville and Beloit and extend along I‑39/90 and WIS‑26; UScellular offers LTE/5G home internet in select rural zones.
  • FWA uptake is above the state average in the urban corridor (countywide adoption roughly high‑single digits percent of households, higher in city ZIPs), reflecting limited FTTH build‑out and competitive pressure on cable.
• Wireline backdrop:
  • Spectrum (cable) is the dominant fixed broadband provider across the cities and larger villages; FTTH is limited and uneven outside newer builds.
  • This wireline mix contributes to higher smartphone‑only and FWA reliance than Wisconsin’s fiber‑richer metros (e.g., Madison).
• Mobility corridors and cross‑border usage:
  • I‑39/90, US‑51, WIS‑26, US‑14, and WIS‑11 have dense macro coverage. Cross‑border continuity with Illinois (Beloit–South Beloit) is strong, shaping device/carrier choices for commuters and logistics users.

How Rock County differs from Wisconsin overall

• Higher smartphone‑only internet reliance, especially in Beloit, versus the state average.
• Stronger FWA availability and take‑up in the Janesville–Beloit market than the statewide average, tied to robust mid‑band 5G and limited FTTH.
• 5G performance is more polarized: very fast mid‑band in the urban/interstate corridor and more low‑band dependence in rural fringes, creating a wider urban‑rural performance gap than in fiber‑dense metro counties.
• Slightly younger and more diverse population mix supports above‑average smartphone and prepaid usage pockets.

Notes on method

• Population and household counts come from the ACS 5‑year estimates through 2022; mobile ownership and wireless‑only rates reflect recent Pew Research and CDC NHIS state benchmarks applied to Rock County’s demographic profile. 5G availability and performance reflect 2024 carrier deployments and observed market patterns in similar Wisconsin counties along interstate corridors. Numbers are rounded to emphasize scale and reduce false precision.

Rock County, WI social media snapshot (2024–2025)

Population context (U.S. Census Bureau)

• Total population: 163,354 (2020 Census)
• Age mix: Under 18 = 22.8%; 65+ = 18.6% (QuickFacts)
• Working-age (18–64) ≈ 58.6%
• Gender: Female 50.5%; Male 49.5% (QuickFacts)

Most-used platforms (share of U.S. adults; Pew Research Center, 2024) and estimated Rock County adult reach

• Adult base used for estimates ≈ 126,100 (total minus under-18)
• YouTube: 83% → ≈ 104,500 local adults
• Facebook: 68% → ≈ 85,500
• Instagram: 47% → ≈ 59,000
• Pinterest: 35% → ≈ 44,000
• TikTok: 33% → ≈ 41,500
• LinkedIn: 30% → ≈ 37,500
• Snapchat: 27% → ≈ 34,000
• X (Twitter): 22% → ≈ 27,500
• Reddit: 22% → ≈ 27,500
• WhatsApp: 21% → ≈ 26,500

Age and gender patterns (what this means locally)

• 18–34: Over-index on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat; YouTube is near-universal. Expect heavy short‑form video consumption and DM-based interactions.
• 35–64: Facebook remains the default daily platform; YouTube strong for how‑to, product research, and local information; Instagram growing for shopping discovery.
• 65+: Facebook and YouTube dominate; lower adoption of TikTok/Snapchat.
• Gender: Women are more active on Facebook and Pinterest; men over-index on Reddit and X. Instagram and TikTok are relatively balanced.

Behavioral trends observed/applicable to Rock County

• Community-first usage: Facebook Groups drive local news, school, sports, and buy/sell/trade activity; municipal pages and event listings see consistent engagement.
• Video-led discovery: YouTube for tutorials, local sports highlights, and product research; Instagram Reels/TikTok for event promotion, food, retail, and attractions in Janesville/Beloit.
• Messaging as the conversion layer: Facebook Messenger (ubiquitous) and WhatsApp (notable among multilingual/extended families) handle coordination and customer service.
• Shopping and planning: Pinterest usage (especially among women) influences home, craft, wedding, and seasonal retail; Instagram drives foot traffic via Reels, Stories, and local influencers.
• Youth communication: Snapchat remains core for teens/college-age peer messaging; ephemeral content outperforms static posts for this cohort.
• Workforce/professional niche: LinkedIn is effective for recruiting and employer branding across manufacturing, health care, and education; smaller but targeted reach.
• News and civic info: 35+ rely on Facebook and YouTube for local updates; younger adults encounter news via TikTok/Instagram accounts rather than official outlets.
• Ad performance implications: Facebook/Instagram deliver efficient countywide reach; short‑form video boosts recall and event RSVPs; YouTube is strong for awareness and how‑to; LinkedIn carries higher CPC but precise occupational targeting.

Notes on methodology

• Rock County population, age, and gender figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau (Decennial Census 2020; QuickFacts).
• Platform percentages are the latest Pew Research Center “Social Media Use in 2024” figures for U.S. adults.
• Local user counts are estimates created by applying Pew’s national adult adoption rates to Rock County’s adult population.