Sawyer County

Key demographics for Sawyer County, Wisconsin (U.S. Census Bureau: 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates)

• Population size:

  • 18,074 (2020 Census)

• Age (ACS 2019–2023):

  • Median age: ~50 years
  • Under 18: ~20%
  • 18 to 64: ~54%
  • 65 and over: ~26%

• Gender (ACS 2019–2023):

  • Female: ~50%
  • Male: ~50%

• Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census; Non-Hispanic by race plus Hispanic any race):

  • Non-Hispanic White: ~76%
  • Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native: ~13%
  • Non-Hispanic Two or more races: ~7%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3–4%
  • Non-Hispanic Black: <1%
  • Non-Hispanic Asian: <1%

• Household data (ACS 2019–2023):

  • Households: ~8,100
  • Average household size: ~2.2
  • Family households: ~57% of households
  • Married-couple families: ~45% of households
  • Households with children under 18: ~22%
  • One-person households: ~30%
  • Owner-occupied share of occupied housing units: ~80%

Insights:

• Older age structure with about one-quarter of residents 65+, and small average household size.
• Racial composition is predominantly non-Hispanic White with a substantial American Indian population (Lac Courte Oreilles Band presence).

• Scope: Sawyer County, Wisconsin (population ≈18.2K; density ≈15 people/sq mi; primary hub: City of Hayward)
• Estimated email users: ≈13,300 adults. Method: county adult population and ACS internet-access levels combined with Pew email usage rates for rural areas.
• Age distribution of email users (adults):
  • 18–29: ~16%
  • 30–49: ~32%
  • 50–64: ~23%
  • 65+: ~29%
• Gender split among email users: ~51% women, ~49% men (reflecting the county’s older-skewed, slightly female-leaning demographics).
• Digital access and trends:
  • Broadband at home: ~82–86% of households subscribe.
  • Device access: ~90%+ of households have a computer and/or smartphone.
  • Gaps: ~8–12% have no home internet; ~8–12% are smartphone‑only.
  • Trendline: steady year‑over‑year gains from fiber builds and subsidies; adoption remains lower in remote townships and along forested/lake corridors.
• Connectivity facts:
  • Fastest, most reliable service clusters around Hayward and along US‑63/US‑27; outlying areas rely more on DSL, fixed wireless, and satellite.
  • Ongoing state/federal grants are expanding fiber to un/underserved pockets through 2026, improving both availability and email adoption.

Mobile phone usage in Sawyer County, Wisconsin — summary and county-vs-state contrasts

Topline user estimates (2024)

• Population and households: 18,074 residents (2020 Census); roughly 8,000–8,200 households (ACS 5-year). Median age is just under 50, significantly older than Wisconsin overall (~39–40).
• Mobile phone users (any mobile): about 13,300–14,000 adults use a mobile phone (≈90–94% of adults), slightly lower than Wisconsin’s ~95–97%.
• Smartphone users: about 11,800–12,600 adult smartphone users (≈79–86% of adults), below Wisconsin’s ~88–91%.
• Smartphone-only internet households (no home broadband, rely on cellular): an estimated 1,700–2,100 households (≈21–26% of households), materially higher than Wisconsin overall (~13–16%).
• Prepaid share: prepaid plans represent a larger slice of lines than statewide (roughly one-third locally vs about one-quarter statewide), reflecting older age structure, income mix, and seasonal users.

Demographic context that shapes mobile usage

• Age: Older age profile (median ~49–50) depresses smartphone adoption and app intensity versus the state average, and creates a persistently higher segment using flip/feature phones or basic smartphones.
• Race/ethnicity: Greater share of American Indian/Alaska Native residents (≈10–14% vs ~1% statewide) centered around the Lac Courte Oreilles community increases the salience of tribal connectivity programs and mobile-first access strategies.
• Income/education: Median household income trails the state; this correlates with higher prepaid adoption, more price-sensitive plan selection, and above-average smartphone-only internet reliance.

How Sawyer County differs from Wisconsin

• Adoption gap: Smartphone penetration is several points lower than the state average, driven by older demographics and patchy coverage outside corridors.
• Mobile-first access: Smartphone-only (cellular-only) household internet use is notably higher than statewide norms due to limited wireline options in outlying areas; this directly boosts mobile data consumption per line.
• Carrier mix: Usage over-indexes to rural-coverage-centric networks (notably UScellular and Verizon), while T-Mobile under-indexes relative to its statewide share; AT&T is moderate but valued for FirstNet/public-safety coverage.
• Seasonal swings: Tourism and events (e.g., lakes season and the Birkie finish in Hayward) create pronounced, short-term traffic spikes that are larger relative to baseline than in most Wisconsin counties.
• Plan composition: Higher prevalence of prepaid and single-line accounts than state average; family-plan penetration is lower outside the Hayward area.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage pattern
  • 4G LTE: Strong along US-63, WI-27, WI-70, and in/around Hayward, Stone Lake, and Winter; dead zones and edge-of-cell performance persist in heavily forested and low-density areas, including parts of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest and remote lakeshore roads.
  • 5G: Low-band 5G covers core population centers and main corridors; mid-band 5G is present but spotty outside Hayward; mmWave is effectively absent. Net effect: 5G is usable for mobility but not yet a consistent home-internet substitute countywide.
• Capacity and reliability
  • Macro sites are spaced for wide-area coverage; capacity constraints surface during seasonal peaks and large events, leading to temporary deployments (COWs) in peak periods more often than in peer urban counties.
  • Uplink is the limiting leg in fringe areas; VoLTE call reliability falls back to 3G/legacy roaming much less than in the past, but indoor coverage remains challenging in older buildings and at lake cabins without boosters.
• Backhaul and fiber
  • Fiber backhaul is concentrated along state routes and into Hayward; outside these corridors, microwave backhaul and longer fiber laterals limit 5G mid-band densification.
  • Wireline competition is thin beyond Hayward: cable broadband (Charter Spectrum) is concentrated in town; legacy DSL remains common elsewhere; fixed wireless (WISPs) and satellite (notably Starlink) fill gaps. This sustains higher smartphone-only rates than statewide.
• Public safety and equity
  • FirstNet (AT&T) coverage is present on key sites serving EMS and fire; tribal broadband initiatives and state/NTIA-funded builds are active or planned, aiming to improve both backhaul and last-mile reach.

Behavioral and usage implications

• Data usage per smartphone is elevated relative to similar-age rural counties because mobile is substituting for home internet in a sizable minority of households.
• Messaging and voice remain more prominent in the device mix than statewide; app portfolios skew toward practical utility (banking, weather, navigation, telehealth) over data-intensive entertainment in fringe-coverage zones.
• Device mix includes a higher share of budget Androids and basic phones; iPhone share is lower than state average; hotspot devices are more common for homeworkers and seasonal residents at cabins.

Key metrics at a glance

• Residents: ~18.1k; households: ~8.0–8.2k; median age: ~49–50
• Adult mobile phone users: ~13.3k–14.0k
• Adult smartphone users: ~11.8k–12.6k
• Smartphone-only households: ~1.7k–2.1k (≈21–26%)
• Coverage: Solid LTE in towns/corridors; spotty rural forest coverage; low-band 5G common in population centers; mid-band 5G limited outside Hayward

Sources and basis

• U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Census; ACS 5-year for Sawyer County and Wisconsin), Pew Research Center on smartphone adoption by age/rurality, FCC Broadband Data Collection (coverage filings), Wisconsin PSC program materials, and carrier public coverage disclosures. Estimates reflect county demographics applied to observed rural adoption and subscription patterns and are calibrated to be directionally consistent with ACS S2801 (Types of Internet Subscriptions) county/state differentials.

Social media usage in Sawyer County, Wisconsin (2025 snapshot)

Population baseline

• Total population: ≈18.9k residents (2023 ACS)
• Adults (18+): ≈15.0–15.2k
• Gender: roughly even split (≈50% female, 50% male)
• Older age profile (median age high-40s); about one-quarter of residents are 65+

Overall social media penetration

• Adults using at least one social platform: ≈80–83% of adults (≈12–12.5k people; ≈64–66% of total residents)
• Method note: County estimates are modeled from Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. platform adoption rates, adjusted for Sawyer County’s older age structure

Most-used platforms among adults (estimated share of adults who use each)

• YouTube: 80–83%
• Facebook: 65–70%
• Instagram: 35–40%
• Pinterest: 30–35%
• TikTok: 24–30%
• Snapchat: 22–26%
• WhatsApp: 18–22%
• LinkedIn: 15–20%
• X (Twitter): 14–18%
• Reddit: 14–18%

Age-group usage patterns (adults)

• 18–29: ~90–95% on at least one platform; heavy on YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok; Facebook secondary
• 30–49: ~85–90%; Facebook and YouTube dominant; Instagram solid; TikTok moderate; Snapchat moderate
• 50–64: ~70–80%; Facebook and YouTube lead; Instagram modest; TikTok light
• 65+: ~50–60%; Facebook and YouTube primary; limited Instagram/TikTok

Gender breakdown

• Overall usage is similar by gender (near parity)
• Platform skews:
  • More women: Pinterest (strongly), Instagram (slight), Facebook (slight)
  • More men: Reddit, X (Twitter), LinkedIn (slight)
  • Neutral/high for both: YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat

Behavioral trends observed/expected locally

• Facebook as the local hub: High engagement with community and school groups, tribal community pages, local government and sheriff updates, event postings, and Facebook Marketplace (vehicles, boats, ATVs, tools)
• Video-first learning and leisure: YouTube used for DIY, small-engine and equipment repair, hunting/fishing techniques, and outdoor-recreation content; TikTok/Instagram Reels growing for short how-to and local highlights
• Youth messaging and ephemeral content: Snapchat is a primary channel for teens/young adults; Instagram DMs popular across younger cohorts
• Tourism seasonality: Summer/fall and major event weeks (e.g., Hayward-area race/rec events) drive spikes in geotagged posts, story views, and hospitality/business promotions on Facebook and Instagram
• Local-news reliance and trust patterns: Residents depend on locally run Facebook groups/pages for weather alerts, school notices, road closures, and lost-and-found; posts from recognizable local admins garner above-average interaction
• Commerce: Small businesses favor Facebook Pages, Events, and Marketplace; Instagram is key for food, lodging, and guides/outfitters; short-form video (Reels/TikTok) improves reach versus static posts
• Timing: Engagement tends to peak early morning (commute/school prep) and evenings; weekend spikes around events and retail/lodging promotions
• Platform gaps: Nextdoor penetration is limited versus suburban markets; LinkedIn usage is modest given the rural/retired mix

Sources and method

• U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ACS (population/age/gender baseline)
• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (U.S. platform adoption by age/gender)
• Estimates above apply national adoption rates to Sawyer County’s adult population and age mix to yield county-level figures suitable for planning and benchmarking