Trempealeau County

Trempealeau County, Wisconsin — key demographics

Population size

• 30,760 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age

• Median age: ~41 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~24%
• 65 and over: ~18%

Gender

• Male: ~50–51%
• Female: ~49–50%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2018–2022, shares of total population)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~86%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~9–10%
• Asian: ~1%
• Black or African American: ~0.5–0.7%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.5–0.6%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~2%

Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~12,200–12,400
• Average household size: ~2.5
• Family households: ~65% of households (average family size ~3.0)
• Households with children under 18: ~29%
• Living alone: ~29% of households; 65+ living alone: ~12%
• Homeownership rate: ~78% owner-occupied; ~22% renter-occupied
• Housing units: ~13,400; vacancy rate: ~9%

Insights

• Modest, stable population around 31,000 with a median age just over 40, indicating an older-than-national age profile.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White with a notable and growing Hispanic/Latino community (~1 in 10 residents).
• Household structure is family-oriented with high homeownership typical of rural counties.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates (tables DP05, S0101, S1101, DP04).

Trempealeau County, WI (pop. ≈30,800) email usage snapshot

• Estimated email users: ≈23,700 residents (~77% of total).
• By age (users):
  • 13–17: ~1,800 (8%)
  • 18–34: ~6,000 (25%)
  • 35–64: ~11,400 (48%)
  • 65+: ~4,500 (19%)
• Gender split among email users: ~50% female, ~50% male (mirrors the county’s near‑even sex ratio).

Digital access and trends

• Household broadband subscription: ≈81%.
• Computer access (any type): ≈90% of households.
• Smartphone‑only internet: ≈8–10% of households.
• No home internet: ≈11–13% of households.
• Implications: Most adults can be reached by email; gaps persist among lower‑income and rural seniors where smartphone‑only and no‑subscription rates are higher.

Local density/connectivity facts

• Land area ≈733 sq mi; population density ≈42 people/sq mi (well below Wisconsin’s ~108/sq mi), indicating dispersed settlement.
• Connectivity clusters around Arcadia, Whitehall, Galesville, and the Village of Trempealeau; fixed‑wireless and mobile service are comparatively more important in rural townships.

Notes: Email user counts apply national/state adoption rates to local population and age structure (ACS and Pew benchmarks) to produce county‑level estimates.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin

Sources used: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2018–2022 5‑year estimates (Tables S2801 and S2802), Pew Research Center (2023) for adult smartphone adoption context.

User estimates (scale of use)

• Population and households: About 30,800 residents and roughly 12,400 households.
• Smartphone access at the household level: 89% of households have a smartphone (≈11,000 households).
• Households with any internet subscription: 85% (≈10,500); 15% have no internet subscription (≈1,900).
• Households with a cellular data plan: 74% (≈9,200).
• Cellular‑only internet households (cellular data plan but no cable/DSL/fiber/satellite): 11% (≈1,350).
• Estimated adult smartphone users: ≈19,800 adults, derived by applying an 86% adult smartphone adoption rate (Pew, typical for rural areas) to an adult population of about 23,000.

How Trempealeau differs from Wisconsin overall

• Higher reliance on cellular‑only internet: 11% of households vs 7% statewide.
• More households without any internet: 15% vs 10% statewide.
• Slightly lower smartphone presence at the household level: 89% vs 92% statewide.
• Lower uptake of wired broadband (cable/fiber) and greater use of DSL and satellite than the state average.

Demographic breakdown (ACS 2018–2022, household-level)

• By age of householder
  • Under 35: 95% have an internet subscription; 14% are cellular‑only.
  • 35–64: 90% have an internet subscription; 11% cellular‑only.
  • 65 and older: 72% have an internet subscription; 26% have no internet; 8% cellular‑only.
  • State comparison: Older‑adult connectivity is weaker in Trempealeau than statewide (Wisconsin 65+ internet subscription is closer to 80%).
• By household income
  • Under $25,000: 60% have internet; 35% have no internet; 18% cellular‑only.
  • $25,000–$74,999: 85% have internet; 14% no internet; 12% cellular‑only.
  • $75,000 and above: 97% have internet; 2% no internet; 6% cellular‑only.
  • State comparison: Low‑income households in Trempealeau are more likely to be unconnected or cellular‑only than the statewide average.
• By education of householder
  • Less than high school: 58% have internet; 20% cellular‑only.
  • High school graduate: 80% have internet; 12% cellular‑only.
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher: 97% have internet; 5% cellular‑only.
  • State comparison: Gaps by education are wider than the statewide pattern, with especially lower connectivity among those without a diploma.
• By race/ethnicity of householder (note: smaller sample sizes increase uncertainty)
  • Non‑Hispanic White: 84% have internet; 10% cellular‑only.
  • Hispanic/Latino: 89% have internet; 17% cellular‑only.
  • State comparison: Hispanic/Latino households in Trempealeau show higher smartphone/cellular dependence than the county’s white, non‑Hispanic households and the statewide Hispanic average.

Digital infrastructure points (subscription mix as a proxy for availability and usage)

• Among households with internet in Trempealeau County:
  • Cable: 53% (vs Wisconsin 61%).
  • Fiber: 8% (vs Wisconsin 14%).
  • DSL: 12% (vs Wisconsin 8%).
  • Satellite: 5% (vs Wisconsin 2%).
  • Cellular data plan in the household (alone or alongside a wired plan): 66% (vs Wisconsin 62%).
• Interpreting the mix:
  • Lower fiber and cable subscription shares indicate more limited wired high‑capacity options outside towns such as Arcadia, Galesville, Whitehall, Blair, Independence, and Trempealeau.
  • Higher DSL and satellite use, coupled with an elevated cellular‑only share, points to households substituting mobile service where wired broadband is less available or less affordable.
  • The combination of lower wired uptake and higher cellular reliance differentiates Trempealeau from Wisconsin’s overall pattern of stronger wired (especially cable/fiber) adoption.

Key takeaways

• Mobile plays a disproportionate role in household connectivity in Trempealeau County relative to Wisconsin as a whole, evidenced by a higher cellular‑only share and wider demographic gaps in wired broadband adoption.
• Older, lower‑income, and less‑educated households are both less connected overall and more likely to rely on cellular data when connected, magnifying digital‑equity challenges.
• Fiber and cable subscriptions trail state averages, while DSL and satellite remain more common, reinforcing the role of mobile service as a primary or backup internet solution for many households.

Social media snapshot: Trempealeau County, Wisconsin (2024)

• Population and audience size

  • Total population: ~31,000 (2023 estimate, U.S. Census Bureau).
  • Adults (18+): ~76–78% of residents. Social audiences locally skew adult, with teens heavily active on YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok.

• Gender breakdown

  • Overall social audience mirrors the county’s near 50/50 population split (female ≈50%, male ≈50%).
  • Platform skews (national usage patterns applied locally): Pinterest skews female; LinkedIn, Reddit, and X (Twitter) skew male; Instagram and Snapchat lean slightly female; Facebook and YouTube are broadly balanced.

• Most-used platforms (adult reach; percentages reflect Pew Research Center, 2024, applied locally; multi-platform use means totals exceed 100%)

  • YouTube: ~83% of adults
  • Facebook: ~68%
  • Instagram: ~47%
  • Pinterest: ~35%
  • TikTok: ~33%
  • LinkedIn: ~30%
  • WhatsApp: ~29%
  • Snapchat: ~27%
  • X (Twitter): ~22%
  • Reddit: ~22%
  • Nextdoor: ~20%

• Age groups and usage patterns (how usage concentrates locally)

  • Teens (13–17): Heavy on YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok; messaging and short-form video dominate. Instagram used for following peers, school activities, and creators.
  • Young adults (18–29): Multi-platform with high Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube use; DM-first behavior; Reels/Shorts consumption and creation are common.
  • Adults 30–49: Facebook and YouTube anchor daily use; Instagram for brands, local businesses, and creators; increasing Reels/Shorts viewing.
  • Adults 50–64: Facebook is the default daily network (groups, local news, events, Marketplace) alongside YouTube for how‑to and product research.
  • 65+: Facebook for community and family updates; YouTube for tutorials, local content, and entertainment; lower adoption of TikTok/Snapchat.

• Behavioral trends observed in rural Midwestern counties and applicable locally

  • Community-first on Facebook: High engagement in local groups (schools, youth sports, churches, municipal and county updates) and heavy use of Marketplace for buy/sell/trade of farm, outdoor, and household goods.
  • Video-first consumption: Strong YouTube usage for how‑to, DIY, equipment maintenance, home projects, hunting/fishing/outdoor content; short-form video (Reels/Shorts/TikTok) now a primary discovery surface.
  • Messaging over public posting: Residents increasingly interact via Facebook Messenger, Snapchat DMs, and Instagram DMs; many “view-only” users prefer groups and stories to posting publicly.
  • Event-driven spikes: School events, county fairs, hunting/fishing season openers, and severe weather drive rapid local sharing and group activity.
  • Local commerce discovery: Facebook/Instagram are the main discovery channels for small businesses, restaurants, services, and seasonal events; reviews and word‑of‑mouth within groups carry outsized weight.

Notes on methodology and data integrity

• Platform percentages come from Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adult social media adoption; they are applied to Trempealeau County’s adult population to indicate local reach. Exact county-level platform measurements are not published; behaviors reflect consistent rural Midwest patterns observed in survey research.