Vernon County

Vernon County, Wisconsin — Key Demographics (U.S. Census Bureau: 2020 Census; 2018–2022 ACS 5-year)

• Population size

  • 2020 Census: 30,714
  • 2023 estimate: ~31,000

• Age

  • Median age: ~41
  • Under 18: ~26%
  • 65 and over: ~19%

• Gender

  • Female: ~50%
  • Male: ~50%

• Racial/ethnic composition (2020 framework)

  • White, non-Hispanic: ~93%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3%
  • Two or more races: ~3%
  • American Indian and Alaska Native: ~1%
  • Black or African American: ~1%
  • Asian: <1%
  • Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: ~0%

• Households and families

  • Households: ~12,000
  • Persons per household: ~2.5–2.6
  • Family households: ~64% of households; married-couple families are the majority
  • Owner-occupied housing rate: ~78%
  • Median household income (2018–2022 dollars): low-$60,000s

Insights

• Vernon County is small, rural, and aging modestly, with a high share of married-couple, owner-occupied households.
• The population is predominantly non-Hispanic White, with small but growing Hispanic and multiracial populations.
• Larger-than-average household size for Wisconsin reflects family and rural community composition.

Vernon County, Wisconsin snapshot (2023/ACS, Pew; estimates derived from local demography and U.S./WI adoption rates):

• Population: ~30,700; density ~38 people/sq mi (predominantly rural)
• Estimated email users: ~22,000 adults (≈72% of total population; ≈93% of connected adults)

Age distribution of email users (counts, share of email users):

• 18–29: ~4,200 (19%)
• 30–49: ~7,100 (32%)
• 50–64: ~5,100 (23%)
• 65+: ~5,700 (26%) Email use is near-universal among under-50 adults and strong among seniors, with steady growth in the 65+ cohort.

Gender split:

• Female ~51%, Male ~49% (mirrors county composition; women adopt email slightly more than men)

Digital access and connectivity:

• Households with a computer: ~90% (ACS 2018–2022)
• Households with a broadband subscription (any type, including cable/DSL/fiber/cellular): ~80%
• No home internet subscription: ~15%
• Smartphone‑only internet households: ~7% Rural dispersion and hilly terrain temper fixed broadband coverage, but ongoing fiber and 4G/5G buildouts along Viroqua–Westby and major corridors are improving speeds and reliability, supporting high email reliance for government services, healthcare, schools, and small-business communications.

Vernon County, WI: Mobile phone usage summary (2024)

Scope and method

• Estimates are calibrated from 2023–2024 national and Wisconsin benchmarks (Pew Research Center mobile ownership, U.S. Census/ACS computer and internet use, CDC NHIS wireless‑only telephone status, FCC coverage filings) and adjusted for Vernon County’s rural age mix, income profile, terrain, and sizable Old Order/“Plain” communities. Population base used: ~31,000 residents.

User estimates

• Total mobile phone users (any cellphone): ~24,500–26,000 residents
  • Adults 18+: ~22,500–24,000 with a cellphone
  • Teens 13–17: ~1,700–2,000 with a cellphone
• Smartphone users: ~19,000–21,000 residents
  • Adult smartphone ownership rate estimated 80–84% (6–10 points below WI average), reflecting rurality, older age, and Plain communities’ lower adoption
• Households with a cellular data plan: ~8,300–9,000 of ~12,500 households (about 66–72%)
• Households relying on cellular as their only home internet: ~2,300–2,800 (about 18–22%), several points above the statewide share
• Wireless‑only voice households (no landline): ~7,000–8,000 households (about 56–64%), below the statewide share due to landline retention among older and Plain households despite strong national wireless‑only trends

Demographic patterns shaping usage

• Age: A larger 65+ share than Wisconsin overall translates to lower smartphone penetration among seniors (roughly mid‑60s to low‑70s percent in the county vs upper‑70s to low‑80s percent statewide). Younger adults and teens still exhibit high smartphone use, but Plain communities meaningfully depress teen smartphone rates relative to the state.
• Income and work: Median household income trails the state average; prepaid plans and budget Android devices have a higher share. Agriculture, trades, and small retail dominate outside Viroqua/Westby, favoring reliable voice/text and basic data over premium 5G plans.
• Cultural factors: Vernon County hosts one of Wisconsin’s largest Amish/Old Order communities, which markedly reduces smartphone ownership and shifts some usage to shared or community phones, voice‑only devices, or limited, purpose‑bound mobile access.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Carriers present: Verizon, AT&T (including FirstNet), T‑Mobile, and UScellular. UScellular and Verizon have comparatively strong rural footprints and ridgeline macro sites; T‑Mobile presence improves along primary corridors but is more variable in valleys.
• Coverage and terrain: The Driftless Area’s hills and coulees create dead zones and shadowing, yielding good corridor/ridgetop LTE coverage but spotty valley coverage. Geographic coverage is meaningfully below statewide levels even where population coverage is high.
• 5G availability: Predominantly low‑band 5G (excellent reach, modest speeds). Mid‑band 5G capacity is limited outside town centers and major routes; mmWave is effectively absent. Practical speeds for most users are LTE‑like to low‑end 5G in rural tracts.
• Performance: Typical download speeds range ~5–50 Mbps on LTE and ~30–150 Mbps on low‑band 5G, with higher variance than Wisconsin’s metro counties. Peak‑hour congestion is common near schools, events, and along US‑14/WI‑27 corridors.
• Redundancy and public safety: FirstNet coverage is present but constrained by terrain in valleys; agencies often maintain multi‑carrier devices/radios for redundancy. E911 performance is generally strong in towns, more variable in remote hollows.
• Complementary wired access: Vernon Communications Cooperative and other local providers have expanded fiber in and around Viroqua/Westby and some rural zones, but gaps persist. Where fiber/coax are absent, cellular serves as primary or backup home internet.

How Vernon County differs from Wisconsin overall

• Lower smartphone penetration: Adult smartphone ownership is estimated 6–10 points lower than the Wisconsin average due to older age mix, lower incomes, and Plain communities.
• More cellular‑only home internet: Reliance on mobile broadband as the sole home connection is several points higher than the state, driven by fiber/coax gaps.
• Greater network variability: The Driftless topography produces more frequent dead zones and steeper urban–rural speed gradients than most Wisconsin counties.
• Different carrier mix: UScellular and Verizon play outsized roles relative to T‑Mobile compared with urban/suburban Wisconsin.
• Slower 5G transition: Low‑band 5G is widespread enough for coverage maps, but mid‑band capacity 5G is materially sparser than state averages, limiting consistent 150–300 Mbps experiences outside town centers.
• Device/plan profile: Higher share of basic and prepaid plans, hotspot add‑ons for home internet, and voice‑centric usage compared with the state’s metro counties.

Key takeaways

• Roughly two‑thirds to nearly three‑quarters of households maintain a cellular data plan, but only about one in five rely on cellular as their only home internet—higher than the state due to patchy wired options.
• Between 19,000 and 21,000 residents use smartphones, with total cellphone users approaching 25,000. The gap to Wisconsin averages is explained by age, income, culture, and terrain.
• Investment that expands mid‑band 5G and fills valley coverage gaps, paired with continued rural fiber build‑outs, would narrow the county’s mobile performance and adoption gap with the rest of Wisconsin.

Vernon County, WI — social media snapshot (2024–2025)

Population and total users

• Residents: ~30,700
• Adults (18+): ~23,600
• Adults using at least one social platform: ~19,000–20,000 (≈80–85% of adults)

Most‑used platforms among adults (modeled county estimates)

• YouTube: 82% of adults (~19.4k)
• Facebook: 70% (~16.5k)
• Instagram: 44% (~10.4k)
• Pinterest: 34% (~8.0k)
• TikTok: 30% (~7.1k)
• Snapchat: 25% (~5.9k)
• LinkedIn: 22% (~5.2k)
• X (Twitter): 22% (~5.2k)
• Reddit: 18% (~4.2k) Notes: Shares reflect 2024 U.S. usage rates (Pew) adjusted to Vernon County’s older, more rural profile. Counts are overlapping (multiplatform use).

Age-group profile and usage

• Teens 13–17: High daily use; Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram dominate. Facebook used mainly for school sports, events, and family.
• 18–29: ~95%+ on social; heavy on YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok; Facebook for Marketplace/groups and local ties.
• 30–49: ~85–90% on social; Facebook and YouTube lead; Instagram widely used; TikTok meaningful but secondary.
• 50–64: ~75–80% on social; Facebook primary; YouTube for how‑to, news, agriculture/outdoors; Instagram modest.
• 65+: ~50–55% on social; Facebook is the hub for news, churches, health, and community updates; YouTube second.

Gender breakdown (tendencies in the county)

• Facebook and Instagram: skew female (Facebook user base ≈55–60% women; Instagram similar but younger)
• Pinterest: strongly female (≈70–80% of users)
• YouTube: slight male skew overall; broad across ages
• Reddit and X: skew male
• Snapchat and TikTok: closer to gender‑balanced among younger users

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Facebook is the community backbone: local groups, schools, churches, youth sports, civic alerts; Facebook Marketplace is a top channel for farm/rural equipment, vehicles, and household goods.
• Video is utility‑driven: YouTube dominates for how‑to, DIY, farming, hunting/fishing, small‑engine repair, and local government recordings; short‑form video (Reels/TikTok) is rising for local businesses and events.
• Messaging habits: Facebook Messenger across adults; Snapchat is the default for teens/young adults; Instagram DMs used among 18–34.
• News and trust: Highest engagement and trust accrue to local institutions (school districts, sheriff/EMS, municipalities, county health); local weather and road conditions consistently outperform national topics.
• Commerce and fundraising: Strong response to limited‑radius promos (farm stores, hardware, auto, hospitality) and school/booster campaigns; “shop local” seasonal pushes perform well.
• Timing: Evenings (7–10 pm) and weekend mornings see the highest engagement; weekday lunch hours show secondary spikes.
• Creator landscape: Few large creators; micro‑influencers tied to agriculture, outdoors, wellness, and local food perform best; authenticity and place‑based content drive shares.
• Platform stickiness: Older adults remain Facebook‑first; younger cohorts split attention across Instagram/Snap/TikTok; cross‑posting short video (Reels + TikTok) improves reach without fragmenting effort.

Method and sources

• Population baselines: U.S. Census/ACS for Vernon County (latest available).
• Platform rates: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use (2023–2024). County figures are modeled by applying those rates and adjusting for the county’s older, rural profile.