Vilas County

Key demographics: Vilas County, Wisconsin

Population size

• 23,047 (2020 Decennial Census)
• ~23.1k (ACS 2018–2022 5-year estimate)

Age (ACS 2018–2022)

• Median age: ~53 years
• Under 18: ~18–19%
• 18 to 64: ~53%
• 65 and over: ~28–29%

Gender (ACS 2018–2022)

• Male: ~50–51%
• Female: ~49–50%

Race and Hispanic/Latino (ACS 2018–2022; race alone unless noted)

• White: ~84%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~9–10%
• Two or more races: ~4–5%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3%
• Black or African American: ~0.4%
• Asian: ~0.3%
• Other/Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: <0.1%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~10.6k
• Average household size: ~2.1
• Family households: ~59% (married-couple ~50%)
• Nonfamily households: ~41% (one-person households ~34%)
• Households with children under 18: ~19–20%
• Households with someone age 65+: ~44%

Key insights

• Older age profile (median age ~53; nearly 3 in 10 residents 65+) compared with state and U.S. averages.
• Notable American Indian population due to the Lac du Flambeau community, well above state average.
• Smaller households and lower share of households with children reflect the county’s older population and seasonal/retirement dynamics.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates.

Vilas County, WI snapshot (2024-25)

Estimated email users: ~17,700 adults.

• Basis: 2020 Census population 23,047; ~84% are 18+. Applying Pew email-use rates by age to Vilas’s older age mix yields ~92% of adults using email.

Age distribution of email users (share of users):

• 18–34: ~19%
• 35–64: ~47%
• 65+: ~34% Vilas is older than the state average; roughly 31% of residents are 65+, so seniors comprise a large share of email users despite slightly lower adoption.

Gender split among email users:

• Approximately even (about 50% women, 50% men); national data show negligible gender gaps in email use.

Digital access and trends:

• About 79% of households subscribe to broadband; ~87% have any internet subscription, leaving ~13% without home internet. Smartphone-only access is a small but growing minority.
• Rural build‑outs (fiber and upgraded cable) have raised speeds in town centers, but coverage remains patchier in outlying lake/forest areas; seasonal homes influence demand patterns.

Local density/connectivity context:

• Population density ~26 people per square mile across roughly 875 square miles of land, reflecting a sparsely populated, rural county where fixed broadband and mobile coverage can be uneven outside hubs like Eagle River.

Mobile phone usage in Vilas County, WI — 2024 snapshot with county-specific differences from Wisconsin overall

User estimates (adult population basis)

• Population baseline: 23,047 (2020 Census). Adults (18+): approximately 19,100.
• Adults with a mobile phone (any type): ~18,300 (about 96% of adults), reflecting high overall cellphone ownership but tempered by an older age structure.
• Adult smartphone users: ~15,700 (about 82% of adults), lower than Wisconsin’s urban/suburban average.
• Non‑smartphone (basic/feature phone) adult users: ~2,600 (about 14% of adult users), concentrated among seniors.

Demographic breakdown and how Vilas differs from the state

• Age is the defining factor:
  • 65+ share is about 30% in Vilas vs roughly 19% statewide. Estimated smartphone adoption: ~68% among 65+ in Vilas, versus ~90% among 18–64.
  • By count (adults): ~6,900 seniors with ~4,700 using smartphones and ~6,300 using any mobile phone; ~12,200 adults 18–64 with ~11,000 using smartphones and ~12,000 using any mobile phone.
  • Result: Countywide smartphone penetration is pulled down by its older profile; Wisconsin’s more balanced age mix yields higher overall smartphone penetration.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Native American residents are a markedly larger share in Vilas (about 9%) than statewide (~1–2%), centered on the Lac du Flambeau reservation. Historical infrastructure gaps and affordability constraints elevate the share of households relying on mobile service as a primary connection on or near the reservation compared with the state average.
• Household communications mix:
  • Wireless‑only households (no landline): estimated mid‑60s percent in Vilas vs low‑70s percent statewide, reflecting seniors’ greater likelihood to retain a landline.
  • Smartphone‑only internet households (no fixed home broadband): estimated around 10–12% in Vilas vs single‑digits statewide, driven by limited fixed broadband options outside towns and affordability constraints.
• Seasonality:
  • Vilas has one of the highest shares of seasonal/recreational housing in Wisconsin (well above 45% of housing units, versus low single‑digits statewide). Summer population surges and tourism create pronounced seasonal spikes in mobile traffic and localized congestion not seen in most of the state.

Digital infrastructure and coverage realities (county versus state)

• Geography and density:
  • Land/water mix (about 1,018 square miles total, with extensive lakes and forest) and very low population density require wider tower spacing than in southern Wisconsin metros, increasing the odds of weak indoor coverage and dead zones between corridors.
• 4G LTE is the baseline; 5G is present but patchy:
  • LTE covers populated corridors and towns such as Eagle River and Lac du Flambeau more reliably than the lake‑and‑forest interior. 5G availability is largely low‑band “coverage” 5G along highways and in/near towns, with limited mid‑band capacity sites compared with Wisconsin’s metro areas; that keeps typical 5G speeds and capacity below state urban norms.
• Carrier landscape:
  • Verizon and AT&T generally provide the most consistent LTE coverage on primary routes; T‑Mobile’s extended‑range 5G reaches major corridors and towns but has larger rural gaps. Indoor service at lake homes and in heavily wooded areas often depends on Wi‑Fi calling.
• FirstNet/public safety:
  • AT&T FirstNet Band 14 buildouts have improved public‑safety coverage on key corridors and near population centers, but off‑corridor coverage remains more variable than the state average due to terrain and spacing.
• Fixed alternatives and the mobile interplay:
  • Cable and fiber are limited outside town centers; DSL remains in some pockets. As a result, 4G/5G fixed‑wireless access (FWA) offerings from national carriers have grown quickly around populated lakes and towns, offloading home data from mobile plans—but many remote addresses still fall back to smartphone hotspots or mobile‑only usage.
• Performance and seasonality:
  • Traffic surges in summer—around resorts, events, and major lakes—produce more frequent slowdowns than typical Wisconsin locales. Conversely, winter off‑peak periods see lighter loads but also greater indoor penetration issues.
• Affordability:
  • The end of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program in 2024 has a larger relative impact in Vilas than in higher‑income, well‑served urban counties; expect some migration to lower‑cost prepaid mobile plans, data caps, or mobile‑only internet setups.

Key trends that differ from Wisconsin overall

• Lower adult smartphone penetration (about 82% vs upper‑80s in the state’s urban/suburban counties) primarily because Vilas is older.
• Higher reliance on mobile as a primary connection among certain groups (on/near tribal lands, seasonal workers, and lower‑income households) due to sparser fixed broadband options.
• More pronounced seasonal demand swings and localized congestion tied to tourism and high seasonal‑home share—uncommon in most other Wisconsin counties.
• Coverage quality diverges more sharply between highways/towns and interior rural areas than in southern Wisconsin; mid‑band 5G density lags metro counties, keeping average 5G capacity and speeds lower.
• Slightly lower wireless‑only household share than statewide, reflecting seniors retaining landlines—yet among households without robust fixed broadband, mobile‑only internet use is higher than the state average.

What this means for users and planners

• User counts are high for basic connectivity (about 18,300 adult mobile users), but device mix skews more than the state toward basic phones and toward smartphone users with constrained data plans.
• Investments with the biggest impact diverge from metro priorities: adding mid‑band 5G capacity at lake‑area nodes, improving off‑corridor LTE coverage, and extending fiber or high‑reliability FWA to reduce mobile‑only dependence.
• Tribal broadband initiatives and targeted rural buildouts will disproportionately improve Vilas outcomes relative to statewide averages, given its unique mix of older residents, tribal lands, and seasonal housing.

Social media usage in Vilas County, Wisconsin (modeled 2025 snapshot)

Summary

• Population: ~23,500; adults (18+): ~19,500
• Adult social-media users: ~13,300 (≈68% of adults)
• Median age ≈53, skewing platform mix toward Facebook and YouTube and lowering TikTok/Snapchat vs. national averages

Most-used platforms among adults (share of total adult population)

• YouTube: ~66%
• Facebook (incl. Groups/Marketplace): ~60%
• Pinterest: ~29%
• Instagram: ~28%
• TikTok: ~21%
• Snapchat: ~17%
• LinkedIn: ~16%
• X (Twitter): ~15%
• Reddit: ~7% Note: Facebook Groups and local Pages account for the majority of Facebook engagement; Marketplace is a key feature for buy/sell.

Age-group usage

• 18–29: ~92% use social media; ≈14% of all county social-media users
• 30–49: ~86%; ≈32% of users
• 50–64: ~72%; ≈34% of users
• 65+: ~48%; ≈20% of users

Gender breakdown

• Overall users: ≈52% women, 48% men (reflecting the county’s slightly older, female-leaning population)
• Platform skews: Pinterest (heavily women), Facebook (slightly women), YouTube and X/Twitter (slightly men)

Behavioral trends

• Community-first usage: Facebook Groups, town/club/school pages, and Marketplace are the default for news, events, obituaries, fundraisers, lost-and-found, and buy/sell. Local radio and newspaper pages drive discussion.
• Strong seasonality: Summer tourism and cabin/second-home traffic (June–August) and winter sports (Dec–Feb) lift posting, event discovery, and local business promotions. Outdoor-recreation pages (lakes, fishing, snowmobile/ATV, trail conditions) see spikes around weekends and weather events.
• Practical content wins: Users engage most with timely, actionable posts (hours, menus, road/trail and weather conditions, hunting/fishing reports, school sports scores, service disruptions).
• Video behavior: YouTube is used for how‑to, gear reviews, local fishing/snowmobile updates; short vertical clips perform on Facebook and increasingly on Instagram. TikTok use is growing among under‑40s but remains niche countywide.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is the dominant DM channel for community and business inquiries; WhatsApp usage is low.
• Device patterns: Smartphone-first usage, with tablets common among older adults. Engagement peaks early mornings and evenings; midday tends to be lighter.
• Local business marketing: Boosted Facebook posts/events and geofenced ads (≈25–50 miles) deliver the best reach. Instagram helps visually driven hospitality/retail; LinkedIn and X are limited to specific professional niches.
• Trust and reviews: Word-of-mouth via Groups and Facebook recommendations heavily influences service choices; prompt responses and visible owner presence materially improve outcomes.

Method note

• Figures are modeled estimates for Vilas County using 2022–2023 ACS demographics, Pew Research Center 2023–2024 U.S. platform adoption by age/sex, and rural-adjusted usage patterns. County-level social media is rarely surveyed directly; these are the most defensible localized estimates given the county’s older age profile.