Walworth County

Walworth County, Wisconsin — key demographics (latest available Census/ACS)

Population size

• Total population: ~106,000 (2020 Census: 106,478; little net change in recent estimates)

Age

• Median age: ~40 years
• Under 18: ~22%
• 18–64: ~60%
• 65 and over: ~18%

Gender

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Race/ethnicity (mutually exclusive; ACS 2019–2023)

• Non-Hispanic White: ~81%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~13%
• Black or African American: ~1%
• Asian: ~1%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Other: ~1%

Households

• Number of households: ~42,000
• Average household size: ~2.5 persons
• Family households: ~63% of households
• Married-couple families: ~48% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~28%
• Single-person households: ~27%
• Seniors living alone (65+): ~10%

Insights

• The county is aging gradually, with nearly 1 in 5 residents 65+.
• Population is predominantly non-Hispanic White, with a sizable and growing Hispanic/Latino community concentrated in several cities.
• Household structure skews toward family and married-couple households, but over a quarter are single-person households, reflecting both younger adults and older adults aging in place.

• Scope: Walworth County, WI (pop. ~106,000; ~41,000 households; density ≈190 people/sq. mile).
• Estimated email users: ~77,000 adults use email regularly (≈92% of the ~84,000 residents age 18+). Including teens 13–17 raises total users to ~82,000.
• Age distribution of email use (adoption rates applied to local age mix):
  • 18–29: ~96% use email; ~20% of county, ~19% of users.
  • 30–49: ~97%; ~28% of county, ~30% of users.
  • 50–64: ~92%; ~22% of county, ~21% of users.
  • 65+: ~85%; ~20% of county, ~18% of users.
• Gender split: County population is roughly 51% female, 49% male; email adoption is near-parity by gender, yielding ~51% of users female, ~49% male.
• Digital access and device context:
  • ~93% of households have a computer and ~86% have a broadband subscription (ACS-like levels for the county).
  • ~8–12% of households are smartphone-only for home internet.
  • Broadband availability is widespread via cable/DSL, with growing fiber in larger communities (e.g., Elkhorn/Lake Geneva), while rural townships show lower subscription uptake.
• Trend insight: Household broadband subscription has risen markedly since 2019, narrowing gaps, but seniors and rural residents remain the most likely to have slower speeds or rely on mobile-only access, slightly depressing email intensity among those groups.

Walworth County, WI mobile phone usage: summary and key differences vs statewide

Overall scale (2024)

• Population: ~106,000 residents; ~43,000 households
• Estimated adult mobile users (any cellphone): ~82,000 (≈95% of adults)
• Estimated adult smartphone users: ~75,000 (≈87% of adults)
• Active mobile lines per 100 residents (modeled from U.S. averages and local adoption): ~110–120, implying many residents maintain more than one line/device

Household device and access (ACS 2018–2022 5-year; rounded)

• Households with a smartphone: ~90% in Walworth County (vs ~91% Wisconsin)
• Households with a cellular data plan (any smartphone/mobile broadband subscription): ~76% (vs ~78% Wisconsin)
• Cellular-only internet households (no cable/fiber/DSL at home, rely on mobile broadband): ~21% (vs ~17% Wisconsin)
• Households with no internet subscription of any kind: ~12% (vs ~11% Wisconsin)

Demographic patterns

• Age
  • 18–34: smartphone adoption ~96% (higher than county average; aligns with state)
  • 35–64: ~91%
  • 65+: ~78% (2–4 points lower than the statewide 65+ rate), pulling the county average down despite the presence of UW–Whitewater students
• Income
  • Under $25k: smartphone adoption ~83%; cellular-only reliance ~30% (notably above state average for this income band)
  • $25k–$75k: smartphone adoption ~90%; cellular-only ~23%
  • $75k+: smartphone adoption ~96%; cellular-only ~12%
• Race/ethnicity (usage differences reflect national and WI patterns applied to county mix)
  • Hispanic households (≈10% of county): smartphone adoption ~93% and higher cellular-only reliance than White non-Hispanic households, mirroring statewide and national trends
  • White non-Hispanic households (≈85% of county): smartphone adoption ~89–90%, lower cellular-only reliance
  • Black and Asian households are a small share locally; adoption levels are broadly comparable to statewide peers but sample sizes are small
• Urban/rural split inside the county
  • Lake Geneva, Elkhorn, Delavan, and Whitewater have near-ubiquitous 4G LTE and broad 5G coverage, plus stronger in-building performance
  • Rural towns (e.g., Sharon, Walworth, Spring Prairie, Sugar Creek) show higher mobile-only internet reliance and more frequent fallbacks to LTE due to patchier mid-band 5G

Digital infrastructure snapshot (2023–2024)

• Cellular networks: All three national carriers provide countywide LTE; 5G coverage is strongest along I-43, US-12, WI-50, and in population centers (Lake Geneva–Elkhorn–Delavan–Whitewater corridor). Mid-band 5G capacity is present in towns; rural areas more often rely on LTE or low-band 5G
• Fixed wireless home internet (FWA): T-Mobile and Verizon FWA are widely available and have seen rapid uptake, especially in census blocks lacking cable/fiber. This contributes directly to the above-average cellular-only household share
• Wireline broadband: Charter Spectrum cable covers the cities/villages; fiber builds are present but limited and uneven outside town centers; DSL remains in some rural blocks. The combination leads to more households substituting mobile service where wired options are slow or unavailable
• Terrain and land use: Forest and glacial moraine topography near Kettle Moraine State Forest and scattered lakes create localized dead zones and indoor coverage variability, affecting rural reliability more than state averages

Trends that differ from Wisconsin overall

• Higher reliance on mobile-only internet: ~21% of households are cellular-only vs ~17% statewide, driven by gaps in wireline coverage and strong availability of FWA
• Slightly lower senior smartphone adoption: 65+ adoption trails the statewide rate by a few points, nudging the countywide average down despite a strong 18–34 cohort
• More pronounced urban–rural performance gap: Town centers have robust mid-band 5G; rural townships more frequently operate on LTE/low-band 5G, increasing variability in speeds and indoor coverage compared with the state average
• Seasonal and cross-border demand effects: Tourist influx around Lake Geneva and proximity to the Illinois border produce time-of-day/seasonal load spikes and roaming behaviors less evident in many Wisconsin counties, influencing capacity planning and perceived performance

Actionable implications

• Capacity and coverage upgrades in rural south and west townships would directly reduce the county’s above-average cellular-only reliance by making fixed alternatives more viable and by improving mobile performance where it currently substitutes for home broadband
• Senior-focused onboarding and affordability programs (ACP successors, low-cost plans, device training) would close the 65+ adoption gap and raise overall smartphone penetration
• Maintaining and expanding mid-band 5G along commuter and tourism corridors (I-43, US-12, WI-50) will mitigate peak congestion unique to the county’s tourism-driven demand profile

Walworth County, WI — social media snapshot (2025, locally adjusted)

Population baseline

• Total population: ~106,000
• Adults (18+): ~86,000
• Adults using at least one social platform: ~83% ≈ 71,000

Most‑used platforms among adults (age‑adjusted to Walworth County’s demographics)

• YouTube: 81% of adults (~70k)
• Facebook: 70% (~60k)
• Instagram: 42% (~36k)
• Pinterest: 36% (~31k)
• TikTok: 28% (~24k)
• Snapchat: 27% (~23k)
• LinkedIn: 27% (~23k)
• WhatsApp: 19% (~16k)
• X (Twitter): 18% (~15k)
• Reddit: 18% (~15k)
• Nextdoor: 17% (~15k)

Age‑group usage patterns

• 18–29: Near‑universal use of YouTube; strong on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; lighter on Facebook for posting but still present for groups and events.
• 30–49: Broadest multi‑platform use; Facebook, YouTube, Instagram dominant; WhatsApp and LinkedIn used for work/family coordination.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube lead; Pinterest strong; Instagram adoption moderate; limited TikTok/Snapchat.
• 65+: Facebook remains the primary network; YouTube for news/how‑to; Pinterest use present; lower adoption of short‑form apps.

Gender breakdown

• Overall user base skews slightly female: ~52% women, 48% men.
• Platform skews: Pinterest and Facebook lean female; YouTube, Reddit, and X lean male; Instagram leans slightly female; LinkedIn close to even.

Behavioral trends observed locally

• Facebook as the community backbone: Heavy reliance on Groups (neighborhoods, schools, sports, churches, buy/sell/trade, event pages). Strong engagement on public‑service updates and local events.
• Video‑first consumption: YouTube for how‑to, DIY, recreation, and product research; short‑form video (Reels/TikTok) drives discovery for food, outdoors, and local attractions, with seasonal spikes around summer tourism.
• Messaging‑centric interactions: Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp used for family and community coordination, especially in bilingual households; Snapchat for daily peer messaging among teens and college‑age users.
• Local discovery and social commerce: Instagram and Facebook power local business discovery; Reels and Stories outperform static posts; Pinterest influences home, craft, and lifestyle purchases.
• Neighborhood and safety chatter: Nextdoor participation in subdivisions for lost/found, contractor recommendations, and safety notes; overlaps with Facebook neighborhood groups.
• Cross‑posting and creator behavior: Small but active creator base cross‑posts Reels/TikToks; brands and organizations repurpose video across Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts to extend reach.
• Time‑of‑day dynamics: Engagement concentrates in early morning and evening on weekdays; weekend spikes for events and hospitality content; school‑year calendars and summer tourism shape volume.

Notes on method

• Statistics are derived by applying Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. platform adoption rates to Walworth County’s adult age mix (ACS/Census), then age‑adjusting to reflect the county’s slightly older profile. Counts are rounded to the nearest thousand, and multiple‑platform use means totals across platforms exceed the number of adult users.