Washington County

Washington County, Wisconsin — key demographics

Population size

• Total population: 136,761 (2020 Census)
• 2023 estimate: ~139,800 (+2–3% since 2020; U.S. Census Population Estimates Program)

Age

• Median age: ~43 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 5 years: ~5%
• Under 18 years: ~22%
• 65 years and over: ~19%

Gender

• Female: ~50.2%
• Male: ~49.8%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone: ~92–93%
• Black or African American alone: ~1–2%
• Asian alone: ~1.5–2%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~0.3–0.4%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~4%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~89%

Households

• Total households: ~55,000–56,000 (ACS 2018–2022)
• Average household size: ~2.5 persons
• Family households: ~69% of households; married-couple households ~58%
• Households with children under 18: ~29%
• Nonfamily households: ~31% (including individuals living alone)

Insights

• Modest population growth since 2020
• Older age profile than the U.S. overall
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White population
• Household structure is largely married-couple/family with modest average size

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2023 Population Estimates; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year).

• Population and density: Washington County, WI had 136,761 residents in 2020; land area ≈431 sq mi, density ≈317 people/sq mi.
• Estimated email users: ≈101,000 adult users (≈92% of the county’s ~110,000 adults, using national adoption rates).
• Age distribution of email users (estimated):
  • 18–34: ~27,000 users (very high adoption, ≈98%).
  • 35–54: ~38,000 users (≈96% adoption).
  • 55–64: ~15,000 users (≈94% adoption).
  • 65+: ~20,000 users (≈88% adoption).
• Gender split: near parity; ~51% female, ~49% male among email users, reflecting minimal gender differences in email adoption.
• Digital access trends: Email usage is sustained by high home broadband and smartphone penetration typical of Milwaukee metro suburbs, with near-universal device access among working-age adults and strong daily use for work, school, and services. Seniors show slightly lower—but steadily rising—use as broadband and mobile access expand.
• Local connectivity facts: Population and address density concentrate along the I‑41/US‑45 corridor (e.g., West Bend, Germantown), supporting robust cable and growing fiber; sparsely populated northwest areas rely more on cable/DSL and fixed‑wireless. Overall connectivity is high for Wisconsin, with limited rural gaps that narrow each year.

Mobile phone usage in Washington County, Wisconsin — snapshot and key differences from the state

Headline numbers

• Population base: ~136,800 residents (2020 Census). Adults (18+): ~108,000.
• Adult mobile phone users: ~106,000 (≈97% of adults).
• Adult smartphone users: ~97,000 (≈90% of adults).
• Total smartphone users including teens (13–17): ≈106,000 (≈77% of the total population).
• Total mobile phone users including teens: ≈115,000 (≈84% of the total population).
• Households: ≈54,000. Wireless-only (no landline) households: ~38,000 (≈70%), reflecting slightly higher landline retention than typical big-metro counties but still a large mobile-first majority.

Demographic breakdown of mobile use

• Age
  • 18–34: Near-universal smartphone adoption (≈95%+). Heavy app and data reliance.
  • 35–64: High adoption (≈90–92%); strong use of mobile for work and navigation along the I-41/US-45 corridor.
  • 65+: Lower but rising adoption (≈65–75% smartphone). This older share—larger in Washington County than the state average—pulls down the countywide smartphone rate slightly.
• Income and education
  • Higher median household income than the Wisconsin average supports higher postpaid plan uptake, multi-line family plans, and 5G device penetration.
• Urban–rural mix
  • Suburban communities (Germantown, Jackson, West Bend, Hartford) show dense 5G device usage and strong app engagement.
  • Rural townships (e.g., parts of Addison, Farmington, Kewaskum, and the Kettle Moraine area) have lower signal quality and more voice/text fallback, with greater reliance on offline-capable apps.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• 5G availability
  • Mid-band 5G (Verizon C-band and T-Mobile 2.5 GHz) is established along the I-41/US-45 spine and in/around West Bend, Germantown, Jackson, and Hartford, yielding strong everyday speeds and good in-building performance in those zones.
  • Low-band 5G blankets most of the county, providing wide-area coverage with lower peak speeds.
  • mmWave 5G is limited to dense retail nodes and specific venues; not broadly influential in day-to-day coverage.
• 4G/LTE
  • Near-ubiquitous, with capacity strongest in the suburban corridor and thinning in the northern Kettle Moraine State Forest and some far-west pockets where terrain and trees degrade signal.
• Carriers
  • Verizon and T-Mobile each offer broad 5G coverage in populated corridors; AT&T covers the main corridors with improving 5G. UScellular remains relevant in rural pockets but is less central in the suburban core.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA)
  • Verizon and T-Mobile 5G Home Internet are widely available in and around population centers; adoption is noticeable among households seeking alternatives to legacy DSL or as a price play versus cable. Availability diminishes in the most wooded or hilly rural areas.

How Washington County differs from statewide trends

• Earlier and denser mid-band 5G than many Wisconsin counties: Proximity to the Milwaukee metro ring accelerates deployment, yielding higher typical mobile speeds and more viable 5G home internet than the state’s rural north and west.
• Slightly more suburban, commuter-driven usage: Daytime demand clusters along I-41/US-45 and major arterials, with navigation, music streaming, and work apps driving mobile data—patterns more “metro-ring” than the broader state average.
• Plan and device mix skews premium: Higher incomes and family plans translate to higher 5G device penetration and lower reliance on prepaid than the statewide mix.
• Older age profile tempers smartphone saturation: A larger 65+ share than the state average creates a small but noticeable cohort of flip/feature-phone users and slower migration to app-centric services in rural areas.
• Coverage variability sharper across short distances: Strong suburban 5G contrasts with patchy signal zones in the Kettle Moraine and fringe rural areas, a starker gradient than in flatter, uniformly rural counties.

Implications

• Capacity, not just coverage, is the main constraint in the suburban corridor during peak commute windows; carriers that continue adding mid-band spectrum and small cells will outperform.
• Rural dead zones remain primarily a radio-physics problem (terrain/trees); targeted macro infill and newer bands (e.g., C-band, n71/n12) help, but full parity with the suburban spine is unlikely without additional sites.
• FWA will keep expanding where mid-band signal is strong, providing credible alternatives to legacy copper and pressuring cable on price and promotions.

Washington County, WI social media snapshot (2025)

What the numbers represent

• Percentages are share of adults (18+) and are modeled from 2024 Pew Research Center U.S. adoption rates applied to Washington County’s adult population.
• Baseline population (Census/ACS): total ~136,800; adults ~108,000; gender: ~50.3% female, 49.7% male.

Overall reach

• Adults using at least one social platform: ~82% ≈ 88,500 people.

Most-used platforms (share of adults; modeled counts)

• YouTube: 83% ≈ 89,600
• Facebook: 68% ≈ 73,400
• Instagram: 47% ≈ 50,700
• Pinterest: 35% ≈ 37,800
• TikTok: 33% ≈ 35,600
• LinkedIn: 30% ≈ 32,400
• Snapchat: 30% ≈ 32,400
• X (Twitter): 22% ≈ 23,700
• Reddit: 22% ≈ 23,700
• Nextdoor: 19% ≈ 20,500

Age-group usage (share using any social platform)

• 18–29: ~96% (heavy on Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube)
• 30–49: ~84% (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram; LinkedIn for professionals)
• 50–64: ~78% (Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest; growing Instagram)
• 65+: ~59% (Facebook, YouTube; Nextdoor for neighborhood updates)

Gender breakdown and skews

• County population: ~50.3% female, 49.7% male.
• Platform skews: Women over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X. Instagram and TikTok are balanced to slightly female-leaning; LinkedIn slightly male-leaning.

Behavioral trends observed in similar suburban counties and consistent with local usage

• Community-first Facebook: High engagement in city/town/neighborhood groups, school and youth sports pages, and Facebook Marketplace for buy/sell/trade. Event discovery primarily via Facebook Events.
• Video everywhere: Short-form vertical video (Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts) drives reach; YouTube on connected TVs is common for long-form “how-to,” local reviews, and high school/club sports highlights.
• Local trust loops: Recommendations from neighbors (Facebook Groups, Nextdoor) strongly impact choices for home services, healthcare, dining, and recreation.
• Timing: Engagement peaks before work (6–8 a.m.) and evenings (7–10 p.m. CT); weekend mornings are strong for family and community content.
• Civic and safety: Nextdoor and municipal Facebook pages carry road closures, public safety, and parks programming; election and school board topics spur spikes on Facebook and X.
• Youth messaging: Snapchat remains core for teens/young adults; geo-filters and AR lenses see use around schools, sports, fairs, and festivals.
• Commerce: Local retailers and service providers see efficient conversion with Facebook/Instagram lead-gen forms, Marketplace listings, and click-to-message ads; Instagram drives discovery, Facebook closes transactions.

Notes for application

• Expect Facebook and Nextdoor to slightly over-index versus national averages due to an older homeowner base; TikTok may under-index modestly in 50+ cohorts.
• Use mixed creative: short vertical for reach, YouTube CTV for consideration, and Facebook Groups/Marketplace for conversion.