Wood County

Key demographics – Wood County, Wisconsin

Population size

• Total population: 74,300 (2023 estimate). 74,207 in 2020; approximately flat since 2010 (-0.6% vs. 2010).

Age

• Median age: ~43.6 years
• Under 18: 21.1%
• 18 to 64: 58.7%
• 65 and over: 20.2%

Gender

• Female: 50.6%
• Male: 49.4% (about 98 males per 100 females)

Racial/ethnic composition (mutually exclusive)

• Non-Hispanic White: 88.9%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): 4.3%
• Non-Hispanic Two or more races: 3.1%
• Non-Hispanic Asian: 2.4%
• Non-Hispanic Black or African American: 0.7%
• Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native: 0.4%
• Other non-Hispanic: 0.2%

Households

• Total households: ~31,200
• Average household size: 2.29
• Family households: 61% of households
• Married-couple families: 48%
• Households with children under 18: 27%
• One-person households: 32% (about 13% are adults 65+ living alone)
• Average family size: 2.87

Insights

• Aging population (median age ~44; 1 in 5 residents is 65+).
• Racial/ethnic makeup is predominantly non-Hispanic White, with modest Hispanic and Asian communities.
• Household structure skews smaller, with nearly one-third living alone and family households a modest majority.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Vintage 2023 Population Estimates; 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

• Population baseline: ≈74,000 residents in Wood County, WI (2023 estimate), across ≈793 sq mi of land, yielding ≈94 residents per sq mi.
• Estimated email users: ≈60,800. Assumptions: ~86% of residents are age 13+ and ~93% of those use email regularly, producing ≈82% penetration of the total population.
• Age distribution of email users (share of users):
  • 13–17: ~6%
  • 18–34: ~21%
  • 35–54: ~32%
  • 55–64: ~15%
  • 65+: ~27% This reflects the county’s older-leaning profile and high adoption among working-age adults.
• Gender split: ≈51% female, 49% male among email users, mirroring the county’s population makeup and near-parity usage rates.
• Digital access and usage:
  • ≈85% of households subscribe to broadband and ≈90%+ have a computer (ACS-pattern levels for comparable Wisconsin counties), supporting high email reach.
  • Smartphone ownership in Wisconsin is near 90%, indicating strong mobile email access; mobile-only internet users are a meaningful minority.
• Local connectivity context:
  • Denser coverage in Wisconsin Rapids and the Marshfield area via cable broadband; rural townships rely more on DSL and fixed wireless, with fiber footprints expanding.
  • 5G coverage along main corridors enhances mobile email reliability, while rural dead zones persist in pockets.

Mobile phone usage in Wood County, Wisconsin — 2025 snapshot

Headline estimates

• Population (2023 est.): ~74,000; adults 18+: ~58,400.
• Mobile phone users (any type): ~61,400 (≈83% of residents; ≈96% of adults).
• Smartphone users: ~56,500 (≈76% of residents; ≈90% of adults).

How Wood County differs from Wisconsin overall

• Slightly older, more rural profile yields modestly lower overall smartphone penetration than the state average, driven by a higher share of residents 65+ and more rural townships. Adult smartphone ownership in Wood County is about 1–2 percentage points below statewide.
• Heavier reliance on non-urban carriers and fixed wireless access (FWA). Verizon and UScellular historically have stronger rural coverage here than in many Wisconsin metros; T-Mobile is strong in Wisconsin Rapids and Marshfield but less consistent in outlying townships. FWA (Verizon, T-Mobile, UScellular) uptake is higher than the statewide norm in areas beyond cable/fiber.
• Greater performance variability than state averages. Mid‑band 5G delivers metro‑level speeds in Wisconsin Rapids and Marshfield, while rural areas depend more on low‑band 5G/LTE with lower peak rates and more handoff gaps along county highways.

Demographic breakdown (estimates modeled from U.S. Census age mix and recent Pew adoption rates) Adult smartphone users (by age):

• 18–29: ~9,300 of ~9,600 adults (≈97%)
• 30–49: ~17,900 of ~18,500 adults (≈97%)
• 50–64: ~13,300 of ~14,800 adults (≈90%)
• 65+: ~11,800 of ~15,500 adults (≈76%) Teen smartphone users:
• 13–17: ~4,200 users (≈95% of this age group) Implications:
• Seniors have seen the fastest gains since 2019 (roughly mid‑50s/60% to mid‑70s), narrowing but not closing the rural age‑driven gap with statewide usage.
• Income-sensitive segments (more prevalent than in metro Wisconsin) skew toward budget Android devices and prepaid or value MVNO plans, contributing to lower device replacement cycles and more varied 5G capability.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• 5G coverage and spectrum:
  • Mid‑band 5G (C‑band n77 for Verizon/AT&T; 2.5 GHz n41 for T‑Mobile) is live in and around Wisconsin Rapids and Marshfield, along US‑10 and WI‑54 corridors.
  • Low‑band 5G blankets most populated areas and primary roads; LTE remains the fallback in fringe areas and forested segments.
• Fixed Wireless Access (home internet over cellular):
  • Verizon 5G Home and T‑Mobile Home Internet are widely offered in the two cities and some suburbs; UScellular offers LTE/5G home internet in rural pockets. Adoption is above the statewide average in townships lacking cable or fiber.
• Wireline backbones that underpin mobile:
  • Charter Spectrum (DOCSIS cable) covers the cities and many villages.
  • Solarus (the local successor to Wood County Telephone) has extensive fiber in and around Wisconsin Rapids, Port Edwards, and Grand Rapids, supporting strong mobile backhaul. Several rural areas remain on legacy copper DSL, reinforcing demand for FWA.
• Public safety and enterprise:
  • FirstNet (AT&T) provides prioritized coverage for emergency services countywide.
  • Major healthcare facilities (e.g., Marshfield Clinic) and paper/packaging plants drive high daytime network load and enterprise backhaul requirements.
• Market structure:
  • Verizon, AT&T, T‑Mobile, and UScellular all operate in the county; UScellular’s historic rural footprint remains relevant even as consolidation reshapes statewide competition.

Usage patterns and trends

• Video, messaging, and navigation dominate mobile data use; FWA growth since 2022 has offloaded some home usage from smartphones but increased overall cellular demand where wireline options are weak.
• Smartphone‑only internet households (no home broadband) remain more common than in metro Wisconsin, concentrated among lower‑income and rental households.
• Seasonal and corridor effects matter: peak loads on weekends and along recreation routes (Wisconsin River, lake areas) amplify the town-to-town performance spread.

Method notes

• Population and age mix are based on recent Census/ACS patterns for Wood County; ownership/adoption rates draw on recent Pew Research Center smartphone and cellphone statistics applied to the county’s age structure. Figures are rounded for clarity and should be read as best-available estimates grounded in current national adoption rates and local demographics.

Social media usage in Wood County, Wisconsin (2024–2025 snapshot)

Population baseline

• Total population: ~74,000
• Residents 13+: ~62,800

Overall usage

• Estimated social media users (13+): ~49,000 (≈78% of residents 13+; ≈66% of total population)
• Adult users (18+): ~44,800 (≈77% of adults)

Gender breakdown (overall users)

• Female: 52% (25,500)
• Male: 48% (23,500)
• Platform skews: Pinterest and Facebook lean female; Reddit and X (Twitter) lean male; Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok lean slightly female; LinkedIn slight male tilt

Age mix of social media users (counts and share of all users)

• 13–17: ~4,100 (≈8%)
• 18–24: ~5,100 (≈10%)
• 25–34: ~7,400 (≈15%)
• 35–44: ~7,600 (≈16%)
• 45–54: ~7,300 (≈15%)
• 55–64: ~7,900 (≈16%)
• 65+: ~9,400 (≈19%)

Most-used platforms in Wood County (share of residents 13+; estimated users)

• YouTube: ~84% (≈52,600)
• Facebook: ~66% (≈41,200)
• Instagram: ~51% (≈31,900)
• TikTok: ~35% (≈22,200)
• Pinterest: ~33% (≈20,500)
• Snapchat: ~29% (≈18,400)
• LinkedIn: ~28% (≈17,500)
• WhatsApp: ~27% (≈17,000)
• X (Twitter): ~21% (≈12,900)
• Reddit: 21% (≈12,900) Notes: Adults drive Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn; teens and 18–29s drive YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok. Teen usage (13–17) is especially high on YouTube (95%), TikTok (67%), Snapchat (60%), and Instagram (62%); Facebook is modest (33%).

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the community hub: local groups, Marketplace, school and municipal updates, road/weather alerts, and youth sports drive high engagement.
• Video-first discovery: short-form (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) is the primary discovery surface for restaurants, events, outdoor recreation, and local businesses; cross-posting between Instagram and Facebook is common.
• Messaging habits: Snapchat is the default daily messenger for teens/young adults; Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp see family and shift-worker coordination.
• Shopping and consideration: Facebook Marketplace outperforms traditional classifieds; Pinterest and Instagram fuel inspiration, with strongest conversion when offers are local and seasonal.
• Professional use: LinkedIn activity concentrates in healthcare, manufacturing, and public sector—more for recruiting and employer branding than broad content marketing.
• News and alerts: County/school pages and local media rely on Facebook; X is niche for sports scores and severe-weather updates.
• When people are on: peaks around 6–8am, 11am–1pm, and 7–10pm; Sunday evenings perform well for community and event posts.
• Content that resonates: people-forward photos, youth athletics, hometown pride, seasonal activities (hunting/fishing, fairs, snow/road updates), and civic notices.

Method note: Figures are county-level estimates produced by applying 2023 ACS demographics for Wood County to 2024 Pew Research Center U.S. platform adoption rates by age and gender.