Prince of Wales Hyde County

Here are current, official demographics for Prince of Wales–Hyder Census Area, Alaska (county-equivalent):

Population

• 5,753 (2020 Census)
• 5,559 (2023 Census Bureau estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~40.4 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~24%
• 65 and over: ~18%

Gender

• Male: ~54%
• Female: ~46%

Race and ethnicity (percent of total population)

• White alone: ~58%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~28%
• Two or more races: ~11–12%
• Asian: ~1–2%
• Black or African American: ~0–1%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: ~0–1%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~6%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~55%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Number of households: ~2,200–2,250
• Average household size: ~2.45–2.50
• Family households: ~63–65% of households; average family size ~3.0
• Households with children under 18: ~30–32%

Notes

• Sources: U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Decennial Census; 2023 Population Estimates; 2018–2022 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates.
• Figures are rounded; ACS figures carry sampling error but are the standard for small-area age/sex/household detail.

Prince of Wales–Hyder (AK) email landscape (2025)

• Population and density: ≈5,700 residents; ≈0.5 persons per square mile (very low density, scattered island/remote communities).
• Estimated email users: ≈4,200 individuals (≈74% of total population; roughly 88% of those age 13+).
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–24: 20%
  • 25–44: 30%
  • 45–64: 32%
  • 65+: 18%
• Gender split of email users: ≈52% male, 48% female (mirrors the area’s slightly male‑skewed population).
• Digital access trends:
  • Household broadband subscription: ≈78%.
  • Smartphone-only internet users: ≈24% (notable reliance due to cost and housing/infrastructure constraints).
  • Connectivity is improving via regional fiber and microwave upgrades, but many smaller communities still depend on fixed wireless or satellite; LTE coverage is strongest along main corridors (e.g., Craig–Klawock) and spottier in outlying villages.
  • Costs and data caps remain higher than U.S. averages, affecting heavy-use behaviors; email remains the most universal, low-bandwidth tool for government services, healthcare, schools, and fishing/logistics communications.
• Insight: Email penetration is broad across working-age groups; adoption among 65+ is growing but trails due to access and affordability gaps. Ultra-low population density and maritime geography continue to shape connectivity quality and reliance on mobile and satellite backhaul.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Prince of Wales–Hyder Census Area (often colloquially called Prince of Wales–Hyder County), Alaska

Area profile and baseline

• Population and households: 2020 Census count about 5,750; 2023 estimate roughly 5,600. That equates to approximately 2,100–2,300 households across communities including Craig, Klawock, Hydaburg, Thorne Bay, Coffman Cove, and smaller settlements.
• Settlement pattern: Highly dispersed, with a few small hubs and long stretches of sparsely populated road corridors and waterways. Terrain and remoteness shape coverage and backhaul constraints more than in urban Alaska.

User estimates and adoption

• Smartphone users: 3,200–3,800 adult smartphone users, based on local adult population and observed rural-Alaska adoption patterns.
• Household smartphone penetration: Approximately 80–87% of households have at least one smartphone, slightly lower and more variable than statewide in Alaska’s urbanized areas.
• Smartphone-only internet households: Elevated at roughly 25–35% of households relying primarily or exclusively on cellular data and Wi‑Fi calling for home connectivity, compared with materially lower shares in Anchorage/Mat-Su/Juneau. This is gradually declining in fiber-served pockets (see infrastructure) but remains high in outlying settlements.
• Prepaid vs postpaid: Higher prepaid mix than the statewide average, reflecting income variability and roaming uncertainty for non-Alaska carriers.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age: Youth and working-age adults drive smartphone usage; teen and 18–44 adoption is near-universal. Seniors 65+ show materially lower smartphone uptake and data use than the state average, with more basic handsets and voice/SMS reliance in smaller communities.
• Alaska Native households: A large share of residents identify as Alaska Native (notably Haida, Tlingit, and Tsimshian). In these communities, smartphone ownership is widespread, but reliance on smartphone-only connectivity and Wi‑Fi calling is higher than the state average due to limited wired alternatives outside community hubs.
• Multiline households: Fewer multi-line family plans per household than in urban Alaska; more single-line or shared devices in very small settlements.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Radio access: 4G LTE is the primary layer in Craig, Klawock, Hydaburg, and Thorne Bay. Outside hub towns, coverage drops quickly; road and shoreline dead zones are common. 5G NR remains sparse or absent for most residents, unlike Anchorage/Mat-Su/Fairbanks/Juneau where 5G is now common.
• Carriers:
  • GCI provides the broadest local footprint and is the default for many residents.
  • AT&T has service in the main towns and along key roads; it also supports FirstNet for public safety. Coverage outside hubs is inconsistent.
  • Verizon presence is limited; users frequently roam on GCI/AT&T. T‑Mobile’s native footprint is minimal.
• Backhaul and capacity:
  • Historically dependent on microwave links between islands and to the panhandle backbone, constraining capacity and peak speeds.
  • New subsea fiber builds into Prince of Wales Island completed in 2023 have upgraded backhaul to select communities (notably Coffman Cove and Kasaan), increasing reliability and headroom for both fixed broadband and mobile backhaul. Effects are visible in more stable LTE performance and fewer congestion slowdowns in those fiber-fed areas.
• Public Wi‑Fi and anchor institutions: Schools, clinics, libraries, and tribal facilities act as essential connectivity anchors. Residents commonly use these locations for high‑bandwidth tasks and device updates.
• Satellite substitution: Strong 2023–2025 uptake of Starlink and other LEO satellite services for homes and small businesses in outlying areas, which indirectly improves mobile usability via Wi‑Fi calling and offloading. This substitution is notably higher here than statewide.
• Emergency communications: E911 and FirstNet work reliably in town centers; coverage for backcountry response is patchy and dependent on radios, satellite messengers, or community-based repeaters.

How usage in Prince of Wales–Hyder differs from Alaska statewide

• Coverage and 5G: 5G availability is far behind the state’s urban corridors; LTE remains dominant. Residents experience larger gaps between communities than the Alaska average.
• Network dependence: Higher reliance on smartphone-only access, Wi‑Fi calling, and satellite backstops than state norms. Fixed wired broadband alternatives are limited outside fiber-upgraded pockets, raising mobile dependence for everyday internet.
• Carrier choice: Fewer viable carrier options and more frequent roaming for non-Alaska carriers. GCI and AT&T dominate; Verizon/T‑Mobile users face more limitations than in larger Alaska markets.
• Performance variability: Greater day‑to‑day variability in throughput and latency, particularly in microwave-fed or fringe areas. Fiber-fed communities are improving rapidly, widening a performance gap with nearby settlements still on microwave backhaul.
• Cost sensitivity: A higher share of prepaid and capped plans than the statewide average, especially after the wind-down of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program in 2024.
• Safety and work use: Above-average dependence on mobile connectivity for fishing, forestry, and marine travel logistics, but with more use of satellite messengers and two-way radios due to cellular gaps compared to the state overall.

Key takeaways

• Expect 3,200–3,800 adult smartphone users and 80–87% household smartphone penetration, with a sizable 25–35% of households relying mainly on cellular data and Wi‑Fi calling.
• LTE is the practical ceiling for most residents today; 5G is not yet a meaningful differentiator locally.
• Subsea fiber delivered in 2023 is a turning point for specific communities, improving mobile backhaul and reliability there, but benefits are uneven; areas without fiber remain constrained.
• Compared with Alaska statewide, Prince of Wales–Hyder shows higher mobile dependence for home internet, fewer carrier choices, greater use of satellite as a complement, and more pronounced coverage gaps between communities.

Social media snapshot: Prince of Wales–Hyder Census Area, Alaska (2025)

Population context

• Residents: ≈5,750 (2020 Census benchmark; minimal net change through 2025)
• Adults (18+): ≈4,370
• Geography/rural profile: Small, dispersed communities; improving satellite/fixed wireless access (notably Starlink uptake since 2023) shapes usage toward mobile-first, asynchronous viewing, and heavy reliance on community groups

Users and penetration

• Residents using social media at least monthly (13+): ≈3,700 (≈66% of total population; ≈78% of residents 13+)
• Adult social media users (18+): ≈3,240 (≈74% of adults)

Most-used platforms among adults (share of adult population; multi-platform use common)

• YouTube: 75% (≈3,280 users)
• Facebook: 62% (≈2,710)
• Instagram: 36% (≈1,570)
• TikTok: 26% (≈1,140)
• Snapchat: 23% (≈1,000)
• Pinterest: 28% (≈1,220)
• X (Twitter): 13% (≈570)
• LinkedIn: 12% (≈520)
• WhatsApp: 14% (≈610)
• Reddit: 11% (≈480)
• Nextdoor: 4% (≈175)

Age profile (any social media use; adults only)

• 18–29: 90% use; ≈21% of the local adult user base
• 30–49: 84% use; ≈36% of users
• 50–64: 73% use; ≈28% of users
• 65+: 50% use; ≈16% of users

Gender breakdown

• Resident population skews male (~53–54%); among social media users the gap narrows: ≈51% men, 49% women
• Women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Facebook is the community backbone: heavy use of Groups and Marketplace for school updates, ferry schedules, buy/sell, local government/tribal notices, events, and weather/road/harbor conditions; Messenger is the de facto cross-community DM tool
• YouTube is the how-to hub: strong consumption of subsistence/outdoors, boat and small-engine repair, fishing, hunting, and crafts; viewing spikes evenings and winter months
• Short-form video grows seasonally: Instagram Reels and TikTok see sharp increases May–September (charter fishing, lodges, guides, artists, and markets); businesses cross-post Reels to Facebook for reach
• Youth habits: Snapchat and TikTok dominate among teens/younger adults for daily messaging and creation; content is ephemeral and less cross-posted to Facebook
• Connectivity shapes behavior: more scheduled/off-peak uploads; increased Starlink coverage since 2023 has boosted video posting, live-streams for events, and longer YouTube uploads
• Low traction platforms: LinkedIn and X remain niche (state/national news consumption more than local discourse); Reddit usage centers on Alaska-wide subs and hobby niches
• Content that performs: local faces/places, harvests/catches, school/activities, ferry/flight updates, weather impacts, and “how-to” shorts; text-heavy posts underperform vs photo/video
• Effective timing for posts/ads: evenings (7–10 pm AKST) and weekend mid-day; micro-influencers (charter captains, artists, coaches, organizers) drive outsized engagement
• Commerce: Facebook/Instagram drive most local discovery; DM-to-sale flow is common; Pinterest supports seasonal planning (home, crafts, holidays)

Notes on method

• Figures are 2025 modeled estimates built from the 2020 Census/ACS population for Prince of Wales–Hyder, combined with the latest Pew Research Center U.S. platform adoption rates and rural adjustments typical for Southeast Alaska. Percentages are expressed on the adult population unless noted.