Del Norte County

Here’s a concise profile of Del Norte County, California. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, tables DP05/S1101).

Population size

• Total population: 27,743 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~38
• Under 18: ~22–23%
• 18 to 64: ~61–63%
• 65 and over: ~15–16%

Gender

• Male: ~55%
• Female: ~45%

Race and ethnicity

• White alone: ~65–70%
• Black or African American alone: ~5–7%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~7–9%
• Asian alone: ~2–4%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0–1%
• Some other race alone: ~5–7%
• Two or more races: ~9–12%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~20–25%

Households and housing

• Total households: ~9,500–9,800
• Persons per household (avg): ~2.5–2.7
• Family households: ~65–70% of households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~58–62%
• Total housing units: ~10,500–10,800

Note: Figures are ACS estimates (rounded) and may differ slightly from decennial counts.

• Snapshot: Del Norte County, CA has 28,000 residents over ~1,230 sq mi (23 people/sq mi). Most live in/near Crescent City; outlying areas are rural with patchy coverage.
• Estimated email users: 16,000–19,000 residents use email at least monthly (based on adult share and typical rural adoption).
• Age profile (approx. adoption among age group):
  • 13–17: 70–80%
  • 18–29: 95%+
  • 30–49: ~95%
  • 50–64: ~85–90%
  • 65+: ~75–85%
• Gender split: Among community-dwelling adults, roughly balanced (~49–51% each). Note: The county’s male-heavy census is influenced by Pelican Bay State Prison; incarcerated residents have limited internet/email access, so the active email user base likely skews slightly female.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Household broadband subscription roughly 80–85% (below California average); computer ownership near ~85–90%.
  • Smartphone-only internet households estimated 15–20%.
  • Connectivity strongest along US‑101 and in Crescent City; remote forested/coastal areas (e.g., Klamath, Smith River) see slower speeds and higher outages.
  • Public Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools, government sites) remains an important access point.
  • Ongoing state middle‑mile investments aim to improve North Coast backhaul, which should gradually lift reliability and adoption.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Del Norte County, California

Context snapshot

• Small, rural, coastal county (~28,000 residents) with rugged terrain, dispersed settlements, and a large state prison (Pelican Bay) that inflates population counts but not consumer device ownership.
• Economic indicators skew lower than California averages; age profile is older; Native American share is higher than the state average. Residents routinely travel US‑101 and CA‑199 and often cross into Oregon (Brookings) for work/shopping.

User estimates (order‑of‑magnitude, with method)

• People with any mobile phone: roughly 19,000–22,000 (about 70–80% of total population). Method: total population minus institutionalized residents and young children, multiplied by rural adoption rates.
• Smartphone users: roughly 16,000–19,000 (about 85–90% of mobile users), below California’s ~91% adult smartphone ownership.
• Mobile‑only home internet households: about 1,700–2,400 (roughly 18–25% of 9,000–10,000 households), likely higher than the state’s ~12–15% due to limited fixed broadband outside Crescent City and along river canyons.

Demographic patterns that shape usage

• Age: Higher share of 65+. Smartphone ownership and app use among seniors likely 55–65%—well below statewide—driving more basic/flip‑phone use and slower 5G handset turnover.
• Income: Lower median income means a higher share of prepaid plans, budget Android devices, longer upgrade cycles, and prior reliance on subsidies. The 2024 lapse of the Affordable Connectivity Program increased bill pressure and churn risk for mobile broadband users.
• Tribal communities: Native American population share is several times the state average; coverage gaps on and near tribal lands and affordability barriers elevate the importance of community Wi‑Fi, fixed wireless, and targeted digital inclusion.
• Incarceration: A large institutionalized population (state prison) reduces per‑capita device metrics compared with California and complicates simple “devices per resident” comparisons.
• Mobility patterns: Regular cross‑border trips into Curry County, OR create roaming/coverage expectations across state lines and seasonal traffic from park tourism drives summer peak loads.

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• Where service works best: Crescent City and the US‑101 corridor have the most consistent LTE/5G low‑band coverage; CA‑199 performs reasonably near Hiouchi but degrades in the Smith River canyon and toward Gasquet.
• Gaps: Mountainous and forested areas (Klamath, inland river corridors, ridgelines) have notable dead zones; coastal topography can shadow valleys even close to town.
• 5G: Predominantly low‑band coverage; mid‑band 5G capacity is limited compared with metro California. Users often see LTE‑like performance, and speeds fall at peak times and during tourist season.
• Carriers: Verizon generally strongest footprint; AT&T has improved where public‑safety FirstNet sites were added; T‑Mobile is good in town centers but more variable inland.
• Backhaul/fiber: Few long‑haul fiber routes serve the far North Coast; landslides, storms, and construction cuts can cause county‑wide slowdowns or outages. This fragility is a bigger risk than in most of California’s urban counties.
• Power resiliency: Coastal wind/rain storms cause outages; not all towers have long‑duration backup. Service reliability can lag state norms during multi‑day events.
• Fixed alternatives: Cable broadband (e.g., in Crescent City) is available, but much of the county relies on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite. That pushes heavier reliance on mobile data for homework, telehealth, and gig work.
• Public safety: Wireless Emergency Alerts are critical in an area exposed to tsunamis and earthquakes; coverage gaps elevate the importance of sirens, radio, and community networks.

Ways Del Norte differs from California overall

• Lower smartphone penetration and slower device refresh, especially among seniors.
• Higher share of prepaid and subsidy‑sensitive users; ACP’s funding lapse had outsized local impact.
• More households relying on mobile service as their primary home internet.
• More pronounced dead zones and slower 5G (capacity) rollout; mid‑band 5G is sparse.
• Greater network fragility from limited fiber backhaul and storm/slide disruptions.
• Seasonal congestion from tourism and cross‑border usage into Oregon are more influential than in most CA counties.
• Tribal lands and remote communities face larger affordability and coverage gaps than the statewide average.
• Population statistics are skewed by a large incarcerated population, lowering per‑capita device metrics relative to state benchmarks.

Implications for planning and programs

• Prioritize mid‑band 5G and additional macro/micro sites along CA‑199, Klamath/Smith River corridors, and shadowed coastal pockets.
• Expand fiber/backhaul diversity and mandate longer tower backup power runtimes to improve resilience.
• Target affordability and digital‑skills programs to seniors, tribal communities, and low‑income households; coordinate with libraries, schools, and clinics.
• Account for Oregon roaming in plan design and emergency communications, and for seasonal capacity boosts May–September.

Note on uncertainty: County‑level mobile ownership figures aren’t directly published; numbers above are ranges based on population, age/income profiles from ACS, rural ownership patterns, and statewide adoption studies.

Here’s a concise, decision-ready snapshot of social media use in Del Norte County, CA (estimates derived from 2023 ACS population, platform planning tools, and recent Pew/U.S. usage rates; small-county figures naturally carry error bars).

Topline user stats

• Population: ~27.5–28k
• Estimated active social media users (monthly): 14–16k
  • Basis: non-institutional residents age 13+ with typical U.S. social adoption
  • Note: Pelican Bay State Prison inflates the male population count but does not contribute active users, so the online audience skews slightly more female than raw census numbers

Age mix among active users (share of users)

• 13–17: ~10%
• 18–24: ~12%
• 25–34: ~20%
• 35–49: ~27%
• 50–64: ~20%
• 65+: ~11%

Gender breakdown (share of users)

• Female: ~54–56%
• Male: ~44–46%
• Non-binary/unspecified: small but growing in platform self-reports; too small for stable percentage locally

Most‑used platforms locally (share of active social users; rough count in parentheses)

• YouTube: 80–82% (≈11.6–13.1k)
• Facebook: 62–66% (≈9.0–10.6k)
• Instagram: 40–45% (≈5.8–7.2k)
• TikTok: 32–38% (≈4.6–6.1k)
• Snapchat: 28–32% (≈4.1–5.1k; heavily <30)
• Pinterest: 30–35% (≈4.3–5.4k; skews female 25–54)
• WhatsApp: 18–22% (≈2.6–3.5k; messaging-centric)
• X/Twitter: 15–20% (≈2.2–3.2k; niche for news/sports)
• Reddit: 15–19% (≈2.2–3.0k; tech/gaming/outdoors)
• Nextdoor: 12–18% of adults (≈1.7–2.7k; strongest in Crescent City neighborhoods)

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the town square: local groups, school/sports updates, public safety, wildfire/road/slide alerts (US‑101/199) draw outsized engagement; Marketplace is a top discovery channel for small businesses.
• Video-first everywhere: short-form (Reels/Shorts/TikTok) outperforms static posts by 1.5–3x on reach and completion; clips featuring people, place names (Crescent City, Smith River, Klamath), and coastal/redwood visuals perform best.
• Event-driven spikes: county fairs, youth sports, tribal/cultural events, fishing seasons, storms, and closures trigger rapid sharing and comment threads; plan flighting around these calendars.
• Timing: best engagement windows are weekday evenings 7–9 pm and weekend mornings 8–11 am; lunch hour (12–1 pm) works for announcements; late-night posts underperform.
• Geography matters: most impressions cluster in Crescent City; expect spillover audiences from Brookings/Gold Beach, OR—set 20–25‑mile geofences for reach.
• Age-specific habits:
  • Teens: YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok daily; Instagram secondary; Facebook minimal outside of group-required contexts (teams, classes).
  • 25–44: Instagram + TikTok for inspiration/deals; Facebook for groups and Marketplace.
  • 50+: Facebook + YouTube dominate; Nextdoor used for neighborhood issues and services.
• Customer service happens in DMs: Facebook Messenger replies and comment threads are key; businesses that answer within an hour get meaningfully better reviews and repeat visits.
• Trust cues: posts featuring recognizable local people/brands, clear photos of place, and transparent pricing or event details outperform generic brand creatives; moderating comments (especially on news/safety posts) preserves reach.
• LinkedIn is niche: useful for government/education/healthcare hiring; limited consumer impact.

Notes on method/uncertainty

• Percentages are adapted from recent U.S. platform usage and rural-county patterns, weighted to Del Norte’s age mix and excluding the institutionalized population; actual ad-reach fluctuates seasonally and by campaign settings.