Kings County

Key demographics: Kings County, California (latest available)

• Population size

  • Total population: ~153,000 (2023 estimate; U.S. Census Bureau)
  • Population density: ~110 per sq. mile

• Age

  • Median age: ~32
  • Under 18: ~26%
  • 18–24: ~12%
  • 25–44: ~29%
  • 45–64: ~22%
  • 65 and over: ~11%

• Gender

  • Male: ~55%
  • Female: ~45%
  • Note: Male share elevated due to large state prison population in the county

• Racial/ethnic composition (mutually exclusive; rounded)

  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~57%
  • White, non-Hispanic: ~29%
  • Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~7%
  • Asian, non-Hispanic: ~4%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~2%
  • Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: <1%
  • Two or more/other, non-Hispanic: ~2%

• Household data

  • Households: ~43,000
  • Persons per household (avg): ~3.2
  • Family households: ~74% of households
  • Households with children under 18: ~40%
  • Homeownership rate: ~57% (owners) vs ~43% renters

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 (5-year) and 2023 Population Estimates Program. Figures are rounded for readability; totals may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Insights: Kings County is younger, more male, and more Hispanic/Latino than California overall, with larger households and a majority of family households.

Kings County, CA email usage snapshot

• Estimated email users: ≈105,000 residents actively use email in a population of ≈153,000.
• Age distribution of email users: 13–17: 8%; 18–34: 30%; 35–54: 36%; 55–64: 14%; 65+: 12%.
• Gender split among email users: male 51%, female 49% (overall population skews male due to large incarcerated and military populations).
• Digital access trends: About 91% of households have a broadband subscription and roughly 95% have a computer (ACS 2018–2022), supporting high email adoption. Access is strongest in and around Hanford, Lemoore, Corcoran, and Avenal; rural tracts show lower subscription rates and more mobile‑first access. Public libraries, schools, and civic facilities serve as key access points for lower‑income households.
• Local density/connectivity: Population density is about 110 people per square mile across ~1,392 square miles. Major anchors include Naval Air Station Lemoore and two state prisons, concentrating users in specific ZIPs and creating pockets where household internet adoption lags the county average.

Overall, email is near‑universal among connected adults, with usage concentrated in working‑age cohorts and a nearly even male–female split among active users despite the county’s male‑heavy population profile.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Kings County, California (2024–2025)

Overview and user estimates

• Population base: approximately 152,000 residents.
• Estimated unique mobile users: about 121,000 people (≈80% of residents).
• Estimated smartphone users: about 113,000; basic/feature-phone users: about 8,000.
• By age:
  • Adults 18+: ≈105,000; mobile ownership ≈95% (≈100,000 adults with a phone), smartphone ownership ≈88% (≈92,000 adult smartphone users).
  • Teens 12–17: ≈13,700; mobile ownership ≈95% (≈13,000), smartphone ownership ≈91% (≈12,500).
  • Children under 12: ≈33,000; ≈25% have a phone (≈8,000, predominantly smartphones).
• Household context: ≈47,000 households; smartphone-only internet households ≈14,000 (≈30%), above the California average.

How Kings County differs from California statewide

• Smartphone adoption: lower by roughly 3–5 percentage points (Kings ≈88% of adults vs ≈91–93% statewide).
• Smartphone-only internet dependence: higher by 5–8 points (Kings ≈30% of households vs ≈22–25% statewide), reflecting lower fixed-broadband availability and incomes.
• Prepaid/MVNO usage: higher share, ≈37% of lines vs ≈27–30% statewide, driven by cost sensitivity and seasonal work patterns.
• Platform mix: Android-leaning (≈55% Android, 45% iOS) vs a more iOS-heavy statewide mix.
• Network performance and coverage: town centers approach statewide norms; rural tracts fall well below, with larger low-signal areas than the statewide pattern.
• 5G footprint type: mid-band concentrated in Hanford, Lemoore, Corcoran, and Avenal; low-band dominates between towns, with minimal mmWave compared to large metros.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Ethnicity and language:
  • Hispanic/Latino community ≈55% of residents; strong smartphone adoption (≈86–88% among Hispanic adults) and above-average smartphone-only internet reliance.
  • White non-Hispanic ≈28–30% of residents; smartphone adoption ≈90% among adults.
  • Black and Asian communities each ≈5–7%; high smartphone adoption (≈90%+), with Asian users skewing slightly higher toward postpaid and fiber-backed home internet in town centers.
• Income and plan type:
  • Larger share of households under $50,000 annual income than statewide, correlating with higher prepaid, MVNO, and hotspot usage.
  • Mobile hotspots used as primary home internet in ≈8–10% of households, above the statewide rate.
• Age:
  • Younger median age than California overall supports high messaging and social app use, but older rural residents show lower smartphone adoption than their statewide peers, pulling down the county average.
• Institutional and workforce factors:
  • Two state prisons reduce per-capita consumer device counts in official population figures.
  • NAS Lemoore contributes to dense, on-base mobile use and heightened demand for reliable coverage around Lemoore/Hanford corridors.
  • Seasonal agricultural labor increases prepaid churn and peak loads near packing houses and fields during harvest windows.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carrier presence:
  • AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile all provide countywide 4G with expanding 5G. Mid-band 5G is well established in Hanford, Lemoore, and along SR-198/SR-41; coverage thins west of Avenal and in agricultural tracts between towns.
  • T-Mobile typically shows the broadest mid-band 5G footprint in town centers; Verizon and AT&T provide strong overall reliability and C-band/mid-band nodes in Hanford/Lemoore corridors.
• Performance ranges:
  • Town centers (Hanford, Lemoore, Corcoran, Avenal): typical mid-band 5G median speeds ≈100–250 Mbps; 4G LTE ≈20–80 Mbps.
  • Rural/farm areas and Kettleman Hills/west side: low-band 5G or LTE often ≈5–40 Mbps with more dead spots than the California average.
• Backhaul and fixed networks shaping mobile experience:
  • Cable: Spectrum widely available in Hanford/Lemoore; provides robust backhaul for dense mobile coverage in those cores.
  • Telco: AT&T fiber exists but is limited to select neighborhoods; legacy DSL remains in outlying areas, reinforcing smartphone-only and hotspot dependence.
  • Fixed wireless: multiple WISPs serve rural edges; performance is variable and weather-dependent.
  • Satellite: noticeable Starlink uptake in rural pockets where fiber/cable are absent, reducing but not eliminating reliance on mobile hotspots.
• Public safety and resilience:
  • FirstNet (AT&T) adoption is visible among first responders; wildfire, floodplain, and storm-related outages in rural zones occur at higher relative frequency than statewide urban averages, though highway corridors are prioritized for rapid restoration.

Key quantitative takeaways

• ≈121,000 mobile users in Kings County, including ≈113,000 smartphone users.
• Adult smartphone adoption ≈88% (Kings) vs ≈91–93% (California).
• ≈30% of households are smartphone-only for home internet vs ≈22–25% statewide.
• ≈37% of lines are prepaid/MVNO vs ≈27–30% statewide.
• Android ≈55%, iOS ≈45%, opposite the statewide tilt toward iOS.
• Town centers see 5G mid-band speeds ≈100–250 Mbps; rural areas commonly below 40 Mbps with more coverage gaps than the state average.

Method notes

• Figures combine 2023–2024 population and household counts with established national/state adoption rates adjusted for Kings County’s rural share, income mix, and infrastructure profile. Estimates are rounded to reflect practical planning and deployment ranges.

Social media in Kings County, CA — 2024 snapshot (modeled from ACS demographics and Pew platform adoption data; county-specific counts are estimates)

Population and user base

• Total population: ~153,000
• Estimated social media users (age 13+): ~92,000 (about 74% of residents 13+)

Age mix of social users

• 13–17: 12% (~11k)
• 18–29: 26% (~24k)
• 30–49: 34% (~31k)
• 50–64: 18% (~17k)
• 65+: 10% (~9k)

Gender breakdown of social users

• Female: 52% (48k)
• Male: 48% (44k) Note: Overall county population skews male due to institutions and the Navy base, but active social users skew slightly female.

Most-used platforms in Kings County (share of social media users, 13+)

• YouTube: 82% (75k)
• Facebook: 69% (63k)
• Instagram: 49% (45k)
• Facebook Messenger: 52% (48k)
• TikTok: 36% (33k)
• Snapchat: 31% (29k; high among teens/young adults)
• WhatsApp: 29% (27k; elevated by large Hispanic/Latino population)
• X (Twitter): 20% (18k)
• Also notable: Pinterest ~17% (skews female), Reddit ~14% (skews male/younger), LinkedIn ~11% (lower than state average), Nextdoor ~6% (limited by rural pattern).

Behavioral trends and local nuances

• Video-first consumption: Short-form video (YouTube Shorts, Reels, TikTok) dominates discovery; live streams of local sports, school events, and community happenings perform well.
• Facebook as the community hub: Heavy use of Groups and Marketplace for buy/sell, lost-and-found pets, yard sales, youth sports, school updates, and local events. Peak engagement around early mornings, lunch, and evenings.
• Spanish/Spanglish content is essential: Strong engagement with bilingual posts; WhatsApp group chats are common for family, church, and work coordination.
• Youth and military influence: High 18–34 presence (NAS Lemoore) boosts YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Discord, and Reddit; late-night engagement is common due to shift work.
• Agriculture-driven rhythms: Mobile-first usage among farm and dairy workers; weekday early-morning and evening spikes; practical content (weather, AQI, irrigation tips, equipment repair) does well on YouTube and Facebook.
• Civic and safety info: Sheriff, city, air quality, CHP, Caltrans updates spread quickly via Facebook; address misinformation risk in local rumor cycles.
• Commerce and local business: Restaurants and retailers lean on Instagram/TikTok for visuals and on Facebook for promotions and groups; Marketplace is a primary channel for local classifieds.
• Access patterns: Rural pockets (e.g., Kettleman City, outlying areas) skew to smartphone-only access; lightweight video and Spanish captions improve reach.

Notes on interpretation

• Figures are 2024 modeled estimates tailored to Kings County’s age, language, and occupation mix; platform shares reflect local adjustments to national usage patterns.