San Benito County

Key demographics — San Benito County, California (latest available U.S. Census Bureau data)

• Population size: 68,600 (July 1, 2023 estimate; up from 64,209 in 2020)
• Age:
  • Median age: 35.9 years
  • Under 18: 27.9%
  • 18–64: 58.9%
  • 65 and over: 13.2%
• Gender:
  • Female: 49.8%
  • Male: 50.2%
• Racial/ethnic composition:
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 68.8%
  • White alone, not Hispanic: 24.8%
  • Asian alone: 3.7%
  • Black or African American alone: 0.8%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native alone: 0.4%
  • Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander alone: 0.1%
  • Two or more races, not Hispanic: 1.4%
• Household data (ACS 2019–2023 5‑year):
  • Households: ~20,100
  • Average household size: 3.45
  • Family households: ~79% of all households
  • Owner-occupied housing rate: ~67%
  • Median household income (2023 dollars): ~$110,000

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates (Vintage 2023) and American Community Survey 2019–2023 5‑year estimates.

San Benito County, CA — email usage snapshot

• Population baseline: ≈68,000 residents; ≈50,000 adults.
• Estimated email users: ≈46,500 adults (about 93% of adults, consistent with Pew-reported U.S. adoption).
• Age profile (usage rates among adults, based on observed U.S./CA patterns applied locally):
  • 18–29: ~95–98%
  • 30–49: ~98%
  • 50–64: ~94%
  • 65+: ~85% Result: highest daily reliance in the 30–49 working-age group; seniors show strong but lower adoption.
• Gender split: Near parity; men and women each comprise roughly half of email users, reflecting minimal gender gap in email adoption.
• Digital access trends:
  • Broadband at home: ≈90% of households; computer access: ≈95% (in line with ACS computer/internet-use indicators for comparable CA counties).
  • Mobile-only internet: mid‑teens share; smartphone adoption >90%, reinforcing email access via mobile.
  • Speeds and reliability are improving with ongoing provider upgrades; upload capacity lags in rural areas.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population density ≈49 people per sq. mile; access is strongest in Hollister/San Juan Bautista where cable and some fiber are available.
  • Outlying agricultural areas depend more on DSL and fixed wireless, which lowers average upstream speeds and consistency, but recent state and ISP builds are expanding 100/20 Mbps availability along major corridors.

Mobile phone usage in San Benito County, California — key statistics and how they differ from statewide patterns

User base and adoption

• Population baseline: ~68,000 (2023 estimate). Adults (18+): ~49,500.
• Smartphone users: ~49,000 total users when combining adults and teens, reflecting ~90% adult ownership (in line with U.S./CA norms) plus very high teen uptake. This translates to roughly 7 in 10 residents actively using a smartphone on any given day, accounting for children under 12.
• Household mobile broadband: ~84–86% of households have a cellular data plan within the home (ACS S2801, latest available 2022–2023).
• Cellular-only households (no wireline internet): ~11–13% in San Benito vs ~8–10% statewide. This indicates a greater reliance on mobile networks for primary home connectivity than the California average.

Demographic context shaping usage

• Race/ethnicity: ~65–70% Hispanic/Latino; ~25–28% non-Hispanic White; ~3–5% Asian; ~1–2% Black or African American.
• Age: Slightly younger than CA overall (median mid-30s), with more families and school-aged children. This sustains high smartphone and family-plan penetration and strong mobile video/social use.
• Income and commuting: Median household income is near or modestly above the state median due to Silicon Valley commuting, but rural pockets remain price-sensitive. This mix supports both premium postpaid plans among commuters and higher-than-average prepaid adoption in agricultural areas.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage and technology mix:
  • 4G LTE: Broad population coverage in Hollister, San Juan Bautista, and along primary corridors; thinning in the southern/eastern rangelands (Panoche, Bitterwater, Hernandez Valley).
  • 5G: T-Mobile has the broadest 5G coverage across populated areas; Verizon and AT&T 5G are concentrated in Hollister and along main travel corridors toward Gilroy/US‑101, with more limited reach into low-density zones.
• Capacity and speeds:
  • In-town (Hollister/San Juan Bautista): Typical 5G median downloads in the 100–300 Mbps range on leading carriers; LTE 25–80 Mbps.
  • Rural canyons/valleys: LTE often 5–25 Mbps; occasional sub‑5 Mbps or no service in topographically shielded areas.
• Sites and backhaul:
  • Macro sites: On the order of a few dozen registered macro towers countywide (plus rooftop and small-cell infill in Hollister). Site density per square mile is lower than the California average, reflecting the county’s rural land area.
  • Backhaul: Fiber backbones trace the US‑101/SR‑156 edge and extend into Hollister; east and south of Hollister remain more microwave‑dependent. Recent statewide middle‑mile investments improve redundancy toward the North County/101 interface but are still maturing toward sparsely populated zones.
• Resilience:
  • PSPS/wildfire seasons and single-threaded backhaul segments create higher outage risk than urban California. Carriers have added more batteries/portable gensets since 2020, but coverage gaps persist on SR‑25, SR‑152 approach, and the Panoche corridor.

How San Benito differs from California overall

• Higher mobile dependence at home: A larger share of cellular-only households than the state average underscores greater reliance on mobile for primary internet in rural and exurban areas.
• Coverage variability: More pronounced performance and availability swings between town centers and outlying agricultural/range lands, tied to sparse tower density and terrain—wider swings than typical urban/suburban California counties.
• 5G adoption pattern: Fast in-town uptake driven by commuters and family plans, but a slower effective 5G footprint expansion in low-density areas compared with state metro regions.
• Demographics favor mobile-first: A younger, majority-Hispanic population supports high smartphone penetration and heavy mobile media/messaging use, with a measurable prepaid segment; this differs from older coastal metros where premium postpaid and multi-line device ecosystems dominate.
• Commute-driven peaks: Distinct morning/evening congestion along SR‑25/156 toward Santa Clara County creates sharper peak loads than typical for similarly sized counties without large out-of-county commuter flows.

Bottom-line estimates (2022–2024 best-available data)

• ~49,000 active smartphone users countywide.
• ~84–86% of households include a cellular data plan; ~11–13% rely on cellular as their only home broadband.
• In-town 5G typically delivers 100–300 Mbps; rural LTE often 5–25 Mbps with notable dead zones.
• Tower/site density is materially lower than California’s urban counties, leaving larger geographic pockets with limited or no mobile service.

Implications

• For carriers: Priority locations for additional macro/small-cell builds and C‑band/NR coverage are the SR‑25 spine, east/south valleys, and edges of Hollister’s growth areas; backhaul diversity east of Hollister yields outsized resilience gains.
• For public agencies and schools: Mobile hotspots remain an essential bridge for homework and telehealth in cellular‑only households; target device subsidies and signal-boosting solutions in south/east county.
• For businesses: Expect strong mobile engagement in Hollister/San Juan Bautista; plan for offline-capable apps and asynchronous workflows for field crews operating in the Panoche/Bitterwater areas.

San Benito County, CA — social media snapshot (modeled 2025 estimates)

• Adult social media users: ≈42,000 (≈82% of ≈51,000 adults; county population ≈68,500)
• Language/ethnicity context: A majority of residents are Hispanic/Latino, increasing adoption of WhatsApp, Instagram, and short‑form video compared to the U.S. average

Most‑used platforms among adult social media users in the county

• YouTube: 85% (≈35,700 users)
• Facebook: 69% (≈29,000)
• Instagram: 52% (≈21,800)
• WhatsApp: 38% (≈16,000)
• TikTok: 40% (≈16,800)
• Snapchat: 30% (≈12,600)
• Pinterest: 36% (≈15,100)
• LinkedIn: 28% (≈11,800)
• X (Twitter): 22% (≈9,200)
• Nextdoor: 22% (≈9,200) Note: Multiple‑platform use is common; shares sum to >100%. Local shares are calibrated from Pew’s U.S. platform adoption with adjustments for San Benito’s younger and more Hispanic profile and strong neighborhood/community use.

Age‑group usage rates (share of each age group using any social platform)

• 18–29: ≈92%
• 30–49: ≈85%
• 50–64: ≈74%
• 65+: ≈50%

Gender breakdown

• Overall users: roughly balanced (≈51% women, ≈49% men)
• Platform skews: women over‑index on Facebook, Instagram, and especially Pinterest; men over‑index on YouTube, Reddit, and X. WhatsApp usage is high across genders in Hispanic households.

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Community‑centric Facebook usage: High engagement with local groups and pages for schools, youth sports, city/county agencies, public safety, and events. Nextdoor activity is notable in Hollister and San Juan Bautista neighborhoods for safety alerts, lost/found, and hyperlocal recommendations.
• Video first: YouTube and TikTok dominate entertainment and “how‑to” content; short‑form video drives discovery for restaurants, events, and services.
• Bilingual communications: Strong response to Spanish or bilingual posts, especially for public health, schools, and government notices. WhatsApp group chats are common for families, churches, sports teams, and ag/construction crews.
• Time‑of‑day/weekly rhythms: Peaks on weekdays 7–9 a.m. and 7–10 p.m.; weekend spikes tied to community events, markets, and sports. Emergency/wildfire season drives surges in official‑source engagement.
• Commerce and recommendations: Local SMBs see best results via Facebook/Instagram Reels and boosted posts targeting families within 10–20 miles; reviews and word‑of‑mouth in Facebook groups and Nextdoor influence purchasing more than standalone brand pages.
• Commuter spillover: A sizable 30–49 cohort commuting to Silicon Valley sustains above‑average LinkedIn use and tech/news consumption, while family‑oriented content remains the biggest engagement driver at home.

Method and sources

• Counts and local platform shares are modeled from: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019–2023 (population/age/sex, Hispanic share), Pew Research Center Social Media Use in 2024 (platform adoption by age/sex/ethnicity), DataReportal/GlobalWebIndex 2024 U.S. benchmarks, and observed higher California adoption for Nextdoor. Estimates rounded for clarity.