Stanislaus County

Stanislaus County, California — Key demographics

Population size

• 552,878 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age

• Median age: 34.2 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: 27.9%
• 65 and over: 13.9%

Gender

• Female: 50.1%
• Male: 49.9% (ACS 2018–2022)

Racial/ethnic composition (Hispanic is of any race; others are non‑Hispanic)

• Hispanic or Latino: 49.5%
• White alone (non‑Hispanic): 36.9%
• Asian alone: 6.6%
• Black or African American alone: 3.0%
• Two or more races: 2.7%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: 0.8%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander alone: 0.4% (ACS 2018–2022)

Households

• Number of households: 176,600
• Average household size: 3.25
• Family households: 74%
• Households with children under 18: 39%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: 58% (ACS 2018–2022)

Insights

• Majority-Hispanic county with a relatively young age profile and larger-than-average household sizes; gender distribution is balanced and homeownership is in the high‑50% range.

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (PL 94-171)
• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2018–2022 5‑year Estimates (tables DP05, S0101, S1101, S2501)

• Population and density: ~564,000 residents; land area ~1,495 sq mi; ≈377 people per sq mi (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023).
• Estimated email users: ≈385,000 adult email users. Method: ~420,000 adults (18+) in the county × ~92% email usage among U.S. adults (Pew Research).
• Age distribution of email users (estimated from local age structure and national adoption): 18–34 ≈31%; 35–54 ≈36%; 55–64 ≈17%; 65+ ≈16%. Youth under 18 add a small additional share but remain a minority of regular email users.
• Gender split: ≈50% female, 50% male among email users, mirroring the county’s ~50.3% female population (Census).
• Digital access and devices (ACS 2022, S2801):
  • Households with a computer: ~94%
  • Households with a broadband subscription: ~89%
  • No home internet: ~10%
  • Cellular data–only households: ~12% (smartphone-dependent), indicating cost and infrastructure constraints for a notable minority.
• Connectivity context: Most residents live along the Modesto–Turlock corridor (State Route 99), where fixed broadband adoption is highest; rural edges show lower fixed-line availability and greater mobile dependence. High computer and broadband penetration supports widespread email use, but the ~1-in-10 households without home internet represent a persistent access gap affecting older and lower-income residents.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 2022 S2801, population/density), Pew Research Center (adult email/internet use).

Mobile phone usage profile for Stanislaus County, California (latest available public data, primarily ACS 2019–2023, CPUC 2024, FCC mobile coverage 2024)

Headline takeaways (how the county differs from the state)

• Reliance on mobile data is notably higher than the California average, while home broadband and overall smartphone penetration are modestly lower.
• Price sensitivity and a younger, majority-Hispanic population contribute to above-average “cellular-data-only” households and strong uptake of mobile-centric services and fixed wireless access (FWA).
• 5G mid-band coverage is strong along the Highway 99 corridor; service quality drops off toward the Diablo Range to the west and in agricultural peripheries, reinforcing mobile-only behavior in well-covered urban/suburban areas and connectivity gaps in fringe zones.

User and adoption estimates

• Population: ~560,000; households: ~186,000 (ACS 2019–2023).
• Households with a smartphone:
  • Stanislaus County: ~90–91% of households
  • California: ~93%
• Households with any internet subscription:
  • Stanislaus County: ~89%
  • California: ~92%
• Households on cellular data only (no wired broadband at home):
  • Stanislaus County: ~18%
  • California: ~12–13%
• Households with broadband (cable, fiber, DSL, or fixed wireless, excluding cellular-only):
  • Stanislaus County: mid-80% range
  • California: upper-80% to ~90%
• Adult smartphone users (estimate): ~370,000–380,000 countywide, based on adult population and observed household smartphone penetration.

Demographic context and how it shapes mobile usage

• Ethnicity and language: Hispanic/Latino residents comprise roughly half of the county population, higher than the statewide average. This correlates with above-average mobile-only adoption, driven by affordability, mobility needs, and language-targeted prepaid offerings.
• Age: A relatively larger share of families with children and working-age adults supports high smartphone prevalence and heavy app-based communication; seniors are a smaller share than in some rural CA counties but show lower smartphone adoption than younger cohorts.
• Income: Median household income trails the state, aligning with higher uptake of prepaid plans, promotional 5G home internet, and cellular-only subscriptions as cost-optimized alternatives to wired broadband.

Digital infrastructure points (mobile-specific)

• Networks and coverage:
  • AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon provide countywide LTE and broad 5G coverage across Modesto, Turlock, Ceres, Riverbank, and along CA‑99; capacity is strongest on mid-band 5G (e.g., T-Mobile 2.5 GHz and Verizon C-band).
  • Coverage and speeds diminish toward the western edge (Diablo Range/Del Puerto Canyon, Diablo Grande) and in dispersed farm areas; I‑5 and key freight routes are covered but can have capacity variance at distance from towns.
• 5G fixed wireless access (FWA):
  • T-Mobile and Verizon 5G Home Internet are widely marketed in urban/suburban ZIP codes. Uptake is higher than the statewide average in similar-income communities because FWA price points undercut cable in many neighborhoods.
• Backhaul and middle-mile:
  • The California Middle-Mile Network (CMMN) segments along CA‑99 and I‑5 and regional fiber builds improve 5G and LTE backhaul and enable densification; this is gradually raising capacity on congested sectors in and around Modesto and Turlock.
• Public and community access:
  • Libraries and school districts continue hotspot loaner programs and Wi‑Fi expansion, which complement mobile access for homework and job search, particularly in mobile-only households.

What’s materially different from state-level patterns

• Higher mobile-only share: Stanislaus’s cellular-data-only households sit roughly 5–6 percentage points above the state average, indicating heavier reliance on smartphones for primary internet access.
• Slightly lower device and subscription penetration: Smartphone and any-internet household rates run a few points below statewide figures, reflecting affordability gaps.
• Faster FWA traction: FWA is more visible in residential broadband churn compared with many coastal metros, due to pricing and promotional offerings that resonate with local income distribution.
• More pronounced urban–rural performance split: Intra-county disparities are sharper than typical in metro coastal counties; performance and reliability drop off more quickly outside the CA‑99 corridor.

Implications for stakeholders

• Carriers: Continued sector splits and small-cell infill along CA‑99 and in high-density neighborhoods in Modesto/Turlock will yield outsized user-experience gains; targeted build-outs on the west side can close notable coverage gaps.
• Public sector and nonprofits: Programs that offset device and plan costs and support digital skills in mobile-only households will have measurable impact; ACP wind-down pressures are likely to push more households toward mobile-only.
• Businesses and service providers: Mobile-first customer journeys (SMS/WhatsApp, bilingual apps, low-data experiences) will reach a larger share of residents than in the statewide average market.

Sources and basis

• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 (S2801: Types of Computers and Internet Subscriptions) for smartphone, any-internet, and cellular-only household shares.
• California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) broadband adoption indicators (2024) for county-vs-state adoption gaps and FWA uptake context.
• FCC National Broadband Map (mobile coverage layers, 2024) for 4G/5G availability along highways and rural edges.
• California Middle-Mile Network route publications for backhaul context.

Note on interpretation

• County-level ACS figures are multi-year estimates with sampling error; values above are rounded for clarity. The relative differences versus California statewide are robust and consistent across recent survey cycles: Stanislaus County has higher mobile-only reliance and slightly lower overall subscription/device penetration than the state average, with infrastructure concentrated along the CA‑99 population spine.

Stanislaus County, CA — social media usage snapshot (2025)

Population baseline

• Residents: ~564,000 (ACS 2022)
• Adults (18+): 417,000 (74% of residents)
• Adults using at least one major social platform (incl. YouTube): 342,000 (82% of adults)

Most-used platforms among adults (estimated penetration and users)

• YouTube: 83% (346k adults)
• Facebook: 68% (284k)
• Instagram: 50% (209k)
• TikTok: 33% (138k)
• Pinterest: 35% (146k)
• Snapchat: 30% (125k)
• LinkedIn: 30% (125k)
• X (Twitter): 22% (92k)
• WhatsApp: 21% (88k)

Age-group usage patterns (share of each age group using the platform)

• Ages 18–29: YouTube ~93%; Instagram ~78%; Snapchat ~65%; TikTok ~62%; Facebook ~33%
• Ages 30–49: YouTube ~92%; Facebook ~75%; Instagram ~49%; TikTok ~39%; Snapchat ~28%
• Ages 50–64: YouTube ~83%; Facebook ~69%; Instagram ~29%; TikTok ~24%
• Ages 65+: YouTube ~62%; Facebook ~58%; Instagram ~15%; TikTok ~11%

Gender breakdown

• Overall social users reflect the county’s adult gender mix (~50% women, ~50% men).
• Platform skews among local users (aligned with U.S. user profiles):
  • More women: Pinterest (75% women), TikTok (60% women), Snapchat (56% women), Instagram (55% women), Facebook (~54% women)
  • More men: LinkedIn (56% men), X/Twitter (62% men)

Behavioral trends in the county

• Facebook is central for community groups, schools, faith and civic updates, and Facebook Marketplace (high activity among ages 30–64).
• Short-form video drives discovery: Instagram Reels and TikTok are primary for restaurants, local retail, events, and creator collaborations among 18–39.
• YouTube is the default for how‑to, local news recaps, and music/entertainment; connected‑TV viewing is common across households.
• WhatsApp use is elevated in bilingual/Spanish‑speaking households for family groups and micro‑business customer communication.
• Snapchat remains popular with teens and college‑age residents for day‑to‑day socializing and local hangouts.
• X/Twitter is used more for live news, weather, traffic, and emergency updates than for brand engagement.
• Pinterest usage clusters around home improvement, crafts, weddings, and seasonal planning; strong among women 25–54.
• Paid performance patterns: Facebook/Instagram deliver efficient countywide reach; TikTok is cost‑effective for 18–34 awareness and creator-led content; YouTube supports broad awareness and evergreen search-driven discovery.

Notes on methodology

• Population and adult base: ACS (2022).
• Platform penetration and age/gender skews: applied from the latest available U.S. adult usage benchmarks (Pew Research, 2023–2024) to the county’s adult population; figures are rounded, producing “modeled local estimates.”