Tehama County

Tehama County, California – Key Demographics (latest official data)

Population

• Total population: 65,829 (2020 Census)
• 2023 estimate: ~66,000 (Census Bureau Population Estimates Program)

Age

• Median age: ~40 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~23%
• 65 and over: ~20%

Gender

• Male: ~50.5%
• Female: ~49.5%

Race and Hispanic/Latino origin (mutually exclusive; ACS 2019–2023)

• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~35%
• White alone, non-Hispanic: ~55%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone, non-Hispanic: ~3%
• Black or African American alone, non-Hispanic: ~1%
• Asian alone, non-Hispanic: ~1%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander alone, non-Hispanic: <1%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~5%

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

• Total households: ~24,000
• Average household size: ~2.6–2.7
• Family households: ~68%
• One-person households: ~26%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~66%
• Average family size: ~3.1

Insights

• Modest population growth since 2020.
• Older age profile than the California average, with about one in five residents 65+.
• Large Hispanic/Latino community (about one-third of residents).
• Higher homeownership and smaller household sizes than many urban California counties.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; Population Estimates Program (2023).

Tehama County, CA email usage overview

• Population and density: ~65,000 residents over ~2,962 sq mi (≈22 people/sq mi).
• Estimated email users: ≈52,000 residents (≈80% of population). Derived by applying high email adoption among adults to the county’s population and adjusting for local internet access.
• Age pattern (use rates): 13–17: ~85–90%; 18–34: ~95%; 35–64: ~93–95%; 65+: ~80–85%. Given Tehama’s age mix (roughly 24% under 18, ~58% aged 18–64, ~18% 65+), most users are 18–64, with slightly lower penetration among seniors.
• Gender split: Roughly even (~50/50) among users; no meaningful gender gap in email adoption.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Households with any computer: ~91%.
  • Households with a broadband subscription: ~84% (≈16% lack home broadband).
  • Rural connectivity gaps persist outside Red Bluff and Corning; underserved pockets limit consistent email access for some households.
  • Mobile connectivity mitigates gaps: many households rely on smartphones and public Wi‑Fi for email.
• Insight: Despite rural density and uneven fixed broadband, device ownership and mobile access support broad email adoption, with seniors and the most remote areas showing the largest remaining digital inclusion opportunities.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (Computer & Internet Use, population), Pew Research (email adoption by age).

Mobile phone usage in Tehama County, California — 2024 snapshot with county-versus-state contrasts

Core population and adoption baselines

• Population: 66,000 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 estimate). Low density (22 people per square mile vs ~253 statewide), which materially affects coverage economics.
• Households: ~25,000 (ACS 2018–2022).
• Households with a broadband Internet subscription: 83% in Tehama vs 91% in California (ACS 2018–2022). This gap drives higher reliance on mobile data.
• Households with a computer: ~89% in Tehama vs ~95% in California (ACS 2018–2022).

User estimates (people actively using smartphones)

• Method and outcome:
  • Adults (18+): ≈78% of population ≈ 51,000 (ACS age structure).
  • U.S. adult smartphone adoption: ~85% (Pew Research, 2023). Applied to Tehama’s older/rural profile yields ≈44,000 adult smartphone users.
  • Teens (13–17): ≈7,000; smartphone adoption ~95% (Common Sense/Pew). ≈6,600 users.
  • Children 8–12: ≈4,000; smartphone adoption ~20–25%. ≈900 users.
  • Estimated total smartphone users in Tehama County: ≈51,500–52,000, or roughly 78–80% of the total population.
• Mobile lines: Applying typical U.S. mobile-line penetration (≈120% of population) implies ≈79,000 active mobile lines countywide, with a higher share of prepaid than the California average due to income mix.

Demographic drivers and how Tehama differs from California

• Age: Older population profile (65+ ≈21% in Tehama vs ~15% in CA; ACS 2018–2022). Older age moderates per-capita app usage and device refresh cycles but increases the importance of reliable voice/SMS and medical/emergency connectivity.
• Income: Median household income ~$56,000 in Tehama vs ~$92,000 statewide (ACS 2018–2022). Lower income correlates with:
  • Higher smartphone-only reliance for home internet access.
  • Higher prepaid plan share and price-sensitive carrier switching.
• Education: Lower bachelor’s attainment than CA average (ACS), associated with higher mobile-only substitution for home broadband, especially among working-age adults.
• Geography: Large rural and agricultural areas mean more signal variability and device/plan choices driven by coverage footprint rather than pure price or speed.

Usage patterns distinct from the state level

• Higher smartphone-only reliance: With home broadband adoption 8 points lower than the state, Tehama shows a meaningfully larger cohort that relies on mobile data as their primary or only internet. This manifests in:
  • Heavier use of unlimited or high-cap plans and hotspot add-ons.
  • More multi-carrier households (a backup SIM or second line) to manage dead zones.
• Slower median mobile speeds and greater variability than the California median:
  • California median mobile download speeds typically exceed 100 Mbps (Ookla Speedtest Intelligence, 2023–2024). Tehama’s town centers (Red Bluff, Corning) often achieve 50–150 Mbps on modern 5G, while outlying valleys and foothills drop to single-digit–25 Mbps LTE, reflecting a wider urban–rural performance gap than the state average.
• Plan mix and device tenure:
  • Above-average prepaid share; longer device replacement cycles due to income and retail availability.
  • Higher adoption of fixed wireless access (FWA) and LTE hotspots as substitutes for wired service, a pattern less common in metro California.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carrier presence and 5G:
  • AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile provide county service; 5G is strongest along the I‑5 corridor (Red Bluff, Corning, the SR‑99 terminus), with mid‑band 5G from T‑Mobile and C‑band deployments by Verizon/AT&T concentrated near population centers.
  • Coverage gaps persist east of Red Bluff toward the Lassen foothills and along the Mendocino National Forest edge, where LTE or no‑service pockets occur. This rural gap is larger than typical for coastal and major metro California counties (FCC Broadband Data Collection maps, 2023–2024).
• Backhaul and tower siting:
  • Macro sites follow transportation and utility corridors (I‑5, SR‑36, rail, and river alignments). Sparse fiber backhaul away from these corridors limits deep rural 5G upgrades relative to statewide norms.
• Resilience:
  • Tehama includes Tier 2/3 High Fire‑Threat Districts; carriers are subject to California’s 72‑hour backup power requirement at macro cell sites in these areas. Compliance has improved along I‑5 and near towns, but rural sites remain more outage‑prone during Public Safety Power Shutoffs than in most urban counties.
• Alternatives:
  • Multiple WISPs and carrier FWA (5G/LTE) supplement limited wireline in rural zones, raising the share of households whose primary “home internet” is delivered over cellular spectrum compared to the state.

Actionable insights for operators and service planners

• Coverage and capacity investments off the I‑5 spine (east/west of Red Bluff and north/south of Corning) would disproportionately improve user experience versus similar capex in urban California where marginal gains are smaller.
• Price-sensitive, prepaid-friendly plans and robust hotspot/FWA options align with Tehama’s income profile and below-average wired broadband adoption.
• Network hardening and backup power at rural sites deliver outsized reliability gains due to higher PSPS exposure than typical urban counties.

Key figures at a glance

• Population: ~66,000; Households: ~25,000 (ACS/Census).
• Households with broadband: 83% Tehama vs 91% CA (ACS 2018–2022).
• Estimated smartphone users: ~51,500–52,000 (≈79% of population).
• Statewide median mobile speeds >100 Mbps; Tehama typical range 5–150 Mbps depending on location, with larger rural performance gaps than state averages (FCC/Speedtest 2023–2024).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2018–2022), Census QuickFacts (2023 population), Pew Research Center (2023 smartphone adoption), FCC Broadband Data Collection (2023–2024), Speedtest Intelligence by Ookla (2023–2024 statewide medians).

Tehama County, CA — Social media snapshot (2025 modeled estimates)

Population context

• Residents: ~66,000; Adults (18+): ~51,000 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ACS)
• Adult social media users: ~36,600 (≈72% of adults; Pew Research Center, 2024)

Most-used platforms among adults (share of all adults; overlaps expected)

• YouTube: 83% (42,000 adults)
• Facebook: 70% (36,000)
• Instagram: 45% (23,000)
• TikTok: 31% (15,800)
• Snapchat: 26% (13,300)
• X (Twitter): 21% (10,700)
• Reddit: 21% (10,700)
• LinkedIn: 16% (8,200) Notes: Shares are adapted from Pew U.S. adoption rates, with minor rural adjustments (Facebook slightly higher; Instagram/TikTok slightly lower). Counts rounded.

User mix (adults) in Tehama County

• By age (share of local adult social media users): 18–29: ~21%; 30–44: ~28%; 45–64: ~32%; 65+: ~19%
• By gender: ~51% women, ~49% men overall
  • Platform skews: Facebook/Instagram skew slightly female; TikTok slightly female; Reddit and X skew male; YouTube slightly male but broadly universal

Behavioral trends observed in rural Northern California counties and applicable to Tehama

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of Groups and Marketplace; strong engagement on local news (weather, wildfires/PSPS updates), schools, county fair, youth sports, agriculture, and lost/found
• Video-first consumption: YouTube for how‑to, equipment maintenance, outdoor recreation, and church/community streams; short vertical clips (Reels/TikTok) perform well among 13–34
• Messaging patterns: Facebook Messenger dominates; WhatsApp use is notable among Spanish-speaking households; Snapchat prevalent for teens/young adults
• Language and culture: Bilingual (English/Spanish) content improves reach and trust; local faces and place-based storytelling outperform polished brand creative
• Timing and cadence: Highest engagement typically early morning (6–8 a.m.), lunch (12–1 p.m.), and evenings (7–9 p.m.); weekends are strong for events and retail
• Commerce and calls-to-action: Marketplace drives local buying/selling; event RSVPs, giveaways, and limited-time offers convert well; geotargeting around Red Bluff, Corning, and school zones is effective
• Trust signals: Posts from local institutions (schools, fire/EMS, churches, 4‑H/FFA) and micro-influencers (1–10k followers) see above-average shares and comments

Method and sources

• Figures are modeled by applying Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. platform adoption rates to Tehama County’s 2023 ACS adult population, with rural adjustments grounded in Pew’s urban/rural differentials. Sources: Pew Research Center (Social Media Use in 2024); U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 American Community Survey.