Delta County

Here are key, recent demographics for Delta County, Colorado.

Population size

• 31,196 (2020 Census)
• Approximately 31,500 (2023 population estimate, U.S. Census Bureau PEP)

Age

• Median age: about 48 years
• Under 18: ~21%
• 65 and over: ~27%

Gender

• Female: ~50% of population
• Male: ~50%

Race/ethnicity (shares of total)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~78–80%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~16–18%
• Two or more races: ~3–4%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~1–2%
• Asian: ~0.5–1%
• Black/African American: ~0.3–0.5%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%

Households

• Total households: about 12,900–13,100
• Average household size: ~2.35–2.40
• Family households: ~64–66% of households
• Married-couple households: ~51–53%
• Households with children under 18: ~24–26%
• Householder living alone age 65+: ~13–15%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~76–78%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates (tables DP05, S0101, S1101, DP02/DP04); U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (2023).

Delta County, CO snapshot (estimates)

• Population/density: 32,000 residents across ~1,150 sq mi (28 people/sq mi). Service is strongest in/around Delta, Cedaredge, Paonia, and Hotchkiss; sparser mesas and canyon areas see weaker coverage.

• Email users: ~23,000–25,000 residents use email regularly (based on ~85–90% internet access and ~92% of internet users using email).

• Age mix of email users: 13–17: ~7%; 18–34: ~21%; 35–64: ~48%; 65+: ~24% (county skews older, but most seniors online use email).

• Gender split among users: ~49% male, 51% female (near parity; slight female tilt from older cohorts).

• Digital access trends:

  • Household broadband subscription roughly 80–85%; 15–20% of connected adults are smartphone‑only.
  • Fiber is expanding (notably Elevate Fiber via DMEA) with gigabit in many town areas; outlying zones still rely on DSL/fixed wireless/satellite.
  • Mobile coverage is good along US‑50 and town centers, patchier in the North Fork Valley hills and remote canyons.
  • Public Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools, municipal buildings) helps close gaps.

Notes: Figures synthesize ACS/FCC/Pew-style adoption rates applied to local demographics; treat as directional estimates rather than a census.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Delta County, Colorado (estimates, with emphasis on how it differs from statewide patterns)

Quick snapshot

• Population context: ~32,000 residents, older than the Colorado average, with a large rural footprint.
• Overall mobile adoption: High but modestly below the statewide average; heavier reliance on cellular for home internet than the state.

User estimates

• Total mobile users: ~26,000–28,000 residents with an active mobile line (includes basic and smartphones). This is slightly lower as a share of population than Colorado overall due to age mix and rural coverage gaps.
• Smartphone users: ~22,000–24,000 residents. Adult smartphone adoption likely in the mid- to high-80% range vs low-90s statewide.
• 5G-capable devices: ~55–65% of smartphones vs ~75–80% statewide, reflecting slower upgrade cycles and patchier mid-band 5G availability.
• Mobile-only internet households: ~20–30% vs ~12–18% statewide. Delta County has more households relying on cellular hotspots because fixed-broadband options are uneven outside town centers.

Demographic breakdown (usage tendencies)

• Age
  • 18–34: Near statewide norms for smartphone and data-heavy use.
  • 35–64: Slightly lower 5G device penetration than state; moderate hotspot use for home connectivity.
  • 65+: Adoption is materially below state average; more basic or older smartphones, longer replacement cycles, more voice/SMS reliance.
• Income and plan type
  • More prepaid/MVNO usage (roughly 5–10 percentage points higher than statewide) driven by cost sensitivity and flexible month-to-month needs.
• Workforce patterns
  • Agricultural and seasonal workers (including Hispanic/Latino residents) show high mobile-first behavior, frequent prepaid plans, and bilingual service needs.
• Digital divide
  • Larger age- and income-related gaps than statewide. Where fiber is absent, mobile is often the fallback, increasing sensitivity to coverage and data caps.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage pattern
  • Best coverage and capacity in and around towns: Delta, Cedaredge, Hotchkiss, Paonia, and along US‑50.
  • Notable weak spots and variability along Hwy 92 (North Fork Valley), Hwy 65 (Grand Mesa corridor), and Hwy 133 toward McClure Pass; canyons and ridgelines create dead zones.
• Carriers and radio access
  • Verizon and AT&T typically offer the broadest rural footprint; T‑Mobile’s low-band (600 MHz) has improved reach but remains more variable outside towns.
  • 5G low-band is present on main corridors and in towns; mid-band (C‑band/n77 for AT&T/Verizon, n41 for T‑Mobile) is limited to selected town centers; mmWave is not a factor.
• Performance (indicative)
  • Town centers: 50–150 Mbps on 5G low-/mid-band when available; LTE commonly 10–40 Mbps.
  • Rural stretches: LTE often 5–25 Mbps, with higher latency and occasional dead zones.
• Backhaul and fiber
  • The local electric co‑op’s fiber network (e.g., Elevate/DMEA) provides important middle‑mile and business/residential fiber in and between towns, improving tower backhaul where available; remote sites still lean on microwave.
• Public safety
  • AT&T FirstNet coverage is solid along major routes but has canyon gaps; band‑14 infill would materially reduce dead zones for responders.

How Delta County differs from Colorado overall

• Higher reliance on mobile as primary home internet due to uneven fixed-broadband coverage.
• Lower 5G device penetration and slower upgrade cycles, driven by age and income mix.
• Greater plan price sensitivity and higher prepaid/MVNO share.
• Larger urban–rural performance gap, with more pronounced coverage holes and lower off‑peak rural speeds.
• Usage skews slightly more toward voice/SMS and practical apps; heavy mobile video streaming is tempered by data caps, except in mobile-only households.
• Seasonal congestion can be noticeable during regional events and peak recreation periods, unlike most Front Range metros where capacity is denser.

Notes and confidence

• Figures are modeled estimates based on recent statewide patterns, rural-county benchmarks, and known regional infrastructure; county-level mobile metrics are rarely published directly. For validation or planning, cross-check with: FCC Broadband Data Collection maps, carrier 5G/C‑band/n41 buildouts, co‑op fiber expansion maps, and independent performance datasets (Ookla/OpenSignal).

Below is a concise, county‑specific snapshot using the best available public benchmarks. Direct, platform-reported stats at the county level aren’t published; figures are modeled from Pew Research Center’s 2024 social media usage (with rural cuts where available) applied to Delta County’s age/gender mix (ACS 2023). Treat as directional estimates.

User base

• Population: ~32,000 residents (ACS 2023). Adults (18+): ~25,000–26,000.
• Adults using social media: ~20,000–22,000 (about 78–83% of adults; rural usage is slightly below national average).

Most-used platforms (share of adult residents; modeled)

• YouTube: 78–82% (~16–18k adults)
• Facebook: 65–72% (~13–16k)
• Instagram: 35–42% (~7.5–10k)
• TikTok: 28–34% (~6–8k)
• Snapchat: 24–30% (~5–7k)
• Pinterest: 28–34% (~6–7k; heavily female)
• LinkedIn: 15–20% (~3–5k)
• X (Twitter): 16–20% (~3–5k)
• Reddit: 14–18% (~3–4.5k)
• Nextdoor: 8–12% (~1.8–3k; present but secondary to Facebook Groups)

Age mix (Delta County skews older)

• Approx adult composition: 18–29 (15%), 30–49 (25%), 50–64 (25%), 65+ (30%).
• Typical platform tilt by age in the county:
  • 18–29: YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok dominant; Facebook used but secondary.
  • 30–49: Facebook and YouTube strongest; Instagram growing; TikTok moderate.
  • 50–64: Facebook and YouTube primary; Instagram/TikTok smaller but rising.
  • 65+: Facebook leads; YouTube strong for how‑to/news; minimal TikTok/Snapchat.

Gender patterns (relative skews, based on national/rural splits)

• Facebook and Instagram: skew female.
• TikTok and Pinterest: notably female.
• YouTube: slightly male.
• Reddit and X: male-skewed.
• LinkedIn: closer to even, slight male tilt.

Behavioral trends observed in rural Colorado counties like Delta

• Facebook Groups as the community hub: local news, school updates, wildfire/road closures, lost & found, buy/sell/trade, and events across Delta, Cedaredge, Paonia, Hotchkiss, Crawford, Orchard City.
• High reliance on official local pages (county, sheriff, fire districts) for timely updates; shares drive reach more than page followers.
• Marketplace and classifieds behavior is strong (autos, equipment, ranch/farm goods). “ISO” posts common.
• Events discovery and RSVPs happen on Facebook; arts/food/ag events in the North Fork Valley cross‑promoted on Instagram.
• Short‑form video growth: Facebook Reels, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts perform well for local businesses (food, outdoor rec, real estate, home services).
• DIY and practical content on YouTube (equipment repair, irrigation, homesteading, gardening) draws sustained watch time.
• Younger residents prefer Snapchat/TikTok/Instagram Stories for messaging and discovery; they often don’t follow traditional local news pages.
• Nextdoor has pockets of use near town centers, but Facebook Groups generally dominate neighborhood chatter.
• Best posting windows: evenings and weekends for community reach; mornings for official alerts and road/weather updates.

Notes on methodology and confidence

• Percentages are derived from Pew 2024 platform adoption with rural adjustments, scaled to Delta County’s ACS age/gender profile. Because exact county-level platform penetration isn’t published, treat these as reasonable ranges rather than precise counts.