Eagle County

Which source/year would you like?

• Latest ACS 5-year estimates (2019–2023; best for a full demographic profile), or
• 2020 Decennial Census counts (fixed point-in-time)

Also, for “household data,” should I include just number of households and average household size, or also family vs. nonfamily share and owner vs. renter?

Eagle County, CO snapshot (estimates)

• Email users: ~39,000–43,000 residents. Method: county pop ~56k; adults ~44k; applying 85–90% adult email adoption plus teen users.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: 5–7% (near-universal school-driven usage)
  • 18–34: 28–32%
  • 35–54: 32–36%
  • 55+: 25–30%
• Gender split: roughly even (about 49% female, 51% male), mirroring the population; no strong gender gap in email use.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Strong broadband along the I‑70 corridor (Vail, Avon, Edwards, Eagle, Gypsum) with cable/fiber; more limited fixed broadband in outlying mountain areas.
  • Mobile coverage is good in populated valleys but spotty in canyons; seasonal workers often depend on mobile data and public Wi‑Fi (resorts, libraries).
  • Ongoing fiber buildouts and remote‑work demand are raising speeds and adoption; affordability and terrain remain barriers for some low‑income and remote households.
• Local density/connectivity context: ~30–35 people per square mile across mountainous terrain (large area, dispersed housing), which increases infrastructure costs and contributes to coverage gaps outside town centers.

Notes: Figures are derived by applying Colorado/U.S. internet and email adoption rates to Eagle County’s population and age mix.

Mobile phone usage in Eagle County, Colorado — snapshot and how it differs from statewide patterns

User estimates

• Residents: ~56,000 (ACS 5‑yr). Adult share ~75%.
• Estimated resident smartphone users: 45,000–50,000 (assumes ~88–92% adult adoption plus most teens).
• Active lines per 100 residents: roughly 110–130 due to second lines, tablets, wearables, and second‑home devices.
• Seasonal swing: Visitor and seasonal‑worker influx routinely doubles the on‑network population on peak ski weeks, creating short, intense capacity surges that are far above the Colorado average for non‑metro areas.

Demographic patterns (what stands out locally)

• Age: Slightly younger adult profile and a smaller 65+ share than Colorado overall, which pushes smartphone adoption a bit higher than the statewide average.
• Language/ethnicity: Hispanic/Latino population is materially higher than the state average (roughly 30% vs ~22% statewide). Spanish‑first households in the county are more likely to be mobile‑first for internet access and lean heavily on messaging apps.
• Income split: The county combines high‑income households (multiple lines, wearables, connected gear) with a large service‑sector workforce (more prepaid/MVNO plans and mobile‑only internet). This bimodal pattern is sharper than the state as a whole.
• Mobile‑only internet: Likely modestly above the state in worker‑dense neighborhoods and outlying areas; expect roughly low‑to‑mid‑teens percent of households relying on cellular data as their only internet service (statewide is around the low‑teens). Renters and seasonal employees are overrepresented in this group.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Where service is strong: The I‑70 corridor and valley towns (Vail, Avon, Edwards, Eagle, Gypsum) have dense LTE and low/mid‑band 5G from AT&T, Verizon, and T‑Mobile. Indoor coverage in resort cores is augmented by small cells and distributed antenna systems.
• Where service drops: Steep terrain creates shadowed zones outside valleys—US‑24 (Minturn–Red Cliff), CO‑131 (Bond/McCoy), and up side canyons like Brush and Gypsum Creek—leading to more dead spots than the Colorado average.
• 5G specifics: Mid‑band 5G (e.g., Verizon C‑band, T‑Mobile 2.5 GHz) is concentrated in town centers; geographic 5G coverage share is lower than the state, but peak speeds in those cores can exceed statewide medians. mmWave, if present, is limited to venue hotspots or events.
• Backhaul resiliency: The NWCCOG “Project THOR” middle‑mile fiber along and near I‑70 provides redundant paths into resort towns, giving Eagle County better rural network resilience than many Colorado counties.
• Capacity management: Carriers routinely add temporary cells (COWs/COLTs) during major events and holidays—an operational norm here but not typical elsewhere in the state.
• Home alternatives and offload: Cable/fiber are common in town cores, but outlying homes lean on fixed wireless (WISPs, selective 5G Home) and Starlink more than the state average. Resort and lodging Wi‑Fi offload is heavily used to manage macro‑network load.
• Public safety: FirstNet (AT&T Band 14) is deployed on key sites; Text‑to‑911 and Wi‑Fi calling are important for canyons/buildings where RF penetration is tough.

How Eagle County differs from statewide trends

• Bigger demand swings: Short, extreme traffic peaks from tourism and events; capacity planning is event‑driven in a way most Colorado counties are not.
• Terrain‑limited breadth, high urban‑style cores: Less contiguous 5G/LTE coverage across geography than Colorado overall, but very high capacity in village cores via small cells/DAS.
• Sharper digital divide within a high‑income county: Simultaneous presence of multi‑device, high‑spend users and mobile‑only, price‑sensitive users is more pronounced than the state average.
• More Wi‑Fi offload and venue networking: Resorts materially shift traffic from cellular to managed Wi‑Fi, a bigger factor here than in most CO communities.
• Higher adoption of niche connectivity: Starlink and satellite messengers (for backcountry) have higher take‑up than the state average; eSIM/roaming usage is elevated due to international visitors.

Notes on sources and method

• Population and device/plan patterns are inferred from ACS Computer and Internet Use (S2801, 5‑year), Pew/NTIA adoption rates, and carrier/FCC coverage data through 2024, adjusted for Eagle County’s age, income, language, tourism, and terrain profile. Figures are presented as ranges to reflect seasonal and geographic variability.

Eagle County, CO social media snapshot (estimates)

Overall user base

• Population: ~56,000 residents; ~43,000 adults (18+)
• Estimated active social media users: 39,000–42,000 residents (70–75% of total population; ~80–85% of adults, ~90–95% of teens)
• Language mix: sizable bilingual (English/Spanish) audience; seasonal and international worker presence boosts WhatsApp/Instagram usage

Age mix of local users (share of social users)

• 13–17: 8–10%
• 18–24: 10–12%
• 25–34: 23–26%
• 35–44: 22–25%
• 45–54: 16–18%
• 55–64: 10–12%
• 65+: 7–9%

Gender breakdown (of social users)

• Male: ~51–53%
• Female: ~46–48%
• Nonbinary/other: ~1% Note: County’s workforce skews male (construction/outdoor/hospitality); platform-by-platform engagement still leans female on Facebook/Instagram/Pinterest and male on Reddit/X.

Most‑used platforms locally (share of adult users; ranges reflect local adjustment of national benchmarks)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 60–70% (very strong in town groups, events, buy/sell/trade)
• Instagram: 45–55%
• TikTok: 30–40% (highest among under‑35s and seasonal workers)
• Snapchat: 25–35% (teens/young adults)
• Pinterest: 30–40% (home, lifestyle, wedding/party planning)
• LinkedIn: 25–35% (real estate, healthcare, hospitality management)
• WhatsApp: 25–35% (above national average; bilingual, seasonal/international workers)
• X (Twitter): 15–25% (news, road/weather alerts)
• Reddit: 15–25% (younger/male skew; ski/snow, gear, local threads)
• Nextdoor: 10–20% (varies by neighborhood; HOAs and homeowners)

Behavioral trends to know

• Strong seasonality: Spikes in winter (snow conditions, lift status, road closures) and summer (trails, fires, river flows). Engagement dips shoulder seasons.
• Real‑time info seeking: Heavy followership of CDOT, Sheriff, fire districts for I‑70/Vail Pass incidents, avalanche/fire updates; X and Facebook preferred for alerts.
• Community commerce: Facebook groups dominate housing leads, gear swaps, childcare, and service referrals; Marketplace is a primary local channel.
• Visual storytelling: Instagram Reels/TikTok used for mountain conditions, hospitality, F&B specials, après scenes; UGC drives discovery for visitors.
• Multilingual communication: WhatsApp and Facebook used for work crews, shift swaps, and neighborhood info in Spanish; bilingual posts earn higher reach.
• Employer branding/recruitment: Hospitality, healthcare, construction, and resorts recruit on Facebook/Instagram; LinkedIn for professional roles.
• Tourism amplification: Out‑of‑market visitors tag local venues, which boosts reach beyond county; businesses win with location tags and reposts.
• DM-first service: Residents and visitors commonly message via Instagram/FB Messenger/WhatsApp for reservations, waitlists, and last‑minute updates.
• Younger cohorts: Snapchat for friend networks; TikTok/IG Reels for discovery; Reddit for niche outdoor communities; lower Facebook posting but still passive consumption.
• Local cause mobilization: Quick fundraising and volunteer turnout via Facebook groups and Instagram Stories after storms, fires, or community needs.

Notes on data

• County‑specific platform data are limited. Estimates combine Eagle County demographics (ACS), Colorado mountain‑town patterns, and 2023–2024 U.S. platform usage from Pew Research adjusted for resort/seasonal workforce characteristics. For planning, validate with page insights, ad reach estimates, and short local surveys to refine these ranges.