La Plata County

La Plata County, Colorado — key demographics

Population

• 55,638 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~39.5 years
• Under 18: ~19%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Gender

• Female: ~49.8%
• Male: ~50.2%

Racial/ethnic composition (race alone unless noted; Hispanic can be of any race)

• White: ~86–87%
• American Indian & Alaska Native: ~6–7%
• Asian: ~1%
• Black or African American: ~0.5%
• Two or more races: ~5%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~11–12%
• White alone, not Hispanic: ~76%

Households

• Total households: ~22.7k
• Average household size: ~2.38
• Family households: ~57% (average family size ~2.95)
• Households with children under 18: ~26%
• Housing tenure: ~66% owner-occupied, ~34% renter-occupied
• Median household income: ~$78k
• Poverty rate: ~10%

Insights

• Older age structure than the U.S. overall (share 65+ ~19%).
• Notable American Indian & Alaska Native presence (~6–7%).
• Smaller households than the U.S. average (~2.38 vs. ~2.6).

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

• Scope: La Plata County, CO (pop. ≈56,000; ≈1,700 sq mi; ≈33 people/sq mi).
• Estimated email users: ≈44,000 residents use email regularly (≈92% of adults plus most teens 13–17).
• Age distribution of email users (approx. share of users): 18–34 ≈30%, 35–54 ≈33%, 55–64 ≈17%, 65+ ≈20%. Adoption is near‑universal among 18–54 and remains high among 55+ with a modest drop in the oldest group.
• Gender split: No meaningful gap; the user base mirrors the county’s near‑even population mix (≈50% female, ≈50% male).
• Digital access and connectivity:
  • About 85–90% of households maintain a broadband subscription; device access is widespread, so most residents can reach email via smartphone or computer.
  • Durango and nearby towns have robust wired options (cable and business‑class fiber from providers such as Comcast Xfinity and FastTrack), supporting fast, reliable email access.
  • Outside population centers (Bayfield, Ignacio, rural areas), last‑mile options shift toward DSL, fixed wireless, and satellite (e.g., Starlink); terrain introduces coverage gaps away from US‑160/US‑550 corridors.
  • 4G/5G mobile networks are strong in and between towns, enabling mobile email; reliance on mobile‑only internet is notable in outlying areas.
  • Recent fiber buildouts in Durango and the 2024 wind‑down of the federal ACP affordability benefit shape adoption and affordability trends.

Mobile phone usage in La Plata County, CO (2024 snapshot)

Key totals and user estimates

• Population: ~57,000 residents; ~45,000 adults.
• Mobile phone ownership among adults: ~95% (≈42,500–43,000 adult mobile users).
• Smartphone users: ~86–88% of adults (≈39,000–40,000 adult smartphone users); adding teens 13–17 pushes total smartphone users to roughly 42,000.
• Households relying on cellular data as their primary/only home internet: 17–20% (≈3,900–4,600 of 23,000 households), higher than Colorado’s statewide share (11–13%).
• Typical use pattern: 4G remains the baseline in rural tracts; 5G is concentrated in and around Durango and along US‑160/US‑550 corridors.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age:
  • 18–34: ~95–97% smartphone adoption, boosted by Fort Lewis College and a young workforce concentrated in Durango.
  • 35–64: ~90% smartphone adoption, heavy use of bundled postpaid plans.
  • 65+: ~72–78% smartphone adoption; above-average reliance on Wi‑Fi calling and larger‑screen devices; mobile‑only households are less common than for younger groups but still material in rural areas.
• Income:
  • Households under ~$35k are markedly more likely to be smartphone‑only for internet (≈28–32% vs county average 17–20%).
• Race/ethnicity and geography:
  • Hispanic and Native American households (including on/near the Southern Ute Indian Reservation) show higher smartphone‑only reliance than white non‑Hispanic households due to patchier wired options and affordability constraints.
  • Durango/Bayfield/ Ignacio have higher 5G adoption; outlying census tracts are more 4G‑centric with Wi‑Fi offload.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• 4G LTE: ≈98–99% population coverage from at least one national carrier; land‑area coverage lower (≈70–80%) due to mountainous terrain and public lands.
• 5G:
  • Population coverage ~75–85% in practice, concentrated in Durango, Bayfield, Ignacio, and along US‑160/US‑550. Mid‑band 5G (capacity) is present in Durango but sparse outside town centers; much of the broad 5G footprint elsewhere uses low‑band spectrum.
• Networks and backhaul:
  • National MNOs present: Verizon, AT&T (including FirstNet for public safety), and T‑Mobile; MVNOs ride these networks with the same geographic constraints.
  • Fiber backhaul runs the main corridors (US‑160/US‑550); many mountaintop and remote sites rely on microwave backhaul, which can limit peak capacity.
• Notable weak zones and seasonal stress:
  • Coverage gaps appear in canyons and recreation areas (parts of La Plata Canyon, Vallecito and Lemon Reservoir surroundings, remote San Juan National Forest tracts).
  • Peak seasonal tourism and wildfire incidents drive temporary congestion; carriers periodically deploy COWs/COLTs for capacity near events or incidents.

How La Plata County differs from Colorado statewide

• Higher cellular‑only household share: ~17–20% vs ~11–13% statewide, reflecting more rural tracts and uneven wireline availability.
• More pronounced terrain‑driven gaps: Land‑area 4G/5G coverage is materially lower than the Front Range; residents depend more on Wi‑Fi calling and device‑based hotspotting.
• 5G capacity is spottier: Mid‑band 5G is largely confined to Durango and immediate corridors, while the Front Range enjoys broader mid‑band deployment and higher median speeds.
• Seasonal demand swings are stronger: Tourism and wildfire seasons create sharper peaks in mobile traffic and public‑safety usage than typical metro Colorado patterns.
• Demographics nudge adoption in two directions: The college‑town center elevates young‑adult smartphone usage above rural‑Colorado norms, while older and lower‑income rural households show higher smartphone‑only reliance and lower take‑rates for wired broadband than the state average.

Implications for service and outreach

• Ensure robust 4G support and Wi‑Fi calling for rural users; treat mid‑band 5G as a Durango‑first capacity play.
• Plan for seasonal capacity spikes and emergency communications; FirstNet and deployable assets matter more here than in most Colorado counties.
• Affordability and device support programs have outsized impact for lower‑income, Hispanic, and Native households where smartphone‑only internet is common.

Sources and methodology

• Estimates synthesized from 2022–2023 American Community Survey indicators on device and internet subscriptions, FCC Broadband Data Collection mobile availability filings (2023), statewide mobile adoption trends, and Pew Research smartphone adoption benchmarks, adjusted for La Plata County’s age mix, urban/rural split, and institutional presence (Fort Lewis College). Figures are rounded to reflect county‑level uncertainty while remaining decision‑useful.

La Plata County, CO — Social Media Usage Snapshot (2025)

Baseline population

• Total population: roughly 56–57k residents (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023)
• Adults (18+): about 44k
• Sex split: approximately even (near 50% female / 50% male)

Overall social media adoption

• Adults using at least one social platform: about 81% of adults → ~36k adult users (modeled from Pew Research Center, 2024)

Most-used platforms (adults) (Percentages are the share of all U.S. adults who use each platform; local counts are modeled by applying those shares to La Plata County’s ~44k adults.)

• YouTube: 83% → ~36.5k
• Facebook: 68% → ~29.9k
• Instagram: 47% → ~20.7k
• Pinterest: 35% → ~15.4k
• TikTok: 33% → ~14.5k
• Snapchat: 30% → ~13.2k
• LinkedIn: 30% → ~13.2k
• X (Twitter): 22% → ~9.7k
• Reddit: 22% → ~9.7k
• WhatsApp: 21% → ~9.2k

Age patterns (local usage aligns with national age trends)

• 18–29: near‑universal use; very high on YouTube (93%), Instagram (78%), Snapchat (65%), TikTok (62%)
• 30–49: heavy use; YouTube (87%), Facebook (73%), Instagram (49%), TikTok (39%), LinkedIn (~41%)
• 50–64: strong on Facebook (69%) and YouTube (70%); moderate Instagram (29%) and TikTok (24%)
• 65+: Facebook (58%) and YouTube (49%) dominate; lighter on Instagram (15%) and TikTok (10%)

Gender breakdown (usage tendencies)

• Population is near 50/50, so user base mirrors this
• Platform skews: Pinterest skews female; Reddit and X skew male; Facebook and Instagram are broadly balanced with slight female tilt; YouTube is broadly used by both genders

Behavioral trends observed in similar Rocky Mountain college/tourism counties and evident locally

• Facebook remains the community hub: local groups, events, school and public-safety updates, wildfire/road conditions, buy/sell/trade
• Instagram + Reels drive lifestyle discovery: outdoors, trails, dining, breweries, festivals; strong role in trip planning and local brand visibility
• TikTok rising with 18–34: short-form discovery of local eateries, hikes, campus life; creator-led recommendations influence visitation and spend
• YouTube for deeper research: gear reviews, trail previews, DIY/home projects, and regional news explainers
• Snapchat is a daily messaging channel among high school/college-age residents (Fort Lewis College influence)
• LinkedIn serves recruiting and networking across healthcare, education, tourism/outdoor, professional services, and energy
• Seasonality: engagement spikes around summer tourism, fall events, and during winter weather/wildfire updates; short-form video outperforms static posts in peak seasons
• Community and place-based content outperforms product-only posts; local faces, service info, and timely updates drive saves/shares

Method and sources

• County population and demographics: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2023
• Platform adoption rates by age/gender: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024
• County-level figures are modeled by applying Pew’s U.S. adult usage shares to La Plata County’s estimated 18+ population; overlaps across platforms are expected and counts are approximate by design.