Larimer County

Larimer County, Colorado — key demographics

Population size

• 374,000–375,000 (U.S. Census Bureau 2023 population estimate; 2020 Census: 359,066)

Age

• Under 5 years: ~4.8–5.0%
• Under 18 years: ~19%
• 65 years and over: ~17%
• Median age: upper 30s (young-adult skew due to college population)

Gender

• Female: ~49.5–50%

Race and ethnicity

• White, non-Hispanic: ~78–80%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~12–13%
• Black or African American: ~1–1.5%
• Asian: ~2.5–3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~1–2%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%
• Two or more races: ~4–5%

Household data

• Households: ~150,000–155,000
• Persons per household: ~2.4
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~62–66%
• Renter-occupied: ~34–38%

Insights

• Rapid growth since 2020 (~4–5% through 2023), a predominantly White, non-Hispanic population with a notable Hispanic community, and a relatively young age structure balanced by a growing 65+ segment. Average household size is modest, with a significant renter share reflecting the university influence and urban centers (Fort Collins, Loveland).

Email usage in Larimer County, CO (2023–2024 snapshot)

• Estimated email users: ~300,000 residents (≈80–85% of the ~370–375k population; ≈90% of adults), based on ACS population and Pew adult email adoption.
• Age distribution of email users (estimate, reflecting CSU’s presence and national adoption by age):
  • 18–29: ~20%
  • 30–49: ~33%
  • 50–64: ~27%
  • 65+: ~20%
• Gender split among users: ~50–51% female, ~49–50% male; email adoption is effectively equal by gender.
• Digital access and usage trends (ACS + Pew proxies):
  • ~95–96% of households have a computer; ~89–92% have a broadband subscription.
  • Smartphone access is widespread; ~10–13% of households are smartphone‑only.
  • High education and income levels plus a large student population correlate with above‑average daily email use and multi‑account ownership.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population density ≈140 people per square mile, concentrated along the I‑25/US‑287 corridor (Fort Collins–Loveland–Windsor).
  • Robust fiber footprint: Fort Collins Connexion, Loveland Pulse, and Estes Park’s Trailblazer provide citywide gigabit-class service, supporting high email reliability and usage.

Bottom line: Larimer’s strong broadband, municipal fiber, and college‑driven demographics yield high email penetration with balanced gender use and heavy engagement across working‑age adults.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Larimer County, Colorado

Executive highlights

• Smartphone penetration is very high and skewed younger than the state average, driven by Colorado State University (CSU) and a large college-age cohort around Fort Collins.
• Mobile-only internet reliance (households whose primary internet is via cellular data plans) is materially higher in student-dense tracts but lower than the state average in older, rural foothill communities.
• 5G coverage from all three national carriers is strong along the I‑25/US‑34 urban corridor (Fort Collins–Loveland–Windsor), with noticeable performance drop-offs in western mountainous areas (Estes Park, Red Feather Lakes) due to terrain and protected lands.
• Municipal fiber (Fort Collins Connexion) and widespread campus/public Wi‑Fi meaningfully reduce at‑home mobile data dependency compared with many Colorado counties, even as smartphone use remains ubiquitous.

User estimates (2023–2024)

• Adult smartphone users: roughly 260,000–280,000 adults use smartphones in Larimer County, reflecting very high adult ownership in a county of ~370,000 people and a younger-than-average age structure.
• Household smartphone/data-plan subscription: most households maintain at least one cellular data plan; practical adoption is near-universal in the urbanized areas (Fort Collins, Loveland, Timnath, Windsor portion) and modestly lower in sparsely populated foothill and mountain communities.
• Mobile-only households: elevated in student-heavy neighborhoods near CSU (where mobile plans and on-campus Wi‑Fi substitute for fixed broadband), but countywide mobile-only share is tempered by strong availability and uptake of municipal fiber in Fort Collins and cable/fiber in Loveland/Windsor.

Demographic patterns

• Age: A larger 18–24 cohort than the state average (CSU) drives near-ubiquitous smartphone use, heavy app‑based communication, and higher reliance on unlimited/discounted carrier plans. Seniors 65+ show strong adoption but remain the segment most likely to keep voice/text-heavy plans or pair phones with fixed broadband at home.
• Income and housing: Students and lower‑income renters are overrepresented among mobile‑first/mobile‑only users, while owner-occupied households (especially in Fort Collins and Loveland) more often bundle smartphones with fixed broadband. Short‑term and seasonal workers near Estes Park (gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park) contribute to seasonal spikes in mobile use and capacity strain.
• Race/ethnicity and language: Multilingual and immigrant households in urban tracts often favor family mobile plans and OTT messaging; these groups in Larimer mirror Colorado’s pattern of high smartphone reliance but benefit more from dense urban coverage than rural-mountain residents.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Networks: AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon all provide countywide 4G LTE footprints and extensive 5G in and around Fort Collins–Loveland–Windsor along I‑25 and US‑34. Mid‑band 5G (T‑Mobile 2.5 GHz; AT&T/Verizon C‑band) is common in the urban corridor, enabling higher median mobile speeds than in the county’s western highlands.
• Terrain constraints: West of US‑287 into the foothills and around Estes Park, topography limits line‑of‑sight, leading to more dead zones and lower uplink performance; coverage within Rocky Mountain National Park is sparse by design, creating seasonal congestion at the edges of protected areas.
• Backhaul and Wi‑Fi offload: Fort Collins’ city‑owned Connexion fiber and extensive campus Wi‑Fi at CSU substantially increase Wi‑Fi offload opportunities, reducing at‑home cellular data usage relative to many Colorado counties without municipal fiber.
• Public safety and resilience: FirstNet (AT&T) coverage overlays the urban corridor and primary evacuation routes; redundancy is greatest along I‑25, with more single‑carrier dependencies in mountain communities.

How Larimer differs from Colorado overall

• Higher youth-driven smartphone intensity: Larimer’s university influence yields heavier app‑centric usage and higher mobile-only pockets near campus than the state average.
• Greater 5G depth where people live: Along the county’s primary population centers, mid‑band 5G density and backhaul are on par with or better than statewide averages; however, Larimer’s mountainous west has starker urban‑rural performance gaps than many eastern‑plains counties.
• Lower sustained mobile dependence at home in fiber areas: Municipal fiber in Fort Collins reduces long‑term mobile-only dependence compared with peer Front Range counties lacking citywide fiber, even as smartphones remain ubiquitous across demographics.
• More pronounced seasonality: Tourism around Estes Park/RMNP introduces larger seasonal peaks in mobile network load than the state average, stressing edge cells and backhaul during summer.

Practical implications

• For carriers: Capacity and uplink enhancements should prioritize CSU-adjacent tracts and Estes Park seasonal hotspots; mountainous sectors benefit from targeted small cells, repeaters, and microwave backhaul.
• For public agencies: Digital inclusion efforts should focus on mobile-first students and low‑income renters with device affordability and subsidy awareness; rural west‑county residents need targeted coverage and emergency‑communications reliability.
• For businesses and service providers: Expect high mobile engagement and strong 5G user experience in Fort Collins–Loveland; plan for Wi‑Fi offload indoors and additional redundancy for operations in foothill/mountain locations.

Larimer County, CO social media usage (2025 snapshot)

Population base

• Total population: ~373,000 (2023 estimate)
• Adults (18+): ~306,000
• Adult gender split: 50% female (154,000) and 50% male (152,000)

Most‑used platforms among adults (modeled local reach = Pew 2024 U.S. adoption rates applied to Larimer’s adult population)

• YouTube: 83% ≈ 254,000 adults
• Facebook: 68% ≈ 208,000
• Instagram: 47% ≈ 144,000
• Pinterest: 35% ≈ 107,000
• TikTok: 33% ≈ 101,000
• Snapchat: 30% ≈ 92,000
• WhatsApp: 29% ≈ 89,000
• LinkedIn: 22% ≈ 67,000
• X (Twitter): 22% ≈ 67,000
• Reddit: 22% ≈ 67,000

Age groups and usage tendencies (local counts; platform preferences mirror U.S. patterns)

• 18–24 (56,000 adults): Very high YouTube usage (90%+), heavy Instagram (75–80%), Snapchat (60–70%), TikTok (~60%+). Approx users: IG ~44k, SC ~36k, TikTok ~35k, Facebook ~37k.
• 25–34 (52,000 adults): Strong YouTube (90%+), Facebook (70%+), Instagram (50%), TikTok (40%), LinkedIn (35–40%). Approx users: FB ~38k, IG ~26k, TikTok ~20k, LinkedIn ~19k.
• 35–44 (~48,000 adults): YouTube very high; Facebook dominant; Instagram moderate; TikTok/Snapchat lower but material.
• 45–64 (~90,000 adults): Facebook and YouTube lead; Instagram moderate; TikTok limited but growing.
• 65+ (~60,000 adults): Facebook and YouTube remain primary; Instagram/TikTok relatively low. Approx users: Facebook ~37k, YouTube ~36k.

Gender breakdown by platform (illustrative local splits using Pew gender patterns)

• Facebook: Women 75% (115k) vs men 61% (93k)
• Instagram: Women 50% (77k) vs men 43% (65k)
• TikTok: Women 38% (58k) vs men 29% (44k)
• Snapchat: Women 34% (52k) vs men 24% (37k)
• Pinterest: Women 50% (77k) vs men 21% (32k)
• LinkedIn: Men 28% (43k) vs women 21% (32k)
• Reddit: Men 29% (44k) vs women 13% (20k)
• YouTube: Men 86% (131k) vs women 79% (121k)

Behavioral trends observed locally

• College‑driven social habits: Colorado State University concentrates 18–24 activity on Instagram Reels, TikTok, Snapchat Stories/Maps; evening and weekend spikes around campus events, athletics, and nightlife.
• Community and civic engagement: Facebook Groups and Pages are central for city updates (utilities, transit, snow closures), wildfire/smoke conditions, and school/PTA info; Nextdoor usage is visible in suburban HOAs and neighborhood safety.
• Outdoor and tourism content: Instagram and YouTube see strong engagement around hiking, cycling, fishing, and Rocky Mountain National Park trips; seasonal surges June–September with UGC and short‑form video performing best.
• Local commerce: Facebook Marketplace is widely used; small businesses lean on Facebook and Instagram for promotions and events; restaurants and breweries see best lift from Reels/TikTok paired with Google/Maps updates.
• Cause‑ and community‑oriented sharing: High interaction with sustainability, animal rescue, and volunteer opportunities, especially via Facebook Events and local nonprofits’ Instagram posts.
• Professional corridor along I‑25: LinkedIn engagement for hiring (CSU grads), advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and tech; activity peaks midweek during work hours.
• Information cross‑over in emergencies: Residents follow county/city Facebook pages and X accounts for real‑time alerts; resharing within neighborhood Groups boosts reach quickly.
• Content formats that win: Short‑form vertical video (Reels/TikTok), authentic UGC, timely trail/conditions updates, and event‑centric posts; static flyers underperform unless paired with Stories/Reels.

Notes on methodology and sources

• Population and age structure: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS/QuickFacts (2023).
• Platform adoption rates: Pew Research Center, Americans’ Social Media Use in 2024.
• County figures are modeled by applying Pew’s U.S. adult adoption rates to Larimer County’s adult population; age/gender splits use Pew’s cohort patterns to derive local counts.