Las Animas County

Las Animas County, Colorado – key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

• Population: ~14,200
• Age
  • Median age: ~46 years
  • Under 18: ~19%
  • 18 to 64: ~58%
  • 65 and over: ~23%
• Sex
  • Male: ~51–52%
  • Female: ~48–49%
• Race and ethnicity (mutually exclusive)
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~41%
  • Non-Hispanic White: ~54%
  • Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native: ~2%
  • Non-Hispanic Black: ~1%
  • Non-Hispanic Asian: ~0.5%
  • Non-Hispanic multiracial/other: ~1–2%
• Households
  • Total households: ~6,500–6,600
  • Average household size: ~2.1–2.2
  • Family households: ~57%
  • Married-couple households: ~44% of all households
  • Households with children under 18: ~22%
  • One-person households: ~36%
  • 65+ living alone: ~16%

Insights

• Older age profile than Colorado overall and smaller average household size.
• Large Hispanic/Latino population (about two in five residents).

Las Animas County, CO – email usage snapshot

• Estimated email users: ~10,300 residents (≈70–72% of total population), driven by high internet adoption among adults. Method: ACS internet-subscription rates for rural Colorado combined with Pew adult email-use rates.
• Age distribution of users: Skews older than state average. Approximate share of email users: 18–34 (20%), 35–54 (33%), 55–64 (20%), 65+ (27%). Older adults are a larger slice here than statewide but still show majority email adoption.
• Gender split among users: ~50% female, ~50% male (county population is near even by sex).
• Digital access trends: Most households maintain some internet subscription; fixed broadband predominates in and around Trinidad/I‑25, with increased fiber builds in town and fixed‑wireless coverage expanding in outlying areas. A meaningful minority are smartphone‑only for home internet, and a smaller share lacks any subscription; public Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools, municipal hotspots) fills gaps.
• Local density/connectivity facts: Population ≈14.5K spread across ~4,775 square miles (≈3.0 people per sq. mile), making last‑mile buildout challenging and reinforcing reliance on fixed‑wireless and mobile data outside the I‑25 corridor.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (population, land area, ACS internet subscription), Pew Research Center (email adoption).

Summary of mobile phone usage in Las Animas County, Colorado

Headline numbers and user estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year unless noted)

• Population: ~14,100 residents; ~6,500 households; average household size ~2.15.
• Households with a smartphone: ~85% in Las Animas County vs ~92% statewide. That equates to roughly 5,525 local households and about 11,800 residents living in smartphone-equipped households.
• Households relying on a cellular data plan as their only home internet (“mobile-only”): ~9% locally vs ~4% statewide, or about 585 households (≈1,260 people).
• Households with no internet subscription: ~14% locally vs ~6% statewide, or about 910 households (≈2,000 people).

Demographic factors shaping mobile usage (County vs Colorado)

• Older population: Median age mid‑40s; about one-quarter of residents are 65+, notably higher than the state. Older age profiles typically reduce smartphone adoption and app intensity but increase voice/SMS dependence and caregiver-driven device purchasing.
• Income and affordability: Median household income is substantially lower than the state, with higher poverty rates. This correlates with higher prepaid usage, greater smartphone dependence for internet access, and lower uptake of premium data plans and 5G devices.
• Race/ethnicity: A higher share of Hispanic residents than the state average. Combined with income and rurality, this is associated with greater mobile-first access patterns and shared-device usage in multigenerational households.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Network footprint: 4G LTE coverage is broadly available along the I‑25 corridor (Trinidad/Walsenburg axis) and major state routes; coverage thins quickly in sparsely populated foothills and canyon areas west of Trinidad and in ranching country to the east. Terrain-induced dead zones persist in valleys and along parts of the Highway of Legends (CO‑12).
• 5G availability: Population coverage is concentrated in and around Trinidad and along I‑25. Countywide 5G population coverage trails the state markedly (roughly the low‑ to mid‑80s percent locally vs the high‑90s statewide), and 5G land‑area coverage is a small fraction of Colorado’s.
• Carrier presence: AT&T (including FirstNet Band 14 for public safety), Verizon, and T‑Mobile operate macro sites along I‑25 and in population centers; outside these corridors, users frequently fall back to LTE or 3GPP low‑band 5G with limited capacity.
• Backhaul and last‑mile mix: Cable and fiber are largely limited to Trinidad and immediate surroundings. Outside town, households lean on fixed wireless and satellite; subscription rates for those technologies are several points higher than the state average. This increases mobile substitution for home broadband and contributes to the county’s elevated “mobile-only” share.
• Public-sector anchors: School districts and county facilities are on fiber in town, improving in‑town capacity but not fully resolving rural coverage and capacity constraints.

County trends that differ from the Colorado state pattern

• More mobile-only households: Las Animas County’s reliance on cellular data plans as the primary home connection (9%) is more than double the statewide share (4%).
• Lower smartphone household penetration: At ~85%, the county trails the state by roughly 7 percentage points, reflecting older age structure and affordability constraints.
• Higher offline rate: Households with no internet subscription (14%) are over twice the statewide rate (6%), increasing dependence on mobile voice/text and public Wi‑Fi.
• Greater reliance on non-terrestrial/alternative access: Satellite and fixed wireless subscriptions are several points higher than Colorado overall, reinforcing the role of mobile networks as a primary or backup connection.
• Coverage asymmetry: 5G population coverage is materially lower than the state, and 5G land‑area coverage is limited. Performance is corridor-centric; capacity drops outside Trinidad and I‑25.
• Usage pattern implications: Compared with Colorado overall, Las Animas County exhibits more prepaid and budget plan usage, higher smartphone sharing within households, and lower average mobile data speeds off-corridor due to spectrum mix and backhaul constraints.

What this means for stakeholders

• Carriers: Network planning that prioritizes low‑band spectrum fill‑in, additional mid‑band sectors in Trinidad, and backhaul upgrades along CO‑12/US‑160 will yield outsized benefits. FirstNet coverage remains critical for public safety and wildfire response.
• Policymakers and programs: Affordability initiatives and device subsidies move the needle locally. Grants targeting fixed wireless and fiber backhaul in unserved tracts can reduce the county’s elevated mobile‑only and offline shares.
• Businesses and services: Assume mobile-first access for a sizable share of residents; optimize for low‑bandwidth experiences and offline‑capable apps, and maintain SMS-based engagement channels.

Social media usage in Las Animas County, CO (2024 modeled snapshot)

Baseline

• Total population: ~14,300; adults (18+) ~11,700
• Adults using at least one social platform: ~72% (≈8,400 adults)

Most‑used platforms among adults (share of 18+; overlapping use expected)

• YouTube: 80%
• Facebook: 66%
• Instagram: 44%
• TikTok: 31%
• Pinterest: 29%
• Snapchat: 27%
• LinkedIn: 20%
• X (Twitter): 19%
• WhatsApp: 18%
• Reddit: 18%
• Nextdoor: 10%

Age mix of local social users (share of adult social users)

• 18–24: 9%
• 25–34: 15%
• 35–44: 16%
• 45–54: 16%
• 55–64: 18%
• 65+: 26%

Gender breakdown

• Overall among adult social users: ~52% female, ~48% male
• Platform skews (share of each platform’s local users):
  • More female: Pinterest (75% F), TikTok (60% F), Instagram (57% F), Facebook (54% F), Snapchat (56% F), Nextdoor (56% F)
  • More male: YouTube (51% M), Reddit (66% M), X/Twitter (58% M), LinkedIn (54% M), WhatsApp (~52% M)

Behavioral trends

• Facebook Groups function as the county’s public square for community news, wildfire/weather and road updates, school sports, and buy/sell; Marketplace activity is high
• Short‑form vertical video (Reels/TikTok) is the fastest‑growing content type; cross‑posting Reels to Facebook extends reach among 35–54
• Peak engagement: weekdays 6–8 a.m. and 6–9 p.m.; weekends late morning to early afternoon; emergencies drive sharp Facebook spikes
• Local content wins: posts featuring recognizable places, people, and events outperform stock imagery; timely comment replies materially boost reach
• Messaging norms: Facebook Messenger is ubiquitous; Snapchat dominates teen peer messaging; WhatsApp use is concentrated among Hispanic and multi‑generational families
• Trust hierarchy: official pages (county, city, schools, sheriff/fire) and local media consistently draw higher shares/comments than national outlets

Notes and method

• Figures are 2024 modeled local estimates built by applying Pew Research Center’s platform‑specific adoption rates to Las Animas County’s 2023 ACS age/sex profile from the U.S. Census Bureau; percentages reflect adult (18+) population, with rounding.