Logan County

Logan County, Colorado — key demographics (latest available U.S. Census Bureau data; primarily 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates and 2023 Population Estimates)

• Population: ~22,300 (2023 estimate)
• Age
  • Median age: ~37
  • Under 18: ~20%
  • 18–24: ~10%
  • 25–44: ~29%
  • 45–64: ~23%
  • 65+: ~18%
• Sex
  • Male: ~56%
  • Female: ~44%
  • Note: The male share is elevated due to the presence of a large state correctional facility in Sterling.
• Race/ethnicity (share of total population)
  • White, non-Hispanic: ~67%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~24%
  • Black/African American, non-Hispanic: ~5%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~1%
  • Asian, non-Hispanic: ~1%
  • Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~3%
• Households and housing
  • Households: ~8,100
  • Average household size: ~2.5
  • Family households: ~60% of households
  • Owner-occupied: ~67%
  • Renter-occupied: ~33%

Insights

• Population is stable to slightly declining over the last decade, with corrections-related group quarters influencing sex and age structure.
• Hispanic/Latino share is modestly above the statewide average, contributing to workforce-age density in 25–44.
• Homeownership is typical for rural Colorado, with smaller household sizes than national rural averages.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; 2023 Population Estimates Program.

Logan County, CO snapshot: population ≈22,000 across ≈1,845 sq mi (≈12 people/sq mi).

Estimated email users: ≈17,000 (≈88–90% of residents age 13+).

Age distribution of email users (estimates):

• 13–17: ~1.0k users (of ~1.3k residents)
• 18–34: ~4.3k (of ~4.4k)
• 35–54: ~5.4k (of ~5.7k)
• 55–64: ~2.8k (of ~3.1k)
• 65+: ~3.6k (of ~4.2k)

Gender split: The resident population skews male due to the Sterling Correctional Facility, but among the civilian, noninstitutional population—and thus active email users—the split is approximately even (≈50% female, ≈50% male).

Digital access and connectivity:

• Sterling (county seat) has the densest, most competitive broadband (cable and growing fiber), anchored by Northeastern Junior College and the regional hospital, supporting heavy email reliance for education, healthcare, and commerce.
• Outside Sterling, access is sparser: many households rely on DSL or fixed wireless; 4G/5G is strongest along I‑76 and weakens in outlying ranchlands, dampening multi‑device, always‑on email use.
• Overall home broadband adoption trails Colorado’s urban counties, but mobile‑email use is robust among 18–54.

Sources/approach: 2020 Census demographics for Logan County combined with current U.S. email adoption benchmarks (Pew/industry) and FCC/Colorado broadband mapping patterns.

Mobile phone usage in Logan County, Colorado (2024–2025 snapshot)

Headline user estimates

• Total population (2020 Census baseline): 22,700; civilian noninstitutional population (excludes Sterling Correctional Facility): ~20,200
• Mobile phone users (human-operated phones): ~15,800
  • Smartphone users: ~14,200 (about 83% of adults; ~70% of the civilian noninstitutional population when including children)
  • Basic/feature-phone users: ~1,600
• Active human-centric mobile lines/SIMs (phones, tablets, wearables): ~18,000
• Household count: 8,700; mobile-primary (cellular as primary home internet): ~1,500 households (17%)

Demographic breakdown of usage

• Adult smartphone adoption: ~83% in Logan County versus roughly ~90% statewide; the county’s higher share of older adults and lower median income contribute to this gap
• By age (share of adult smartphone adoption):
  • 18–34: ~95% adoption
  • 35–64: ~88% adoption
  • 65+: ~65% adoption (notably lower than Colorado’s older-adult adoption, which is closer to ~70%)
• Teens (13–17): 90% have a smartphone (1,200 teen users)
• Platform mix (smartphones): ~55% Android, ~44% iOS, ~1% other; Logan County tilts more Android than Colorado overall (which leans slightly iOS)
• Plan type: ~28% prepaid in Logan County vs ~18% statewide; cost sensitivity leads to higher prepaid and MVNO usage
• Device capability: ~65% of smartphone users carry 5G-capable devices in Logan County vs ~75–80% statewide; upgrade cycles are slower locally
• Socioeconomics: Median household income is materially lower than the Colorado average, reinforcing budget device purchases, longer device retention, and family-plan clustering

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Networks present: All three national carriers (AT&T/FirstNet, T-Mobile, Verizon) operate in the county; regional carrier Viaero Wireless also has a meaningful footprint across the Eastern Plains
• Coverage pattern:
  • Strongest service along the I-76/US-6 corridor and in Sterling (the county seat), with contiguous LTE and low-band 5G
  • Mid-band 5G is concentrated in Sterling and along major corridors; coverage thins quickly in outlying farm and ranch areas, where service often drops to LTE or low-band 5G with lower capacity
  • North and northeast edges of the county and river bottoms can exhibit spotty service; signal boosters are common on farms and in metal buildings
• Backhaul and middle mile:
  • Fiber backhaul is robust along I-76 and into Sterling (anchored by municipal, school/E-rate, and healthcare fiber), while microwave backhaul remains common at rural sites
  • Anchor institutions (e.g., Northeastern Junior College, schools, hospital) help stabilize local fiber demand and improve resiliency
• Fixed wireless and home internet:
  • Multiple WISPs (including large regional players such as Rise Broadband) and carrier-based fixed wireless (e.g., 4G/5G home internet) extend service to areas lacking cable or fiber
  • Outside Sterling, many households face a single- or dual-provider wired choice (DSL or cable if available), driving higher reliance on mobile and fixed wireless
• Public safety:
  • FirstNet Band 14 sites bolster AT&T coverage for emergency services along highways and in Sterling; rural mutual-aid responders commonly rely on external antennas/boosters

How Logan County differs from Colorado statewide

• Adoption and device mix:
  • Adult smartphone adoption is ~7 percentage points lower than the state
  • Higher Android share and prepaid penetration reflect more price-sensitive buying and slower upgrade cycles
• Internet access mode:
  • Mobile-primary households are materially higher (~17% vs ~10–12% statewide), given patchier wired broadband outside Sterling
• Network experience:
  • Capacity hinges more on low-band LTE/5G and fixed wireless; mid-band 5G capacity is less pervasive than in Colorado’s Front Range metros
  • Seasonal agriculture adds peak loads (harvest, irrigation monitoring) that are less pronounced in urban counties
• Population structure:
  • A large institutionalized population (Sterling Correctional Facility) depresses per-capita mobile ownership when measured against total population; analyses using the civilian noninstitutional base give a truer picture locally

Key takeaways

• Estimated 15,800 residents use mobile phones in Logan County, including about 14,200 smartphone users; adult smartphone adoption is solid but trails the state due to age and income mix
• Roughly 1 in 6 households rely primarily on cellular for home connectivity—well above urban Colorado norms—because wired broadband choices thin outside Sterling
• Coverage is broadly available but capacity is concentrated along I-76 and in Sterling; mid-band 5G is present but not ubiquitous, and rural users often depend on low-band spectrum, external antennas, and fixed wireless
• Android, prepaid, and MVNO usage are all higher than the state average, and upgrade cycles are slower, shaping app and network performance expectations locally

Notes on estimation

• Figures are derived from the 2020 Census population for Logan County, adjusted for the county’s sizable institutionalized population, combined with recent national and Colorado rural adoption benchmarks (Pew and industry analyses) and known Eastern Plains infrastructure patterns. Numbers are rounded to convey defensible point estimates for planning.

Logan County, CO social media snapshot (modeled, 2025) Method note: County population and age mix are from recent U.S. Census/ACS estimates; platform adoption rates are mapped from the latest Pew Research national patterns and adjusted for Logan County’s older/rural profile. Figures represent best-available local estimates in the absence of county-reported platform data.

At-a-glance user stats

• Population: ~22,000
• Estimated social media users (age 13+): ~15,000 (≈68% of total population; ≈81–84% of adults)
• Average platforms used: 2–3 per person
• Device mix: Predominantly smartphone-led; desktop usage spikes for Facebook Marketplace and long-form YouTube

Age groups (share of social media user base; adoption within each group)

• 13–17: 8% of users; ≈90–95% adoption within this age
• 18–29: 18% of users; ≈95–98% adoption
• 30–49: 36% of users; ≈88–92% adoption
• 50–64: 22% of users; ≈78–85% adoption
• 65+: 16% of users; ≈58–65% adoption

Gender breakdown (among active users)

• Women: ~52%
• Men: ~48% Notes: The county’s male share is inflated by the incarcerated population (limited/no social media access). Among active civilians, usage skews slightly female overall; platform skews differ by network (e.g., Pinterest/TikTok more female; Reddit/YouTube more male).

Most-used platforms (share of local social media users using each at least monthly; platform counts in parentheses, based on ~15,000 users)

• YouTube: 80% (12,000)
• Facebook: 72% (10,800)
• Instagram: 38% (5,700)
• TikTok: 30% (4,500)
• Snapchat: 28% (4,200)
• Pinterest: 30% (4,500)
• WhatsApp: 18% (2,700)
• X (Twitter): 18% (2,700)
• Reddit: 12% (1,800)
• Nextdoor: 10% (1,500)

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Facebook as the community hub: Highest daily reach across adults; heavy use of Groups (schools, youth sports, churches, ag/ranching, buy/sell) and Facebook Marketplace for local commerce. Event promotion performs best via Facebook Events plus Group cross-posting.
• YouTube for utility and learning: Strong “how-to” and repair content (farm, ranch, home/auto), hunting/outdoors, and high school athletics highlights. Longer evening watch sessions; weekend spikes during seasonal work lulls.
• Youth messaging and short-form: Teens/young adults cluster on Snapchat (messaging/stories) and TikTok (short-form entertainment, local trends). Instagram is used for visual updates and DMs more than feed posts.
• Time-of-day peaks: Early-morning scroll (5:30–7:30 a.m.), lunchtime check-ins (11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.), and evening prime time (7–10 p.m.). Weekend usage shifts earlier during fair/sports seasons.
• Trust and localization: Higher engagement for posts with recognizable local people, places, teams, and businesses. Word-of-mouth dynamics amplify through Facebook Groups; creator/influencer impact is modest unless locally rooted.
• Commerce behavior: Facebook Marketplace dominates secondhand goods; Instagram/TikTok drive awareness for boutiques and food/service, but conversions often finalize via Facebook or in-person.
• News and information: Local news consumption leans on Facebook page posts and shares; weather, road conditions, school notices, and public safety alerts get outsized engagement.
• Platform-specific skews:
  • Women 25–54: Facebook Groups, Marketplace, Pinterest; growing TikTok recipe/home content.
  • Men 25–64: YouTube (projects, machinery, outdoors), Facebook Groups; some X/Reddit for sports/news.
  • 13–24: Snapchat daily, TikTok multiple times/day; Instagram for DMs/reels; minimal Facebook except for events/school groups.