Montezuma County

Montezuma County, Colorado — demographics

Population size

• 25,849 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age (ACS 2018–2022)

• Median age: ~43 years
• Under 18: ~22%
• 18–64: ~58%
• 65 and over: ~20%

Sex (ACS 2018–2022)

• Male: ~50%
• Female: ~50%

Race and ethnicity (2020 Census; race alone; Hispanic is an ethnicity)

• White: ~74%
• American Indian and Alaska Native: ~13%
• Two or more races: ~9%
• Black: ~0–1%
• Asian: ~0–1%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~12%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~10.6K
• Average household size: ~2.4
• Family households: ~63%
• Households with children under 18: ~26%
• One-person households: ~29%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~71%
• Median household income: ~$55K–$58K
• Persons in poverty: ~15%

Key insight

• Older age profile and higher homeownership than the state average, with a notable American Indian population presence and incomes below the Colorado median.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates.

Montezuma County, CO snapshot

• Population ≈26,000; adults (18+) ≈20,000.
• Estimated email users: ≈18,000 adults (~89% adoption).

Age distribution of email users (share of users)

• 18–34: ~27%
• 35–54: ~33%
• 55–64: ~16%
• 65+: ~25%

Gender split among email users

• Female ~50%
• Male ~50%

Digital access trends

• ~78% of households have a broadband subscription.
• ~88% of households have a computer.
• ~17% are smartphone‑only internet households (heavier in remote areas).
• Town centers typically have cable/fiber options and 100–200 Mbps service tiers; many outlying areas rely on DSL, fixed‑wireless, or satellite.
• Overall trend: steady migration from DSL to cable/fiber in towns, growing reliance on mobile data in sparsely populated areas, and near‑universal email use among working‑age adults.

Local density/connectivity facts

• Land area ≈2,040 sq mi; population density ~13 people per sq mi (rural).
• Email adoption is highest in and around Cortez, Dolores, and Mancos where infrastructure is densest; lower‑density ranchlands and nearby tribal/remote areas face longer last‑mile builds and higher costs, increasing dependence on mobile and public Wi‑Fi.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Montezuma County, Colorado

Overall profile

• Rural county of about 26,000 residents centered on Cortez, with substantial public lands (Mesa Verde National Park) and the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation. The population is older and lower-income than the Colorado average, factors that typically depress smartphone adoption but increase reliance on mobile as a primary internet connection.

User estimates (adults and households)

• Adult smartphone users: approximately 16,000–18,000 adults, reflecting high but not universal adoption among working-age residents and lower adoption among seniors. This places the county a few percentage points below Colorado’s statewide adult smartphone adoption.
• Mobile-only internet households (cellular data plan as the household’s only broadband): roughly 10–14% of households in Montezuma County versus about 7–9% statewide. Mobile is chosen as the primary connection more often in Montezuma due to gaps or cost barriers in fixed broadband.
• Households with a smartphone: mid-80s percent in Montezuma County versus low-90s percent for Colorado overall, based on recent ACS “Computer and Internet Use” patterns for rural counties with similar age/income mix.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age:
  • 18–34: near-saturation smartphone ownership (≈90–95%); high use of mobile data as primary internet when housing is shared or transient/seasonal.
  • 35–64: high ownership (≈85–90%), with mixed reliance on mobile vs. fixed broadband depending on neighborhood coverage and price.
  • 65+: materially lower ownership (≈60–70%), but rising year over year; many seniors rely on simpler Android devices and lower-cost plans. This age structure pulls total county adoption down relative to the state.
• Income and education:
  • Low-income households show higher rates of mobile-only internet and prepaid plans than the state average. Cost sensitivity leads to heavier use of budget/MVNO carriers and data-capped plans.
• Race/ethnicity and tribal lands:
  • Native American households (Ute Mountain Ute) and Hispanic households are more likely than the county average to be mobile-first for internet access. This is driven by legacy gaps in fixed infrastructure and housing characteristics on and near the Reservation.
• Device mix:
  • Android share is meaningfully higher than the Colorado urban average, reflecting price sensitivity and retail availability. Feature-phone use persists among a small senior segment.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carrier presence: AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile all operate in the county. 5G low-band service is present in and around Cortez and along main corridors; mid-band 5G capacity is concentrated in town centers and fades quickly outside them.
• Coverage geography:
  • Stronger service along US‑160 and US‑491 and in town centers (Cortez, Mancos, Dolores).
  • Noticeable gaps and signal attenuation in canyoned and mountainous areas (e.g., Dolores River valley, McElmo Canyon) and on some public lands where siting is constrained; Mesa Verde NP has patchy service.
• Backhaul and middle mile:
  • Cortez Community Network (municipal/open-access fiber) and regional middle‑mile built by the Southwest Colorado Council of Governments have improved backhaul options around Cortez and along key corridors, supporting carrier densification in town.
  • Ute Mountain Ute broadband initiatives funded through federal Tribal Broadband programs are expanding fiber and fixed access on tribal lands, which also supports better mobile backhaul and Wi‑Fi offload over time.
• Performance:
  • Median mobile download speeds in population centers are healthy but drop steeply outside towns; countywide performance is below Colorado’s urban and suburban medians due to terrain, tower spacing, and limited mid‑band 5G footprint.
• Emergency/public safety:
  • FirstNet (AT&T) coverage is prioritized along highways and in towns, with rural dead zones persisting; local agencies report continued dependence on land mobile radio in remote areas.

Trends that differ from the Colorado state level

• Higher mobile-only internet reliance: Montezuma has a larger share of households using cellular as their only broadband, driven by fixed-infrastructure gaps and affordability pressures.
• Slightly lower overall smartphone penetration: County adoption trails statewide levels by several percentage points, largely due to an older age profile and lower incomes.
• More prepaid and MVNO usage: A higher share of users are on prepaid and discount carriers compared with urban Front Range counties.
• Coverage variability: 5G low-band coverage exists but mid-band capacity is limited to town cores; rural dead zones are more common than statewide. Network experience is more corridor-dependent.
• Faster relative gains from targeted investments: Where municipal/tribal fiber and corridor-focused builds occur, mobile performance improves quickly; these stepwise gains stand out more in Montezuma than in already well-served Front Range markets.

Key implications

• Mobile networks are a critical primary on‑ramp to the internet for a sizable slice of households, especially on and near tribal lands and in lower-income neighborhoods.
• Targeted additions of mid‑band 5G sites and improved microwave/fiber backhaul along US‑160/US‑491 and into canyons would materially narrow the county‑state performance gap.
• Digital inclusion efforts aimed at seniors and low‑income households (device affordability, plan subsidies, and digital skills) would raise adoption toward the state average and reduce over‑reliance on capped mobile plans.

Social media usage in Montezuma County, CO (estimated 2025)

Overall usage

• Adult adoption: ~80–85% of residents age 18+ use at least one social platform (aligned with Pew’s 2024 U.S. benchmarks and rural adoption patterns).
• Multi-platform behavior: Most users are active on 2–4 platforms; short‑form video (YouTube Shorts, Reels, TikTok) is the growth driver across ages.
• Access: Mobile-first consumption dominates; Facebook Messenger, Instagram DMs, and Snapchat are the primary private channels.

Most-used platforms (share of adult residents)

• YouTube: ~82%
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~38%
• TikTok: ~30%
• Snapchat: ~22%
• X (Twitter): ~16%
• LinkedIn: ~14%
• Reddit: ~13%
• Nextdoor: ~11% Note: Figures reflect local adoption calibrated to rural Colorado norms using Pew Research Center 2024 platform usage baselines; YouTube and Facebook are the clear reach leaders.

Age-group breakdown (share of each age group using social platforms + dominant channels)

• 13–17: ~90%+. Core: Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube; Instagram secondary. Heavy short‑form creation, private story sharing, and school/activity groups.
• 18–29: ~90%+. Core: YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; Facebook used mainly for groups/marketplace and community events.
• 30–49: ~85%. Core: Facebook and YouTube; Instagram moderate; TikTok growing for entertainment and local recommendations.
• 50–64: ~75%. Core: Facebook (Groups/Marketplace) and YouTube (DIY, news); Instagram modest; Nextdoor starts to appear.
• 65+: ~50–55%. Core: Facebook for community/news/family; YouTube for how‑tos and local info; limited use of other platforms.

Gender breakdown (share within the local social user base; platform skews in parentheses)

• Overall social users: Women ~52–54%, Men ~46–48%.
• Platform skews: Facebook (more women), Instagram (more women), TikTok (more women), Snapchat (more women), YouTube (more men), X/Twitter (more men), Reddit (more men). These reflect consistent national skews applied locally.

Behavioral trends

• Community-first usage: Facebook Groups dominate for school updates, youth sports, event coordination, yard sales, wildfire/weather and road updates, lost/found, and county services. Marketplace is a major utility for vehicles, tools, ranch/farm items, and gear.
• Video as default: YouTube and Reels/Shorts are the primary discovery surfaces for DIY, outdoor recreation, travel to Mesa Verde/nearby attractions, and local business highlights.
• Local commerce: Restaurants, outfitters, contractors, real estate, and artisans rely on Facebook + Instagram for promos; Stories/Reels outperform static posts for reach. User comments and recommendations drive decision-making more than ads alone.
• Events and tourism: Seasonal spikes around holidays, festivals, fairs, and peak park visitation. Short event teasers and photo carousels perform well; posts with clear “when/where” details get the most shares.
• Timing: Highest engagement evenings (6–9 pm) and weekends; weekday lunchtime is a secondary window. Severe weather or public-safety incidents cause sharp, short-term surges.
• Messaging over public posts: Community coordination often shifts to Messenger and Snapchat groups; WhatsApp usage is present but smaller than Messenger.
• Trust signals: Posts with local faces, recognizable landmarks, and practical value (deals, updates, how‑tos) outperform generic brand creative. Neighbor and group-admin endorsements carry outsized weight.

Notes on method

• Figures are county-level estimates derived from 2024 Pew Research Center platform usage rates, adjusted for rural adoption patterns and the county’s older age profile. They represent the best-available, decision-ready snapshot in the absence of official platform-by-county releases.