Allen County

Allen County, Kansas — key demographics

Population

• 12,526 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: about 41–42 years
• Under 18: about 23%
• 65 and older: about 21%

Gender

• Female: about 50%
• Male: about 50%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2019–2023)

• White alone: about 90–92%
• Black or African American alone: about 2–3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: about 1%
• Asian alone: <1%
• Two or more races: about 3–5%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): about 5–7%

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: about 5,300
• Average household size: about 2.3
• Family households: about 60%
• Owner-occupied rate: about 68–70%
• Median household income: roughly $50k–$55k

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Decennial Census (DP1) and 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates (DP02/DP03/DP04/DP05/QuickFacts).

Allen County, KS snapshot (pop. ~12,500; ~25 people/sq. mile)

Estimated email users: 9,000–9,600 residents use email at least occasionally. This reflects ~85–90% adoption among adults plus most teens.

Age mix of email users (approx.):

• 18–34: 20–25%
• 35–64: 50–55%
• 65+: 20–25% Use is near-universal for 18–64; adoption remains high but somewhat lower among 65+.

Gender split: Roughly even, with a slight female majority (about 51–52%) due to the county’s older age structure.

Digital access and trends:

• About 4 in 5 households have a home broadband subscription; the remainder are mobile-only or offline.
• Fixed broadband coverage is widespread but not universal; service quality and choice drop outside population centers like Iola, Humboldt, and Moran.
• Public libraries and schools serve as key connectivity hubs; smartphone-only access continues to rise.
• Ongoing state/federal investments (e.g., recent BEAD-funded projects) are expanding fiber and 5G, improving availability, though affordability and device access still limit a minority of households.

Overall, email usage is mainstream, with small adoption gaps tied to rural connectivity and older age.

Mobile phone usage in Allen County, Kansas — summary with local vs state differences

Context

• Population baseline: roughly 12,000–13,000 residents, with Iola, Humboldt, and Moran as primary population centers; predominantly rural, older, and lower-income than Kansas overall.
• Rural profile and age structure materially affect device ownership, plan type, and network experience.

User estimates (order-of-magnitude, triangulated from Pew Research rural adoption, ACS age mix, and statewide Kansas patterns)

• Mobile phone users (any mobile device): about 10,000–10,500 residents, or ~80–85% of the total population.
• Adult smartphone users: roughly 7,800–8,300.
• Teen smartphone users (13–17): about 730–770; preteens (11–12) with phones are a smaller but non-trivial group.
• 5G‑capable devices: approximately 5,700–6,600 devices in use (lower share than in metro Kansas because of older device retention).
• Mobile-only internet households (smartphone as primary home internet): on the order of 900–1,100 households, a meaningfully higher share than the Kansas statewide average due to lower fixed-broadband availability and affordability constraints.

Demographic patterns shaping usage

• Age: A larger 65+ share than the Kansas average depresses overall smartphone and 5G device penetration; flip/feature phones remain more common among older residents.
• Income and employment: Lower median household income and more shift/industrial/agricultural work correlate with:
  • Greater reliance on prepaid plans and budget Android devices.
  • Slower upgrade cycles (fewer annual device refreshes).
  • Higher incidence of mobile-only internet for cost reasons.
• Education: Lower college attainment than state average is associated with slightly lower adoption of advanced features (e.g., mobile banking breadth, telehealth video), though text/voice usage is universal.
• Platform mix: Android share is likely higher than the Kansas average; iOS share lower, consistent with rural/price-sensitive markets.

Digital infrastructure (what’s on the ground)

• Macro coverage: AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon all provide 4G LTE coverage in and around Iola and Humboldt, with signal attenuation in low-lying and wooded areas and along less-traveled county roads.
• 5G availability:
  • Low-band 5G from major carriers is present around towns and along the US‑169 corridor, providing broad coverage but modest speed gains over LTE.
  • Mid-band 5G (e.g., T‑Mobile 2.5 GHz, Verizon/AT&T C‑band/3.45 GHz) is spottier than in Kansas metros; where present, it’s typically concentrated in/near Iola and along primary highways.
• Towers/backhaul: Fewer macro sites than urban counties; sites cluster near population centers and highways (US‑169). This spacing can lead to capacity pinch points during events or peak evening hours.
• Home internet interplay:
  • Cable/DSL/fiber: Fixed broadband options are strongest in Iola/Humboldt; fiber to the home exists in limited pockets. Outlying areas rely more on DSL or fixed wireless.
  • Fixed wireless: Regional WISPs (e.g., KwiKom) and carrier-based 4G/5G home internet fill gaps beyond town centers.
  • Public access: Libraries, schools, and some civic buildings provide key Wi‑Fi hubs that mitigate mobile data constraints for students and low-income residents.
• Emergency/priority services: AT&T’s FirstNet footprint generally mirrors AT&T LTE coverage along major corridors; coverage thins off-corridor.

How Allen County differs from Kansas overall

• Adoption level: Slightly lower smartphone and 5G device penetration than the state average, driven by older age structure and lower incomes.
• Plan mix: Higher prevalence of prepaid and budget plans; more price sensitivity than the statewide mix.
• Upgrade cadence: Longer device replacement cycles; more LTE-only and early-5G handsets in circulation.
• Mobile-only households: Larger share relying on smartphones or fixed wireless as primary home internet, versus higher cable/fiber penetration in metro/suburban Kansas.
• Coverage experience: More variability outside towns—noticeable coverage gaps on secondary roads and in river bottoms—whereas most Kansas metro areas have dense, redundant coverage and broader mid-band 5G.
• Usage patterns: Heavier reliance on voice/SMS and practical apps (weather, ag/commerce, navigation) relative to high-bandwidth streaming/gaming that are more prevalent in metro areas with robust mid-band 5G and fiber.

Notes on method and uncertainty

• Figures are estimates synthesized from national rural mobile adoption (Pew Research), Kansas demographic differentials (ACS/Census), FCC coverage patterns, and known rural infrastructure trends. Exact counts depend on current carrier builds, local provider footprints, and year-to-year demographic shifts. For planning or investment, validate with the latest FCC Broadband Map tiles, carrier coverage tools, and local provider build notices.

Below is a concise, locally tuned estimate based on Allen County’s size/age mix (ACS) and recent U.S. rural social media patterns (Pew, 2023–2024). Treat figures as directional ranges rather than exact counts.

Headline user stats

• Population: ~12,000–12,500; estimated social media users: 7,500–9,000 (≈60–75% of residents; 70–80% of adults).
• Access: Smartphone use is widespread; most activity is mobile and app-driven (Facebook, Messenger, Snapchat, TikTok).

Age mix of users (share of local social media users, est.)

• 13–17: 8–10%
• 18–29: 18–22%
• 30–49: 32–36%
• 50–64: 22–26%
• 65+: 12–16% Skews slightly younger than the general population, but Allen County has a sizable 50+ cohort active on Facebook/YouTube.

Gender breakdown (est.)

• Overall users: slight female majority (≈52–55% women, 45–48% men).
• Platform tilt: Pinterest and Facebook lean female; Reddit and X (Twitter) lean male; Instagram/TikTok roughly balanced to slight female; Snapchat near parity.

Most‑used platforms (adults 18+, share of adults; est.)

• YouTube: 75–85%
• Facebook: 65–75%
• Facebook Messenger: 55–65%
• Instagram: 35–45%
• Pinterest: 30–35% (primarily women 25–54)
• TikTok: 25–35% (growing into 30–49)
• Snapchat: 20–30% (strongest under 30)
• X (Twitter): 12–18%
• Reddit: 12–18%
• LinkedIn: 15–20% (smaller professional base)
• Nextdoor: under 10% (limited in small towns)

Teens (13–17) benchmarks likely to mirror national patterns

• YouTube ~90%+
• TikTok ~60–70%
• Snapchat ~60–70%
• Instagram ~60–65%
• Facebook ~25–35%

Behavioral trends to expect locally

• Community-first Facebook: High engagement in local groups (buy/sell, yard sales, school and sports boosters, church/community events, severe weather and road conditions). Marketplace is a major use case.
• Event and information utility: Weather alerts, school closings, local sports highlights, festivals, fundraisers, and municipal updates outperform generic content.
• Messaging over posting: Many interactions shift to Messenger/Snapchat DMs for coordination and word-of-mouth referrals.
• Video consumption: YouTube for how‑tos, local sports clips, ag/rural equipment reviews; short-form video on Facebook Reels and TikTok is gaining reach.
• Timing: Peaks on weeknights (~6–9 pm) and weekend mornings; daytime engagement spikes during weather events or school/sports news.
• Content that works: Faces and names people recognize; photo albums from local events; short vertical video; clear calls-to-action (raffles, limited-time offers, “tag a friend”); practical info (hours, menus, closures).
• Ads: Tight geofencing (5–20 miles around Iola/Humboldt/Moran) with simple creative outperforms broad interest targeting; boosted posts for events and promotions deliver reliable reach.
• Trust dynamics: Local pages, schools, churches, first responders, and longstanding businesses are trusted sources; national political content draws lower-quality engagement.

Notes on methodology

• Figures are inferred from Allen County’s population and age structure plus recent Pew Research Center data on U.S. (especially rural) platform use; exact county-level platform stats are not published. Ranges reflect that uncertainty.