Chautauqua County

Do you want figures from the 2020 Decennial Census or the latest ACS 5-year estimates (2019–2023)? I can provide both; ACS offers more detail (age, households), while the Census gives official population counts.

Chautauqua County, KS email usage (estimates)

• Estimated users: About 2,000–2,400 residents use email. Basis: ≈3,200 population (Census 2020/2023 est.), 70–80% internet use in rural areas (ACS/Pew), and ~90–95% of internet users use email (Pew).
• Age: County skews older than the U.S. average. Email is near-universal among working-age adults; adoption is slightly lower among 65+, but still high for those with internet. Expect a larger share of email users to be 50+ compared with state/national mix.
• Gender: Roughly even split; no meaningful gender gap in email use among internet users (Pew).
• Digital access trends:
  • Broadband access and adoption trail urban Kansas; many households rely on mobile-only internet or subscribe to lower-speed fixed services.
  • Ongoing fiber and fixed-wireless builds supported by Kansas Office of Broadband programs and federal BEAD funds are improving availability, especially around towns.
  • Public Wi‑Fi via schools/libraries remains an important access point for some residents.
• Local density/connectivity facts: Very sparse—about 5 residents per square mile across ~640 sq. miles, with better service in and near towns like Sedan and Cedar Vale and patchier coverage on rural roads. Sparse settlement raises last‑mile costs, affecting speeds and plan prices.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Pew Research Center on email/internet use; ACS/FCC broadband indicators for rural Kansas.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Chautauqua County, Kansas (with focus on how it differs from state-level)

User estimates

• Population baseline: roughly 3,200 residents.
• Adult mobile users: about 2,300–2,500 adults with a mobile phone (ownership a bit below the Kansas average because of age and income mix).
• Smartphone users: roughly 1,700–2,000 adult smartphone users (smartphone share lower than statewide; more basic/feature phones among older adults).
• Teen users: an additional 250–350 teens with phones, mostly smartphones.
• Plan mix: prepaid usage likely 25–35% of lines (higher than the state average), with fewer multi-line postpaid family plans.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Older population share is high: residents 65+ are a much larger slice than the state average. This group shows:
  • Higher likelihood of basic/feature phones or voice/text-centric use.
  • Lower reliance on app-heavy services; more phone calls and SMS, plus Wi‑Fi calling at home.
• Working-age adults (35–64) use smartphones widely but prioritize coverage reliability over peak speeds; many keep devices longer (3–4 years) than the state average.
• Young adults (18–34) have near-universal smartphone adoption, but data use can be constrained by spotty mid-band 5G and limited home broadband options.
• Income and household structure: lower median household income and more single-line accounts than statewide; cost sensitivity drives prepaid, MVNOs, and slower upgrade cycles.
• Internet substitution: a higher share of “smartphone-only” internet users than the Kansas average, but also a higher share of residents with no home broadband at all—producing a polarized mix.

Digital infrastructure and coverage (what stands out versus Kansas overall)

• Coverage geography: service is anchored to small towns (Sedan, Cedar Vale) and major road corridors; valleys, woodlands, and low-density stretches create dead zones. Kansas overall has far fewer coverage gaps.
• Carrier balance:
  • Verizon and AT&T (including FirstNet) tend to provide the most reliable rural coverage; UScellular may be present via native or roaming. T-Mobile’s coverage is acceptable in town but drops more quickly outside populated areas compared to metros.
• 5G footprint:
  • 5G is present mainly as low-band coverage with limited mid-band capacity; speeds frequently fall back to LTE outside town limits. Statewide, mid-band 5G is much stronger in urban and suburban counties, delivering higher and more consistent speeds.
• Backhaul and tower siting:
  • A small number of macro sites concentrated along highways and town centers; microwave backhaul is still common outside towns. This contrasts with better fiber-fed density in much of suburban/urban Kansas.
• In-building coverage:
  • Metal-roofed homes and long distances to towers make indoor signal weaker; Wi‑Fi calling is used more heavily than the state average.
• Retail and support:
  • Few carrier retail locations in-county; residents rely on nearby regional hubs or online channels. This tends to reduce device churn and slows 5G device penetration relative to the state.
• Public safety and resilience:
  • FirstNet adoption among responders, with VHF radio as fallback due to terrain and gaps. Statewide, urban counties lean more on cellular primary with fewer dead zones.
• Home internet interplay:
  • More reliance on DSL remnants, fixed wireless ISPs, and satellite (including Starlink) versus cable/fiber. Where home broadband is weak or costly, residents either lean on mobile data or go without—both trends more pronounced than the Kansas average.

How usage trends differ from the Kansas average

• Lower smartphone penetration and higher basic-phone retention, driven by an older age structure and cost sensitivity.
• Higher prepaid and MVNO share; fewer multi-line postpaid family plans.
• More coverage gaps and weaker mid-band 5G outside towns; speeds and reliability are more variable.
• Greater reliance on Wi‑Fi calling and offline-first usage; somewhat lower per-line mobile data consumption on average.
• Slower device replacement and slower 5G device uptake due to retail access and cost.
• A more pronounced digital divide: simultaneously more “smartphone-only” households and more households with no reliable internet at all.

Notes on method

• Estimates synthesized from county population size and age structure typical of rural Kansas, combined with national/rural mobile adoption patterns and known urban–rural infrastructure differences (FCC coverage maps, carrier rural buildouts, and Pew/industry adoption trends). Figures are presented as ranges to reflect local variability and data lags.

Below is a concise, county‑sized snapshot built from recent Pew U.S. social media benchmarks adjusted for rural Midwest usage and Chautauqua County’s small, older-leaning population. Treat figures as directional estimates, not official counts.

County snapshot and user stats

• Population: ~3,300 residents; ~2,600 adults (18+).
• Internet/smartphone access: ~80–85% of households have internet; ~80–85% of adults have smartphones.
• Social media penetration (monthly):
  • Adults (18+): ~80% → ~2,050 adult users.
  • Teens (13–17): ~90–95% → ~200–220 users.
  • Total 13+ social users: ~2,250–2,300.

Age-group usage (share using any social monthly)

• 13–17: ~95% (heavy daily use; video/messaging-first).
• 18–29: ~95–98% (multi‑platform, video + messaging).
• 30–49: ~88–92% (Facebook/YouTube core; Instagram rising).
• 50–64: ~78–82% (Facebook/YouTube dominant).
• 65+: ~55–60% (primarily Facebook; YouTube for how‑to/news).

Gender breakdown (approx.)

• Social users: ~52% women, ~48% men.
• Platform skews:
  • More women: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest (Pinterest strongly female).
  • More men: YouTube, Reddit, X (Twitter).

Most-used platforms in Chautauqua County (13+; monthly; est.)

• YouTube: ~70–75% (most universal; strong across all ages).
• Facebook: ~60–65% (hub for local info, groups, Marketplace).
• Instagram: ~32–38% (younger adults/parents; Reels growing).
• TikTok: ~28–35% (teens/20s; some 30–40s adoption).
• Snapchat: ~25–32% (teens/younger adults; messaging-first).
• Pinterest: ~25–30% (women; projects, recipes, events).
• Reddit: ~12–18% (younger men; niche interests).
• X (Twitter): ~10–15% (news/politics niche).
• WhatsApp: ~8–12% (family/church networks; smaller base).
• Nextdoor: ~0–5% (limited local network density).

Behavioral trends on the ground

• Community-first Facebook: Local news and alerts (county/city pages, schools, EMS, law enforcement), churches, civic clubs, school sports, and buy/sell/trade groups are highly active. Marketplace is a go‑to for farm/ranch gear, vehicles, tools.
• Video habits: YouTube for how‑to (equipment repair, DIY, hunting/fishing), weather, and sports highlights; Smart TV viewing common. Short‑form (Reels/Shorts/TikTok) grows via cross‑posting.
• Messaging over posting among youth: Snapchat and Instagram DMs are primary for teens/20s; Facebook Messenger common for all ages.
• Timing: Engagement spikes early morning (6–8 a.m.), midday (lunch), and evenings (7–10 p.m.); weather events and school activities create sharp, short‑lived surges.
• Trust/local voice: Posts featuring known local people/places outperform generic creative. Group admins and school/church pages are key amplifiers.
• Connectivity-aware behavior: Some pockets of slower broadband lead to shorter videos, fewer live streams, and more asynchronous viewing.
• Seasonality: Weather and ag cycles matter—storm season, harvest/calving, county fairs, school sports seasons, and hunting season drive content and ad responsiveness.
• Platform fit:
  • Use Facebook Groups/Events for turnout and word‑of‑mouth.
  • Use YouTube for evergreen how‑to or longform local content.
  • Use Instagram/TikTok for quick event recaps and personality‑led local stories.
  • Pinterest performs for home, crafts, recipes, holiday/event planning.
  • X/Reddit remain niche for local use, mainly news/sports enthusiasts.

Note on methodology

• Estimates apply Pew 2023–2024 U.S. adoption rates with rural adjustments to ACS-like population for Chautauqua County. Small population means real‑world counts can vary by event, season, and specific town networks (e.g., Sedan, Cedar Vale).