Comanche County

Comanche County, Kansas – key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau)

Population size

• 2020 Census: 1,689
• 2023 estimate: roughly 1,620

Age

• Median age: about 50 years
• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~29%

Gender

• Male: ~51%
• Female: ~49%

Race/ethnicity (2020 Census; Hispanic can be of any race)

• White alone: ~93–95%
• Hispanic or Latino: ~6–8%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~1%
• Black or African American, Asian: each <1%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~800
• Persons per household (avg): ~2.2
• Family vs. nonfamily: roughly 60% family households
• Married-couple families comprise the majority of families

Notes: Figures combine 2020 Decennial Census and ACS 2018–2022 5‑year estimates for small-area reliability; recent population is the Census Bureau’s 2023 estimate.

Comanche County, KS snapshot (estimates; sources include U.S. Census 2020 and Pew Research on rural internet/email use):

• Population and density: About 1,690 residents across ~788 sq mi (≈2.1 people/sq mi), among the most sparsely populated counties in Kansas.
• Estimated email users: 1,100–1,300 residents. Method: 80% adults (1,350); ~85% of rural adults go online; ~90%+ of online adults use email => ~1,050 adult users, plus ~150–250 teens using email.
• Age pattern:
  • 18–34: very high email use (≈90–95% of internet users).
  • 35–64: similarly high.
  • 65+: somewhat lower but majority use email (≈75–85%), reflecting the county’s older-leaning population.
  • Under 18: moderate usage, often tied to school accounts.
• Gender split: Roughly 50/50 male–female population; email usage shows minimal gender difference.
• Digital access trends:
  • Rural broadband adoption lags urban areas; many households rely on DSL, fixed wireless, or smartphone-only access.
  • Fiber is limited but expanding via state/federal initiatives (e.g., BEAD) targeting rural Kansas.
  • Coverage is strongest near towns/road corridors; ranchland areas see gaps. Public Wi‑Fi (schools, libraries, civic sites) supplements access.

Implication: Email is widely used but constrained by connectivity and affordability typical of very low-density rural areas.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Comanche County, Kansas

Topline estimates

• Population base: roughly 1,600–1,800 residents (ACS/Census range).
• Estimated mobile phone users (any mobile, adults plus most teens): about 1,350–1,500.
• Estimated smartphone users: about 1,050–1,250. The gap to total mobile users reflects a larger share of basic/flip-phone use among older adults than seen statewide.

Demographic patterns shaping usage

• Older age mix: A substantially higher share of residents are 65+ than the Kansas average. Smartphone adoption among seniors is meaningfully lower than statewide, so overall smartphone penetration lags the state. Basic/voice-first devices remain more common.
• Household economics: Lower median incomes and longer device replacement cycles than the state norm contribute to higher prepaid plan use and more cost-sensitive data behavior (e.g., smaller data buckets, throttled plans).
• Work patterns: Agriculture, energy, and outdoor occupations drive practical needs such as rugged devices, stronger cases, vehicle chargers, and the use of signal boosters or external antennas on farms and ranches.
• Mobile-only internet: A larger share of households rely on mobile service (LTE/5G hotspots or phone tethering) as their primary home connection than the Kansas average, due to limited wired options outside town centers.

Digital infrastructure snapshot

• Coverage footprint: Service concentrates in and along Coldwater, Protection, and Wilmore and the US‑160/US‑183 corridors. Outside these, coverage becomes patchy, especially in low-lying and heavily rural areas.
• Network layers:
  • 4G LTE remains the primary workhorse for capacity and reach.
  • 5G low‑band is present around towns and highways; mid‑band 5G capacity is sparse compared with metro Kansas; mmWave is effectively absent.
• Tower density: A small number of macro sites cover a large land area, resulting in wide cells and variable indoor coverage. Many rural residences benefit from in‑home boosters or high‑gain antennas.
• Backhaul and capacity: Limited fiber backhaul to remote sites and reliance on microwave links constrain peak speeds and make networks more sensitive to event‑based or seasonal traffic spikes (e.g., weekends, fairs, lake traffic).
• Alternatives:
  • Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) via 4G/5G is available in and near towns and selectively in the countryside, with performance varying by signal quality.
  • Wired broadband options (cable/fiber) are largely limited to town centers; many rural addresses still face DSL, fixed wireless from local providers, or satellite as primary wired alternatives.
• Public and anchor connectivity: Libraries, schools, and city buildings provide key Wi‑Fi access points; FirstNet (public safety) coverage improvements have occurred where AT&T has upgraded sites.

How Comanche County differs from Kansas statewide

• Lower smartphone penetration: Because of the older age structure and rural coverage realities, the county’s smartphone share is several points below the state average; basic phone use is higher.
• Greater mobile-only dependence: A noticeably higher proportion of households use mobile service as their primary home internet compared with the state overall.
• Prepaid and budget plans: Prepaid adoption and cost‑sensitive data usage are more common than in metropolitan parts of Kansas.
• More LTE, less mid‑band 5G: Day‑to‑day experience leans more on LTE and low‑band 5G; mid‑band 5G capacity that is now common in Wichita, KC, and other cities is limited here.
• Larger coverage gaps: Signal reliability off the main highways is more variable than the state norm; accessories like boosters are more frequently needed.
• Capacity constraints: Fewer sites and constrained backhaul mean speeds fluctuate more with time of day and events than they do in urban Kansas.

Outlook (near term)

• State and federal funding (e.g., ARPA/CPF and BEAD) is driving new rural fiber builds through 2025–2028. As middle‑mile and last‑mile fiber expand, carriers gain better backhaul, which should gradually improve mobile capacity and enable more consistent 5G performance, though very remote areas will likely remain LTE‑reliant for longer.
• Expect incremental 5G upgrades on existing towers near towns/highways first; broad rural mid‑band coverage will trail state urban areas for the foreseeable future.

Notes on estimation

• User counts are derived from current population estimates, typical age splits for rural Kansas, and national/rural adoption benchmarks (e.g., Pew Research for smartphone ownership by age and rurality), adjusted downward for the county’s older median age. Exact carrier coverage and site counts vary by location and are best confirmed with on‑the‑ground testing or carrier maps.

Comanche County, KS social media snapshot (planning estimates, 2024)

Topline user stats

• Population ~1,700; residents age 13+ ~1,400–1,500.
• Any social media: 70–78% of 13+ residents → roughly 1,000–1,150 users.
• Gender (among users): Female 51–55%; Male 45–49%.
• Age mix (among users): 13–17: 10–12%; 18–34: 22–25%; 35–54: 32–36%; 55+: 30–34%.

Most-used platforms (share of local social media users)

• YouTube: 75–85%
• Facebook: 70–80%
• Facebook Messenger: 60–70%
• Instagram: 30–40%
• TikTok: 25–35%
• Snapchat: 20–30% (heavily 13–24)
• Pinterest: 20–25% (skews female 25–54)
• WhatsApp: 10–15%
• X (Twitter): 8–12%
• Reddit: 8–12%
• LinkedIn: 8–12%
• Nextdoor: <5%

Behavioral trends

• Facebook is the community hub for local news, school/4‑H updates, churches, EMS/weather notices, events, and buy/sell via Marketplace and regional “swap” groups.
• YouTube is primarily for consumption (how‑to, ag, weather, sports highlights); posting is light.
• Under 25s cluster on Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube; prefer private messaging and short video over public posting.
• Ages 35–64 rely on Facebook/Messenger for coordination; Instagram is secondary; Pinterest is common among women for projects, recipes, crafts.
• Most residents are “lurkers” (view/like/share) while a small core of group admins and local businesses post frequently.
• Engagement peaks evenings/weekends; spikes around weather events, school sports, county fair/rodeo, hunting seasons.
• Advertising: Boosted Facebook posts with tight geo‑targeting (≈20–40 miles) outperform other channels; creative featuring people/animals/events beats generic promos.
• Trust/safety: Strong preference for recognizable local pages; caution around Marketplace scams.

Notes on method

• Precise county‑level platform data aren’t published. Figures are estimates using Pew Research Center’s 2024 platform adoption (with rural adjustments) and Comanche County’s older‑leaning age profile from U.S. Census ACS. Treat as planning ranges rather than exact counts.