Decatur County

Decatur County, Kansas — key demographics (most recent Census/ACS)

Population size

• 2,827 (2020 Decennial Census)
• ~2,700 (2023 Census Population Estimate, Vintage 2023)

Age

• Median age: ~50 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~21%
• 18–64: ~52%
• 65 and over: ~27%

Gender

• Male: ~51%
• Female: ~49%

Race/ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022; Hispanic is any race)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~94%
• Hispanic/Latino: ~3–4%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• Black/African American: ~0–1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0–1%
• Asian/Pacific Islander: ~0–1%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• ~1,330 households; average household size ~2.1
• Family households: ~56% (majority married-couple)
• Homeownership rate: ~78–80%
• Median household income: ~$50–55k
• Poverty rate: ~10–12%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates; Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2023).

Decatur County, KS (rural; ~2.7–2.9k residents; ~3 people per sq. mile)

• Estimated email users: 1.7k–2.0k residents use email at least occasionally. Method: adults (80% of population) × rural internet use (80–85%) × near‑universal email among internet users.
• Age mix of email users (approx.): 13–24: 12–15%; 25–44: 28–32%; 45–64: 35–40%; 65+: 18–22% (lower adoption in the oldest cohorts, but rising).
• Gender split: roughly even (about 50/50); minimal difference in usage by gender.
• Digital access trends:
  • Home broadband subscription around 70–75% of households (typical for rural KS); smartphone‑only internet 15–20%.
  • Most addresses have at least one fixed broadband option; fiber, where present, is concentrated in town centers (e.g., Oberlin). Outlying areas rely more on DSL or fixed wireless; satellite fills gaps on farms/ranches.
  • Public libraries, schools, and small businesses provide important Wi‑Fi access points.
  • Mobile 4G coverage is common; 5G is limited and localized.
• Connectivity context: Very low density and long distances outside towns constrain wireline build‑outs and speeds; adoption improves where fiber or high‑capacity fixed wireless becomes available.

Notes: Figures are estimates derived from county population plus national and rural‑Kansas usage benchmarks.

Below is a synthesized snapshot of mobile phone usage in Decatur County, Kansas, drawing on rural Great Plains patterns, ACS population structure, and carrier coverage norms for northwest Kansas. Figures are best-available estimates intended to highlight how the county differs from Kansas overall.

Population context

• Residents: roughly 2,600–2,800 (aging, sparsely populated). Median age notably higher than the state average; a large 65+ share.
• Households: roughly 1,200–1,300; many single- or two-person households; farm/ranch operations common.

Estimated mobile users

• Active mobile phone users: 1,900–2,200 residents (about 70–80% of total population). This is several points below the statewide share, reflecting older age structure and more limited coverage.
• Smartphone adoption (adults, by age)
  • 18–34: ~92–96% (near state average)
  • 35–54: ~85–90% (slightly below state)
  • 55–64: ~72–82% (below state)
  • 65+: ~50–60% (well below state; feature phones persist)
• Overall adult smartphone adoption: ~72–78% (vs. Kansas ~85%+).
• Device mix: iPhone share likely lower than the state (roughly mid-40s to low-50s percent) with a heavier tilt to budget/midrange Android devices.

Plan and usage patterns

• Carrier mix: Higher reliance on Verizon and regional carrier Nex‑Tech Wireless due to coverage; T‑Mobile presence is improving on low‑band spectrum but remains spotty off highways; AT&T moderate.
• Prepaid/BYOD share: Elevated (about 25–35% vs. statewide ~20%) driven by price sensitivity and light users.
• Data use: Lower average monthly mobile data per line than state, with heavier reliance on home/office Wi‑Fi where available; hotspot use common on farms/ranches for laptops/equipment.
• Upgrade cycles: Longer than state average; devices kept in service 3–5 years is common among older users.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Macro network: Sparse rural grid with wide site spacing; strongest along US‑36 and near Oberlin. Signal attenuation inside metal buildings is a frequent complaint; Wi‑Fi calling is widely used.
• 4G LTE: Broad along primary corridors; pockets of weak/no service on low-traffic county roads and in draws.
• 5G: Predominantly low‑band 5G where present; coverage is uneven and largely corridor‑based. Practical speeds often similar to LTE. Mid‑band/C‑band 5G is limited compared to metro Kansas; no mmWave.
• Backhaul: Mix of fiber (especially along highways and in town) and microwave to remote sites; capacity constraints can appear during peak evening hours or storms.
• Cross‑border effects: Near the Nebraska line, devices may occasionally camp on out‑of‑county towers, leading to variable signal and, for some plans, roaming behavior.
• Public access points: Library, schools, courthouse, and a handful of businesses in Oberlin provide dependable Wi‑Fi; critical for residents in fringe coverage zones.
• Emergency services: NG911 is available statewide; Wireless Emergency Alerts generally reliable but can miss in fringe areas—NOAA weather radios remain common backups.

What’s different from Kansas statewide

• Lower smartphone adoption, especially among 55+ and 65+ cohorts; more feature phones remain in use.
• Carrier preference skews more heavily to Verizon and Nex‑Tech Wireless; T‑Mobile share smaller than state average outside town centers.
• Prepaid and budget device penetration higher; iPhone share modestly lower.
• 5G availability and real‑world performance lag state averages; mid‑band 5G far less common.
• More coverage gaps off primary corridors; residents lean on Wi‑Fi calling and hotspots to compensate.
• Lower per‑line mobile data consumption and slower upgrade cycles.
• Use cases emphasize practical needs (weather, agriculture, messaging, telehealth) over bandwidth‑heavy entertainment on cellular; streaming is more often done on home broadband where fiber is available.

Demographic nuances shaping usage

• Older population reduces overall smartphone penetration, contactless payments usage, and app diversity.
• Working‑age residents who commute or operate farms/ranches carry more robust plans and external antennas/boosters.
• Low‑income and fixed‑income households are more likely to use prepaid, Lifeline/ACP‑style offerings (where still available), and shared family plans.

Planning implications

• Investments that matter most locally: additional mid‑band 5G sectors on existing towers, indoor coverage solutions for public buildings, and continued fiber backhaul buildout.
• Adoption programs that work: smartphone training for seniors, subsidized Wi‑Fi calling‑capable devices, and loaner hotspots during harvest or school terms.

Note on methodology and uncertainty

• These figures triangulate rural Kansas adoption benchmarks, Pew smartphone ownership by age, ACS age structure for small counties, and typical carrier footprint patterns in northwest Kansas. Because Decatur County is small and rural, point estimates are expressed as ranges and trends; exact values can vary by township and along specific roads.

Below is a concise, county‑level snapshot built from Decatur County’s size and age mix plus current rural U.S. social‑media usage patterns (primarily Pew Research Center 2024). Exact county MAUs aren’t published, so treat figures as directional ranges.

Headline user stats

• Population base: ~2.7–2.9k residents; adults (18+): ~2.0–2.3k
• Adults using at least one social platform (incl. YouTube): ~75–80% → ~1.5–1.8k people
• Typical multi‑platform behavior: 2–3 platforms per user; Facebook + YouTube is the most common pairing

Age groups (share of adult social users; estimate)

• 18–29: 15–20% of users; very high YouTube/Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok usage; Facebook secondary
• 30–49: 30–35% of users; Facebook and YouTube dominant; Instagram moderate; TikTok rising
• 50–64: 25–30% of users; Facebook and YouTube core; Instagram/TikTok lighter
• 65+: 20–25% of users; Facebook primary, YouTube for news/how‑to; limited Instagram/TikTok

Gender breakdown (share of adult social users; estimate)

• Women: ~52–55% of users; over‑index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; heavy use of local groups/Marketplace
• Men: ~45–48% of users; over‑index on YouTube, Reddit, X; strong interest in ag, sports, DIY content

Most‑used platforms in Decatur County (estimated share of adults who use each)

• YouTube: 75–85%
• Facebook: 60–70%
• Instagram: 25–35%
• TikTok: 18–28% (skews under 40)
• Snapchat: 15–22% (mostly under 30) Secondary/other: Pinterest 20–30% (women), LinkedIn 8–12%, X (Twitter) 8–12%, Reddit 5–9%, Nextdoor <5% (low neighborhood density).

Behavioral trends to expect locally

• Community/civic: Strong reliance on Facebook Groups and Pages for school sports, city/county updates, church events, weather alerts, fundraisers.
• Commerce: Heavy Facebook Marketplace and buy/sell/trade groups; small businesses cross‑post promos on Facebook/Instagram.
• Information diet: YouTube used for how‑to, farm/ranch, equipment reviews, local/regional news clips; older users favor Facebook for news sharing.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is the default DM channel; Snapchat common among teens/20‑somethings.
• Content style: Short video growing (Reels/TikTok), but static posts still drive event turnout; live video used for games, services, and auctions.
• Timing: Engagement peaks early morning, lunch, and evenings; weekend spikes around community events and sports.

Method note

• Figures are modeled from Pew Research Center 2024 platform adoption (with rural adjustments) applied to Decatur County’s small, older‑leaning population profile (Census). For planning, use midpoints of the ranges and validate with page insights or ad‑platform reach estimates.