Douglas County

Douglas County, Kansas — key demographics (latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates; primarily 2019–2023 ACS 5‑year and 2023 Population Estimates; values rounded)

Population

• Total population: ~121,000 (2023 estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~29 years
• Under 18: ~19%
• 18–24: ~24%
• 25–44: ~29%
• 45–64: ~18%
• 65 and over: ~10%

Sex

• Male: ~50.5%
• Female: ~49.5%

Race/ethnicity

• White (alone): ~82%
• Black or African American (alone): ~4–5%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (alone): ~2–3%
• Asian (alone): ~5–6%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander (alone): <0.5%
• Two or more races: ~6–7%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~8–9%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~75–77%

Households

• Total households: ~50,000–51,000
• Average household size: ~2.3
• Family households: ~50–52% of households (avg. family size ~3.0)
• Households with children under 18: ~24–26%
• Housing tenure: ~48–52% owner-occupied; ~48–52% renter-occupied

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year (tables DP05, S0101, S1101) and Population Estimates Program (2023).

Douglas County, KS snapshot (estimates):

• Email users: 95,000–105,000 residents. Basis: ~120k population; ~88–92% have internet access; 90–95% of internet users use email (Pew/ACS/FCC trends).
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 15–24: 20–24% (college-driven; near-universal usage via school/work).
  • 25–44: 30–33% (workforce-heavy, highest daily use).
  • 45–64: 23–26% (very high adoption).
  • 65+: 12–15% (slightly lower but rising).
• Gender split among email users: ~51% female, ~49% male, mirroring county demographics; nonbinary users are likely undercounted in available surveys.
• Digital access trends:
  • 85–90% of households have a computer and home broadband; 10–15% are mobile-only.
  • Lawrence and the KU campus have dense Wi‑Fi and multiple fiber/cable options; 5G from major carriers covers city areas. Rural townships rely more on fixed wireless; adoption and speeds are lower.
  • Remote work/student needs sustain high email reliance; seniors’ adoption continues to grow.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population ~120k across ~475 sq mi (≈250 people/sq mi), with most residents clustered in Lawrence/University of Kansas, supporting robust fiber/Wi‑Fi footprints and high email penetration.

Below is a practical, best-available snapshot built from recent Census/ACS demographics, KU enrollment, Pew/NHIS mobile-usage patterns, and carrier/FCC coverage disclosures. Figures are model-based estimates for 2024 and shown as ranges where local, published counts are unavailable.

Headline user estimates

• Total residents: about 120–122k (Douglas County). With KU’s Lawrence campus, roughly 20% of residents are students.
• Mobile phone users (all ages): 100k–115k.
• Adult smartphone users: 90k–100k (roughly 91–95% of adults; higher than Kansas overall because of the large 18–29 cohort).
• “Wireless-only” adults (no landline): 75–80% in Douglas County vs roughly 65–72% statewide.
• “Smartphone-only internet” (no home broadband): 20–25% of adults locally vs ~15–18% statewide; driven by students and renters.

How Douglas County differs from Kansas overall (the key trends)

• Younger, student-heavy population lifts smartphone penetration and 5G device adoption above the state average.
• Much higher wireless-only and smartphone-only rates, reflecting renters, shared housing, and cost sensitivity.
• More MVNO/prepaid usage (Visible, Mint, Cricket, Metro) than the state average, linked to students and younger workers.
• Higher mobile data consumption per capita in Lawrence (streaming, campus life, telelearning), with more Wi‑Fi offload due to dense campus and downtown Wi‑Fi.
• Faster median mobile speeds in the urban core than the Kansas average, but sharper urban–rural performance gaps within the county than typical metro counties.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age:
  • 18–29 share is well above the state average; smartphone adoption ~95–98% in this group.
  • 50+ still shows strong adoption but below youth levels; many rely on family plans.
• Housing and income:
  • High renter share and student budgets correlate with prepaid/MVNO plans, frequent plan switching, and heavier Wi‑Fi offload to avoid data overages.
  • “Mobile-first” use (banking, transit info, food delivery, campus services) is significantly higher than the state average.
• Education and occupation:
  • College and university staff/students drive high usage of campus apps, two-factor authentication, and eSIM adoption (including for international students).
• Equity considerations:
  • Apparent “low income” in data can be student-driven; nonetheless, smartphone-only internet dependence is elevated among both students and lower-income households.

Digital infrastructure points

• Mobile networks:
  • 5G coverage is strong in Lawrence and along major corridors (K‑10 to KC, US‑59, I‑70), with mid-band 5G from T‑Mobile and C‑band from Verizon widely present; AT&T 5G coverage is solid in town with improving mid-band capacity.
  • Rural townships see good highway coverage but spottier indoor reliability, especially south/west of Clinton Lake and in low-density areas—more pronounced than the average Kansas county with similar population.
  • Public-safety: AT&T FirstNet Band 14 is available in/around Lawrence, aiding emergency capacity.
• Fixed broadband interplay:
  • Lawrence has robust cable and growing fiber footprints (plus university research network connectivity). Smaller cities (Baldwin City, Eudora) have pockets of fiber; rural areas rely more on fixed wireless and satellite.
  • Result: heavy Wi‑Fi offload in the city; greater cellular dependence in rural parts of the county compared with urban areas.
• Public Wi‑Fi:
  • Dense campus and downtown Wi‑Fi ecosystems reduce mobile data pressure in Lawrence relative to the state average outside major metros.

What this means for planning

• Capacity needs cluster around the KU academic calendar, game days, and downtown events; small cells and mid‑band spectrum deliver outsized benefits.
• Coverage investments are most impactful along rural edges and lake-adjacent areas; in-building solutions help older construction near campus.
• Prepaid/MVNO-friendly retail and multilingual eSIM onboarding matter more here than in many Kansas counties.

Method notes

• Population: Census/ACS; KU enrollment mix inflates 18–29 share.
• Ownership and “wireless-only”/“smartphone-only” rates: derived from Pew Research and NHIS state benchmarks, adjusted upward for Douglas County’s age and renter profiles.
• Network conditions: synthesized from FCC maps, carrier public rollouts of mid-band 5G, and observed urban–rural patterns typical for a university town.

Below is a concise, decision-ready snapshot for Douglas County, KS. Figures are modeled estimates using recent U.S. Pew Research Center social-media rates, adjusted for the county’s younger profile (University of Kansas). Treat as directional; local surveys may vary.

Quick user stats

• Overall adoption: About 70–75% of adults use at least one social platform; teens 13–17 are 90%+.
• Multi-platform behavior: Typical adult uses 3–4 platforms monthly; daily use is common (majority of adult users).
• Douglas County skews younger than Kansas overall, so youth-heavy platforms (Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat) index higher than national averages.

Most-used platforms (adults, estimated share using each at least monthly)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 65–70%
• Instagram: 50–55% (higher than U.S. average due to student population)
• TikTok: 35–45% (higher than average)
• Snapchat: 30–40% (higher than average)
• X (Twitter): 20–25%
• Pinterest: 25–35% (strong among women 25–54)
• Reddit: 20–25% (skews male/younger)
• LinkedIn: 25–30% (stronger among KU-affiliated professionals/grads)
• Nextdoor: 15–20% (higher in homeowners 30+)

Age-group patterns (high level)

• Teens (13–17): Near-universal YouTube; heavy TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram; light Facebook.
• 18–24 (large local cohort): Very heavy Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok; Facebook mainly for events/groups; YouTube near-universal.
• 25–34: Mixed stack (YouTube, Instagram, Facebook); meaningful TikTok; LinkedIn for job/networking; WhatsApp pockets among international students.
• 35–54: Facebook dominant; YouTube strong; Instagram moderate; growing Nextdoor; TikTok some but secondary.
• 55+: Facebook and YouTube lead; Nextdoor adoption growing; Instagram/TikTok comparatively low but rising.

Gender breakdown (directional)

• Overall usage is similar by gender.
• Women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Nextdoor (family/school, neighborhood, home/DIY).
• Men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X (sports, gaming, tech, news).
• Snapchat skews slightly female; LinkedIn roughly balanced among working-age professionals.

Behavioral trends to know

• Community/info: Strong reliance on Facebook Groups and Nextdoor for neighborhood news, city updates, school info, lost/found, and local services.
• Events and culture: Discovery via Facebook Events and Instagram Stories/Reels; TikTok increasingly used for KU athletics, downtown Lawrence events, and nightlife.
• KU effect: Academic calendar drives peaks (move-in, homecoming, basketball season); high campus meme culture; fast mobilization for causes via IG Stories and group chats.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are key for coordination; WhatsApp is notable among international students/scholars.
• Content formats: Short-form vertical video performs best across IG Reels/TikTok/YouTube Shorts; photo carousels for event recaps; live streams for games and city meetings.
• Timing: Engagement typically concentrates mornings (7–9 a.m.), lunch (noon), and evenings (7–10 p.m.); Friday afternoon spikes for weekend plans.
• Local commerce: Facebook Marketplace is widely used; Nextdoor effective for home services; IG and TikTok drive restaurant/retail discovery; KU sports merch/content performs strongly.
• News consumption: Local news often filtered through FB groups and X; Reddit used for deeper discussions and regional threads.

Notes on method

• Percentages are adapted from recent Pew U.S. adult usage benchmarks and adjusted upward for platforms favored by 18–34s (due to KU) and slightly downward where older-skew platforms are concerned. For planning, use the ranges above; for precision, pair with a short local survey or platform audience estimates (Ads Manager) targeted to Douglas County.