Finney County

Here are concise, recent Census Bureau estimates for Finney County, Kansas. Figures are rounded; use for planning, not legal reporting.

Population size

• Total population: about 37,000 (2023 population estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~31 years
• Under 18: ~31–32%
• 65 and over: ~10–11%

Gender

• Male: ~52%
• Female: ~48%

Race/ethnicity

• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~55–56%
• White alone, not Hispanic: ~31–33%
• Black or African American alone: ~4–5%
• Asian alone: ~3–4%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~1%
• Two or more races: ~3–4%

Households

• Number of households: ~12,000–13,000
• Average household size: ~3.1–3.2
• Family households: ~75–77% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~45–47%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~65–67%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (2023) and American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates (tables DP05, S0101, S1101, DP04).

Finney County, KS snapshot (estimates)

• Population: ~38,000 (2020). Area ~1,300 sq mi; density ≈30 people/sq mi. Most residents live in/around Garden City; outlying areas are rural.
• Estimated email users: 26,000–30,000 residents. Basis: Kansas broadband subscription rates in the low–mid 80% and Pew findings that most online adults use email regularly.
• Age distribution of email users (share of users):
  • 18–34: ~30–35% (very high use; near‑universal among college‑age/young workers)
  • 35–64: ~45–50% (highest absolute number of users)
  • 65+: ~12–18% (use is widespread but somewhat lower; roughly 75–85% adoption)
• Gender split among users: roughly even (near 50/50), mirroring overall population.
• Digital access trends:
  • Roughly 80–85% of households likely have a broadband subscription; access and speeds are strongest in Garden City (cable/fiber) and more variable in rural areas (DSL/fixed wireless).
  • 15–20% of residents may be smartphone‑only internet users, which can limit long‑form email use.
  • Public/communal internet (libraries, schools) supplements access for some households.
• Implication: Email is a primary communication channel for most adults; outreach should pair email with SMS for smartphone‑reliant and rural users.

Below is a practical, numbers-with-ranges snapshot of mobile phone usage in Finney County, Kansas, with emphasis on how it differs from statewide patterns. Estimates are derived from recent ACS population profiles, Pew Research smartphone adoption benchmarks (2023–2024), rural/urban and Hispanic usage differentials, and FCC coverage filings; exact county-level usage data are not directly published, so figures are modeled and rounded.

County context (why usage looks the way it does)

• Population: roughly 39,000. Garden City is the hub; the rest is sparsely populated.
• Demographics: notably young and majority Hispanic/Latino (roughly half or more of residents), with a large Spanish-speaking community. Median income trails the Kansas average; rental and seasonal/shift work shares are higher than state average.

User estimates (unique people, not lines)

• Mobile phone users (any mobile phone): about 30,000–33,000 people (≈78–85% of residents).
• Adult smartphone users: about 23,000–25,000 (≈85–90% of adults).
• Mobile‑only internet reliance (adults who rely on a smartphone/mobile hotspot instead of home broadband): roughly 25–30% of adults in Finney County, higher than the Kansas average (≈18–22%).
• Prepaid vs postpaid: prepaid/MVNO use is meaningfully higher than the state average, driven by income mix, language needs, and workforce mobility. Expect a larger share of prepaid and family/shared plans than in metro Kansas.

Demographic breakdown (usage patterns)

• Age
  • 18–49: near‑universal smartphone ownership (≈95%+), heavy app and messaging use.
  • 50–64: high ownership (≈85–90%), but more plan price sensitivity and hotspot use.
  • 65+: lower smartphone adoption (≈60–70%), higher voice/SMS reliance; some depend on family plans.
• Ethnicity/language
  • Hispanic/Latino adults: smartphone ownership comparable to county average but notably higher mobile‑only internet reliance and heavier use of WhatsApp, Facebook, and Spanish‑language content/services than the state overall.
• Income/tenure
  • Lower‑income and renters: above‑average prepaid uptake, device financing through retail/MVNO channels, and hotspot substitution for home internet.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carriers present: AT&T (including FirstNet for public safety), T‑Mobile, Verizon, and regional carrier Nex‑Tech Wireless; MVNOs widely used.
• 5G footprint
  • Garden City and primary corridors (US‑50/83): broad 5G coverage, with mid‑band 5G from national carriers in town delivering typical 100–300 Mbps when uncongested.
  • Outlying rural areas: 4G LTE or low‑band 5G is more common; speeds and indoor penetration are more variable.
• Capacity/experience
  • Strongest performance in Garden City; noticeable performance drop‑offs at the rural edges and inside metal/industrial buildings. Boosters and Wi‑Fi calling are common workarounds.
• Backhaul and build
  • Fiber backhaul is present along main corridors in/around Garden City; rural sectors rely more on microwave/fixed wireless. New macro‑tower builds are slower than in metro Kansas; carriers co‑locate on existing structures where possible.

What’s different from the Kansas state‑level picture

• Higher mobile‑only internet reliance: Finney County adults are more likely to use smartphones/hotspots instead of home broadband than the statewide average.
• More prepaid/MVNO use: driven by income mix, language preferences, and workforce mobility; state averages skew more postpaid in urban counties.
• Language‑driven app mix: greater Spanish‑language content use and heavy reliance on WhatsApp/Facebook than the state average.
• Sharper urban–rural performance contrast within the county: Garden City has mid‑band 5G and higher throughputs; rural Finney sees more 4G/low‑band 5G and weaker indoor service, a gap that’s less pronounced in Kansas’ large metros.
• Seasonal/shift‑driven variability: large employers and agricultural seasons can create localized congestion patterns more visible here than in metro counties.

Method notes and confidence

• Population and age structure from ACS; smartphone and mobile‑only reliance rates calibrated from Pew and rural/Hispanic differentials, then applied to Finney’s demographic mix. Figures are directional ranges, suitable for planning and comparison; for program design or network investment, validate with carrier RF maps, FCC BDC location‑level data, and local survey/speed‑test collections.

Here’s a concise, locally tuned view. Note: True county-level platform stats aren’t published; figures below are estimates based on Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. usage rates adjusted to Finney County’s younger, majority‑Hispanic demographics and rural/urban mix (Garden City hub), plus ACS population structure.

Headline user stats

• Population: ~39,000; estimated 13+ population: ~32,000
• Estimated social media users (13+): 24,000–27,000 (75–85% penetration)
• Adult (18+) social media penetration: ~80–85%

Age mix of local social media users (share of users)

• 13–17: 12–15%
• 18–24: 12–14%
• 25–34: 20–22%
• 35–44: 18–20%
• 45–54: 14–16%
• 55–64: 10–12%
• 65+: 7–9%

Gender breakdown

• Overall users: ~50–52% women, ~48–50% men
• Platform skews: TikTok/Snapchat/Instagram lean female by ~5–10 pts; Reddit/X lean male by ~10–15 pts; Facebook near parity with a slight female tilt

Most-used platforms in Finney County (est. share of 13+ using monthly)

• YouTube: 70–80%
• Facebook (incl. Groups/Marketplace): 58–68%
• Instagram: 35–45%
• TikTok: 30–40%
• Snapchat: 28–38%
• WhatsApp: 25–35% (notable among Spanish-speaking households)
• Pinterest: 22–32% (stronger among women 25–44)
• X (Twitter): 12–18%
• Reddit: 10–15%
• Nextdoor: 5–10% (lower in smaller cities)

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first on Facebook: Heavy use of local Groups and Marketplace (buy/sell, lost & found pets, yard sales, local alerts). Civic news spreads via Groups more than Pages.
• Bilingual engagement: English + Spanish content performs best; WhatsApp family/group chats are common for coordination and sharing deals.
• Video wins: Short vertical video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) outperforms static posts; local faces, school sports, restaurant spotlights, and quick how‑tos drive shares.
• Youth split: Teens/early 20s favor Snapchat/TikTok daily; they view Facebook passively (for events/marketplace) and message via Snapchat/Instagram DMs.
• Practical searches: YouTube used for repairs, weather, farm/ranch and auto content; Spanish-language how‑tos see strong completion rates.
• Event spikes: Engagement jumps around high school/college sports, county fair, city events, and severe weather; real-time posts outperform scheduled content during these windows.
• Messaging over forms: Residents prefer Facebook Messenger/WhatsApp for inquiries and customer service vs. web forms; quick replies materially lift conversion.
• Deal/offer sensitivity: Coupons, limited-time offers, and giveaways (especially bilingual) outperform generic branding. Marketplace listings move used vehicles, equipment, furniture.
• Timing: Peaks around lunch (12–1 pm) and evenings (7–9 pm); Tue–Thu strongest; Sun afternoon solid for family/event content.
• Trust signals: Real people, local landmarks, schools/church/community orgs, and bilingual captions boost credibility; heavy political posting gets lower public interaction (moves to private groups/DMs).