Greeley County

Greeley County, Kansas — key demographics

Population size

• 1,284 residents (2020 Decennial Census)

Age (ACS 2019–2023, 5-year)

• Median age: ~41.6 years
• Under 18: ~26%
• 18 to 64: ~57%
• 65 and over: ~17%

Gender (ACS 2019–2023)

• Male: ~52%
• Female: ~48%

Race and ethnicity (2020 Census; Hispanic is an ethnicity)

• Non-Hispanic White: ~79%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~18%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.5%
• Black or African American: ~0.2%
• Asian/Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.3%

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

• Total households: ~515
• Average household size: ~2.4
• Family households: ~66% of households; average family size: ~3.0
• Households with children under 18: ~30%
• Nonfamily households: ~34%; living alone: ~28%; 65+ living alone: ~12%

Insights

• Very small, rural county with a modestly older age profile.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White with a meaningful Hispanic/Latino community.
• Household composition skews toward family households, with smaller average sizes typical of rural Great Plains counties.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (P.L. 94-171, DP-1) and American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates (DP02/DP05).

• Scope: Greeley County, Kansas (2020 Census population 1,284; ≈1.6 people per square mile across ~778 sq mi—among the lowest densities in Kansas).
• Estimated email users: ≈950 residents use email (≈74% of total population; ≈90% of residents age 13+).
• Age distribution of email users (share of users; ≈counts): 13–17: 6% (≈60); 18–34: 22% (≈210); 35–54: 33% (≈315); 55–64: 17% (≈160); 65+: 22% (≈210).
• Gender split among email users: ≈51% male, 49% female, mirroring the county’s sex ratio.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Broadband adoption: roughly three-quarters of households maintain a home broadband subscription; adoption skews higher in and near Tribune and lower on outlying farm/ranch properties.
  • Smartphone-only internet use: roughly one in five households rely primarily on mobile data for connectivity.
  • Access modes: wired broadband in town centers, with fixed wireless and satellite prevalent in sparsely populated areas; speeds and reliability drop with distance from town.
  • Trendline: gradual gains in broadband subscriptions and smartphone penetration; older residents (65+) lag peers but are steadily increasing email use.
• Insight: The county’s extreme low density drives higher last‑mile costs and dependence on wireless solutions, shaping email access patterns toward mobile-first usage outside the main population center.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Greeley County, Kansas (2024)

Baseline and methodology

• Figures are derived from the 2018–2022 American Community Survey (ACS) population for Greeley County (≈1,250 residents), combined with current national/rural adoption rates from Pew Research and CDC/NCHS wireless substitution research, and rural network deployment norms reflected in FCC reporting. Values are rounded to the nearest 5–10 users or households to avoid spurious precision.

User estimates

• Total mobile phone users (any cellphone): ≈1,020 residents
  • Adults (18+): ≈950 users (about 96% of ≈990 adults)
  • Teens (13–17): ≈70 users (about 95% of ≈75 teens)
• Smartphone users: ≈870 residents
  • Adults: ≈800
  • Teens: ≈70
• Households primarily relying on mobile data for home internet (smartphone hotspot or cellular router as main connection): ≈100 households (about 18% of ≈560 households)
• Landline retention is modestly higher than the Kansas average due to age structure; estimated wireless‑only voice households are in the mid‑50% range locally versus around 60–65% statewide.

Demographic usage patterns

• Age
  • 18–34: near‑universal smartphone ownership (≈95–98%); heaviest app and streaming use
  • 35–64: high smartphone ownership (≈90–93%); strong use of messaging, navigation, precision‑ag platforms
  • 65+: lower smartphone penetration (≈60–70%); more basic/feature‑phone retention and smaller data plans
• Household composition and work
  • Agriculture- and oil/gas‑linked workers show higher adoption of rugged devices, vehicle boosters, and hotspot devices for field connectivity.
  • Remote schooling/telehealth episodes increased the share of mobile‑primary households and maintained above‑average usage of hotspots compared with state averages.
• Ethnicity/language
  • Hispanic residents (roughly one‑fifth to one‑quarter of the population) exhibit high smartphone reliance and frequent use of over‑the‑top messaging (e.g., WhatsApp), aligning with statewide Hispanic usage patterns but with greater mobile‑primary dependence due to limited fixed broadband in outlying areas.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage and technology mix
  • 4G LTE provides the baseline across highways (US‑96, K‑27) and the city of Tribune; signal drops are likelier along section roads between tower sectors.
  • 5G is present primarily as low‑band coverage near Tribune and along primary corridors; mid‑band 5G is sparse, and there is no mmWave.
• Carrier competition
  • Practical day‑to‑day service is dominated by two national carriers with broad rural footprints; a third national carrier’s coverage is more intermittent away from Tribune and major roads. Roaming is common near county lines.
• Tower spacing and backhaul
  • Macro sites are spaced widely (roughly 10–20 miles apart), emphasizing low‑band spectrum (700/850 MHz) for reach. Microwave backhaul remains prevalent on rural sites; fiber backhaul is more typical in or very near Tribune.
• Public safety and 911
  • Kansas’ NG911 program is active; the county’s PSAP participates in the statewide ESInet, supporting text‑to‑911 and improved location. FirstNet Band 14 coverage is available on at least one nearby site, enhancing responder connectivity along primary routes.
• Fixed alternatives
  • In‑town fiber or VDSL is available in parts of Tribune; fixed wireless is common for farmsteads. Outside Tribune, fixed options thin out rapidly, sustaining higher reliance on mobile data for home use than the state average.

How Greeley County differs from Kansas overall

• Coverage depth over speed: Wider cell spacing and reliance on low‑band spectrum prioritize reach over throughput, so typical speeds and 5G capacity are below state medians.
• Higher mobile‑primary dependence: A larger share of households use mobile data as their main or fallback home internet compared with the statewide rate, driven by sparse fixed broadband outside Tribune.
• Older age structure dampens smartphone penetration: Smartphone adoption among seniors is notably lower than the Kansas average, elevating the share of basic phones and smaller data plans.
• Slower device upgrade cadence: With fewer capacity gains and limited mid‑band 5G, users replace handsets less frequently than urban/state averages.
• Greater use of boosters and hotspots: Vehicle and in‑home signal boosters, plus dedicated hotspots for fieldwork and homework, are more prevalent than statewide norms.

Key takeaways

• About 1,020 residents use mobile phones in Greeley County, with roughly 870 using smartphones.
• Mobile networks deliver broad geographic reach but less 5G capacity than typical Kansas markets, reinforcing mobile‑primary internet behavior for roughly 1 in 5 households.
• Age and infrastructure are the dominant drivers of local deviations from statewide trends: lower senior smartphone adoption and thinner fixed broadband lead to distinctive usage patterns, equipment choices, and plan selection.

Greeley County, KS social media usage (2025 snapshot; modeled from U.S. Census 2020 population and Pew Research Center 2023–2024 platform adoption for rural U.S.)

Headline user stats

• Population baseline: ~1,284 residents (2020 Census). Residents age 13+ ≈ 1,100.
• Estimated social media users: ~840 residents (about 65% of total population; ~76% of those 13+).
• Typical multi-platform use: ~2–3 platforms per user.

Users by age group (share of local social media users)

• 13–17: ~9%
• 18–29: ~19%
• 30–49: ~35% (largest cohort)
• 50–64: ~23%
• 65+: ~14%

Gender breakdown

• County population is roughly balanced; among social media users: women ~52%, men ~48%.
• Skews by platform: women over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X.

Most-used platforms in Greeley County (estimated share of residents age 13+ using each platform at least monthly; users often use multiple platforms)

• YouTube: ~62%
• Facebook: ~58%
• Instagram: ~28%
• TikTok: ~25%
• Snapchat: ~23%
• Pinterest: ~22%
• WhatsApp: ~18%
• X (Twitter): ~12%
• LinkedIn: ~11%
• Reddit: ~9%

Behavioral trends

• Community-first on Facebook: Local news, school sports, county events, church updates, emergency/weather alerts, and Buy–Sell–Trade dominate. Facebook Marketplace is the main channel for vehicles, farm/ranch equipment, and household goods.
• Video-led discovery: YouTube for how‑to, ag, equipment repair, and DIY; Reels/TikTok for short-form entertainment and local business promos. Short videos outperform text/photo posts for reach.
• Private-by-default among younger users: Teens and 20‑somethings favor Snapchat and Instagram DMs for daily communication; public posting is infrequent.
• Mobile-first usage: Most activity occurs on smartphones; data constraints mean concise video and vertical formats perform best.
• Peak activity windows: Early morning (6–8 a.m.), lunch (12–1 p.m.), and evenings (7–9 p.m.); weekend afternoon spikes; acute surges during severe weather and school sports.
• Trust and reach: Closed or invite-only Facebook Groups are highly influential; word‑of‑mouth and recognizable local admins/pages drive engagement. X usage is niche and news-oriented.
• Seasonality: Posting and engagement rise around planting/harvest, county fair, holidays, and the school calendar (late summer–spring).

Note on method: No direct, published county-level platform censuses exist. Figures above are modeled estimates applying recent Pew Research Center U.S. platform adoption (with rural adjustments) to Greeley County’s population and age profile from the 2020 Census.