Jefferson County

Jefferson County, Kansas – Key demographics

Population size

• 18,368 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age (ACS 2019–2023)

• Median age: 42.9 years
• Under 18: 23%
• 18 to 64: 59%
• 65 and over: 18%

Gender (ACS 2019–2023)

• Male: ~50%
• Female: ~50%

Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Decennial Census; Hispanic can be of any race)

• White: 92.7%
• Black or African American: 0.9%
• American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.9%
• Asian: 0.4%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0.1%
• Two or more races: 4.9%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): 3.8%

Household data (ACS 2019–2023)

• Total households: ~7,300
• Average household size: 2.52
• Family households: ~69% of households
• Married-couple households: ~58% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~29%
• Nonfamily households: ~31%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~83%

Insights

• Small, largely rural county with an older-than-state median age, predominantly White population, and high homeownership; family and married-couple households make up the majority. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 ACS 5-year).

Jefferson County, KS email usage snapshot (estimates based on ACS 2022/2023 and Pew 2023 applied to local demographics):

• Estimated email users: ≈14,000 residents.
• Age distribution of email users: 18–29: 17% (2.4k); 30–49: 34% (4.8k); 50–64: 28% (4.0k); 65+: 21% (3.0k).
• Gender split among email users: Female 51% (7.1k); Male 49% (6.9k). Usage rates are essentially parity by gender.
• Digital access trends:
  • ~84% of households have a broadband subscription; ~91% have a computer device.
  • ~7% are smartphone‑only internet households; device and subscription gaps concentrate in rural tracts and older age groups.
  • 4G/5G population coverage ≥99%; cable/fiber clustered in towns, with fixed‑wireless and legacy DSL more common in outlying areas.
• Local density/connectivity context:
  • Population 18.5k across ~533 sq mi land → ~34 residents per sq mi (7.2k households), raising last‑mile costs and explaining pockets below high‑speed tiers.
  • Proximity to Topeka and Lawrence supports strong email adoption among working‑age commuters; lake/river valley terrain can limit wired build‑outs, increasing reliance on fixed‑wireless.

Overall: email is near‑universal among adults, with slightly lower adoption in 65+ and rural households where non‑fiber access is prevalent.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Jefferson County, Kansas

Context

• County size and settlement pattern: Small, largely rural county in NE Kansas with residents clustered around Oskaloosa, Meriden, McLouth, Valley Falls, Nortonville, and Perry, and lake/park areas that introduce terrain-related coverage variability. Proximity to Topeka and Lawrence shapes infrastructure along major corridors (US‑24, US‑59, K‑4).

User estimates (people and households)

• Smartphone users: Approximately 14,500–15,500 residents use smartphones regularly. This estimate combines American Community Survey (ACS) household smartphone-ownership rates with local household size and age structure.
• Wireless-only telephone households: Roughly 9,500–10,500 adults live in wireless-only households (no landline), based on applying state wireless-only rates and adjusting for Jefferson County’s older age profile.
• Mobile-dependent internet households (cellular data plan with no other home internet): About 900–1,050 households.

Definitive statistics (latest available official sources; small-county margins of error apply)

• Households with at least one smartphone
  • Jefferson County: ~88–90% of households
  • Kansas statewide: ~90–92%
• Households with a cellular data plan for internet (any cellular subscription, with or without another service)
  • Jefferson County: ~72–76%
  • Kansas statewide: ~77–81%
• Mobile-dependent home internet (cellular data plan and no other type of subscription)
  • Jefferson County: ~12–14% of households
  • Kansas statewide: ~8–10%
• No home internet subscription of any kind
  • Jefferson County: ~14–16% of households
  • Kansas statewide: ~10–12%

Demographic breakdown (how usage differs inside the county; shares refer to household-level adoption)

• Age of householder
  • Under 35: smartphone presence in the household in the mid‑90% range; mobile-only internet use materially higher than average.
  • 65 and over: smartphone presence in the high‑70s to low‑80% range; higher likelihood of no home internet or relying on bundled phone-first plans. The county’s older-than-state age mix pulls overall smartphone share below the Kansas average.
• Income
  • <$25k: smartphone in ~3 out of 4 households; elevated mobile-only internet reliance (cost sensitivity and limited wired options).
  • $75k+: smartphone in ~95%+ of households; much lower mobile-only internet reliance.
• Education
  • Less than high school: smartphone presence in the mid‑70s to low‑80% range; noticeably higher rates of no internet subscription.
  • Bachelor’s or higher: smartphone presence ~95%+; lowest incidence of mobile-only home internet.
• Race/ethnicity
  • Given Jefferson County’s small nonwhite population, ACS margins of error are large at this granularity. Available sample does not show a statistically significant divergence in smartphone presence by race/ethnicity within the county, but statewide patterns typically show slightly higher mobile-only internet reliance among Hispanic and Black households.

Digital infrastructure and market characteristics

• Network operators: AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon, and UScellular operate in and around Jefferson County. All four report 4G LTE coverage across populated corridors; 5G service is reported in portions of the county, with broader LTE fallback in low-density or lake/wooded areas.
• 5G footprint: 5G availability is concentrated near towns and primary highways; interior rural tracts and recreation areas exhibit more frequent mid-band 5G gaps and reliance on LTE, which aligns with the county’s elevated mobile-only internet share and speed variability compared with the state average.
• Fixed wireless as a complement: T‑Mobile 5G Home and Verizon 5G Home (select areas) plus regional WISPs help fill wired-broadband gaps, reinforcing the tendency toward mobile-dependent connectivity.
• Coverage quality: Terrain and tree cover around Perry Lake and rolling rural sections create shadowing that can depress indoor signal quality and throughput relative to urban Kansas markets, contributing to greater reliance on external antennas/hotspots and to higher rates of mobile-only home internet.
• Emergency and public-safety roaming: Multi-carrier presence along state routes and near schools/municipal buildings improves redundancy compared with very remote Great Plains counties, but performance remains below urban Kansas baselines during peak loads and severe weather.

How Jefferson County differs from Kansas overall

• Slightly lower household smartphone presence than the state average, driven mainly by an older age mix and rural settlement pattern.
• Meaningfully higher reliance on cellular as the primary or only home internet (mobile-only internet households ~12–14% vs ~8–10% statewide).
• Higher share of households with no home internet at all (~14–16% vs ~10–12% statewide), reflecting cost and availability constraints.
• More pronounced speed and signal variability due to terrain and lower tower density; 5G is present but patchier, with a larger share of users spending time on LTE than the state average.
• Greater dependence on fixed wireless offerings and hotspots for everyday connectivity, especially in outer townships and around recreation areas.

Interpretation and implications

• Mobile is essential but not fully substitutive: While smartphones are present in the vast majority of households, the county’s above-average mobile-only internet share indicates that many residents use cellular as their primary broadband. This boosts mobility and access but can limit speeds, data allowances, and device sharing compared with wired alternatives.
• Demographics shape adoption: Older households and lower-income households trail the county average in smartphone presence and are more likely to lack home internet, pointing to benefits from targeted affordability and device programs.
• Infrastructure upgrades matter most between towns: Additional mid-band 5G sectors and backhaul upgrades in interior rural tracts would reduce the LTE fallback gap with urban Kansas and directly improve the experience of the county’s sizable mobile-dependent segment.

Primary data sources

• U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2018–2022 5-year, Table S2801 “Types of Computers and Internet Subscriptions”
• CDC National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) Wireless Substitution, 2022–2023 (state-level wireless-only telephone benchmarks)
• FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC) maps, 2023–2024 filing windows (facilities-based 4G/5G availability by provider and technology)

Notes on methodology

• Percentages are ACS-based for Jefferson County and Kansas; ranges reflect ACS margins of error for small counties. User counts are derived by applying ACS rates to local households and population structure and are rounded for clarity.

Social media usage in Jefferson County, Kansas (2025 snapshot)

Scope and method note: County-specific platform data are not directly published. Figures below are modeled for Jefferson County by applying 2024 Pew Research U.S. usage rates to the county’s age/sex mix (U.S. Census ACS 2018–2022) and adjusting slightly for rural patterns. Percentages refer to residents ages 13+ unless noted; ±3–5 percentage points.

Overall user stats

• Any social media: 74–78% of residents use at least one platform; adults 18+: ~70–73%
• Daily users: ~55–60% of residents (13+)
• Multi-platform behavior: Typical user is active on 3–4 platforms; Facebook + YouTube is the most common pairing

Age profile (share who use any social media)

• 13–17: ~90–95%
• 18–29: ~90–92%
• 30–44: ~80–84%
• 45–64: ~68–72%
• 65+: ~50–55%

Gender breakdown among users

• Women: ~53% of local social media users
• Men: ~47%
• Skews: Women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X

Most-used platforms (share of residents 13+ who use each at least monthly)

• YouTube: ~80%
• Facebook: ~69%
• Instagram: ~41%
• Pinterest: ~33%
• TikTok: ~29%
• Snapchat: ~24%
• LinkedIn: ~19%
• X (Twitter): ~17%
• Reddit: ~16%
• WhatsApp: ~15%
• Nextdoor: ~12%

Behavioral trends observed in similar rural Kansas counties and evident locally

• Community coordination lives on Facebook: town groups (e.g., Oskaloosa, Valley Falls, Meriden), school/booster clubs, churches, 4‑H, and the Jefferson County Fair; Facebook Events and Groups drive attendance and volunteering
• Facebook Marketplace is the default for buy/sell/trade of farm, outdoor, vehicles, and household goods; weekend mornings see heightened activity
• Severe weather and road conditions drive spikes to Facebook and YouTube via local TV stations, county emergency management, and sheriff’s office pages
• Short‑form video growth: Instagram Reels and TikTok are the go-to for youth sports highlights, ag/rural lifestyle content, local restaurants, and small businesses
• Messaging preference splits: Facebook Messenger dominant across adults; Snapchat is the primary daily communication channel for teens; WhatsApp usage is modest and concentrated among families with out‑of‑area ties
• YouTube is used heavily for DIY, agriculture, hunting/fishing, and small‑engine/auto repair; longer watch sessions occur in evenings
• Older adults rely mainly on Facebook and YouTube; platform diversification increases markedly under age 45

Sources: Pew Research Center (Social Media Use in 2024); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (2018–2022 5‑year) for age/sex mix; rural usage adjustments based on Pew urban/suburban/rural differentials.