Jewell County

Key demographics — Jewell County, Kansas

Population

• Total population: 2,932 (2020 Census)
• 2023 estimate: ~2,760 (U.S. Census Vintage 2023)
• Trend: Continued gradual decline over the past decade

Age

• Median age: ~51 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~19–20%
• 18 to 64: ~54%
• 65 and over: ~27%

Gender

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Race and ethnicity

• White alone: ~95%
• Black or African American alone: ~0–1%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~0–1%
• Asian alone: ~0–1%
• Two or more races: ~3–4%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2–3%
• White alone, not Hispanic: ~93%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~1,450
• Average household size: ~2.0
• Family households: ~60%
• Households with children under 18: ~20–22%
• One-person households: ~35–38%
• One-person households age 65+: ~20%
• Average family size: ~2.5–2.6

Insights

• Small, aging population with roughly one in four residents age 65+
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White with limited racial/ethnic diversity
• Many single-person and older-adult households; small average household size

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

• Context: Jewell County, KS has 2,932 residents (2020 Census) across roughly 914 sq mi, yielding about 3.2 people per sq mi.
• Estimated email users: ~2,035 adults use email (about 89% of adults; ~69% of total population), based on national adoption rates applied to local age mix.
• Age distribution (population): 22% under 18 (645), 47% ages 18–64 (1,378), 31% 65+ (909).
• Email by age (users): ~1,281 among ages 18–64 (≈63% of users), ~754 among 65+ (≈37%); teen use exists but is not included in the adult user total.
• Gender split among email users: approximately even, 50% female (1,015) and 50% male (1,020), reflecting the county’s near‑parity sex ratio.
• Digital access and trends: Low population density contributes to patchier fixed broadband; most residents have at least basic broadband available, but higher‑speed (100/20 Mbps+) and affordable options are less uniformly present. Roughly three‑quarters of households maintain a home broadband subscription, with a noticeable cellular‑only segment among seniors and remote farmsteads. Public anchors (library, schools, county offices) provide supplemental Wi‑Fi. Ongoing fiber buildouts and rising smartphone adoption are gradually increasing email usage among older adults and improving reliability for everyday communications and services.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Jewell County, Kansas (2024)

Headline user estimates

• Population and base: ~2,930 residents; ~2,340 adults (18+); ~1,430 households.
• Mobile phone users (any cellphone, including feature phones): ~2,170 adults (≈92.5% of adults).
• Smartphone users: ~1,840 adults (≈78.5% of adults).
• Feature‑phone–only users: ~330 adults (≈14% of adults).
• Mobile‑only internet households (no fixed broadband): ~340 households (≈24% of households).

Demographic breakdown (ownership and usage)

• Age structure (approximate share of total population) and smartphone take‑up:
  • 18–34: ~14% of population; smartphone adoption ~96% → ~390 users.
  • 35–64: ~35% of population; smartphone adoption ~88% → ~900 users.
  • 65+: ~31% of population; smartphone adoption ~60% → ~545 users.
• Compared with Kansas overall, Jewell County has:
  • Lower smartphone penetration (≈79% vs statewide ≈87–89%).
  • Higher feature‑phone share (≈14% vs statewide ≈6–8%).
  • Higher reliance on mobile as primary internet among lower‑income and remote households (≈24% mobile‑only vs statewide ≈14%).
• Device mix and service type:
  • Android‑leaning device base, with a higher share of older LTE‑only handsets than the state average.
  • Prepaid/MVNO usage materially higher than statewide norms, reflecting price sensitivity and credit constraints typical of very rural counties.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Network technologies present:
  • 4G LTE is the workhorse across the county; indoor coverage can be inconsistent away from towns and highways.
  • 5G low‑band (600/700/850 MHz) is present primarily along US‑36 and near town centers; 5G mid‑band (2.5 GHz/CBRS/C‑band) is limited or spotty; mmWave is absent.
• Carriers and roaming:
  • AT&T and Verizon provide the most dependable wide‑area LTE; AT&T’s FirstNet Band 14 improves public‑safety coverage on primary corridors.
  • T‑Mobile’s extended‑range 5G (n71) reaches portions of the county, but mid‑band capacity is thinner than in metro Kansas.
  • Regional carrier footprints and roaming (e.g., Nex‑Tech Wireless partnerships) help fill gaps but do not materially change mid‑band availability.
• Backhaul and fiber:
  • Rural telcos (e.g., Cunningham Telephone & Cable and Nex‑Tech) operate fiber in and between towns, and the US‑36 corridor ties into statewide backbone routes, but many macro sites still rely on microwave backhaul, constraining capacity.
• Terrain and dead zones:
  • Signal drop‑offs are common in low‑lying creek bottoms and around Lovewell Reservoir and other sparsely populated areas off the highway grid; Wi‑Fi calling is frequently used indoors.

How Jewell County differs from the Kansas statewide picture

• Adoption and devices:
  • Fewer smartphone users and more feature‑phone users due to older age profile and lower incomes.
  • Longer device replacement cycles; older LTE‑only phones persist longer than in urban Kansas.
• Access and dependence:
  • Higher share of mobile‑only households because fixed broadband is less universally available, even though fiber has reached some towns.
• Network performance and 5G availability:
  • Heavier reliance on low‑band LTE/5G yields lower median speeds and higher variability than statewide medians, which increasingly benefit from mid‑band 5G in metro areas.
• Market behavior:
  • Greater use of prepaid/MVNO plans and carrier switching to chase coverage; less mid‑band 5G means fewer capacity‑driven plan upgrades than in cities.

Implications

• Capacity and experience are constrained more by spectrum mix and backhaul than by raw coverage; adding mid‑band 5G and fiber backhaul to existing sites would materially lift user experience.
• Digital divide is driven by demographics and infrastructure: seniors and low‑income households are more likely to use feature phones or rely on cellular for home internet, amplifying the gap with statewide outcomes.
• Public‑safety and agricultural use cases benefit from strong low‑band LTE/FirstNet coverage, but advanced applications (high‑throughput telehealth, precision ag uplinks) are limited by sparse mid‑band 5G.

Jewell County, KS social media snapshot

Population baseline

• Residents: 2,932 (2020 Census). Rural, older-skewing age profile.

Estimated social media users

• Total users: ~1,750 (about 60% of residents; ~70% of adults), consistent with rural U.S. adoption rates.

Platform share among local social media users (most-used)

• YouTube: ~82%
• Facebook: ~76%
• Instagram: ~34%
• TikTok: ~30%
• Snapchat: ~28%
• Pinterest: ~24%
• X (Twitter): ~14%
• LinkedIn: ~12%
• WhatsApp: ~11%
• Reddit: ~8%
• Nextdoor: ~4%

Age mix of local users (share of users and dominant platforms)

• Teens (13–17): ~15% of users; heavy on YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram; light Facebook use.
• 18–34: ~22% of users; Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat strong; Facebook and YouTube still high.
• 35–54: ~28% of users; Facebook and YouTube dominate; moderate Instagram/Pinterest.
• 55+: ~35% of users; Facebook and YouTube lead; lower Instagram/TikTok; steady Pinterest.

Gender breakdown

• Users: ~53% women, 47% men.
• Platform skews: Pinterest (majority women), Facebook (slight women majority), Instagram/Snapchat (slight women majority), YouTube and X (slight men majority), Reddit (men-heavy).

Behavioral trends observed in rural Kansas communities like Jewell County

• Facebook is the community hub: local news, school sports, county fair updates, buy/sell/trade groups, church and weather alerts. Facebook Groups and Messenger drive most community coordination.
• Video is practical and short: YouTube for how‑to, ag/repair, local sports streams; TikTok/Shorts for quick entertainment among teens and 20‑somethings.
• Messaging patterns: Facebook Messenger common across ages; Snapchat is the default for teens and many under 30; SMS still prevalent when coverage is spotty.
• Posting and engagement rhythms: Peaks before work (6–8 a.m.), lunch (12–1 p.m.), and evenings (7–9 p.m.); weekends see more event and family content.
• Content that performs: Community achievements, school activities, farm/ranch life, local deals/services, weather and road conditions. Authentic, photo/video-first posts outperform polished creative.
• Commerce and calls to action: Click‑to‑call, directions, and event RSVPs convert best. Facebook/Instagram deliver the most reliable local ad reach; Snapchat/TikTok are efficient for teen/young‑adult reach. LinkedIn and Reddit have minimal local impact.
• Trust and networks: Engagement concentrates around known local voices (schools, churches, businesses, county departments). Cross‑posting to relevant Facebook Groups meaningfully boosts reach.

Notes on method

• Figures are modeled estimates for Jewell County derived from Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. platform adoption by age and rural residency, applied to the county’s age structure (2020 Census). They reflect likely local usage patterns and are appropriate for planning and outreach.