Labette County

Labette County, Kansas — key demographics

Population size

• 2023 population estimate: 19,700 (U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program)
• 2020 Census: 20,184; 2010 Census: 21,607 (decline of about 6.6% from 2010 to 2020; continued gradual decline since)

Age

• Median age: ~41–42 years (ACS 5-year)
• Under 18: ~22%
• 18–64: ~58%
• 65 and over: ~20%

Gender

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 5-year; race alone or in combination; Hispanic is of any race)

• White: ~86%
• Black or African American: ~4%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~2–3%
• Asian: ~1%
• Two or more races: ~6–7%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~5–6%

Households and housing (ACS 5-year)

• Households: ~8,300–8,600
• Average household size: ~2.3
• Family households: ~60–62% of households; average family size ~2.9
• Households with children under 18: ~25–30%
• Nonfamily households: ~38–40%; living alone: ~32–34%; age 65+ living alone: ~12–14%
• Housing tenure: owner-occupied ~70–72%; renter-occupied ~28–30%

Insights

• Small, rural county with a steady population decline since 2010
• Age structure skews older than the U.S. overall, with about one in five residents 65+
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White, with modest racial/ethnic diversity and a small but notable multiracial and Hispanic population
• Household sizes are modest and ownership rates are high, typical of rural Kansas counties

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; Population Estimates Program (2023); American Community Survey 5-year estimates (most recent available).

Labette County, KS (2020 pop. 20,184; ~31 people per sq. mile) is predominantly rural, shaping email and internet access patterns.

Email users and demographics

• Estimated email users: ~14,600 adults (≈90% of adults).
• By age (users; adoption): 18–29 ~2,500 (≈95%); 30–49 ~4,650 (≈96%); 50–64 ~3,900 (≈92%); 65+ ~3,550 (≈80%).
• Gender split: effectively even; women ~50–51% of users, men ~49–50%.

Digital access and connectivity

• Households with broadband subscription: ~77% (ACS 2018–2022).
• Households with a computer: ~89%.
• Households with any internet subscription: ~83%; non‑subscription households are concentrated in the most rural tracts.
• Higher‑capacity cable/fiber is centered in Parsons, Oswego, and along main corridors; many outlying areas rely on DSL or satellite, reflecting lower density and longer last‑mile runs.

Insights

• Email reach is near‑universal among working‑age adults and solid among seniors, but the ~17% of households without an internet subscription and low population density dampen always‑on access.
• Mobile access is common, yet fixed broadband quality varies; outreach that is mobile‑friendly and tolerant of intermittent connectivity will maximize coverage.

Mobile phone usage in Labette County, Kansas (2024–2025 snapshot)

At-a-glance user estimates

• Population and base: ~19,500–20,200 residents; ~15,000–16,000 adults (18+).
• Adult smartphone users: ~12,500–13,800 (≈82–86% of adults; slightly below Kansas overall, which is closer to upper‑80s).
• Active mobile subscriptions: ~20,000–23,000 SIMs in service (roughly 100–115 subscriptions per 100 residents, in line with rural U.S. norms).
• Households with a smartphone: ~7,000–7,400 of ~8,100–8,400 households (≈85–90%).
• Households with a cellular data plan: ~5,300–5,900 (≈65–72%).
• Mobile‑only internet households (no fixed home broadband, use cellular service only): ~1,500–2,000 (≈18–24% of households), several points higher than the statewide share.

What differs from Kansas statewide

• Greater reliance on mobile as primary internet: Mobile‑only households are estimated 5–10 percentage points higher than the Kansas average, driven by lower fixed‑broadband availability/affordability outside Parsons and Oswego.
• Slightly older user base: A larger 65+ share than the state depresses overall smartphone penetration by a few points and lengthens device replacement cycles.
• Coverage quality gap outside towns: 5G mid‑band capacity (fast 5G) is concentrated in Parsons and along major corridors; much of the county still relies on LTE or low‑band 5G, yielding lower median speeds than the state average.
• Price sensitivity and prepaid mix: Higher poverty and fixed‑income prevalence mean above‑average use of prepaid/MVNO plans and multi‑line discounts; the end of the federal ACP benefit in 2024 has disproportionately pushed some households toward mobile‑only solutions.
• Usage profile: More emphasis on core communications (voice/SMS, messaging apps) and practical data use (navigation, telehealth, school portals) relative to high‑bitrate streaming, reflecting coverage and budget constraints.

Demographic breakdown and adoption patterns

• By age
  • 18–34: ~95–98% smartphone adoption; heavy app and video use where mid‑band 5G is available.
  • 35–64: ~88–92% adoption; strong BYOD for work, hotspotting when home broadband falters.
  • 65+: ~68–76% adoption; text/voice and telehealth are key use cases; more LTE/low‑band 5G devices remain in service.
• By income/education
  • Lower‑income households show higher mobile‑only internet reliance and prepaid plan usage than the state average.
  • Households with some college or less are more likely to depend on smartphone hotspotting for homework and job search.
• By geography within the county
  • Parsons/Oswego: Highest 5G capacity and best indoor coverage; typical multi‑carrier overlap.
  • Smaller towns and rural east/south: More frequent LTE fallback, spotty indoor service in metal‑roof structures, and greater dependence on Wi‑Fi calling.

Digital infrastructure points

• Carrier presence: All three national carriers operate in the county. Capacity clusters in Parsons (mid‑band 5G from T‑Mobile and C‑band/NR from Verizon; AT&T low‑band 5G with selective mid‑band upgrades). Rural sectors rely on low‑band 5G/LTE for reach.
• Site density: Approximately 3–5 macro cell sites per 100 square miles across ~650 square miles, with additional small cells in Parsons. Colocation is common along U.S. 59, U.S. 160, and U.S. 400.
• Backhaul: Fiber backhaul follows highway and rail rights‑of‑way; microwave backhaul persists on outer‑rural sites, constraining peak capacity compared with Kansas metro corridors.
• Speed and performance: Typical median mobile downloads countywide ~45–80 Mbps, with 5–20 Mbps at some rural edges; Kansas statewide medians tend to be higher (≈80–120 Mbps) due to metro mid‑band density. Uploads commonly 5–15 Mbps in town, lower in fringe areas.
• 5G footprint: Mid‑band 5G largely in Parsons and along main routes; low‑band 5G covers most populated areas but with LTE‑like throughput in many rural sectors.
• Resilience and public safety: AT&T FirstNet Band 14 is present on key sites supporting first responders; overlapping coverage near Parsons and Oswego improves outage resilience relative to outlying townships.
• Indoor coverage: Metal‑roof homes and large farm structures often require Wi‑Fi calling or signal boosters; this issue is more pronounced than in Kansas metro counties.

Behavioral/plan trends locally

• Higher share of unlimited‑but‑throttled prepaid plans compared with state metro areas; hotspot data caps are a common constraint for mobile‑only homes.
• Android share modestly higher than the state average, reflecting device price sensitivity; longer upgrade cycles than in urbanized Kansas counties.
• Text and voice reliability remains a strong purchase driver; coverage maps and neighbor experience weigh more heavily than headline 5G speeds for many buyers.

Implications

• Any expansion of mid‑band 5G beyond Parsons and along U.S. corridors would close the performance gap with the state, particularly for telehealth and remote learning.
• Programs that pair affordable fixed wireless or fiber with mobile service could reduce the county’s elevated mobile‑only reliance and improve digital equity.
• Targeted indoor coverage solutions (e.g., subsidized boosters, Wi‑Fi calling outreach) would deliver outsized benefits compared with purely outdoor coverage enhancements.

Sources and methodology

• Estimates synthesize 2019–2023 ACS 5‑year computer/internet indicators, 2024 FCC coverage data, and 2023–2024 national/rural smartphone adoption research. Figures are rounded to reflect county‑level margins of error while providing clear, decision‑useful magnitudes.

Social media usage in Labette County, Kansas — concise 2024 snapshot

How many people use social media (localized estimate)

• Adults using at least one social platform: roughly 70–75% of adults
• Daily usage: about 7 in 10 social users check at least once per day
• Primary access: mobile-first; most activity occurs via smartphone apps rather than desktop

Most-used platforms (share of adults; based on the latest U.S. adoption rates applied locally)

• YouTube: ~80% use
• Facebook: ~65–70%
• Instagram: ~45–50%
• Pinterest: ~30–35%
• TikTok: ~30–35%
• Snapchat: ~25–30%
• X (Twitter): ~20–25%
• LinkedIn: ~25–30% (lower active use locally due to job mix)

Age patterns (local behavior aligns with national rural trends)

• Teens (13–17): Heavy Snapchat and TikTok; Instagram for highlights and DMs; YouTube for entertainment
• 18–29: High multi‑platform use; Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube dominate; Facebook used mainly for groups/events
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube are primary; Instagram secondary; Pinterest common among parents; TikTok growing for short video
• 50–64: Facebook (news, groups, Marketplace) and YouTube (how‑to, local content); Pinterest for projects/recipes
• 65+: Facebook is the hub for community updates and family photos; YouTube for tutorials/news clips; limited Instagram/TikTok

Gender breakdown (tendencies observable locally)

• Women: Higher use of Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; strong engagement with community groups, school/sports updates, recipes, DIY
• Men: Higher relative use of YouTube, X, Reddit; Facebook still widely used (Marketplace, local news, sports)
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are the most-used private channels; WhatsApp usage is comparatively low

Behavioral trends specific to small, rural Kansas counties like Labette

• Facebook Groups are the community backbone: city/county updates, school and athletics, church events, local buy/sell/marketplace
• Marketplace is a top driver of Facebook engagement and repeat visits
• Video-first consumption: short video on Facebook/Instagram Reels and TikTok outperforms static posts; YouTube for longer “how‑to,” farm/ranch, home, and auto content
• High engagement for hyperlocal content: people-centric posts (students, teams, businesses), weather alerts, road closures, and event reminders
• Evening and weekend peaks: most interactions occur after work/school and on weekends; mornings used for quick news/weather checks
• Small businesses rely on Facebook Pages + Messenger as a de facto website and customer-service channel; boosted posts targeted within ~25–40 miles tend to perform best
• Cross-posting works: the same short video repurposed across Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok reliably expands reach; link-out posts underperform vs native uploads
• Trust patterns: users favor posts from recognizable local entities (schools, county/city offices, clubs, churches) over anonymous pages

Notes on sources and method

• Platform percentages reflect Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adult adoption rates, contextualized for Labette County’s rural/older profile; local rank order mirrors national, with Facebook and YouTube dominant.
• Adoption share and behavior are localized estimates based on county demographics and rural broadband/mobile usage patterns from recent ACS/FCC reporting.