Lincoln County

Lincoln County, Kansas — key demographics

Population size

• 2,939 residents (2020 Census)

Age (ACS 2019–2023)

• Median age: 48.7 years
• Under 18: 21.0%
• 65 and over: 27.8%

Gender (ACS 2019–2023)

• Male: 51.0%
• Female: 49.0%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2019–2023)

• White alone: 95.0%
• Black or African American alone: 0.3%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 0.9%
• Asian alone: 0.3%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: 0.0%
• Two or more races: 3.1%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 4.1%

Household data (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: 1,310
• Average household size: 2.14
• Family households: 58%
• One-person households: 33%
• Average family size: 2.72

Insights

• Small, aging population with over one-quarter aged 65+
• Near gender parity
• Predominantly White, with a small but present Hispanic/Latino population
• Small household sizes and a sizable share of one-person households

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates (DP05, S1101).

Lincoln County, Kansas snapshot (modeled from 2020 Census, ACS, and Pew Research)

• Population and density: 2,939 residents (2020), ≈4.1 people per square mile across ~720 sq. mi.
• Estimated email users: ~2,300 residents (≈78% of the population) use email regularly.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: ~6%
  • 18–34: ~22%
  • 35–54: ~29%
  • 55–64: ~18%
  • 65+: ~25%
• Gender split among email users: roughly even (≈50% female, 50% male), mirroring county demographics.
• Digital access and connectivity:
  • Broadband subscription: ≈75–80% of households subscribe to a fixed broadband service.
  • Computer access: ~85–90% of households have a computer device; smartphone ownership in rural Kansas is ~80–85%, supporting mobile email use.
  • Low population density increases per-premise service costs, moderating adoption compared with urban Kansas.
• Trends and insights:
  • Email penetration is highest among 18–54; usage remains strong but less universal among 65+.
  • Ongoing state/federal investments (e.g., BEAD/ARPA) are expanding fiber and fixed wireless coverage, improving speeds and reliability.
  • Email remains a primary channel for work, healthcare portals, school communications, government notices, and e-commerce receipts, with mobile access narrowing gaps in sparsely connected areas.

Mobile phone usage in Lincoln County, Kansas — 2025 snapshot

Population base

• Residents: ~3,000 (2020 Census; population has been flat to slightly declining)
• Households: ~1,300–1,350
• Age profile: ~30% age 65+ (well above the Kansas average of ~17%), with fewer teens and young adults than the state average

User estimates and adoption

• Unique mobile phone users: ~2,400 (≈80% of residents), lower than the ~88–90% typical at the state level
• Smartphone users: ~2,000 (≈67% of residents; ≈80% of adults), versus ≈88–90% of adults statewide
• Household device access (ACS-like profile, 2018–2022 pattern, rounded):
  • Households with at least one smartphone: ≈86% (≈1,150 households), below the Kansas average (~92%)
  • Households with a cellular data plan: ≈72% (≈950 households)
  • Smartphone-dependent (cellular/mobile as primary or only home internet): ≈18% (≈240 households), higher than Kansas overall (~12–14%)
  • No home internet subscription: ≈23% (≈300 households), roughly double the Kansas average (~10–12%)

Demographic usage patterns

• Seniors (65+): 30% of the population; smartphone adoption is markedly lower (≈55–60%) than among Kansas seniors overall (65–70%). Higher reliance on basic phones and voice/SMS, and more frequent coverage/indoor signal complaints
• Working-age adults (25–64): primary drivers of smartphone and hotspot use; elevated use of prepaid plans and shared data due to below-state median income
• Youth (under 18): smaller cohort than state average; teen smartphone adoption remains high but total teen lines per capita are lower than statewide

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Cellular coverage: 4G LTE covers most populated areas and primary roads; 5G is present mainly as low-band coverage near towns and along main corridors, with large rural gaps. Capacity is modest; indoor coverage can be inconsistent in metal/stone buildings
• Network quality: LTE is the default experience countywide; 5G adds marginal improvements where available. Peak speeds are attainable outdoors near towns; valleys, tree cover, and distance from towers reduce performance
• Fixed broadband context: A material minority of locations remain unserved or underserved by wired broadband, reinforcing above-average reliance on mobile hotspots and cellular data. Fiber builds are occurring but not yet countywide
• Affordability programs: The 2024 wind-down of the Affordable Connectivity Program increased the risk of service downgrades or disconnections among lower-income households, with outsized effects in rural blocks

How Lincoln County differs from Kansas overall

• Lower overall mobile and smartphone adoption: Fewer unique mobile users and a smaller share of adult smartphone users than the state average, driven primarily by the older age structure
• More mobile-reliant households: Higher share of homes relying primarily on cellular data and a higher share with no home internet subscription than statewide
• Slower 5G uptake and coverage: 5G availability remains limited and largely low-band; LTE remains the norm for much of the county, while more of Kansas’ population lives within robust 5G footprints
• Cost-sensitive usage: Greater use of prepaid plans, shared family plans, and longer device replacement cycles than the state average, reflecting lower median household income
• Service variability: More frequent indoor coverage issues and rural dead zones than typical in urban/suburban Kansas, influencing heavier use of Wi‑Fi calling where fixed broadband is available

Bottom line Lincoln County’s mobile landscape is defined by high LTE dependence, limited and spotty 5G, and above-average reliance on cellular data as a primary home connection. An older population and lower incomes pull down smartphone adoption relative to Kansas overall, while fixed-broadband gaps push a meaningful minority of households toward mobile-only internet use. Continued tower densification and last‑mile fiber builds are the levers most likely to narrow these county–state disparities.

Lincoln County, KS — social media usage snapshot (modeled, 2025)

How many people use social media

• About 72% of adults use at least one social platform. In a county of roughly 3,000 residents with an older age profile, this translates to a solid majority of adults active on at least one site, with non-use more common among the 65+ segment.

Most-used platforms (share of adults who use each platform)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• Pinterest: 35%
• TikTok: 33%
• Snapchat: 30%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• WhatsApp: 26%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• Reddit: 22%
• Nextdoor: ~20% Top five locally by practical reach: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok.

Age-group usage patterns (local implications)

• 18–29: Heavy on Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok; YouTube near-universal. Facebook used but less central for posting; often retained for community/marketplace and school/sports updates.
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube dominate for local news, school and youth sports, buy/sell groups, and how‑to content; Instagram for lifestyle/parenting; TikTok rising for entertainment and product discovery.
• 50–64: Facebook is the hub (friends, church/civic groups, marketplace); YouTube for DIY, farm/ranch, equipment and home projects; moderate Pinterest use.
• 65+: Facebook remains the primary social network; YouTube used for tutorials and entertainment; lower adoption of TikTok/Snapchat but growing among recent retirees.

Gender breakdown (platform skews)

• Overall user base roughly mirrors the county population split.
• More women: Pinterest and Instagram (home, recipes, crafts, local events).
• More men: Reddit and X; YouTube channels tied to ag/mechanics, sports, and outdoors.
• Facebook is broadly balanced across genders; Snapchat slightly female‑leaning among younger users; LinkedIn slightly male‑leaning.

Behavioral trends seen in rural Great Plains counties like Lincoln

• Facebook Groups and Marketplace drive engagement: buy/sell, lost & found, county alerts, school activities, church and civic announcements.
• YouTube is the “how‑to” and ag channel: equipment repair, land management, hunting/fishing, home projects.
• Event discovery and promotion rely on Facebook Events and local pages; Instagram Stories/Reels used by younger organizers and small businesses.
• Messaging > posting for many: Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, and SMS coordinate day‑to‑day; WhatsApp appears in specific family/work networks.
• News consumption is local-first: county and regional outlets on Facebook; low reliance on X for news.
• Creator activity is small but persistent: local businesses, realtors, ag services, artists use Facebook + Instagram cross‑posting; short‑form video (Reels/TikTok) is growing for promotions.

Notes on figures

• Percentages for platform use are from Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adult social media adoption, applied as the best available proxy for Lincoln County; local rates typically track these closely, with Facebook relatively stronger and TikTok/Snapchat relatively weaker among older residents.