Morton County

Morton County, Kansas — key demographics (latest U.S. Census Bureau data)

Population

• Total population: 2,701 (2020 Census)
• 2023 estimate: ~2,550 (Population Estimates Program)

Age

• Median age: ~38 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~27%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Sex

• Male: ~51.5%
• Female: ~48.5%

Race and ethnicity (percent of total population)

• White alone: ~83%
• Black or African American alone: ~1%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~2–3%
• Asian alone: ~0–1%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0%
• Some other race: ~6%
• Two or more races: ~6%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~34%
• White alone, not Hispanic: ~56%

Households and housing (ACS 2019–2023)

• Total households: ~1,060
• Average household size: ~2.5
• Family households: ~68% of households
• Married-couple families: ~54% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~33%
• Homeownership rate: ~74%
• Median household income: ~$58,000
• Persons in poverty: ~12%
• Housing units: ~1,200; vacancy ~12%

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

Morton County, KS email usage snapshot:

• Population and density: 2,701 residents (2020 Census) across ~730 sq mi, roughly 3.7 people per sq mi.
• Estimated email users: ~1,800 adults (±100). Basis: ~75% of residents are 18+, with rural U.S. email adoption near 90% for ages 18–64 and ~75% for 65+.
• Age distribution of email users: 18–34 ≈ 28%, 35–64 ≈ 55%, 65+ ≈ 17% (reflecting the county’s older-leaning mix and lower senior adoption).
• Gender split: Approximately even (near 50/50), mirroring the county’s overall sex ratio.
• Digital access trends: Most households maintain an internet subscription, with strongest fixed broadband in town centers (Elkhart, Rolla). Outside town, residents commonly use fixed wireless, LTE/5G, or satellite. Smartphone-only internet access is prevalent among a mid‑teens share of households, and mobile is the dominant channel for routine email, while seniors remain more desktop-oriented.
• Connectivity facts: Core corridors and populated blocks have multiple broadband options at 25/3 Mbps and increasingly 100/20 Mbps, while remote ranchland sees fewer wired choices and greater reliance on wireless and satellite. Public Wi‑Fi at libraries and schools supplements access and helps narrow gaps.

Mobile phone usage in Morton County, Kansas — snapshot and how it differs from statewide patterns

Headline estimates (people and households)

• Population baseline: 2,701 (2020 Census). About 1,100–1,150 households.
• Active mobile users: approximately 2,200–2,400 residents carry a mobile phone (roughly 85–90% of the total population), consistent with rural ACS smartphone-ownership rates and age mix.
• Smartphone users: roughly 2,050–2,250 residents use a smartphone (about 90–95% of mobile users).
• Households that rely on cellular data for home internet (cellular-only): 20–25% in Morton County versus roughly 10–15% statewide, indicating a materially higher dependence on mobile networks for primary internet access.

Demographic context and usage patterns

• Older age profile than Kansas overall. Residents 65+ make up about one-fifth of the county, several points higher than statewide. This slightly lowers overall smartphone penetration compared with the state, but not by much; adoption among seniors has risen markedly since 2020.
• Higher Hispanic/Latino share than Kansas overall (southwest Kansas pattern). This correlates with:
  • Greater prevalence of multi-line family plans and shared data plans.
  • A higher proportion of prepaid lines than the statewide average, reflecting price-sensitive and seasonal/agricultural employment patterns.
• Youth and school-driven connectivity. Schools and sports travel drive sustained demand for unlimited plans and hotspot add-ons; hotspots are used to backfill gaps in fixed broadband.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage mix:
  • Verizon and AT&T provide the most continuous rural coverage across open country; both offer low-band 5G overlays with LTE fallback.
  • T-Mobile’s low-band 5G blankets the main corridors and towns (Elkhart, Rolla) and delivers high mid-band 5G capacity where available in town centers; coverage thins more quickly off paved roads than the other two.
• 5G availability:
  • Predominantly low-band (coverage-first) 5G across the county on all three national carriers.
  • Mid-band 5G (capacity) is localized in and immediately around towns; no mmWave.
• Expected speeds:
  • In-town: 50–200 Mbps where mid-band 5G is present; 20–80 Mbps on low-band 5G/LTE.
  • Between towns and on section roads: 5–30 Mbps typical, with occasional sub-5 Mbps in draws and canyons; uplink is often the limiting factor for video calls.
• Tower density and terrain effects:
  • Sparse macro-site grid with long inter-site spacing (roughly 10–20 miles), creating predictable dead spots off main corridors and inside metal buildings or basements.
  • Cross-border fill from Oklahoma and Colorado sites is common near the county lines; devices may camp on out-of-state towers.
• Public-safety and network hardening:
  • AT&T FirstNet Band 14 present on key sites; prioritized access improves reliability for emergency services and schools during events.
• Wi‑Fi calling and boosters:
  • Indoor coverage in metal-roof structures frequently requires Wi‑Fi calling or a carrier-certified signal booster; this reliance is notably higher than in urban Kansas.

How Morton County differs from Kansas overall (the key trends)

• Greater mobile-dependence for home internet: Cellular-only home internet use is substantially higher than the state average, due to patchier fixed broadband in unincorporated areas.
• More pronounced coverage variability: Statewide 5G maps suggest near-ubiquitous coverage; on-the-ground in Morton County there are wider gaps between towns, more frequent band shifts, and greater reliance on low-band spectrum.
• Lower median speeds, higher latency variance: Typical download speeds trail Kansas metro medians, and uplink/latency fluctuate more with distance to towers and line-of-sight constraints.
• Higher prepaid and budget-plan share: Plan mix skews toward cost-controlled options more than the Kansas average, aligning with rural income distribution and seasonal work.
• Cross-border roaming behavior: Handsets more often connect to towers in adjacent states than is typical elsewhere in Kansas, affecting perceived coverage and, for some MVNOs, performance or prioritization.

Notes on data and method

• Population and household counts: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census.
• Device ownership and cellular-as-primary-internet patterns are derived from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year Computer and Internet Use (S2801) and aligned with observed rural-county ranges in southwest Kansas for 2018–2022.
• Coverage and technology mix summarized from FCC mobile coverage filings and carrier public network disclosures current through 2024, plus rural performance characteristics typical of low-band and mid-band 5G deployments in southwestern Kansas.

Bottom line Morton County exhibits high mobile adoption but materially higher dependence on cellular for primary home connectivity, lower and more variable speeds outside town centers, and greater sensitivity to tower spacing and building construction than the Kansas average. These differences are structural to rural network geometry and the county’s demographics rather than short-term anomalies.

Morton County, KS — Social media snapshot (2025)

Headline user stats

• Population: 2,701 (U.S. Census 2020). Adults (18+): ~2,100.
• Adults using at least one social platform: ~1,500 (≈72% of adults; aligned to Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. rates, which rural counties track closely).
• Device access: Smartphone-led usage; home broadband is prevalent but below metro levels, so short-form video and messaging see strong mobile engagement.

Most-used platforms (adults; estimated local penetration)

• YouTube: ~83%
• Facebook: ~70%
• Instagram: ~44%
• Pinterest: ~33%
• TikTok: ~31%
• WhatsApp: ~29%
• Snapchat: ~27%
• LinkedIn: ~22% (lower than national due to occupational mix)
• X (Twitter): ~20%
• Reddit: ~18%

Age-group usage (share using at least one social platform; applies to Morton County adults)

• 18–29: ~90% use social; heaviest on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat; Facebook used but less central.
• 30–49: ~81%; multi-platform (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram; rising TikTok/Reels consumption).
• 50–64: ~73%; Facebook and YouTube dominate; Pinterest common; moderate Instagram.
• 65+: ~45%; Facebook is the anchor; YouTube for news/how‑to; low TikTok/Instagram.

Gender breakdown (platform tendencies among adult users)

• Overall split is near even; usage patterns differ by platform.
• Women: higher on Facebook (75% of women), Instagram (50%), Pinterest (46%), Snapchat (30%).
• Men: higher on YouTube (86% of men), Reddit (34%), X/Twitter (~27%).
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger used broadly; WhatsApp notably used within multilingual/bicultural networks; SMS remains common for coordination.

Local behavioral trends

• Community-first Facebook behavior: heavy use of Groups for school sports, church/community events, buy‑sell/trade, weather/road updates, and county/city notices. Comments and shares drive reach more than original posting volumes.
• Video viewing over posting: YouTube and short-form (Reels/TikTok) are widely watched; creation skews to younger adults and teens. Many short videos are cross-posted to Facebook where most local engagement occurs.
• Utility and how‑to content: Weather briefings, farm/ranch, equipment repair, hunting/outdoors, and local government updates perform best.
• Messaging and private spaces: High reliance on Messenger/closed groups for coordination (teams, clubs, faith communities). Older adults favor private groups over public pages.
• Small-business marketing: Facebook Pages and local Groups are primary; boosted posts targeted within ~25–50 miles outperform broad ads. Peak response in early morning, lunch, and evening hours.
• Teens (13–17): Predominantly Snapchat (messaging) and TikTok/YouTube (consumption); Instagram for peers and school activities; Facebook mainly for event info via parents.
• Trust and civics: Local, named sources (schools, sheriffs, county EMS, churches) garner faster, more durable engagement than national outlets; rumor correction in Groups is common in severe-weather and emergency situations.

Notes on methodology and sources

• Population counts: U.S. Census Bureau (2020).
• Platform adoption and demographic skews: Pew Research Center Social Media Use in 2024. County-level figures above are modeled from Pew’s national rates, adjusted for rural age profile and occupational mix typical of southwest Kansas, and expressed as adult (18+) penetration.