Neosho County

Neosho County, Kansas — key demographics (latest available)

Population size

• Total population (2023 estimate): ~15,600
• 2020 Census: ~15,900

Age

• Median age: ~41 years
• Under 18: ~23%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Race/ethnicity

• White alone: ~89%
• Black or African American alone: ~2%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~2%
• Asian alone: ~0.5%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.1%
• Two or more races: ~6%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~6%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~84%

Households

• Number of households: ~6,600
• Average household size: ~2.34 persons
• Family households: ~59% of households
  • Married-couple families: ~45% of households
• Nonfamily households: ~41%
  • One-person households: ~34%
  • 65+ living alone: ~15%
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: ~70%

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

• Population and density: 15,904 residents (2020 Census) across 571 sq mi; ≈28 people/sq mi. Most residents live in Chanute (9,100) and Erie (~1,100), with very low density outside town centers.
• Digital access: About 90% of households have a computer; ~78% have a broadband subscription. Chanute’s municipal fiber (CMU/Chanute Fiber) offers gigabit service in the city; rural areas rely more on DSL and fixed wireless, with uneven speeds and adoption.
• Estimated email users: ≈11,400 residents (about 72% of the total population) use email regularly.
• Age distribution of email users (approx.):
  • 13–17: 7% (800)
  • 18–44: 40% (4,600)
  • 45–64: 32% (3,700)
  • 65+: 22% (2,300) Email use is near‑universal among 18–64 and lower among 65+.
• Gender split: ~49% male, ~51% female; email usage mirrors the population split.
• Trends and connectivity insights: Broadband and smartphone use are strongest in Chanute and Erie; adoption drops in sparsely populated areas due to last‑mile costs and provider coverage gaps. Fiber availability in Chanute supports higher engagement among younger cohorts and small businesses, while mobile‑only access remains a notable fallback in rural parts of the county.

Neosho County, Kansas — mobile phone usage summary (focus on divergences from statewide patterns)

Headline numbers and user estimates

• Population and households: 16,000 residents, ~6,500 households (ACS 2019–2023). Largest population centers: Chanute (9,000) and Erie (~1,100).
• Estimated mobile phone users: 14,000–15,000 residents use a mobile phone (roughly 88–92% of residents aged 5+), below the Kansas statewide rate (typically over 92%).
• Smartphone access by household: about 84–87% of households have a smartphone, several points below the Kansas average (~90–92%).
• Cellular data plan penetration (households reporting a cellular data plan for internet): roughly 74–78% in Neosho County vs ~83% statewide, reflecting more limited network performance and lower incomes.

Demographic patterns that differ from the state

• Age: A comparatively older age structure (median age low-40s vs high-30s statewide) depresses smartphone adoption among seniors. Estimated smartphone use among 65+ sits in the upper-60s to low-70s percent range locally, versus upper-70s statewide.
• Income and affordability: Median household income is materially lower than the Kansas median. As a result:
  • Prepaid plans constitute a larger share of lines (roughly 35–40% locally vs ~28–32% statewide).
  • “Smartphone-only” or mobile-only internet reliance is higher among low-income households (about 20–24% locally vs ~14–16% statewide), driven by cost and limited fixed broadband choices outside town.
• Education and device mix: Lower bachelor’s attainment than the state correlates with slightly lower multi-device ownership. Households are more likely to have a single shared smartphone and fewer tablets/laptops than the state average.
• Language/ethnicity: Hispanic households in the county track the statewide pattern of high smartphone reliance but with a higher propensity for prepaid and mobile-only internet, reflecting cost sensitivity.

Usage behaviors and adoption trends

• Wireless-only voice: Adults living in wireless-only (no landline) households are at or above three-quarters locally, modestly higher than the Kansas average, reflecting the county’s cost-conscious communications habits.
• Mobile as primary internet: A larger slice of households use mobile data as their primary or backup home internet, especially outside Chanute and Erie. This behavior is notably more common than the statewide average.
• Work and sectoral use: Manufacturing, healthcare, and agriculture drive pragmatic mobile use (messaging, logistics, telehealth, and ag apps) rather than high-bandwidth entertainment when outside town centers.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage footprint:
  • 4G LTE: Countywide baseline LTE is strong in and between towns along US-169, US-59, and US-160, with spotty pockets in river bottoms and the most rural sections.
  • 5G: Mid-band 5G is concentrated in and around Chanute and along US-169; elsewhere, coverage is primarily low-band 5G or LTE. mmWave is effectively absent.
• Carriers and spectrum: AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile all serve the county. AT&T’s Band 14 (FirstNet) enhances public-safety and rural coverage on select sites; mid-band 5G (e.g., n41/n77) is limited to the main corridors and towns.
• Speeds and consistency:
  • Town centers: mid-band 5G frequently delivers 150–300 Mbps down with good uplink.
  • Rural areas: LTE or low-band 5G commonly delivers 10–30 Mbps down with higher latency; uplink can fall below 5 Mbps, affecting video calling and cloud apps.
• Sites and backhaul: A modest macro-tower grid serves the county (few small cells). Backhaul is a mix of microwave and fiber; where microwave persists, peak-hour speeds dip more than the statewide norm.
• Home internet via mobile: T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is widely available in/near Chanute and along US-169; Verizon 5G Home has more limited footprints. Fixed wireless ISPs fill gaps outside towns.
• Affordability programs: The end of new ACP subsidies in 2024 has led to plan downgrades and prepaid churn locally, with more pronounced effects than in higher-income Kansas counties.

How Neosho County differs from Kansas overall

• Lower smartphone and cellular-data plan penetration by several percentage points.
• Higher reliance on prepaid and mobile-only internet, especially among low-income and senior households.
• Greater urban–rural performance gap: strong mid-band 5G in Chanute vs markedly slower LTE/low-band coverage in outlying areas.
• More frequent evening slowdowns tied to limited backhaul on rural sectors.
• Voice and text reliability are generally solid, but upload throughput and indoor coverage in older buildings are weaker than the statewide average outside town centers.

Implications

• Public services, healthcare providers, and employers should optimize for mobile-first experiences that tolerate low uplink and high latency, particularly for rural patients and shift workers.
• Investments that expand mid-band 5G and fiber backhaul on rural towers would close the performance gap and reduce the county’s above-average reliance on mobile-only internet for essential tasks.
• Targeted senior digital literacy and affordability interventions will have outsized impact due to the county’s older age profile and higher prevalence of prepaid plans.

Neosho County, KS social media snapshot (2025)

How many people use social media

• Adults who use at least one social platform (estimate): about 70–73% of adults
• Adult user base skew: slightly older than U.S. average, so Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram/TikTok are smaller but growing

Most-used platforms among adults in the county (estimated reach)

• YouTube: ~72% of adults
• Facebook: ~69%
• Instagram: ~39%
• TikTok: ~30%
• Snapchat: ~22%
• Pinterest: ~30%
• Also-used but secondary: X (Twitter) ~18%, LinkedIn ~20%, Reddit ~14%, Nextdoor ~6%

Age-group usage patterns (adults)

• 18–29: Heavy on YouTube (90%), Instagram (78%), Snapchat (65%), TikTok (62%); Facebook (~67%) mainly for groups/events
• 30–49: YouTube (87%) and Facebook (75%) anchor daily use; Instagram (49%) common; TikTok (39%) rising; Snapchat (~25%) for messaging
• 50–64: Facebook (73%) and YouTube (70%) lead; Instagram (29%) and TikTok (24%) niche
• 65+: Facebook (62%) and YouTube (49%) are primary; Instagram (15%) and TikTok (10%) minimal

Gender breakdown

• Overall user base: roughly 52% female, 48% male (reflecting county demographics and slightly higher usage among women)
• Platform skews:
  • More female: Pinterest (75% of users female), Snapchat (57% female), Facebook (56% female), Instagram/TikTok (54% female)
  • Balanced: YouTube (~50/50)
  • More male: X/Twitter (~55% male), Reddit (male-skew)

Behavioral trends in the county

• Facebook as the community hub: local news and weather updates, school and youth sports, churches/civic groups, events, and Facebook Marketplace for buy/sell/trade
• Video-first habits: YouTube for how‑to, DIY, ag/outdoors, automotive; short‑form clips (Reels/Shorts/TikTok) for highlights and local moments
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is default; Snapchat prevalent among teens/20s; WhatsApp niche
• Commerce: Small businesses lean on Facebook Pages, local groups, and Marketplace; event promotions and limited-time offers perform well
• Engagement cadence: Peaks around early morning, lunch, and evenings; spikes tied to severe weather, school closures, and high school sports
• Adoption ceiling: Many older adults are “Facebook‑only”; newer platforms grow primarily via short‑video cross‑posting (Reels/Shorts)

Notes on method

• Figures are modeled for Neosho County using the county’s older age profile (ACS) combined with Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. platform adoption by age and gender, with rural adjustments. They represent best-available localized estimates for 2025.