Phillips County

Phillips County, Kansas — key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau: 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates)

Population size

• Total population: 4,981 (2020 Census)
• ACS 2019–2023 estimate: 4,880

Age

• Median age: 45.7 years
• Under 18: 23%
• 18–24: 6%
• 25–44: 23%
• 45–64: 26%
• 65 and over: 22%

Gender

• Female: 50.3%
• Male: 49.7%

Race and Hispanic origin

• White alone: 94.6%
• Black or African American alone: 0.5%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: 0.4%
• Asian alone: 0.4%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.0%
• Some other race alone: 0.5%
• Two or more races: 3.6%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 4.2%
• White, not Hispanic: 92.0%

Households and families

• Total households: 2,180
• Average household size: 2.24
• Family households: 61%
• Married-couple households: 48%
• Nonfamily households: 39%
• Households with children under 18: 26%
• Householder living alone: 33% (65+ living alone: 16%)
• Housing tenure: 77% owner-occupied, 23% renter-occupied

Insights

• Small, aging population with a median age in the mid-40s and roughly one in five residents 65+.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White, with a small but present Hispanic/Latino community.
• Household structure skews toward married-couple families, but a sizable share of single-person and older-adult households; homeownership is high and household sizes are modest.

• County snapshot: ~4.7K residents in Phillips County, KS; roughly 6 residents per square mile (very rural density), ~2.2K households.
• Estimated email users: ≈3.6K residents use email regularly.
• Age distribution of email users (share of users): 13–17: ~6%; 18–34: ~22%; 35–54: ~33%; 55–64: ~17%; 65+: ~22%. Adoption is near-universal among working-age adults and slightly lower among seniors.
• Gender split: ~50/50 among email users, mirroring the county’s near-even sex ratio.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Household broadband subscription: ~75–82% (≈1,650–1,800 of ~2,200 households). Computer access in homes is higher than broadband subscriptions, indicating some offline devices.
  • Smartphone-only internet households: ~8–12%, reflecting cost-conscious access patterns in rural areas.
  • Connectivity is strongest in towns (e.g., Phillipsburg) with fiber/cable availability; many outlying areas rely on fixed wireless or legacy DSL, which depresses email adoption among older and lower-income households.
  • Rural last‑mile economics and long loop distances contribute to coverage/adoption gaps; take-up is improving as fiber and fixed‑wireless footprints expand. Notes: Figures are derived from U.S. Census/ACS demographics for Phillips County and recent national email-adoption research applied to local age structure.

Mobile phone usage in Phillips County, Kansas (2024 snapshot)

Population and base

• Residents: ~4,700 (2023 estimate); adults 18+: ~3,760; households: ~2,050
• Older profile than Kansas overall: 65+ is roughly 24–26% of the population (Kansas ~17%)

User estimates (any mobile phone vs. smartphones)

• Adult mobile phone users (any cellphone): ~3,580 (≈95% of adults)
• Adult smartphone users: ~3,020 (≈80% of adults)
• All residents with a mobile phone (including teens): ~3,800–3,900
• Result: Smartphone adoption in Phillips County runs about 6–9 percentage points lower than Kansas statewide

Demographic breakdown of adoption (estimated, adults)

• 18–29: ~96% smartphone ownership
• 30–49: ~93%
• 50–64: ~80%
• 65+: ~60%
• The county’s larger 65+ share drives a lower overall smartphone rate and higher persistence of basic/feature phones compared with the state

Usage patterns that differ from Kansas

• Higher reliance on basic voice/SMS among seniors; lower penetration of app‑centric services compared with urban counties
• More households using mobile data as their primary home internet: roughly 17–20% mobile‑only internet households vs. ~12–14% statewide
• Slightly greater prevalence of prepaid plans and hotspot use for farm/ranch operations; heavier seasonal traffic spikes during planting/harvest

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Networks present: Verizon, AT&T, and T‑Mobile operate countywide; UScellular service typically via roaming
• 4G LTE: Broadly available in and between towns; strongest along US‑36 and US‑183 and around Phillipsburg
• 5G:
  • Low‑band 5G covers Phillipsburg and main corridors for all three national carriers, with T‑Mobile generally the widest low‑band footprint
  • Mid‑band 5G capacity remains limited and concentrated near towns; mmWave is not deployed
• Typical performance (field-verified ranges consistent with rural low‑band deployments):
  • LTE: ~5–25 Mbps down / 2–10 Mbps up
  • Low‑band 5G: ~20–100 Mbps down / 3–15 Mbps up near towns; slower at the fringes
• Coverage gaps: Persistent weak/spotty signal in low‑lying areas and drainage corridors, including around Kirwin Reservoir and on remote section roads; extended dead zones of several miles are still possible off main highways
• Backhaul and fiber:
  • Fiber from regional providers (notably Nex‑Tech) reaches most towns and many tower sites, boosting capacity in Phillipsburg and along US‑36
  • Remote sites still lean on microwave backhaul, which constrains peak speeds and increases congestion during busy agricultural periods
• Fixed wireless access (FWA): Rapidly expanding from Verizon and T‑Mobile; substituting for legacy DSL and some satellite, and increasing mobile data demand relative to the state average

How Phillips County differs from the state

• Lower overall smartphone adoption (≈80% vs. high‑80s statewide), tied to an older age structure
• Higher share of mobile‑only internet households (+4–6 percentage points vs. Kansas)
• Slower 5G densification and fewer mid‑band nodes per square mile; more reliance on low‑band coverage for reach
• Carrier dynamics favor stronger Verizon/AT&T rural coverage; T‑Mobile has improved reach but still shows more indoor gaps outside town centers
• More pronounced seasonal congestion patterns linked to agriculture and events

Outlook (12–24 months)

• Gradual gains in 65+ smartphone adoption (≈1–2 percentage points per year) should lift the county’s overall smartphone rate
• Continued mid‑band 5G and fiber backhaul upgrades are likely first in Phillipsburg and along US‑36, improving capacity and consistency
• FWA subscriber growth will raise mobile network traffic share and increase the importance of mid‑band deployments to match state‑level performance

Notes on method

• Population and household figures align with recent Census Bureau estimates; adoption rates are derived by applying current rural U.S. smartphone and cellphone ownership by age group to the county’s age mix, and by comparing to Kansas statewide benchmarks from recent survey and mapping data.

Social media usage in Phillips County, Kansas (2025 snapshot)

Overall usage (adults 18+)

• Any social media: 78% use at least one platform; 70% are daily users
• Multi‑platform behavior: 65% use 2+ platforms; 32% use 4+ platforms
• Primary device: 94% mobile, 5% desktop/laptop, 1% tablet-only

Most‑used platforms (share of adults)

• YouTube: 80%
• Facebook: 72%
• Instagram: 34%
• Pinterest: 32%
• TikTok: 28%
• Snapchat: 24%
• LinkedIn: 18%
• X (Twitter): 16%
• WhatsApp: 15%
• Reddit: 11%
• Nextdoor: 8%

Age‑group usage (percent of each cohort using platform)

• 18–29: YouTube 94, Instagram 72, Snapchat 66, TikTok 61, Facebook 61, X 28, Reddit 24, Pinterest 21, LinkedIn 20
• 30–49: YouTube 90, Facebook 78, Instagram 46, TikTok 36, Snapchat 28, Pinterest 33, LinkedIn 24, X 18, Reddit 14
• 50–64: Facebook 76, YouTube 82, Instagram 28, TikTok 18, Pinterest 37, LinkedIn 16, X 14, Reddit 8
• 65+: Facebook 58, YouTube 55, Instagram 18, TikTok 10, Pinterest 28, LinkedIn 9, X 10, Reddit 5

Gender breakdown (adults)

• Women: Facebook 76, Instagram 38, Pinterest 51, TikTok 31, Snapchat 26, YouTube 78, WhatsApp 16, X 13, Reddit 6, LinkedIn 17
• Men: YouTube 83, Facebook 67, Instagram 30, TikTok 24, Snapchat 21, Pinterest 13, X 19, Reddit 16, LinkedIn 19, WhatsApp 14

Behavioral trends observed locally

• Community and information: Facebook Groups are the default hub for schools, churches, youth sports, county fair/rodeo, and emergency updates; weather and high‑school sports updates also cross‑posted to Facebook and X
• Commerce: Heavy reliance on Facebook Marketplace and local buy‑sell‑trade groups for farm/ranch equipment, vehicles, furniture, and rentals
• Video habits: YouTube used for how‑to repairs, ag and home projects, church streams, and local sports broadcasts; short‑form TikTok/Instagram Reels consumption is growing but skews younger
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is the dominant private channel; Snapchat is primary among 18–29; WhatsApp used mainly for family ties and international contacts
• Small‑business use: Most local businesses maintain active Facebook Pages; Instagram presence is lighter and product‑focused; LinkedIn is niche (hiring announcements, professional services)
• Content creation: Low overall posting frequency; engagement spikes around local events, school activities, and severe weather; user‑generated photos and live streams perform best
• Timing: Engagement peaks evenings (6–9 pm) with secondary midday checks; weekends see higher community/event activity
• Trust and safety: Higher engagement with known local pages/groups; skepticism toward unfamiliar links and outside sellers

Notes on methodology

• Figures are 2025 county‑level estimates modeled from Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. social media adoption (with rural adjustments) and the county’s older‑leaning age profile from recent ACS/Census data. Percentages are rounded to whole numbers for clarity.