Pratt County

Key demographics – Pratt County, Kansas (latest available, ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates unless noted)

• Population

  • Total: 9,243
  • 2020 Census count: 9,157

• Age

  • Median age: 40.9 years
  • Under 18: 23.5%
  • 18–64: 56.3%
  • 65 and over: 20.2%

• Gender

  • Male: 50.5%
  • Female: 49.5%

• Race and ethnicity (mutually exclusive; Hispanic is of any race)

  • White, non-Hispanic: 83.9%
  • Hispanic or Latino: 8.5%
  • Two or more races, non-Hispanic: 3.2%
  • Black or African American, non-Hispanic: 1.3%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: 1.2%
  • Asian, non-Hispanic: 0.6%
  • Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: 0.1%
  • Some other race, non-Hispanic: 1.2%

• Households and housing

  • Households: 3,877
  • Average household size: 2.29
  • Family households: 59.8% of households
  • Married-couple households: 47.0% of households
  • Households with children under 18: 27.4%
  • Owner-occupied housing rate: 69.6%

Insights

• Small, predominantly non-Hispanic White population with a modest Hispanic community.
• Population is older than the U.S. average, with 1 in 5 residents age 65+.
• Household sizes are modest and homeownership is high, typical of rural Kansas counties.

Pratt County, KS email and access snapshot:

• Population and density: ~9,100 residents across 736 sq mi (≈12.4 people/sq mi), concentrated in the City of Pratt along US‑54.
• Estimated email users: ~7,600 residents use email regularly (derived from local age structure, U.S. internet adoption, and near‑universal email use among online adults).
• Gender split of users: roughly even (≈50% female, 50% male), reflecting the county’s near‑balanced sex ratio.
• Age distribution of email users (adults): 18–24 ≈12%, 25–44 ≈33%, 45–64 ≈34%, 65+ ≈21%. Usage is near‑universal among 18–64 and remains high among seniors.
• Digital access trends: ~91% of households have a computer and ~83% subscribe to home broadband. Adoption has risen over the past several years, with the strongest fixed options (cable/fiber) in town and more reliance on DSL and fixed wireless in rural areas, where speeds and latency vary more.
• Connectivity context: Multiple fixed and mobile providers serve the county; in‑town service quality and choice are notably better than in outlying census blocks, consistent with rural density and distance from backbone infrastructure.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Pratt County, Kansas

Context

• Population baseline: ≈9,200 residents (majority in the City of Pratt, ≈6,600), rural county in south‑central Kansas with an older-than-state median age and dispersed settlement outside the city.

User estimates

• Mobile phone users (all device types): 6,800–7,400 residents (≈74–81% of total population), reflecting lower rural adoption and a higher share of children under 12 without phones.
• Smartphone users: 5,800–6,600 residents (≈85–90% of adult mobile users), below the statewide share by several points.
• Households with a smartphone: 78–82% in Pratt County vs ≈88–90% statewide.
• Households that rely on cellular data for home internet (mobile-only or mobile-primary): 14–18% in Pratt County vs 9–12% statewide.
• 5G coverage:
  • Land-area coverage: ≈15–25% in Pratt County (concentrated in the City of Pratt and along US‑54/US‑400) vs ≈45–55% statewide.
  • Population coverage: ≈55–70% in-county vs ≈80–90% statewide.
• Typical user speeds:
  • In-town (Pratt) 5G: 60–250 Mbps down, 8–25 Mbps up.
  • Rural LTE: 5–25 Mbps down, 1–5 Mbps up; occasional sub‑5 Mbps at edges of sectors.

Demographic breakdown (usage patterns)

• Age:
  • 18–34: very high smartphone adoption (≈93–96%); estimated 1,600–1,800 users.
  • 35–64: high adoption (≈85–90%); estimated 3,000–3,300 users.
  • 65+: materially lower adoption (≈65–70%); estimated 1,000–1,200 users.
  • Net effect: a larger 65+ share than Kansas overall pulls down countywide smartphone penetration relative to the state.
• Income/plan type:
  • Higher prepaid/MVNO share than Kansas average, driven by price sensitivity and fewer device-financing promotions from carrier-owned stores outside the city.
  • Mobile-only internet dependence is concentrated among lower-income and renter households.
• Urban–rural split within the county:
  • City of Pratt: higher 5G availability, better indoor signal, higher data usage (video, social, payments).
  • Rural townships: more LTE-only, larger share of voice/SMS-first behavior and data-conserving use; hotspotting more common for homework and small-business tasks.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Radio access networks:
  • All three national carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T‑Mobile) operate in the county. 5G is present primarily in the City of Pratt and along US‑54/US‑400; elsewhere is predominantly LTE.
  • Macro-tower spacing is wider than the state average (rural inter-site distances often 5–10 miles), which reduces indoor coverage and peak speeds off the main corridors.
• Backhaul and capacity:
  • Fiber backhaul along the highway corridor supports higher sector capacity near town; many rural sites rely on microwave backhaul, constraining throughput under load.
• Indoor coverage:
  • Metal-sided homes, machine sheds, and elevators attenuate signal; consumer boosters are commonly used in the countryside.
• Public safety and resiliency:
  • FirstNet (AT&T) is available to first responders; county public-safety LMR and regional trunked systems provide voice redundancy. Commercial networks generally maintain outdoor voice coverage across the county, with known weak spots on low-lying county roads away from US‑54/US‑400.
• Fixed-broadband context:
  • Fiber and cable options exist in the City of Pratt; rural areas rely more on fixed wireless and satellite. This disparity elevates cellular data dependence in rural precincts relative to the Kansas average.

How Pratt County differs from Kansas overall

• Lower smartphone penetration and higher mobile-only internet reliance, linked to an older age profile and fewer fixed-broadband choices outside town.
• Lower 5G land-area coverage and a larger LTE-only footprint; more pronounced speed variability between town and countryside.
• Higher prepaid/MVNO usage share; device upgrade cycles are longer, and BYOD is common.
• Greater sensitivity to tower spacing and topography, leading to more frequent indoor coverage gaps and edge-of-cell performance issues.

Implications

• Businesses and agencies should expect heavier reliance on LTE in the field, higher rates of hotspotting, and more users on prepaid/MVNO plans.
• Apps and services that perform reliably on mid-band 5G in Wichita may need optimization for LTE and intermittent connectivity in Pratt County.
• Deploying or partnering for fiber-fed small cells or in-building solutions in the City of Pratt, and targeted rural coverage enhancements along county roads away from US‑54/US‑400, will have outsized impact.

Pratt County, KS social media snapshot (2025 modeled estimates)

User base

• Population: ~9.2K (ACS 2023 est.); 13+ population ~7.7K
• Social media users (13+): 6.4K (83% penetration)
• Daily users: 4.5K (70% of social users)
• Broadband/online access context: ~85% of households have home internet; mobile-first usage dominates

Most-used platforms (share of social users; monthly)

• YouTube: 82% (~5.25K)
• Facebook: 74% (~4.74K)
• Instagram: 38% (~2.43K)
• TikTok: 31% (~1.98K)
• Snapchat: 29% (~1.86K)
• Pinterest: 28% (~1.79K)
• Facebook Messenger: 62% (~3.96K)
• LinkedIn: 20% (~1.28K)
• X (Twitter): 14% (~0.90K)
• Reddit: 13% (~0.83K)
• WhatsApp: 12% (~0.77K)
• Nextdoor: 6% (~0.38K)

Age profile of social users

• 13–17: 9% (≈576). Almost universal Snapchat/YouTube; TikTok highly used; Facebook minimal except for school sports updates.
• 18–29: 18% (≈1,152). Heavy Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; YouTube daily; Facebook mainly for events/groups/Marketplace.
• 30–49: 33% (≈2,112). Facebook dominant (Groups, school, youth sports, Marketplace), YouTube for how-to; Instagram moderate; TikTok growing.
• 50–64: 23% (≈1,472). Facebook primary; YouTube for DIY, news; Pinterest usage solid; TikTok curiosity use rising.
• 65+: 17% (≈1,088). Facebook for family, church, community; YouTube for local content/how‑to; lower multi-platform adoption.

Gender breakdown of social users

• Female: 53%
• Male: 46%
• Nonbinary/other: ~1% Notes: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest skew female; Reddit, X skew male; TikTok and Snapchat skew female under 30.

Behavioral trends

• Community-first: Facebook Groups and local pages drive information flow (school sports, weather, road conditions, fundraisers, county fair). High trust in known local admins; rapid amplification of local news.
• Commerce: Facebook Marketplace is the default for buying/selling vehicles, farm/yard equipment, furniture; weekend listing spikes.
• Video habits: Short-form (Reels/TikTok) for entertainment and local highlights; YouTube for repairs, ag/DIY, hunting/fishing, and high school sports replays.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is ubiquitous among adults; Snapchat dominates teen peer communication; WhatsApp remains niche except for specific work/extended-family use.
• Posting cadence: Under 30s post Stories/Reels daily; 30–49 share weekly family/school content; 50+ share less frequently but comment and reshare local items.
• Timing: Engagement peaks 7–10 pm on weekdays; secondary bumps around lunch (11:30 am–1 pm). Marketplace browsing rises Fri–Sun.
• Content that performs: Local faces/teams, practical tips, timely weather/road info, deals/coupons from local businesses, before/after photo carousels, short vertical videos under 30 seconds.

Method and sources

• Figures are 2025 modeled estimates for Pratt County synthesized from: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 (population, internet access), Pew Research Center 2024 Social Media Use (platform adoption by age/rural vs. urban), and Midwestern rural adjustments. Percentages rounded; multi-platform usage means shares sum to >100%.