Reno County

Key demographics: Reno County, Kansas

Population

• 2020 Census: 61,898
• 2023 population estimate: about 60,900 (Census Vintage 2023)

Age

• Median age: ~41 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~23%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Sex

• Male: ~52%
• Female: ~48% (Note: male share is elevated due to a state correctional facility in the county.)

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2019–2023)

• White alone: ~85%
• Black or African American alone: ~3%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~1%
• Asian alone: ~1%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: <0.5%
• Two or more races: ~5%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~11%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~76–77%

Households and housing (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: ~25,000–25,500
• Persons per household: ~2.35
• Family households: ~63%; married-couple families: ~47%
• Nonfamily households: ~37%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~69%
• Median household income: ~$58,000
• Poverty rate: ~12–13%

Insights

• Slow population decline since 2020 with an older age profile than the nation
• Predominantly White, with a meaningful and growing Hispanic community
• Housing is majority owner-occupied; household sizes are modest and incomes trail the state average

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2023). Figures are rounded ACS estimates and may include margins of error.

Reno County, KS email usage snapshot

• Estimated email users: ≈49,000 residents (out of ~61,000), based on local broadband adoption and U.S./Kansas usage norms.
• Age distribution of users:
  • 13–17: ~3,500 (7%)
  • 18–34: ~12,000 (24%)
  • 35–54: ~17,000 (35%)
  • 55–64: ~8,500 (17%)
  • 65+: ~8,000 (16%)
• Gender split: ~51% women, 49% men among users, mirroring the county’s population profile.
• Digital access trends:
  • ~83% of households subscribe to broadband; 90%+ of adults are online.
  • 15–20% of households are mobile-broadband–primary, reflecting rural reliance on cellular data.
  • Fiber footprint has expanded since 2021; cable and fiber are common in Hutchinson, with more fixed wireless/DSL in outlying areas.
  • Public libraries and community sites provide supplemental access for households without home internet.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population density ~49 people/sq mi across ~1,255 sq mi.
  • ~65% of residents live in Hutchinson, where network choice and speeds are highest; adoption rates dip in rural townships due to longer last‑mile distances.

Reno County, KS mobile phone usage summary (focus vs Kansas statewide)

Key takeaways

• Reno County’s adoption and performance are solid but trail Kansas statewide on several measures. The county’s older age profile, larger rural footprint, and income mix contribute to slightly lower smartphone adoption, higher smartphone-only internet reliance, and more variable 5G performance outside Hutchinson.
• 5G is broadly available in Hutchinson from the three national carriers, but mid-band 5G capacity thins quickly outside the city, keeping rural speeds below state medians.

User estimates and adoption

• Population baseline: 61,898 residents (2020 Census), roughly 25,000 households. Urban core in Hutchinson with substantial rural townships across 1,250+ square miles.
• Mobile phone users (all devices): approximately 89–92% of residents, or about 55,000–57,000 people.
• Smartphone users: approximately 81–86% of residents, or about 50,000–53,000 people. As a share of adults, this aligns to roughly 90%+.
• Smartphone-only internet households: higher than the state average. Reno County is likely in the mid-teens percentage, versus the low-teens statewide, reflecting affordability trade-offs and rural broadband gaps.
• Households with a smartphone: high but a bit below Kansas overall. County-level ownership is just under the statewide ≈low-90s percent benchmark, a pattern common to mixed urban–rural counties.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age
  • 65+ share is higher in Reno County than Kansas overall, and older adults here are less likely to own or primarily use smartphones than statewide peers. Adoption among seniors is rising, but device upgrade cycles are longer and feature-phone retention is a bit more common than at the state level.
  • Teens and young adults mirror statewide near-universal smartphone access but show slightly higher smartphone-only reliance for home internet (plan sharing, prepaid plans).
• Income
  • Lower-income households (under roughly $35,000) are more likely to be smartphone-only for home internet than the Kansas average, especially outside Hutchinson, due to limited fixed broadband choices and price sensitivity.
  • Mid-income households exhibit a split: postpaid family plans are common in Hutchinson, while rural areas show a modestly higher prepaid share than statewide.
• Geography (in-county)
  • Hutchinson: near-parity with state adoption; broader device mix and faster 5G. Higher app-based work, telehealth, and streaming usage.
  • Rural townships: slightly lower smartphone adoption and more smartphone-only households; heavier reliance on voice/SMS and asynchronous apps when coverage or speeds dip.
• Race/ethnicity
  • Hispanic households in Hutchinson have notably high smartphone adoption and above-average smartphone-only use relative to the county mean, similar to statewide patterns for affordability-focused connectivity.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage and technology
  • 5G from AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon is available in Hutchinson and along primary corridors (notably K-61 and US-50). Outside the city, coverage shifts toward low-band 5G/4G-LTE with fewer mid-band capacity sites than in Kansas metros.
  • Rural fringe areas experience greater signal variability and indoor penetration issues, particularly in metal buildings and low-lying areas, leading to fallbacks to LTE.
• Capacity and speeds
  • In-town Hutchinson speeds are competitive for Kansas, benefitting from mid-band 5G on at least one carrier; rural areas show lower median speeds and higher latency variability than the state median.
  • Peak-time congestion is more pronounced on corridors serving commuters and during events (e.g., fairgrounds), reflecting fewer sectorized sites compared with Kansas metro counties.
• Backhaul and siting
  • Fiber backhaul is strongest in and around Hutchinson; outside the core, more sites depend on longer microwave hops or legacy backhaul, limiting 5G capacity growth versus statewide urban markets.
  • Macro sites are relatively sparse per square mile outside the city, increasing the distance between users and cells compared with statewide averages in metro counties.

How Reno County differs from Kansas statewide

• Adoption: Slightly lower smartphone ownership than the Kansas household average and a higher share of smartphone-only internet households.
• Plan mix: Modestly higher prepaid penetration outside Hutchinson than the statewide mix.
• Performance: Lower and more variable rural speeds than the Kansas median; mid-band 5G is concentrated in Hutchinson rather than countywide.
• Digital divide: A larger urban–rural gap within the county than the typical gap observed within metro Kansas counties; seniors and lower-income rural households are disproportionately affected.

Implications

• Carriers: Most gains will come from adding mid-band 5G in rural sectors, deploying small cells or additional sectors in Hutchinson hotspots, and upgrading backhaul on select rural sites.
• Community and public sector: Smartphone-only households rely on robust mobile networks for school, telehealth, and work; targeted coverage enhancements around community anchors and along school bus routes can yield outsized benefits.
• Users and businesses: Expect strong 5G in Hutchinson and along main corridors; plan for LTE or low-band 5G performance in more remote areas. Enterprises with metal buildings should consider in-building solutions for reliable voice/data.

Sources and methods

• U.S. Census Bureau (Decennial 2020; ACS Computer and Internet Use 5-year estimates), FCC mobile coverage disclosures (4G/5G, 2023–2024), carrier public coverage maps, and statewide speed/performance benchmarks (2024). County-level user figures are estimates synthesized from these sources and typical urban–rural patterns in Kansas.

Reno County, KS social media snapshot (2024, best-available estimates) Note: Platform companies and public sources do not publish county-level social media usage. Figures below are modeled by applying Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adult platform-usage rates to Reno County’s adult population (U.S. Census Bureau 2023 est.). Adult population is approximated at 47,000 (of ~61,000 total residents).

Overall usage

• At least one social platform: ≥83% of adults (driven by YouTube’s 83% reach) ⇒ ≈39,000+ adult users in Reno County.

Most-used platforms (U.S. adult usage rates applied locally)

• YouTube: 83% ⇒ ≈39,010 adults
• Facebook: 68% ⇒ ≈31,960
• Instagram: 47% ⇒ ≈22,090
• Pinterest: 35% ⇒ ≈16,450
• TikTok: 33% ⇒ ≈15,510
• LinkedIn: 30% ⇒ ≈14,100
• Snapchat: 27% ⇒ ≈12,690
• X (Twitter): 22% ⇒ ≈10,340
• Reddit: 22% ⇒ ≈10,340
• WhatsApp: 21% ⇒ ≈9,870
• Nextdoor: 17% ⇒ ≈7,990

Age-group patterns (how usage concentrates)

• 18–29: Heavy on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, and YouTube; Facebook used but secondary.
• 30–49: Broadly multi-platform; Facebook, YouTube, Instagram strong; TikTok growing; LinkedIn present for work.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Pinterest meaningful; Instagram moderate; TikTok light but rising.
• 65+: Facebook and YouTube remain the primary platforms; others are niche.

Gender breakdown (platform skews you should expect)

• Women: Over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; strong participation in local Facebook Groups and Marketplace.
• Men: Over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X; LinkedIn moderately male-skewed; Facebook broadly used by both.
• TikTok and Snapchat: Younger female tilt overall, but both genders present.
• Net effect locally: Overall social user base is roughly half women/half men, with the above skews by platform.

Behavioral trends in Reno County (observed in similar Midwestern/rural counties and consistent with platform patterns)

• Community-first Facebook: High engagement in local Groups (garage sales, school activities, youth sports, agriculture, church, and county events), and Marketplace buying/selling.
• Local news and weather: Strong followings for local outlets, school districts, public safety, and severe-weather updates on Facebook and YouTube.
• Video preference: Short-form video (Reels/Shorts/TikTok) increasingly used for events, high school sports highlights, and local business promos; long-form how‑to and repairs on YouTube.
• Trust and relevance: Content tied to local people, places, and events materially outperforms generic creative.
• Practical verticals: Agriculture, trades, healthcare, auto, and outdoor recreation perform well across Facebook and YouTube; Instagram effective for food, boutiques, salons; LinkedIn for hiring.
• Nextdoor presence: Smaller but useful around neighborhood alerts and city services where adoption exists.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is the default for customer inquiries; WhatsApp is niche but used among specific communities and for international family ties.

How to read the numbers

• The percentages shown are definitive U.S. adult platform usage rates (Pew, 2024). The Reno County counts are direct, transparent translations of those rates to the county’s adult population to give practical, order‑of‑magnitude planning numbers.

Sources

• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (platform reach by U.S. adults).
• U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 Population Estimates (Reno County, KS).