Rice County

Rice County, Kansas — key demographics (latest U.S. Census Bureau data: 2020 Census; 2019–2023 ACS 5-year)

Population size

• 9,427 (2020 Census). Continued gradual decline since 2010.

Age

• Median age: ~41 years
• Under 18: ~24%
• 65 and over: ~20%

Gender

• Male: ~51%
• Female: ~49%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone: ~91%
• Black or African American alone: ~1–2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~1%
• Asian alone: <1%
• Two or more races: ~4–6%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~17–18%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~76–78%

Households

• Households: ~3,700
• Average household size: ~2.45
• Family households: ~62%
• Married-couple families: ~49%
• Households with children under 18: ~30%
• One-person households: ~32%

Insights

• Small, slowly declining population with a modestly older age structure.
• Notable Hispanic/Latino share (~1 in 6 residents).
• Predominantly White, with small shares of other racial groups.
• Household sizes are typical for rural Kansas; a substantial share of single-person and nonfamily households.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates (tables DP05, S0101, S1101).

Rice County, KS email usage snapshot

• Population 9,400 over ~726 sq mi (13 people per sq mi).
• Estimated email users: ~7,100 residents (≈75% of total; ≈92% of adults).
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: ~480 (6.8%)
  • 18–29: ~1,170 (16.6%)
  • 30–49: ~2,280 (32.2%)
  • 50–64: ~1,640 (23.2%)
  • 65+: ~1,500 (21.3%)
• Gender split among users: ≈50% female, 50% male, mirroring the county’s overall balance.

Digital access and connectivity

• Low population density raises last‑mile costs, shaping a town‑centered connectivity pattern: cable/fiber in Lyons and Sterling, with fixed wireless, legacy DSL, and satellite more common in rural areas.
• Smartphone access is widespread and serves as the primary connection for a meaningful minority of households, supporting email use even where home broadband is limited.
• Adoption gaps persist among 65+ and lower‑income residents; libraries and schools serve as key public Wi‑Fi anchors that bolster email access.
• Ongoing state and federal broadband investments are expanding fiber and modern fixed‑wireless footprints, steadily improving speeds and reliability between town centers and farms.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Rice County, Kansas

Scope and basis: Figures reflect 2020 Census population baselines, 2018–2022 ACS patterns for rural counties, Pew Research smartphone ownership by rural status (through 2023), and FCC mobile coverage/broadband trends as of 2023–2024. Numeric values are county-specific estimates derived from those sources.

User estimates

• Total residents: about 9,500
• Mobile phone users (any cellphone): 8,000–8,500 people (84–90% of residents), slightly below the statewide share
• Smartphone users: 6,600–7,100 people (69–75% of residents), 8–12 percentage points lower than Kansas overall
• Households relying primarily on mobile data (smartphone-only or cellular hotspot as main home internet): 22–27% of households in Rice County vs roughly 18–20% statewide
• Prepaid users: 30–40% of mobile lines in the county (notably higher than the state average), reflecting price sensitivity and variable credit access
• Teen (13–17) smartphone adoption: roughly 90–95% (near statewide levels despite rural differences)

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age: Rice County’s population skews older than Kansas as a whole; smartphone adoption among residents 65+ is estimated at 70–78% locally vs 80%+ statewide. This age structure is the single largest driver of the county’s lower smartphone share.
• Income and education: Median incomes and bachelor’s attainment are lower than the state average; this correlates with:
  • Higher prepaid usage and longer device replacement cycles (3.5–4.5 years vs ~3 years statewide)
  • Greater reliance on Android devices and budget models
  • Higher “mobile-only” home internet dependence where fixed options are limited or costly
• Race/ethnicity: The county is predominantly non-Hispanic White with a small but meaningful Hispanic population. Hispanic households are more likely than the county average to be mobile-first for home internet, mirroring state and national patterns.
• Work and health: Mobile dependence is elevated among shift and agricultural workers for scheduling, logistics, and telehealth; telehealth via cellular is used more frequently than in urban Kansas due to fixed-broadband constraints.

Digital infrastructure

• Coverage: 4G LTE from all national carriers covers population centers and primary corridors; 5G is present in and around Lyons and Sterling and along main routes but is intermittent in low-density areas. Outdoor coverage is generally reliable; indoor coverage varies in metal buildings and at farm sites distant from highways.
• 5G capacity: Mid-band 5G is available in town centers (not countywide). Expect 100–300 Mbps down in town on mid-band 5G and 5–30 Mbps on LTE in outlying areas, with noticeable evening congestion during events or harvest peaks.
• Fixed broadband backdrop: Cable or fiber is largely confined to Lyons, Sterling, and a few adjacent blocks; many households outside these cores lack affordable wired broadband at 100 Mbps+, which elevates mobile and fixed-wireless substitution.
• Mobile-as-home-internet: T-Mobile 5G Home and Verizon 5G Home/FWA options are available in and near the towns; availability drops with distance from towers. AT&T’s FirstNet footprint supports public safety; Band 14 improves rural coverage for first responders.
• Affordability programs: Lifeline remains available; the wind-down of the Affordable Connectivity Program in 2024 increased pressure on prepaid and entry-level plans, particularly in rural blocks without competitive wired service.

How Rice County differs from Kansas overall

• Lower smartphone penetration: 8–12 points below the statewide average, driven by older age structure and income mix.
• Higher mobile-only home internet use: 22–27% of households rely primarily on cellular vs ~18–20% statewide.
• Greater prepaid share and slower device upgrade cycles: Cost-conscious patterns are more pronounced than the state average.
• More uneven 5G experience: 5G coverage and capacity are concentrated in town centers; step-downs to LTE are common just a few miles out, leading to wider speed variability than typical in Kansas metros.
• Higher dependence on mobile for essential services: Cellular is used more heavily for work coordination, school communications, and telehealth because fixed broadband options are thinner outside town limits.

Key takeaways

• Approximately 8–8.5 thousand residents use mobile phones, with 6.6–7.1 thousand on smartphones.
• The county’s older demographic and sparser fixed-broadband footprint produce a distinctly higher reliance on cellular for home connectivity than the Kansas average.
• Investment that extends mid-band 5G beyond Lyons and Sterling and expands affordable fixed options would most directly narrow the gap with state-level usage patterns.

Social media usage in Rice County, Kansas (planning-grade snapshot, 2025)

Topline user stats (residents 13+)

• Residents 13+: ~7,800 (out of ~9,400 total residents)
• Social media users (any platform): ~5,600 (≈72% of residents 13+)
• Gender (of social media users): ≈52% female, 48% male

Age distribution of social media users

• 13–17: 11%
• 18–24: 11%
• 25–34: 15%
• 35–44: 16%
• 45–54: 15%
• 55–64: 17%
• 65+: 14%

Most-used platforms in Rice County (share of residents 13+)

• YouTube: ~78%
• Facebook (incl. Messenger): ~61%
• Instagram: ~33%
• TikTok: ~30%
• Pinterest: ~28% (skews female)
• Snapchat: ~25% (concentrated under 30)
• X/Twitter: ~18% (skews male)
• LinkedIn: ~16% (skews 25–44, college-educated)
• WhatsApp: ~18% (small groups/family comms)
• Reddit: ~15% (skews male, under 35)

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the community backbone: heavy use of Groups (schools, churches, youth sports, city/county alerts) and Marketplace; event posts outperform pure promos.
• Video-first consumption: YouTube dominates how‑to, farm/ranch, DIY, weather, and local sports highlights; short vertical video (Reels/TikTok) is growing with 13–34.
• Messaging is central to response: Facebook Messenger is the default for inquiries and service coordination; Snapchat DMs are primary for teens/college students.
• Younger cohorts are “story/shorts-native”: 13–24 leans Snapchat/TikTok/IG Reels for daily content; feed posts get less traction than ephemeral or short-form video.
• Older cohorts are persistent but pragmatic users: 45+ relies on Facebook for news, obits, school updates, closings, sales, and local business hours; Pinterest usage is notable among women for recipes, crafts, décor.
• Rural bandwidth shapes content: mobile-first viewing, shorter videos (sub‑60s) and lightweight creatives load reliably; evening peaks (roughly 7–9 p.m.) and early morning checks are common.
• Local trust drives action: posts featuring recognizable people/places, high school sports, church/community events, and seasonal ag context outperform generic brand creatives.
• Academic-year bump: Sterling College presence lifts IG/Snap usage in semester months; use campus calendars and sports schedules for timing.

Notes on methodology

• Figures are estimates tailored to Rice County by applying Pew Research Center’s platform adoption by age/gender (2023 adult social media use; 2023 teen platform data; 2021 rural adoption baseline) to the county’s Census/ACS age structure. Percentages refer to residents aged 13+ and are rounded to whole numbers for clarity. Use as planning-grade guidance for audience sizing and channel mix.