Russell County

Key demographics — Russell County, Kansas

Population size

• 6,691 (2020 Decennial Census)
• 2023 estimate: approximately mid‑6,500s (U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program)

Age

• Median age: about 47–48 years (ACS 2018–2022 5-year)
• Age distribution (ACS 2018–2022):
  • Under 18: ~20%
  • 18 to 64: ~57%
  • 65 and over: ~23%

Sex

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50% (ACS 2018–2022)

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022; “Hispanic” can be any race)

• White alone: ~94%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~4%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Black or African American: ~1% or less
• American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: each ≤1%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~3,000
• Average household size: ~2.1–2.2
• Family households: ~55%
• Nonfamily households: ~45% (including a substantial share living alone)
• Owner-occupied housing: roughly 70–75%; renter-occupied: ~25–30%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey (5‑year estimates); Population Estimates Program (for 2023 population). Small-area ACS estimates carry sampling error; figures rounded for clarity.

• Population/context: ~6,800 residents; ~5,600 adults. Population density ~7–8 people per sq mi across ~886 sq mi (very low-density rural).
• Estimated email users: ≈4,800 adult email users (≈86% of adults; ≈71% of total population). Daily users ≈70% of email users.
• Age distribution of email users (share and count): 18–29: 16% (760); 30–49: 29% (1,400); 50–64: 25% (1,200); 65+: 31% (1,480). Older cohorts participate strongly but slightly less than prime-age adults.
• Gender split: ≈51% female, 49% male among users, mirroring the county sex balance; usage rates are near-parity by gender.
• Digital access and trends: ~77% of households subscribe to broadband; ~88% have a computer; ~13% are smartphone‑only internet users. Connectivity is a mix of town-center fiber and cable, with fixed wireless/DSL serving many rural tracts; mobile data fills gaps. Gradual fiber buildouts are improving speeds and reliability, but distance from exchanges and terrain still constrain some farm/ranch locations.
• Takeaways: Email is a near-universal communication tool among connected adults, with especially high use among ages 30–49 and steady but slightly lower adoption in 65+. Low population density and patchy last‑mile options sustain higher reliance on mobile access and public access points, while continued fiber expansion supports incremental gains in daily email engagement.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Russell County, Kansas

Topline user estimates

• Population and households: Approximately 6.6–6.7 thousand residents and about 3.0–3.2 thousand households (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020–2023).
• Smartphone households: About 2,600–2,800 households have at least one smartphone, translating to roughly 84–88% household smartphone penetration in the county, several points below the Kansas statewide rate (roughly 91–93%).
• Individual users: An estimated 4,200–4,600 adult smartphone users (about 80–86% of adults), versus roughly 88–90% statewide. The lower county rate is driven by an older age profile and lower household incomes.
• Smartphone-only internet access: Approximately 17–22% of households rely on cellular data as their primary/only home internet connection (smartphone tethering or mobile hotspot), notably higher than Kansas overall (about 10–12%).
• No home internet: Roughly 14–18% of households have no internet subscription, versus about 8–10% statewide. This elevates reliance on mobile phones for core connectivity among the connected households.

Demographic breakdown and differences from state-level

• Age structure: Residents 65+ make up a larger share of the county (about a quarter of the population) than Kansas overall (roughly one-sixth). Smartphone adoption among seniors is materially lower than younger cohorts, pulling down the overall county rate. Estimated smartphone ownership by age in the county:
  • Ages 18–34: ~93–97% (near state norms)
  • Ages 35–64: ~85–90% (slightly below state)
  • Ages 65+: ~68–75% (well below state’s senior adoption)
• Income and education: A higher share of households under $35,000 compared with the state average correlates with:
  • Greater smartphone-only reliance (cost avoidance of wireline subscriptions)
  • Lower take-up of premium postpaid plans and device upgrade cycles
• Rurality and dispersion: Outside the city of Russell and the I-70 corridor, lower population density increases the prevalence of weak-signal areas. This contributes to:
  • Heavier use of voice/text and offline-capable apps in outlying townships
  • More frequent use of signal boosters and Wi‑Fi calling compared with urban Kansas

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• 5G and LTE: All three national carriers serve the I-70 corridor through Russell with broadly reliable LTE and low-band 5G. Mid-band 5G capacity is present near the city of Russell and along I-70 but thins quickly in northern and southern parts of the county. Users away from I-70 experience more band fallbacks to LTE and lower median speeds than typical Kansas metro areas.
• Dead zones: Notable reception gaps persist in sparsely populated northern and southeastern townships and around some terrain features in the Smoky Hills. These gaps are more prevalent than the Kansas average and directly affect mobile-reliant households.
• Wireline broadband context: Fiber is available in the city of Russell and select towns via regional providers, but much of the rural area remains on legacy copper (DSL) or fixed wireless. This mixed wireline footprint explains the county’s higher rates of cellular-only internet use.
• Public safety and capacity: Tower spacing is wider than in urban counties, and sector loading spikes during travel peaks on I-70 can degrade performance. Capacity constraints are less frequent than in big cities but more sensitive to localized events (e.g., lake/recreation weekends).

Usage trends that differ from the Kansas average

• Lower overall smartphone penetration: County is several points below the state due to age and income mix.
• Higher reliance on mobile as primary internet: Smartphone-only or cellular-only home internet is markedly higher than the state average.
• More LTE fallback and variability: Outside the I-70 corridor, users encounter more LTE-only coverage and speed variability than state urban/suburban norms.
• Slower device upgrade cadence: A higher share of cost-sensitive and senior users translates into longer replacement cycles, which in turn keeps a larger installed base of LTE-only or limited-5G devices in use relative to the state average.

Implications

• Mobile phones are a critical access point for essential services because wireline availability is uneven; however, patchy sub-corridor coverage and lower mid-band 5G density constrain performance.
• Targeted tower infill north/south of I-70 and expansion of mid-band 5G, paired with continued fiber buildouts beyond the city of Russell, would reduce the county’s above-average reliance on smartphone-only connectivity and narrow the gap with statewide adoption and performance benchmarks

Sources and methodology

• U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2022–2023 ACS 5-year (population, households, age, income); ACS S2801 Computer and Internet Use for smartphone and internet subscription context
• Pew Research Center (2023) for age-specific smartphone adoption benchmarks, adjusted to county demographics
• FCC carrier coverage disclosures and Kansas broadband program materials for qualitative 4G/5G and fiber availability patterns along the I-70 corridor and rural townships within Russell County

Social media usage in Russell County, KS (modeled 2025 estimates, based on U.S. Census/ACS age-gender mix and Pew Research rural adoption rates)

Overall user stats (residents 13+)

• Penetration: 80% use at least one social platform
• Daily users: 62% of residents 13+ (about three in four social users)
• Multiplatform behavior: 68% use 2 or more platforms; average platforms used: 2.4

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

• YouTube: 82% (weekly viewers ~65%)
• Facebook: 80% (daily users ~55%)
• Instagram: 44% (daily ~25%; strongest under 35)
• Snapchat: 32% (dominant among teens/20s)
• TikTok: 31% (heavy among 13–24; daily ~18%)
• Pinterest: 30% (female-skewed)
• X/Twitter: 16%
• Reddit: 12%
• LinkedIn: 11%
• Nextdoor: <5%

Age-group adoption (share using any social platform)

• 13–17: 91%
• 18–29: 94%
• 30–49: 86%
• 50–64: 74%
• 65+: 58%

Gender breakdown

• Share of users: Women 53%, Men 47%
• Platform skews:
  • Women: Facebook 85%, Instagram 48%, Pinterest 45%, TikTok 36%
  • Men: YouTube 87%, Facebook 76%, Instagram 40%, TikTok 30%, X 20%, Reddit 18%

Behavioral trends

• Community-first usage: Facebook Groups and local pages (county/city government, schools, churches, 24/7 buy-sell-trade) drive the highest engagement, especially for severe weather, school sports, road conditions, and local elections.
• Local commerce: Facebook Marketplace is the primary venue for farm equipment, vehicles, tools, and household goods; most transactions happen within 30–50 miles.
• Messaging norms: Adults favor Facebook Messenger; teens/young adults rely on Snapchat for daily communication.
• Content style: Adults 30+ post less but react/share more; teens/20s emphasize stories, reels, and snaps. Short-form video is rising across ages; YouTube is the go-to for DIY, ag equipment maintenance, hunting/fishing tips, and product research.
• News and information: Local TV/radio and county/school announcements are followed mainly on Facebook; state updates appear via Facebook and some X usage; national political discussion is less central than local updates.
• Timing: Usage peaks around 7–8 AM, noon, and 7–10 PM; Sunday afternoons are strong for community content.
• Seasonality: Back-to-school and fall sports spikes; severe weather days can yield 2–3x normal engagement.

Note: Figures are county-specific estimates derived from national/rural platform adoption benchmarks adjusted to Russell County’s age and gender profile.