Saline County

Saline County, Kansas — key demographics

• Population size

  • 54,303 (2020 Census)
  • ~54,6xx (2023 Census Population Estimates Program; essentially flat since 2020)

• Age

  • Median age: ~38.5 years (ACS 2018–2022)
  • Under 18: ~23%
  • 18–24: ~10%
  • 25–44: ~26%
  • 45–64: ~24%
  • 65 and over: ~17–18%

• Gender

  • Male: ~50%
  • Female: ~50%

• Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022; percent of total)

  • White, non-Hispanic: ~74%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~13–14%
  • Black or African American: ~3–4%
  • Asian: ~1–2%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~1%
  • Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%
  • Two or more races: ~6%

• Households (ACS 2018–2022)

  • Total households: ~22,500
  • Average household size: ~2.3–2.4
  • Family households: ~61%
  • Married-couple households: ~45%
  • Nonfamily households: ~39%
  • Individuals living alone: ~31–32% (about 12% age 65+ living alone)
  • Tenure: ~64% owner-occupied, ~36% renter-occupied

Insights

• Population is stable with a modestly aging profile.
• Diversity is led by a growing Hispanic/Latino community.
• Household structure skews toward smaller sizes, with a notable share of single-person households.

Saline County, KS snapshot (2024 est.):

• Population ≈54,300; land area 721 sq mi; density ≈75 people/sq mi. About 86% of residents live in Salina.

Estimated email users

• ≈48,000 residents use email (derived from national adoption rates applied to local age mix).

Age distribution of email users (approx.)

• Under 18: ~9,450 (20%)
• 18–29: ~8,250 (17%)
• 30–49: ~12,600 (26%)
• 50–64: ~9,950 (21%)
• 65+: ~7,650 (16%)

Gender split

• Near parity: ≈50% female, ≈50% male among email users (reflecting minimal gender gap in email adoption and the county’s near‑even population split).

Digital access and connectivity

• Broadband subscription: mid‑80% of households (ACS “Computer and Internet Use,” 2018–2022).
• Home computer access: roughly 9 in 10 households; smartphone‑only internet households about 1 in 10.
• Most high‑speed fixed infrastructure (cable/fiber) is concentrated in Salina; rural townships depend more on fixed‑wireless/DSL, with lower adoption relative to the urban core.
• Connectivity correlates with density: the I‑70/US‑81 (Salina) corridor has the strongest service availability and speeds; sparsely populated areas trail but continue to improve with ongoing Kansas broadband investments.

Mobile phone usage in Saline County, Kansas — 2024 snapshot

Key takeaways

• High device penetration anchored by the city of Salina, with rural edges moderating adoption and network performance.
• Mobile-only internet and prepaid usage run higher than the Kansas average, reflecting rural coverage gaps and below-state-median household income.
• 5G is strong in Salina and along I-135/I-70; LTE remains the primary layer in outlying townships.

User estimates

• Resident base: about 54,000.
• Unique mobile users: 49,000–51,000 (roughly 92–95% with a mobile phone of any kind).
• Smartphone users: 44,000–47,000 (about 84–88% of the total population; roughly 92–95% of adult phone owners).
• Mobile-only internet households (smartphone as primary home internet): about 3,500–4,200 households (approximately mid‑teens share of households), modestly above the statewide share.
• Enterprise/IoT lines: elevated relative to population due to logistics, manufacturing, public safety, and agriculture (fleet telematics, asset tracking, irrigation/monitoring).

Demographic breakdown (usage patterns)

• Urban vs rural
  • Salina (the urban core) is near state-level smartphone adoption and 5G use.
  • Rural townships show slightly lower smartphone penetration and higher reliance on prepaid and hotspot/fixed‑wireless for home connectivity.
• Age
  • 18–49: near-universal smartphone adoption; heaviest mobile data consumption.
  • 50–64: high smartphone adoption with mixed postpaid/prepaid; growing use of 5G fixed‑wireless as a home broadband substitute.
  • 65+: smartphone adoption in the 60–70% range; larger share maintains basic phones than the state average, especially outside Salina.
• Income and housing
  • With county household income below the Kansas median, prepaid lines, budget Android devices, and MVNO subscriptions are more common than statewide.
  • Renters and seasonal/itinerant workers (notably in service, logistics, and agriculture) show higher mobile‑only internet reliance than owner‑occupied households.
• Race/ethnicity
  • Hispanic households in the county display above‑average mobile‑only internet use and higher Android share, consistent with affordability and housing patterns; overall device ownership remains high.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Networks present: AT&T (including FirstNet for public safety), T‑Mobile, and Verizon all operate in the county.
• 5G footprint
  • Mid‑band 5G is established in Salina and along I‑135 and I‑70 corridors, supporting strong handset performance and 5G fixed‑wireless home internet offers.
  • Outside the corridors, service transitions to LTE with pockets of weaker signal in low‑density areas; indoor performance can degrade in metal/agricultural structures without boosters.
• Capacity and speeds
  • Salina: generally high capacity with mid‑band 5G; typical daytime performance supports HD streaming and low‑latency apps.
  • Rural: LTE speeds are serviceable but variable; upload bandwidth and latency-sensitive apps can be constrained during peak periods.
• Resilience and coverage priorities
  • Highway corridors, hospitals, schools, and public safety sites show denser macro coverage and prioritized FirstNet capacity.
  • Tower spacing increases outside the urban core; terrain and structure types (grain facilities, metal buildings) drive demand for signal boosters and Wi‑Fi calling.

How Saline County differs from Kansas overall

• Slightly higher share of mobile‑only internet households and hotspot dependence, driven by rural last‑mile gaps and cost sensitivity.
• Higher prevalence of prepaid plans and Android devices than the metro‑weighted state mix.
• Faster recent growth in mobile data and 5G fixed‑wireless usage as substitutes for wired broadband, particularly at the city–rural fringe.
• More enterprise/IoT endpoints per capita tied to agriculture, logistics (I‑70/I‑135), and public safety, increasing daytime network load along corridors versus purely residential patterns in many Kansas metros.

Method note: Figures are 2024 modeled estimates using recent federal demographic data, national device ownership benchmarks, and carrier deployment patterns observed in Kansas; they reflect local urban–rural composition and corridor effects specific to Saline County.

Social media usage in Saline County, KS (2025 snapshot)

Baseline

• Population: ≈54,300 residents; ≈42,000 adults (18+).
• Overall reach: ≈72% of adults use at least one social platform (≈30,000 adults).
• Note: Percentages reflect adult usage; figures are modeled from the latest U.S. platform adoption rates applied to Saline County’s adult population.

Most‑used platforms (share of adults)

• YouTube: ≈83%
• Facebook: ≈68%
• Instagram: ≈47%
• Pinterest: ≈35%
• TikTok: ≈33%
• LinkedIn: ≈30%
• WhatsApp: ≈29%
• Snapchat: ≈27%
• X (Twitter): ≈22%
• Reddit: ≈22%
• Nextdoor: ≈20%

Age patterns

• 18–29: Extremely high on YouTube (≈95%), Instagram (≈75–80%), Snapchat (≈60–65%), TikTok (≈60%); Facebook remains used but secondary.
• 30–49: Heavy on YouTube (≈90%+) and Facebook (≈75%+); strong Instagram (≈55–60%); TikTok moderate (≈35–40%).
• 50–64: Facebook (≈70%+), YouTube (≈80%+), Pinterest (≈35–40%); Instagram/TikTok drop into the 20–35% range.
• 65+: Facebook (≈55–60%) and YouTube (≈55–60%) dominate; Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat in the teens or lower.

Gender breakdown (skews)

• Women: Higher on Facebook and Instagram; strong on Snapchat; very strong on Pinterest (roughly 3:1 female:male).
• Men: Higher on Reddit and X; slight edge on YouTube and LinkedIn.
• WhatsApp: Roughly balanced.

Behavioral trends

• Facebook is the default local network for community information, school and youth sports updates, church/civic groups, and Marketplace buying/selling; Groups drive much of the engagement.
• YouTube is the go‑to for how‑to, home/auto repair, outdoor/DIY, faith content, and local business discovery via shorts; strong cross‑posting from Facebook.
• Instagram sees younger families and professionals following local restaurants, boutiques, gyms, salons, and event venues; Stories/Reels engagement outperforms static posts.
• TikTok content trends toward food, high‑school/college life, sports highlights, “things to do in Salina,” and local business promos; discovery is algorithm‑driven, so frequent short‑form posting wins.
• Snapchat is a daily messaging platform among teens/young adults; location filters and private stories matter more than brand accounts.
• Pinterest usage is notable among women 25–54 for recipes, crafts, home improvement, weddings, and seasonal shopping; effective for retail and DIY.
• LinkedIn reflects the local mix of manufacturing, healthcare, education, and public sector; best for recruiting, B2B, and professional events.
• X (Twitter) engagement clusters around real‑time weather, K‑State/Chiefs/Royals chatter, road conditions, and local media alerts; bursty rather than steady.
• Nextdoor is used for neighborhood watch, lost/found pets, contractor referrals, and municipal notices; comments are highly location‑specific and utility‑driven.

Takeaways

• Coverage: Facebook + YouTube provide the broadest reach across age; add Instagram for under‑45 reach and Pinterest for women 25–54. TikTok is essential for under‑35 awareness.
• Format: Short‑form video (Reels/Shorts/TikTok) outperforms static content; Facebook Groups/Marketplace and Instagram Stories remain high‑ROI placements.
• Timing: Evenings and weekend mornings drive the heaviest engagement; weather or local‑event spikes amplify X and Facebook activity.