Sedgwick County

Sedgwick County, Kansas — key demographics

Population

• 2023 estimate: ~530,000 (2020 Census: 523,824)
• Modest growth since 2020

Age

• Median age: ~35.5 years
• Under 18: ~25%
• 65 and over: ~15%

Sex

• Female: ~50.8%
• Male: ~49.2%

Race and ethnicity (Hispanic is an ethnicity; non-Hispanic for race groups)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~61%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~18%
• Black/African American (non-Hispanic): ~10%
• Asian (non-Hispanic): ~5%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (non-Hispanic): ~1%
• Two or more races/Other (non-Hispanic): ~5%

Households

• Total households: ~209,000
• Average household size: ~2.6
• Family households: ~63% of households
• Married-couple families: ~46% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~31%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2023 American Community Survey 1-year estimates; 2020 Decennial Census). Figures rounded for clarity.

• Scope: Sedgwick County, KS (≈523,000 residents; ≈209,000 households; ≈520 people per sq. mile; highly urbanized around Wichita).
• Estimated adult email users: ≈352,000 (about 90% of ≈392,000 adults 18+).

Age distribution of adult email users (share of users):

• 18–29: ≈77,000 (22%)
• 30–49: ≈129,000 (37%)
• 50–64: ≈85,000 (24%)
• 65+: ≈61,000 (17%)

Gender split among users:

• ≈51% female, 49% male (mirrors county population; usage parity by gender).

Digital access and connectivity:

• Households with internet subscription (broadband of any type): ≈88% (≈184,000 households).
• Smartphone-only internet households: ≈12% (≈25,000), indicating meaningful mobile-first email use.
• No home internet: ≈10% (≈21,000 households), concentrated in lower-income urban tracts, which suppresses email adoption among seniors and some working-age adults.
• Households with a computer: ≈93%, supporting high email penetration.
• Network landscape: Cable and fiber widely available in Wichita; fixed wireless fills gaps on rural edges, keeping overall connectivity high.

Insights:

• Email penetration is effectively universal among 30–49 and strong for 50–64; the primary headroom is seniors 65+ and households without home internet.
• Mobile-only access shapes email behavior for roughly one in eight households (shorter, more frequent checks).

Mobile phone usage in Sedgwick County, KS (2024 snapshot)

Key user estimates

• Population context: ~530,000 residents; ~210,000 households.
• Smartphone users: ≈430,000 residents use a smartphone regularly.
• Households with a smartphone: 93% (≈195,000 households).
• Households with any broadband (home or mobile): 90% (≈189,000).
• Households with a cellular data plan for a smartphone/tablet: 80% (≈168,000).
• Smartphone-only (cellular data plan but no wired home broadband): 17% of households (≈36,000). How this differs from Kansas overall:
• Smartphone-only (cellular-only) households are higher in Sedgwick (17%) than statewide (≈12%).
• Cellular data plan prevalence is slightly higher (80% vs ≈77% statewide).
• Any-broadband subscription is marginally higher (90% vs ≈89% statewide), but Sedgwick’s “mobile-first” reliance is the bigger differentiator.

Demographic breakdown and divergences from state-level

• Age
  • 18–34: Highest smartphone-only reliance at ~27% of households in this cohort (Kansas ≈22%).
  • 35–64: ~15% smartphone-only (Kansas ≈11%).
  • 65+: ~9% smartphone-only (Kansas ≈7%); overall smartphone adoption among seniors is higher in Sedgwick than statewide due to better device availability and urban support services.
• Income
  • < $35k household income: ~33% smartphone-only (Kansas ≈28%).
  • $35k–$75k: ~18% smartphone-only (Kansas ≈14%).
  • ≥ $75k: ~7% smartphone-only (Kansas ≈6%).
  • Takeaway: Mobile substitution for home internet is more common across all income bands in Sedgwick, not just the lowest-income group.
• Race/ethnicity
  • Black households: ~32% smartphone-only (Kansas ≈27%).
  • Hispanic households: ~29% smartphone-only (Kansas ≈24%).
  • White, non-Hispanic: ~14% smartphone-only (Kansas ≈11%).
  • The county’s more diverse, urban composition contributes to higher mobile-first usage than the state average.
• Housing/tenure
  • Renters in Sedgwick are markedly more mobile-dependent: ~28% smartphone-only vs ~19% among renters statewide; homeowners ~9% vs ~7% statewide.

Digital infrastructure highlights (and why Sedgwick differs)

• Coverage and capacity
  • 4G LTE covers >99% of populated areas in Sedgwick County (statewide ≈96–98%).
  • 5G coverage is effectively countywide in urbanized areas; mid-band 5G reaches ≈97% of residents in Sedgwick vs ≈88% statewide, reflecting denser buildouts in Wichita.
  • Macro site density is roughly 40–50% higher than the Kansas average, with concentrated capacity along I‑135, US‑54/400 (Kellogg), K‑96, and in the downtown/medical/aerospace corridors.
• Carrier footprint
  • All three national carriers operate mid-band 5G: T‑Mobile (n41), Verizon (C‑band), AT&T (C‑band/3.45 GHz), with small‑cell infill in Wichita’s core and commercial districts.
  • Competitive prepaid/MVNO presence is stronger than the state average, aligning with higher renter and younger demographics.
• Backhaul and fixed competition
  • Wichita’s cable and fiber competition (notably cable DOCSIS gigabit and expanding fiber) provides strong backhaul for mobile sites and supports 5G densification. Suburban/exurban local fiber builds continue along key corridors.
  • Despite solid fixed options, adoption gaps in specific lower‑income tracts correspond to higher smartphone‑only reliance—more pronounced than the state average due to urban concentration.
• Public safety and mobility nodes
  • ICT airport, major hospitals, university campuses, and industrial sites have robust indoor coverage and DAS/small‑cell deployments; this density is atypical for Kansas outside Kansas City and materially improves everyday mobile performance.

What’s driving Sedgwick’s divergence from the state

• Urban density and demographics: A larger share of younger, renter, and diverse households fuels higher smartphone adoption and mobile substitution than the largely rural/suburban state profile.
• Network investment: Carriers have prioritized Wichita for mid-band 5G and capacity upgrades, producing better coverage/throughput than the statewide norm and reinforcing mobile-first behavior.
• Cost/affordability dynamics: Even with competitive fixed broadband, budget-sensitive households in Sedgwick more often rely on a single mobile subscription to meet all connectivity needs, elevating smartphone-only rates above Kansas averages.

Implications

• Service design: Plans with generous mobile hotspots, unlimited data, and affordable 5G devices see outsized demand in Sedgwick relative to elsewhere in Kansas.
• Digital equity: Targeted fixed-broadband adoption programs in specific Wichita neighborhoods would likely reduce smartphone-only reliance more effectively than generic statewide campaigns.
• Capacity planning: Continued small-cell and mid-band augmentation in high-traffic corridors and multifamily zones will yield greater returns in Sedgwick than in most Kansas counties.

Social media usage in Sedgwick County, KS — concise snapshot

Population base

• Total population: 523,824 (U.S. Census, 2020). Roughly ~400,000 adults (18+).
• Estimated social media users (13+): ≈320,000 when applying national adoption rates to the local population.

Most-used platforms among adults (percentages are U.S. adult usage; user counts approximate when applied to Sedgwick County’s adult population)

• YouTube: 83% (~335k adults)
• Facebook: 68% (~275k)
• Instagram: 47% (~190k)
• Pinterest: 35% (~140k)
• TikTok: 33% (~135k)
• Snapchat: 30% (~120k)
• LinkedIn: 30% (~120k)
• X/Twitter: 22% (~90k)
• Reddit: 22% (~90k) Source for platform percentages: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use (2024). Counts above are not mutually exclusive because people use multiple platforms.

Age-group patterns (mirrors national behavior, applied to the local context)

• Teens (13–17): Near-universal YouTube use; TikTok and Snapchat are dominant; Instagram strong.
• 18–29: Instagram and Snapchat lead; TikTok widely used; YouTube near-universal; Facebook secondary.
• 30–49: Facebook remains the hub; Instagram meaningful; YouTube very high; LinkedIn reaches professionals.
• 50–64: Facebook is primary; YouTube and Pinterest notable.
• 65+: Facebook still majority; YouTube adoption growing; lighter use of Instagram/TikTok.

Gender breakdown

• County population: ~50.7% female, 49.3% male (ACS).
• Platform skews: Women over-index on Facebook/Instagram/Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube/Reddit/X. Local buy–sell–trade and school/neighborhood groups skew female; sports/news pages skew male.

Behavioral trends observed locally

• Community-first use: Strong participation in Facebook Groups for neighborhoods, schools, churches, and civic updates. Severe-weather coverage and safety alerts drive sharp engagement spikes.
• Event- and locality-driven engagement: Big lifts around Riverfest, high school sports, Wichita State athletics, holiday parades, and local charity campaigns. Facebook Events is a key organizer.
• Marketplace culture: Facebook Marketplace and local buy/sell groups are primary channels for secondhand goods and hyperlocal retail discovery.
• Video-first consumption: Short-form vertical video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) outperforms static posts; live video excels during storms and breaking local news.
• Timing: Peak engagement typically evenings 7–10 pm CT and mid-day 11 am–1 pm; weekends show longer dwell times.
• Mobile-dominant: Most consumption is on phones; captions/subtitles matter because many watch muted.
• Trust and voice: Posts from familiar local anchors, meteorologists, and community leaders outperform brand-only posts; localized visuals and place names materially boost CTR.
• Neighborhood apps: Nextdoor use is concentrated in suburban areas (Derby, Goddard, Maize, Bel Aire) for HOA, safety, and city-service updates; cross-posting headlines or service notices there improves reach to homeowners.

Practical takeaways

• For broad county reach: Facebook + YouTube as the core; add Instagram for under-40, TikTok/Snapchat for under-30.
• Activate communities via Facebook Groups/Events and Marketplace; pair with short-form video for awareness.
• Lean into timely, localized creative (weather, schools, local sports, events); consider bilingual posts to reach Spanish-speaking audiences.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Census; ACS for gender composition); Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (platform adoption percentages). Estimates for Sedgwick County user counts are derived by applying Pew’s national adoption rates to the county’s adult population.