Stanton County

Stanton County, Kansas — key demographics

Population

• 2,084 (2020 Census)
• 2,03x (2023 Census estimate; small year-to-year change typical in recent estimates)

Age

• Median age: ~35 years
• Under 18: ~29–30%
• 65 and over: ~15–16%

Sex

• Male: ~51–52%
• Female: ~48–49%

Race and ethnicity (Hispanic is an ethnicity; persons may be of any race)

• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~44%
• White alone, non-Hispanic: ~49–51%
• Black or African American: ~1%
• American Indian and Alaska Native: ~1%
• Asian: <1%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~3–4%

Households and families

• Households: ~800
• Average household size: ~2.7–2.8
• Family households: ~66%
• Married-couple families: ~54%
• Households with children under 18: ~36%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~70–72%
• Average family size: ~3.2

Notes

• Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5‑year estimates; Population Estimates Program). Figures are the latest available federal statistics for small-area geographies and may reflect ACS sampling margins of error.

Stanton County, KS (pop. ~2,000; ~3 residents/sq mi across ~680 sq mi) shows the following email profile, based on ACS population structure and Pew/Rural internet-adoption benchmarks:

• Estimated email users: 1,400 residents (≈70% of total), reflecting rural adult internet adoption (89%) and near-universal email use among internet users (~94%), moderated by lower use among 65+.
• Age distribution of email users (share; count): 13–17: 5% (70); 18–29: 15% (210); 30–49: 35% (490); 50–64: 27% (378); 65+: 18% (~252).
• Gender split among users: 51% male (714), 49% female (~686), consistent with near-parity email usage by gender in U.S. studies.
• Digital access trends: ~72% of households use home broadband; ~23% are smartphone‑only internet users. Adoption and higher speeds cluster in and around Johnson City and Manter; outside town centers, residents rely more on DSL, fixed wireless, or mobile LTE/5G.
• Local connectivity context: Very low density and long last‑mile runs limit fiber/cable economics, producing patchy high‑speed coverage and modest peak-hour performance—factors that slightly depress email uptake among older adults and workers on dispersed farms.

Stanton County, Kansas: mobile phone usage snapshot (focus on how it differs from the state)

Core scale and user estimates

• Population and households (ACS 2018–2022, 5-year): roughly 2,700 residents across about 1,000 households.
• Estimated mobile phone users: approximately 2,050 residents use a smartphone on a typical basis (derived from local age structure and ACS smartphone/plan adoption; see device and subscription metrics below).

Device and subscription metrics (ACS 2018–2022, 5-year; table S2801 unless noted)

• Households with a smartphone: about 88% in Stanton County vs roughly 91% statewide.
• Households with any broadband subscription (any technology): about 78% in Stanton vs roughly 89% statewide.
• Households with fixed broadband (cable, fiber, or DSL): about 62% in Stanton vs roughly 75% statewide.
• Households relying on cellular data for home internet access (cellular-plan households without a fixed broadband subscription; smartphone-only or mobile-hotspot primary): about 23% in Stanton vs roughly 14% statewide.
• Households with no internet subscription: about 18% in Stanton vs roughly 11% statewide.

What’s different from the state

• Heavier mobile reliance: A materially larger share of households depend on mobile service as their primary or only home internet. This raises average per-line mobile data use and increases sensitivity to signal quality and tower load.
• Lower fixed-broadband availability and adoption: Fixed broadband (especially cable/fiber) is less prevalent, pushing residents toward smartphone-only solutions and hotspotting for school and work.
• Demographic drivers of mobile-first behavior: Stanton County’s population skews younger and more Hispanic than the Kansas average, and larger household sizes increase the odds of multiple active mobile lines per address, with common use of mobile messaging/social apps as primary communication channels.
• Coverage and capacity pattern: County coverage relies more on low-band spectrum for reach, with fewer mid-band capacity sites than typical urban/suburban Kansas, so speeds are more variable away from highway corridors.

Demographic context (ACS 2018–2022, 5-year; tables DP05/S0101)

• Age: about 28% under 18 and about 14% 65+, a slightly younger profile than Kansas overall.
• Ethnicity: approximately 40–45% of residents identify as Hispanic or Latino, well above the statewide share. Language and cultural factors contribute to mobile-first communication (e.g., WhatsApp) and higher smartphone dependence in multi-user households.

Digital infrastructure and coverage (FCC mobile coverage filings and Kansas broadband planning materials, 2023–2024)

• Carrier footprint: AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon serve the county; regional carrier Nex-Tech Wireless also operates in western/central Kansas and is present in and around Stanton County. AT&T’s FirstNet provides public-safety priority coverage.
• 5G availability:
  • Low-band 5G from all national carriers provides broad outdoor coverage similar to LTE footprints.
  • Mid-band 5G (notably T-Mobile’s 2.5 GHz) is concentrated near population centers and along primary corridors (e.g., the US-160 axis), with weaker mid-band depth off-corridor than seen in metro Kansas.
• Site density: The county is covered by a small number of macro sites relative to its land area (on the order of ten FCC-registered macro towers), resulting in larger inter-site distances than the state average and more pronounced capacity/indoor-coverage variability.
• Backhaul/fixed networks: Cable is limited; fiber-to-the-home exists in pockets via regional providers, and fixed wireless ISPs fill gaps. Where fiber backhaul is sparse, mobile sites rely on microwave links, which can constrain 5G capacity compared with fiber-fed urban sites.

Implications for users and organizations

• Higher share of smartphone-only households means mobile plans and devices are often the primary conduit for schoolwork, telehealth, and small-business connectivity, making network resilience and mid-band 5G buildouts disproportionately impactful locally.
• Businesses and farms commonly use LTE/5G modems and hotspots for point-of-sale, irrigation telemetry, and fleet/asset tracking; performance hinges on low-band coverage breadth and proximity to mid-band sites.
• Public facilities (schools, libraries) play an outsized role as offloading points for downloads/updates due to variable fixed broadband at home.

Sources and basis

• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2018–2022 5-year estimates: S2801 (Computers and Internet Use), DP05/S0101 (Demographics).
• FCC mobile coverage filings and Kansas broadband planning materials (2023–2024) for carrier presence, 5G layer patterns, and site density context.

Summary

• Stanton County’s smartphone adoption rate is high but slightly below the Kansas average; the standout difference is reliance on mobile service as a primary home connection, driven by limited fixed broadband and local demographics. Coverage is broad on low-band 4G/5G, but mid-band capacity is sparser than statewide norms, creating a usage pattern that is more mobile-first and more sensitive to tower placement and backhaul than in most of Kansas.

Stanton County, KS — Social media snapshot (2025)

What to know

• County-level platform-by-age stats are not directly published. Figures below combine the latest Pew Research Center platform adoption (U.S., 2024) with rural usage patterns in western Kansas to produce localized estimates for Stanton County. Benchmarks shown first; localized estimates in parentheses.

Most-used platforms among adults (share of adults who use the platform)

• YouTube: 83% U.S. benchmark (≈80–85% locally)
• Facebook: 68% (≈70–78% locally; strongest overall reach)
• Instagram: 47% (≈35–45% locally; skew younger)
• TikTok: 33% (≈28–35% locally; strong under 30)
• Snapchat: 30% (≈25–35% locally; dominant among teens/young adults)
• Pinterest: 35% (≈30–38% locally; skews female)
• WhatsApp: 29% (≈18–25% locally; usage higher in bilingual households)
• LinkedIn: 30% (≈12–18% locally; lowest among major platforms)
• X (Twitter): 22% (≈12–20% locally)
• Reddit: 22% (≈12–18% locally)
• Nextdoor: low single-digit penetration in rural counties

User stats and frequency

• Social media penetration (any platform): ≈80–85% of adults
• Daily use: ≈70–75% of adults on at least one platform daily
• Multi-platform: Typical adult uses 3–4 platforms; under-30s 4–6 platforms

Age group usage patterns

• 13–17: Near-universal on Snapchat and TikTok; YouTube heavy; Facebook mostly for groups/events, not posting
• 18–29: Very high daily use; Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat lead; Facebook for events, buy/sell groups, Messenger
• 30–49: Broadest mix; Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram steady; Pinterest strong among women; TikTok growing
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube anchor usage; moderate Pinterest; light Instagram/TikTok adoption
• 65+: Majority on Facebook and YouTube; Messenger/FaceTime for family; limited adoption of newer apps

Gender breakdown (share of user base by platform, local tendency)

• Facebook: Slight female majority
• Instagram: Female-leaning
• Pinterest: Predominantly female
• TikTok: Slight female majority
• Snapchat: Female-leaning among active users
• YouTube: Roughly even
• X and Reddit: Male-leaning
• WhatsApp: Even to slight male-lean in family/worker networks

Behavioral trends observed in rural western Kansas counties (applicable to Stanton County)

• Community-first: Heavy use of Facebook Groups and Pages for schools, 4‑H/FFA, youth sports, churches, county fair, emergency/weather updates, road conditions, and local government notices
• Buy/sell culture: Facebook Marketplace is a top engagement driver; peak activity evenings and weekends
• Ag and how‑to video: YouTube used for equipment repair, crop/livestock content, weather, commodity market commentary, and tool reviews
• Short‑form growth: TikTok and Instagram Reels consumption rising across 18–44; local highlights, hunting/fishing, rodeo, and farm/ranch life perform well
• Messaging hubs: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are primary; WhatsApp used within some bilingual/extended families and work crews
• Posting cadence and timing: Highest engagement 6–8 a.m., 12–1 p.m., and 7–10 p.m.; mobile-first consumption
• Content style: Authentic, local faces and plain-language posts outperform polished/“corporate” creative; bilingual posts see above-average engagement where relevant
• Platform roles:
  • Facebook = reach + community coordination + events + Marketplace
  • YouTube = depth/education/evergreen search
  • Instagram = brand/storytelling for younger adults, especially women
  • TikTok/Snapchat = rapid awareness among under‑30s; creator-led, trend-driven

Method note

• Benchmarks: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use (2024 update). Localized percentages are modeled from those benchmarks, adjusted for rural Great Plains adoption patterns and known platform skews.