Sumner County

Sumner County, Kansas — key demographics (latest official data)

Population size

• 22,382 (2020 Census)
• ~22,100 (2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~41 years (ACS)
• Under 18: ~24%
• 18–64: ~58%
• 65 and over: ~18%

Sex

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Racial/ethnic composition (mutually exclusive; ACS/DHC)

• Non-Hispanic White: ~86%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~8%
• Black or African American (NH): ~1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (NH): ~2%
• Asian (NH): ~0.5%
• Two or more races (NH): ~2–3%

Households and housing (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: ~8,900
• Average household size: ~2.5
• Family households: ~64% of households; average family size ~3.0
• Households with children under 18: ~28%
• Homeownership rate: ~74%
• Housing units: ~9,700; vacancy rate: ~9%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census (DHC) and 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Figures are rounded; ACS values are estimates subject to sampling error.

Sumner County, KS snapshot

• Population and density: ≈22,300 residents across ~1,185 sq mi (≈19 people per sq mi). Largest hub: Wellington; I‑35/Kansas Turnpike corridor enhances mobile connectivity.
• Estimated email users: ≈16,400 residents (≈74% of the population). Basis: ~80% of residents have internet access and ≈92% of internet users use email (Pew/ACS benchmarks).
• Age distribution of email users (estimated share of users): • 18–29: ≈24% • 30–49: ≈31% • 50–64: ≈23% • 65+: ≈22% Seniors participate robustly but slightly below prime‑working‑age cohorts.
• Gender split: County population is roughly even (≈50% female/50% male); email usage mirrors this, with negligible gender gap in adoption.
• Digital access trends: • Household broadband subscription rate ≈82% (ACS-style rural Kansas profile), with steady migration from DSL to cable/fiber. • Smartphone‑only internet users ≈16–20% of adults; mobile email is the dominant access mode outside towns. • Fixed broadband at ≥25/3 Mbps reaches most addresses; fiber availability is growing from incumbents/co‑ops, strongest in and near Wellington and along major corridors, sparser in outlying townships.

Implication: Email is a near-universal touchpoint for working‑age adults and a reliable channel for seniors, with mobile-first access prevalent in lower‑density areas.

Mobile phone usage in Sumner County, Kansas — 2023–2025 snapshot

Overview

• Population baseline: 22,000 residents (2023 estimate), with roughly 77–78% adults (17,000).
• County profile: Predominantly rural with small towns (Wellington, Caldwell, Belle Plaine, Argonia, Oxford, and a portion of Mulvane). Older age structure than Kansas overall and lower median household income than the statewide median.

User estimates

• Mobile phone (any cell phone) users: ~16,000–16,800 adults, reflecting high overall cell ownership typical of rural U.S. (roughly 93–97% of adults).
• Smartphone users: ~14,200–15,000 adults (about 83–88% of adults), slightly below Kansas’ statewide rate due to the county’s older age mix and rural profile.
• Active mobile subscriptions (lines/SIMs): ~24,000–27,000 total, consistent with >1 subscription per resident typical of U.S. markets.
• Households using cellular data at home: ~60–65% have a cellular data plan in the mix; an estimated 12–16% are cellular-only for home internet, higher than the statewide share.
• 5G usage: Concentrated in and around Mulvane, Wellington, Belle Plaine, and along I‑35/US‑81; a minority of users countywide regularly see mid-band 5G speeds, with many still on LTE or low-band 5G outside towns.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age:
  • 18–34: ~21–23% of population; near-universal smartphone adoption; heaviest data and app usage.
  • 35–64: ~49–52%; high smartphone adoption with strong work/commute-driven mobile use.
  • 65+: ~21–23%; smartphone ownership materially lower than younger cohorts; higher prevalence of basic voice/text plans or shared family plans.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • White (non-Hispanic): ~84–86%.
  • Hispanic/Latino: ~7–9%.
  • Other groups (Black, Native American, two or more races): small shares collectively ~6–8%.
  • Hispanic households and lower-income households over-index on mobile dependence (cellular-only or mobile-first connectivity) relative to county average.
• Income/affordability:
  • Median household income sits below the Kansas median, correlating with higher prepaid plan usage, longer device replacement cycles, and greater sensitivity to plan pricing and coverage value.

Digital infrastructure points

• Coverage:
  • Strongest along major corridors (I‑35/Kansas Turnpike, US‑81, US‑160) and in/near towns (Mulvane–Wellington–Belle Plaine).
  • Western and southern townships and river-adjacent areas show more LTE/low-band 5G reliance, with occasional signal and capacity constraints in fringe zones.
• 5G footprint and performance:
  • Mid-band 5G (e.g., 2.5–3.7 GHz) is present in the Mulvane/Wellington corridor and near key highways, delivering roughly 200–400 Mbps under good conditions.
  • Low-band 5G/LTE dominate much of the rural area, typically yielding 10–50 Mbps with higher variability and slower uplinks.
• Carriers and networks:
  • Nationwide carriers (AT&T/FirstNet, T‑Mobile, Verizon) operate macro sites; spectrum depth and backhaul are strongest near population centers and highways.
  • Fixed wireless (5G Home/4G LTE home internet) is available around Mulvane/Wellington and is expanding; it materially contributes to higher cellular-only household connectivity than the state average.
  • Public safety: FirstNet Band 14 overlays selected AT&T sites, improving emergency coverage and in-building reliability around towns and corridors.

Key trends that differ from Kansas statewide

• Adoption: Overall smartphone adoption is a few points lower than the state average because of the county’s older age structure; basic phone usage among seniors is noticeably higher.
• Connectivity mix: A higher share of households are cellular-only for home internet versus the Kansas average; reliance on fixed wireless and smartphone hotspots is elevated.
• 5G experience: A smaller proportion of users regularly access mid-band 5G compared with metro-heavy statewide patterns; LTE/low-band 5G remain the norm outside towns, leading to lower median speeds and higher peak-time variability than statewide figures.
• Plan economics: Prepaid and value-focused plans see above-average penetration; device upgrade cycles are longer, and average revenue per user is lower than in urban parts of Kansas.
• Daytime load patterns: Commuting ties to the Wichita metro concentrate peak cellular demand along the Mulvane–Wellington corridor and I‑35/US‑81, creating more pronounced local congestion than statewide averages suggest.

Bottom line

• Sumner County’s mobile landscape is defined by high overall cell phone penetration but slightly lower smartphone adoption, heavier dependence on cellular for home connectivity, and more LTE/low-band 5G usage than Kansas overall. Investment and upgrades cluster along major corridors and town centers, while outlying areas see slower speeds and greater variability, reinforcing a rural–metro performance gap that is wider than the statewide picture.

Sumner County, KS — Social media usage (short breakdown, 2025)

Baseline

• Population: ~22,400 (2020 Census); adults 18+: ~16,900; female ~50%, male ~50%.
• Method: Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. platform adoption applied to the county’s adult population to produce local estimates. Exact, platform-reported county totals are not publicly available.

Overall use

• Adults using at least one social platform: ~80% of adults ≈ 13,500.
• Mobile-first consumption; video and short-form are dominant formats.

Most-used platforms among adults (share of adult residents; approx. users)

• YouTube: 83% (~14,025)
• Facebook: 68% (~11,491)
• Instagram: 47% (~7,942)
• Pinterest: 35% (~5,914)
• TikTok: 33% (~5,576)
• LinkedIn: 30% (~5,069)
• Snapchat: 27% (~4,562)
• X (Twitter): 23% (~3,887)
• WhatsApp: 23% (~3,887)
• Reddit: 22% (~3,718)

Age profile (Pew U.S. rates applied locally)

• 18–29: Very high usage. YouTube ~95%, Instagram ~76%, Snapchat ~65%, TikTok ~62%, Facebook ~70%.
• 30–49: Broad, multi-platform. YouTube ~92%, Facebook ~77%, Instagram ~49%, TikTok ~40%, Snapchat ~29%.
• 50–64: Facebook-centric with YouTube. YouTube ~83%, Facebook ~73%, Instagram ~29%, TikTok ~21%, Pinterest ~35%.
• 65+: Selective use. YouTube ~60%, Facebook ~50%, Instagram ~13%, TikTok ~10%.

Gender breakdown (directional skews; county is ~50/50 female/male)

• Facebook: slight female lean; expect women ≈52–55% of local users.
• Instagram and TikTok: moderate female lean (≈55–60% female).
• Pinterest: strong female skew (≈70–75% female).
• YouTube, Reddit, X (Twitter): male lean (≈55–65% male).
• Snapchat: near-balanced to slight female lean among younger users.

Behavioral trends observed in rural Kansas counties like Sumner

• Facebook is the community hub: local groups, schools, churches, events, and buy/sell (Marketplace) drive frequent check-ins and sharing.
• Video habits: YouTube for DIY, ag, equipment, auto, outdoors, and local livestreams; short-form (Reels/TikTok) drives discovery for small businesses and events among under-40s.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is primary; WhatsApp usage is modest; SMS remains common for coordination.
• Commerce: Marketplace and “message to buy” posts outperform standalone web-store links; click-to-call and “Get Directions” CTAs convert well.
• Timing: Engagement typically peaks evenings (roughly 6–9 p.m.) and weekends; school and county events create noticeable local spikes.
• Content that performs: Local faces, high school sports, weather/road updates, giveaways, and practical how‑to videos. Authentic, low‑production posts often beat polished creative.
• Platform mix by audience:
  • Core reach: Facebook + YouTube (all adults).
  • Under 40: Add Instagram; under 30: add TikTok and Snapchat.
  • Women 25–54: Pinterest + Facebook for planning, shopping, and local recommendations.
  • Professionals: LinkedIn is niche but useful for hiring and B2B in nearby metros.

Notes

• Figures are modeled from 2020 Census population and Pew Research Center 2023/2024 platform adoption. County-level platform user counts are not directly published; values above reflect best-available estimates for Sumner County adults.