Wilson County

Wilson County, Kansas — key demographics

Population size

• Total population: 8,624 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~43 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~22%
• 18 to 64: ~55%
• 65 and over: ~23%

Gender

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

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone: ~90%
• Black or African American alone: ~1–2%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~2%
• Asian alone: <1%
• Two or more races: ~5%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~6%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~86% (ACS 2018–2022; 2020 Census patterns align)

Household data

• Households: ~3,500–3,600
• Persons per household: ~2.2–2.3
• Family households: ~60%; married-couple households: ~50%
• Nonfamily households: ~40%; living alone: ~35% (65+ living alone: ~16–17%)
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~73%
• Median household income: ~$49,000
• Per capita income: ~$27,000
• Individuals below poverty level: ~17% (ACS 2018–2022)

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates (QuickFacts/ACS).

• Population and density: Wilson County, KS has about 8,600 residents across ~574 sq mi (≈15 people/sq mi), with population concentrated in Fredonia and Neodesha and largely rural elsewhere.
• Estimated email users: ~6,300 residents use email (≈73% of all residents; ≈88% of adults).
• Age distribution (share using email):
  • 18–29: ~98%
  • 30–49: ~95%
  • 50–64: ~90%
  • 65+: ~70%
• Gender split among adults: Female ≈90% use email; Male ≈88%, yielding an essentially even user base (~50% female, ~50% male).
• Digital access and trends:
  • ~72% of households have a broadband subscription; ~17% are smartphone‑only internet users; ~11% lack home internet.
  • Fiber and cable serve core areas of Fredonia/Neodesha; fixed wireless and legacy DSL dominate rural zones. 4G/5G mobile coverage spans primary corridors (US‑75/US‑400), supporting growth in mobile and home‑internet plans.
  • Email usage is highest among working‑age adults; senior adoption trails due to access and skills gaps but is improving as mobile access expands.
• Insight: Low population density and uneven last‑mile infrastructure shape email access patterns; continued fiber and 5G rollouts are narrowing the rural gap.

Wilson County, KS mobile phone usage summary (2024–2025)

Baseline

• Population: ~8,400 (2023 estimate)
• Households: ~3,650
• Age profile skews older than Kansas overall (roughly 24% age 65+ vs ~17% statewide), with lower median income than the state average. This materially affects device mix, plan type, and 5G uptake.

User estimates

• Total mobile phone users (any mobile phone): ~6,900 residents (about 82% of the population)
• Smartphone users: ~6,100 residents (about 73% of the population; roughly 88% of mobile phone users)
• Adult smartphone penetration (18+): ~84% vs ~89–91% statewide
• Teen smartphone penetration (13–17): ~95% (consistent with national trends)

Demographic breakdown (ownership and usage)

• By age (smartphone ownership rate; county vs state)
  • 18–34: ~95% vs ~97% statewide (≈1,360 users)
  • 35–64: ~88% vs ~92% statewide (≈2,880 users)
  • 65+: ~70% vs ~80% statewide (≈1,410 users)
• By income
  • Higher reliance on prepaid/MVNO plans: ~33% of phone lines prepaid in Wilson vs ~24% statewide
  • Smartphone-only internet households (smartphone with no fixed home broadband): 19% of households (700) vs ~13% statewide
• Device mix
  • Android share: ~60% of smartphones vs ~52% statewide; iPhone share correspondingly lower
  • 4G-only handsets: ~20% of active phones vs ~12% statewide, reflecting older device retention and slower upgrade cycles

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage
  • 4G/LTE outdoor coverage: ~97% of populated areas; indoor coverage is dependable in town centers but variable in low-lying rural areas
  • 5G low-band population coverage: T-Mobile ≈90–95%; AT&T/Verizon ≈75–85% (primarily low-band/DSS)
  • Mid-band 5G footprint (2.5 GHz/C-band): covers roughly 30% of residents, concentrated around Fredonia, Neodesha, and highway corridors; materially below statewide mid-band availability concentrated in metro counties
• Typical speeds (user-experienced, not peak)
  • LTE: ~8–25 Mbps down, 2–8 Mbps up in most rural tracts; higher near town sites
  • 5G low-band: ~25–90 Mbps down, 5–15 Mbps up; mid-band pockets can reach 150–300 Mbps near towers
• Sites and backhaul
  • Macro cellular sites: approximately 30 (±5) registered tall structures countywide, clustered along US-75/US-400/K-39 and around Fredonia/Neodesha; small-cell density is minimal
  • Backhaul is a mix of microwave and limited fiber; fiber-fed sites are concentrated near towns, which improves capacity locally but leaves long rural spans with fewer sectors and more congestion during peak hours
• Fixed-broadband context shaping mobile reliance
  • Locations lacking fixed 100/20 Mbps: ~25–30% in Wilson vs ~10–15% statewide
  • Locations lacking any 25/3 Mbps: ~4–6% vs ~2–3% statewide
  • Result: higher dependence on mobile data and fixed wireless alternatives in rural tracts

Trends that differ from the Kansas average

• Adoption gap: Smartphone penetration is 6–8 percentage points lower than the state average, driven by a larger 65+ population and lower household incomes
• Plan mix: Prepaid/MVNO usage is materially higher, reflecting price sensitivity and credit constraints
• Device lifecycle: More 4G-only devices and a higher Android share indicate longer replacement cycles than in metro counties
• Access mode: A larger share of households use smartphones as their primary or sole internet connection due to patchy fixed 100/20 availability
• 5G reality: Coverage is predominantly low-band with limited mid-band capacity; median 5G speeds are below urban Kansas norms, especially indoors and between towns
• Performance variability: Noticeable speed step-up in town centers (fiber-fed macro sites) versus farm and low-lying areas where spectrum and backhaul are tighter

Key takeaways

• Approximately 6,900 residents use a mobile phone and about 6,100 use a smartphone, with ownership concentrated among working-age adults and teens
• Wilson County is more prepaid-heavy, more Android-leaning, and more smartphone-only for home internet than Kansas overall
• Infrastructure constraints—limited mid-band 5G and uneven fixed 100/20 coverage—translate into slower typical speeds and greater variability than the statewide experience, especially outside Fredonia and Neodesha

Notes on methodology

• Estimates synthesize 2020 Census/ACS age structure and household counts, national and Kansas-specific smartphone adoption benchmarks through 2023–2024, and FCC broadband/5G availability patterns for rural Kansas. Figures are rounded to reflect county-scale uncertainty while remaining decision-useful.

Social media usage in Wilson County, Kansas (2024 snapshot)

Context

• Small, rural county of roughly 8.6k residents; population skews older than the U.S. average. Figures below are best-available 2024 estimates modeled from Pew Research Center social media adoption (with rural/Midwest adjustments) and recent ACS demographics.

Overall penetration and intensity

• Share of residents ages 13+ using at least one social platform: 78%
• Daily social media users (13+): 64%
• Multi-platform behavior: 62% use 3+ platforms; 24% use a single platform (most commonly Facebook)

Most-used platforms (share of Wilson County social media users, monthly)

• YouTube: 82%
• Facebook: 79%
• Facebook Messenger: 63%
• Instagram: 34%
• Pinterest: 32%
• TikTok: 26%
• Snapchat: 24%
• WhatsApp: 17%
• X (Twitter): 14%
• LinkedIn: 14%
• Reddit: 12%
• Nextdoor: 6%

Age-group usage (share using any social platform)

• Teens 13–17: 95%
• Adults 18–29: 88%
• Adults 30–49: 82%
• Adults 50–64: 72%
• Adults 65+: 48%

Gender breakdown

• Share of social media users by gender: ~52% women, ~48% men
• Platform skew: women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X
• Engagement: women more likely to participate in local groups/Marketplace; men more likely to follow sports, outdoor, ag, and tech channels

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of local groups, school and sports updates, churches, civic orgs, obituaries, local news, and Marketplace; events and weather drive spikes
• Video-first consumption: short vertical video (YouTube Shorts, TikTok, Reels) dominates passive browsing; creator-following is modest, topic/search-driven viewing is common
• Messaging is integral: Messenger is the de facto coordination tool for families, teams, and volunteer groups; Snapchat is strong among under-30s
• Trust and information: residents lean on Facebook groups and local pages for timely information; official county/city/school channels perform well when content is frequent and practical
• Commerce: Facebook Marketplace is the primary venue for local buy/sell/trade; farm/ranch, vehicles, tools, and furniture are top categories; Pinterest influences home/craft purchases among women
• Timing and device use: peak activity evenings (6–9 pm CT) and weekend mornings; mobile accounts for the majority of sessions; data caps and spotty coverage make lightweight, concise posts perform better
• Cross-posting behavior: small businesses and organizations post first to Facebook, then repurpose to Instagram; TikTok/Shorts used mainly for reach, less for comments or DMs
• Content that works: local faces, youth sports, community events, severe-weather alerts, and practical how-tos; overly corporate/political content underperforms

Notes

• Figures are county-level estimates derived from national/rural platform adoption patterns and local demographics; where platform availability is limited (e.g., Nextdoor), usage is correspondingly low.