Woodson County

Woodson County, Kansas — key demographics

Population size

• 3,115 (2020 Decennial Census)
• 3,0xx (2023 Census estimate; small continued decline since 2020)

Age

• Median age: ~48–49 years
• Under 18: ~19%
• 65 and over: ~27%

Gender

• Male: ~50–51%
• Female: ~49–50%

Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census; Hispanic can be of any race)

• White: ~93–95%
• Black or African American: ~0–1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~1%
• Asian: ~0–1%
• Two or more races: ~4–5%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~5%

Household data (ACS 2018–2022 5-year)

• Households: ~1,380–1,400
• Persons per household: ~2.1–2.2
• Family households: ~55–60% of households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~74–77%

Insights

• Very small, aging population with a high share of residents 65+
• Predominantly White, with a small but present Hispanic population
• Housing is largely owner-occupied, with small household sizes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 ACS 5-year; 2023 Population Estimates)

Email usage in Woodson County, Kansas (population ≈3,115; ~504 sq mi; ≈6.2 residents/sq mi)

• Estimated email users: ~2,000 residents use email at least monthly (≈65% of total; ≈90% of connected adults). Daily users: ~1,700–1,850 adults.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • <18: 5–8% (lighter, school-centric use)
  • 18–34: 20–25%
  • 35–64: 45–50% (largest share)
  • 65+: 25–30% (growing but below midlife cohorts)
• Gender split: ~49% male, ~51% female among users (mirrors county makeup).
• Digital access and trends:
  • Households with any internet subscription: ~75–80%; with home broadband: ~70–75%; computer/smartphone access: ~85–90%.
  • Smartphone‑only internet: ~15–20%; no home internet: ~10–15%.
  • Since 2019, home broadband up ~3–5 percentage points; smartphone‑only reliance up slightly; 65+ email adoption improving steadily.
• Local density/connectivity facts: Very low population density (~6/sq mi) raises last‑mile costs and limits fiber/coax buildout; fixed wireless and satellite fill gaps outside Yates Center and main highway corridors. Public Wi‑Fi (libraries/schools/town facilities) remains an important access point.

Figures are county‑level estimates synthesized from ACS-style internet adoption patterns and national email-usage rates applied to Woodson County’s size and age structure.

Mobile phone usage in Woodson County, KS — 2024 snapshot

User estimates

• Population and base: About 3,000 residents; roughly 2,450 adults (18+).
• Mobile phone users (any mobile): ~2,200 adults (≈90% of adults).
• Smartphone users: ~1,970 adults (≈80% of adults).
• Basic/feature‑phone users: ~240 adults (≈10%).
• Adults without a mobile phone: ~250 (≈10%).
• Wireless‑only phone households (no landline): ~58% of households, below the statewide share.
• Households using a cellular data plan/mobile hotspot as their primary home internet: ~12%, above the statewide share.

Demographic breakdown (drivers of usage)

• Age
  • County age structure skews older: about 27% of residents are 65+ (well above the state share).
  • Estimated smartphone adoption by age:
    • 18–34: ~92%
    • 35–64: ~84%
    • 65+: ~62%
• Income
  • < $25k household income: smartphone adoption ~72%; higher reliance on prepaid and data‑capped plans.
  • $25k–$75k: ~82–88%

  • $75k: ~93%

• Education
  • High school or less: ~74% smartphone adoption.
  • Some college or higher: ~86–90%.
• Disability
  • Higher disability prevalence than the state average; adoption among adults with a disability runs ~10 percentage points lower than peers without disabilities.
• Race/ethnicity
  • The county is predominantly White non‑Hispanic; differences in adoption by race/ethnicity are muted due to small subgroup counts.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Network coverage
  • 4G LTE: Broad coverage in and between towns from AT&T, Verizon, and T‑Mobile; coverage gaps persist on low‑traffic rural roads and in some low‑lying areas.
  • 5G:
    • Low‑band 5G present in Yates Center and along US‑54 for major carriers; coverage is wide but speeds are similar to LTE.
    • Mid‑band 5G (higher capacity) is spotty—primarily T‑Mobile along US‑54; AT&T/Verizon mid‑band largely absent as of 2024.
• Typical performance (outdoor, non‑congested)
  • LTE downloads ~10–30 Mbps; uploads often <10 Mbps outside towns.
  • 5G mid‑band where available ~50–150 Mbps down; ~10–30 Mbps up.
  • Latency typically 30–60 ms on LTE; 20–40 ms on 5G in coverage areas.
• Capacity and reliability
  • Sparse tower density leads to sector congestion during school commute and event times.
  • Indoor coverage is challenged in metal‑roof homes and farm structures; external antennas and signal boosters are common workarounds.
• Alternatives and complements
  • Fixed broadband: Limited fiber presence; DSL and fixed wireless internet fill many gaps. A noticeable minority of households rely on mobile hotspots for home connectivity.
  • Public Wi‑Fi: Available at the library, schools, and several businesses; important for app updates, telehealth, and homework.
• Resilience
  • E911 and Wireless Emergency Alerts are active. Severe weather and single backhaul paths make outages more disruptive than in metro areas.

How Woodson County differs from Kansas overall

• Lower overall smartphone penetration driven by an older population and lower median household income.
• Higher share of feature‑phone users and voice/SMS‑centric usage.
• Greater reliance on prepaid and data‑capped plans.
• More households lean on cellular service as their only phone service and as their primary internet in lieu of wired broadband.
• Larger performance and coverage variability across carriers; residents choose carriers primarily on local signal quality rather than price or perks.
• Slower mid‑band 5G rollout and fewer sites, so realized speed gains over LTE are smaller than in urban/suburban parts of the state.

Notes on figures

• Values are point estimates synthesized from the latest ACS 5‑year small‑area device/internet indicators, FCC mobile coverage filings, and rural adoption patterns from national surveys as of 2023–2024. Small‑area margins of error are higher than state‑level; figures are rounded to reflect that.

Social media usage in Woodson County, KS (short, planning-grade view)

Scope and base

• Population: 3,115 (U.S. Census, 2020). Estimates below are modeled for the county using Pew Research Center benchmarks for rural U.S. adults and teens.

User stats (modeled 2024)

• Adults (18+) who use at least one social platform: ~1,780 (≈72% of adults; ≈57% of total residents).
• Teens 13–17 who use social platforms: ~170 (≈95% of 13–17s; teens are a small share of county residents).
• Combined users (13+): ~1,950 (≈62% of total residents), recognizing overlap across platforms.

Most-used platforms among adults (share of adults who use each; multiple selections common)

• YouTube: ~80–83%
• Facebook: ~65–70%
• Instagram: ~45–50%
• TikTok: ~30–35%
• Snapchat: ~25–30%
• Also notable: Pinterest ~30%, LinkedIn ~30% (smaller, work/education skew), X/Twitter ~20–22%

Age pattern (usage propensity; local population skews older, so the user base does too)

• 18–29: Very high use across platforms; near-universal YouTube, heavy Instagram/Snapchat, and strong TikTok adoption. Facebook used but less central than for older cohorts.
• 30–49: Broad multi-platform use; Facebook and YouTube dominate, Instagram meaningful; TikTok adoption rising. Most active sharers of family, school, youth sports, and event content.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube are core; lighter use of Instagram; limited TikTok/Snapchat. Strong engagement with community pages and Marketplace.
• 65+: Facebook is the primary network; YouTube used for news, how‑to, and entertainment. Lower adoption of other platforms.

Gender breakdown (adults; patterns typical of rural U.S.)

• Overall user mix: approximately 52% women, 48% men (women adopt social media slightly more than men).
• Platform tendencies: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest skew female; YouTube and X/Twitter skew male; TikTok modest female lean. Reddit is niche and male-skewed.

Behavioral trends observed in rural Midwest counties of similar size

• Facebook-first for local life: county/municipal updates, school announcements, church and community groups, high school sports, weather and road conditions, obituaries, and events. Facebook Groups and Pages drive most local discussion; Marketplace is a major utility for buy/sell/trade.
• Consumption over creation: Most adults browse, share, and comment more than they post original content; short-form video consumption is rising (YouTube/TikTok Reels/Shorts).
• Messaging-centric coordination: Facebook Messenger (and SMS) facilitate local transactions and event logistics; group chats tied to schools, teams, and churches are common.
• Time-of-day/seasonality: Engagement peaks evenings and weekends; weather events, school milestones, and local elections drive surges.
• Trust and relevance: Locally branded pages (schools, emergency management, libraries, county/city offices) earn comparatively higher engagement and trust than national sources.

Sources and methodology

• Population: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (Woodson County, KS).
• Adoption rates: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2023 (U.S. adults, with rural patterns) and Teens, Social Media and Technology 2022 (ages 13–17).
• County figures are modeled by applying national/rural usage benchmarks to the local population; platform percentages reflect adult adoption and will exceed 100% in total because people use multiple platforms.