Arthur County

To keep this accurate: do you prefer 2020 Decennial Census counts or the latest American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2018–2022)? I can provide both, and include margins of error if you want.

Arthur County, NE overview (estimates)

• Population and density: ≈430 residents across ~718 sq mi; ~0.6 people per sq mi (among the lowest in the U.S.).
• Estimated email users: 280–320 residents. Basis: adult share ≈75–80% of population; rural/older-adult email adoption ~80–90%, plus some teen users.
• Age mix of email users:
  • 13–17: 5–8%
  • 18–34: 15–18%
  • 35–64: 45–50% (largest cohort)
  • 65+: 28–32% (high, reflecting older population; slightly lower adoption than younger groups)
• Gender split of users: roughly mirrors population, about 52–54% male, 46–48% female.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Connectivity is improving but uneven outside the town of Arthur due to long distances and very low density, which raises per‑mile fiber costs.
  • Many ranches rely on fixed wireless or satellite; DSL remains in pockets; fiber or cable is more likely in/near town.
  • Mobile coverage can be spotty in the Sandhills; some households are smartphone‑only for internet and email.
  • Gradual gains from state/federal rural broadband investments are increasing reliable 25/3–100/20 Mbps options, boosting email use among older adults and remote households.

Arthur County, NE: mobile phone usage snapshot (with county-specific differences vs Nebraska overall)

User estimates (small-population ranges)

• Population base: about 430–450 residents; roughly 180–200 households.
• Mobile phone users (any mobile): 330–370 people (≈75–85% of residents), a bit lower than the statewide share due to an older age profile and coverage gaps in outlying ranchland.
• Smartphone users: 280–320 people (≈65–75% of residents), below the statewide rate (Nebraska ≈80–85% of adults).
• Devices per household: about 1.8–2.2 mobile lines per household (state is typically higher, ≈2.5+ in metro counties).

Demographic breakdown shaping usage

• Age: Larger senior share (≈25–30% 65+) than the state (~16–18%). Seniors in the county are more likely to keep basic/flip phones or delay upgrades, contributing to lower smartphone penetration.
• Youth/young adults: Smaller share than state average due to out‑migration; those who remain have high smartphone use but represent fewer total lines, muting demand for high-capacity mobile data compared with urban Nebraska.
• Income/education: Median household income and bachelor’s attainment are lower than statewide averages; price sensitivity shows up as longer device replacement cycles, more prepaid or shared family plans, and selective data tiers.
• Occupation mix: Heavier concentration in agriculture/ranching. Practical usage skews to voice/SMS, weather/radar, markets, mapping, and equipment telemetry; two-way radios and offline apps supplement mobile in low-signal areas.

How usage trends differ from state-level

• Coverage vs capacity: The county is coverage‑constrained rather than capacity‑constrained. Nebraska’s cities focus on 5G speeds; Arthur residents prioritize “any signal” and reliability on pastureland and along NE‑61/NE‑92.
• Lower 5G uptake: 5G availability and adoption lag metro Nebraska. Most users remain on LTE; 5G low‑band, where present, provides coverage more than speed. mmWave/ultra‑wideband is absent.
• Reliance on workarounds: Higher reliance on Wi‑Fi calling, signal boosters in homes/shops, dual‑SIM or multi‑carrier households, and satellite adjuncts (e.g., Starlink at home; satellite SOS/messengers for remote work).
• Data consumption: Lower average mobile data use per line than statewide, with more app use tied to task/utility and less high‑definition streaming on cellular.
• Upgrade cadence: Slower device turnover than the statewide average; more devices kept 4–5 years.

Digital infrastructure points

• Macro coverage: 4G LTE from major carriers is strongest near the village of Arthur and along state highways; significant dead zones persist in outlying Sandhills and draws. Verizon and AT&T tend to be more reliable; T‑Mobile coverage is patchier off‑highway.
• 5G footprint: Limited low‑band 5G may reach portions of highway corridors; practical experience is “LTE‑like” speeds with better reach. No mid‑band density or mmWave nodes as seen in Omaha/Lincoln.
• Tower density/backhaul: Very sparse tower grid; a small number of sites likely fed by microwave with selective fiber backhaul. This limits both redundancy and upgrade pathways compared with fiber‑rich counties.
• Home internet interplay: Many households use fixed wireless or satellite (Starlink uptake rising) rather than cable/fiber. This pushes voice/SMS to cellular but offloads data to home Wi‑Fi when available.
• Public safety/911: Statewide text‑to‑911 is supported, but effective reach still depends on carrier coverage; first responders rely on the state radio network with cellular as a supplement.
• Public Wi‑Fi: Scarcer than in urban Nebraska; schools and public buildings may be the primary community Wi‑Fi anchors.

Implications

• The main gap vs statewide isn’t device interest, it’s infrastructure: sparse towers and backhaul limit both coverage and 5G benefits.
• Practical improvements that would matter locally: one or two additional macro sites along ranch corridors, mid‑band overlays on existing sites, expanded fiber backhaul, and continued adoption of Wi‑Fi calling/signal boosters and satellite as complements.

Notes on estimation

• County-level mobile ownership figures are not directly published; ranges above blend state/rural benchmarks (e.g., Pew/FCC trends through 2024) with Arthur County’s demographics (older, highly rural) and very small population, which increases uncertainty.

Note on method: Arthur County is very small and no platform publishes county-level figures. The estimates below blend Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S./rural usage rates with Arthur County’s older, rural age profile. Treat numbers as indicative ranges, not precise counts.

Overall user stats (adults 18+)

• Use at least one social platform: ~60–70% of adults
• Daily users: ~40–50% of adults
• Average platforms per user: ~3–4
• Primary device: smartphone; spotty wired broadband pushes more short-form video and asynchronous viewing

Most-used platforms (share of adults)

• YouTube: 60–70%
• Facebook: 55–65%
• Pinterest: 18–28% (skews female)
• Instagram: 15–25%
• Snapchat: 10–18% (mostly teens/20s)
• TikTok: 10–20% (younger skew; some ag/ranch creators/consumers)
• WhatsApp: 5–10%
• X (Twitter): 5–10%
• Reddit: 5–10% (skews male)
• LinkedIn: 8–12% (professional niches)
• Nextdoor: <5% (very limited in sparsely populated areas)

Age-group patterns (share within each age group using platform regularly)

• Teens (13–17): YouTube 85–95%; Snapchat 70–85%; Instagram 65–80%; TikTok 55–70%; Facebook 20–35%
• 18–29: YouTube 85–95%; Instagram 60–75%; Snapchat 55–70%; TikTok 50–65%; Facebook 50–65%
• 30–49: YouTube 75–85%; Facebook 65–75%; Instagram 35–50%; TikTok 25–40%; Snapchat 20–35%; Pinterest 30–40%
• 50–64: YouTube 55–70%; Facebook 55–65%; Instagram 15–25%; TikTok 10–20%; Pinterest 20–30%
• 65+: Facebook 50–60%; YouTube 45–55%; Instagram 10–15%; TikTok 8–12%

Gender breakdown (adult usage tendencies)

• Women: Facebook 60–70%; YouTube 55–65%; Pinterest 30–40%; Instagram 20–30%; TikTok 12–20%
• Men: YouTube 65–75%; Facebook 50–60%; Instagram 15–25%; TikTok 10–18%; Reddit 8–12%; X 7–12%

Behavioral trends

• Community-first: Heavy use of Facebook Groups/Pages for county updates, school activities, churches, 4‑H/FFA, volunteer fire/EMS, road/weather alerts; Facebook Marketplace popular for vehicles, equipment, ranch supplies.
• Information diet: Local news, weather, road conditions, ag markets, and how‑to content (YouTube) outperform national commentary. Twitter/X mostly for sports, markets, and weather pros.
• Creator vs lurker: More viewing/scrolling than posting; a small set of highly active local posters/groups drives much of the conversation.
• Messaging and coordination: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat for quick coordination; WhatsApp used in some work crews or extended families but not ubiquitous.
• Connectivity-shaped habits: Patchy broadband limits livestreaming and long HD video; short clips and downloaded YouTube how‑tos are common. Peak usage before chores/school and late evening.
• Seasonality: Calving/planting/harvest seasons push consumption mobile and off-hours; classifieds/Marketplace and local events spike around fairs, auctions, and sports seasons.
• Business use: Local businesses lean on Facebook Pages and Marketplace; Instagram used by boutiques/creators; LinkedIn mainly for regional professional networking rather than local retail.