Blaine County

Here are the latest high-level demographics for Blaine County, Nebraska. Figures are from the 2020 Decennial Census (population count) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2018–2022 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates. Because the county is very small, ACS margins of error are relatively large.

Population

• Total population (2020 Census): 431

Age

• Median age (ACS 2018–2022): ~50 years
• Under 18: ~20–25%
• 65 and over: ~25–30%

Gender

• Male: ~54%
• Female: ~46%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022)

• White (alone, non-Hispanic): >95%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2–4%
• All other races combined (Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, Two or More): each ~0–1% individually

Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~210–220
• Average household size: ~2.0–2.2
• Family households: ~60–65% of households
• Owner-occupied housing: ~80% (approx.)
• Housing units: ~300–360; vacancy is common in very low-density counties

Notes

• Use ACS tables DP05 (Demographic profile) and DP02/DP04 (Households & housing) for exact estimates and margins of error.

Blaine County, Nebraska snapshot

• Population and density: ~430 residents (2020 Census) spread across ~700+ sq mi; ≈0.6 people per sq mi—among the lowest densities in Nebraska.
• Estimated email users: 270–320 residents (≈62–74% of the population), constrained by internet access.
• Age distribution and email adoption (adults):
  • 18–29: ~12% of residents; ~90–95% use email.
  • 30–49: ~22%; ~90–95%.
  • 50–64: ~23%; ~80–90%.
  • 65+: ~23%; ~65–75%.
  • Net effect: older age mix lowers overall usage.
• Gender split: ~52% male / 48% female; email use is essentially equal by gender (differences typically <2 percentage points).
• Digital access trends:
  • Home broadband availability/adoption roughly 65–75%; fixed wireless common; limited fiber along main corridors; satellite used on remote ranches.
  • About 10–15% are smartphone‑only; 15–25% have no home internet subscription.
  • Mobile coverage can be patchy in Sandhills valleys; speeds vary widely.
  • Gradual improvement expected from state/federal rural broadband programs (2023–2025 builds).
• Local connectivity context: Extremely low settlement density and long last‑mile runs raise deployment costs; community anchors (school, county offices) typically have the most reliable connections.

Notes: Estimates synthesized from 2020 Census population, ACS/FCC rural connectivity, and Pew Research email adoption patterns.

Below is a practical, county‑level picture of mobile phone use in Blaine County, Nebraska, with estimates and context. Because Blaine is one of the state’s smallest, most rural counties, patterns diverge meaningfully from Nebraska averages.

How many users

• Population baseline: Blaine County has roughly 430 residents (2020 Census). Adults likely account for about four‑fifths of residents.
• Mobile phone users (any mobile): 300–350 adults likely carry a mobile phone of some kind. Rationale: adult mobile‑ownership in rural areas is typically high but not universal, with some older residents retaining landlines or relying on shared/household devices.
• Smartphone users: 240–300 likely use smartphones. This is below state‑level penetration because of the county’s older age structure, lower population density, and coverage constraints that reduce the perceived value of data‑centric devices.
• Mobile broadband dependence: A noticeable minority use mobile hotspots or phone tethering for home internet, but the share is lower than in other rural Nebraska counties that have stronger cellular capacity; Blaine’s sparser grid and topography limit reliable high‑throughput mobile data.

Demographic patterns shaping usage

• Older population: Blaine has a higher share of residents 65+ than Nebraska overall. That tends to mean more basic‑phone use, slower upgrade cycles, and more landline retention for reliability.
• Smaller youth cohort: With fewer under‑35 residents than the state average, app‑centric and high‑bandwidth use (social video, gaming) is less dominant in the traffic mix.
• Work patterns: Ranching and outdoor work increase the importance of voice, SMS, and push‑to‑talk–style coordination, and reduce heavy daytime data usage away from Wi‑Fi.

How Blaine differs from Nebraska overall

• Lower smartphone penetration and slower upgrade cadence than state averages.
• Higher landline retention and more use of Wi‑Fi calling at home to compensate for weak indoor cellular signal.
• Usage skews to voice/SMS and essential apps; less streaming and fewer multiple‑line family plans with premium data than typical statewide.
• Greater day‑to‑day variability in service quality due to terrain and distance from towers; residents plan around known dead zones in a way that’s uncommon in metro Nebraska.

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• Network footprint: Coverage is built around a small number of macro towers along state highways (notably NE‑91 and NE‑7) and near Brewster; off‑highway Sandhills terrain creates dead spots in swales and valleys.
• Carriers present: Regional and national carriers cover main corridors; coverage away from highways can drop to 1–2 bars or fall back to legacy LTE/low‑band 5G. Mid‑band 5G capacity is limited relative to Nebraska’s urban corridors.
• Backhaul and capacity: Fiber is present along primary routes and to anchor institutions, but last‑mile cellular sectors are sparse, so sector load and range—not backhaul—are the typical bottlenecks.
• Indoor coverage: Metal outbuildings and spread‑out homesteads make indoor signal weak; many households rely on home Wi‑Fi, femtocells, or repeaters for dependable calling.
• Alternatives: Fixed wireless and satellite are common complements for home internet; mobile is used as a backup or for light data rather than as a primary broadband substitute.
• Public safety and resiliency: First responders generally have usable coverage along highways, but mutual reliance on radio plus cellular persists because of gaps off‑corridor; storm and wildfire seasons make power/backup and tower hardening material issues.

Implications

• For residents: Pick carriers with proven signal at your specific home and along ranch/work routes; enable Wi‑Fi calling; consider a booster if you’re off the highway.
• For planners/providers: The biggest wins come from a few additional macro sites or sector adds targeted at highway junctions and populated valleys, plus small grants for on‑farm boosters and community Wi‑Fi in Brewster and school areas.

Notes on estimation

• Figures are derived from combining county population with typical rural adoption rates and Blaine’s older age profile and terrain constraints. For precise counts or tower locations, confirm against the latest FCC National Broadband Map, state PSC filings, and carrier coverage tools.

Below is a concise, best-available estimate for Blaine County, NE. Because the county is very small and no public, county-level social metrics are published, figures are extrapolated from rural Nebraska and national (Pew) patterns; treat them as directional ranges.

Snapshot

• Population: roughly 400–500 residents; adult share ≈ 75–80%.
• Internet access: predominantly mobile; fixed-broadband gaps remain in rural areas; most adults have a smartphone.
• Adults using ≥1 social platform: about 60–70% of adults (roughly 180–280 people).

Age mix and usage

• County skews older vs. U.S. average.
• Estimated social platform use by age:
  • 18–29: 85–95%
  • 30–49: 75–85%
  • 50–64: 60–70%
  • 65+: 40–55%

Gender breakdown

• Overall users: roughly even male/female.
• Platform tilt:
  • Women: higher on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest.
  • Men: higher on YouTube; Facebook groups/Marketplace; some X (Twitter) for sports/weather.

Most-used platforms (adult penetration, estimated)

• YouTube: 70–80%
• Facebook (incl. Groups/Messenger): 55–65%
• Instagram: 25–35%
• TikTok: 20–30%
• Snapchat: 20–25% (heaviest among teens/20s)
• Pinterest: 20–30% (mostly women)
• X (Twitter): 10–15% (sports, weather, state news)
• LinkedIn: 5–10% (limited local relevance)
• Nextdoor: <5% (not widely adopted in sparse rural areas)

Behavioral trends

• Community hub: Facebook Groups/pages for school updates, county events, church notices, buy/sell (farm/ranch equipment), lost-and-found, and severe weather.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger for cross‑generation chat; Snapchat for youth group chats; SMS still common.
• Information diet: YouTube for how‑to, equipment repair, ag/extension content; TikTok for short ag, humor, and trends (“AgTok”); X and NWS apps for storm tracking.
• Posting cadence: Spikes around school sports, county fair, brandings, auctions, storms; quieter during planting/harvest and calving when time/bandwidth are tight.
• Access constraints: Patchy broadband leads to mobile-first use, offline video saves, fewer long live streams.
• Commerce: Heavy use of Facebook Marketplace and local buy/sell groups; Instagram used by small businesses for promos; auction/live-sale links shared via Facebook.
• Privacy norms: Preference for closed groups; lower public political posting than consumption; real-name use common.
• Time-of-day: Morning and late evening peaks (before/after chores); midday check-ins; weekend game nights drive bursts.