Boone County

Here’s a concise demographic snapshot of Boone County, Nebraska.

Population

• Total: 5,386 (2020 Census)
• 2023 estimate: ~5,300 (Census Vintage 2023)

Age

• Median age: mid-40s (~44)
• Under 18: ~23%
• 65 and over: ~20%

Gender

• Male: ~51%
• Female: ~49%

Race/ethnicity (ACS estimates)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~94%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~4–5%
• Two or more races: ~1–2%
• Black, Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native: each <1%

Households (ACS estimates)

• Total households: ~2,200
• Average household size: ~2.3–2.4
• Family households: ~64%
• Married-couple households: ~50% of all households
• Owner-occupied housing: ~75–78%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates; Vintage 2023 Population Estimates. Figures are estimates and rounded for clarity.

Boone County, NE email snapshot (modeled from ACS, FCC, and Pew):

• Estimated users: 3,300–3,800 adults use email at least occasionally. Basis: ~5.2–5.5k residents, ~80% adults; 85–90% of adults go online; 92–95% of internet users use email.
• Age distribution of email users (approx):
  • 18–34: 24–27%
  • 35–54: 34–37%
  • 55–64: 16–18%
  • 65+: 20–25% Older adults are slightly under-represented among email users due to lower internet adoption.
• Gender split: Essentially even (male/female each ~49–51% of email users); national studies show negligible gender gaps in email use.
• Digital access trends:
  • About 75–80% of households have a broadband subscription (ACS 5‑year); mobile-only internet fills part of the remainder.
  • Smartphone access is widespread; seniors are the most likely to be offline or use shared connections.
  • Use skews toward daily checking among working-age adults; seniors use less frequently.
• Local density/connectivity:
  • Population density ≈7–9 persons per square mile; towns (Albion, St. Edward, Cedar Rapids) have the best wired options (cable/fiber).
  • FCC maps indicate near-universal basic fixed coverage, with 100/20 Mbps coverage more limited outside town centers; fixed wireless is common in farm/ranch areas.

Sources: U.S. Census/ACS 2018–2022, Pew Research Center (internet/email use), FCC broadband maps (2023).

Boone County, Nebraska: mobile phone usage snapshot (with how it differs from statewide patterns)

Key differences vs Nebraska overall

• Lower 5G availability and lower median mobile speeds than the state average (stronger 4G/LTE dependence; 5G mostly in/near towns and along highways).
• Higher share of “cellular-only” households for home internet, driven by patchier fixed-broadband options outside towns.
• Older age structure than the state, so smartphone adoption among seniors is lower; overall adoption is high but a few points below the statewide average.
• Heavier use of signal boosters/hotspots for farm and small-business workflows; mobility needs tied to agriculture more than urban entertainment use.

User estimates (order-of-magnitude, method-based)

• Population baseline: ~5.2k residents; ~2.2k households.
• Smartphone users: 3,300–3,800 residents.
  • Adults: ~4,000; estimated 80–85% own smartphones → ~3,200–3,450.
  • Teens (13–17): ~300; ~90–95% adoption → ~270–290.
• Households with at least one smartphone: ~1,850–2,050 (≈80–90% of households).
• Cellular-only home internet: ~260–400 households (≈12–18%), higher than the state share, reflecting reliance on mobile plans and hotspots where fixed broadband is limited or costly.
• Feature-phone-only users are a small minority, concentrated among older adults.

Demographic breakdown (patterns and estimated shares)

• Age
  • 13–24: Very high smartphone adoption (≈95%); heavy use of messaging, social, and school/work apps; more video streaming when coverage allows.
  • 25–44: ≈90–95% adoption; highest multi-line family plans; frequent hotspot use for remote work and farm operations.
  • 45–64: ≈85–90% adoption; pragmatic use (banking, weather, ag apps). Coverage and plan caps can constrain streaming compared with urban Nebraskans.
  • 65+: ≈60–70% adoption (below state rate); more voice/text and Facebook; growing telehealth use but sensitive to signal quality.
• Income
  • Lower-income households (a larger share than statewide) are more likely to be smartphone-dependent and to use cellular as their primary home connection. Prepaid and budget MVNO plans are more common than in metro Nebraska.
• Race/ethnicity
  • The county is predominantly White with a small but growing Hispanic population; differences in smartphone adoption are modest after adjusting for income and age.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Networks and coverage
  • All three national carriers operate in the county. 4G/LTE is the baseline; 5G primarily appears in/near Albion, St. Edward, Petersburg, and along main corridors, with rural gaps. Indoor coverage can be weak in metal buildings and farmsteads; boosters are widely used.
  • Real-world speeds typically trail Nebraska’s metro averages: think tens of Mbps in many rural spots versus higher double-digit/low triple-digit Mbps in cities. Upload speeds and latency are the main constraints for live video and telehealth uplinks.
• Towers and backhaul
  • Macro sites are clustered around towns, grain facilities, and highway junctions. Backhaul is mixed (microwave and fiber); performance is best where fiber-fed sites exist.
• Fixed broadband interplay
  • Towns generally have cable or fiber; outside town limits, options shift to DSL remnants, fixed wireless ISPs, and emerging rural fiber builds by regional providers/co-ops. Where fiber hasn’t reached, households often lean on mobile hotspots, driving the above-average cellular-only share.
• Public and critical services
  • E-911 and FirstNet coverage are present along major routes; first responders report fewer dead zones than the general public but still rely on radio in some pockets.

Trends to watch (next 2–4 years)

• Continued rural 5G expansion and additional fiber-to-the-home builds (supported by state BEAD and related funds) should reduce the cellular-only household share and improve mobile backhaul, lifting speeds.
• Senior adoption is steadily rising; telehealth and pharmacy apps are likely the growth drivers if coverage inside homes improves.
• Precision agriculture continues to push demand for reliable uplink and low-latency coverage on fields, sustaining interest in private LTE/CBRS and better rural macro coverage.

Notes on methods

• Estimates combine county population/household counts with ACS “Computer and Internet Use” patterns for rural Nebraska, Pew smartphone adoption by age/rurality, and typical rural carrier coverage/speed differentials. Ranges are used where small-sample county data make point estimates unreliable.

Below is a concise, practical snapshot. Figures are best-available estimates derived from Pew Research Center platform adoption, rural vs. urban usage gaps, and Boone County’s age profile (ACS/Census). Exact county-level platform metrics aren’t published, so treat these as directional.

County snapshot

• Population: ~5,200–5,400 residents; older-leaning age mix.
• Internet access: Majority have home broadband or reliable mobile data; adoption slightly below national average.

Overall social media usage (est.)

• Adults using at least one social platform: 65–72% of adults.
• Counting teens, total social users in-county likely 3,200–3,600 people.

By age group (share who use social media, est.)

• Teens (13–17): 90–95%
• 18–29: 85–90%
• 30–49: 70–80%
• 50–64: 60–70%
• 65+: 45–55%

Gender breakdown (est. of active users)

• Female: 52–56% of users (skews higher on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest)
• Male: 44–48% of users (skews higher on YouTube, X/Twitter, Reddit)

Most‑used platforms among adults in Boone County (reach of adult residents, est.)

• YouTube: 65–75%
• Facebook: 55–65%
• Instagram: 25–35%
• TikTok: 20–30%
• Snapchat: 18–28% (much higher among teens/young adults)
• Pinterest: 25–35% (predominantly women)
• X/Twitter: 12–20%
• LinkedIn: 8–12%
• Nextdoor: <5%

Behavioral trends to know

• Community and events: Facebook Groups and Pages are the default for local updates (school sports, county fair, church/community events). High engagement on photo/video posts with names and faces people recognize.
• Marketplace behavior: Heavy Facebook Marketplace use for vehicles, farm/ranch equipment, tools, furniture; fast response times within 25–50 miles.
• News and weather: Follow local outlets and NWS/storm chasers on Facebook and YouTube; weather alerts and school closings drive spikes.
• Agriculture and DIY: YouTube is a go‑to for equipment repair, precision ag, fencing, and shop projects; Facebook groups for cattle/crop discussions. TikTok “ag life” creators have growing reach among under‑45s.
• Messaging norms: Facebook Messenger for adults; Snapchat dominates casual messaging for high‑school/college age.
• Content cadence: More consumption than posting; video and short reels outperform text. Evening (8–10pm) and early morning see peaks; planting/harvest shift activity to later evenings and rainy days.
• Sports culture: Husker athletics content performs well; Friday night school sports highlights get strong local sharing.
• Advertising takeaways: Boosted Facebook posts with community angles outperform generic ads. Geo‑targeting within 10–50 miles and using event tie‑ins (fair week, sports schedules) increases CTR. Short vertical video and before/after visuals work best.
• Trust signals: Locally shot photos, known faces, and transparent pricing drive inquiries; long comment threads function as word‑of‑mouth.

Notes and method

• Estimates triangulate Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 platform adoption, rural usage differentials, and ACS/Census age structure for Boone County. County‑level platform data are not directly published; ranges reflect rural adjustments versus national averages.