Boyd County

Here are concise, recent demographics for Boyd County, Nebraska. Figures are rounded; small-population counties have larger margins of error.

Population size

• 1,810 (2020 Census)

Age (ACS 2019–2023)

• Median age: ~55 years
• Under 18: ~20%
• 18–64: ~49%
• 65 and over: ~31%

Gender (ACS 2019–2023)

• Male: ~51%
• Female: ~49%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2019–2023)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~96–97%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~1–2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~1%
• Two or more races: ~1–2%
• Black and Asian: each <0.5%

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

• Total households: ~900
• Average household size: ~2.2
• Family households: ~60% of households
• Owner-occupied housing: ~80%
• Average family size: ~2.7

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Boyd County, Nebraska (population ≈1,900 over >540 sq mi; ~3–4 people per sq mi) is very rural, which shapes digital access.

Estimated email users: about 1,400–1,600 residents (roughly 75–85% of people age 13+), based on national adoption adjusted for the county’s older, rural profile.

Age distribution of email users (approx. share of users):

• 13–17: 7–10% (near-universal access via school accounts)
• 18–44: 25–30%
• 45–64: 30–35%
• 65+: 25–30% (usage rising but below younger cohorts)

Gender split among users: roughly even (≈50% female, 50% male).

Digital access and connectivity trends:

• Household broadband subscription likely around 65–75%; in-town residents more likely to have cable/DSL, while farms/ranches often use fixed wireless or satellite.
• Smartphone-only internet households: roughly 10–20%.
• Fiber is limited and concentrated in/near towns (e.g., Butte, Spencer, Lynch); coverage thins in outlying areas.
• Mobile data: 4G LTE is common along highways/towns with gaps in remote areas; 5G is spotty.
• Email remains essential for government, health portals, and agriculture services; younger users rely more on messaging apps but keep email for logins/school.

Notes: Figures are estimates using 2020–2024 national usage patterns scaled to local demographics.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Boyd County, Nebraska (2025 estimate)

Snapshot

• Population and households: ~1,700–1,800 residents; roughly 800–850 households; among the oldest age profiles in Nebraska.
• Terrain/settlement: Small towns (e.g., Butte, Spencer, Lynch, Bristow) separated by long rural stretches, river valleys, and metal-roofed homes and shops that impede indoor signal.

User estimates

• Adult mobile users (any mobile phone): ~1,150–1,250 adults. Assumes 80–85% adult mobile ownership in a county with an older, rural-skewed population.
• Adult smartphone users: ~1,000–1,100 adults. Assumes 70–75% adult smartphone adoption (below the statewide ~86–88%).
• Teens (13–17) with smartphones: ~90–100 youth.
• Total mobile users (adults + teens): ~1,250–1,350.

Demographic breakdown (estimates)

• By age
  • 65+: ~35–40% of adults; smartphone adoption ~55–65% (well below state average).
  • 35–64: ~40–45% of adults; smartphone adoption ~80–85% (a bit below state).
  • 18–34: ~12–15% of adults; smartphone adoption ~95% (near state/national norms).
• By income/plan type
  • Higher share of prepaid and budget plans than statewide, with more device sharing in multi-generational households.
  • More basic/flip phones and ruggedized devices used in ag and construction.
• Phone-only households
  • Mobile-only (no landline): ~50–55% of households (vs. ~70%+ statewide), reflecting older residents and patchy indoor cellular.

Digital infrastructure points

• Carrier presence and coverage
  • Verizon and Viaero Wireless have the most practical rural coverage footprints; AT&T/FirstNet is solid near towns and along main corridors; T-Mobile is improving on low-band but remains spottier off-highway than in urban Nebraska.
  • 5G is predominantly low-band (coverage-first) with limited or no mid-band 5G; LTE remains the primary workhorse.
• Sites and signal quality
  • Sparse macro towers across a large land area; coverage concentrated near towns and along primary roads. River valleys and low-lying areas create dead zones; metal buildings reduce indoor service, leading to widespread use of boosters and Wi‑Fi calling.
• Backhaul and middle-mile
  • Town centers are typically fiber- or high-capacity microwave–fed; outlying tower backhaul more reliant on microwave, which can constrain capacity during peak periods.
  • Regional middle-mile providers connect nearby communities; fiber laterals into remote ranch areas remain limited.
• Home internet interplay
  • More fixed wireless (including CBRS) and satellite reliance than the Nebraska average; fiber is present in or near town centers but drops off in the countryside.
  • Many households use phone hotspots as a backup, but data caps and signal variability limit true mobile-only broadband.

How Boyd County differs from Nebraska overall

• Adoption levels
  • Smartphone adoption is lower by roughly 10–15 percentage points, driven by an older age structure and coverage challenges.
  • A larger-than-average share of basic phones and prepaid plans; fewer mobile-only households because many residents retain landlines as a reliability fallback.
• Network experience
  • Heavier dependence on LTE and low-band 5G; mid-band 5G is rare. Typical speeds are lower and more variable than in urban Nebraska; indoor coverage issues are more acute.
  • Higher usage of signal boosters and Wi‑Fi calling; more frequent dead zones in river valleys and on ranch land.
• Carrier mix
  • Verizon and Viaero have higher relative share; T-Mobile’s footprint is smaller away from highways than its statewide profile suggests; AT&T/FirstNet is valued by public safety and farm/ranch operators where present.
• Use patterns
  • Voice and SMS remain comparatively prominent; mobile data use per line is lower and more episodic due to coverage/capacity constraints.
  • Precision ag and field operations drive demand for rugged devices, external antennas, and hotspot failover more than in metro Nebraska.

Notes on method

• Figures are estimates derived from county population and age structure, adjusted by typical rural/older-county mobile adoption discounts relative to Nebraska’s statewide smartphone adoption (~86–88%). Infrastructure observations reflect common rural Nebraska carrier footprints, spectrum strategies (low-band emphasis), and the presence of regional providers. For planning, verify with current carrier maps, local ISPs, and state broadband/grant filings.

Below is a concise, modeled snapshot of social media use in Boyd County, Nebraska. Because platform companies don’t publish county-level stats, figures are estimates derived from Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. social media data, adjusted for Boyd County’s older, rural profile using ACS demographics. Treat these as directional ranges, not precise counts.

Population context

• Small, older-skewing rural county; median age is high versus U.S. average, with a large 50+ share.

Access and overall usage

• Adults using at least one social platform monthly: ~70–75% of adults
• Smartphone access: ~80–85% of adults
• Home broadband: ~60–70% (a meaningful minority rely on mobile data only)

Age mix of adult social media users (share of users)

• 65+: ~35–40%
• 50–64: ~25–30%
• 30–49: ~20–25%
• 18–29: ~10–15%

Gender breakdown (share of users)

• Women: ~52–55%
• Men: ~45–48%

Most-used platforms among adults (monthly use; county-adjusted)

• Facebook: ~65–75% (daily: ~50–60%) — dominant for community, events, and Marketplace
• YouTube: ~60–70% (daily: ~35–45%) — how-to, news/weather, ag content
• Facebook Messenger: ~55–65% — primary messaging layer
• Instagram: ~20–30% — skew younger and toward women
• Pinterest: ~20–28% — strong among women, DIY, recipes, crafts
• TikTok: ~12–20% — younger adults; short local videos and humor
• Snapchat: ~12–18% — mostly teens/20s for messaging
• X (Twitter): ~8–12% — news-savvy users, sports
• LinkedIn: ~8–12% — professionals, limited reach
• WhatsApp: ~6–10% — niche, family ties

Behavioral trends

• Community-first: Heavy use of Facebook Groups and local pages (schools, churches, county fair, volunteer fire/EMS, road/weather updates).
• Marketplace culture: Active buying/selling of farm/ranch equipment, vehicles, household items; posts get high engagement.
• Information diet: Local news, school sports, obituaries, and weather alerts outperform national topics. Word-of-mouth amplified via shares.
• Lurkers > posters: Majority consume/reshare; roughly 20–30% post at least weekly; 5–10% are “power posters” driving most local content.
• Video habits: Practical YouTube (repairs, ag, DIY) and short-form clips; bandwidth constraints favor shorter videos or lower resolutions.
• Messaging hubs: Facebook Messenger for families, teams, church groups; Snapchat for teens/young adults; group threads coordinate events and services.
• Timing: Engagement peaks early morning (5:30–7:30 a.m.), lunch (noon–1 p.m.), and evenings (6–9 p.m.). Activity dips during planting/harvest workdays, with catch-up on Sundays and weather days.
• Seasonal rhythm: Spikes around school calendars, county fair, hunting seasons, storm events; Marketplace listings surge pre-/post-harvest and pre-winter.

Notes on method and sources

• Based on Pew Research Center 2024 national platform use and rural vs. suburban/urban splits, adjusted for an older age structure and lower broadband in rural Nebraska; demographic baselines from recent ACS profiles. Percentages reflect modeled ranges suited to Boyd County’s profile.