Dodge County

Dodge County, Nebraska — key demographics (most recent Census/ACS estimates)

• Population

  • 2023 estimate: about 37.5–37.8k
  • 2020 Census: 37,167

• Age

  • Median age: about 39
  • Under 18: ~24%
  • 65 and older: ~17–18%

• Gender

  • Female: ~50–51%
  • Male: ~49–50%

• Race/ethnicity

  • White, non-Hispanic: ~82–84%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~13–15%
  • Black or African American: ~1–2%
  • Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~2–3%
  • Asian: ~0.5–1%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.3–0.7%
  • Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0–0.1%

• Households

  • Total households: ~14.5–14.8k
  • Average household size: ~2.5–2.6
  • Family households: ~9–9.5k; average family size: ~3.0
  • Households with children under 18: ~30%
  • Married-couple households: ~50–52% of households

Notes: Figures are rounded; based on U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Census) and recent American Community Survey estimates.

Dodge County, NE snapshot

• Population: ~37K (majority in Fremont); density ~70 people/sq mi, with large rural areas outside Fremont.

Estimated email users

• 28K–32K residents use email (roughly 90%+ of adults; lower among children/teens).

Age distribution of email users (est.)

• Under 30: 20–22%
• 30–49: 34–36%
• 50–64: 22–24%
• 65+: 18–20% Adoption is near-universal among adults under 65; seniors participate slightly less but still high.

Gender split (est.)

• ~50/50; men and women use email at similar rates.

Digital access trends

• Broadband subscription: roughly mid-80% of households; 5–8% report no home internet.
• 10–12% are smartphone‑only for home internet.
• Urban/rural gap: Fremont has widespread cable/fiber with higher speeds; rural townships rely more on DSL, fixed‑wireless, or satellite and see lower speeds/consistency.
• Mobile: strong LTE/5G along major corridors (e.g., US‑275/US‑77) with spottier coverage in sparsely populated zones.
• Work and school drive daily email use; older adults increasingly adopt email for healthcare, government, and commerce.

Notes: Figures are estimates derived from recent US/NE adoption benchmarks applied to Dodge County’s size and age mix.

Mobile phone usage in Dodge County, Nebraska — highlights with county-specific estimates and how they differ from statewide patterns

Overall user estimates (transparent, order‑of‑magnitude ranges)

• Population base: ~37–38k residents; ~28–29k adults (18+). Fremont is the population center.
• People with a mobile phone (any type): 27k–30k residents
  • Method: apply 90–95% adult mobile ownership (Pew/NHIS national norms; rural counties skew a bit lower) plus most teens 13–17.
• Smartphone users: 24k–27k residents
  • Method: 80–90% adoption among adults overall; 95%+ among teens; lower among 65+.
• Wireless‑only households (no landline): roughly 9.5k–10.5k of ~14–15k households (≈65–72%)
  • Method: CDC/NHIS wireless‑only rates (upper‑60s to low‑70s%) adjusted slightly for Dodge County’s age and income mix.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns (what stands out locally)

• Age
  • 65+: Slightly larger share than the state average in rural townships; smartphone ownership around 70–80% in this group, dragging down the countywide rate relative to younger cohorts.
  • 18–44: High smartphone and data‑centric use; strong reliance on messaging apps and streaming; above‑average mobile hotspot use among renters.
• Ethnicity/language
  • Hispanic/Latino share is meaningfully higher in Dodge County (notably in Fremont) than the Nebraska average. This correlates with more mobile‑first behavior, higher prepaid/MVNO penetration, and heavier app‑based communication (WhatsApp, Messenger).
• Income/plan mix
  • Median household income in Dodge County is below the state median; this typically means:
    • More prepaid/MVNO plans and family share plans
    • Android share higher than statewide; slightly lower iPhone penetration than in Omaha/Lincoln metros
    • Greater incidence of “mobile‑only for home internet” among cost‑sensitive households
• Urban vs rural split
  • Fremont census tracts: smartphone and 5G adoption close to statewide urban levels; wireless‑only households at or slightly above state average.
  • Rural townships (e.g., North Bend, Scribner areas): more LTE‑only devices, more voice/text‑first users, and occasional device sharing in multi‑adult households.

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• 5G footprint
  • Low‑band 5G covers most of the county; mid‑band 5G capacity is concentrated in and around Fremont and along the US‑275/US‑30 corridors.
  • Compared with many rural Nebraska counties, Dodge has earlier and denser mid‑band upgrades (driven by Fremont’s population and proximity to Omaha).
• LTE/legacy coverage
  • Persistent weaker zones along river bottoms (Platte/Elkhorn) and in some northern and western rural sections; users there report LTE fallback and variable indoor coverage.
• Backhaul/fiber
  • Fremont is tied into multiple fiber routes toward Omaha/Elkhorn; that backhaul supports denser cellular capacity than typical for a county of this size.
• Carrier mix and public safety
  • National carriers operate countywide; FirstNet (AT&T) public‑safety coverage present around Fremont and major routes; rural in‑building coverage still benefits from external antennas/boosters.
• Fixed wireless interplay
  • In fringe areas, fixed‑wireless and C‑band/CBRS deployments complement mobile networks; some households substitute mobile hotspots for home broadband, especially where cable/fiber are absent.

How Dodge County trends differ from Nebraska overall

• More polarized experience: Fremont’s mid‑band 5G and capacity look closer to Omaha’s suburbs, while rural townships retain gaps typical of western Nebraska—producing sharper intra‑county contrasts than the statewide average.
• Slightly higher mobile‑first behavior in Fremont tracts than the state average, linked to a larger Hispanic/Latino share and more cost‑conscious plan selection (prepaid/MVNO, hotspot substitution).
• Device mix leans more budget‑Android than the statewide urban norm, yet overall smartphone adoption remains above most rural Nebraska counties due to the Fremont population center.
• Network load patterns are commuter‑influenced (Fremont–Omaha corridor), with pronounced peak‑hour cell utilization not as evident in more remote counties.
• Dodge benefits from better fiber backhaul and earlier mid‑band 5G upgrades than many non‑metro Nebraska counties, but it still has river‑adjacent and farm‑field coverage inconsistencies that are less common in the state’s big metros.

Notes on methodology and confidence

• Exact county‑level mobile adoption isn’t directly published by carriers; the figures above triangulate: recent ACS population/household counts, Pew and CDC/NHIS adoption and wireless‑only benchmarks, rural/age adjustments, and typical carrier rollout patterns in Nebraska.

Below is a concise, county-level snapshot built from publicly available U.S./rural Midwestern patterns (not official county-reported figures). Treat percentages as best-fit estimates for Dodge County’s demographics and rural profile.

Topline user stats

• Population: ~37.5k (largest hub: Fremont). About 31–32k are age 13+, ~28–29k are 18+.
• Estimated social media users:
  • 18+: 20k–23k (about 70–80% of adults)
  • 13–17: ~1.8k–2.2k (about 85–95% of teens)
  • Total 13+: roughly 22k–25k users

Age mix (share of total social users)

• 13–17: 8–10%
• 18–34: 32–36%
• 35–54: 33–37%
• 55+: 20–24%

Gender breakdown (overall)

• Approx. 52% female, 48% male
• Platform skews: Pinterest strongly female; Reddit/X more male; Facebook slight female tilt; Instagram slightly female; Snapchat slightly female among younger users

Most-used platforms among adults (18+) in Dodge County

• Facebook: 70–75% use; ~50–55% use daily. Heavily used for groups, Marketplace, local news.
• YouTube: 75–80% use; ~50% daily. DIY, ag content, weather, local sports highlights.
• Instagram: 35–40% use; ~20–25% daily. Strongest in 18–34.
• TikTok: 28–32% use; ~18–22% daily. Fast growth in 18–34; some 35–54 adoption.
• Snapchat: 25–30% of adults; daily use concentrated in under-35. Among 13–24, 55–65%+ use.
• Pinterest: 25–30% overall; 40–45% of women.
• X (Twitter): 15–18% (sports, weather, alerts).
• LinkedIn: 15–20% (professionals, commuters to Omaha metro).
• Reddit: 12–15% (tech/gaming, regional subs).
• WhatsApp: 12–18% overall, higher among Hispanic/bilingual households.

Behavioral trends

• Local-first engagement: Strong interaction with city/county pages, school sports, churches, civic groups, lost-and-found pets, severe weather, fundraisers.
• Marketplace economy: Facebook Marketplace is a primary buy/sell channel for vehicles, tools, farm/yard equipment, and rentals.
• Video-forward habits: YouTube and TikTok for DIY, ag tips, home improvement, storm tracking; short-form video performs well for local businesses.
• Messaging habits: Facebook Messenger is ubiquitous; Snapchat for teens/young adults; WhatsApp visible in Hispanic/bilingual communities.
• Event-driven spikes: County fair, school events, severe storms, and Huskers football drive sharp increases in local posting and sharing.
• Timing patterns: Peaks before work (6–8 a.m.), lunch (11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.), evenings (7–10 p.m.), and weekends. Weather events can override normal cycles.
• Content that performs: Practical tips (home, farm, auto), community spotlights, local deals, school activities, and bilingual posts in Fremont-area neighborhoods.

Notes on methodology and confidence

• Figures reflect Dodge County’s size and rural/edge-of-metro profile, mapped to the latest U.S. adult and rural usage rates (e.g., Pew Research Center, 2024) and Midwestern patterns. County-specific platform reporting is limited; use these as planning estimates. For campaigns, validate with platform ad audience tools (zip codes 68025/68026 and surrounding rural routes) and local page/group analytics.