Fillmore County

Key demographics — Fillmore County, Nebraska

• Population

  • 5,462 (2020 Census; U.S. Census Bureau)

• Age (ACS 2018–2022, 5-year)

  • Median age: ~45 years
  • Under 18: ~23%
  • 65 and over: ~23%

• Gender (ACS 2018–2022)

  • Female: ~50–51%
  • Male: ~49–50%

• Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022)

  • White alone: ~93%
  • Black or African American alone: ~0.3–0.5%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.4–0.6%
  • Asian alone: ~0.3–0.5%
  • Two or more races: ~2–3%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~6–7%
  • White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~88–89%

• Households (ACS 2018–2022)

  • Total households: ~2,300
  • Average household size: ~2.3 persons
  • Family households: ~60–62% of households
  • Married-couple households: ~50% of households
  • Households with children under 18: ~25–30%
  • Average family size: ~2.9

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates (tables DP05, S0101, S1101).

Fillmore County, NE snapshot (estimates)

• Population and density: ~5.4k residents across ~575 sq mi; roughly 9–11 people per sq mi (very rural).
• Estimated email users: 4,200–4,800 residents. Method: adult share ~80% of population with 90–95% email adoption; most teens also use email.
• Age mix among email users:
  • 15–24: ~12–15%
  • 25–44: ~28–32%
  • 45–64: ~33–36%
  • 65+: ~20–23% (rising steadily post‑pandemic, but still slightly below younger cohorts)
• Gender split among users: approximately even, ~49% male / ~51% female, reflecting the county’s older age profile.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Broadband subscription in households is likely in the 70–80% range; adoption is highest in towns and lower on farms/outskirts.
  • Fixed wireless and fiber builds are expanding coverage; speeds of 100/20 Mbps or better are more common in town centers.
  • Mobile coverage (4G/5G) is strongest along main highways and within towns; patchier in remote sections.
  • Public anchors (schools, libraries, county facilities) provide important Wi‑Fi access points.
  • Older adults increasingly use smartphones for email; “smartphone‑only” access remains a notable slice in lower‑density areas.

Notes: Figures are derived from county population and typical Nebraska/U.S. internet/email adoption patterns applied to a rural county profile.

Below is a practical, assumptions-based snapshot of mobile phone usage in Fillmore County, Nebraska, with emphasis on how local patterns diverge from statewide trends.

User estimates (order-of-magnitude, with transparent assumptions)

• Population base used: ≈5,500–6,000 residents (2020–2023 range for Fillmore County).
• Total active mobile lines (phones + tablets + hotspots + IoT): ≈6,000–8,000 SIMs (about 1.1–1.3 lines per resident, typical for rural areas with some farm/enterprise IoT).
• Unique mobile users (people carrying a mobile device): ≈4,200–5,000.
• Smartphone users: ≈3,600–4,600.
  • Method: 75–80% of residents are adults; 80–88% of adults use smartphones; 90–96% of teens 13–17 use smartphones.
• Households relying on mobile as primary home internet (smartphone-only or 4G/5G home internet): roughly 18–28% of households (likely higher than the Nebraska average), reflecting limited wired options outside town centers.

Demographic breakdown (and how it differs from state-level)

• Age
  • 65+: Larger share of the county population than the Nebraska average; smartphone adoption among seniors likely 10–15 percentage points lower than the state’s seniors. Practical effect: more basic phones, fewer premium 5G plans, and lower per-user data consumption than statewide.
  • 18–34: Smaller share than the state average; high smartphone penetration but a smaller absolute base. Social/video-heavy usage is concentrated in town centers where capacity is better.
  • Teens: High smartphone adoption but fewer total users than state share; heavy use of messaging and short-form video, with performance sensitive to after-school congestion in towns.
• Income and plans
  • Slightly lower median incomes than the state overall often translate to higher prepaid/MVNO usage, slower device upgrade cycles, and plan choices that prioritize coverage and cost over top speeds.
• Work profile
  • Agriculture and ag-adjacent small businesses drive above-average use of hotspots, rugged devices, and M2M/IoT lines (sensors, pumps, grain operations, telematics). Per-capita IoT line density is likely higher than the state average.

Digital infrastructure points specific to a rural county like Fillmore

• Coverage and technology mix
  • 4G LTE is generally reliable in and around towns (e.g., Geneva, Fairmont) and along major corridors; gaps can appear between towns due to tower spacing. Terrain is mostly favorable, so dead zones are distance/backhaul related rather than topography.
  • 5G low-band (wide-area) is likely present countywide outdoors from at least one national carrier; mid-band (C-band/n77 or 2.5 GHz) tends to be spotty and concentrated near towns. That means broad coverage but modest median speeds compared with Nebraska’s urban counties.
• Capacity and backhaul
  • Fewer macro sites per square mile than urban counties; limited small-cell density. Some sites still rely on microwave backhaul. Result: noticeable peak-time slowdowns versus state averages, especially during school letting out, community events, and harvest season.
• In-building coverage
  • Metal agricultural structures and older commercial buildings dampen signals. Residents and farms more frequently use boosters, high-gain antennas, and outdoor CPE for 4G/5G home internet than the statewide norm.
• Public safety and resilience
  • FirstNet (AT&T) and priority services are generally available along main routes and in towns. Backup power and fiber diversity are more limited than in metro Nebraska, so extended outages have outsized impact.
• Fixed broadband context
  • DSL remains in pockets; cable/fiber are centered in town; fiber-to-farm is limited. This drives higher adoption of mobile-based home internet and hotspots relative to the state.

Key ways Fillmore County diverges from Nebraska overall

• Higher reliance on mobile as primary internet access (smartphone-only or 4G/5G home internet), driven by patchy wired availability outside towns.
• Lower overall smartphone penetration and premium 5G plan adoption due to older age structure and cost sensitivity.
• Higher per-capita IoT/M2M connections tied to agriculture and fleet/asset monitoring.
• Lower mid-band 5G capacity and fewer small cells, producing lower median speeds and more variable performance than state urban averages.
• More frequent use of signal boosters/external antennas and slower handset refresh cycles.
• Slightly higher prepaid/MVNO share.

Notes on methodology and how to refine

• The estimates above use common rural adoption rates (Pew-style smartphone adoption, typical rural line-per-capita ranges, and observed rural Nebraska infrastructure patterns as of 2024).
• To firm up numbers, combine: latest ACS population/age distribution; FCC mobile coverage maps and carrier 5G disclosures; Ookla/RootMetrics/M-Lab speed tests in Geneva/Fairmont and between towns; and tower/backhaul data (ASR/FCC fiber maps).

Below is a concise, county-scaled view using Fillmore County’s small, rural profile and 2024 U.S./rural benchmarks (Pew Research Center and similar). Treat figures as estimates, not a county census.

Quick snapshot

• Population: ~5.3K; adults (18+): ~4.0–4.3K.
• Estimated adult social media users: ~2.8–3.2K (about 70–75% of adults use at least one platform).
• Daily users: Roughly 55–65% of adults check at least one platform daily.

Most-used platforms (adults, estimated share of adults who use each)

• YouTube: 75–82%
• Facebook: 70–75% (tends to be slightly higher in rural areas)
• Instagram: 35–45%
• TikTok: 25–32%
• Pinterest: 28–35% (notably higher among women)
• Snapchat: 20–25% (concentrated among under-30s)
• X/Twitter: 15–20%
• LinkedIn: 20–25%
• WhatsApp: 10–15%
• Nextdoor: <10% (low fit for low-density areas)

Age patterns (who’s active where)

• Teens (13–17): Heavy on YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok; Instagram moderate; Facebook low.
• 18–29: YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat lead; Facebook used but not dominant.
• 30–49: Facebook + YouTube are primary; Instagram moderate; TikTok growing.
• 50–64: Facebook first, YouTube second; limited Instagram/TikTok.
• 65+: Facebook dominates; YouTube for news/how‑to/church; others minimal.

Gender notes

• Overall social media use is similar by gender.
• Women: Higher on Facebook and especially Pinterest; strong Instagram presence.
• Men: Slightly higher on X/Twitter, Reddit (small base), and LinkedIn; heavy YouTube.

Behavioral trends in a rural county context

• Facebook is the community hub: school/sports updates, obituaries, local news, churches, ag and buy/sell groups; Facebook Marketplace is highly active.
• YouTube is utilitarian: how‑to/DIY, farm and equipment content, weather, local sports/church streams.
• Messaging over posting: Facebook Messenger, Snapchat (younger), and group texts coordinate family, teams, and events.
• Short‑form video grows via TikTok and Instagram Reels, but many posts are cross‑posted from Facebook/YouTube.
• Information trust is local: posts from schools, county offices, ag co‑ops, churches, and the local paper/radio drive engagement.
• Time patterns: Evening and weekend spikes; seasonal peaks around harvest, storms, and school sports.
• Nextdoor has little traction; X/Twitter is niche (weather nerds, state agencies, sports).

Notes on method

• County figures are scaled from 2024 U.S. adult and rural benchmarks; exact platform counts for Fillmore aren’t directly published.
• Percentages reflect adults; teen behavior is noted qualitatively from national teen surveys.