Garfield County

To keep this accurate: which reference do you prefer for Garfield County, NE?

• 2020 Decennial Census (official headcount; best for total population and race/ethnicity), or
• ACS 2018–2022 5-year estimates (most recent small-area profile; includes age, households, etc., but are estimates)?

If you don’t specify, I’ll use ACS 2018–2022 for age/households and 2020 Census for total population.

Summary for Garfield County, Nebraska (estimates)

• Population and density: ~1,900 residents; roughly 3 people per square mile (very sparse), which constrains wired broadband buildout.
• Estimated email users (adults 18+): ~1,300 (range 1,200–1,400), derived from rural internet adoption and typical email use among online adults.
• Age distribution of email users (share of users; approx.):
  • 18–34: ~25% (high adoption, ~95%)
  • 35–54: ~40% (adoption ~90%)
  • 55–64: ~17% (adoption ~80%)
  • 65+: ~18% (adoption ~65–75%)
• Gender split among users: roughly balanced, ~49% male / ~51% female (female share slightly higher due to older age structure).
• Digital access trends:
  • Home internet subscription likely below Nebraska’s average; adoption rises in/near town centers and drops in outlying ranchlands.
  • Mixed technologies: DSL and fixed wireless common outside town; satellite used in the most remote areas; fiber more available in/near population centers.
  • Mobile coverage improves along main highways; service can be spotty in low-lying or remote areas.
  • Ongoing state/federal rural broadband programs are incrementally expanding fiber and 5G, but low density keeps per-premise costs high.

Notes: Figures are modeled using ACS-like population counts and national/rural email adoption patterns; treat as directional, not precise.

Here’s a concise, county-specific snapshot built from 2020–2023 census estimates and rural tech-adoption benchmarks, adjusted for Garfield County’s older age mix and sparse settlement pattern.

Population baseline and user estimates

• Residents: roughly 1.8–2.0k (centered on Burwell; highly rural elsewhere).
• Adults (18+): about 1.3–1.5k.
• Mobile phone users (any handset): about 1,200–1,400 residents.
• Smartphone users: about 900–1,150 residents (roughly 70–78% of adults; lower than Nebraska overall, which is closer to the mid-80s percent range).
• Mobile-only home internet (no wired broadband): about 20–25% of households, higher than the state average (roughly 12–15%) due to patchy wired options outside town.

Demographic breakdown of usage

• Age tilt:
  • Under 35: smartphone adoption near universal (90–95%+); heavy app/social use similar to statewide.
  • 35–54: high adoption (≈85–90%), but more hotspotting for home internet than peers in cities.
  • 55–64: moderate–high adoption (≈75–80%); more mix of basic phones than statewide.
  • 65+: notably lower smartphone adoption (≈55–65%); voice/SMS remains relatively important; more basic phones than state average.
• Platform and plans:
  • Slight Android lean (≈60–65% Android vs. 35–40% iOS) compared with a near 50/50 statewide split; price sensitivity and retail availability drive this.
  • Higher share of prepaid/MVNO plans than in Omaha/Lincoln, reflecting budget focus and lighter family-plan bundling.
• Language and community:
  • Smaller Hispanic/Latino share than the state, so less demand for Spanish-language mobile services compared with urban Nebraska.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage pattern:
  • LTE is the baseline; service is strongest in/near Burwell and along NE-91/US-281. Outlying ranchland sees larger dead zones and weaker indoor penetration.
  • 5G availability is mostly low-band “coverage 5G.” Mid-band (faster) 5G is sparse, so practical speeds often resemble good LTE.
• Speeds and reliability:
  • Typical LTE/low-band 5G speeds: about 5–25 Mbps in rural stretches; 25–100 Mbps in town. Statewide medians in urban areas are higher (often 80–150 Mbps where mid-band 5G or dense LTE exists).
  • Backhaul constraints and long tower spacing can cause evening slowdowns; storms can produce multi-hour outages at sites without generators.
• Carriers and tech mix:
  • Major national carriers present; signal boosters are common in homes and equipment sheds to overcome distance/building loss.
  • Fixed broadband is a patchwork: fiber/coax more available in town than in the countryside; many rely on fixed wireless or satellite. As a result, mobile hotspotting is a more common substitute than statewide.
• Seasonal effects:
  • Summer tourism (Calamus Reservoir, Nebraska’s Big Rodeo) produces temporary congestion spikes and better-than-average roaming/visitor loads relative to population.

Usage behaviors distinct from state-level trends

• Lower overall smartphone penetration and higher basic-phone retention, driven by the older age profile.
• Greater reliance on mobile data as primary household internet (hotspots) due to limited wired options outside Burwell.
• Android and prepaid/MVNO usage are a bit higher than the state average.
• Network experience is more coverage-first than speed-first: decent reach with low-band 5G/LTE but fewer mid-band 5G areas, yielding slower medians than urban Nebraska.
• Safety and work use-cases are prominent: weather alerts, agricultural apps, and messaging remain critical; Wi‑Fi calling is routinely used to compensate for weak indoor signal.

Implications for planning or outreach

• Device programs or subsidies that target 55+ residents could close the adoption gap faster than statewide averages.
• Investments that bring mid-band 5G or improve backhaul to a few key towers would have outsized impact on real-world speeds.
• Supporting signal-booster education and loaner programs, plus public Wi‑Fi in civic locations, will reach more residents here than in better-wired counties.

Below is a concise, best-available snapshot for Garfield County, Nebraska. Figures are modeled estimates using Pew Research Center (2023–2024) platform adoption, U.S. Census/ACS county demographics, and typical rural usage patterns; county-level platform data are not directly published.

Quick context

• Population: about 1,800; older-leaning age profile; mobile-first internet use is common.

User stats (estimated)

• Residents using at least one social platform monthly: 1,100–1,300 (≈60–72% of residents; ≈75–85% of adults).
• Adoption by age (share using any social):
  • Under 35: 90–95%
  • 35–54: 80–90%
  • 55–64: 65–75%
  • 65+: 45–55%

Gender breakdown (estimated)

• Overall user base: roughly 49% men / 51% women (near parity).
• Skews by platform: women over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube (and to a lesser extent Reddit). Among under-35, Instagram/TikTok are closer to gender-neutral.

Most-used platforms among adults in Garfield County (estimated reach)

• YouTube: 70–80%
• Facebook: 65–75%
• Instagram: 20–30%
• TikTok: 15–25%
• Snapchat: 12–20% (higher among teens/young adults)
• Pinterest: 20–30% (skews female)
• X (Twitter): 8–12%
• Reddit: 5–10%
• LinkedIn: 8–12%
• WhatsApp: 5–10% Notes: Teens are much heavier on Snapchat and TikTok; Nextdoor presence is minimal in this rural area.

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the digital town square: school announcements, church updates, sheriff/emergency alerts, county fair and Nebraska’s Big Rodeo news, buy/sell groups.
• Marketplace is heavily used for ranch/farm gear, vehicles, hay/livestock, and local services.
• Event- and season-driven spikes: rodeo/county fair, hunting season, severe weather, school sports.
• Content style: photos and short clips over long livestreams (connectivity). YouTube used for how‑to/repair, weather, church services, and ag content.
• Engagement peaks: early morning (6–8 a.m.), lunch hour, and evenings (7–10 p.m.).
• Small businesses: nearly all maintain a Facebook Page; light paid promotion with 25–50 mile geo-targets; Instagram used for visuals; Messenger is the default for customer inquiries.

Data notes

• Percentages are modeled from national/state benchmarks adjusted for Garfield County’s older, rural profile. For precise figures, a short local survey or platform ads-manager audience estimates (radius targeting around Burwell) will give tighter numbers.