Grant County

Key demographics – Grant County, Nebraska

• Population size: 611 (2020 Census)
• Age profile (ACS 2018–2022):
  • Median age: ~50 years
  • Under 18: ~23%
  • 65 and over: ~27%
• Gender (ACS 2018–2022): ~51% male, ~49% female
• Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census; Hispanic may be of any race):
  • White: ~95%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~1%
  • Two or more races/other: ~2–3%
  • Black, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: each ~0–1%
  • Hispanic/Latino (of any race): ~3–4%
• Household characteristics (ACS 2018–2022):
  • Households: ~260–270
  • Persons per household: ~2.3
  • Family households: ~65–70% (majority married-couple)
  • Nonfamily households: ~30–35%
  • Owner-occupied share: roughly three-quarters of occupied units

Notes: Figures combine 2020 Decennial Census counts and the latest available ACS 5-year estimates; small-population counties can have larger sampling error in ACS, but the profile is consistent—very small, sparsely populated, older, and predominantly non-Hispanic White with small Hispanic and Native shares.

Grant County, Nebraska snapshot (population 611; land area ≈776–783 sq mi; density ≈0.8 residents/sq mi).

Estimated email users: ≈460 residents

• Basis: ~90% adoption among adults and ~85% among teens, applied to the county’s age mix.

Age distribution of email users (approximate):

• 13–17: 6% (~26 users)
• 18–34: 23% (~107)
• 35–54: 34% (~157)
• 55–64: 17% (~77)
• 65+: 20% (~93)

Gender split among email users: ≈51% male, 49% female (mirrors county demographics; usage is near-parity by gender).

Digital access and usage trends:

• Access is anchored by mobile data and fixed wireless; fiber is limited outside Hyannis, with satellite common on ranches. This pushes email toward lightweight, mobile-friendly clients.
• Smartphone-only internet use is notable for working-age adults, while older residents more often use PCs at home or community locations.
• Throughput and latency constraints outside town centers can depress heavy-attachment behavior; text-focused email remains dominant.
• Coverage and speeds are strongest along US-2/Hyannis and drop across outlying Sandhills terrain; connectivity is sparser than Nebraska’s urban average, consistent with the county’s extremely low density.

Overall insight: Email penetration is high and broadly similar across genders, with usage concentrated among 35–54 and sustained but modestly lower among 65+.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Grant County, Nebraska

Executive overview

• Grant County is one of Nebraska’s smallest and most rural counties (2020 Census population: 611; county seat: Hyannis). The extremely low density and older age profile shape how residents access and use mobile services: fewer carriers with strong indoor signal away from highways, slower adoption of the newest networks and devices, and heavier reliance on low‑band coverage and fixed wireless or satellite at home.

Estimated user base and adoption

• Total unique mobile phone users: 420–480 residents
  • Method: 2020 population baseline; age structure typical of the Sandhills (older than state average); adult mobile adoption scaled down from state norms to reflect rural/older mix; modest uptake among teens.
• Smartphone users: 340–390
• Basic/feature‑phone users: 40–60
• Active mobile lines (including secondary work lines, IoT, and wearables): 470–570
  • Implies roughly 1.1–1.2 lines per user, lower than metro Nebraska where 1.3–1.4 is common.

Demographic breakdown of users (share of unique users; estimates)

• Ages 55+: 35–40% of users; below their share of the county population, reflecting lower adoption among the oldest residents and a small subset still using basic phones.
• Ages 35–54: 30–35% of users; core cohort for work‑related mobility in ranching and services.
• Ages 18–34: 15–20% of users; smaller than the state average due to youth out‑migration and absence of higher‑ed anchors.
• Under 18 with phones: 10–15% of users; adoption increases sharply in high school grades but remains lower than state urban norms.
• Household context: Multi‑line households are fewer than in cities; single‑carrier households are common due to coverage constraints.

Usage patterns (how behavior differs from statewide norms)

• Data consumption per line is lower than Nebraska’s urban average, driven by
  • More basic-phone usage among seniors
  • Variable indoor LTE/5G performance away from highways
  • Greater off‑grid time during agricultural work
• Wi‑Fi calling is used more frequently to compensate for weak indoor signal on ranches and outbuildings.
• Device replacement cycles are longer (keeping handsets 4–5 years vs. 3–4 in cities), which delays migration to the newest 5G radios and bands.
• Churn is lower; residents tend to stay with the carrier that works best at home and along US‑2/NE‑61 travel corridors.

Digital infrastructure profile

• Coverage topology: A sparse macrocell grid with site placement focused on Hyannis and highway/rail corridors; large inter‑site distances create dead zones off‑corridor.
• Radio spectrum mix: Predominantly low‑band (600/700 MHz) for wide‑area LTE and entry‑level 5G; mid‑band 5G capacity is limited or absent outside corridors, so speeds and indoor penetration lag state metro areas.
• Backhaul: Fiber is present along the main corridor; microwave backhaul serves many rural sites, constraining peak capacity during busy hours.
• Home internet interplay: Fixed wireless ISPs and satellite (notably newer LEO options) are widely used for home broadband, reducing pressure to stream over cellular at home but increasing reliance on mobile data when working in the field.
• Public safety and resiliency: Fewer redundant cell sites than in metro counties; weather and power events can degrade coverage over larger areas until backhaul and power are restored.

How Grant County differs from Nebraska overall

• Older population and a smaller young‑adult cohort reduce smartphone saturation and high‑bandwidth app usage relative to the state average.
• Coverage is more corridor‑centric; off‑highway indoor signal is materially weaker than in most Nebraska counties, constraining carrier choice.
• Mid‑band 5G availability and median cellular speeds are lower than in Nebraska’s cities; low‑band LTE/5G remains the workhorse.
• Multi‑line and device‑ecosystem penetration (watches, tablets, hotspots) is lower, pulling down lines-per-user.
• Reliance on Wi‑Fi calling, fixed wireless, and satellite as complements to mobile is higher than statewide.
• Seasonal traffic on US‑2 creates sharper, short‑window load spikes compared with steadier urban patterns.

Method notes and anchors

• Population and settlement pattern: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (Grant County population 611; Hyannis as the sole incorporated community).
• User estimates: Derived from county population, rural age structure typical of the Sandhills, national and Nebraska rural adoption gradients by age, and rural lines-per-user norms; expressed as ranges to reflect small‑sample uncertainty.
• Infrastructure characterization: Based on known rural deployment practices in the Sandhills—low‑band coverage emphasis, corridor fiber, microwave backhaul off‑corridor, and limited mid‑band 5G outside towns.

Actionable implications

• Carrier selection should be driven by measured signal at the residence and along routine ranch/work routes, not marketing coverage maps.
• Enable Wi‑Fi calling on all handsets and consider outdoor/vehicle antennas for ranch operations.
• For higher throughputs, pair mobile with fixed wireless or LEO satellite at home or headquarters; treat cellular as supplemental off‑premises connectivity rather than the primary broadband.

Social media usage snapshot for Grant County, Nebraska (small-area estimate)

Core population context

• Population: 611 (2020 Census). Adults (18+): approximately 500.
• Active social media users (any platform, monthly): 60–65% of adults ≈ 300–325 people.
• Daily social media users: 45–50% of adults ≈ 225–250 people.

Most-used platforms among adults (estimated monthly reach)

• YouTube: 65–70%
• Facebook (including Groups/Pages): 55–65%
• Facebook Messenger: 45–55%
• Instagram: 20–30%
• Pinterest: 20–30% (heavier among women)
• TikTok: 18–25%
• Snapchat: 15–22% (concentrated among under-35s)
• X/Twitter: 8–12%
• LinkedIn: 5–10%
• WhatsApp: 5–8% (niche; family ties and small business use)

Age composition of local social media users (share of users)

• 13–17: ~8–12% of users; heavy on Snapchat/TikTok/YouTube, light on Facebook.
• 18–29: ~12–15%; Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok prominent; Facebook still used for community ties.
• 30–49: ~28–32%; Facebook and YouTube dominant; Instagram secondary; growing TikTok use.
• 50–64: ~23–27%; Facebook and YouTube core; limited Instagram/TikTok.
• 65+: ~22–26%; Facebook primary; YouTube for news/how‑to; minimal on newer apps.

Gender breakdown

• Overall user base is roughly balanced (near 50/50, reflecting a slightly male‑leaning population).
• Platform skews: Facebook and Pinterest skew female; YouTube (and Reddit, where present) skew male; Instagram and TikTok are closer to even.

Behavioral trends observed in rural Great Plains counties of similar size (applies to Grant County)

• Community-first Facebook usage: Local Groups, school and church updates, county notifications, volunteer fire/sheriff posts, Marketplace for buy/sell/trade.
• Practical video habits on YouTube: Equipment repair, ag/ranching content, weather, hunting/outdoors, how‑to tutorials; watch sessions often in evening off‑hours.
• Messaging patterns: Facebook Messenger and SMS dominate everyday communication; WhatsApp is minimal; Snapchat is a teen/young-adult DM channel.
• Engagement style: More lurking and sharing than posting; photos of family, sports, livestock/ranch life; strong response to hyperlocal news and events.
• Timing: Peaks evenings (7–10 pm local), secondary weekend peaks; mobile-first access; live video is short and utility‑driven due to bandwidth constraints.
• Trust and reach: Local institutions (schools, county offices, Extension, law enforcement) and known community figures have outsized credibility and reach.
• Commerce: Facebook Marketplace is the primary local classifieds venue; Instagram used by crafts/microbusinesses; TikTok influences awareness but less direct conversion.
• Content preferences: Clear, useful, locally relevant posts outperform polished brand content; weather/road conditions, school sports, event reminders, and deals drive clicks.

Method note

• Direct, platform-by-platform statistics are rarely published for micro-counties. Figures above are small-area estimates derived from the county’s size and age profile, combined with the latest Pew Research Center U.S. social media adoption rates (with rural/older-age adjustments) and established rural Great Plains usage patterns. Treat them as indicative planning numbers rather than official counts.