Hayes County

Hayes County, Nebraska — key demographics

Population size

• 856 residents (2020 Census)

Age structure (2020)

• Median age: 47.8 years
• Under 18: 24.5%
• 65 and over: 22.1%

Sex (2020)

• Male: 52.0%
• Female: 48.0%

Race and ethnicity (2020; Hispanic is an ethnicity)

• White alone: 94.3%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): 4.8%
• Two or more races: 1.3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: 0.6%
• Asian: 0.1%
• Black or African American: 0.1%
• Non-Hispanic White: 90.2%

Households and housing (2020)

• Households: 362
• Average household size: 2.41
• Family households: 67% of households
• Married-couple households: 57% of households
• Housing units: 449
• Occupied units that are owner-occupied: 76%
• Renter-occupied: 24%

Insights

• Very small, predominantly non-Hispanic White population
• Older age profile versus state and nation, with roughly one in five residents 65+
• Household size is modest and ownership rates are high, typical of rural Great Plains counties

• Context: Hayes County, Nebraska has about 856 residents across ~713 sq mi (≈1.2 people/sq mi), making it one of the lowest-density counties in the state.

• Estimated email users: ~550 residents use email regularly (≈64% of the population; ≈82% of adults).

• Age distribution of email users:

  • Ages 13–17: ~10%
  • 18–34: ~21%
  • 35–54: ~34%
  • 55+: ~35%

• Gender split among email users: ~52% male, ~48% female, roughly mirroring the county’s population mix.

• Digital access and trends:

  • ~72% of households have a broadband internet subscription.
  • ~12% of adults are smartphone‑only for internet; these users overwhelmingly rely on mobile data for email.
  • ~18% of households report no home internet, concentrating among older and more remote residents; email use among those 65+ is ~60% and rising with telehealth and benefits portals.
  • Fixed broadband remains patchy outside towns, with ranchland distances increasing last‑mile costs; fiber footprints are expanding incrementally via regional carriers.
  • Public/library Wi‑Fi and school networks serve as important access points during outages or for households without subscriptions.

• Insight: Despite very low population density, email penetration is solid among working‑age adults; continued fiber build‑outs and improving LTE/5G coverage should lift older‑adult adoption further.

Mobile phone usage in Hayes County, Nebraska — 2024 snapshot

Population baseline

• Residents: 856 (2020 Census)

User estimates

• Mobile phone users (any cellphone): ~740 residents (≈86% penetration)
• Smartphone users: ~580 residents (≈68% of total population; ≈82% of adults)
• 5G‑capable devices in use: ~360 residents (≈42% of population; ≈62% of local smartphone base)
• Households relying primarily on mobile data for home internet (smartphone hotspot or fixed‑wireless over LTE/5G): ≈25% of households (notably above Nebraska’s statewide ≈16%)

Demographic breakdown (ownership/adoption)

• Ages 18–34: smartphone ownership ≈89–92% locally (vs ≈94–96% statewide)
• Ages 35–64: ≈83–86% locally (vs ≈89–92% statewide)
• Ages 65+: ≈55–60% locally (vs ≈75–78% statewide)
• By geography: highest adoption in and near Hayes Center; lower adoption and more basic‑phone use on dispersed ranch/farm homesteads
• Practical usage: a higher share of voice/text‑first users among seniors; heavier hotspot use among farm/ranch households for remote work, precision‑ag equipment, and schoolwork

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Radio access
  • 4G LTE: Broad outdoor coverage from national carriers across primary roads and community centers; indoor coverage in metal‑roof structures and at section‑line distances is inconsistent without boosters
  • 5G: Present mainly as low‑band coverage near town centers and along main corridors; mid‑band 5G capacity is sparse, so real‑world speeds typically align with strong LTE rather than metro‑area 5G
• Backhaul and capacity
  • Mixed fiber and microwave backhaul; limited fiber reach outside town centers constrains sector capacity during evening peaks
  • Lower tower density than state average; coverage is distance‑oriented rather than capacity‑oriented
• Public safety and resilience
  • E‑911 and Wireless Emergency Alerts supported; FirstNet (Band 14) coverage available along primary routes and in town, with gaps in remote draws and canyons
• Device ecosystem and add‑ons
  • Above‑average use of signal boosters and external antennas (homes, tractors, machine sheds)
  • Fixed‑wireless gateways (LTE/5G) are a common substitute where DSL or cable is unavailable

How Hayes County differs from Nebraska overall

• Adoption levels
  • Lower smartphone and 5G‑device penetration than the state average, driven by an older population structure and income/coverage constraints
  • Higher persistence of basic/feature phones among seniors
• Access patterns
  • Significantly higher reliance on mobile networks as the primary household internet connection due to limited wired options; statewide reliance is materially lower
• Network performance
  • More dependence on low‑band spectrum and microwave backhaul results in lower median speeds and greater variability at peak times compared with metro Nebraska, where mid‑band 5G and dense fiber backhaul are common
• Usage mix
  • Voice/SMS accounts for a larger share of total usage than in urban Nebraska; data growth is steadier rather than explosive, with hotspots and fixed‑wireless gateways making up a bigger share of traffic

Actionable implications

• Capacity upgrades (additional fiber backhaul to existing sites and incremental mid‑band 5G sectors) would yield outsized benefits versus adding raw coverage
• Targeted senior‑focused digital literacy and device‑upgrade programs can close the largest adoption gaps
• Precision‑ag and rural enterprise demand support continued expansion of fixed‑wireless offerings and coverage along section roads and field operations areas

Notes on methodology

• Counts are derived from the 2020 Census population base combined with current rural U.S. and Nebraska adoption benchmarks; figures are rounded to reflect small‑population uncertainty while providing decision‑ready magnitudes.

Hayes County, NE social media snapshot (2025, modeled from best-available sources)

Population baseline

• Total population: 856 (2020 Census). Estimates below refer to residents aged 13+ and combine U.S. Census age structure with Pew Research Center platform adoption for rural users (2024).

User stats

• Estimated social media users (13+): ~550 (about 64% of total population)
• Device access: predominantly mobile; smartphone use among adults ≈ 80–85% (rural U.S. baseline)
• Daily active share (across platforms): ~65–70% of users engage daily

Age mix of social media users (share of local users; counts rounded)

• 13–17: 9% (~50)
• 18–29: 17% (~95)
• 30–44: 24% (~130)
• 45–64: 31% (~170)
• 65+: 19% (~105)

Gender breakdown of social media users

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%
• Skews by platform: Facebook/Instagram lean female; YouTube/X lean male; Snapchat/TikTok skew younger, with slight female tilt

Most-used platforms in Hayes County (share of 13+ social media users; overlapping usage)

• YouTube: 77% (420); ~55% of users watch daily
• Facebook: 68% (375); ~70% use daily
• Instagram: 30% (165); ~60% use daily
• TikTok: 27% (150); ~60% use daily
• Snapchat: 24% (130); ~75% use daily
• Pinterest: 22% (120); strong female skew
• X (Twitter): 13% (70); mostly for news, weather, markets, sports
• Reddit: 11% (60); niche, younger male skew
• LinkedIn: 9% (50); light professional use

Behavioral trends and engagement patterns

• Community-first on Facebook: Local groups and pages (schools, boosters, fairs, churches, volunteer fire/EMS) drive the highest reach and reactions; photo albums of school sports and community events perform best.
• Utility content over entertainment: Severe weather updates, road conditions, local government notices, auctions/market info, obituaries, and school calendars consistently outperform generic content.
• Mobile, off-peak bursts: Engagement clusters before work (6–8 a.m.), lunch (12–1 p.m.), and evenings (8–10 p.m. CT). Fieldwork/harvest periods create midday lulls and spike evening viewing.
• Video is watched, not always produced: Short, captioned clips (reels/shorts) see strong completion on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram; creation is concentrated among organizations, not individuals.
• Messaging matters: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are primary backchannels for coordinating local events and buy/sell activity; public comments skew lower than private replies.
• Younger cohorts split attention: Teens/young adults favor Snapchat and TikTok for socializing and entertainment; Instagram is used for sports highlights and peer networks; cross-posting from TikTok to Reels is common.
• Older cohorts anchor on Facebook and YouTube: How-to, ag, weather, and church content on YouTube; Facebook for news, groups, and classifieds. Pinterest usage is steady among adult women for recipes, crafts, and home projects.
• X is niche, real-time: Used by a small, information-focused segment for weather alerts, Husker/high school sports, and commodity/market news.

Notes on methodology and sources

• Population: U.S. Census Bureau (2020). Adoption rates and platform shares derived from Pew Research Center’s 2024 social media findings, calibrated for rural usage and Hayes County’s age profile; figures rounded to reflect small-population uncertainty while remaining decision-useful.