Jefferson County

Jefferson County, Nebraska — key demographics

Population size

• 7,240 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~45 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~24%

Gender

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2018–2022)

• White alone: ~95%
• Black or African American alone: ~0.5%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.6%
• Asian alone: ~0.3%
• Two or more races: ~3–4%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~4–5%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~91%

Household data (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~3,100
• Average household size: ~2.25
• Homeownership rate: ~79% owner-occupied
• Household type: ~58% family households; ~42% nonfamily
• Living alone: ~36% of households; ~16% with someone 65+ living alone

Insights

• Small, aging population with a high share of older adults
• Predominantly White with a modest Hispanic/Latino presence
• Small household sizes and high homeownership

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

• Context: Jefferson County, NE has 7,338 residents (2020) across 576 sq mi (12.7 people/sq mi). Population is concentrated in and around Fairbury, with large rural areas increasing last‑mile costs and variable speeds.

• Estimated email users: ~5,300 adults. Basis: adult share ~78% of population and national email adoption ~92% among adults (higher for under 65, slightly lower for 65+).

• Age distribution of email users (share of adult email users):

  • 18–34: ~24%
  • 35–54: ~35%
  • 55–64: ~14%
  • 65+: ~27%

• Gender split among email users: ~51% female, ~49% male (reflecting a slight female majority in the county and similar email adoption by gender).

• Digital access trends:

  • Roughly 80–85% of households maintain a broadband subscription (ACS S2801 patterns for similar rural Nebraska counties).
  • ~90% of households have a computer; smartphone ownership is ~85–90% among adults (Pew, rural U.S.).
  • Mobile‑only internet households likely 10–15%, higher in outlying farmsteads.
  • Fixed wireless and fiber are expanding in towns; remote areas more often depend on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite, which can limit reliability and upload speeds.

Insights: Email usage is widespread and age‑skewed older than urban areas; connectivity is strongest in Fairbury and weaker at rural edges, shaping when/where residents check email.

Mobile phone usage in Jefferson County, Nebraska (focus: how it differs from statewide patterns)

At-a-glance (2023)

• Population: ≈7,150; households: ≈3,100; older age profile (≈24% 65+ vs ≈16% statewide)
• Adult smartphone users: ≈4,580 (≈82% of adults), below Nebraska’s ≈86–88%
• Adults with any mobile phone: ≈5,300 (≈95% of adults)

User estimates and adoption

• Adult mobile users (any cellphone): ≈5,300
• Adult smartphone users: ≈4,580
• Households with a cellular data plan (phone/tablet): ≈2,150 (≈69% of households)
• Mobile-only home internet (smartphone/hotspot as primary, no wired): ≈370–410 households (≈12–13%), higher than the state average (≈8–10%)
• Plan mix: Prepaid/value plans ≈25% of active lines, several points higher than the statewide mix (≈20%)

Demographic breakdown of smartphone adoption (modeled from Pew age-specific adoption applied to local age structure)

• Ages 18–29: ≈96% adoption; ≈820 users
• Ages 30–49: ≈97% adoption; ≈1,530 users
• Ages 50–64: ≈83% adoption; ≈1,190 users
• Ages 65+: ≈61% adoption; ≈1,050 users Key differences vs state: Elevated 65+ share pulls overall adoption down 4–6 percentage points vs Nebraska, with a noticeably larger cohort using basic/legacy devices or limited-data plans.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Cellular coverage
  • 4G LTE: Broad along US‑136 (east–west) and NE‑15 (north–south) corridors and in Fairbury; thinner in far western/southern townships and low-lying areas
  • 5G: Present in and around Fairbury and along primary corridors; mid-band 5G footprint covers ≈50–60% of populated areas vs ≈75–80% statewide
  • Macro cell sites: ≈20 countywide (carrier and towerco sites combined), leading to wider inter-site spacing than urban Nebraska
  • Typical outdoor median download speeds: ≈35–60 Mbps (LTE/5G combined), ≈20–30% lower than statewide medians; fringe areas can drop below 10 Mbps during peak hours
  • Carrier positioning: Verizon and AT&T tend to provide the most consistent rural coverage; T‑Mobile strongest in town centers/highways with more variability in remote blocks
• Wireline and fixed wireless
  • 100/20 Mbps wired broadband availability: ≈80–82% of locations; ≈18–20% of addresses remain underserved/unserved vs ≈12% statewide
  • Fiber: Growing but still concentrated—pockets in Fairbury and exchanges served by local incumbents (e.g., Diller/Diode Communications) and Kinetic by Windstream
  • Cable: Largely limited to denser parts of Fairbury
  • Fixed wireless (CBRS/5 GHz) fills many rural gaps; satellite internet is widely available and used as a fallback
  • State and federal funding: Nebraska’s BEAD-funded builds (2024–2028) target rural gaps; Jefferson County is among the areas with above-average shares of “underserved” locations

Usage patterns that diverge from Nebraska overall

• Lower overall smartphone penetration driven by an older population and more limited 5G mid-band coverage
• Higher reliance on mobile-only internet for home connectivity (≈12–13% of households) due to patchier wired options
• Greater share of prepaid/value plans and MVNO usage, reflecting price sensitivity and variable coverage across carriers
• Slower typical mobile speeds and more pronounced performance gaps between town centers and outlying farm/ranch areas

Method notes

• Figures synthesize 2023 ACS 5‑year demographics and internet-subscription patterns, Pew Research smartphone ownership by age (applied to local age structure), FCC/National Broadband Map coverage tiers, and rural Nebraska network characteristics. Estimates are rounded to reflect county size and sampling margins while preserving the direction and magnitude of differences from the state.

Social media in Jefferson County, Nebraska — 2025 snapshot (modeled local estimates)

How these numbers were built: Pew Research Center 2023–2024 platform-by-age/gender usage rates applied to Jefferson County’s age/gender mix from recent U.S. Census/ACS. Figures reflect residents aged 13+.

Overall usage

• Residents 13+: ~6,100
• Social media penetration (any platform): 72% (4,400 users)

By age group (share who use at least one platform)

• 13–17: 93%
• 18–29: 88%
• 30–49: 83%
• 50–64: 72%
• 65+: 50%

Gender breakdown

• Women using social media: ~74% of women 13+
• Men using social media: ~69% of men 13+
• Platform skews locally mirror national patterns:
  • More female: Pinterest (70%+ female), TikTok (58% female), Instagram (55% female), Facebook (54% female), Snapchat (~55% female)
  • More male: YouTube (55% male), Reddit (70% male), X/Twitter (60% male), LinkedIn (54% male)

Most-used platforms in Jefferson County (share of residents 13+ who use)

• YouTube: ~82%
• Facebook: ~66%
• Instagram: ~41%
• TikTok: ~35%
• Pinterest: ~32%
• Snapchat: ~25%
• X/Twitter: ~21%
• LinkedIn: ~23%
• Reddit: ~19%
• WhatsApp: ~17%

User counts (approx., of residents 13+)

• Any social media: ~4,400
• YouTube: ~5,000
• Facebook: ~4,050
• Instagram: ~2,500
• TikTok: ~2,150
• Pinterest: ~1,970
• Snapchat: ~1,550
• X/Twitter: ~1,260
• LinkedIn: ~1,400
• Reddit: ~1,160
• WhatsApp: ~1,030

Behavioral trends to expect locally

• Facebook is the community hub: highest engagement for school athletics, churches, fairs, fundraisers, emergency/weather updates, buy–sell groups, and Marketplace.
• Video-first habits: YouTube dominates “how-to,” ag/DIY, home repair, and equipment content; short-form video (Reels/TikTok) is rising among 18–39.
• Messaging > posting for youth: Snapchat and Instagram DMs are primary for teens and younger adults; public posting is less frequent than story/DM sharing.
• Instagram is lifestyle-oriented: strongest among women 18–39 for local food, boutiques, events, and creators; Reels outperforms static posts.
• TikTok growth is steady but age-skewed: strong among 18–34; limited adoption 55+.
• Pinterest converts for planning: recipes, crafts, home projects, gift guides; skews female and drives search-like behavior.
• X/Twitter and Reddit are niche: news, sports, and hobby communities; low but passionate engagement.
• Timing: peak local activity evenings (6–9 pm) and weekends; school/event calendars drive spikes.
• Creative that works: people-first photos/videos, local faces, clear utility (dates, prices, directions), and short captions; links kept minimal on Facebook to avoid reach penalties.
• Ads: geotargeting performs well due to small radius; boosted Facebook posts and Instagram Reels provide the best cost per reach/engagement; calls-to-action to in-person visits perform better than long funnels.

Notes

• Figures are modeled estimates for Jefferson County’s population profile using Pew Research Center (2023–2024) and U.S. Census/ACS; they reflect likely local usage rather than a county-run survey.