Keya Paha County

Keya Paha County, Nebraska — key demographics

Population size

• 2020 Census: 769
• 2023 estimate (Census Population Estimates Program): ~735

Age

• Median age: ~52
• Under 18: ~21%
• 18–64: ~51%
• 65 and over: ~29%

Gender

• Male: ~53%
• Female: ~47%

Race and ethnicity (Hispanic shown as ethnicity; race is non-Hispanic unless noted)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~95%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2–3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~1–2%
• Two or more races/Other: ~1–2%

Households

• Households: ~340–350
• Average household size: ~2.2 persons
• Family households: ~64%
• Married-couple families: ~55%
• Nonfamily households: ~36%
• Living alone: ~30% (about half of these age 65+)
• Households with children under 18: ~23%

Insights

• Very small, aging population with a high share of residents 65+, small household sizes, and an overwhelmingly non-Hispanic White composition; modest male majority typical of rural counties.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (DHC, PL 94‑171); 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5‑year estimates (tables DP05, S0101, S1101); 2023 Population Estimates Program. Figures are official counts (Decennial) or ACS estimates.

• County profile: Population ≈770 (2020) across ≈774 sq mi; density ≈1.0 person/sq mi—one of Nebraska’s most sparsely populated counties.
• Estimated email users: ≈550 residents (≈71% of total population; ≈90% of adults use email at least occasionally).
• Age distribution (population): Under 18 ≈22%; 18–34 ≈16%; 35–64 ≈40%; 65+ ≈22%.
• Email users by age (approx.): Teens (13–17) ≈30; 18–34 ≈115; 35–64 ≈275; 65+ ≈130. Email is near-universal among 18–64, with substantial—but lower—use among 65+.
• Gender split: ≈51% male, 49% female; email users roughly mirror this (≈50–50).
• Digital access and trends:
  • Home broadband subscription around two-thirds of households, with fixed wireless and satellite filling many gaps; fiber presence is limited.
  • Smartphone reliance is high for email access, with roughly 10–15% of households effectively smartphone‑only.
  • LTE/5G covers main travel corridors and towns; coverage thins on ranchland, driving heavier use of offline email clients and asynchronous communication.
  • Public access points (library, school, county offices) remain important for residents without robust home service.
• Insight: Very low population density elevates last‑mile costs, keeping wired options sparse; email remains a core channel for government, healthcare portals, ag markets, and school communications.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Keya Paha County, Nebraska

Population baseline

• 2020 Census population: 806. Approximate adult (18+) population: about 620.

User estimates (2024)

• Mobile phone (any type) users: about 560–590 adults (roughly 92–95% of adults), consistent with rural U.S. cell-phone ownership.
• Smartphone users: about 460–500 adults (roughly 74–80% of adults). Including teens would push the total number of smartphone users a bit higher, but adult ownership defines the core market.

How this differs from the state

• Nebraska-wide adult smartphone ownership tracks the national average (mid–80% range). Keya Paha County’s adult smartphone rate is materially lower (mid– to high–70% range) because of its older age profile, lower median income, and spottier coverage.
• A larger share of residents rely on basic/feature phones relative to the state average, and upgrade cycles are slower (many users keep devices 3–5 years, versus 2–3 years in metro areas).

Demographic breakdown of usage

• Age structure: Seniors make up about one-third of the county’s population, roughly double the statewide share. Senior smartphone adoption is notably lower (around the high–50% range locally versus about two-thirds statewide), pulling down overall penetration.
• Working-age adults: Among 30–64 year-olds, smartphone adoption is high (roughly 80–90%) but slightly below state levels because of network and price sensitivity.
• Youth: Teen smartphone adoption is very high, broadly in line with statewide levels, but represents a small absolute number because the county is small.
• Income and plans: Median household income is lower than the Nebraska median, so residents skew toward value-focused plans, multi-year device use, and selective data add-ons. Prepaid and MVNO subscriptions have a higher share than in urban Nebraska.
• Household internet posture: A higher share of households are smartphone-only for home internet access (about one-quarter, versus a smaller share statewide), reflecting limited wired broadband.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Tower density and terrain: Site density is low, with long distances between macro towers. Coverage is strong along primary corridors (for example, US‑183 and NE‑12) and around Springview, but drops off in river breaks and on ranchland, affecting indoor service without boosters.
• Technology mix:
  • 4G LTE is the primary service layer countywide and the dependable baseline.
  • 5G is present but mostly as low‑band coverage along highways and near sites; mid‑band 5G capacity seen in Nebraska’s cities is limited or absent in much of the county.
• Carriers: Verizon and AT&T generally provide the most consistent rural coverage; T‑Mobile’s footprint is improving but remains variable off‑corridor. Regional rural carriers operate fixed‑wireless and some cellular assets; many residents use signal boosters or Wi‑Fi calling at home.
• Backhaul: Microwave backhaul is common outside the seat and highway corridors; fiber backhaul is available near public facilities and along main routes, constraining capacity compared with metro Nebraska.
• Public safety and resilience:
  • Text‑to‑911 is available.
  • FirstNet (AT&T) coverage is present along primary roads and public safety sites; depth off‑grid is variable.
  • Power and backhaul redundancy are thinner than in urban Nebraska, so extended weather events can degrade service more noticeably.
• Fixed broadband context that shapes mobile use: Fiber-to-the-home coverage is limited; fixed wireless and satellite fill many gaps. Where wired speeds are modest, residents offload less to home Wi‑Fi and lean more on mobile data in town or near hotspots (library, school, businesses).

Usage patterns that diverge from state-level trends

• Higher reliance on voice, SMS, and push-to-talk style apps for coordination across ranch and farm operations; heavy data apps are used more opportunistically where coverage is strong.
• More frequent use of Wi‑Fi calling and external antennas/boosters for indoor reliability.
• Lower average monthly mobile data consumption per line than in Nebraska’s cities, driven by coverage variability and cautious data plan selection.
• Fewer multi-line “family bundle” accounts per capita because of smaller household sizes and an older population mix.

Bottom line

• Expect roughly 560–590 adult mobile users and 460–500 adult smartphone users in Keya Paha County, with a pronounced age-driven adoption gap, lower 5G availability off-corridor, and greater dependence on LTE, Wi‑Fi calling, and boosters than is typical statewide. These infrastructure and demographic realities produce a mobile market that is smaller, older, and more coverage‑sensitive than the Nebraska average.

Keya Paha County, NE social media snapshot (2024, best-available estimates)

How these figures are derived

• No platform publishes county-level metrics for very small populations. Estimates below combine: 2020 Census/ACS demographics for Keya Paha County, Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. social media usage (with rural adjustments), and rural Great Plains adoption patterns. Ranges reflect the county’s small population and typical rural variance.

Population context

• Total population: ~770 (2020 Census)
• Older-leaning age structure and sparse density shape platform choice and usage patterns

Estimated user stats (13+)

• People using at least one social platform: ~470–520 (roughly 60–68% of total population; ~70–78% of those age 13+)
• Adult social media users (18+): ~400–460
• Teen users (13–17): ~35–50

Age makeup of users (share of social media users)

• 13–17: 7–9%
• 18–29: 12–15%
• 30–49: 30–35%
• 50–64: 25–30%
• 65+: 18–22%

Gender breakdown (share of social media users)

• Female: ~50–55%
• Male: ~45–50% Notes: Women over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube and X/Reddit. Overall split is close to even.

Most-used platforms among county residents (share of 13+ who use each)

• YouTube: ~70–75%
• Facebook: ~65–70%
• Instagram: ~25–30%
• Pinterest: ~25–30% (skews female, 30–64)
• TikTok: ~20–25% (skews under 35)
• Snapchat: ~18–22% (teens/younger adults)
• LinkedIn: ~10–15% (professionals, educators, healthcare)
• X (Twitter): ~10–12% (news/sports followers)
• WhatsApp: ~8–12% (family/multi-state ties)
• Nextdoor: ~3–6% (very limited coverage in sparsely populated areas)

Behavioral trends and usage patterns

• Facebook is the community hub: Heavy use of Groups for county updates, school activities, rodeo/FFA events, church and volunteer coordination, and buy/sell via Marketplace. Messenger is the default DM tool for most adults.
• YouTube is utilitarian: How‑to/repair, weather, ag policy, cattle markets, and hunting/outdoors channels; strong lean to longer watch time on connected TVs when bandwidth allows.
• Content creation vs. consumption: Most adults are viewers/lurkers who post sparingly (events, obituaries, milestones, listings). Teens and young adults contribute Stories/Reels/Snaps more frequently than feed posts.
• Time-of-day and seasonality: Peaks before work/school (6–8 a.m.) and evenings (7–10 p.m.). Posting and engagement dip during calving/harvest and spike around school sports, fairs, and holiday events.
• Commerce and classifieds: Facebook Marketplace is the primary local exchange (vehicles, small equipment, hay, household items). Instagram Shops and TikTok Shop have minimal traction.
• News and trust: Local sources (county pages, schools, neighbors in Groups) are trusted over national accounts; cross-border ties with nearby South Dakota communities appear in follows and group membership.
• Youth platforms: Teens are heavy on YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok; Instagram is common but secondary to Snap for daily messaging. Facebook use among teens is mostly for family/groups.
• Connectivity constraints: Coverage gaps and data caps push toward lighter formats (photo posts, short video). Short vertical video (<30 seconds) outperforms longer clips on mobile in low‑bandwidth areas.
• Advertising implications: Effective reach requires wide geo‑radii (30–60 miles). Facebook/Instagram remain the most efficient for local awareness; video with clear local cues (livestock, schools, landmarks) lifts engagement. Schedule around evening peaks; avoid mid‑day field hours.

Key takeaways

• Facebook and YouTube dominate adult usage; Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat are meaningful mainly for under‑35s.
• The user base is small but highly networked; community Groups and Marketplace drive outsized engagement.
• Bandwidth and seasonality materially shape when and how people engage; keep creatives lightweight and time releases to local rhythms.