Knox County

Knox County, Nebraska — key demographics

Population size

• 8,391 (2020 Decennial Census)
• 8,36x (2023 Census estimate; essentially stable to slightly declining)

Age

• Median age: ~46–47 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~23%
• 18–64: ~54–56%
• 65 and over: ~21–23%

Gender

• Female: ~49–50%
• Male: ~50–51%

Racial/ethnic composition (share of total population)

• White alone (non-Hispanic): ~80%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~12–13%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~4%
• Two or more races: ~3–4%
• Black or African American alone: <1%
• Asian alone: <1%

Households

• Total households: ~3,5xx (ACS 2019–2023)
• Average household size: ~2.3
• Family households: ~61% of households; average family size ~2.8–2.9
• Nonfamily households: ~39%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~77%

Insights

• Small, rural county with a stable-to-slightly declining population and an older age profile.
• Predominantly White non-Hispanic with a significant American Indian population (Santee Sioux Reservation presence).
• Household sizes are modest, with a high owner-occupancy share typical of rural Nebraska.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates; Population Estimates Program (2023).

• Scope and baseline: Knox County, Nebraska had 8,391 residents (2020 Census) across roughly 1,108 square miles—about 7.6 people per square mile, reflecting very low density.
• Estimated email users: ≈6,470 residents (about 77% of the population). Method: county age mix applied to U.S. email adoption by age.
• By age (estimated email users):
  • 13–17: ~336
  • 18–29: ~957
  • 30–49: ~1,754
  • 50–64: ~1,544
  • 65+: ~1,876
• Gender split: Near parity; ~50–51% female population implies ~3,250 female and ~3,220 male email users.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Household internet subscription is lower than Nebraska’s statewide average (~87–89%), typical for rural counties; a practical local estimate is mid-to-high 70% of households with a subscription.
  • Smartphone-only connectivity is material (roughly 10–15% of households), reflecting higher reliance on mobile data and fixed wireless in sparsely populated areas.
  • Older demographics (≈25% 65+) modestly depress overall email adoption, but seniors still represent ~1.9k users.
  • Connectivity is strongest in town centers; outlying farms and Missouri River bluffs see more variable service. Public libraries, schools, and community centers function as important access points.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Knox County, Nebraska

User base and adoption (modeled from recent ACS computer/Internet indicators, Pew age-based adoption, and county demographics)

• Adult base: roughly 6,300–6,800 adults in a total population of about 8,400.
• Smartphone users: about 5,300–5,700 adults (approximately 80–85% of adults), below Nebraska’s statewide adult smartphone adoption, which is closer to the high-80s to ~90%.
• Any mobile phone (smartphone or basic/flip): about 5,900–6,300 adults (roughly 90–94% of adults). The gap with the state is driven by Knox’s older age structure and lower household incomes.
• Smartphone-only internet households (cellular data as the primary or only connection): estimated in the mid-to-high teens percentage, several points higher than the statewide share. This reflects both affordability considerations and more limited fixed-broadband performance/availability in rural tracts.

Demographic usage patterns compared with statewide trends

• Older population profile: Knox’s median age is in the mid‑40s (considerably older than Nebraska’s mid‑30s). Consistent with Pew’s age gradients, smartphone ownership among adults 65+ in Knox likely sits near the mid‑60% range, materially below Nebraska’s seniors overall (which trend higher), and this pulls down the countywide average.
• Working‑age adults (35–64): high adoption but a few points lower than the state average due to rural coverage/performance variability and income mix. Expect roughly upper‑80s smartphone adoption vs low‑90s statewide.
• Younger adults (18–34): near-saturation, but still slightly under the state average because of device affordability and carrier choice; generally mid‑ to high‑90s.
• Race/ethnicity: Knox has a higher share of Native American residents than the Nebraska average. In many Plains counties with similar profiles, Native households show elevated reliance on smartphones for internet access (smartphone‑only) relative to home fixed broadband. Expect that pattern here, with higher mobile dependence for day‑to‑day connectivity than the statewide mean.
• Income/affordability: A larger slice of lower‑income and fixed‑income households leads to more prepaid plans, slower device replacement cycles, and more frequent use of data‑saving behaviors than statewide.

Digital infrastructure and coverage (how Knox differs from Nebraska overall)

• Carrier footprint: All three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) operate in the county, alongside regional Viaero Wireless. The presence of a strong regional carrier is a meaningful differentiator from urban Nebraska, improving baseline LTE coverage but with varied 5G capacity by location.
• 5G availability:
  • Low‑band 5G (coverage-first) is present on major corridors and in towns; useful for reach but with modest capacity.
  • Mid‑band 5G (capacity-first) is more limited and clustered near population centers; far less ubiquitous than in Nebraska’s metro counties.
• LTE remains the workhorse technology for many users, with observed rural performance commonly in the single‑ to low‑tens of Mbps in fringe areas and much higher in town centers; indoor coverage can be variable in river valleys and hilly terrain.
• Backhaul: A mix of microwave and fiber backhaul to towers. Fiber reaches town-adjacent sites and highway corridors; deeper rural sectors rely more on microwave, constraining peak-hour capacity relative to metro Nebraska where fiber is near-universal to cell sites.
• Public safety and priority services: FirstNet (AT&T) low‑band coverage underpins public-safety and priority user reliability countywide; this is typical statewide, but the practical value is higher in Knox where commercial-sector capacity can tighten during events or peak seasonal periods.
• Seasonal demand: Tourism and recreation around the Niobrara River and Lewis & Clark Lake create pronounced, time‑bound demand spikes that are less common in most Nebraska counties and can briefly depress speeds and call quality.

Key ways Knox County’s trends differ from the Nebraska statewide picture

• Adoption level: Overall smartphone penetration is a few points lower than the state, driven primarily by an older population structure and lower household incomes.
• Mobile reliance: A higher share of smartphone‑only internet households than the statewide average, reflecting both affordability and pockets of weaker fixed-broadband service.
• Network capacity: 5G mid‑band buildout is thinner and more localized than in urban Nebraska; LTE and low‑band 5G shoulder a larger share of traffic, so speeds are more variable and congestion is more noticeable during peak and seasonal periods.
• Carrier mix: The regional carrier (Viaero) plays a comparatively larger role than in metro counties, benefitting coverage but with device and feature availability that can differ from national-carrier norms.

Bottom line

• Estimated 5.3–5.7 thousand adult smartphone users and roughly 5.9–6.3 thousand adult mobile phone users in Knox County.
• Adoption lags the state by several points, concentrated among seniors; younger and working‑age adults are near statewide levels.
• Infrastructure supports broad coverage but with more reliance on LTE and low‑band 5G and less mid‑band capacity than Nebraska’s urban centers, leading to more variable speeds and a higher share of smartphone‑only internet households.

Knox County, Nebraska social media snapshot (2025)

Overview

• Population base: ~8,500 residents (latest Census/ACS estimates).
• Estimated social media users (age 13+): ~5,400–5,700 (≈65–67% of total population; ≈76–79% of adults).
• Daily use: ~70% of local users check at least once daily; ~45% check multiple times per day.

Most-used platforms (share of Knox County social media users, monthly)

• YouTube: 80%
• Facebook: 72%
• Instagram: 38%
• TikTok: 32%
• Pinterest: 30%
• Snapchat: 28%
• X (Twitter): 14%
• LinkedIn: 12% Note: Users are active on multiple platforms; shares sum to >100%.

Age distribution of local social media users

• 13–17: 9% of users; platform mix: YouTube ~95%, Snapchat ~78%, TikTok ~72%, Instagram ~62%, Facebook ~35%.
• 18–29: 15%; YouTube ~93%, Instagram ~72%, TikTok ~62%, Snapchat ~60%, Facebook ~70%.
• 30–49: 31%; YouTube ~88%, Facebook ~82%, Instagram ~45%, TikTok ~30%, Pinterest ~38%.
• 50–64: 32%; Facebook ~85%, YouTube ~80%, Instagram ~28%, Pinterest ~35%, TikTok ~18%.
• 65+: 13%; Facebook ~78%, YouTube ~55%, Instagram ~15%, TikTok ~10%, Pinterest ~22%.

Gender breakdown

• Female: ~51% of local users; higher likelihood of Facebook (+5–7 pp vs men), Instagram (+3–5 pp), Pinterest (≈75/25 female/male split).
• Male: ~49%; higher likelihood of YouTube (+6–8 pp), X/Twitter (+4–6 pp), Reddit (niche, small base).

Behavioral trends observed in rural Great Plains counties and evident locally

• Facebook as the community hub: Heavy use of Groups, local pages, school and church updates, county fair and high school sports, buy/sell (Marketplace). Posts with photos of people, livestock/equipment, or local events outperform links.
• Short-form video growth: TikTok and Reels see rising watch time across 18–44; practical content (farm/ranch tips, DIY, hunting/fishing, weather) outperforms generic entertainment.
• YouTube for “how-to” and ag content: Strong utility/viewership across 25–64; longer watch sessions on evenings/weekends.
• Messaging reliance: Facebook Messenger is the default for local business inquiries and peer-to-peer coordination; response speed matters.
• Local-first engagement: Hyperlocal news, weather alerts, road conditions, school announcements, and event reminders earn the highest CTR and shares; regional spillover to Siouxland/Omaha/Lincoln outlets is common.
• Peak activity windows: Evenings 7–9 pm and weekend mornings; mobile-first consumption dominates.
• Marketplace behavior: High engagement with seasonal listings (farm/ranch gear, vehicles, outdoor/recreation); trust signals (real names, local photos, exact town) increase conversions.

Practical takeaways

• Reach 25–64 efficiently via Facebook (Pages + Groups + Messenger) and YouTube pre-rolls; add Pinterest for women 25–54.
• Use Instagram Reels and TikTok for 18–34; Snapchat remains crucial for 13–24.
• Prioritize short native videos (15–60s), clear local hooks, and event-timed posts; avoid sending users off-platform when possible.
• Target within a 25–50 mile radius for retail and events; include adjacent towns (Crofton, Bloomfield, Creighton, Niobrara, Verdigre; Yankton, SD spillover) for scale.

Method notes

• Figures are modeled for Knox County using the latest U.S. Census/ACS demographic mix and Pew Research Center 2023–2024 platform adoption by age, gender, and rural status, calibrated to rural Nebraska broadband adoption. Percentages reflect best-available estimates for local usage.