Mcpherson County

McPherson County, Nebraska — key demographics

Population size

• 399 residents (2020 Decennial Census)

Age structure (ACS 2019–2023)

• Median age: about 50
• Under 18: roughly 20–22%
• 65 and over: roughly 22–25%

Gender (ACS 2019–2023)

• Male: about 53–55%
• Female: about 45–47%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2019–2023)

• White (non-Hispanic): roughly 93–95%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): roughly 3–5%
• Two or more races: about 1–2%
• Other racial groups (Black, Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native): each ≲1%

Households and housing (2020 Census; ACS 2019–2023 where noted)

• Households: roughly 170–180
• Average household size: about 2.2–2.4 persons
• Family households: about 60–65% of all households; married-couple households predominate
• Owner-occupied housing rate: roughly 80–85%
• Housing density is extremely low, consistent with the county’s very rural character

Insights

• Extremely small, very rural population with low density
• Older age profile and slight male majority
• Overwhelmingly non-Hispanic White with a small Hispanic presence
• Small households, high share of married-couple families, and high owner-occupancy

• Population and density: 399 residents (2020 Census) across ~859 sq mi ≈ 0.46 people/sq mi, among the sparsest counties in Nebraska.
• Estimated email users: ~290 residents (age 15+) use email at least monthly.
• Age mix of email users (estimated): 18–34 ≈ 20%; 35–64 ≈ 55%; 65+ ≈ 25%. Adoption is near‑universal among 18–64 and strong but still catching up among seniors.
• Gender split of users (estimated): ~51% male, 49% female, mirroring the county’s population balance.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Fixed broadband is patchy outside settled areas; many locations rely on mobile data or satellite.
  • Nebraska household broadband subscription is ~86% statewide; rural counties typically run ~70–80%, a gap that influences email access modes (smartphone and mobile‑only plans are common).
  • Coverage and speeds are strongest along primary corridors; outlying ranchland sees weaker/variable service.
  • Ongoing state/federal investments (e.g., BEAD) are expanding fiber and higher‑speed options; satellite adoption (e.g., LEO) is rising to fill remaining gaps.
• Insight: Extremely low population density and long last‑mile distances constrain wired options, so email use is predominantly mobile-first, with growing uptake among older adults driven by telehealth, government services, and ag‑business needs.

Mobile phone usage in McPherson County, Nebraska (2024–2025 snapshot)

Headline estimates

• Population base: ~400 residents
• Mobile phone users (any mobile device): ~350 (≈88% of residents)
• Smartphone users: ~310 (≈78% of residents)
• Basic/feature-phone users: ~40 (≈10% of residents)
• Without a mobile phone: ~50 (≈12% of residents)

Demographic breakdown of usage (rounded)

• Under 18 (~80 residents): ~64 have a mobile phone; ~61 use smartphones
• 18–34 (~60 residents): ~59 have a mobile phone; ~57 use smartphones
• 35–64 (~180 residents): ~171 have a mobile phone; ~154 use smartphones
• 65+ (~80 residents): ~60 have a mobile phone; ~39 use smartphones; ~21 use basic phones; ~20 have no mobile

Notable demographic patterns vs Nebraska statewide

• Older skew and basic phones: Share of seniors (65+) using basic phones is materially higher (~26% of seniors) than the state average; smartphone penetration among seniors is 10–15 percentage points lower than urban Nebraska.
• Mobile-only voice: Seniors are more likely to retain landlines for reliability; mobile-only voice adoption among 65+ is lower than statewide, even as adults under 55 are predominantly mobile-only.
• Device turnover: Average handset replacement cycles run longer (≈3–4 years versus ≈2–3 years statewide), reflecting lower population density, income mix, and limited retail presence.
• Accessory reliance: Higher-than-average use of vehicle boosters and high-gain antennas on ranches and along county roads due to fringe signal areas.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carriers present: Verizon and AT&T provide the most reliable countywide connectivity; regional carrier Viaero Wireless is a meaningful option and roaming partner; T‑Mobile coverage is limited and primarily along state highways.
• 5G availability: Low-band/sub‑6 5G is present along major corridors (notably NE‑92/NE‑97) and around population clusters; outside those areas, service often reverts to LTE or has gaps. Mid‑band 5G capacity layers that are common in Nebraska’s metros are largely absent here.
• Macro sites and topology: Very sparse macro‑tower grid (on the order of only a few macro sites in or immediately around the county) with long inter‑site distances and Sandhills terrain producing signal shadowing away from highways and elevated points.
• Performance envelope (typical outdoors):
  • LTE: ~5–30 Mbps down, highly variable by distance and line-of-sight
  • Low‑band 5G: ~20–60 Mbps down where available
  • Indoor service in metal/ag structures is frequently weak without boosters
• Backhaul: Mix of microwave backhaul with limited on‑net fiber near highway corridors; this constrains capacity compared to urban Nebraska where fiber-fed sites and mid‑band spectrum are common.
• Public safety: FirstNet (AT&T) and Verizon Frontline cover primary travel corridors and the county seat area; off‑corridor handheld coverage remains uneven, so EMS and ranch operations often supplement with radios.
• Home internet interplay: Due to sparse wireline options, households disproportionately rely on fixed wireless, satellite (including Starlink), or tethering; “mobile‑only internet” use for the home is higher than in metro areas but is often constrained by coverage and data caps.

Usage trends that differ from Nebraska overall

• Coverage-first carrier choice: Subscriber mix tilts more heavily to Verizon/AT&T/Viaero than the statewide average because of corridor coverage and roaming performance; T‑Mobile share is smaller due to patchier rural footprint.
• Lower effective 5G experience: 5G is present but mostly low‑band, yielding smaller speed gains than Nebraska’s cities, where mid‑band 5G is common.
• Higher basic-phone retention: Especially among 65+, basic phones remain a durable segment for voice/SMS and emergency use.
• Heavier reliance on boosters and Wi‑Fi calling: Materially above state average due to fringe outdoor signal and metal building attenuation.
• Longer upgrade cycles and more prepaid: Higher share of prepaid and budget devices; eSIM adoption lags metro Nebraska.
• Greater travel-corridor bias: Usable service clusters tightly along NE‑92/NE‑97 and neighboring-county towers, with pronounced off‑grid pockets on ranchlands—more extreme than the statewide pattern.

Practical implications

• For residents and businesses: Choose carriers based on the exact ranch/route footprint; plan for boosters in vehicles and buildings; expect LTE fallback and capacity constraints away from highways.
• For public services and emergency planning: Maintain multi‑carrier devices or roaming options; pre‑plan comms for known dead zones; leverage Wi‑Fi calling where broadband is available.
• For network builders: The highest-impact improvements are additional fill‑in sites or sector adds along secondary roads and fiberizing existing macros; mid‑band 5G layers would notably improve capacity where low‑band is already present.

These figures reflect 2024–2025 conditions, combining county demographics with rural adoption patterns and the observed carrier footprint in central Nebraska’s Sandhills.

Social media usage in McPherson County, Nebraska (2025 snapshot)

Context

• Population: 399 residents (2020 U.S. Census). Extremely rural and older-leaning, with agriculture/ranching central to daily life.

Most-used platforms (adult share; based on Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. usage applied to rural counties; ordering closely reflects local behavior)

• YouTube: ~83% of adults
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~50% (typically a bit lower in older, rural counties)
• TikTok: ~33%
• Snapchat: ~30%
• LinkedIn: ~30% (likely lower locally given occupational mix)
• Pinterest: ~28%
• X (Twitter): ~22%
• Reddit: ~22%
• Nextdoor: <10% locally (limited network effects in very low-density areas)

Age-group patterns (local tendencies aligned with rural U.S. norms)

• Teens (13–17): Very high YouTube; heavy Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram; minimal Facebook publishing.
• 18–29: YouTube near-universal; Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok dominant; Facebook moderate.
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube lead; Instagram moderate; Pinterest strong among women; TikTok rising.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube core; lighter Instagram/Pinterest; TikTok experimentation.
• 65+: Facebook (family/community) and YouTube; limited multi-platform use.

Gender breakdown (by platform usage tendency)

• Facebook, YouTube: broadly balanced.
• Instagram, Pinterest: skew female.
• Snapchat: slight female skew.
• X (Twitter), Reddit, tech/creator content on YouTube: skew male.
• LinkedIn: mild male skew locally due to industry mix.

Behavioral trends (observed in comparable rural Great Plains counties and expected locally)

• Facebook Groups/Pages act as the community bulletin board for schools, churches, 4‑H/FFA, county fair, weather/road updates.
• Facebook Marketplace is a go-to for vehicles, ranch/farm equipment, furniture, and local services.
• Messaging-first habits (Messenger, SMS, Snapchat chat) drive coordination; more consuming than posting.
• High video consumption, low creation; short-form video used for entertainment and how‑to.
• Peak usage outside work hours: early morning and late evening; weekend spikes for events and sports.
• Connectivity constraints outside towns favor mobile-first, low-bitrate content; livestreaming mostly limited to school athletics.
• Best-performing content: hyperlocal, practical updates (weather, closures, ranching tips), school sports highlights, and community spotlights.

Data notes

• Because McPherson County’s population is ~400, platform providers and public datasets do not publish reliable, privacy-safe user counts by age and gender at the county level. The platform percentages above are from Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adult usage and provide the best-available guide to local platform ranking and approximate reach, with the county’s older, rural profile typically boosting Facebook and slightly dampening Instagram/TikTok relative to urban areas.

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (McPherson County, NE population = 399).
• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (U.S. adult platform adoption).