Nemaha County

Nemaha County, Nebraska — key demographics

Population size

• 7,074 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age

• Median age: ~41 years (ACS 2018–2022 5-year)
• Age distribution: under 18 ~21%; 18–64 ~61%; 65+ ~18% (ACS 2018–2022)

Gender

• Male ~50–51%; Female ~49–50% (ACS 2018–2022)

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2018–2022; Hispanic is of any race)

• White: ~92–93%
• Hispanic/Latino: ~4–5%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Black/African American: ~0.5–1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.5–1%
• Asian: ~0.5–1%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~3,000
• Average household size: ~2.3 persons
• Family households: ~60% of households; married-couple families ~45–50%
• One-person households: ~30–35%

Insights

• Small, stable population centered around Auburn and Peru.
• Older-than-state median age and relatively small household size.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White with modest racial/ethnic diversity.

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

• Population and density: Nemaha County, NE had 7,074 residents in 2020 across roughly 409 sq mi (≈17 people/mi²), with connectivity concentrated around Auburn/US‑75 and Peru (Peru State College), and thinner fixed-broadband options on rural roads.
• Estimated email users: ≈5,400 residents use email regularly. Method: 5,480 adults (≈77.5% of population) × 92% U.S. adult email adoption ≈5,040, plus ~360 teen users (13–17) yields ≈5.4k total (76% of all residents).
• Age distribution of email users (estimate, reflecting rural age mix and age-specific adoption): Teens 7%, 18–29 16%, 30–49 31%, 50–64 26%, 65+ 20%.
• Gender split: Approximately even among users (≈51% female, 49% male), mirroring the county’s population balance.
• Digital access trends:
  • Usage is anchored by fixed broadband in Auburn/Peru; many outlying households rely more on LTE/smartphone access due to low density.
  • Smartphone-only internet reliance is material for rural Nebraskans, so mobile email remains common alongside home broadband.
  • Continued upgrades along the US‑75 corridor and institutional networks (e.g., Peru State College) support high email engagement for education, healthcare, agriculture, and government services.
• Insight: With adult adoption near national norms and a sizable 50+ population, email remains a primary channel for official communications, billing, and school-related notices, with mobile access mitigating last‑mile gaps.

Mobile phone usage in Nemaha County, Nebraska: summary and county-vs-state distinctions

Scope and sources

• Baseline population: 2020 Decennial Census (Nemaha County: 7,074 residents)
• Smartphone and internet subscriptions: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2018–2022 5‑year (S2801/S2802, household-level)
• Network availability: FCC Mobile Coverage/BDC filings and national carrier coverage disclosures current through 2024

User estimates and adoption

• Smartphone adoption (household level): Roughly nine in ten Nemaha County households report a smartphone with a data plan (ACS S2801, 2018–2022). This trails Nebraska’s statewide share (low-90s) by a small margin, consistent with rural counties’ slightly lower adoption.
• Smartphone-only internet households: A modest minority rely on a cellular data plan as their only at-home internet. Nemaha County’s share is roughly on par with or a bit above Nebraska’s average, reflecting households outside Auburn that lack competitively priced fixed broadband.
• Estimated adult smartphone users: With a 2020 population of 7,074 and a typical rural Nebraska adult share near three-quarters of residents, a conservative estimate is about 4,800–5,200 adult smartphone users in Nemaha County. This brackets ACS household-adoption results with age-adjusted user patterns.

Demographic patterns (how Nemaha differs from Nebraska overall)

• Age: Nemaha County’s older age profile produces a wider adoption gap by age:
  • Under 45: near-universal smartphone access in households (mid-to-high 90s, similar to statewide).
  • 65+: meaningfully lower household smartphone presence than the Nebraska average, widening the county’s overall gap versus the state.
• Income: Lower-income households in Nemaha are more likely to be smartphone-dependent for home internet than the statewide average, but mid- and higher-income households converge toward state adoption levels. The income gradient is steeper than in metro Nebraska (Omaha/Lincoln).
• Household composition: Families with children in Nemaha adopt smartphones and cellular data at rates comparable to statewide levels, reducing the county’s overall shortfall. Single-elderly households account for most of the deficit relative to Nebraska.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage footprint: 4G LTE coverage from all three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) blankets primary population centers and U.S. 75. 5G service is present in and around Auburn and along major corridors; coverage thins in low-density areas, bottomlands, and along some river-adjacent terrain.
• Capacity/speeds:
  • 4G LTE: commonly tens of Mbps in town and along highways; speeds drop at the edges of sectors and in valleys.
  • 5G: mid-band 5G delivers markedly higher throughput where deployed (often 100+ Mbps), but availability is more localized than in Nebraska’s metros.
• Backhaul and tower density: Fewer macro sites per square mile than urban Nebraska; most sectors serve larger footprints. This increases variability indoors and at the county’s fringes compared with state urban averages.
• Redundancy and resilience: Fewer overlapping sites mean performance is more sensitive to terrain, foliage, and congestion than in more densely towered urban counties.

Key trends that differ from the Nebraska statewide picture

• Slightly lower overall household smartphone adoption, driven primarily by a higher share of older and single-elderly households.
• A higher practical reliance on cellular data for home connectivity in outlying areas, despite overall adoption being fractionally lower than the state. In other words, fewer households overall have smartphones than Nebraska’s average, but those who do in remote parts depend on them more heavily.
• Greater service variability due to tower spacing and terrain, making mobile performance more location-sensitive than the state’s metro counties.
• Comparable adoption among families with children and working-age adults, indicating the county’s shortfall versus state averages is concentrated among seniors rather than across the board.

Implications

• Closing the county’s gap with state smartphone adoption hinges on senior-focused device affordability, training, and accessibility programs.
• Strategic infill (additional small cells or sector adds near population clusters and along U.S. 75) would reduce variability and raise usable indoor speeds, particularly for smartphone-only households.
• Coordinated fixed-wireless and mid-band 5G expansion can alleviate dependence on limited fixed broadband options in the most rural tracts while keeping costs manageable.

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

Baseline

• Population: 7,074 (2020 Census). Adult (18+) share typical for rural NE (~78–80%); ≈5,400–5,700 adults.
• Overall social media penetration: 70–75% of adults use at least one platform (aligned with Pew U.S. averages), or roughly 3,800–4,200 adults locally.

Age breakdown (share who use at least one social platform; Pew-based, applied locally)

• Teens 13–17: ~90–95%. Mix: YouTube ~95%, TikTok ~65–70%, Instagram ~60–65%, Snapchat ~55–60%, Facebook ~30%.
• 18–29: ~80–85%. Mix: YouTube ~90–95%, Instagram ~70–80%, Snapchat ~60–65%, TikTok ~55–65%, Facebook ~60–70%.
• 30–49: ~78–82%. Mix: YouTube ~85–90%, Facebook ~70–80%, Instagram ~45–55%, Pinterest ~35–45%, TikTok ~30–35%.
• 50–64: ~70–75%. Mix: YouTube ~80–85%, Facebook ~70–75%, Pinterest ~30–40%, Instagram ~25–35%, TikTok ~18–25%.
• 65+: ~40–50%. Mix: YouTube ~55–65%, Facebook ~45–55%, Pinterest ~15–25%, Instagram ~10–20%.

Gender breakdown (among local social-media users; reflects U.S. usage patterns)

• Users are roughly evenly split, with women slightly overrepresented: women ~52–55%, men ~45–48%.
• Platform skews: Pinterest and Instagram skew female; Reddit and X (Twitter) skew male; Facebook is near-even; TikTok and Snapchat lean slightly female.

Most-used platforms among adults in Nemaha County (modeled reach of adult population; ranges reflect rural adjustments)

• YouTube: 80–85% (broadly universal video consumption)
• Facebook: 65–75% (highest daily use; cornerstone for local groups/news/Marketplace)
• Instagram: 45–50% (strong among 18–34, local businesses, events)
• Pinterest: 30–40% (home, recipes, crafts; female-skew)
• TikTok: 30–35% (short-form video; younger-heavy but widening)
• Snapchat: 25–30% (messaging/social for high school and college-age)
• WhatsApp: 20–25% (family comms; smaller but steady)
• LinkedIn: 20–30% (lower in rural labor mix; higher among educators/healthcare)
• X (Twitter): 15–22% (news/sports niche)
• Reddit: 15–22% (topic communities; younger/male skew)
• Nextdoor: 8–15% (limited in low-density areas)

Behavioral trends observed in rural Nebraska counties and applicable locally

• Facebook is the default “community hub”: school, church, sports, county/public-safety pages, and buy/sell groups drive daily engagement.
• Facebook Marketplace is a primary local commerce channel (farm/ranch equipment, vehicles, household items); high response to well-lit photos and clear pickup details.
• Events mobilize quickly on Facebook and Instagram (fairs, athletics, fundraisers); “Going/Interested” signals translate to foot traffic.
• YouTube is heavily used for how‑to/DIY, ag/land management, small-engine repair, and entertainment; local creators see steady niche audiences.
• Short-form video (Reels/TikTok) increases discovery for local businesses; clips featuring people, behind-the-scenes, and seasonal offers perform best.
• Snapchat is a core messaging layer for teens/college students; story views outpace link clicks.
• Trust flows through known institutions and people: content from schools, churches, county offices, and coaches gets above-average engagement and share-through.
• Peak local engagement windows: early morning (6–8 a.m.), lunch (11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.), and evening (7–10 p.m.), with weekend spikes tied to games and events.
• Practical information outperforms generic brand promos: hours changes, closures, menus, cancellations, road/detour alerts, and severe-weather updates get high reach.
• Low-friction calls-to-action work best: “Message us,” “Call to reserve,” and RSVP buttons outperform off-platform links, especially on mobile.

Sources and method

• Population baseline: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Census). Adult share based on ACS patterns for rural Nebraska.
• Usage rates: Pew Research Center Social Media Fact Sheets (2024 adults; 2022 teens). Local percentages are modeled by applying current U.S. adoption rates to Nemaha County’s demographic profile and adjusted for rural usage patterns.