Phelps County

Phelps County, Nebraska — key demographics

Population size

• 9,163 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age

• Median age: ~43 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~23%
• 18–64: ~56%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Racial/ethnic composition (share of total population)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~89–90%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~7–8%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~2%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: <1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~0.5%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: ~0.4%

Households

• Total households: ~3,800–3,900
• Average household size: ~2.3–2.4
• Family households: ~60–62% of households
• Married-couple households: ~50–55% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~25–30%
• Households with someone age 65+: ~30%

Insights

• Small, stable population with an older age profile than the U.S. overall.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White, with a modest but notable Hispanic community.
• Household sizes are below the national average, and married-couple and senior households make up a relatively large share.

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

Email usage in Phelps County, Nebraska is high for a rural area. Population ≈9,000 with density ≈17 residents per square mile. Estimated email users: ≈7,900 (≈88% of residents). Age distribution of email users: under 18: 17% (≈1.3k); 18–34: 20% (≈1.6k); 35–54: 29% (≈2.3k); 55–64: 14% (≈1.1k); 65+: 20% (≈1.6k). Gender split among users: female ≈51%, male ≈49%.

Digital access and trends:

• Internet use ≈90% of residents; home broadband subscriptions ≈83% of households; adult smartphone ownership ≈90%, with ≈12% smartphone‑only internet access.
• Connectivity is densest in Holdrege and other towns with multiple ISPs; speeds and options taper in outlying farm areas, consistent with rural Nebraska patterns.
• Public libraries and schools provide free Wi‑Fi that supplements home and mobile access.

Insights: Email adoption is near‑universal among working‑age adults, strong among older adults, and somewhat lower among teens who rely more on messaging apps. Growth in email reach is driven mainly by improving rural broadband and widespread smartphones rather than population change. Overall digital engagement aligns with Nebraska’s rural broadband trajectory while reflecting the county’s low-density, agriculture‑oriented settlement pattern.

Phelps County, Nebraska — Mobile phone usage snapshot (2024–2025)

Population baseline

• Total population: 9,188 (2020 Census)
• Occupied households: ~3,950 (derived from average household size and Census/ACS patterns for similarly sized Nebraska counties)

User estimates

• Adult mobile phone users: ~6,400 (about 92% of adults; rural counties with older age profiles typically run a few points below statewide uptake)
• Adult smartphone users: ~6,000 (about 85–88% of adults)
• Mobile-only home internet (households relying on a cellular data plan with no wired broadband): ~580 households, or ~15% of households
  • This share is higher than Nebraska’s overall rate by roughly 2–4 percentage points, reflecting more limited fixed broadband options outside the county seat and unincorporated areas

Demographic breakdown (modeled from Pew/ACS adoption by age, adjusted for rural/older mix)

• 18–34: 95–97% smartphone adoption; most are mobile-first for internet
• 35–54: 90–93% smartphone adoption; strong reliance on mobile for work comms and navigation
• 55–64: 80–85% smartphone adoption; growing use of telehealth and messaging
• 65+: 60–65% smartphone adoption; lower app usage intensity and higher share of basic/older smartphones Key differences from state-level
• The county’s older age structure (share of 65+ several points above the Nebraska average) depresses smartphone adoption by roughly 3–5 percentage points versus statewide
• Mobile-only home internet is meaningfully higher than the state average, indicating residents are more likely to substitute cellular for fixed broadband in outlying areas
• Upgrade cycles skew longer (older devices in use), so advanced 5G features penetrate more slowly than in Omaha/Lincoln

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage: 4G LTE is effectively countywide outdoors. 5G low-band covers most populated areas; mid-band 5G is concentrated in and around Holdrege and along primary corridors (US-6/34, NE-183, NE-23)
• Carriers: AT&T (including FirstNet), Verizon, and T-Mobile operate macro sites; MVNO users ride on these networks
• Speeds: Typical real-world mobile download speeds fall in the 30–80 Mbps range countywide, with higher peaks on mid-band 5G near Holdrege; this is generally below statewide urban medians and reflects later/lower-density mid-band deployments
• Backhaul and density: Tower spacing is wider than in urban Nebraska, with fiber-fed sites clustered near the county seat and major highways; fixed wireless remains important on the periphery
• Reliability: Outdoor reliability is solid on arterials; indoor coverage can be inconsistent in metal buildings and at the rural fringes, where residents more often rely on external antennas or boosters

Usage patterns that diverge from Nebraska overall

• Higher reliance on cellular as a primary household connection, especially in farmsteads and small settlements lacking cable/fiber
• More data-only and M2M/IoT lines per capita tied to agriculture (equipment telematics, sensors), which lifts SIM counts without necessarily raising smartphone penetration
• Slightly lower average mobile speeds due to a heavier mix of low-band 5G/4G and fewer mid-band nodes than in metro counties
• App usage skews practical (navigation, weather, markets, messaging) with comparatively lower entertainment streaming on cellular than in urban Nebraska, where unlimited mid-band 5G is more pervasive

How to interpret the gap with statewide figures

• Age structure and settlement pattern drive the main differences: older residents lower the smartphone share, and sparse density delays mid-band 5G buildout, which in turn makes cellular substitution for home internet a pragmatic—but speed-limited—choice more often than elsewhere in the state

Method notes

• Population/households anchored to 2020 Census with ACS-consistent household counts
• Adoption and mobile-only estimates derived from ACS Internet Subscription (S2801) patterns for rural Nebraska counties and Pew Research smartphone ownership by age, adjusted for Phelps County’s older age profile and rural settlement
• Coverage/performance synthesized from carrier public coverage disclosures and observed rural Nebraska deployment patterns through 2024

Phelps County, Nebraska social media snapshot (2025)

Population and connectivity

• Population: 9,163 (2020 Census). Adults 18+: ≈7,050.
• Gender: ≈49% male, 51% female (ACS).
• Households with a broadband subscription: ≈84% (ACS 2018–2022).
• Smartphone adoption among adults (rural benchmark): ≈85% (Pew).

Most-used platforms among adults (share of adult residents; ≈7,050 baseline)

• YouTube: 80% (≈5.6K adults)
• Facebook: 72% (≈5.1K)
• Instagram: 38% (≈2.7K)
• Pinterest: 34% (≈2.4K)
• TikTok: 29% (≈2.0K)
• Snapchat: 24% (≈1.7K)
• WhatsApp: 22% (≈1.6K)
• X (Twitter): 21% (≈1.5K)
• LinkedIn: 21% (≈1.5K)
• Reddit: 16% (≈1.1K)

Age-group usage patterns (platforms with notably higher adoption in each group)

• 18–29: Very high multi-platform use (90%+ on at least one). Heavy on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; Facebook used but secondary.
• 30–49: YouTube and Facebook dominate; Instagram moderate; TikTok/Pinterest mixed.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube lead; Instagram/Pinterest moderate; Snapchat/TikTok limited.
• 65+: Facebook is the primary network; YouTube moderate; other platforms low.

Gender tendencies

• Women: Higher likelihood of Facebook, Instagram, and especially Pinterest use (Pinterest skews strongly female).
• Men: Higher relative use of Reddit and X; YouTube strong for both genders.

Behavioral trends in Phelps County’s rural context

• Facebook is the community hub: local news, county/city offices, school and sports updates, churches, buy–sell groups, and event coordination.
• Marketplace is a core behavior (farm/ranch equipment, vehicles, furniture) with high engagement and quick response expectations.
• Video leads discovery and learning: YouTube for how‑to/DIY, ag equipment maintenance, weather; short‑form via Facebook Reels, Instagram Reels, and TikTok.
• Messaging pivots on Facebook Messenger; Snapchat is prevalent among younger users; SMS remains common for coordination.
• Local trust effect: Content featuring known people, places, and service providers outperforms generic brand creative.
• Timing: Engagement peaks evenings (7–10 pm CT) and Sunday nights; seasonality tied to planting/harvest and school sports calendars.
• News and alerts: Facebook pages/groups and YouTube/live streams from regional media and meteorologists are primary; X is used by a smaller cohort for real-time sports and weather.
• Multi-platform duplication: The same users often see content across Facebook and Instagram; short-form video improves reach among under‑40 adults.

Notes on method

• Demographics and broadband: U.S. Census/ACS. Platform percentages reflect Pew Research Center’s latest U.S. rural adoption rates applied to Phelps County’s adult population to produce locally grounded estimates.