Scotts Bluff County

Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska — key demographics (latest available U.S. Census Bureau estimates, primarily ACS 2018–2022 5-year; population from 2020 Census/PEP where noted)

Population size

• Total population: ~36,000 (2020 Census 36,084; slight net growth through 2023 estimates)

Age

• Median age: ~39.5 years
• Age distribution: under 18 ≈ 24–25%; 18–64 ≈ 56–57%; 65+ ≈ 18–19%

Gender

• Female ≈ 50.5–51.0%
• Male ≈ 49.0–49.5%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone ≈ 85–87%
• Black or African American alone ≈ 1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone ≈ 2–3%
• Asian alone ≈ 0.5–1%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander alone ≈ 0.1%
• Two or more races ≈ 6–8%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race) ≈ 28–30%
• White alone, not Hispanic ≈ 59–61%

Household data

• Households: ~14,000–15,000
• Average household size: ~2.4–2.5
• Family households: ~62% of households; married-couple families ~44%
• With children under 18: ~28% of households
• Homeownership rate: ~66%
• Median household income: roughly mid–$50,000s ($55k–$58k)
• Per capita income: roughly ~$30,000
• Poverty rate: ~13–14%

Insights

• The county has a sizable Hispanic/Latino community (about 3 in 10 residents).
• Age structure is slightly older than the U.S. average, with about 1 in 5 residents 65+.
• Household size is modest and homeownership is the norm.
• Incomes trail state and national medians, with poverty modestly above the Nebraska average.

Scotts Bluff County, NE email usage (estimates grounded in Census/ACS and Pew adoption rates):

• Users: ~27,300 residents use email (≈76% of 36.1k population), including ~25,700 adults (18+).
• Age mix of users: 13–17 ≈1,600 (6%); 18–29 ≈4,800 (18%); 30–49 ≈8,600 (31%); 50–64 ≈7,500 (27%); 65+ ≈4,900 (18%). Adoption is highest among 18–49 (95%), solid for 50–64 (90%), and lower for 65+ (~75%).
• Gender split: Near parity; ≈13,800 female and ≈13,500 male email users, reflecting the county’s roughly even sex ratio.
• Digital access trends: About 88% of households have an internet subscription; 80–85% have fixed broadband, with 8–10% smartphone‑only. Broadband subscription has risen roughly 3–5 points since 2018, driven by fiber/cable buildouts in the urban core and school/work needs.
• Density/connectivity: Population ≈36.1k over ~746 sq mi (≈48 people/sq mi). Most residents live in the Scottsbluff–Gering urban cluster, where gigabit fiber/cable is widely available; rural areas rely more on fixed wireless/DSL and see lower adoption and speeds, which depress email use among older and lower‑income households.

Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska — mobile phone usage overview (2024)

Topline user estimates

• Population base: ≈36,300 residents (2023 ACS). About 76% are adults (≈27,600), with ≈2,300 teens age 13–17.
• Total mobile phone users (any mobile device): ≈28,000–29,000 residents, reflecting adult mobile-phone ownership near 94–96% in rural America plus very high teen adoption.
• Smartphone users: ≈24,000–25,000 residents.
  • Adults: ≈22,000–23,000 (assumes 80–83% smartphone ownership among rural adults).
  • Teens 13–17: ≈2,100 (≈95% ownership).
• Mobile-only home internet: ≈2,700–3,000 households rely primarily on a cellular data plan for home internet (roughly 18–20% of ≈14,600 households), higher than Nebraska’s statewide share (≈12–14%).

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age
  • Seniors (65+): share of population is a bit higher than the state average. Smartphone ownership among seniors is estimated around the low-to-mid 60s percent in the county, versus high 60s statewide, contributing to a slightly lower overall penetration.
  • Teens: very high smartphone adoption (≈95%), heavy use of messaging apps and short‑form video; in-home broadband gaps push above-average reliance on mobile data after school hours compared with the state.
• Income and education
  • Median household income trails the Nebraska median, correlating with more prepaid plans and longer device upgrade cycles (3–4 years typical) than in metro Nebraska.
  • Households without wireline broadband are more likely to substitute an unlimited mobile plan, lifting mobile-only rates above the state average by roughly 5–7 percentage points.
• Race/ethnicity and language
  • Hispanic/Latino community is notably larger than the state average. Smartphone reliance is high within this group, with elevated use of mobile messaging and social platforms for work coordination and family communication, and above-average incidence of mobile-only home internet.
• Urban–rural split
  • The Scottsbluff–Gering urban cluster shows near-urban smartphone adoption and 5G availability.
  • Outlying rural areas exhibit lower smartphone adoption among seniors, more voice/SMS dependence, and greater sensitivity to coverage and backhaul constraints.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage and technology mix
  • 4G LTE is effectively ubiquitous along primary corridors (US‑26, NE‑71, NE‑92) and population centers.
  • 5G (low-band) covers the Scottsbluff–Gering–Terrytown area; mid-band 5G capacity is concentrated in town and along highways, with patchier reach into agricultural townships. Millimeter-wave is not a meaningful factor.
  • Rural fringe areas still lean on LTE for capacity and indoor reliability.
• Capacity/backhaul
  • Fiber backhaul is present in town, supporting denser 5G sites and higher sector capacity; beyond town, microwave backhaul and longer fiber laterals limit peak speeds and increase congestion during evening hours.
• Alternatives and complements
  • Fixed wireless (licensed and unlicensed) is a common home broadband substitute outside town; this, combined with unlimited mobile plans, underpins the county’s higher mobile-only share.
  • Public-safety LTE (FirstNet on Band 14) is available in the Panhandle region and improves rural reach and in‑building coverage for agencies, indirectly benefiting commercial users where sites are shared.

How Scotts Bluff County differs from Nebraska statewide

• Higher mobile-only home internet use: roughly 18–20% of households in the county vs 12–14% statewide, reflecting more households substituting cellular for wireline.
• Slightly lower adult smartphone penetration: roughly low‑80s percent in the county vs mid‑80s statewide, driven by an older age profile and lower income.
• More uneven 5G capacity: strong in the Scottsbluff–Gering core but thinner in outlying precincts; statewide, 5G availability is more uniform in metro counties.
• Greater reliance on prepaid and longer device replacement cycles than in Omaha/Lincoln metros.
• Heavier day‑time and seasonal load variability tied to agriculture and small‑business mobility, which can create localized LTE congestion not typically seen in urban Nebraska.

Implications and actionable insights

• Network planning: Prioritize mid-band 5G infill and sector splits just beyond the Scottsbluff–Gering urban cluster and along farm-to-market routes to relieve LTE congestion.
• Affordability and adoption: Subsidy programs and low-cost plans can lift senior smartphone adoption and reduce the mobile-only necessity where wireline is feasible.
• Bilingual engagement: Customer support, emergency alerts, and healthcare communications should emphasize mobile-first, bilingual channels to match usage patterns.
• Resilience: Ensure backup power and diversified backhaul on key highway-adjacent sites to stabilize rural coverage during weather events, when wireless is the primary connection for many households.

Scotts Bluff County, NE — social media usage snapshot (modeled 2023–2025)

Note on method: County-specific platform surveys aren’t published. Figures below are planning-grade estimates modeled from Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 social media studies, rural Great Plains benchmarks, and U.S. Census/ACS age structure for similar rural counties in Nebraska.

Overall reach and frequency

• Adults using at least one social platform: 70–75% of adults
• Daily social media users: 60–65% of adults
• Multi-platform behavior: ~60% of social users use 2+ platforms; ~30% use 3+ platforms
• Primary device: 80–85% of social users access via smartphone daily; ~15–20% are smartphone-only internet users

Most-used platforms (adult reach; estimates)

• YouTube: 75–80%
• Facebook: 70–75% (highest daily use; dominant for local info)
• Instagram: 30–40%
• TikTok: 25–35%
• Snapchat: 25–30% (concentrated under 35)
• Pinterest: 25–35% (skews female, home/food/DIY)
• X (Twitter): 15–20% (news/sports niche)
• LinkedIn: 15–20% (professional niche)
• Nextdoor: low single digits (neighborhood coverage limited in rural areas)

Age-group usage patterns

• Teens (13–17): YouTube 90%+, Snapchat 60–70%, TikTok 60–70%, Instagram ~50%; Facebook limited
• 18–29: YouTube 90%+, Instagram ~80%, TikTok ~70%, Snapchat ~65%, Facebook ~50%
• 30–49: YouTube ~85%, Facebook ~75%, Instagram ~45%, TikTok ~30%, Snapchat ~25%
• 50–64: Facebook ~70%, YouTube ~70–75%, Instagram ~25%, TikTok ~15–20%
• 65+: Facebook ~60–65%, YouTube ~55–60%, Instagram/TikTok each ~10–15%

Gender breakdown (share-of-use tendencies)

• Women: higher likelihood of Facebook (+5–8 points vs men), Instagram (+2–4), Pinterest (strongly female; ~2x men)
• Men: higher likelihood of YouTube (+5–10), Reddit (small but mostly male), X/Twitter (slight male skew)
• Messaging: Women favor Facebook Messenger for community coordination; men slightly higher on Discord/Reddit for hobby/tech

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Facebook is the community hub: Local news, school and city updates, church/community groups, Marketplace, and event coordination drive the highest engagement. Boosted posts significantly outperform organic for businesses and institutions.
• Video-first consumption: Short-form vertical video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) outperforms static posts for discovery; YouTube remains the go-to for how‑to, product research, and local sports highlights.
• Event-driven spikes: Weather alerts, school sports, county fair, festivals, hunting seasons, and severe-storm incidents produce sharp, short engagement peaks across Facebook and YouTube.
• Messaging-centric actions: Many interactions move to Messenger/SMS/Snapchat for arranging sales (Marketplace), volunteer coordination, and service bookings.
• Trust hierarchy: Content from known local people, schools, churches, ag organizations, and recognizable small businesses outperforms national brands. User-generated photos and local faces materially lift click-through and shares.
• Time-of-day rhythm: Early morning (6–8 a.m.), lunch, and evening (7–10 p.m.) see the most consistent activity; weekends favor events, sports recaps, and buy/sell posts.
• Commerce: Marketplace and local buy/sell groups are high-velocity touchpoints; short videos and price/availability in captions increase conversions.

Practical implications

• To reach most adults, prioritize Facebook and YouTube; add Instagram and TikTok for under-40 reach.
• Use short-form video plus square/vertical creative; pair with concise local copy and faces.
• Leverage Facebook Groups, Events, and Messenger for community engagement; expect to allocate budget for post boosts to ensure reach.
• For youth audiences, deploy Snapchat/TikTok with school sports, challenges, and creator-style content.
• For women 25–54 in home/food/education niches, include Pinterest alongside Facebook/Instagram.
• Measure for event spikes and seasonality; plan rapid-response content during storms, school milestones, and local festivals.

Sources and basis: Pew Research Center (Social Media Use in 2023–2024), platform-specific demographic summaries by Pew; American Community Survey (ACS) for rural Nebraska age structure; rural Great Plains adoption patterns. Figures are county-level estimates derived from these datasets and reflect typical patterns observed in Nebraska’s rural micropolitan communities.