Seward County

Seward County, Nebraska – key demographics

Population size

• 2023 population estimate: ~17,900 (U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program)
• 2020 Census: 17,609

Age

• Median age: ~37–38 years
• Under 18: ~25%
• 65 and over: ~17%

Gender

• Male: ~50%
• Female: ~50%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 5-year, most recent)

• White alone: ~94%
• Black or African American alone: ~0.5–1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.3%
• Asian alone: ~0.5–1%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%
• Two or more races: ~4%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~5%
• White alone, not Hispanic: ~90%

Households and housing (ACS 5-year, most recent)

• Households: ~6,600–6,800
• Average household size: ~2.6
• Family households: ~68–70% of households
• Married-couple households: ~55% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~30–33%
• Nonfamily households: ~30–32%
• One-person households: ~25–27%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~73–75%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; 2023 Population Estimates Program). Figures rounded; ACS values are estimates.

Seward County, Nebraska has roughly 17,800 residents, with a low rural density of about 31 people per square mile. Estimated email users: about 13,700 residents (≈77% of the population).

Age distribution of email users (share of users):

• 13–17: 7%
• 18–29: 19%
• 30–49: 33%
• 50–64: 28%
• 65+: 14%

Gender split among email users: approximately 51% female and 49% male, mirroring the county’s near-even overall sex ratio.

Digital access and trends:

• Household broadband subscription is high for a rural county at roughly the upper‑80% range, and rising, driven by cable/fiber availability in Seward and Milford and expanding fixed‑wireless options in outlying areas.
• Most households have a computer (around 9 in 10), while about 1 in 8 are smartphone‑only for home internet.
• Interstate 80 bisects the county, improving backhaul and mobile coverage; 4G/5G service is strongest along the I‑80 and US‑34 corridors.
• Proximity to the Lincoln metro area supports stronger connectivity than many rural peers, and local institutions (schools, libraries, college campuses) provide reliable public Wi‑Fi that supplements home access.

Overall, email usage is broad-based, with peak engagement in the 30–49 cohort and steady growth among seniors as broadband and mobile coverage improve.

Seward County, NE — Mobile phone usage summary (2024, modeled estimates)

Snapshot

• Population: ~17,700; households: ~6,900
• Residents with a mobile phone: ~14,400 (≈81% of total population)
• Smartphone users: ~13,200 (≈74% of population; ≈92% of adult mobile users)
• Wireless-only households (no landline): 4,700 (≈68% of households), slightly higher than the Nebraska average (65%)
• 5G-capable device share among smartphones: ~83% (a bit lower than the state, reflecting a slightly older rural device mix)
• Estimated active mobile lines (phones, tablets, watches, hotspots): ~15,000–16,000
• Typical monthly mobile data usage: ~20 GB per line; county aggregate ≈0.30 petabytes/month

Demographic breakdown (usage and adoption patterns)

• 18–24: Very high smartphone adoption (~98%) and heavy mobile data use; above Nebraska’s average for this age group due to the local university presence and commuter-student mix
• 25–44: Near-saturation smartphone adoption (~95–97%); high reliance on unlimited plans and hotspot use for portability
• 45–64: High adoption (~90%); moderate-to-high data use, strong family-plan participation
• 65+: Solid but lower smartphone adoption (~75–80%); text/voice-first usage patterns, growing telehealth/video calling adoption; mobile-only households modestly higher here than statewide, reflecting limited landline use in rural areas
• Income/education effect: Commuter ties to Lincoln and the presence of a university elevate device turnover and 5G device penetration compared with many rural Nebraska counties, though still trailing Omaha/Lincoln metros

Carrier mix and performance

• Subscriber share (all lines): Verizon ~44%, AT&T ~30%, T-Mobile ~26% (tilted more toward Verizon than the statewide mix; T-Mobile under-indexes vs Omaha/Lincoln but is growing along I‑80)
• Coverage:
  • 5G low-band population coverage: ~98–99% (in line with statewide)
  • 5G midband population coverage (capacity 5G): ~70%—strong for a rural county due to Seward/Milford/Utica and the I‑80/US‑34 corridors, but below the statewide figure driven by urban metros
• Speeds (typical user experience):
  • In-town 5G midband: ~120–200 Mbps down, 10–20 Mbps up, 25–40 ms latency
  • Countywide median across mixed tech: ~60 Mbps down, ~10 Mbps up, with lower valleys and section roads dipping below 10–20 Mbps at cell edges
• Network load: Pronounced weekday peaks tied to I‑80 commuting toward Lincoln and student schedules; game-day/event spikes on the Lincoln corridor exceed normal rural patterns

Digital infrastructure and availability

• Macro cell sites: on the order of 40–50 countywide, clustered along I‑80, US‑34, Seward, Milford, Utica, and key grain/industrial sites; selective small cells and sector splits in Seward proper and around campus
• Backhaul: Multiple long-haul fiber routes parallel I‑80; most town sites are fiber-fed, while remote sectors use a mix of fiber and licensed microwave
• Fixed wireless and mobile home internet:
  • 5G Home Internet offers from national carriers are broadly available in Seward and Milford and spotty-to-available in Utica and other towns
  • Independent WISPs fill in rural gaps; performance varies with line-of-sight and tower distance
• Public safety/priority networks: FirstNet coverage along I‑80/US‑34 and in towns; used by local agencies for priority and preemption
• Dead zones/pain points: Farther from I‑80/US‑34 and outside town footprints—particularly low-lying areas and section roads—users encounter 4G-only service with reduced capacity and occasional coverage drops

How Seward County differs from Nebraska overall

• Higher reliance on mobile: Wireless-only households run a few points above the state average (≈68% vs ≈65%)
• Youth-driven adoption: 18–24 smartphone and data usage exceed the state’s rural norm due to university presence; device refresh cycles are faster than most rural counties
• Carrier balance: More Verizon-weighted than the statewide mix; T‑Mobile’s share trails metro areas but has improved with midband 5G along I‑80
• Coverage profile: Better midband 5G reach than many rural Nebraska counties because of the interstate and town density, yet below the statewide figure dominated by Omaha/Lincoln ubiquity
• Performance: Countywide median speeds are modestly below statewide medians, with a sharper in‑town vs. rural edge gap than in urban counties
• Usage patterns: Commute- and campus-driven peak loads are more pronounced than the state average outside major metros

Notes on methodology

• Figures are 2024 modeled estimates based on 2020 Census/ACS county demographics, state and national mobile adoption benchmarks (Pew/CDC), carrier-reported coverage footprints, and rural performance norms calibrated to interstate-adjacent Nebraska counties. Where official county-level measurements are not published, values reflect conservative, infrastructure-aware estimates anchored to the I‑80 corridor context.

Seward County, NE social media snapshot (2025)

Population base

• Residents: ≈17,600 (ACS 2018–2022 5-year estimate)
• People ages 13+: ≈14,600

Estimated social media users

• Total users (13+): ≈11,000 (≈75% of 13+; ≈63% of total population)
• By age (share of county’s social users; counts rounded):
  • 13–17: 11% (1,100)
  • 18–29: 23% (2,500)
  • 30–49: 35% (3,900)
  • 50–64: 20% (2,200)
  • 65+: 11% (1,200)
• Gender among users: Female 52% (5,700); Male 48% (5,300)

Most-used platforms (adult users, 18+)

• Base of adult social users: ≈9,800
• YouTube: 83% (8,200)
• Facebook: 69% (6,800)
• Instagram: 43% (4,200)
• TikTok: 33% (3,200)
• Snapchat: 30% (3,000)
• Pinterest: 31% (3,000; skew female)
• LinkedIn: 28% (2,700; skew 25–49)
• X (Twitter): 22% (2,200)
• WhatsApp: 23% (2,300)
• Nextdoor: 4% (400; limited rural uptake)

Notes on teens (13–17)

• Very high overall social use (~95%)
• Leading platforms: YouTube (~90%+), Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok each ~60% range; Facebook low (<35%)

Behavioral trends observed locally and in similar rural Midwest counties

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of Groups (neighborhoods, school activities, youth sports, ag/4‑H, churches) and Marketplace; highest daily local engagement.
• Video-first consumption: YouTube for how‑to, faith, sports highlights, local government meetings; TikTok/Shorts/Reels for quick local updates and events.
• Young cohort split: College-age and high school lean Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok for messaging, stories, and short video; they see Facebook mostly via shares or for events.
• Information seeking: Weather, road closures, school notices, high school/college sports, local events, and public safety posts drive strong reach and sharing.
• Commerce: Facebook Marketplace is the dominant local buy/sell channel; service businesses and seasonal ag/lawn/handyman offers perform well with simple creative and clear calls to action.
• Timing and device: Predominantly mobile; engagement concentrates evenings and weekends; morning spikes around school/work commutes for quick check-ins.
• Trust and tone: Posts from recognizable local institutions (city/county, schools, churches, volunteer orgs) earn higher trust and interaction; practical, community-centered messaging outperforms polished corporate creative.

Method and sources

• Population: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2018–2022 (county population and age structure).
• Adoption rates: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use (2024) for adult platform adoption; Pew Research Center, Teens, Social Media and Technology (2023) for teen adoption.
• County-level figures are derived by applying age-specific adoption rates to Seward County’s population profile; numbers are rounded and intended as planning estimates.