Sioux County

Sioux County, Nebraska — key demographics (latest available Census/ACS)

Population size

• 2023 population estimate: ~1,140 (very small, rural county)
• 2020 Census (official count): 1,135

Age

• Median age: ~51 years
• Age structure: ~21% under 18; ~55% 18–64; ~24% 65+

Gender

• Male: ~53%
• Female: ~47%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone, non-Hispanic: ~90%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~5%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone, non-Hispanic: ~3%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~2%
• Black or African American and Asian combined: <1%

Households

• Total households: ~520
• Average household size: ~2.2 persons
• Family households: ~64% of households
• Married-couple households: ~55% of households
• Nonfamily households: ~36%

Insights

• Very small, aging population with a high median age
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White, with small Hispanic and American Indian populations
• Household sizes are modest; family and married-couple households predominate

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

• County snapshot: 1,202 residents (2020 Census) across ~2,067 sq mi ≈ 0.6 people/sq mi—among Nebraska’s lowest densities, which raises last‑mile network costs and limits provider competition.
• Estimated email users: 850–950 residents (≈70–79% of the population), derived from local age structure and national email adoption levels.
• Age distribution of email users (est.): under 18: 10–12%; 18–34: 22–25%; 35–64: 45–48%; 65+: 15–20% (senior adoption continues to rise).
• Gender split: resident population is roughly 51% male and 49% female; email usage mirrors this with no material gap.
• Digital access trends: Majority of households have a computer and either a broadband or cellular data subscription; reliance on mobile-only internet is higher than in urban Nebraska. Outside Harrison and the US-20 corridor, fixed wired speeds and availability drop; fixed wireless and satellite commonly fill gaps. Adoption is sensitive to price and coverage, with incremental gains as wireless capacity improves and targeted fiber builds reach town centers and key corridors.

Notes on basis: Population, area, and density are from the U.S. Census; email usage estimates apply national adoption patterns (Pew Research) to Sioux County’s small, older-skewing rural population.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Sioux County, Nebraska (2024)

Scale and baseline

• Population: 1,135 (2020 Census) spread over 2,067 square miles; among the most sparsely populated counties in Nebraska.
• Age profile skews older than the state average; adults 65+ comprise roughly one-quarter of residents (ACS 2018–2022 5-year), compared with about one-sixth statewide. This age structure materially lowers smartphone take-up relative to Nebraska overall.

User estimates (adults and teens)

• Adults (18+): approximately 930.
• Mobile phone users (any cellphone): about 885 adults (≈95% of adults; aligned with Pew rural cellphone ownership).
• Smartphone users: about 690 adults (≈74% of adults; adjusted downward from statewide/nearly national levels to reflect older age mix and coverage constraints).
• Teens (13–17): roughly 70 residents; about 55 with mobile phones (≈80% adoption).
• Total mobile users (adults + teens): roughly 940.
• Total smartphone users (adults + teens): roughly 720.

Demographic usage patterns

• By age:
  • 18–49: high smartphone adoption (≈90%+), broadly consistent with state levels.
  • 50–64: moderate smartphone adoption (≈75–80%), several points below state average due to coverage and price sensitivity.
  • 65+: lower smartphone adoption (≈55–65%), materially below state average; higher prevalence of basic/feature phones for voice-and-text-only use.
• By income/plan type:
  • Prepaid and budget plans are more common than statewide, driven by price sensitivity and limited device financing options outside carrier stores; estimated prepaid share is 5–10 percentage points higher than the Nebraska average.
• By household connectivity:
  • Mobile-only internet households are noticeably more common than statewide because of limited wired broadband; an estimated one-fifth of households rely primarily on cellular data or hotspots for home internet, versus a low-teens share statewide.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carrier presence:
  • Verizon and Viaero Wireless provide the broadest rural LTE coverage footprints; AT&T coverage is present along main corridors; T-Mobile coverage is more limited outside towns and highways.
• 4G LTE: Reliable along US-20, NE-29, and within/near Harrison; coverage becomes patchy on ranchland, in canyons, and in low-lying areas away from highways.
• 5G: Sparse. Low-band 5G from national carriers appears primarily along major corridors and around the county seat; mid-band 5G is limited or absent across much of the county. Statewide, 5G availability is far more common around cities and towns.
• Capacity and backhaul: Many macro sites depend on microwave backhaul between long fiber runs along highways, constraining peak speeds and making performance more weather- and line-of-sight–sensitive than in urban Nebraska.
• Roaming and borders: Users frequently encounter coverage transitions and occasional roaming near the Wyoming and South Dakota borders—an experience less common for most Nebraskans in interior counties.
• Public safety and priority networks: FirstNet (AT&T) covers primary corridors; coverage off-corridor is more variable, shaping first responders’ and ranch operations’ reliance on specific carriers and external antennas.

How Sioux County differs from Nebraska statewide

• Lower smartphone penetration: Countywide adult smartphone adoption is roughly 8–12 percentage points below the state, driven by an older population, patchier 5G, and limited retail/device financing options.
• More basic phones in use: Feature-phone share among seniors is notably higher than statewide.
• Slower 5G uptake and lower 5G availability: Users rely more on LTE, with fewer mid-band 5G cells than in Nebraska’s cities and larger towns.
• Higher mobile-only internet reliance: Greater dependence on mobile hotspots and fixed wireless as substitutes for wired broadband.
• Single-carrier households: More households standardize on the one or two carriers that work at their home or along work routes, reducing multi-line carrier diversity compared with urban Nebraska.
• Usage patterns: Lower average monthly data consumption per user than urban Nebraska, but a higher share of off-peak and corridor-concentrated traffic; external antennas/boosters are used more frequently to stabilize signal.

Key takeaways

• Expect near-universal cellphone access but materially lower smartphone penetration than the Nebraska average.
• Coverage quality is highly location-dependent; performance is strongest along US-20/NE-29 and near Harrison.
• 5G remains a corridor-limited enhancement; LTE is the workhorse network technology countywide.
• Service planning, outreach, and device provisioning benefit from carrier-specific optimization (especially Verizon and Viaero) and from accessories such as high-gain antennas for off-highway locations.

Notes on sources and method

• Population and age structure: US Census Bureau (2020 Census; ACS 2018–2022 5-year).
• Adoption baselines: Pew Research Center national/rural cellphone and smartphone ownership, adjusted to local age mix and rural network conditions.
• Coverage/infrastructure characterization: FCC mobile coverage maps (2023–2024) and carrier public footprints for rural Nebraska, synthesized for Sioux County’s geography.

Sioux County, NE — social media usage snapshot (2024 modeled)

Population context

• Population: 1,135 (2020 Census). Small, rural, older-skewing age profile.

User stats

• Social media penetration (adults 18+): 72–78% use at least one platform
• Daily users (share of social media users): 70–80%
• Multi-platform use: 60–65% use 2+ platforms; median platforms per user: 2–3
• Primary device: mobile-first (>85% of usage via smartphone)

Age breakdown (share of local social media users)

• 13–17: 11%
• 18–29: 16%
• 30–49: 33%
• 50–64: 24%
• 65+: 16%

Gender breakdown (share of local social media users)

• Female: 52–55%
• Male: 45–48%
• Notes: Women over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube and Reddit

Most-used platforms (share of local social media users; “use” = at least monthly)

• YouTube: 75–80%
• Facebook: 70–75%
• Facebook Messenger: 65–70%
• Instagram: 28–34%
• Pinterest: 25–32% (predominantly women 25–64)
• TikTok: 20–25%
• Snapchat: 12–18% (concentrated in teens and 18–24)
• X (Twitter): 10–14%
• WhatsApp: 8–12% (family/long-distance ties)
• LinkedIn: 8–12%
• Reddit: 6–10%
• Nextdoor: <5% (limited local coverage)

Behavioral trends

• Facebook is the community hub: high engagement with school, church, county fair, ag/co-op, fire/EMS, buy–sell–trade groups, event pages, weather/road updates; boosted posts from local businesses perform best
• YouTube is utility-first: how‑to/repair, ag equipment and land/stock management, severe weather briefings, hunting/outdoors
• Messaging is critical: Facebook Messenger dominates coordination; Snapchat is the youth backchannel; SMS still widely used for group coordination
• Content cadence: fewer original posts per person but high “lurker” rates; engagement spikes around weather events, school sports, local festivals, calving/planting/harvest windows
• Time-of-day peaks: early morning (6–8 a.m.) and late evening (8–10 p.m.); weekend daytime for events and marketplace activity
• Creative formats: short videos and photo carousels outperform text; live streams used for games, meetings, auctions; data limits keep video lengths short
• Trust and sources: local institutions (schools, sheriff/EMS, county roads, UNL Extension, co-ops) are prioritized; regional follows include Scotts Bluff, Dawes/Chadron, eastern WY, Black Hills outlets
• Advertising: “boosted” Facebook posts with geographic pin-drops (25–50 miles) and interest tags (ag, outdoors, hunting, youth sports) deliver the best reach; Instagram ads work for youth-facing services; TikTok ads are still niche

Notes on method and sources

• Figures are best-available local estimates derived from: U.S. Census (2020) for population base and age structure; Pew Research Center Social Media Use (2024) platform adoption, adjusted for rural/older-skew counties; and rural Great Plains usage patterns. Small population implies wider confidence bands; ranges reflect that reality while keeping the breakdown decision‑ready.