Thayer County

Key demographics for Thayer County, Nebraska (U.S. Census Bureau)

Population size

• 5,034 (2020 Decennial Census)
• Down from 5,228 in 2010 (−3.7%)

Gender (2020 Census)

• Male: ~49%
• Female: ~51%

Age (ACS 2018–2022, 5-year estimates)

• Median age: ~50 years
• Under 18: ~22%
• 18–64: ~53%
• 65 and over: ~25%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2018–2022)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~94–95%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3–4%
• Two or more races: ~1–2%
• Black or African American: <1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: <1%
• Asian: <1%

Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~2,300
• Average household size: ~2.2
• Family households: ~57% of households; average family size: ~2.7–2.8
• Married-couple households: ~49% of all households
• One-person households: ~33–35%; with someone 65+ living alone: ~17–20%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~79–81%

Insights

• Small, slowly declining population with an older age profile.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White, with a small but present Hispanic/Latino population.
• Household sizes are modest, homeownership is high, and a notable share of households include older adults living alone.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (DP1) and 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates (DP02, DP04, DP05).

Thayer County, NE email landscape (2025):

• Population: 5,034 (2020 Census); ~4,900–5,000 currently. Estimated individual email users: ~4,200–4,400 (≈85–90% of residents age 13+). Daily users: ~60–65% of residents.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: ~6%
  • 18–34: ~19%
  • 35–64: ~50%
  • 65+: ~25% Adoption by age: ~95% (18–49), ~90–92% (50–64), ~78–85% (65+), ~85–90% (teens).
• Gender split among users: ~51% female, ~49% male, mirroring county demographics.
• Digital access and devices:
  • Households with any internet subscription: ~82–85%.
  • Fixed broadband (wired/cable/fiber ≥25/3 Mbps): ~70–75% of households; fiber growing in town centers.
  • Smartphone-only internet households: ~10–12%.
  • Households with a computer/tablet: ~78–82%.
• Density/connectivity facts: ~574 sq mi land area; ~9 residents per sq mi. Most robust wired coverage is in Hebron (county seat) and nearby towns (e.g., Deshler, Davenport); outlying farms rely more on fixed wireless/DSL. Mobile 4G is strongest along US‑81 and US‑136 corridors. Overall trend: gradual gains in fiber and speeds in town, persistent rural last‑mile gaps shaping email access for seniors and remote households.

Mobile phone usage summary — Thayer County, Nebraska

How many users (modeled estimates anchored to 2020 Census population of 5,034 and national age-specific adoption benchmarks)

• Adults with smartphones: ~3,350–3,450 (about 82–85% of adults)
• Teen smartphone users (13–17): ~250
• Total smartphone users (all ages): ~3,600–3,700 (about 72–74% of the population)
• Wireless-only telephone households (no landline): ~60–65% of households
• Mobile-only internet households (cellular data plan but no fixed home broadband): ~10–12% of households

Demographic breakdown (drivers of adoption and use)

• Older population profile depresses overall smartphone penetration relative to Nebraska statewide:
  • Age 65+: roughly 28–30% of residents (vs mid-teens statewide), with smartphone ownership materially lower than younger cohorts
  • By age cohort (approximate adoption applied to local age mix):
    • 18–29: ~96% own a smartphone → ~480–490 users
    • 30–49: ~95–97% → ~950–980 users
    • 50–64: ~83–87% → ~920–980 users
    • 65+: ~65–70% → ~950–1,020 users
    • Teens 13–17: ~95% → ~240–260 users
• Income and education gradients:
  • Mobile-only internet reliance is concentrated among lower-income and less-connected households in unserved/underserved areas; estimated ~18–22% of sub-$35k households are mobile-only vs ~6–8% of $75k+ households
• Work and commute patterns:
  • Higher share of agriculture, trades, and local services yields heavier daytime voice/text use and moderate mobile data use, with peaks along US‑81/US‑136 corridors and in Hebron/Deshler

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Network footprint:
  • All three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) operate in the county; regional carrier Viaero Wireless has notable rural coverage
  • 4G LTE covers virtually all populated places; low‑band 5G covers town centers and major highways, with mid‑band 5G capacity more limited than in metro Nebraska
• Tower density and backhaul:
  • Sparse macro‑site grid typical of rural Great Plains; sites are fiber‑fed along highway corridors with microwave backhaul at the edges
  • Small‑cell deployments are minimal outside of town cores
• User experience:
  • Median mobile download speeds typically in the 25–60 Mbps range on LTE/low‑band 5G, with higher bursts where mid‑band 5G is present; upload speeds commonly 5–15 Mbps
  • Reliability is strong in towns and along highways; service can degrade in fringe farmland and along county borders where inter‑site distances are longest

How Thayer County differs from Nebraska statewide

• Older age structure → lower overall smartphone penetration and slower 5G device uptake than the state average
• Higher share of mobile‑only internet households, reflecting patchier fixed broadband and greater reliance on cellular for home connectivity
• Lower typical mobile speeds and capacity due to sparser mid‑band 5G and fewer sectorized macro sites than in metro counties
• More prepaid and regional‑carrier usage (e.g., Viaero) than in Omaha/Lincoln, driven by coverage and price sensitivity
• Voice/text reliability meets expectations, but indoor coverage is more variable in farmsteads and metal buildings compared with urban Nebraska

Implications and actionable insights

• Capacity hot spots: Prioritize mid‑band 5G upgrades in Hebron, Deshler, and along US‑81/US‑136 to raise median speeds and headroom
• Coverage gaps: Add infill or sector optimization in fringe agricultural areas to reduce dead zones affecting farm operations and school bus routes
• Demand shape: Older residents benefit from targeted device/plan education and emergency‑reliability messaging; mobile‑only households value generous hotspot/tethering allowances
• Public safety: Ensure e911 location accuracy through periodic drive testing, especially in low‑density tracts with microwave‑backhauled sites

Notes on methodology

• User estimates apply national age‑specific smartphone adoption benchmarks to Thayer County’s age mix from the 2020 Census and are rounded to reflect rural market variance; mobile‑only internet and wireless‑only telephone household shares reflect rural Nebraska norms and observed gaps between rural counties and statewide averages. These figures are intended for planning and comparison and align with observed rural Great Plains patterns.

Thayer County, Nebraska — Social Media Usage Snapshot

Note on data: There is no official, county-level social media census. Figures below are best-available estimates modeled from recent Pew Research on U.S. rural users and platform adoption, adjusted for Thayer County’s older age profile. Use them as planning-quality numbers.

Overall usage (adults)

• Social media penetration: 72–78% of adults
• Daily users among social media users: ~70–75%
• Mobile-first access: ~90%+ of social use is on smartphones

Most-used platforms (share of all adults; in parentheses, share of social media users)

• Facebook: 55–62% (75–85%)
• YouTube: 60–66% (80–85%)
• Instagram: 22–28% (30–38%)
• TikTok: 18–23% (25–32%)
• Snapchat: 17–21% (23–29%)
• Pinterest: 18–22% (25–30%; skew female)
• X (Twitter): 9–12% (12–16%)
• LinkedIn: 9–12% (12–16%)
• Reddit/Discord: 3–6% (4–8%; small but male-skewed)

Age-group adoption (share of each age group using any social media; platform tendencies)

• 18–29: 92–96%; heavy YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok; Facebook used mainly for groups/events
• 30–49: 85–90%; Facebook and YouTube dominant; Instagram moderate; TikTok/Snapchat mid-tier
• 50–64: 72–80%; Facebook first, YouTube second; light Instagram/TikTok
• 65+: 55–62%; Facebook primary; YouTube for how-to/faith/music; minimal Instagram/TikTok

Gender breakdown (among social media users)

• Women: ~52–55% of users; over-index on Facebook and Pinterest (+6–10 percentage points vs men)
• Men: ~45–48% of users; over-index on YouTube, X/Twitter, Reddit (+4–12 percentage points vs women)

Behavioral trends

• Community-first usage: Facebook Groups and Pages for local news, school/booster clubs, church and civic events, buy-sell-trade, obituaries, and weather/emergency updates
• Event-driven spikes: High engagement around school sports, fairs, parades, elections, road closures, storms
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is default across ages; Snapchat messaging is common under 35
• Content formats:
  • Under 35: short-form video (Reels/TikTok/Snap), Stories, casual groups
  • 35–64: photos, local announcements, group posts, how-to videos on YouTube
  • 65+: text/photo posts, shares from trusted local pages; YouTube for practical content
• Timing: Evenings (6–9 pm) and weekend mornings see the highest local activity; school-year calendars influence peaks
• Trust and discovery: Word-of-mouth amplified via groups; posts featuring recognizable people/places outperform generic creatives
• Local business behavior: Facebook is the primary channel for hours, specials, closings, hiring; Instagram effective for food/retail visuals; boosted posts with tight geo-targeting perform well
• Civic/organizational use: Libraries, schools, extension offices, EMS/LEO pages are key information hubs; live video used for meetings and sports when possible

Key takeaways

• Facebook and YouTube are the undisputed reach leaders across all ages; Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok are essential to reach under-35s
• The county’s older age mix lowers Instagram/TikTok penetration versus national averages but increases Facebook reliability for community reach
• Group-centric strategies, faces/locals in creative, and evening posting windows maximize engagement
• For youth and young families, short-form vertical video plus Messenger/Snapchat follow-ups convert best