York County

York County, Nebraska — key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau: 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates; 2020 Decennial Census)

Population

• Total population: ~14,000 (2020 Census: 14,125; 2019–2023 ACS estimate ~14.0k)

Age

• Median age: ~42 years
• Under 18: ~23–24%
• 18 to 64: ~56%
• 65 and over: ~20–21%

Gender

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50%

Race and ethnicity (Hispanic is of any race)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~89–91%
• Hispanic/Latino: ~5–7%
• Black/African American: ~1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.5–0.7%
• Asian: ~0.3–0.5%
• Two or more races: ~2%

Households and housing

• Households: ~5,800–6,000
• Average household size: ~2.3–2.4
• Family households: ~60–65% (married-couple ~50–55%)
• Nonfamily households: ~35–40% (living alone ~30%)
• Owner-occupied: ~70–72%; renter-occupied: ~28–30%
• Housing units: ~6,200–6,500; vacancy rate: ~7–9%
• Median household income: roughly mid-$60,000s
• Poverty rate: roughly 8–10%

Insights

• Stable, modestly aging population with about one in five residents 65+
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White, with a small but present Hispanic community
• Household composition leans toward family households and high homeownership typical of rural Nebraska

York County, Nebraska snapshot (population ≈14,100):

• Estimated email users (age 13+): ≈10,300 (about three-quarters of residents).
• Gender split among users: ~51% female, ~49% male (no meaningful gap in usage).
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: ~5%
  • 18–34: ~24%
  • 35–54: ~36%
  • 55–64: ~15%
  • 65+: 20% Adoption is highest among 18–54 (95%+ use email), moderate for 55–64 (90%+), and lower for 65+ (70%+), driving the above mix.

Digital access trends:

• About 85% of households subscribe to fixed broadband; roughly 9 in 10 households have a computer/smartphone. Around 1 in 10 households are smartphone‑only for internet.
• Daily email use is near-universal for working‑age adults; seniors use email less frequently but steadily rising with smartphone adoption.
• Connectivity is densest in the City of York and along the I‑80 corridor, with higher‑speed tiers common there; rural townships rely more on fixed‑wireless/DSL, where speeds and reliability vary.

Local density/connectivity facts:

• Land area ≈575 sq mi; population density ≈24 residents/sq mi, a rural profile that explains remaining last‑mile gaps despite generally strong coverage in town.

York County, Nebraska — mobile phone usage snapshot (2024 modeled)

Population and user estimates

• Residents: ~14,100
• Mobile phone users (any cellphone): ~11,500 residents
• Smartphone users: ~10,400 residents
• Adult smartphone penetration: ~84% of adults (vs ~88% statewide), reflecting an older age mix locally
• Households: ~5,900 total; with a cellular data plan for internet: ~4,100 (≈70%); mobile-only internet households (primarily rely on cellular data, no fixed home broadband): ~600 (≈10%) vs ≈13% statewide

Demographic breakdown (people, 2024 modeled)

• Age 18–29: ~1,800 residents; smartphone users ~1,740 (≈95%); any cellphone ~1,800 (≈98%)
• Age 30–49: ~3,400 residents; smartphone users ~3,150 (≈93%); any cellphone ~3,320 (≈98%)
• Age 50–64: ~2,500 residents; smartphone users ~2,030 (≈80%); any cellphone ~2,360 (≈93%)
• Age 65+: ~3,000 residents; smartphone users ~2,070 (≈70%); any cellphone ~2,520 (≈85%)
• Teens 13–17: ~1,550 residents; smartphone users ~1,400 (≈90%); any cellphone ~1,470 (≈95%)

What’s different from Nebraska statewide trends

• Smartphone ownership slightly lower: York adults ~84% vs Nebraska ~88%, largely due to a higher share of residents 65+
• Fewer mobile-only households: ~10% in York vs ~13% statewide; older residents are more likely to maintain fixed broadband or landline alternatives
• Usage mix skews more toward voice/SMS among seniors and toward multi-line family plans; urban counties show heavier app- and video-centric usage
• Daytime device density spikes above resident counts along I‑80/US‑81 due to freight and travel, a pattern less pronounced in non-corridor rural counties
• Agricultural IoT and machine telematics lines form a larger slice of total mobile connections than in metro counties, supporting precision agriculture and remote monitoring

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage
  • 4G LTE: Near-universal outdoor coverage in populated areas from the three national carriers across the county
  • 5G: Broad low-band 5G coverage countywide; mid-band 5G capacity concentrated in and around York city, I‑80, and US‑81 corridors. Urban Nebraska (Omaha/Lincoln) has more extensive mid-band 5G depth; York’s mid-band is strong along highways but thinner in outlying sections
• Backhaul and fiber
  • Multiple regional and national fiber routes parallel I‑80 and tie into York, improving cell-site backhaul and resilience compared with many rural counties off the interstate grid
  • Regional incumbents and rural providers operate fiber and fixed wireless that support tower backhaul and business connectivity, reinforcing overall mobile reliability
• Sites and performance characteristics
  • Macro towers are clustered along I‑80, US‑81, and around York city; small-cell density is limited outside key nodes
  • Indoor coverage can be variable in metal agricultural structures and at greater distances from corridors; carriers commonly mitigate with mid-band buildouts and in‑building solutions where deployed
• Emergency and public coverage
  • E911 location and Wireless Emergency Alerts supported by major carriers; coverage on primary highways is robust, supporting public safety and logistics communications

Key takeaways

• York’s mobile ecosystem is robust for a rural county due to interstate-adjacent infrastructure, but user adoption patterns—especially among seniors—pull smartphone penetration a few points below the Nebraska average
• The county relies less on mobile-only home internet than the state overall, reflecting demographics and the presence of viable fixed options
• Mobility demand is amplified by through-traffic and agriculture, driving distinctive peaks and IoT usage that differ from urban counties’ app-heavy consumer traffic

Notes on methods and sources

• Population, household counts, and age structure derived from recent U.S. Census Bureau/ACS releases; mobile adoption rates by age applied from Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. smartphone and cellphone ownership benchmarks with rural adjustments to yield county-level estimates for 2024
• “Cellular data plan” household share aligns with ACS S2801 definitions; “mobile-only households” estimated using Pew smartphone-only internet access shares adjusted to county demographics
• Coverage characterizations synthesized from 2024 FCC carrier coverage filings and widely reported carrier buildout patterns in Nebraska along I‑80 and US‑81

York County, NE social media snapshot (2024–2025)

Population base

• Total residents: 14,125 (2020 Census)
• Modeled local social-media users (13+): ≈9,000 people
  • ≈64% of total population
  • ≈75% of residents aged 13+

User mix (share of local social-media users)

• By age
  • 13–17: 9%
  • 18–29: 18%
  • 30–49: 33%
  • 50–64: 23%
  • 65+: 17%
• By gender
  • Female: 53%
  • Male: 47%

Most-used platforms in York County (share of local social-media users; monthly)

• YouTube: 84% (~7,600 users)
• Facebook: 68% (~6,100)
• Instagram: 45% (~4,050)
• TikTok: 37% (~3,330)
• Pinterest: 30% (~2,700)
• Snapchat: 29% (~2,610)
• LinkedIn: 24% (~2,160)
• X (Twitter): 19% (~1,710)

Behavioral trends

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of local groups, Marketplace, school and county updates, high school sports, events, and fundraising. Older adults skew strongly to Facebook and Messenger.
• Video is dominant: YouTube for DIY, farm/equipment repair, church services, and how-to content; short-form vertical video (Instagram Reels/TikTok) drives discovery for local businesses and creators.
• Younger cohorts (13–29) favor Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat for daily communication, sports highlights, and local hangouts; stories and DMs outperform feeds.
• Pinterest performs with women 25–54 for home, recipes, crafts, and boutique retail; it reliably drives website traffic and saved intent.
• X (Twitter) is niche, used mainly by news/sports followers and a small professional set; LinkedIn is used for hiring in healthcare, manufacturing, and ag operations.
• Peak engagement windows: weekday evenings (7–9 pm CT), lunch (11:30 am–1 pm), and during weather events or school announcements.
• Commerce and calls to action: Facebook/Instagram deliver the highest local response for event RSVPs, ticketing, seasonal promotions, and service bookings. Buy/sell/trade groups and Marketplace materially influence local purchasing.
• Trust cues matter: posts featuring recognizable local faces, schools, youth activities, or community involvement see outsized engagement; clear offers and phone-friendly CTAs work best for 50+.

Method note: Figures are modeled local estimates using the 2020 Census population for York County and 2023–2024 Pew Research platform-by-age adoption rates, weighted to the county’s age profile. Percentages are rounded and suitable for planning.