Dona Ana County

Key demographics — Doña Ana County, New Mexico Reference: U.S. Census Bureau (2023 Population Estimates; 2019–2023 ACS 5-year, tables DP05/DP02/S0101). Figures rounded.

Population size

• Total population (2023 est.): ~226,000

Age

• Median age: ~34 years
• Under 18: ~24%
• 18–24: ~14%
• 25–44: ~27%
• 45–64: ~21%
• 65+: ~14%

Sex

• Female: ~50.5–51%
• Male: ~49–49.5%

Race/ethnicity

• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~70%
• White alone, non-Hispanic: ~25%
• Black/African American alone, non-Hispanic: ~2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone, non-Hispanic: ~1–2%
• Asian alone, non-Hispanic: ~1%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander alone, non-Hispanic: ~0.1%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~0.5–1%

Households

• Number of households: ~83,000
• Persons per household (avg): ~2.7
• Family households: ~66% of households
  • Married-couple families: ~43% of households
• Nonfamily households: ~34%
• Households with children under 18: ~30%
• Average family size: ~3.3

Note: Percentages may not sum to 100 due to rounding and standard Census race/ethnicity definitions (Hispanic is an ethnicity).

Dona Ana County, NM snapshot

• Scale: ~220,000 residents across ~3,800 sq mi (≈55–60 people per sq mi); population concentrated around Las Cruces along the I‑10/I‑25 corridors, with sparse rural/colonia areas.
• Estimated email users: 130,000–160,000 residents. Method: apply adult internet adoption (85–90%) and the share of internet users who use email (~90–95%) to the county’s population profile.
• Age distribution of email users (approx.): 18–34 ≈35–40% (boosted by NMSU students); 35–49 ≈25–30%; 50–64 ≈20–25%; 65+ ≈10–15% (lower adoption but growing).
• Gender split: Roughly even; any gap is small (typically within a few percentage points).
• Digital access trends:
  • Household broadband subscription is commonly in the low‑to‑mid 80% range; >90% of households have a computer (ACS-style metrics).
  • 10–15% of households likely lack home internet; a notable share are smartphone‑only.
  • Best fixed broadband in Las Cruces/Sunland Park and along major highways; rural/colonia areas face coverage and affordability gaps.
  • State/federal funds (e.g., ARPA/BEAD) are driving middle‑ and last‑mile builds; fiber presence and speeds are improving, but rural gaps persist.

Notes: Estimates combine ACS computer/internet indicators for Dona Ana County with national email-usage norms (Pew).

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Doña Ana County, New Mexico

Key takeaways that differ from statewide patterns

• Higher mobile adoption and better 5G coverage than many rural New Mexico counties, driven by the Las Cruces metro area and I‑10/I‑25 corridors.
• More mobile-only internet reliance than the state average, tied to lower median incomes, higher renter share, and large student population.
• Heavier prepaid/MVNO usage and bilingual plan features, reflecting a majority Hispanic population and cross-border ties with the El Paso market.

User estimates (order-of-magnitude, method-based)

• Total mobile users: roughly 175,000–185,000 residents.
  • Basis: county population ≈ 225,000; adults ≈ 78% with ~93% cellphone ownership; teens (12–17) ~95% smartphone adoption; limited ownership under age 12.
• Smartphone users: about 165,000–175,000.
  • Any-cellphone ownership is slightly higher than smartphone ownership; the gap is concentrated among older and very low-income adults.
• Mobile-only internet households: about 20–25% of households rely primarily or exclusively on cellular data for home internet.
  • Higher than the statewide share, reflecting lower wireline availability in colonias and the wind-down of the federal ACP subsidy in 2024–2025.
• Connections per person: close to 1:1 overall, with multi-line prevalence among students and families offset by lower penetration in remote rural pockets.

Demographic breakdown (how usage skews locally)

• Age
  • 18–29: Very high smartphone adoption (>95%) and heavy data use; NMSU student presence pushes demand for unlimited and hotspot plans.
  • 30–64: Near-universal cellphone usage; notable prepaid adoption among service, agriculture, and logistics workers.
  • 65+: Smartphone ownership trails younger cohorts but is catching up; many keep legacy LTE handsets and smaller data buckets.
• Income and housing
  • County median household income is below the New Mexico median; this correlates with higher prepaid/MVNO share (e.g., Metro by T-Mobile, Cricket, Boost) and greater mobile-only internet reliance.
  • Higher renter share in Las Cruces increases churn and favors month-to-month mobile plans over fixed broadband contracts.
• Ethnicity and language
  • Majority Hispanic/Latino population (roughly two-thirds) versus about half statewide.
  • Higher uptake of bilingual plans and international calling add-ons; remittance and cross-border communications are common.
• Education/work
  • University and healthcare hubs (NMSU, DACC, Memorial Medical Center) and logistics/warehousing (Santa Teresa) create dense daytime traffic zones where mid-band 5G is heavily utilized.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Networks present: AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon all operate macro LTE and 5G, with widespread MVNO availability.
• 5G footprint and performance
  • Las Cruces, Mesilla, Sunland Park, Anthony, and along I‑10/I‑25: broad 5G coverage; mid-band 5G (especially T‑Mobile 2.5 GHz) is common in urban/suburban areas and primary corridors.
  • C-band 5G from Verizon and AT&T is concentrated in the urban core and high-traffic nodes; mmWave appears only in select dense venues, if at all.
  • Typical mid-band 5G speeds in town range from high double digits to several hundred Mbps; LTE persists in rural and mountainous fringe areas.
• Known gap/constraint areas
  • Terrain shielding near the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks and the Doña Ana/Robledo ranges can create dead zones and uneven indoor coverage.
  • Northerly agricultural stretches (e.g., toward Hatch) and colonias east/west of the valley may see weaker signal or LTE-only service.
• Backhaul and interconnects
  • Strong long-haul fiber presence along I‑10/I‑25 and cross-market interconnection via El Paso; this underpins solid urban 5G capacity.
• Fixed-wireless alternatives
  • T‑Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home are available to many urban/suburban addresses and see above-average adoption where cable/fiber options are limited or costly.

How Doña Ana differs from New Mexico overall

• Coverage and capacity: Better 5G availability and fewer dead zones than much of rural NM, though still challenged by mountainous terrain at the fringes.
• Adoption: Smartphone and overall mobile adoption are slightly higher than statewide, buoyed by the Las Cruces metro and student population.
• Mobile-only reliance: Higher than the state average due to lower incomes, renters, and ACP wind-down effects; more households depend on phone hotspots in place of wireline broadband.
• Plan mix: Prepaid/MVNO share is above the statewide average; bilingual and international options are more salient than in northern NM counties with fewer border ties.
• Market gravity: Network build and retail offerings align with the El Paso-Las Cruces corridor, unlike northern NM where tribal and very remote geographies dominate build priorities.

Notes and method

• Figures are estimates based on 2020–2024 population patterns, national smartphone ownership rates by age, and observed urban/rural and income effects; they are intended for planning-level use.
• For precise, current maps and counts, consult FCC broadband/coverage maps, carrier availability checkers, and local planning documents.

Here’s a concise, county-level snapshot using the best-available public data (Pew Research Center 2024 social media adoption, weighted to Doña Ana’s demographics; ACS population estimates). Figures are estimates, not unique-user verified counts.

Headline numbers

• Population: ~226,000; adults (18+): ~170,000
• Adult social-media users: ~85% of adults ≈ 145,000
• Mobile-first usage; bilingual (English/Spanish) presence is common

Age mix of adult social-media users (est. share of users)

• 18–29: ~31%
• 30–49: ~35%
• 50–64: ~20%
• 65+: ~14% Notes: Doña Ana skews younger than the U.S. median (NMSU influence), lifting 18–29 and 30–49 shares.

Gender breakdown (est.)

• Overall: ~51% women, ~49% men among users
• Platform skews: Pinterest and Instagram skew female; YouTube, Reddit, and X skew male; Facebook is near-even but slightly female-leaning.

Most-used platforms among adults (est. percent of all adults; multiple-platform use is common)

• YouTube: ~86% (≈147k)
• Facebook: ~71% (≈121k)
• Instagram: ~54% (≈92k)
• WhatsApp: ~42% (≈72k) — elevated due to large Hispanic population
• TikTok: ~40% (≈68k)
• Pinterest: ~34% (≈58k)
• Snapchat: ~32% (≈55k)
• LinkedIn: ~26% (≈44k)
• X/Twitter: ~24% (≈41k)
• Reddit: ~20% (≈34k) Note: WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat are notably higher locally than U.S. averages because Doña Ana is majority Hispanic and relatively young.

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first on Facebook: Heavy use of local Groups (neighborhoods, buy/sell/trade, events, missing pets, public safety). County and city agency posts get strong engagement when timely and bilingual.
• Messaging-centric: WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are default for family, cross-border ties, and small-business communication; quick response expectations.
• Student-driven content: NMSU fuels Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat usage; short-form video, campus life, local eats, and events perform best.
• Bilingual content wins: Side-by-side English/Spanish captions or alternating posts improve reach and shares.
• Localism over polish: Authentic, place-based posts (chile harvests, Organ Mountains trails, farmers markets, high-school sports, local festivals) outperform generic stock content.
• Timing: Peaks after school/work (5–9 pm) and weekend mornings; Stories/Reels do well in late afternoons; urgent updates anytime.
• Discovery paths: Facebook Groups and Reels/TikTok drive event discovery; YouTube for how‑to, music, and longer explainers; Google Maps + Instagram for restaurants.
• Trust signals: Faces, neighbor testimonials, and known community partners increase clicks; cross-posting to Groups multiplies reach.
• Ads: Geo-target by Las Cruces, Sunland Park, Anthony, Chaparral; use bilingual creative; click-to-message objectives convert well.

Method notes

• Platform percentages derived from Pew Research Center (2024) adult adoption rates, adjusted for Doña Ana’s younger age profile and high Hispanic share (ACS). Counts are estimates based on ~170k adults; teens not included in counts above. Actual local platform logs will vary.