Eddy County

Here are key demographics for Eddy County, New Mexico. Figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau; population count is 2020 Census, other measures are ACS 2018–2022 5-year estimates.

• Population: 62,314 (2020 Census)
• Age:
  • Median age: ~36
  • Under 18: ~26%
  • 65 and over: ~14%
• Gender:
  • Male: ~52%
  • Female: ~48%
• Race/ethnicity (of total population):
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~49%
  • White alone, non-Hispanic: ~43%
  • Black or African American alone, non-Hispanic: ~2%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native alone, non-Hispanic: ~2%
  • Asian alone, non-Hispanic: <1%
  • Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~3%
• Households:
  • Total households: ~22.7k
  • Average household size: ~2.7
  • Family households: ~68% (married-couple families ~49%)
  • Households with children under 18: ~34%
  • Nonfamily households: ~32%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey (ACS) 2018–2022 5-year estimates.

Eddy County, NM snapshot (estimates)

• Email users: ~46,000 adult users. Basis: ~65,000 residents, ~50,000 adults; ~90–95% of adults use email.
• By age (adult email users):
  • 18–29: ~10,000
  • 30–49: ~16,000
  • 50–64: ~12,000
  • 65+: ~8,500 Pattern: highest penetration in 30–49; strong in 18–29 and 50–64; somewhat lower in 65+.
• Gender split: roughly even (men and women each ~49–51% of users; national gaps are negligible).

Digital access and trends

• Household internet: roughly 80–85% subscribe to broadband; ~90%+ have a computer or smartphone. An estimated 15–20% are smartphone‑only, especially in rural areas.
• Access is strongest in Carlsbad and Artesia and along major corridors; more reliance on fixed wireless or satellite in outlying ranchlands and park areas.
• Usage trends: continued shift to mobile access; email remains essential for work, schools, and services, with slightly lower regular use among seniors.

Local density/connectivity context

• Large, sparsely populated county (~4,200 sq mi) with ~15 people per square mile; population concentrated in Carlsbad/Artesia drives better network build‑out there than in remote areas.

Eddy County, NM — mobile phone usage snapshot (with how it differs from statewide)

User estimates

• Population base: ~66–68k residents (2023–2024 est.). Adults ~75% of population → ~49–51k adults.
• Adult smartphone users: ~43–47k (assumes 85–90% adult ownership; rural counties in NM tend toward the low–mid 80s, but Eddy’s younger, higher‑income workforce nudges it upward).
• Active mobile lines: ~72–78k (≈1.1–1.15 lines per resident, in line with U.S. averages).
• Smartphone‑only home internet: ~25–30% of households in Eddy vs ~20–23% statewide. Drivers: oilfield shift workers, renters, and rural addresses where fixed broadband is limited or costly.

Demographic/behavioral patterns that stand out from New Mexico overall

• Age and industry mix: Slightly younger and more male than the state due to oil and gas. This raises smartphone adoption and heavy mobile data use vs statewide averages.
• Income and plan type: Higher median wages than NM average (energy sector) support more unlimited and hotspot add‑ons; however, rural pockets still lean on prepaid to manage coverage and cost.
• Language and apps: High Hispanic share (mid‑50s percent, above the state’s already‑high average) sustains high use of Spanish‑language interfaces and WhatsApp; Native American share is lower than NM overall, so the state’s tribal‑focused digital equity issues are less prominent here.
• Mobility patterns: Large day‑night swings and long commutes to well sites (US‑285, NM‑31/128) create peak‑time cell congestion uncommon in most NM counties outside the Permian Basin.
• Tourism overlay: Carlsbad Caverns/Guadalupe Mountains traffic adds seasonal weekend demand; visitors expect 5G but encounter LTE or gaps on approach roads—more of a factor here than in most NM counties.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage profile:
  • 4G LTE is broadly available along the Carlsbad–Artesia corridor and major highways; coverage thins in ranchland and the park/BLM areas south and west of Carlsbad.
  • 5G: Town centers (Carlsbad, Artesia, Loving) have Low‑band 5G from major carriers; mid‑band 5G (T‑Mobile n41, Verizon/AT&T C‑band) is spotty/partial. Compared with NM’s urban corridor (ABQ–Santa Fe–Las Cruces), Eddy remains more LTE‑reliant.
• Carriers and public safety:
  • AT&T, Verizon, and T‑Mobile all operate; AT&T’s FirstNet is used by public safety, with strongest reliability along main corridors and municipal areas.
  • Oilfield safety/compliance apps and push‑to‑talk increase uplink demand around shift changes, which can degrade speeds even where signal is strong.
• Backhaul and local ISPs:
  • Penasco Valley Telecom (PVT) and Sparklight provide much of the town‑area fixed backhaul; Lumen and regional fiber routes connect to the Permian Basin. Rural fiber has expanded but remains discontinuous.
  • Schools and libraries benefit from E‑rate fiber, but many outlying residences still depend on LTE/5G hotspots.
• Performance reality vs expectations:
  • Median mobile speeds in towns are respectable but dip below NM’s urban averages at peaks; along oilfield roads, speeds and reliability vary with terrain and tower spacing.

How Eddy County trends differ from New Mexico overall

• Faster growth in mobile demand than the state, driven by energy‑sector population gains and tourism.
• Higher reliance on smartphone‑only internet and mobile hotspots than statewide, reflecting rural fixed‑broadband gaps and a mobile workforce.
• More pronounced peak‑hour congestion tied to shift schedules and highway corridors; this pattern is uncommon outside the Permian counties.
• Slower spread of mid‑band 5G than in Albuquerque/Santa Fe/Las Cruces, leaving Eddy more LTE‑dependent.
• Digital‑equity profile is less about tribal connectivity (a major statewide issue) and more about rural ranchland/oilfield coverage and affordability for short‑term workers.

Notes on method and confidence

• Figures are estimates combining U.S./NM adoption rates (Pew/CTIA/NHIS), typical county age structure, and Eddy’s industry profile. County‑specific mobile ownership data are not published uniformly; where precise counts are unavailable, ranges reflect reasonable local adjustments to state/national baselines. If you need sourced, point‑in‑time metrics (e.g., ACS S2801 smartphone‑at‑home or FCC 5G maps), I can compile a citation‑backed table.

Below is a concise, best-available snapshot for Eddy County, NM. County‑level surveys are scarce; figures are estimates derived from Pew Research Center 2023–2024 U.S. platform usage, adjusted for Eddy County’s age mix, Hispanic share, and rural/energy‑sector profile. Percentages refer to residents 13+ unless noted. Platform audiences overlap.

Headline user stats

• Population baseline: ~62–65k residents; roughly 50–52k are age 13+.
• Active social media users (13+): ~38k–42k (75–80%).
• Daily users: ~25k–29k (about two‑thirds of users log in daily).
• Access pattern: Mobile‑first; significant “mobile‑only” segment; broadband is moderate but not universal.

Most‑used platforms (share of 13+ residents; est.)

• YouTube: 72–78%
• Facebook: 60–68%
• Instagram: 35–42%
• TikTok: 30–38%
• Snapchat: 25–32%
• WhatsApp: 22–30% (elevated by large Hispanic community)
• X (Twitter): 14–20%
• LinkedIn: 14–20%
• Reddit: 10–15%
• Nextdoor: 4–8%

Age profile (platform tendencies; est.)

• Teens (13–17): YouTube 90%+; TikTok 70%+; Snapchat 60%+; Instagram ~60%; Facebook ~25–30%.
• 18–24: YouTube ~95%; Snapchat ~70%; Instagram ~70%; TikTok ~60%; Facebook ~40–50%.
• 25–34: YouTube ~90%; Facebook ~65%; Instagram ~55%; TikTok ~45%; WhatsApp ~30%.
• 35–49: YouTube ~85%; Facebook ~75%; Instagram ~45%; TikTok ~30%; WhatsApp ~25%.
• 50–64: Facebook ~78%; YouTube ~80%; Instagram ~30%; WhatsApp ~20%; Nextdoor low single digits.
• 65+: Facebook ~70%; YouTube ~60%; Instagram/TikTok low; Messenger/WhatsApp used for family groups.

Gender breakdown (local skew; est.)

• Overall usage is near‑even.
• Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok: slight female skew (roughly 53–58% of local audience).
• YouTube, Reddit, X: slight male skew (roughly 55–60%).
• LinkedIn: slight male skew (oil and gas/professional roles).
• WhatsApp: near‑even; strong among bilingual and Hispanic households.

Behavioral trends to know

• Community first: Facebook Groups and Pages drive local info (city/county alerts, school and youth sports, churches, buy/sell/trade, lost & found). Marketplace is heavily used for vehicles, tools, and rentals.
• Bilingual communication: English/Spanish content and WhatsApp family/group chats are common; Spanish creative improves reach and shares.
• Shift‑based dayparts: Engagement typically peaks early morning (5:30–7:30 a.m.), lunch (11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.), and late evening (8–10 p.m.), reflecting oilfield and service shifts. Weekends see strong activity around sports and events.
• Video‑first, short form: TikTok and Reels for entertainment; YouTube for how‑to (auto, welding, ranching, home repair, outdoor/hunting). Under‑30‑second clips perform best on spotty connections.
• Messaging for business: Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp are preferred for quotes, appointments, and customer service; quick replies materially impact conversions.
• Local trust signals: High reliance on word‑of‑mouth in Groups, school/team pages, and local news/radio pages. Event‑driven spikes (weather, road closures, wildfires) are common.
• Jobs and recruiting: Facebook Groups and some LinkedIn usage for oil & gas and trades; practical, safety‑oriented content outperforms glossy brand pieces.
• Commerce: Promotions with clear price, pickup location (Carlsbad/Artesia/Loving), and inventory photos outperform generic ads.

Notes and sources

• Basis: Pew Research Center Social Media Use (2023–2024), American Community Survey demographics, and rural market patterns. Figures are estimates; use local page insights, ad‑platform reach estimates, school district and chamber pages, and ISP analytics to refine.