Lincoln County

Lincoln County, New Mexico — key demographics (latest available)

Population size

• 20,269 (2020 Census); ~20.5K (2023 population estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~50.5 years
• Under 18: ~19–20%
• 65 and over: ~29–30% Insight: Older age profile than New Mexico overall.

Gender

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50%

Race and ethnicity (race alone unless noted; Hispanic can be of any race)

• White alone: ~87–88%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~4%
• Black/African American: ~1%
• Asian: ~1%
• Two or more races: ~6%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~34–35%
• White alone, not Hispanic: ~53–55%

Households

• Total households: ~9.1–9.3K
• Average household size: ~2.22 persons
• Family households: ~60–63% of households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~77–78% Insights: Small average household size and high owner-occupancy; elevated share of older residents reflects a retiree/second-home presence.

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

Lincoln County, NM snapshot

• Population and density: 20,269 residents (2020 Census) across ~4,831 sq mi, ~4.2 people per sq mi. Most residents cluster along the US‑70 corridor (Ruidoso/Ruidoso Downs/Capitan).
• Estimated email users: 14,700 residents use email regularly (73% of the population). Adults: 13,500 email users (83% of adults).
• Age distribution (residents): Under 18 ~20%; 18–34 ~10%; 35–54 ~28%; 55+ ~42%.
• Age mix among email users: 55+ ~50%; 35–54 ~33%; 18–34 ~15%; under 18 ~2%.
• Gender split: Approximately 50% female and 50% male among residents and email users.
• Digital access and trends:
  • 70–75% of households have a wireline broadband subscription, highest in Ruidoso/Ruidoso Downs/Capitan; substantially lower in outlying ranchland/mountain tracts.
  • 9–12% of households are smartphone‑only for home internet.
  • Growing fiber footprints in the Ruidoso/Alto area; cable present in population centers; DSL and fixed‑wireless remain common in rural zones; satellite (including Starlink) adoption is rising where terrain impedes last‑mile builds.
  • 4G/5G mobile coverage is strongest along US‑70 and in towns, weaker in canyons/forest areas (Lincoln National Forest), reflecting the county’s low density and rugged topography.

Mobile phone usage in Lincoln County, New Mexico: 2024 snapshot

User estimates

• Population baseline: 20,269 (2020 Census), roughly 8,900 households.
• Mobile phone users (any mobile handset): ~17,000 residents, or ~84% of the total population. This reflects very high adoption among adults and most teens, but with a modest dip among seniors.
• Smartphone users: ~14,400 residents, equating to ~82–83% of adults and ~71% of the total population. That is a few points below New Mexico’s statewide adult smartphone rate because Lincoln County’s population is older.
• Households primarily relying on mobile data for home internet: ~2,000 (about 20–25% of households). This “mobile-first” reliance is notably higher than statewide averages due to patchier fixed-broadband options outside the Ruidoso/Ruidoso Downs area.
• Prepaid share: materially higher than state urban areas. Rural pricing sensitivity and coverage variability translate into greater use of prepaid/MVNO plans and plan-switching to chase coverage and seasonal needs.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age structure skews older: roughly 28–30% of residents are 65+, versus a much younger statewide profile. Result: overall smartphone penetration is slightly lower, with more basic or budget Android devices among seniors, and a higher share of voice-and-text–centric plans.
• Hispanic/Latino community (about one-third of residents) drives strong Android usage, bilingual service demand, and family-plan clustering.
• Income and affordability: median household income trails state urban counties; the sunset of the Affordable Connectivity Program in 2024 has pushed some fixed-broadband users to shift toward mobile-only data solutions, further lifting cellular dependence.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Radio access: all three national carriers provide 4G LTE across the main populated corridors; 5G is present but concentrated around Ruidoso/Ruidoso Downs and select highway segments. Large rural stretches remain LTE-only, with signal attenuation in canyons and forested, mountainous areas.
• Backhaul and redundancy: fiber backhaul is strongest into Ruidoso/Ruidoso Downs; elsewhere, links are sparser and rely more on microwave hops. Power resiliency and redundant paths are uneven outside the core population centers.
• Fixed broadband alternatives: cable and some fiber/DSL clusters in and around Ruidoso; elsewhere, Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) on licensed/unlicensed spectrum and satellite (including Starlink) are important complements. The prominence of FWA and satellite increases the role of mobile networks as either the primary or failover connectivity layer.
• Seasonal load: tourism materially increases device density and peak-hour traffic during summer and ski seasons, stressing cell sites near resorts and along feeder highways. Post-wildfire recovery in 2024 underscored the need for more backup power and fiber-microwave route diversity at towers.
• Public safety and enterprise: First responder usage and resort/hospitality operations concentrate around Ruidoso, shaping where additional carrier capacity and small cells are first deployed.

How Lincoln County differs from statewide trends

• More mobile-as-primary: A significantly higher share of households relies on cellular data as their main internet connection than New Mexico overall.
• Older-and-rural effect on devices: Adult smartphone penetration is several points below the state average because of a larger 65+ cohort and more dispersed settlement patterns that reward simpler plans and devices.
• 5G availability is spottier: 5G coverage is focused in and near the Ruidoso urban cluster, with broad LTE persistence elsewhere, whereas New Mexico’s metro counties enjoy far denser 5G (especially mid-band) footprints.
• Greater seasonal volatility: Traffic surges tied to tourism are more pronounced than in most New Mexico counties, creating bigger swings in capacity needs and user experience.
• Resiliency gaps matter more: Terrain, wildfire risk, and long backhaul spans make backup power and path redundancy at sites more consequential locally than in the state’s urban cores.

Implications

• Expect steady growth in smartphone users from younger cohorts and in fixed-wireless/mobile home internet subscriptions as carriers expand 5G and FWA.
• Network investments with the highest impact: additional mid-band 5G sectors in Ruidoso/Ruidoso Downs, targeted infill along canyons and high-traffic corridors, hardened power backup, and diverse backhaul.
• Consumer behavior will continue to favor prepaid and flexible data plans, with strong demand for bilingual support and coverage guarantees over headline speed.

Social media usage in Lincoln County, NM (2025 snapshot)

Baseline context

• Population: 20,269 (U.S. Census, 2020)
• Older-skewing age profile; median age roughly 50, with a sizeable 65+ population (ACS 2019–2023)
• Hispanic/Latino residents: about 30% (ACS 2019–2023)
• Broadband subscription: about 80–85% of households (ACS 2019–2023)

Most-used platforms locally (estimated share of adults using at least monthly)

• YouTube: 74–78%
• Facebook: 64–68%
• Instagram: 31–35%
• TikTok: 20–24%
• WhatsApp: 18–22%
• Snapchat: 16–20%
• X (Twitter): 13–16%
• Nextdoor: 10–13%
• LinkedIn: 12–15% Note: These are modeled local estimates derived from Pew Research Center’s 2024 national usage rates, adjusted for Lincoln County’s older, more rural demographic profile.

User mix (within the local social-media audience; modeled)

• By age: 18–29 (18%), 30–44 (24%), 45–64 (32%), 65+ (26%)
• By gender: Female (52%), Male (48%)

Behavioral trends and practical insights

• Facebook is the community hub: local groups (buy/sell/trade, wildfire/road alerts, events) dominate reach and discussion; group posts typically outperform page-only content.
• YouTube is strong for how‑to, outdoor/recreation, local business explainers; 5–10 minute videos and short pre‑roll ads perform well.
• Instagram and TikTok skew younger and tourist-facing; 15–45 second vertical video, behind‑the‑scenes from hospitality/outdoor venues, and seasonal highlights (summer tourism, fall color, ski season) see spikes.
• Nextdoor concentrates in Ruidoso-area neighborhoods/HOAs; effective for service providers, safety notices, and lost/found pets.
• Messaging behavior: Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp are common for quick, informal, often bilingual (English/Spanish) inquiries; fast response times materially improve conversion.
• Peak activity windows: 7–9 am and 6–9 pm; weekend engagement rises around local events and weather-driven updates.
• Content that overperforms: road conditions, wildfire preparedness/updates, school sports, wildlife sightings, and local deals; photos/videos with recognizable local landmarks and people beat stock imagery.
• Ad buying: use tight geofences (15–30 miles around Ruidoso/Carrizozo/Capitan); rotate creative for seasonal visitors; include Spanish-language variants to expand reach.

Sources and method

• Demographics/broadband: U.S. Census Bureau (Decennial 2020) and ACS 2019–2023 5‑year estimates.
• Platform usage: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024; percentages above are localized estimates produced by applying Pew’s age/rural breakouts to Lincoln County’s demographic mix.