Mora County

Mora County, New Mexico — Key Demographics

Population size

• 4,189 (2020 Census)

Age and sex (ACS 2018–2022)

• Median age: 50.3 years
• Under 18: 19.5%
• 65 and over: 27.9%
• Sex: 51.5% male, 48.5% female

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022; Hispanic is an ethnicity and can be any race)

• Hispanic or Latino: 82.7%
• White alone, not Hispanic: 14.1%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic: 1.6%
• Black or African American alone, not Hispanic: 0.5%
• Asian alone, not Hispanic: 0.2%
• Two or more races, not Hispanic: 0.9%

Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: 1,810
• Persons per household: 2.31
• Family households: 62% (22% with children under 18)
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: 78%

Insights

• Small, rural county with an older age profile (high 65+ share), very high Hispanic/Latino population share, relatively small household size, and high owner-occupancy.

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

• Context: Mora County, NM has about 4,189 residents (2020 Census) across 1,931 sq mi—≈2.2 people per sq mi, among New Mexico’s most sparsely populated counties. Low density and mountainous terrain raise last‑mile costs and slow fixed-broadband buildout.

• Estimated email users: ≈2,500 residents (about 60% of all residents; ≈75% of adults). Methodology aligns local internet adoption with rural NM/US rates and near-universal email use among internet users.

• Age distribution of email users: 18–34 ≈22%; 35–64 ≈50%; 65+ ≈28%. The county’s older age structure boosts the 65+ share among users.

• Gender split among email users: ≈50% female, ≈50% male, mirroring the adult population.

• Digital access and trends:

  • About two-thirds of households subscribe to broadband and over four-fifths have a computer (ACS 2019–2023 patterns for similar rural NM counties).
  • Connectivity remains mixed: many homes rely on DSL, satellite, or fixed wireless; median speeds trail urban NM.
  • Smartphone-based access is common, supporting email use even where fixed service is absent.
  • State/federal investments (e.g., BEAD and middle-mile projects) are expanding fiber and fixed wireless, with gradual gains in subscription and reliability since 2021.

Mobile phone usage in Mora County, New Mexico — 2025 snapshot

Size of the user base

• Population baseline: ~4,200 residents (2020 Census), with an older age profile than the state.
• Adults (18+): ~3,250.
• Estimated residents who use a mobile phone: ~3,000 (≈72% of the total population).
• Adult smartphone users: ~2,450–2,600 (≈75–80% of adults, lower than the statewide urban-centric rate).
• Mobile-only internet households (no fixed broadband, rely on cellular): roughly one-quarter of households, materially above the statewide share.

Demographic patterns driving usage

• Age: A larger 65+ share than New Mexico overall translates to lower smartphone adoption and more basic/entry-level Android devices among seniors; younger adults show adoption rates comparable to the state.
• Income: Median household income is well below the state average; as a result, prepaid plans and value handset tiers are common, and multi-line family plans are used to manage costs.
• Ethnicity: A majority-Hispanic county; Spanish-language plans, billing, and support see above-average uptake relative to the state mix.
• Education and employment: Lower bachelor’s attainment and a higher share of outdoor/itinerant work increase reliance on voice/SMS and offline-capable apps; Wi‑Fi calling is widely used in areas with weak signal.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Network footprint: Sparse macro-cell grid with coverage concentrated along I‑25 near Wagon Mound and key corridors (US‑518/NM‑518, NM‑434, NM‑442, NM‑518 through Mora). Mountain valleys and forested terrain create persistent dead zones off-corridor.
• 5G availability: Limited primarily to low‑band 5G along the I‑25 corridor and select highways; mid‑band 5G that is common in Albuquerque/Las Cruces/Santa Fe is largely absent. Many residents remain on LTE for daily use.
• Typical performance: LTE in settled areas delivers roughly 5–25 Mbps down and 1–5 Mbps up, with wide variability by location and time of day; state urban 5G mid‑band performance is routinely several times higher.
• Backhaul: A mix of fiber along the interstate/primary routes and microwave backhaul to remote sites; capacity constraints and long inter-site distances can depress speeds during peak hours.
• Public safety and resilience: FirstNet coverage follows main corridors; wildfire and winter-storm risks periodically impact power and site availability. Providers rely on generator backup at a subset of towers; extended outages have occurred during major incidents.
• Home alternatives: Fixed broadband is patchy outside town centers; where available, some households use mobile hotspots or LTE/5G fixed wireless as primary home internet.

How Mora County differs from New Mexico overall

• Adoption level: Overall smartphone penetration is lower than the state average due to older age structure and income constraints, even as younger cohorts mirror statewide usage.
• Plan mix: Prepaid and budget tiers are used more heavily than elsewhere in the state; device payments and refurb/second‑owner phones are more common.
• Network experience: Fewer sites per square mile, more shadowed terrain, and limited mid‑band 5G produce lower median speeds and more signal variability than in metro New Mexico.
• Coverage pattern: Service is corridor-centric; off‑highway ranching, forestry, and recreation areas see frequent transitions to weak LTE or no service, leading to above-average use of Wi‑Fi calling and, for some outdoor users, satellite messaging accessories.
• Internet reliance: A higher share of households are mobile-only for home connectivity, reflecting gaps in fixed broadband and the sunset of federal affordability subsidies.

Actionable implications

• Carriers: Greatest impact will come from additional mid‑band 5G sectors along I‑25 and US‑518, selective infill sites or small cells near population clusters, and fiberizing microwave-fed towers to lift capacity.
• Public sector: Prioritize resilient power and backhaul at key sites; co-locate public safety gear where feasible; expand community Wi‑Fi at libraries/schools to mitigate dead zones.
• Consumers: Coverage diversity helps—dual‑SIM or carrier switching is effective along corridor/village boundaries; enable Wi‑Fi calling at home; consider external antennas or booster kits in fringe areas.

Social media usage in Mora County, New Mexico (modeled 2025 snapshot)

Scope and method

• Figures are modeled for Mora County adults using Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. social media adoption rates (with rural and age adjustments) applied to recent American Community Survey demographics for the county. Treat as locality-specific estimates.

Overall penetration and frequency

• Share of adults using at least one social platform: 76–82%
• Daily users (use any platform daily): 64–70%
• Average number of platforms used per adult user: 3–4
• Mobile-first usage (smartphone as primary access): 80%+

Most-used platforms (share of adult social media users in Mora County)

• YouTube: 78–82%
• Facebook: 68–72%
• Instagram: 38–44%
• WhatsApp: 28–34%
• Pinterest: 24–30%
• TikTok: 24–32%
• Snapchat: 20–28%
• X (Twitter): 10–15%
• LinkedIn: 8–12%
• Nextdoor: 2–5%

Age-group profile (share of adults in each group who use the platform)

• Ages 18–29: YouTube 92–96%; Instagram 72–82%; Snapchat 62–70%; TikTok 58–66%; Facebook 52–60%
• Ages 30–49: YouTube 86–90%; Facebook 70–78%; Instagram 48–56%; TikTok 34–42%; Snapchat 22–30%
• Ages 50–64: YouTube 78–85%; Facebook 68–75%; Pinterest 28–36%; Instagram 24–32%; TikTok 12–20%
• Ages 65+: YouTube 52–60%; Facebook 48–56%; Pinterest 16–22%; Instagram 12–18%; TikTok 6–12%

Gender breakdown (share of adults by platform; county is roughly balanced by sex)

• Women over-index on Facebook (+4–8 pts vs men), Instagram (+3–6), Pinterest (roughly 2× men), and WhatsApp (slight).
• Men over-index on YouTube (+4–8), X/Twitter (slight), LinkedIn (slight), and Reddit (small niche locally).

Behavioral trends and local usage patterns

• Community-first on Facebook: High engagement in local groups for wildfire recovery and preparedness, county announcements, school sports, buy/sell/trade, and event coordination. Facebook Marketplace performs strongly for durable goods and farm/ranch items.
• Video-led discovery: YouTube is the default for how-to, repairs, homestead/ranching content, local music and church services; smart-TV viewing is common in the evenings. Reels/Shorts/TikTok drive short-form discovery for businesses and events.
• Messaging ecosystems: Messenger and WhatsApp carry day-to-day communication, including bilingual family networks and micro-groups coordinating mutual aid and church/community activities.
• Youth patterns: Snapchat is a primary chat and Stories channel for teens/young adults; TikTok and Instagram Reels dominate entertainment and creator followership, with cross-posting between TikTok and Instagram common.
• Shopping and recommendations: Facebook groups/Marketplace and Instagram are key for local business discovery; Pinterest influences DIY/home, crafts, recipes, and seasonal purchasing.
• News and alerts: Local news, weather, road/wildfire updates circulate fastest via Facebook groups/pages and shares from regional outlets; X/Twitter use is limited and concentrated among news/weather enthusiasts.
• Timing and cadence: Engagement peaks evenings (approximately 6–9 p.m.) and weekend mid-days; service updates, school activities, emergency information, and hyper-local stories drive above-average comments/shares.
• Professional networking: LinkedIn presence is modest; usage concentrates among educators, healthcare, government, and remote workers rather than local storefronts.

Key takeaways for reaching Mora County audiences

• Anchor on Facebook and YouTube for county-wide reach; add Instagram for under-45 reach and visual storytelling.
• Use WhatsApp or Messenger for micro-communities and rapid response, especially for bilingual outreach.
• Short-form video (Reels/Shorts/TikTok) materially boosts discovery; keep posts mobile-optimized and captioned.
• Lean into local relevance: community service, emergency info, school and sports highlights, and practical how-to content earn the highest trust and engagement.