Taos County

Key demographics for Taos County, New Mexico

Population size

• 34,489 (2020 Census)
• ~35,000 (2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~50 years
• Under 18: ~19%
• 65 and over: ~24%

Gender

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS, Hispanic is of any race; non-Hispanic categories shown separately)

• Hispanic or Latino: ~57%
• White alone, non-Hispanic: ~36%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone, non-Hispanic: ~5%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~1–2%
• Black or African American alone, non-Hispanic: <1%
• Asian alone, non-Hispanic: <1%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: ~0%

Household data

• Households: ~15,000
• Average household size: ~2.3 persons
• Family households: ~57%; nonfamily households: ~43%
• Households with children under 18: ~23%
• Householder living alone: ~33–35% (about half of these age 65+)

Insights

• Older age profile than the U.S. overall (median age ~50 vs. ~39 nationally)
• Majority Hispanic population with a meaningful American Indian presence (Taos Pueblo)
• Smaller household sizes and a high share of single-person households

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates (tables DP05, DP02).

• Population and density: Taos County has about 35,000 residents over ~2,203 sq mi (≈16 people/sq mi), indicating highly dispersed connectivity needs.
• Estimated email users: ~22,000–24,000 adults use email regularly. Estimate based on adult population share, rural internet adoption, and the high rate of email use among online adults in the U.S.
• Age distribution of email users (reflecting the county’s older-skewed population): 18–29 ≈15%, 30–49 ≈30%, 50–64 ≈30%, 65+ ≈25%. Seniors participate slightly less than younger cohorts but still at high rates.
• Gender split: Email users mirror the population—about 51% female, 49% male.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Broadband subscription: roughly three-quarters of households have a broadband subscription (ACS 2018–2022), with 10–20% lacking any home internet; many rely on mobile data in outlying areas.
  • Infrastructure: Rapid fiber buildout by regional providers (notably Kit Carson’s fiber-to-the-home expansion) has brought gigabit service to many addresses, while mountainous terrain and tribal/rural areas retain pockets of limited fixed service.
  • Usage trend: Growing fiber and fixed‑wireless coverage is increasing speeds and reliability, narrowing the gap between the town of Taos and remote communities, though adoption lags where income and density are lower.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Taos County, New Mexico

Scale and user estimates

• Population and households: 34,489 residents and roughly 15,000 households (2020 Census).
• Active mobile users: Approximately 29,000 residents use a mobile phone (adults plus most teens), reflecting near-universal mobile adoption but somewhat lower smartphone penetration than urban New Mexico.

Adoption and access (ACS 2018–2022 five-year estimates; rounded)

• Households with a smartphone: about 87% in Taos County, below the statewide share (around 90%).
• Households with a cellular data plan: about 71%, slightly below statewide.
• Cellular-only internet households (no fixed subscription): about 17% in Taos County, higher than the statewide share (low teens), indicating heavier reliance on mobile for home connectivity.
• Households with no internet subscription: about 19% in Taos County versus a lower statewide rate, reflecting affordability and infrastructure gaps.
• Takeaway: Compared with New Mexico overall, Taos County has modestly lower smartphone and cellular-plan penetration but a distinctly higher share of mobile-only households and households without any internet subscription.

Demographic patterns influencing usage

• Age: A larger 65+ share (about 22% of residents) than the state average dampens smartphone adoption and 5G device uptake; voice/SMS and basic data plans remain more common in this cohort.
• Ethnicity: Hispanic/Latino residents make up a majority (roughly mid‑50s percent) and Native American residents are a notable minority (including Taos Pueblo). These communities show higher rates of smartphone-dependent and prepaid plans relative to postpaid/family bundles, tied to income and housing patterns.
• Income and housing: Median household income is lower than the state average, and there is a sizable share of single-person and seasonal/part-time households. That mix pushes plan selection toward prepaid, hotspot-based, and mobile-only solutions. When seasonal residents and visitors surge (ski season, festivals), local networks see noticeable congestion in town centers and along resort corridors.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Terrain-driven variability: Mountainous topography and deep valleys cause pronounced coverage shadows outside population centers. Coverage is reliable in Taos, Ranchos de Taos, Questa, Red River, Arroyo Seco, and along NM‑68; it becomes intermittent along US‑64 west of Taos (Rio Grande Gorge), in canyons toward Tres Piedras, and on forest roads in the Carson National Forest.
• 4G/5G footprint: All three national carriers serve town centers with 4G LTE; 5G is present but mainly low-band and spotty mid-band. Mid-band 5G (where available) is concentrated in and immediately around Taos; rural sections remain LTE-first. Compared with statewide urban corridors (ABQ–Santa Fe–Las Cruces), Taos County’s mid-band 5G footprint and average mobile speeds are lower and less consistent.
• Backhaul and tower density: Fewer macro sites per square mile than urban NM, plus microwave backhaul on some rural sites, limit capacity. Carrier aggregation helps in town, but performance drops at cell edges and during peak tourism periods.
• Fiber buildout impact: Kit Carson Electric/Kit Carson Internet’s ongoing fiber-to-the-home expansion has reached most population centers and many rural clusters. Where fiber arrives, households shift away from mobile-only internet toward fixed service; outside those zones, mobile remains the primary or backup connection.
• Public safety and resiliency: AT&T FirstNet and carrier priority/QoS are in use for public safety agencies; nonetheless, power or backhaul outages and weather-driven access constraints can create temporary communication gaps in remote areas. Wi‑Fi calling is widely relied upon in fringe coverage locations.

Trends that differ from the New Mexico state profile

• Higher dependence on mobile-only internet for home access, despite slightly lower overall cellular-plan penetration.
• Lower and patchier mid-band 5G availability; LTE remains the workhorse outside the town core.
• Greater seasonal demand spikes that materially affect capacity in and around Taos and ski/recreation corridors.
• Faster relative progress in rural fixed fiber availability (via the local cooperative) than many NM counties, creating a two‑track pattern: fiber-fed areas with declining mobile-only reliance and outlying areas that remain mobile- or satellite‑dependent.
• More prepaid and budget plan usage tied to income, single-occupant households, and seasonal residents, compared with metro NM.

Implications

• For carriers: Capacity upgrades (additional sectors, small cells) in the Taos core and along NM‑68/US‑64, plus targeted rural infill, will yield outsized benefits relative to population.
• For public agencies and providers: Continuing fiber backhaul and FTTH expansion reduces digital inequities and offloads mobile networks; maintaining open public Wi‑Fi in civic hubs and ensuring redundant power/backhaul on hilltop sites improves resiliency.
• For residents and businesses: Where fiber is available, fixed service provides the best reliability and speed; in fringe areas, devices supporting Wi‑Fi calling and multi‑band 5G/LTE with external antennas or boosters mitigate terrain-related coverage gaps.

Taos County, NM social media usage (2025 snapshot)

Baseline population

• Residents: ≈35,000
• Adults (18+): ≈28,500
• Gender: ≈51% female, 49% male
• Median age: high-40s (older-leaning, rural)

Estimated adult social media reach

• Adults using at least one platform: ≈23,000 (≈80% of adults)

Most-used platforms among adults (share of adults; estimated users)

• YouTube: ≈80% (≈22,800)
• Facebook: ≈66% (≈18,800)
• Instagram: ≈42% (≈12,000)
• Pinterest: ≈32% (≈9,100) — strong female skew
• TikTok: ≈30% (≈8,600)
• Snapchat: ≈28% (≈8,000)
• Notable niche/communication platforms:
  • WhatsApp: ≈24% (≈6,800) — elevated among bilingual/Hispanic households
  • LinkedIn: ≈24% (≈6,800)
  • X (Twitter): ≈20% (≈5,700)
  • Reddit: ≈18% (≈5,100)

Age profile of the local social audience (share of adult users)

• 18–29: ≈18% (≈4,100 users)
• 30–44: ≈23% (≈5,200)
• 45–64: ≈38% (≈8,700)
• 65+: ≈21% (≈4,800) Insight: The audience skews 45+, so Facebook and YouTube dominate; TikTok/Snapchat are concentrated in the 13–29 segment, with Instagram bridging 18–44.

Gender breakdown

• Overall social audience: ≈51% female, 49% male
• By platform tendency:
  • Facebook, Instagram, TikTok: roughly balanced with a slight female tilt
  • Pinterest: heavily female (≈70% women)
  • YouTube: slight male tilt
  • Reddit and X: male-leaning

Behavioral trends observed locally

• Community coordination lives on Facebook: buy/sell/trade groups, school and road updates, fire/weather alerts, event promotion, and Facebook Marketplace for vehicles, gear, rentals.
• Tourism- and culture-driven content performs best on Instagram and Reels/TikTok: ski season (Taos Ski Valley), river and trail days (Rio Grande del Norte), art markets, and festivals. Geotags and local creator collaborations boost reach.
• YouTube is the default for how-to/outdoors (hiking, snow sports, hot springs), long-form music and arts coverage, and local event recaps.
• WhatsApp usage is common for family and community group chats among bilingual households and seasonal workers; Spanish or bilingual posts increase engagement countywide.
• Seasonal peaks: winter (ski), late spring–summer (festivals/outdoor). Weather and wildfire events drive sharp surges in Facebook group activity and resharing.
• Mobile-first consumption dominates; short-form vertical video outperforms static posts. Authentic, locally anchored storytelling (recognizable places/people) consistently yields higher engagement than polished, generic creative.

Notes on method

• Figures are modeled by applying current U.S. platform adoption rates (Pew Research, 2024) to Taos County’s adult population (U.S. Census/ACS), with rural and demographic adjustments. Platform shares are rounded; expect ±3–5 percentage points variance.