Cattaraugus County

Here are current, high-level demographics for Cattaraugus County, NY (U.S. Census Bureau; primarily ACS 2019–2023 5‑year estimates and 2023 population estimates):

Population

• Total: ~75,900

Age

• Median age: ~43
• Under 18: ~21%
• 18–64: ~59%
• 65 and over: ~20%

Sex

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50%

Race/ethnicity

• White alone: ~88–89%
• Black or African American alone: ~1–2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~4–5%
• Asian alone: ~0.5–1%
• Two or more races: ~4–5%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2–3%

Households

• Total households: ~31,000–32,000
• Average household size: ~2.3–2.4
• Family households: ~62–64% of households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~73–75%

Cattaraugus County, NY (pop. ~77–78k) email usage snapshot — estimates extrapolated from ACS/Pew and rural NY trends:

• Estimated email users: ~55–62k residents.
• Age distribution of users (approx. share of users):
  • 13–17: 6–7%
  • 18–34: 20–25%
  • 35–54: 32–36%
  • 55–64: 15–18%
  • 65+: 18–22% (usage rates slightly lower than younger cohorts)
• Gender split: roughly 51% female, 49% male among users; nonbinary/other gender identities present but a small share in surveys.
• Digital access trends:
  • Household broadband subscription ~80–85%, below NY statewide averages; smartphone‑only internet in ~10–15% of households.
  • Reliance on mobile data and public/library Wi‑Fi remains common in areas with limited wired service.
  • Fiber and fixed‑wireless expansion ongoing via NYS ConnectALL/BEAD and federal programs; satellite is a fallback in outlying areas.
• Local density/connectivity context:
  • Low population density (~55–60 people/sq. mile) with service concentrated in and around Olean and Salamanca; coverage thins across rural, hilly terrain.
  • Town centers typically have cable/DSL; many hamlets depend on fixed wireless or satellite, affecting email access quality (latency/reliability) more than availability.

Below is a concise, locally focused snapshot of mobile phone usage in Cattaraugus County, NY, with estimates, demographic patterns, and infrastructure context. Figures are directional ranges modeled from ACS demographics, CDC/NCHS wireless‐only trends, Pew smartphone adoption, FCC mobile/broadband maps, and rural NY performance data circa 2022–2024.

Headline estimates (order-of-magnitude)

• Population and households: ~76,000 residents; ~31,000 households. Adult population ~58,000–60,000.
• Mobile phone users: 52,000–56,000 adults use a mobile phone (roughly 88–93% of adults). This is a bit below New York State as a whole.
• Smartphone users: 45,000–49,000 adults (about 78–83% of adults). Several points lower than statewide averages due to older age profile and patchier coverage.
• Wireless-only voice (no landline): 60–70% of adults, below statewide, reflecting a larger senior share and some households keeping landlines for reliability during outages.
• Mobile-only home internet (phone hotspot or cellular router as primary home internet): 12–18% of households, notably higher than statewide, tied to limited or costly wireline options in rural areas.
• 5G-capable device penetration: roughly 45–55% of smartphones in use; actual time-on-5G is lower than state due to coverage gaps outside towns.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age
  • 18–34: Near-universal mobile ownership; smartphone adoption ~95%+. Heavy app/data use; prepaid/MVNO appeal for affordability.
  • 35–64: High smartphone adoption (~85–90%), but more mixed plan types; many retain LTE-only devices longer than state peers.
  • 65+: Mobile ownership is high but smartphone adoption lags (~60–70%). More voice/text-centric usage; some keep landlines as backup.
• Income and plan types
  • Higher reliance on prepaid and MVNOs than statewide (cost sensitivity; single-line plans common).
  • Device replacement cycles run longer; refurbished/secondhand devices used more often than state average.
• Geography and communities
  • Rural valleys and forested areas see coverage variability; residents in hamlets and on back roads are more likely to report “no service” pockets and to use signal boosters.
  • Native American communities (Seneca Nation’s Allegany and Cattaraugus Territories) experience uneven coverage; adoption supported by Lifeline and, previously, ACP subsidies. The winding down of ACP in 2024–2025 likely pressured some households’ mobile data budgets.
• Work and lifestyle
  • Trades, agriculture, tourism, and outdoor recreation drive weekday daytime concentration around towns and corridors; weekend peaks around resorts (e.g., Ellicottville) and Allegany State Park strain capacity episodically.

Digital infrastructure and service quality

• Coverage mix
  • 4G LTE is the workhorse and covers most population centers (Olean, Salamanca, Ellicottville, Little Valley) and main corridors (I‑86/NY‑17, US‑219), but terrain causes shadows in valleys and wooded stretches.
  • 5G availability is concentrated in and near larger towns and along major routes; outside those areas, users fall back to LTE. Mid‑band 5G is present but not continuous; low‑band 5G extends farther with limited capacity gains.
• Carrier landscape
  • Verizon tends to provide the broadest rural footprint; AT&T coverage is solid along corridors and supports FirstNet public safety; T‑Mobile shows strong mid‑band 5G in/near towns but can drop off in remote areas. Actual performance varies locally by terrain and tower proximity.
• Capacity and speeds
  • Median download speeds trail statewide figures by a noticeable margin, with larger urban–rural swings. Peak‑time slowdowns occur during events and tourist weekends.
• Towers/backhaul
  • Lower tower density than downstate; hilly Allegheny Plateau topography complicates propagation. New or upgraded sites often track along highways, town centers, and public safety priorities.
  • Backhaul is a mix of microwave and fiber; fiber is improving but still sparser than state average outside towns.
• Home broadband interplay
  • Cable (Spectrum) and pockets of fiber serve towns; many rural areas rely on older DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite. This drives higher mobile-only internet reliance than statewide.
  • Public Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools, colleges like St. Bonaventure and JCC Olean) mitigates data constraints for some users.

How Cattaraugus County differs from New York State overall

• Adoption
  • Slightly lower overall smartphone adoption, driven by an older age structure and affordability constraints.
  • Lower wireless‑only voice share than state average (more landline retention), but higher mobile‑only internet dependence due to wireline gaps.
• Networks
  • Greater reliance on LTE; lower effective 5G availability and usage outside towns. Wider and more persistent dead zones because of terrain and tower spacing.
  • Slower median speeds and more pronounced peak‑time congestion variability.
• Affordability and plans
  • Higher share of prepaid/MVNO users and longer device lifecycles than state average.
  • Greater sensitivity to subsidy changes (e.g., ACP wind‑down), with observable impacts on data usage and plan downgrades.
• Seasonal effects
  • Tourism and recreation produce sharper, place‑specific traffic surges than in many downstate communities, exposing capacity bottlenecks on weekends and holidays.

Implications and opportunities

• Targeted new sites or small cells in known congestion/coverage gaps near resorts, parks, and valley towns would yield outsized benefits.
• Extending mid‑band 5G and fiber backhaul along I‑86/NY‑17 and feeder routes would lift both capacity and reliability.
• Senior‑focused digital literacy and affordable smartphone programs could close the adoption gap relative to the state.
• Continued fixed‑wireless buildouts, paired with fiber expansion, can reduce overreliance on mobile for home internet in the most rural tracts.

Method note: Estimates reflect county age/income mix (ACS), national/state wireless substitution and smartphone trends (CDC/Pew), and rural NY coverage/performance patterns (FCC maps and third‑party testing). Local conditions can vary at the township and even road‑segment level.

Here’s a concise, decision-ready snapshot. Note: County-level platform shares aren’t directly published; percentages below are estimates inferred from Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. social media data (with rural adjustments) and the county’s older-leaning demographics. Use platform ad tools for precise, real-time reach.

Quick take

• Estimated social media users in Cattaraugus County: 45,000–50,000 residents use at least one platform.
• Dominant platforms: YouTube and Facebook; Instagram and TikTok are rising among under-35; Snapchat is strong with teens/college; Pinterest strong with women; X/Reddit remain niche; LinkedIn limited.

User stats (order-of-magnitude)

• Population context: ~75–78k residents; slight female majority.
• Adults using any social media: ~42k–46k (about 70–75% of adults).
• Teens (13–17) using social media: ~3k–4k (roughly 80–90% of teens).
• Overall user base likely 52–55% female (reflects population and platform skews).

Most-used platforms (share of adult social media users, local estimate)

• YouTube: 75–85%
• Facebook: 65–75%
• Instagram: 35–45%
• TikTok: 25–35%
• Snapchat: 20–30% overall; 50–70% among ages 13–24
• Pinterest: 25–35% (skews female)
• WhatsApp: 15–25% (lower in rural areas)
• X (Twitter): 15–25%
• Reddit: 15–20% (skews male/younger)
• LinkedIn: 15–25% (lower in less white-collar labor markets)

Age patterns (directional)

• Teens (13–17): Daily Snapchat/Instagram; heavy TikTok; low Facebook posting (use it for groups/events).
• 18–29: YouTube near-universal; Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat high; Facebook moderate for events/Marketplace.
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube dominant; Instagram moderate; TikTok growing for entertainment/local food/business.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube core; Instagram light; TikTok niche but growing.
• 65+: Facebook first, YouTube second; other platforms limited.

Gender tendencies

• Women: Overrepresent on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; high engagement with community groups, local businesses, schools, health/wellness.
• Men: Overrepresent on YouTube, Reddit, X; strong interest in sports, outdoor rec, automotive, trades.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger widely used across ages; Snapchat messaging central for <30.

Behavioral trends (county-specific context)

• Community-first usage: Heavy reliance on Facebook Groups for school updates, youth sports, volunteer fire/EMS, weather/road conditions, lost-and-found pets, and local news. Facebook Marketplace is a major buy-sell-trade channel.
• Video shift: Short-form video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) increasingly used by local restaurants, realtors, events, and outdoor/recreation accounts; how-to and product demos perform well on YouTube.
• Timing: Peak engagement evenings (7–10 pm), lunch (11:30 am–1 pm), and weekend mornings; spikes during weather events and local sports.
• Content that works: Practical/local value (closures, deals, events), photo galleries of community moments (games, graduations), giveaways/fundraisers, and authentic, low-gloss creative. Local faces and landmarks outperform generic stock content.
• Discovery-to-action: Users often discover on Facebook/Instagram and complete via Messenger or in-store; posts with phone numbers, directions, or “message us” CTAs convert well.
• Privacy/use style: Many prefer private groups and DMs over public posting; cross-posting IG→FB is common for small businesses.

How to get precise local counts

• Use Meta Ads Manager, Snapchat Ads, TikTok Ads, and Google/YouTube geo-targeting to pull “potential reach” for: Cattaraugus County, age brackets, interests (e.g., hunting/fishing, high school sports), and placements. These tools provide the most reliable, current, platform-specific local estimates.

Sources

• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2023–2024 (national + rural crosstabs)
• U.S. Census Bureau, ACS (population and age structure, latest available)
• Platform ad tools (Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, Google/YouTube) for local reach estimates