Alfalfa County

Key demographics – Alfalfa County, Oklahoma

Population

• Total: 5,699 (2020 Census); 2023 estimate: 5,611

Age

• Median age: ~41.8 years
• Under 18: ~23.3%
• 65 and over: ~20.9%

Gender

• Male: ~55.7%
• Female: ~44.3%

Race/ethnicity (share of total population)

• White alone: ~84.9%
• Black or African American alone: ~5.4%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~3.1%
• Asian alone: ~0.3%
• Two or more races: ~3.5%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~8.9%
• White alone, not Hispanic: ~76.3%

Households

• Total households: ~2,262
• Average household size: ~2.33 persons
• Family households: ~66% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~26%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 5-year estimates; QuickFacts). Figures are rounded and subject to small-area sampling error.

Alfalfa County, OK overview (population ~5.7k; low density ~6–7 people per sq. mile)

Estimated email users

• 3,900–4,400 residents use email at least monthly. Method: applying typical rural U.S. adoption (≈80–90%) to the county’s predominantly adult population.

Age pattern (approximate adoption)

• 18–29: ~95%
• 30–49: ~95%
• 50–64: ~85–90%
• 65+: ~70–80% Given the county’s older age profile, total users skew toward 30–64, with a smaller but growing 65+ segment.

Gender split

• Roughly even; male and female email usage differs by only 1–2 percentage points in national/rural data.

Digital access and trends

• Broadband access is below the U.S. average in rural Oklahoma; expect household broadband subscription rates roughly 10–15 points lower than national.
• Connectivity is constrained by low population density, raising last‑mile costs; fixed options often include DSL/fixed wireless, with satellite as a fallback.
• Mobile: widespread 4G LTE; limited 5G primarily along major corridors.
• 15–25% of adults are likely smartphone‑only internet users.
• Trendline: gradual improvement from state/federal broadband investments (fiber and fixed wireless build‑outs) and steady uptake among older adults.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Alfalfa County, Oklahoma (focus on how it differs from state-level)

Context snapshot

• Population: roughly 5,600–5,800 residents; older-than-state median age; highly rural and sparsely populated.
• Data note: No official county-level mobile-ownership series exists. Estimates below are modeled from Census/ACS demographic structure, Pew Research smartphone adoption by age/rurality (2023), and rural Oklahoma differentials; mobile coverage insights are drawn from carrier/FCC maps and rural deployments as of 2024.

User estimates (adults)

• Adults with any mobile phone: about 4,300–4,500 (≈95–96% of adults), slightly below state-level near-universality.
• Adult smartphone users: about 3,600–3,900 (≈79–83% of adults), a few points lower than Oklahoma overall (low- to mid-80s).
• Feature-phone or no-phone users: about 700–1,000 adults, concentrated among 65+ and very low-income residents.
• Smartphone-only internet (smartphone but no home broadband): estimated 15–22% of adults, higher than the statewide share, reflecting gaps in wired broadband availability and affordability.

Demographic breakdown (modeled)

• Age
  • 18–29: High smartphone ownership (≈93–97%); similar to statewide, but absolute numbers are small due to a smaller young-adult base locally.
  • 30–49: High ownership (≈90–95%), near state levels.
  • 50–64: Moderately high (≈80–88%), a bit below state.
  • 65+: Noticeably lower (≈60–68%), below the state’s senior smartphone rate; this drives most of the county’s gap vs Oklahoma overall.
• Income/education
  • Lower-income households are more likely to use prepaid plans and to rely on a single smartphone for connectivity; “smartphone-only” reliance is higher than state average.
  • College-educated and higher-income residents match statewide adoption but are a smaller share of the local population, keeping overall county adoption lower.
• Device/plan mix
  • Above-average use of prepaid/MVNO brands (e.g., Cricket, Straight Talk, Metro) and hotspot add-ons for home use.
  • Slightly higher share of basic/feature phones among seniors and in agriculture-oriented households that prioritize voice/SMS coverage and battery life.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carrier presence and 5G
  • AT&T and Verizon provide the most reliable countywide footprint; low-band “nationwide” 5G overlays are shown on maps primarily in/near towns and along main corridors (e.g., around Cherokee and US-64). Performance often resembles strong LTE.
  • T-Mobile coverage is serviceable in towns/corridors but more variable in outlying sections; mid-band n41 5G is limited compared with metros.
  • FirstNet (AT&T Band 14) is present on some rural sites in northwest Oklahoma, improving public-safety and fringe coverage; this is a relative strength locally compared with other rural carriers.
• Tower density and terrain
  • Sparse macrocell grid with wide inter-site distances; reliable service in towns and along highways, with dead zones in low-lying and refuge areas (e.g., near Great Salt Plains) and on section-line roads away from corridors.
  • Many farms/ranches use LTE boosters or dual-SIM devices to handle carrier gaps—a behavior more common here than statewide.
• Backhaul and home connectivity
  • Fiber backhaul exists along key routes, but not uniformly; fixed wireless (WISPs) and cellular hotspots are common substitutes where cable/fiber isn’t available.
  • The end of the federal ACP subsidy in 2024 likely increased price sensitivity locally, nudging some households toward smartphone-only connectivity—more than in urban parts of the state.

Usage patterns that diverge from state-level norms

• Slightly lower overall smartphone adoption, driven by an older age structure and more price-sensitive households.
• Higher reliance on cellular as primary home internet (hotspots and smartphone tethering), due to patchier wired broadband.
• More multi-carrier and prepaid strategies to manage coverage gaps and costs (e.g., a Verizon line plus a T-Mobile/AT&T backup), and greater use of signal boosters.
• Lower effective 5G utilization: low-band 5G is present but mid-band 5G capacity is limited; typical speeds and experiences resemble LTE more often than in Oklahoma’s metros.
• Heavier emphasis on voice/SMS reliability for agriculture, oilfield, and public-safety use cases; data-heavy mobile streaming is more constrained by coverage and plan choices.

Method and sources (for transparency)

• Population/age mix: U.S. Census/ACS (2018–2022) patterns for Alfalfa County and rural Oklahoma.
• Ownership rates: Pew Research Center 2023 smartphone adoption by age and rurality, applied to local age/income structure.
• Coverage/infrastructure: FCC mobile coverage maps (2023–2024), carrier public maps, and known rural Oklahoma deployment patterns (AT&T FirstNet Band 14, Verizon/AT&T low-band 5G, T-Mobile n71 with limited n41 in low-density areas).

Below is a concise, best-available estimate for Alfalfa County, OK. Direct, platform-level stats aren’t published at the county level, so figures are modeled from U.S. Census demographics for Alfalfa County and recent Pew Research platform use (adjusted for rural patterns). Use these as directional ranges.

Quick snapshot

• Population: ~5.6K residents; adults (18+): ~4.2–4.5K
• Monthly social media users (18+): ~3.0–3.3K (about 70–75% of adults)
• Teens (13–17): ~350–400; very high use (90%+), concentrated on YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok

Age mix of local users (18+)

• 18–29: ~18–22% of users
• 30–49: ~30–34%
• 50–64: ~24–28%
• 65+: ~20–24% Note: County skews older than the U.S. average; Facebook and YouTube dominate among 50+.

Gender

• Overall use is similar by gender, but platform skews differ:
  • Women over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; solid on Instagram.
  • Men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X (Twitter).

Most-used platforms among adults (estimated monthly penetration in the county)

• YouTube: 75–80%
• Facebook: 62–68%
• Instagram: 32–38%
• Snapchat: 28–34% (heavy among under-30s)
• TikTok: 25–30% (younger skew)
• Pinterest: 25–30% (strong female skew)
• X (Twitter): 12–15%
• Reddit: 8–12%
• LinkedIn: 10–15% (lower given rural/industry mix)

Behavioral trends to expect locally

• Facebook is the community hub: school updates, church and civic groups, local news, high school sports, fundraisers, obituaries, lost/found, storm and road alerts. Marketplace is widely used for farm/ranch gear, vehicles, and household items.
• YouTube is the default for how-to and work-related content: equipment repair, DIY, agriculture, hunting/fishing, small-engine and home maintenance.
• Younger residents split time across Snapchat (messaging/stories), TikTok (short-form entertainment, trends), Instagram (reels, sports highlights, local boutiques).
• Posting/engagement peaks: early morning (before work/school), lunch, and 7–10 pm. Severe weather and school/athletics drive sharp spikes.
• Trust and reach: messages from known people, local businesses, schools, and county/city pages outperform national sources. Boosted Facebook posts with tight radius targeting typically deliver the best paid reach; X and LinkedIn have niche value.
• Private/closed groups matter: buy-sell-trade, agriculture, youth sports, church groups; many interactions move quickly into Messenger/Snapchat DMs.

Notes

• Estimates reflect national platform rates (Pew Research, 2023–2024) adjusted for rural usage and Alfalfa County’s older age structure. Actual counts vary with broadband/smartphone access and seasonality.