Beckham County

Which data vintage would you like? I can report 2020 Decennial Census figures or the most recent American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2019–2023). If you don’t specify, I’ll use the 2019–2023 ACS, which provides the most complete county-level detail.

• Estimated email users: ~17–19k of ~22–23k residents (based on adult share and broadband adoption patterns).
• Age distribution:
  • 13–17: ~55–65% have/use email (school accounts common).
  • 18–34: 95%+ active users.
  • 35–64: ~90–95%.
  • 65+: ~70–80%, rising with telehealth/banking.
• Gender split: Roughly even; no meaningful usage gap (differences likely within 2–3%).
• Digital access trends:
  • About 75–80% of households subscribe to broadband (ACS-like county peers); mobile-only internet is common outside Elk City and Sayre.
  • Fiber and fixed‑wireless have expanded along the I‑40 corridor; many ranchland areas still lean on DSL or cellular hotspots.
  • 4G LTE/5G coverage is strong near towns/highways; weaker toward western/southern edges.
• Local density/connectivity context:
  • Population density is in the mid‑20s per square mile—well below Oklahoma’s ~58/sq‑mi—raising last‑mile costs and slowing fiber penetration.
  • Public Wi‑Fi/email access via libraries and schools in Elk City and Sayre supports residents without home service.

Notes: Counts are estimates derived from county population, ACS computer/internet subscription rates, and U.S. email adoption patterns.

Beckham County, OK — mobile phone usage snapshot (approximate, 2024–2025)

What’s different from statewide patterns

• Greater reliance on mobile data as a primary internet connection, especially outside Elk City/Sayre; mobile-only households are meaningfully higher than the Oklahoma average.
• Slightly lower smartphone penetration among seniors, but a higher devices-per-adult ratio overall due to oilfield and transportation work phones.
• Higher prepaid share and churn than the state average, tied to income variability and seasonal/migrant work.
• Coverage and capacity are concentrated along I‑40 and town centers; off‑highway gaps and metal-building indoor coverage issues are more common than in urban parts of the state.
• 5G availability exists but is thinner than metro Oklahoma; mid-band 5G is largely corridor/town-focused, with extended-range 5G elsewhere.

User estimates

• Population base: roughly 22–23k residents; adult population about 16–18k.
• Mobile phone users: 18–20k people (includes most adults and a large share of teens).
• Smartphone users: 15–17k (roughly 82–86% of mobile users; statewide is typically a few points higher).
• Devices in service: 21–25k lines (work-issued phones and hotspots push devices-per-adult to ~1.15–1.25).
• Mobile-only internet households: 28–35% outside Elk City/Sayre; still elevated (but lower) within those towns. This is higher than the state average.
• Prepaid share: approximately 30–40% of lines (statewide tends to be lower), reflecting budget and transient-work needs.

Demographic/behavioral breakdown (directional)

• Age:
  • 18–34: near-universal smartphone use; heavy video/social messaging; high hotspot use on the road.
  • 35–64: high smartphone adoption; notable use of work lines, push-to-talk/crew apps, and vehicle-based hotspots.
  • 65+: smartphone adoption lags state average; flip/feature phones retain a 10–15% share among seniors.
• Income and plan type:
  • Lower and variable incomes correlate with prepaid, BYOD, and discount MVNOs; ACP’s wind-down increased plan downgrades and reliance on Wi‑Fi.
• Ethnicity/language:
  • Hispanic share is higher than the state average; stronger use of WhatsApp/Meta apps, international calling add‑ons, and refill-based prepaid.
• Work patterns:
  • Oil & gas, trucking, and wind energy increase day-time device density along I‑40 and in industrial yards, and raise demand for rugged devices and FirstNet/public-safety features.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage pattern:
  • 4G LTE is strong along I‑40 and in Elk City/Sayre; coverage thins in ranchland and river breaks, with known dead spots off highways.
  • Indoor coverage issues are common in large metal buildings and on the edges of towns.
• 5G:
  • Extended-range 5G (low-band) is broadly present; mid-band 5G capacity is focused around Elk City/Sayre and along I‑40. mmWave is not a factor.
  • Verizon, AT&T, and T‑Mobile all have a footprint; capacity varies by site and sector orientation to the corridor.
• Public safety:
  • AT&T FirstNet Band 14 is deployed along key routes and in town centers; agencies rely on it during severe weather and wildfire events.
• Backhaul and tower siting:
  • Macro towers cluster along I‑40, US‑283, and US‑6. Backhaul is a mix of fiber along corridors and microwave elsewhere; capacity constraints show up during peak travel and storm events.
• Home and business broadband interplay:
  • Cable or fiber is available in core parts of Elk City and Sayre; outside those areas, options drop to DSL, fixed wireless (including CBRS/WISP offerings), and satellite.
  • 5G fixed wireless (T‑Mobile/Verizon) is available in and around town sectors; adoption is growing where cable/fiber is absent or expensive.
  • Starlink usage is rising on ranches and remote homesteads; some households pair Starlink Wi‑Fi with mobile for redundancy.

Implications and opportunities

• Network planning: Additional mid-band 5G sectors and backhaul upgrades off the I‑40 spine would improve consistency, especially east/west of Elk City.
• Affordability: With ACP funding lapsed, demand remains for low-cost prepaid and MVNO plans; device financing and refurb channels matter more than in metro areas.
• Business mobility: Fleet-oriented features (priority data, mobile hotspots, PTT) see above-average uptake; coverage inside metal structures remains a pain point worth targeted small-cell/DAS solutions.

Notes on method and uncertainty

• Figures are modeled estimates using county population, rural adoption differentials, known corridor coverage norms, and typical rural Oklahoma usage patterns. Exact counts vary by carrier footprint, season, and economic activity (e.g., oilfield cycles).

Below is a concise, best-available estimate for Beckham County, OK. County-level social media figures aren’t directly published; numbers are calibrated from recent Pew Research Center findings for U.S./rural users and Oklahoma demographics.

Quick user stats

• Population baseline: ≈22K residents; ≈17K adults (18+).
• Estimated social media users (adults): 11.5K–13K (≈68–75% of adults).
• Teens (13–17): ≈1.7–2.2K; social use 85–95% ⇒ ≈1.5–2.0K teen users.
• Total users (adults + teens): ≈13–15K.

Age groups (estimated penetration, any platform)

• 13–17: 90–95%. Top platforms: YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram; limited Facebook.
• 18–29: 85–90%. YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat strong; Facebook moderate.
• 30–49: 80–85%. Facebook and YouTube strongest; Instagram moderate; TikTok growing.
• 50–64: 65–75%. Facebook and YouTube dominate; light Instagram/TikTok.
• 65+: 45–55%. Facebook and YouTube primary; minimal others.

Gender breakdown (directional)

• Overall use: Women slightly higher than men in rural areas.
• Platform skews: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest skew female; YouTube, X (Twitter), Reddit skew male. TikTok leans slightly female; Snapchat leans younger/female.

Most-used platforms in Beckham County (adults; estimated share of adults who use each)

• YouTube: 70–80%
• Facebook: 60–70%
• Instagram: 30–45%
• TikTok: 25–35%
• Snapchat: 20–30%
• Pinterest: 20–30%
• X (Twitter): 10–18%
• LinkedIn: 10–18%
• Reddit: 8–15%
• Nextdoor: 5–10% (coverage varies outside metros)

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the community hub: Local news, school sports, church events, buy/sell/trade, storm updates. Groups and Marketplace drive outsized engagement.
• Video wins: Short vertical clips (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) outperform static posts; YouTube used for DIY, ag/auto repair, outdoors/hunting, oilfield topics, and church services.
• Local business discovery: Instagram (Stories/Reels) and Facebook for boutiques, salons, food trucks; promos tied to local events perform best.
• Teens/young adults: Snapchat for messaging; TikTok/Instagram for entertainment, trends, and local creators (ranching, oilfield, Western lifestyle).
• Timing: Evenings (7–10 pm) and weekends see peaks; lunch hour is a secondary window.
• Trust and word-of-mouth: Recommendations in local FB groups matter more than polished ads; UGC/testimonials work well.
• Language/community: Bilingual (English/Spanish) content can expand reach in certain neighborhoods and workforces.
• Weather-driven spikes: Severe weather and road conditions rapidly boost engagement; local meteorologist pages and scanner groups see surges.
• Connectivity considerations: Some users have limited bandwidth; concise videos and lightweight creatives help.

Notes

• Figures are estimates derived from Pew Research Center (2023–2024) platform-use rates, with rural adjustments, and Census population structure for Beckham County. Use for planning/targeting, not as audited counts.