Blaine County

I can provide this with exact figures, but please confirm your preferred source/year:

• 2020 Decennial Census (official counts; best for total population and race)
• Latest ACS 5-year estimates (2019–2023) from the U.S. Census Bureau (best for age, sex, households, income/poverty; includes margins of error)

Once you choose, I’ll return a concise profile with:

• Total population
• Median age; age distribution
• Sex (male/female share)
• Race/ethnicity (Hispanic origin and race groups)
• Households: number, persons per household, family vs. nonfamily share, homeownership rate, median household income, poverty rate

Blaine County, OK — email usage snapshot (estimates)

• Population and density: about 9,000–10,000 residents; roughly 9–10 people per square mile across ~900–1,000 sq mi (very rural).
• Estimated email users: ~7,600 residents (range 7,200–8,000), based on Pew/Census rural adoption rates applied to the local age mix.

Age profile of email users

• Under 18: ~1.5k users (≈65–75% adoption, school-driven).
• 18–34: ~1.8k users (≈95%).
• 35–64: ~3.0k users (≈88–92%).
• 65+: ~1.3–1.5k users (≈65–75%).

Gender split

• Roughly even (about 48–52% each); no meaningful gender gap in email use expected.

Digital access and connectivity trends

• Home broadband: ~60–70% of households subscribe to fixed broadband; 80–90% have some internet (incl. cellular).
• Smartphone‑only internet: ~20–25% of households, common in rural/low‑density areas.
• Service quality is best in towns (e.g., Watonga, Okeene, Geary) and along highways; sparsely populated farm/ranch areas see more gaps and slower speeds, affecting daily email access.
• State/federal rural broadband investments are expanding 25/3 and 100/20 Mbps availability, so access is improving year over year.

Notes: Figures are modeled estimates using recent ACS/FCC/Pew patterns for rural Oklahoma.

Here’s a county-focused snapshot that highlights how Blaine County differs from Oklahoma overall.

Topline estimates (2024)

• Population and base: ~9,000–9,500 residents; ~6,800–7,200 adults. Household count roughly 3,400–3,700.
• Mobile users: 5,600–6,300 adult smartphone users (roughly 82–88% of adults, a few points below statewide). Including basic phones, kids’ lines, work phones, and hotspots, total active mobile lines are likely in the 7,000–9,000 range.
• Mobile‑only internet: 22–28% of households rely primarily on mobile data (vs ~15–20% statewide), reflecting patchier fixed broadband.

Demographic factors shaping usage

• Older population share: Blaine County skews older than the state average. This lifts the share of voice/text‑only and basic devices, slows 5G handset upgrades, and increases reliance on larger-font, lower-cost Android models.
• Income and cost sensitivity: Median incomes are lower than the state average, pushing higher use of prepaid, single‑line or small “value” plans, longer device life cycles, and slower adoption of premium 5G phones.
• Native American and Hispanic communities: Slightly higher proportions than the state average. This correlates with higher prepaid penetration, family plan clustering, and demand for bilingual support. Community anchor institutions (tribal offices, schools, libraries) play an outsized role in digital access.
• Work profile: Agriculture, energy, and construction drive more use of ruggedized handsets, mobile hotspots for field crews, and messaging/dispatch apps; usage spikes track planting/harvest and oilfield activity.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Macro coverage pattern: AT&T and Verizon provide the most consistent rural LTE; T‑Mobile’s extended‑range 600 MHz has improved coverage but still shows gaps west/north of towns.
• 5G reality: Low‑band 5G is present mainly in and around Watonga, Okeene, and along OK‑3/US‑270 corridors; mid‑band 5G (C‑band or n41) is spotty. Day‑to‑day experience is still LTE‑first outside towns, unlike metro Oklahoma where mid‑band 5G is common.
• Capacity and speeds: Typical LTE downlink 5–50 Mbps in town; single‑digit to teens between towns. Mid‑band 5G (where available) can reach 100–300 Mbps, but coverage is limited. Congestion is noticeable during school events, festivals, and storms.
• Terrain effects: River valleys and the canyons around Roman Nose State Park create localized dead zones and handoff issues—an atypical constraint compared with much of central Oklahoma’s flatter counties.
• Sites and backhaul: A few dozen macro sites serve the county, with fiber backhaul concentrated near town centers/anchors and microwave backhaul elsewhere. Fiber laterals typically reach schools, the hospital/clinic, and some businesses; outside of that, tower backhaul can be a bottleneck for 5G upgrades.
• Fixed alternatives that affect mobile behavior:
  • Fixed wireless ISPs cover large swaths of the county; quality varies by line-of-sight. CBRS and 5 GHz links are common.
  • Starlink adoption is above the state average (a function of limited cable/fiber), which reduces daytime mobile data loads for some farms/ranches but increases Wi‑Fi calling reliance.
  • Cable and fiber are mostly town‑limited; DSL remains in pockets but underperforms, pushing households to mobile-only.
• Public safety and resiliency: FirstNet (AT&T) coverage is solid along main corridors and in towns; volunteer fire/EMS still rely on VHF for primary voice with LTE apps as a supplement. Power/ice storms and severe weather can strain cell capacity; residents often pivot to SMS and offline apps.

Usage patterns that differ from statewide trends

• Lower 5G penetration: Share of 5G handsets and mid‑band 5G availability lag metros by several years; many residents don’t perceive a compelling upgrade benefit given rural speeds/coverage.
• Higher prepaid and mobile‑only share: Cost sensitivity and weaker fixed broadband raise prepaid adoption and the proportion of households using phones or hotspots as their primary internet connection.
• Longer device lifecycles: Handsets stay in service 3–5 years versus 2–3 in urban/suburban Oklahoma; battery replacements and budget Androids are more common than flagship upgrades.
• Heavier hotspot use for work: Field crews and farms lean on hotspots and tablet data plans more than the statewide average; demand is highly seasonal and location-specific.
• Coverage asymmetry: Service is strong along OK‑3/US‑270 and in towns, then drops quickly in low-density areas—more stark than the state average. Micro dead zones from terrain are a bigger factor here than in many other central OK counties.

What to watch (2025–2027)

• Incremental 5G expansion driven by backhaul upgrades to select rural towers; limited but meaningful capacity gains first along corridors and near schools/healthcare anchors.
• Continued growth of fixed wireless and satellite, which could modestly reduce mobile-only households but increase Wi‑Fi calling and in-home offload.
• Public funding and cooperative builds may extend fiber to a few rural clusters; this will shift some heavy mobile users to fixed broadband and smooth peak loads on cell sites.

Notes on method and assumptions

• Population and household counts are based on recent Census/ACS trajectories for Blaine County.
• Smartphone adoption rates are inferred from Pew/U.S. rural benchmarks adjusted slightly downward versus Oklahoma’s statewide averages; ranges reflect rural variability.
• Infrastructure observations synthesize FCC coverage patterns, carrier rural deployment norms in Oklahoma, and the county’s geography and town layout.

Below is a concise, county-tailored snapshot using modeled estimates based on rural/U.S. and Oklahoma patterns (Pew Research Center 2023–2024, ACS demographics). Actual local figures can vary, especially in small populations.

Headline stats (adults 18+)

• Any social media: ~65–72% use at least one platform; ~55–60% use daily
• Smartphone access: high; home broadband spottier, driving heavier mobile usage and more asynchronous viewing

Most-used platforms (share of adults, estimated)

• YouTube: 75–80%
• Facebook: 65–70%
• Instagram: 30–40%
• TikTok: 25–30%
• Snapchat: 20–25%
• Pinterest: 25–30%
• X (Twitter): 10–15%
• LinkedIn: 10–15%
• Reddit: 8–12%
• WhatsApp: 10–15%
• Nextdoor: 3–7% (Facebook Groups fill this role locally)

Age mix (share of each age group using the platform, estimated)

• 18–29: Social media 90–95%+. YouTube ~95%; Instagram 70–80%; TikTok 60–70%; Snapchat 65–75%; Facebook 40–55%.
• 30–49: Social media 85–90%. YouTube ~90%; Facebook 70–80%; Instagram 45–55%; TikTok 30–40%; Snapchat 25–35%.
• 50–64: Social media 70–80%. Facebook 70–75%; YouTube 75–85%; Instagram 25–35%; TikTok 18–25%; Pinterest 25–35%.
• 65+: Social media 45–55%. Facebook 45–55%; YouTube 45–55%; Instagram 15–20%; TikTok 8–12%.

Gender patterns (estimated)

• Women: higher on Facebook (70–75%), Instagram (40–50%), Pinterest (35–45%), TikTok (28–35%).
• Men: higher on YouTube (80–85%), Reddit (10–15%), X/Twitter (12–18%); Facebook still widely used (60–65%).

Behavioral trends in Blaine County

• Community-first usage: Facebook Groups and Pages for school sports, city/county updates, churches, civic clubs, local buy/sell and lost & found; Facebook Events drive attendance.
• Marketplace reliance: Strong use of Facebook Marketplace for vehicles, farm/ranch equipment, tools, and local services.
• Video as utility: YouTube for DIY, small-engine/auto repair, ag equipment maintenance, and church services; more on-demand than live due to connectivity.
• Messaging habits: Facebook Messenger is default for most adults; Snapchat dominant for teens/young adults; WhatsApp present among bilingual/Latino households and for family ties out of state.
• Short-form creation/consumption: TikTok and Instagram Reels used for local life (outdoors, rodeo, small business promos, school highlights). Cross-posting to Facebook Reels common.
• Business presence: Local service providers and retailers lean heavily on Facebook Pages + boosted posts; boutiques/food trucks add Instagram; limited X/Twitter use.
• Trust and discovery: Residents follow a small set of familiar local pages/groups; word-of-mouth amplified via shares. Less reliance on national news accounts.
• Usage patterns: Engagement skews evenings and weekends; mobile-first; patchy broadband leads to lower-quality livestreams and preference for shorter clips.

Notes

• Figures are modeled from rural/Oklahoma benchmarks (Pew Research Center 2023–2024 platform adoption) adjusted for a small, rural county profile and ACS demographics. For planning, use ranges and validate with platform ad tools (Meta/Google) or a short local survey.