Craig County

Here’s a concise demographic snapshot of Craig County, Oklahoma. Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 ACS 5-year; Vintage 2023 estimates).

• Population:

  • 2020 Census: ~14,235
  • 2023 estimate: ~14.3k

• Age:

  • Median age: ~41
  • Under 18: ~22%
  • 65 and over: ~19%

• Sex:

  • Female: ~50%
  • Male: ~50%

• Race/ethnicity (mutually exclusive shares):

  • White, non-Hispanic: ~68%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~17%
  • Black, non-Hispanic: ~1–2%
  • Asian/Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: ~0–1%
  • Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~7%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~6%

• Households:

  • Total households: ~5,500
  • Average household size: ~2.45
  • Family households: ~65%
  • Married-couple families: ~48%
  • Households with children under 18: ~27%
  • Nonfamily households: ~35%

Craig County, OK snapshot (pop. ~14–15k; seat: Vinita; ~761 sq mi; ~19 residents/sq mi)

Estimated email users

• 10–12k residents use email at least monthly; 7–9k use it daily.
• Method: county population × share age 13+ × local internet adoption × typical U.S. email usage among internet users.

Age distribution of email use (approx. adoption among each group)

• 13–17: 85–90%
• 18–34: 95%+
• 35–64: 90–95%
• 65+: 70–80% Older adults participate, but at lower rates than younger groups.

Gender split

• Population is roughly even, with a slight female majority; email usage is similar by gender (no meaningful gap expected).

Digital access and trends

• 70–80% of households have a broadband subscription; another 10–20% are smartphone‑only.
• Wired broadband is concentrated in towns like Vinita, Welch, and Big Cabin; many rural areas rely on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite.
• 4G/LTE is common along major roads (e.g., I‑44/Will Rogers Turnpike); 5G and fiber expansions are emerging but remain spotty outside town centers.
• Public Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools, cafes) supplements access for students and lower‑income households.

Notes: Figures are informed estimates using ACS-style broadband rates for rural Oklahoma and national email adoption patterns.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Craig County, Oklahoma

Quick snapshot

• Total population: roughly 14–15 thousand residents.
• Estimated mobile phone users (any mobile): about 12–13 thousand people (≈85–90% of residents).
• Estimated smartphone users: roughly 10.5–11.5 thousand (≈75–80% of residents).
• Distinctive trend vs Oklahoma overall: slightly lower smartphone penetration but higher reliance on mobile as the primary internet connection, driven by older age structure, lower incomes, patchy wired broadband outside towns, and highway-centric cell coverage.

User estimates (how the numbers break down)

• Adults (18+): ~11–12k. Smartphone adoption in rural Oklahoma typically lands a bit below state average; applying ~80–85% suggests 9–10k adult smartphone users.
• Youth (5–17): ~3–3.5k. With strong teen adoption but lower rates for younger children, assume ~55–65% have smartphones, adding ~1.7–2.2k users.
• Any mobile phone (smartphone or basic): adult mobile ownership is near-universal nationally; adjusting for rural coverage gaps and older residents, expect ~90–95% among adults plus modest youth basic-phone use, yielding ~12–13k total mobile users.
• Smartphone-only (no home broadband): likely 20–25% of adults, higher than the statewide share, reflecting limited wireline options outside Vinita and small towns.

Demographic patterns (and how they differ from the state)

• Age: Craig County skews older than Oklahoma overall. Seniors (65+) are more prevalent and have lower smartphone adoption and lower mobile data use; more basic/flip phones remain in service than the state average.
• Income: Median household income is lower than the state average. This raises the share of prepaid/MVNO plans and data-capped plans. With the Affordable Connectivity Program ending in 2024, some low-income and Tribal households likely shifted to mobile-only access or trimmed data plans—effects that are more pronounced here than statewide.
• Race/Tribal: A higher share of American Indian/Alaska Native residents than the state average. Tribal Lifeline and prior Tribal ACP support have historically boosted mobile adoption; post-ACP, cost sensitivity and mobile-first behavior likely increased. Smartphone ownership rates are broadly similar, but home broadband is less prevalent than statewide, making phones the primary connection more often.

Usage behaviors

• More “mobile-first” internet use than the Oklahoma average: streaming, social, school apps, and telehealth commonly run over cellular, especially where fiber/coax is unavailable.
• Prepaid share above the state average: multi-line discounts via MVNOs and hotspot add-ons are common.
• In-vehicle use is important due to commuting/travel along I-44 (Will Rogers Turnpike) and US-60/US-69; people frequently rely on car-based coverage and download-then-go behavior where service fades off the corridors.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Tower pattern: Sites cluster along interstates/highways and around Vinita; density drops in outlying areas with hills/trees causing dead zones and indoor signal challenges. This creates more coverage gaps than the state average.
• 4G LTE: Broad along highways and towns from the national carriers; rural pockets still see weak LTE or fallback to low-band only.
• 5G:
  • T-Mobile’s mid-band (2.5 GHz) tends to reach small towns and some rural stretches in NE Oklahoma; likely present in/near Vinita with quicker speeds where available.
  • AT&T and Verizon 5G are present, often via low-band/DSS in rural areas; mid-band/C-band capacity is more limited and concentrated near larger population centers, so Craig trails the statewide experience for sustained mid-band 5G.
• Backhaul and fiber: Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative’s Bolt Fiber (based in/near Vinita) and other regional builds provide town-centered fiber and backhaul along major routes, improving tower capacity on corridors. Coverage remains patchy outside these zones, so Craig County shows more variability in mobile speeds than the state norm.
• Public safety: AT&T FirstNet covers the main corridors and towns; off-corridor Band 14 can help resilience but doesn’t fully erase rural gaps.
• Competitive dynamics: With fewer dense-population anchor areas than the state overall, capacity upgrades (additional sectors, small cells, mid-band overlays) arrive more slowly than in metro Oklahoma.

How Craig County differs most from statewide patterns

• Slightly lower smartphone penetration but a higher share of mobile-only households.
• Greater dependence on prepaid/MVNO plans and data caps.
• More pronounced corridor effect: strong service along I-44/US-60/US-69 and visibly weaker performance off those routes.
• Slower, patchier 5G mid-band rollout than the state average; speeds and consistency vary more by location.
• Infrastructure is improving where fiber backhaul exists (e.g., around Vinita), but rural gaps persist longer than the statewide trend.

Notes and data confidence

• Figures are estimates synthesized from rural Oklahoma adoption norms, national survey data (e.g., Pew, CDC/NCHS wireless-only household rates), carrier coverage patterns as of 2024–2025, and Craig County’s demographics. For planning, validate locally via FCC National Broadband Map, carrier coverage maps, and third-party measurement platforms (Ookla, OpenSignal), plus ACS county demographics.

Below is a concise, best-available snapshot for Craig County, OK. Note: There’s no official, platform-by-platform dataset at the county level. Figures are modeled from ACS demographics for Craig County plus Pew Research (2023–2024) rural/U.S. social media adoption rates and should be treated as estimates.

Overall user stats

• Population: ~14–15k residents; adults ~10.5–11.5k.
• Internet access: roughly 70–80% of households have broadband (rural OK range).
• Social media users: about 8–9k residents (≈60–65% of total population; ≈70–75% of adults and ≈90–95% of teens) use at least one platform.

Age mix of social users (estimated share of all local SM users)

• 13–17: ~8–10%
• 18–29: ~20–25%
• 30–49: ~30–35%
• 50–64: ~20–25%
• 65+: ~10–15%

Gender breakdown (estimated)

• County population is roughly balanced; among social users expect a slight female skew: ~52% women, ~48% men.
  • Female-skewed usage: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok.
  • Male-skewed usage: YouTube, Reddit, X.

Most-used platforms among adults (modeled prevalence)

• Facebook: ~60–65%
• YouTube: ~70–75%
• Instagram: ~30–35% (higher in under-35s)
• TikTok: ~25–30% (strong under-35)
• Snapchat: ~20–25% (very concentrated in teens/young adults)
• Pinterest: ~20–25% overall; ~35–45% of adult women
• X (Twitter): ~12–18%
• LinkedIn: ~10–15% (lower in rural areas)
• Reddit: ~10–12%
• Nextdoor: <5% (limited rural footprint)

Behavioral trends observed in similar rural Oklahoma counties

• Facebook is the community hub: city/county updates, schools/athletics, churches, civic groups, buy-sell-trade, Marketplace, local events.
• YouTube is the dominant video platform for how‑to, farm/ranch, hunting/fishing, small-engine repair, sermons, and local sports highlights.
• Short-form video growth: TikTok and Instagram Reels for entertainment, recipes, DIY, and “what’s happening this weekend” content.
• Youth messaging is Snapchat-first; Instagram/TikTok for discovery and identity; Facebook used mainly for family groups and events.
• Women 25–54 are highly active in local groups, school PTO/boosters, and Pinterest (recipes, crafts, home).
• X/Twitter usage is niche (news/sports), with limited local posting.
• Businesses and nonprofits lean on Facebook Pages + Groups; ad spend favors Facebook/Instagram for reach and Marketplace for conversions.
• Posting and engagement peaks around early morning, lunch, and evenings; weather and school/athletics drive spikes.