Custer County

Here are key demographics for Custer County, Oklahoma (U.S. Census Bureau, 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates unless noted):

• Population: ~29,000
• Age:
  • Median age: ~33 years
  • Under 18: ~24%
  • 65 and over: ~15%
• Gender:
  • Female: ~49%
  • Male: ~51%
• Race and ethnicity (percent of total):
  • White, non-Hispanic: ~60%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~20–22%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~4%
  • Black or African American: ~3%
  • Asian: ~2%
  • Two or more races: ~9–10%
• Households:
  • Total households: ~10,700–10,900
  • Average household size: ~2.5
  • Family households: ~62–64% of households
  • Married-couple households: ~45–47%
  • Households with children under 18: ~30%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates; 2020 Census provides a total population near 29,000.

Custer County, OK (pop. ≈29–30k) email usage snapshot

• Estimated users: ≈20–22k people use email regularly. Method: county population × share of adults (≈75–78%) × typical OK/U.S. adoption (≈88–92%), plus most teens.
• Age pattern (usage rates):
  • 18–29: ~90–95%
  • 30–49: ~95%
  • 50–64: ~88–92%
  • 65+: ~70–80% Expect slightly higher youth share around Weatherford due to SWOSU.
• Gender split: Approximately even (near 50/50; no meaningful U.S. gap by gender).
• Digital access trends:
  • Household internet subscription: roughly 80–85%; about 10–15% lack home internet.
  • Smartphone‑only access: ~10–15% of adults, higher in lower‑income and rural areas.
  • Broadband quality is strongest along the I‑40 corridor (Weatherford, Clinton) with cable/fiber options; outlying areas more reliant on fixed‑wireless or satellite.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population density ≈29 persons/sq. mile (sparse, rural).
  • University presence (SWOSU) and I‑40 improve network investment and public Wi‑Fi availability in town centers.
  • Ongoing state/federal rural broadband buildouts target remaining unserved blocks; gaps persist north/south of I‑40.

Notes: Figures are estimates based on census/ACS patterns and statewide/national email adoption benchmarks applied to Custer County’s profile.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Custer County, Oklahoma (with how it differs from statewide trends)

Key ways Custer County differs from the Oklahoma average

• College + highway county: A university town (SWOSU in Weatherford) and the I‑40 corridor drive heavier youth usage, denser tower siting along the interstate, and more transient/daytime demand than a typical rural county.
• Younger and more Hispanic than the state average: A larger 18–24 cohort and a higher Hispanic share (especially in Clinton) shape device mix, plan types, and language preferences more than in Oklahoma overall.
• Higher reliance on mobile for home internet in town, but wider coverage gaps just outside: 5G home internet and smartphone‑only households are notably common in Weatherford/Clinton renters and students, while rural fringes see more dead zones and fallbacks to LTE/3G fallback bands compared with metro Oklahoma.
• Prepaid/MVNO uptake above average: Cost sensitivity and student/seasonal populations boost prepaid and MVNO lines beyond the statewide mix.

User estimates (orders of magnitude; rounded ranges)

• Population base: ~29–30k residents, concentrated in Weatherford and Clinton, with small towns and agricultural areas elsewhere.
• Active mobile lines: roughly 33k–38k total lines (mobile penetration in the U.S. typically exceeds 100 lines per 100 residents; watches/tablets and second lines add to totals).
• Unique mobile users: approximately 24k–27k residents with an active phone, reflecting high adult smartphone ownership and strong teen adoption in a college county.
• Smartphone‑only internet households: likely above the Oklahoma average (often cited around one‑fifth statewide); expect roughly one‑quarter in town centers due to students and renters.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age
  • 18–24 share is meaningfully higher than statewide because of SWOSU. Impacts include heavier app/data usage, iOS share skewing higher in Weatherford, and strong campus‑Wi‑Fi offloading during class terms.
  • Older rural residents outside town centers show more voice/text‑centric usage and slower migration to 5G devices than statewide metro users.
• Income and plan types
  • Median incomes are modest versus the state average, pushing higher prepaid/MVNO adoption (especially multi‑line discounts and annual prepaid) and Android share in non‑student households.
  • Students often stay on family postpaid plans from out of county; churn spikes at semester ends.
• Race/ethnicity and language
  • A larger Hispanic/Latino population than the state average (notably in Clinton) correlates with higher demand for bilingual customer support, international calling bundles (Mexico/Central America), and WhatsApp-centric communication.
• Work patterns
  • Agriculture, energy, and highway services create peak usage along I‑40 and at worksites; off‑peak demand is lower in the rural north/south of the county than the state’s urbanized corridors.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Macro coverage
  • AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon all cover Weatherford, Clinton, and the I‑40 corridor with LTE and reported 5G. Population coverage is strong; land‑area coverage drops away from the interstate and town centers.
  • 5G mid‑band is most consistently encountered along I‑40 and in town cores; “extended‑range” low‑band 5G fills in elsewhere but yields LTE‑like speeds.
  • Rural dead zones and fringe performance are more common north/south of the corridor than in Oklahoma’s metro counties; device and carrier selection matters more here than statewide.
• Small cells and capacity
  • Limited small‑cell density; capacity is managed primarily through macro sectors and carrier aggregation. Event spikes occur around campus, high school football, fairs, and casinos.
• Backhaul and fiber
  • Town cores benefit from fiber backhaul via regional fiber providers and co‑ops; outside city limits, microwave and longer fiber laterals are typical, which can constrain upgrade pace relative to Oklahoma City/Tulsa suburbs.
• Competing home internet
  • Cable/fiber is available in parts of Weatherford and Clinton, but coverage thins quickly. As a result, 5G fixed wireless (T‑Mobile/Verizon) adoption is higher than the statewide norm in renter/student areas and on the outskirts lacking cable/fiber.
• Public safety and resilience
  • FirstNet (AT&T) presence is a planning priority; severe-weather hardening varies by site. Power backup and fiber route diversity are weaker outside town cores relative to metro Oklahoma.

Trends to watch (local vs state)

• Faster uptake of 5G home internet in Custer than statewide rural averages, especially among renters and student households.
• Device mix skews: iOS share elevated in Weatherford; Android and budget devices dominant in rural areas—greater intra‑county variance than the state overall.
• Prepaid/MVNO share remains above the state average due to students, seasonal workers, and price sensitivity.
• Coverage improvements will likely continue to trail metro Oklahoma outside the I‑40 spine, keeping carrier choice and external antennas/hotspots more consequential for rural users.

Notes on uncertainty

• Figures are estimates synthesized from national adoption rates, rural usage patterns, and Custer County’s known demographics and land use. For planning or procurement, validate with the latest FCC maps, carrier coverage tools, and local provider build‑out notices.

Here’s a concise, data‑informed snapshot for Custer County, OK. Figures are estimates based on Census age/gender mix applied to recent Pew Research platform-usage rates; use as planning guidance, not exact counts.

Headline user stats

• Population: ~29,000 residents
• Residents age 13+: ~24,000
• Social media users (13+): about 18,000 (roughly 74% of 13+ residents)
• Adult users (18+): ~16,000–17,000
• Gender split of users: ~51% women, ~49% men (mirrors county population)

Most-used platforms (adults; share of adults who use the platform at least occasionally)

• YouTube: ~80–85%
• Facebook: ~65–70%
• Instagram: ~45–52%
• TikTok: ~30–35%
• Snapchat: ~27–32%
• Pinterest: ~30–36% (strong female skew)
• WhatsApp: ~25–30% (higher among Hispanic residents)
• X (Twitter): ~22–28%
• Reddit: ~18–23%
• LinkedIn: ~25–32% (lower engagement vs metros)

Teens (13–17) platform profile

• YouTube ~90–95%
• TikTok ~60–65%
• Snapchat ~55–65%
• Instagram ~55–60%
• Facebook ~30–35% Notes: Teens are heavy daily users; Snapchat and TikTok dominate peer communication and trends.

Age-group patterns (local estimate based on national patterns)

• 18–24 (SWOSU effect): YouTube ~95%, Instagram ~75–80%, Snapchat ~65–70%, TikTok ~60–65%, Facebook ~55–60%
• 25–44: YouTube ~90%+, Facebook ~75–80%, Instagram ~45–55%, TikTok ~35–40%
• 45–64: Facebook ~70–75%, YouTube ~80–85%, Instagram ~25–35%, TikTok ~15–20%
• 65+: Facebook ~50–55%, YouTube ~50–60%, Instagram ~10–20%, TikTok <10%

Gender breakdown highlights (tendencies)

• Women over-index on Facebook (+5–10 pts vs men), Instagram (+5–8 pts), and especially Pinterest (roughly 2–3x men)
• Men over-index on YouTube (+5–10 pts), Reddit (≈2x women), and X
• WhatsApp usage higher among Hispanic women and families; Snapchat skew slightly female in younger cohorts

Behavioral trends to expect in Custer County

• Facebook is the local hub: school updates, church/community groups, local news, buy/sell (Marketplace), high school sports; comments and shares drive reach
• College-town layer (Weatherford/SWOSU): strong Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok usage for events, athletics, Greek life; Reels/shorts outperform static posts
• Video-first consumption: short vertical video performs best; Facebook Reels and YouTube Shorts see strong completion when localized
• Local commerce: Marketplace and group-based referrals outperform web search for many everyday purchases and services
• Bilingual opportunities: Clinton and corridor communities have sizable Hispanic audiences—Spanish/English posts and WhatsApp groups boost reach
• Timing: Evenings (7–10 pm) and weekends see the highest engagement; mobile-first creative matters
• Trust and topics: Weather alerts, school athletics, community events, and practical how-tos consistently overperform; Facebook Live can spike reach for local happenings

Sources and method

• Population/age/gender: U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 2019–2023, 5-year)
• Platform usage rates: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (adults); Teens, Social Media & Technology (2022–2023)
• Local figures are extrapolated from Pew rates using Custer County’s demographics; for precise audience counts, validate with platform ad-reach tools (Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube).