Delaware County

Which data vintage do you prefer for Delaware County, OK?

• 2020 Decennial Census (official counts)
• 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates (most current, but estimates)

I can provide both side-by-side if you’d like. Also confirm if you want household details such as total households, average household size, family vs. nonfamily share, and households with children.

Here’s a practical, data-informed snapshot for Delaware County, Oklahoma (pop. ~43k; low density ~50–60 people/sq. mi.):

• Estimated email users: ~31k–34k residents.
• By age (share of email users; estimates based on national adoption by age and local age mix):
  • 13–17: ~7%
  • 18–34: ~22%
  • 35–64: ~44%
  • 65+: ~27%
• Gender split among email users: roughly mirrors population (about 51% female, 49% male).
• Digital access and trends:
  • Household broadband subscription rate: roughly 70–75% (lower than U.S. average, reflecting rural profile).
  • Smartphone‑only internet households: ~15–20%; fixed‑wireless is common outside towns.
  • Better wired options (cable/fiber) cluster around Grove and Jay and along major corridors (e.g., US‑59/OK‑10); coverage becomes spottier in rural hollows and peninsulas around Grand Lake.
  • Ongoing state/federal broadband investments (e.g., recent fiber expansions via grant programs) are improving coverage, but some unserved/underserved pockets remain.
• Takeaway: Email usage is widespread and skews slightly older than the U.S. average due to the county’s older age profile; connectivity constraints are primarily location-based rather than demographic.

Below is a concise, planning-oriented snapshot. Figures are estimates based on 2020–2024 Census/ACS patterns, FCC maps, and national tech-adoption surveys applied to local context.

Overview

• Population baseline: ~43,000 (Delaware County, OK). Older and more rural than Oklahoma overall; sizeable American Indian population (Cherokee Nation reservation area), lake tourism seasonal swings (Grove/Grand Lake).

User estimates (mobile ownership and usage)

• Adults with a mobile phone: ~27,000–30,000 (about 80–85% of adults; slightly below statewide).
• Smartphone users: ~24,000–26,500 (roughly 75–80% of adults; OK statewide is closer to 80–85%).
• Mobile-only internet households (primarily/only cellular for home access): 28–35% (higher than Oklahoma’s ~22–25%), driven by patchy cable/fiber outside towns.
• Prepaid vs. postpaid: Prepaid likely 45–55% of lines (above statewide ~35–40%), reflecting income mix and Tribal Lifeline enrollment.
• Platform mix: Android skew (≈65–70% of smartphones vs. Oklahoma ≈58–62%), tied to price sensitivity and prepaid usage.
• Device turnover: Longer replacement cycle (often 3–4 years vs. statewide ~2.5–3), with more refurbished/entry-tier models in circulation.

Demographic patterns that shape usage

• Age: 65+ share is elevated (~22–24%). Seniors show lower smartphone adoption (roughly mid‑60s percent), but increasing. Feature-phone and basic LTE handset usage remains more visible than state average.
• American Indian/Alaska Native residents: Substantially above state average (including multiracial). Adoption rates are near county average, but with:
  • Higher reliance on ACP/Lifeline (including enhanced Tribal benefits).
  • Greater use of prepaid/MVNO providers that support government-subsidized plans.
• Hispanic population (small but growing, ~5–6%): Younger profile; higher mobile-only internet reliance and heavy messaging/app-based communication.
• Income/education: Lower median income and longer commutes in rural tracts correlate with fewer fixed broadband options and higher smartphone-only reliance.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Cellular coverage
  • AT&T and Verizon: Solid along main corridors (US‑59, OK‑10, SH‑20, around Grove/Jay), with low‑band 5G widely present; indoor coverage can fall off in hilly/wooded areas and around lake coves.
  • T‑Mobile: Strong relative presence due to mid‑band 2.5 GHz 5G covering Grove/Jay and many in‑between stretches; often the fastest option in town areas, but still rural gaps.
  • High-band/mmWave: Effectively absent; C‑band (AT&T/Verizon) is limited and mostly near population centers, not broadly countywide.
  • Notable weak spots: Eastern border hills/valleys and scattered lake peninsulas; frequent need for Wi‑Fi calling or boosters in metal buildings and marinas.
• Backhaul and tower density
  • Fewer macro sites per square mile than state average outside towns; co‑locations on ridge lines/water towers are common.
  • Mix of fiber and microwave backhaul; some sites remain microwave-fed and congest during summer weekends.
• Fixed broadband context (affects mobile reliance)
  • Fiber pockets from local providers/co-ops (e.g., Bolt Fiber/NOEC; Grand Telephone) and cable in Grove (e.g., Vyve) contrast with long copper/DSL runs in rural tracts.
  • This patchwork drives higher smartphone hotspot use and home LTE/5G gateways than state average.
• Public safety and resilience
  • FirstNet (AT&T) coverage is good on main routes; volunteer departments and clinics often use in‑building boosters.
  • Storm/ice events can impact microwave-fed sites; primary towers have generators, but smaller sites may not.
• Public Wi‑Fi anchors
  • Libraries (Grove, Jay, Kansas), Cherokee Nation clinics/community centers, and schools provide important offload points.

How Delaware County differs from the Oklahoma state picture

• Adoption level: Slightly lower overall smartphone penetration but higher dependence on mobile as primary home internet.
• Plan mix: Noticeably higher prepaid/Lifeline/ACP participation and Android share.
• Network profile: T‑Mobile mid‑band 5G is often the top rural performer; AT&T/Verizon C‑band is less prevalent than in urban Oklahoma. More coverage shadowing from terrain and lake geography.
• Infrastructure model: Greater role for electric/telephone co‑ops and small telcos in delivering fiber; cable footprint is limited outside Grove. This uneven fixed landscape elevates demand for cellular hotspots and fixed wireless.
• Seasonal load: Summer lake tourism creates atypical peak congestion compared with most Oklahoma counties.

Notes and confidence

• Figures are directional estimates for planning, not regulatory reporting. For precision (e.g., by census tract), combine latest FCC Broadband maps, carrier coverage tools, and ACS microdata, plus on-the-ground drive tests around US‑59/OK‑10 corridors and lake peninsulas.

Below is a concise, locality‑focused snapshot. Figures are best‑estimate ranges for Delaware County adults, extrapolated from recent Pew Research and rural/Oklahoma patterns; use them directionally.

Quick user snapshot

• Population: roughly 42–44k residents.
• Estimated social media users (13+): about 26k–30k (≈65–72% of residents).
• Adult users (18+): about 24k–28k.

Most‑used platforms (share of adults using each at least monthly)

• YouTube: 75–80%
• Facebook: 65–72%
• Instagram: 30–38%
• TikTok: 25–32%
• Snapchat: 22–28% (heavily under 30)
• Pinterest: 25–32% (skews female)
• X/Twitter: 15–20%
• Reddit: 12–16%
• Nextdoor: 5–10% (many rely on Facebook Groups instead)

Age split (share of each group using social media)

• 13–17: 90–95% (Snapchat/TikTok/YouTube first; Instagram rising; Facebook mostly for groups/announcements)
• 18–29: 90–95% (Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat; Facebook for events/Marketplace)
• 30–49: 80–88% (Facebook and YouTube dominant; Instagram and TikTok growing; Pinterest common)
• 50–64: 68–78% (Facebook/YouTube core; some Pinterest/TikTok)
• 65+: 50–60% (Facebook/YouTube; Messenger for family)

Gender profile

• Overall users: ~52–55% female.
• Platform skews: Pinterest and Facebook slightly female; Instagram slightly female; YouTube, Reddit, and X slightly male.

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first usage: Heavy reliance on Facebook Groups for local news, school updates (Grove, Jay, Colcord, Kansas), church bulletins, lost-and-found, and county services (sheriff/emergency management).
• Marketplace culture: Facebook Marketplace is a top local utility for vehicles, boats, farm/ranch gear, household items, lake-home rentals.
• Weather and safety: Spikes around severe weather, lake conditions, road closures, and power updates; YouTube/Facebook live streams from local media are popular.
• Grand Lake seasonality: More posting and short-form video in spring–summer (fishing tournaments, boating, events); quieter but still active around fall sports and holidays.
• Short-form video growth: Reels/TikTok usage rising across 18–49; local businesses increasingly post vertical video for specials and events.
• Messaging habits: Facebook Messenger common across ages; Snapchat the default for teens/young adults.
• Trust patterns: People prioritize info from known locals, admins, schools, churches, and county pages; rumor correction often happens inside moderated Facebook Groups.
• Posting vs. lurking: Majority are consumers/sharers; a smaller set of admins, coaches, pastors, and small-business owners drive most original local content.

Note: Specific county-level platform counts aren’t directly published; figures above are modeled from national/rural usage patterns and Oklahoma demographics.