Garfield County

Which data vintage would you like me to use? I can summarize demographics for Garfield County, OK from:

• 2020 Decennial Census (official counts, limited variables), or
• The latest American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2018–2022), which provide population, age, sex, race/ethnicity, and household characteristics.

If you don’t specify, I’ll use ACS 2018–2022 for the most complete, recent county-level detail.

Garfield County, OK snapshot (estimates based on 2020–2023 ACS, Pew, and FCC/state broadband data):

• Estimated email users: ~46–48k residents. That’s ~90–93% of adults and ~74–78% of the total population (adding some teens).
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 18–29: ~14–16%
  • 30–49: ~28–31%
  • 50–64: ~23–26%
  • 65+: ~12–15% (adoption dips with age but remains majority)
• Gender split: ~50% female / ~50% male; differences are negligible.

Digital access and trends:

• Household broadband subscription: ~78–82% (in line with Oklahoma averages); 12–18% are smartphone‑only internet users, higher in lower‑income and rural areas.
• Urban–rural divide: Enid (county seat) has the widest availability of high‑speed cable/fiber; outlying areas rely more on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite, affecting reliability and speeds.
• Local density/connectivity: 61–63k people across ~1,059 sq mi (58–60 residents/sq mi). A large majority live in/near Enid (~50k), concentrating network infrastructure and higher-speed options there.

Overall: Email is near‑universal among working‑age adults, strong but somewhat lower among seniors, and broadly accessible where fixed broadband is available; rural pockets show more mobile‑only dependence.

Garfield County, OK mobile usage summary (focus on what differs from the state)

At‑a‑glance user estimates (2024, directional)

• Population/households: ~61–63k residents; ~24k households.
• Adult smartphone users: ~38k–42k (about mid‑ to high‑80s percent of adults), roughly on par with Oklahoma overall.
• Any mobile phone (smart + basic): ~44k–47k adults.
• Wireless‑only households (no landline phone): ~16k–18k households, similar to the high statewide rate, with slightly higher concentration among younger renters around Enid and Vance AFB.
• Cellular‑only for home internet (households that rely on a cellular data plan and do not subscribe to cable/DSL/fiber): ~2.5k–3.3k households (about 10–14%). This is a bit higher than the statewide share, driven by rural tracts and cost‑sensitive users.

How Garfield differs from Oklahoma overall

• More “mobile‑only internet” pockets: Rural areas north/west of Enid show above‑state rates of households using smartphones/hotspots as their only home internet. Countywide the rate is slightly higher than the state, but within Enid it’s lower thanks to cable/fiber availability.
• Younger, mobile‑first cluster: Vance Air Force Base and related contractors skew a slice of the county younger and more transient than the state average. That cohort shows very high smartphone adoption, heavy app‑based communication, and relatively frequent prepaid/bring‑your‑own plans—above the state mix.
• Fiber is improving but still uneven: Enid has added new fiber builds and DOCSIS 3.1 cable, but outside town, fixed alternatives remain thin. Compared with metro OKC/Tulsa counties, Garfield still has a larger share of residents who default to mobile data or fixed‑wireless as their primary broadband.
• 5G coverage pattern: Mid‑band 5G capacity is concentrated in and around Enid; low‑band 5G/LTE dominates the countryside. That urban–rural performance gap is a bit wider than the statewide average because Enid is the only dense node in the county.

Demographic breakdown (usage patterns)

• Age
  • 18–34: Near‑universal smartphone ownership; high reliance on mobile apps for banking, government services, and entertainment; above‑state propensity to go wireless‑only (base personnel, renters).
  • 35–64: High smartphone adoption; mix of mobile + home broadband in Enid; outside town, notable hotspot use for homework and telework when wired options are limited.
  • 65+: Smartphone adoption trails younger groups but is rising; seniors in rural tracts are more likely than seniors in metro counties to share or rely on family hotspots due to limited wired choices.
• Income and education
  • Lower‑income households are more likely to be smartphone‑only or cellular‑only for home internet than state peers, reflecting device affordability and gaps in wired availability outside Enid.
• Race/ethnicity
  • Hispanic households (a meaningful and growing share in Enid) show above‑average smartphone dependence and messaging‑app use; they are more likely than the county average to be mobile‑only for home internet.
  • Native American residents mirror statewide mobile adoption, with slightly higher mobile‑only use in rural areas where wired choices are sparse.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Mobile networks
  • Operators: AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon have countywide footprints. Enid has the strongest capacity and the broadest 5G, including mid‑band layers (especially T‑Mobile). Surrounding rural areas lean on low‑band 5G/LTE; speeds and indoor coverage can drop off north and west of Enid and along lower‑density county roads.
  • Capacity hot spots: Corridors along US‑81 and US‑412, the hospital area, downtown Enid, and the vicinity of Vance AFB. These see better mid‑band 5G performance than the rural fringe.
• Home broadband competition
  • Enid: Cable (e.g., DOCSIS) and expanding fiber builds have improved speeds and pricing, reducing mobile‑only dependence within city limits.
  • Outside Enid: Fewer fiber/cable options; residents commonly choose fixed‑wireless ISPs, satellite, or mobile hotspots. That keeps the county’s mobile‑only and cellular‑only rates above state averages seen in metro counties.
• Public/anchor connectivity
  • Schools and the public library provide key Wi‑Fi access points and loaner hotspots, which helps mitigate homework connectivity gaps in rural tracts but also reinforces mobile‑centric usage patterns.

Method and confidence notes

• Figures are synthesized from recent ACS internet/computer adoption data, state wireless‑only benchmarks (CDC/NCHS), FCC mobile coverage/broadband availability, and known local build activity through 2024. County‑specific numbers are modeled estimates; treat as directional, with the clearest differences being:
  • Slightly higher cellular‑only home internet outside Enid.
  • A pronounced urban–rural mobile performance gap.
  • A localized, younger mobile‑first population around Vance AFB compared with the state profile.

Below is a concise, practical snapshot. Exact, official county-level social media stats aren’t published; figures are best-available estimates for 2025 derived from U.S. rural patterns (Pew Research Center), platform audience tools, and Garfield County’s demographics.

County snapshot

• Population: ~60–63k (centered on Enid). Adults (18+): ~45–47k.
• Social media reach: ~70–75% of adults use at least one platform (≈32–35k adults). Teen usage (13–17) is near-universal.

Most-used platforms among adult social media users (est. share)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 70–75% (the dominant day-to-day network locally)
• Instagram: 35–45%
• Pinterest: 30–35% (skews female)
• TikTok: 25–30%
• Snapchat: 20–25% (strong under 30)
• X/Twitter: 15–20%
• LinkedIn: 15–18%
• Reddit: 10–12%
• Nextdoor: 10–15% (higher inside Enid; low outside city limits)

Age patterns (platform lean)

• Teens (13–17): YouTube 90%+, TikTok and Snapchat 60–80%, Instagram ~60%; Facebook low.
• 18–24: Near-universal; Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok heavy; Facebook moderate for events/family.
• 25–34: YouTube very high; Facebook strong for local ties; Instagram moderate-high; TikTok moderate.
• 35–54: Facebook strongest; YouTube high; Instagram/Pinterest moderate; TikTok light-moderate.
• 55+: Facebook and YouTube lead; Instagram/Pinterest light; TikTok low.

Gender breakdown (users and behavior)

• Users: roughly balanced, slight female majority.
• Women: more active on Facebook Groups, Marketplace, Events; higher Pinterest use; Instagram for family, school, church, and small business promotion.
• Men: heavier YouTube (how‑to, sports, outdoors), Reddit and X pockets; Facebook for local news, buy/sell, and community updates.

Behavioral trends in Garfield County

• Facebook is the local utility: community groups (buy/sell/garage sale, school athletics, church, city and county info, scanner pages), Marketplace, Event RSVPs, and local news (e.g., Enid-focused pages).
• Video-first consumption: short-form (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) gaining, but practical YouTube “how‑to,” farming/ranching, home repair, hunting/fishing remain staples.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat for day-to-day; group chats for teams, youth activities, churches. WhatsApp niche (immigrant/intl ties).
• Commerce: Heavy use of Marketplace and local group sales; service providers rely on Facebook reviews/recommendations.
• Posting cadence and timing: Evenings (7–10 pm CT) and early mornings (6–8 am) see the most engagement; weekends lift for events, sports, yard sales.
• Cross-posting: Small businesses and civic orgs often post the same content to Facebook + Instagram; short-form video repurposed across Reels/TikTok.
• Trust/localism: Content tied to schools, youth sports, churches, first responders, and local events outperforms generic posts. Real names and recognizable venues matter.
• Younger audiences: Prefer Snapchat/TikTok for daily expression; will check Facebook for local logistics (games, closures, events) but rarely post there.

Notes for application

• To reach 35+: lead with Facebook (posts, Groups, Events, and boosted posts) and YouTube how‑to/local storytelling.
• To reach under 30: short-form video on TikTok/Reels, plus Snapchat ads or AR lenses for timely promos.
• Creative that feels local (faces, landmarks, school colors) consistently performs best.