Grady County

Grady County, Oklahoma – key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2018–2022 5-year estimates; rounded)

• Population: ≈56,000
• Age:
  • Median age: ≈38.5 years
  • Under 18: ≈25%
  • 65 and over: ≈16%
• Gender (sex):
  • Female: ≈50%
  • Male: ≈50%
• Racial/ethnic composition:
  • White alone: ≈82%
  • Black or African American alone: ≈2%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ≈7%
  • Asian alone: ≈1%
  • Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander alone: <1%
  • Two or more races: ≈7%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ≈9%
• Households:
  • Total households: ≈21,300
  • Average household size: ≈2.6
  • Family households: ≈69% of households
  • Married-couple households: ≈53% of households
  • Households with children under 18: ≈30%
  • Individuals living alone: ≈24% (≈10% are 65+)

Here’s a grounded, estimate-based snapshot for Grady County, OK (pop. ~55k):

• Estimated email users: 33,000–38,000 residents (driven by adult internet adoption and high email use among online adults).
• Age distribution of email users (approx. share of users):
  • 13–17: 4–6%
  • 18–34: 28–32%
  • 35–54: 33–37%
  • 55–64: 14–17%
  • 65+: 14–17%
• Adoption by age (rough): 13–17 (80–85%), 18–34 (95%), 35–54 (92%), 55–64 (88%), 65+ (~75–80%).
• Gender split among email users: roughly even (about 49–51% each), with minimal differences by cohort.
• Digital access trends:
  • Household broadband subscription roughly 78–83% (in line with Oklahoma averages; slightly lower in rural areas).
  • Smartphone-only internet: about 10–15% of households.
  • Growing fiber and fixed-wireless availability; gradual increases in speeds/coverage year over year.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population density ≈50 people per square mile across ~1,100 sq. mi.
  • Strongest wired options in and around Chickasha/Tuttle; more reliance on fixed wireless/satellite in outlying areas.
  • Public Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools, municipal sites) remains an important access point.

Figures are estimates based on state/national benchmarks applied to local population.

Below is a concise, county-specific picture built from recent Census/ACS demographics, FCC coverage and broadband availability patterns, and Pew/NTIA adoption rates.

Headline estimates for Grady County (population ~56,000)

• Unique mobile phone users (any mobile phone): 44,000–48,000 people (roughly 78–86% of residents).
• Adult smartphone users: 35,000–39,000 (about 84–90% of adults). Adults are ~75% of the population.
• Households relying primarily on mobile data (smartphone or hotspot as main home internet): 24–28% of households. This is likely a few points higher than the Oklahoma average (~20–22%) due to patchier fixed broadband outside towns.

Demographic usage patterns

• Age:
  • 18–49: Near-saturation smartphone ownership (≈95%+), similar to statewide.
  • 50–64: High but slightly lower than younger adults (≈80–88%).
  • 65+: Materially lower smartphone adoption (≈60–70%). Because Grady skews slightly older than the state, this pulls down the countywide average more than it does for Oklahoma overall.
• Households with children (school-aged): Very high device penetration and frequent hotspot use for homework in fringe and rural areas where wireline options are limited.
• Rural vs. town centers:
  • Chickasha, Tuttle, and areas nearer to the OKC metro edge show higher 5G use and in-home fixed options; western/southern rural parts (e.g., around Minco, Rush Springs, Alex) show more LTE-only service and more mobile-only households.

Digital infrastructure and availability

• Carrier coverage:
  • T-Mobile: Broad 5G coverage; mid-band 5G is common along I-44/H.E. Bailey Turnpike corridor and east toward the OKC fringe, tapering to low-band/LTE in sparser areas.
  • Verizon: Strong LTE; C-band 5G is solid near the metro-facing side and along primary corridors, with low-band 5G/LTE in rural zones.
  • AT&T: Wide LTE footprint; 5G present in towns and along highways, mixed performance indoors in outlying areas.
• Performance pattern: Clear east–west split. The east/northeast (closer to Newcastle/Tuttle/OKC) has denser sites and higher 5G availability; rural west/south has more LTE-only pockets and indoor coverage challenges, especially in low-lying or wooded areas.
• Fixed broadband context:
  • Towns: Cable and growing fiber footprints (plus fixed-wireless access offerings) provide alternatives to cellular.
  • Rural: DSL and fixed wireless remain common; 5G fixed-wireless (T-Mobile/Verizon) is increasingly used as a primary home connection where fiber/cable are absent. This raises total “mobile data” dependence even when used via gateways rather than phones.
• Public and institutional access: Libraries, schools, and city facilities offer Wi‑Fi in town centers; coverage and quality drop quickly outside municipal limits.
• Affordability shift: The wind-down of the Affordable Connectivity Program in 2024 likely nudged some lower-income households toward mobile-only solutions, particularly where fixed options are costlier or unavailable.

How Grady County differs from the Oklahoma statewide picture

• Higher mobile-only reliance: Grady’s share of households using mobile data as the primary home internet is likely a few percentage points above the state average, driven by patchier wireline availability outside towns and the appeal of 5G fixed-wireless where fiber/cable are absent.
• Stronger intra-county disparity: The contrast between metro-adjacent east/northeast (better 5G, denser towers) and rural south/west (LTE-heavy, fewer sites) is sharper than the average county in Oklahoma, leading to more uneven user experiences within the county.
• Age mix effects: A slightly older age profile means overall smartphone adoption among adults is a tad lower than the statewide average, largely due to lower uptake among seniors.
• Faster 5G spillover near OKC: Proximity to the Oklahoma City build-out means parts of eastern Grady gained mid-band 5G sooner and see higher 5G usage than comparable rural counties, widening the east–west gap internally even if the countywide average roughly tracks the state.

What this means for planners and providers

• Targeted upgrades west/south of Chickasha and along secondary highways would yield outsized benefits, especially for indoor coverage.
• Continued expansion of mid-band 5G and fixed-wireless gateways can reduce the mobile-only burden where fiber is not imminent.
• Senior-focused device support and affordability programs could lift adoption in the 65+ segment, which lags more in Grady than statewide averages imply.

Below is a concise, localized snapshot based on Grady County’s population profile and 2023–2024 national/rural social media patterns (Pew Research, platform ad tools). Exact county-level platform surveys are rare, so figures are best-guess ranges, expressed as share of adults.

County snapshot

• Population: ~55–58k; adults ~41–45k
• Adults using at least one social platform: ~75–80% (≈31–36k)
• Daily social users: ~55–65% of adults (≈23–29k)

Most-used platforms (share of adults; est.)

• YouTube: 72–78%
• Facebook: 65–72%
• Instagram: 35–45%
• TikTok: 25–32%
• Snapchat: 22–28%
• Pinterest: 30–40%
• X (Twitter): 12–18%
• LinkedIn: 10–15%
• Reddit: 10–15%
• Nextdoor: 5–10% Notes: Facebook Messenger is common alongside Facebook; WhatsApp usage is modest but growing among younger and Hispanic residents.

Age patterns (who’s active where)

• 13–17: Very high on YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok; Instagram strong; Facebook minimal except for school/teams.
• 18–29: Heavy on TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat; YouTube universal; Facebook used for local ties and Marketplace.
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube dominant; Instagram growing; TikTok notable among parents; Pinterest strong for home/recipes.
• 50–64: Facebook-first; YouTube for how-to, news, church content; Instagram moderate.
• 65+: Facebook for community/church/family; YouTube selective; limited use of other platforms.

Gender breakdown (platform user mix; est.)

• Facebook: slight female skew (≈55% F / 45% M)
• Instagram: slight female skew (≈52–55% F)
• TikTok: female-leaning (≈55–60% F)
• Pinterest: heavily female (≈70–80% F)
• Snapchat: near even, slight female tilt
• YouTube: slight male tilt (≈52–55% M)
• LinkedIn/X: slight male tilt

Behavioral trends in Grady County

• Community-first: Local groups (schools, churches, youth sports, fairs), severe-weather tracking, lost-and-found pets, and civic updates drive engagement.
• Marketplace mindset: Facebook Marketplace and local buy/sell/trade groups are core utilities for vehicles, farm/ranch gear, tools, and household items.
• Weather and sports spikes: Storm days and high school/OU/OSU game days produce sharp traffic peaks; X is used by a subset for live weather/sports updates.
• Short-form video wins: Facebook Reels, TikTok, and Instagram Reels perform best for events, how-tos, farm/ranch life, and small-business promos.
• Trust via people you know: Shares from neighbors, pastors, coaches, and local officials outperform brand pages; testimonials and UGC work well.
• Faith and family content: Church announcements/streams, school events, and youth activities see above-average engagement.
• Small-business playbook: Service providers (HVAC, roofing, lawn, auto) and boutiques lean on Facebook/Instagram; boosted posts and geotargeted offers convert locally.

Timing and format tips

• Best times: 6:30–8:30 AM and 7–10 PM; weekend mornings; during/after weather alerts.
• Formats: Short vertical video (15–45s), photo carousels with clear offers, and event posts with dates/locations. Use local faces/landmarks.

Method note

• Estimates blend Pew national/rural usage rates with Grady County’s demographics; use platform ad planners to refine with current reach for ZIPs around Chickasha, Tuttle, Blanchard (Grady side), and Minco.