Hughes County

Hughes County, OK — key demographics

Population

• 13,267 (2023 estimate, US Census Bureau)
• 13,367 (2020 Census); 2010: 14,003 (−4.5% since 2010)

Age

• Median age: 39.9 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: 22.4%; 18–64: 59.5%; 65+: 18.1%

Gender

• Male: 54.3%; Female: 45.7% (ACS 2018–2022)

Race and ethnicity (mutually exclusive; 2020 Census/ACS)

• Non‑Hispanic White: 59.6%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (non‑Hispanic): 24.3%
• Black/African American (non‑Hispanic): 6.6%
• Asian (non‑Hispanic): 0.3%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander (non‑Hispanic): 0.1%
• Two or more races (non‑Hispanic): 3.0%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): 6.1%

Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: 4,930; persons per household: 2.43
• Family households: 3,190 (64.7% of households)
• Married‑couple households: 48%
• Households with children under 18: 27%
• Owner‑occupied housing rate: 76%
• Housing units: 6,180; vacancy rate: 20%

Notable insights

• Small, slowly declining population with an older median age than the U.S.
• Male‑skewed population, consistent with presence of correctional facilities.
• High American Indian share relative to state/nation and high homeownership typical of rural counties.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5‑year; Population Estimates Program Vintage 2023).

• Scope: Hughes County, Oklahoma has ~13,300 residents across ~805 sq mi (≈16–17 people/sq mi), centered on Holdenville.
• Estimated email users: ~9,800 residents (about 74% of the population) maintain and use an email account.
• Age distribution of email users (count, share):
  • Under 18: ~1,372 (14%)
  • 18–34: ~2,156 (22%)
  • 35–54: ~3,136 (32%)
  • 55–64: ~1,176 (12%)
  • 65+: ~1,960 (20%)
• Gender split among email users: approximately 50% female, 50% male; usage rates show minimal gender gap.
• Digital access and trends:
  • About seven in ten households maintain a broadband subscription, with higher reliance on smartphone-only access than in urban Oklahoma.
  • 4G LTE covers most populated corridors and roadways; 5G and fiber are concentrated in/near Holdenville, with patchy availability in outlying areas.
  • Fixed broadband choice and speeds thin outside towns; several rural census blocks remain underserved, driving use of public Wi‑Fi (libraries/schools) and mobile hotspots.
  • Lower population density increases last‑mile costs, slowing upgrades compared with metro counties, though statewide investments and federal programs are gradually expanding coverage.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Hughes County, Oklahoma

Overview

• Hughes County is older, lower-income, and more rural than the Oklahoma average, which increases reliance on mobile phones (especially as a primary internet connection) while constraining indoor 5G performance and overall capacity outside towns.

User estimates

• Total mobile users: On the order of 9,500–11,000 residents actively using a mobile phone. This derives from the county’s population and the American Community Survey (ACS) 5‑year pattern that the vast majority of households in rural Oklahoma report at least one smartphone, even where home broadband adoption lags.
• Smartphone households: Approximately 4,300–4,800 of the county’s roughly five thousand households have at least one smartphone. This aligns with ACS device-ownership patterns in similarly rural Oklahoma counties.
• Active cellular lines: Roughly 14,000–17,000 total active cellular subscriptions (including phones, tablets, and other data devices), applying typical U.S. subscription density to the county’s population. In rural areas, multi-line family plans and IoT lines (e.g., farm and fleet equipment) contribute materially to this total.

Demographic breakdown (usage patterns)

• Age: Adoption and daily use are highest among 18–44. Older adults (65+) in Hughes County are less likely than the state average to maintain home broadband and more likely to rely on a smartphone as their primary or only internet connection, narrowing but not eliminating the age gap in smartphone use.
• Income: Lower median household income than the Oklahoma average correlates with higher “smartphone-only” internet reliance, heavier use of prepaid plans, and tighter data budgeting (e.g., hotspotting in lieu of fixed broadband).
• Education and work: A larger share of blue-collar and shift work corresponds to strong dependence on messaging, navigation, and social platforms, with peak mobile usage clustered around commuting and evening hours.
• Rural and tribal areas: Distributed settlement patterns and tribal lands mean more users depend on cellular for essential services, telehealth, and government portals where fixed service options are fewer.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Network presence: AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon all serve the county. Fixed wireless providers also operate in the area, and some cooperatives and ISPs backhaul via microwave where fiber is sparse.
• 4G/5G availability: 4G LTE is the baseline across major corridors and population centers. 5G service is present in and near towns and along primary highways, with performance tapering to LTE or extended-range 5G in outlying areas. Indoor 5G can be inconsistent in low-density zones due to tower spacing and terrain.
• Capacity and backhaul: Tower density is modest outside Holdenville/Wetumka and along US‑270/OK‑9/OK‑48; sectors serving wide rural footprints can congest at evening peaks. Backhaul is mixed—fiber-fed where highway-adjacent, microwave elsewhere—affecting sustained speeds during busy hours.
• Emergency coverage: E911 and Wireless Emergency Alerts are supported; highway coverage is prioritized, but valleys and wooded areas can experience signal attenuation.
• Device environment: Due to distance-to-site, many rural households employ signal boosters, high-gain antennas, or fixed wireless gateways to improve indoor performance, especially where fixed broadband is unavailable or unaffordable.

How Hughes County differs from Oklahoma overall

• Higher smartphone-only reliance: A larger share of households depend on smartphones for home internet compared with the state average, reflecting lower fixed broadband adoption and incomes.
• More prepaid and data-conscious usage: Prepaid penetration and data-plan sensitivity are higher than statewide norms, with users optimizing around promotions and MVNO offerings.
• Wider performance variance: Speeds and reliability differ more sharply between town centers/highways and outlying areas than in suburban Oklahoma counties, due to sparser tower grids and mixed backhaul.
• Demographic drivers: An older age structure and lower median income amplify the role of mobile as a primary connection while slightly reducing the proportion of high-end 5G devices relative to metro Oklahoma.

Interpretation notes

• Figures above synthesize the latest ACS 5‑year patterns for rural Oklahoma counties, FCC mobile coverage filings, and industry subscription density benchmarks to produce county-level estimates. For procurement, program design, or emergency planning, pair these estimates with on-the-ground drive testing and the most recent ACS S2801 (Computer and Internet Use) and FCC Mobile Coverage Data specific to Hughes County.

Social media in Hughes County, OK — snapshot (modeled 2025)

What this is: County-level social media statistics aren’t directly published. Figures below are modeled estimates based on Pew Research Center’s 2024 social media/use-by-demographic data, U.S. rural differentials, Oklahoma’s rural connectivity, and the county’s age mix. Expect ±5–10 percentage points.

Population and access context

• Residents: ~13,000–14,000; adults: ~10,000–11,000
• Home broadband: ~65–70% of households; smartphone ownership: ~80–85% of adults
• Social media penetration: 68–72% of adults (7,000–7,400 people) use at least one platform; ~55–60% of adults use social daily

Most-used platforms (share of adults who use each at least occasionally)

• YouTube: 75–80%
• Facebook: 65–70% (Facebook Groups: used by ~55–60% of adults; by ~85–90% of Facebook users)
• Instagram: 25–30%
• TikTok: 20–25%
• Snapchat: 15–20%
• Pinterest: 22–28% (female-skewed)
• X (Twitter): 10–15%
• WhatsApp: 8–12%
• Reddit: 7–10%
• LinkedIn: 7–10%

Age-group usage patterns (share of each age group using any social media; key platforms)

• 18–29: 95%+ use social; YouTube 95%+, Instagram 70–80%, Snapchat 60–70%, TikTok 55–65%, Facebook 45–55%
• 30–49: 85–90%; YouTube 85–90%, Facebook 70–75%, Instagram 35–45%, TikTok 25–35%, Snapchat 20–25%, Pinterest 30–40%
• 50–64: 70–75%; Facebook 70–75%, YouTube 70–75%, Instagram 20–25%, TikTok 12–18%, Pinterest 25–30%
• 65+: 45–55%; Facebook 55–60%, YouTube 55–60%, Instagram 10–15%, TikTok 8–12%

Gender breakdown (tendencies among adult users)

• Women: Slightly higher overall social use; stronger on Facebook (+5 pts vs men), Instagram (+3–5), Pinterest (women ~35–45% vs men ~10–15%). Heavier participation in local Groups, school/church pages, and Marketplace.
• Men: Higher on YouTube (+5–10 pts), Reddit/X (+5–8), and hobby/DIY channels; more video consumption, less posting.

Behavioral trends

• Facebook as the community backbone: Groups for schools, churches, county EMS/weather, yard sales, obituaries, and local sports draw the widest participation. Marketplace is the default for buy/sell (farm gear, vehicles, furniture).
• Video-first habits: YouTube for how‑to (auto/small-engine repair, ag/ranching, hunting/fishing) and church services; short-form (Reels/TikTok) growing among under‑40s for entertainment and local highlights.
• Messaging over posting: Most users are “consumers/lurkers.” Older adults reshare local news; under‑30s favor Stories/Snaps and DMs. Facebook Messenger is the most-used cross‑age messaging tool; WhatsApp remains niche.
• Peak times: Evenings (6–10 p.m.) highest activity; morning check-ins for weather/road updates; sharp surges during severe weather and high‑school sports.
• Trust and information flow: Higher trust in locally run pages/groups and known admins; lower trust in national outlets. Misinformation periodically circulates via shares; corrections often come from recognized community members.
• Connectivity effects: Patchy broadband outside towns keeps usage mobile‑first; users favor lower‑resolution video and shorter clips; YouTube offline downloads are common.
• Local commerce and promotion: Small businesses lean on Facebook Pages/Groups and Marketplace; Instagram is used by boutiques and photographers; TikTok is emerging for promos but remains secondary.

Notes on certainty

• These county-specific figures are modeled from Pew Research Center (2024) platform use by age, gender, and rural status; ACS demographic structure; and Oklahoma rural connectivity indicators. Use as planning baselines with a ±5–10 point tolerance.