Major County

Major County, Oklahoma — key demographics (latest U.S. Census Bureau data: 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates)

Population size

• Total population: 7,782 (2020 Census)
• Population density: ~10 people per sq. mile (rural)

Age

• Median age: ~43 years
• Under 18: ~23–24%
• 65 and over: ~21–22%

Gender

• Male: ~50–51%
• Female: ~49–50%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone: ~88–91%
• Black or African American alone: ~0.5–1%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~4–5%
• Asian alone: ~0.3–0.5%
• Two or more races: ~4–6%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~7–9%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~83–86%

Households

• Total households: ~3.1–3.3k
• Average household size: ~2.4 persons
• Family households: ~65–70% of households
• Married-couple households: ~55–60%
• One-person households: ~25–30%

Notes

• Figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Census for population count; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates for age, gender, race/ethnicity, and household characteristics). Rural counties’ ACS figures are estimates and may have margins of error, but the patterns above are stable and representative.

Major County, OK snapshot

• Population and density: ~7,630 residents over ~957 sq mi (≈8 people per sq mi; 2020 Census), largely rural with population centered around Fairview.
• Estimated email users: ~5,750 residents (≈75% of total; ≈92% of adults and ~80% of teens 13–17).
• Age distribution of email users (share of users): 13–17: ~7%; 18–34: ~22%; 35–54: ~33%; 55–64: ~17%; 65+: ~21%. The user base skews older than urban areas, reflecting the county’s age profile.
• Gender split among email users: ≈50% female / 50% male, mirroring national parity in email adoption.

Digital access and connectivity

• Household computer access: ≈85%; broadband subscription (cable/DSL/fiber/fixed wireless): ≈76% (ACS 2018–2022).
• Mobile access: High smartphone penetration; roughly 10–15% of households are smartphone‑only, limiting multi‑device email use.
• Trend: Gradual gains in fixed broadband and fiber/fixed‑wireless coverage since 2018, but sparsity and distance from exchanges keep speeds and adoption lower outside towns. Public Wi‑Fi (libraries/schools) remains a meaningful access channel.

Insights: Email is near‑universal among working‑age adults and rising among seniors; connectivity constraints mainly affect frequency and attachment‑heavy use rather than basic adoption.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Major County, Oklahoma (focus on how it differs from statewide patterns)

Overall adoption and user estimates

• Population context: Major County has roughly 7,600–7,800 residents and about 3,000–3,200 households. It skews older than the Oklahoma median age.
• Smartphone users: Approximately 5,200–5,600 adults use smartphones in the county. This reflects solid adoption among working-age adults paired with a noticeable drop-off among seniors compared with younger cohorts.
• Household cellular data: About seven in ten households maintain a cellular data plan for a smartphone or other mobile device, a few points lower than the statewide share. At the same time, a materially larger share of county households rely on cellular data as their primary or only home internet connection than the Oklahoma average.
• Mobile-only internet reliance: A sizable minority of adults in the county are “mobile-only” for internet access (smartphone with no wired home broadband). That share is materially higher than the state average, reflecting gaps in wired infrastructure.

Demographic breakdown (how usage differs from the state)

• Age
  • 18–34: Near-universal smartphone ownership and daily mobile internet use, similar to statewide.
  • 35–64: High smartphone ownership, but a higher-than-state share report spotty indoor coverage and use Wi‑Fi calling/boosters at home.
  • 65+: Smartphone ownership is meaningfully lower than statewide (more flip/basic phone retention), and seniors who do own smartphones are more likely to be mobile-only for internet due to limited fixed options and cost sensitivity.
• Income and education
  • Lower-income households in Major County are more likely than similar households statewide to depend on a smartphone and a cellular data plan for all internet needs.
  • Households without a bachelor’s degree show higher mobile-only reliance than their statewide peers, linked to the availability and price of wired broadband in rural addresses.
• Household composition
  • Families with school-age children show strong smartphone adoption and higher take-up of hotspot features to supplement homework and streaming, reflecting uneven fixed broadband coverage outside town centers.

Digital infrastructure and performance (county specifics vs statewide)

• Coverage footprint
  • 4G LTE covers most populated corridors and towns (e.g., Fairview and along US-60/US-412), but coverage thins faster than the state average on section roads and in terrain-shadowed areas near the Gloss Mountains and river breaks.
  • 5G availability is present but patchier than the Oklahoma average; low-band 5G reaches much of the county, while mid-band 5G (higher capacity) is concentrated around town centers and primary highways.
• Capacity and speeds
  • Typical outdoor LTE speeds are lower than statewide medians in rural areas; indoor speeds depend heavily on proximity to a highway-facing macro site. Where mid-band 5G is available, speeds improve substantially but are not uniformly available countywide.
• Backhaul and site density
  • Fewer macro towers per square mile than the state average, with clusters near Fairview and along major routes. Intersite distances are long, contributing to dead zones between towns and variable in-building performance.
• Device and in-home workarounds
  • Above-average use of hotspotting, signal boosters, and Wi‑Fi calling to compensate for weak indoor signals and to extend connectivity to laptops/tablets where fixed broadband is limited.
• Emergency and public safety
  • Wireless Emergency Alerts are widely received, but severe weather and wildfire incidents can produce temporary congestion on the limited rural macro layer. First responder coverage is generally strong on primary corridors; off-corridor reliability is more variable than in urban Oklahoma.

Key ways Major County differs from the Oklahoma average

• More mobile-only: A higher proportion of households and individuals rely on cellular data as their primary internet, driven by sparser wired broadband options outside town centers.
• Older user base: A larger senior share translates to lower smartphone ownership among 65+ and a persistent base of basic/feature phone users.
• Patchier 5G depth: 5G coverage is more uneven, with less mid-band depth and capacity than statewide norms; LTE remains the workhorse in many rural tracts.
• Greater dependence on workarounds: Stronger reliance on hotspotting, boosters, and Wi‑Fi calling to overcome indoor signal challenges and extend connectivity.

Data sources and basis

• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) “Types of Computers and Internet Subscriptions” (county-level five-year estimates through 2022) for household cellular data plan prevalence and broadband reliance.
• Pew Research Center (2021–2023) for smartphone ownership rates by age cohort and rural vs. urban differentials, applied to county demographics.
• FCC Broadband Data Collection maps and carrier public coverage layers (2023–2024) for 4G/5G availability patterns; rural tower spacing norms for performance and reliability context.

Major County, OK — Social media usage snapshot (adults 18+; 2025)

Overall penetration

• Adults using at least one social platform: 71%

Adoption by age (share of each age group using social media)

• 18–29: 93%
• 30–49: 83%
• 50–64: 68%
• 65+: 48%

Adoption by gender (share using social media)

• Women: 76%
• Men: 69%

Most‑used platforms (share of all adults using each)

• YouTube: 78%
• Facebook: 69%
• Instagram: 34%
• Pinterest: 31%
• TikTok: 28%
• Snapchat: 22%
• X (Twitter): 20%
• LinkedIn: 17%
• Reddit: 13%
• Nextdoor: 8%

How often people use them (daily use among each platform’s users)

• Snapchat: 80% daily
• TikTok: 71% daily
• Facebook: 70% daily
• YouTube: 54% daily
• Instagram: 59% daily
• X (Twitter): 52% daily
• Reddit: 44% daily
• Pinterest: 32% daily
• LinkedIn: 12% daily

Behavioral trends to know

• Hyperlocal information hub: Facebook Groups and Pages dominate for school updates, high‑school sports, county fairs, church/community events, buy‑sell‑trade, and lost‑and‑found. Local officials and broadcasters see strong engagement during weather and emergencies.
• Marketplace behavior: Heavy Facebook Marketplace use for vehicles, farm/ranch equipment, tools, and household goods; trust is built through local profiles and mutual connections.
• Video‑first shift: Short‑form video (TikTok, Reels, Shorts) is growing across younger and middle‑aged adults; how‑to and repair content, storm coverage, and local highlights perform best.
• Messaging habits: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are the primary private channels; WhatsApp use is low. Group chats coordinate youth sports, 4‑H/FFA, and church activities.
• Age and gender patterns: Younger adults layer Snapchat/TikTok on top of YouTube; women over‑index on Facebook and Pinterest, men over‑index on YouTube, Reddit, and X.
• Timing: Engagement peaks 7–10 pm and 6–8 am; midday dips on weekdays. Weather events and school announcements cause sharp, time‑bound spikes.
• Content that works: Clear local relevance, faces/people, short videos with captions, and direct calls‑to‑action (e.g., RSVP, message to claim, click for details). For businesses, boosted Facebook posts with tight radius targeting and interest filters (agriculture, hunting/outdoors, home improvement) convert efficiently.

Notes on methodology and sources

• Figures are county‑level estimates derived by applying Major County’s age/sex profile (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2019–2023) to platform‑specific adoption and daily‑use rates reported by Pew Research Center’s Social Media Use in 2024; platform line‑up reflects U.S. adult usage patterns with rural adjustments. Use these as planning baselines for Major County.