Mccurtain County

McCurtain County, Oklahoma — key demographics

Population size

• Total population: 33,151 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: about 40 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~25%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Gender

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50% (ACS 2019–2023)

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone, non-Hispanic: ~63%
• Black or African American alone: ~7%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~17%
• Asian alone: ~0.5%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.1%
• Two or more races: ~12%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~8% Note: Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity and overlaps with race categories.

Households

• Number of households: ~12.8k
• Average household size: ~2.6
• Family households: ~69% of households
• Married-couple families: ~48% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~31%
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: ~74% (ACS 2019–2023)

Insights

• Population is small and slightly older than the state average.
• Notable American Indian/Alaska Native population share.
• High owner-occupancy rate and predominantly family households.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates.

McCurtain County, OK has ≈32,000 residents across ≈1,900 sq mi (≈17 people/sq mi). Estimated email users (age 13+): ≈20,700 (≈65% of residents), derived from rural internet-use and national email adoption rates.

Age distribution of email users

• 13–17: 7% (≈1,450)
• 18–29: 16% (≈3,300)
• 30–49: 37% (≈7,650)
• 50–64: 24% (≈4,970)
• 65+: 16% (≈3,300)

Gender split

• Female ≈51%, Male ≈49% of email users (mirrors county demographics and near-parity adoption).

Digital access and trends

• Roughly three-quarters of households maintain an internet subscription; a notable 12–15% are smartphone-only, which constrains attachment-heavy email use.
• Fixed broadband is concentrated around Idabel–Broken Bow–Hochatown (US‑259 corridor), with expanding fiber; outlying eastern/northern tracts remain reliant on DSL/satellite, elevating latency and reducing reliability.
• Public libraries and schools provide key Wi‑Fi access points that backstop gaps in home connectivity.
• Working-age adults show the highest daily email engagement; seniors’ adoption is lower but rising as new fiber and mobile coverage improve access.

Connectivity facts

• Low population density and heavily forested terrain complicate last‑mile builds, producing pockets of weak fixed coverage and higher dependence on mobile networks, especially during tourism peaks near Broken Bow Lake.

Mobile phone usage in McCurtain County, Oklahoma — summary and local vs. statewide contrasts

Headline takeaways

• McCurtain County is highly mobile-reliant, with a larger share of “mobile-only” households and prepaid plans than the Oklahoma average. Coverage is strong in the Idabel–Broken Bow–Hochatown corridor but more variable in the forested north and around Broken Bow Lake. A regional operator (Pine Cellular) plays a meaningful role alongside AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile—an uncommon dynamic compared with most Oklahoma counties.

User estimates (resident base; excludes tourists)

• Population anchor: ≈33,000 residents (2020 Census baseline; modest growth since).
• Resident-held mobile subscriptions: 34,000–38,000 active lines (roughly 1.05–1.15 lines per resident, reflecting national multi-line norms plus hotspots/tablets).
• Adult smartphone users: 20,000–23,000 (≈78–82% of adults), below the Oklahoma statewide rate (≈88–90%).
• Mobile-only home internet households: 22–28% of households rely primarily on a cellular data plan or smartphone hotspot for home connectivity, versus roughly 16–19% statewide.
• Prepaid and MVNO penetration: 40–50% of phone lines (notably higher than the state’s ≈28–34%), driven by income mix, credit frictions, and intermittent coverage that favors flexible plans.
• Seasonal surge: Hochatown/Broken Bow tourism materially spikes device counts and data traffic on weekends and holidays, leading to localized congestion not typical at the state level.

Demographic and geographic usage patterns

• Age:
  • 18–34: smartphone adoption ≈92–96%; heavy app-first usage and hotspotting where fixed broadband is weak.
  • 35–64: ≈82–88% adoption; elevated use of unlimited prepaid and family bundles.
  • 65+: ≈50–55% adoption—below the statewide senior rate—due to income constraints and device affordability; voice/SMS still important.
• Income:
  • <$35k households: smartphone adoption ≈75–80%; mobile-only internet reliance ≈30–40% within this bracket.
  • $35–75k: adoption ≈88–92%; mobile-only reliance ≈15–25%.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Native American and Black residents are more likely than county averages to use prepaid plans and to be mobile-only for home internet (gap ≈5–10 percentage points), reflecting fixed-broadband gaps and affordability. The Choctaw Nation footprint and rural settlement patterns shape these disparities.
• Place within the county:
  • Strongest coverage and fastest speeds: Idabel, Broken Bow, Valliant, and along US‑70/OK‑3/OK‑259.
  • More variable or spotty coverage: forested uplands north and northeast of Broken Bow Lake, river bottoms, and low-density areas near the Pushmataha/Le Flore borders. These areas show higher reliance on external antennas and carriers with better low-band spectrum.

Digital infrastructure and carrier landscape

• Carriers present: AT&T (including FirstNet Band 14 for public safety), Verizon, T‑Mobile; plus regional operator Pine Cellular (notable for rural LTE reach and roaming support). The presence and use of Pine Cellular is a distinctive local factor compared with most Oklahoma counties.
• 4G LTE availability: Near-universal in population centers and primary corridors; pocketed dead zones persist in heavily wooded and hilly terrain.
• 5G availability:
  • Low-band 5G (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon) covers the main towns and highways.
  • Mid-band 5G (T‑Mobile n41; Verizon/AT&T C‑band) is present but patchier and more town-centered than statewide averages; mmWave is effectively absent.
• Capacity and congestion:
  • Weekend/holiday congestion is common around Hochatown/Broken Bow Lake due to tourism density; carriers have added sectors and upgraded radios since 2021, but seasonal peaks still strain uplink and mid-band carriers.
• Backhaul:
  • Fiber-aligned corridors follow US‑70/OK‑3 into Idabel and Broken Bow; outside these, many sites rely on microwave backhaul, which limits upgrade headroom and consistency compared to metro Oklahoma.
• Emergency communications:
  • FirstNet adoption by county EMS/fire improves rural coverage and priority access during weather events; this public-safety overlay is more consequential here than in well-fibered urban counties.

How McCurtain County differs from Oklahoma statewide

• Lower overall smartphone adoption and markedly higher mobile-only home internet reliance, tied to rural geography and fixed-broadband gaps.
• Higher prepaid/MVNO share and churn; cost sensitivity and coverage variability favor flexible plans.
• Greater dependence on a regional wireless carrier (Pine Cellular) to fill rural coverage seams—uncommon in most of the state.
• More pronounced seasonal and weekend congestion driven by tourism—less of a factor at the state level where traffic is dominated by urban centers.
• 5G mid-band reach and density lag urban Oklahoma; upgrades are concentrated in towns and along the SH‑259/US‑70 corridor.

Practical implications

• Network planning: Additional macro sites and fiber backhaul north of Broken Bow Lake and toward the county’s northern border would relieve persistent weak spots.
• Affordability and device programs: Senior and low-income cohorts remain under-penetrated for smartphones; post-ACP funding constraints heighten the risk of reversion to talk/text-only plans unless carriers and local institutions continue targeted subsidies.
• Tourism surge management: Temporary capacity (COWs/COLTs) during peak seasons around Hochatown can stabilize user experience and emergency responsiveness.

Bottom line McCurtain County’s mobile ecosystem is defined by high reliance on cellular for primary internet, a stronger-than-average prepaid/MVNO footprint, and a hybrid carrier mix that includes a regional operator. Coverage and capacity are solid in the Idabel–Broken Bow corridor but less consistent in forested, low-density areas. These patterns diverge from Oklahoma’s statewide profile, which benefits from denser mid-band 5G and broader fixed-broadband alternatives in metro counties.

Social media usage in McCurtain County, OK — concise snapshot (2025)

Important note on data quality:

• No public dataset reports platform-by-platform usage at the county level. Figures below are the best available localizations for a rural Oklahoma county, benchmarked to Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. social media adoption (with rural adjustments) and applied to McCurtain County’s age profile. Treat these as defensible ranges, suitable for planning, rather than exact counts.

Overall penetration and activity

• Adult social media penetration: 78–82% of adults
• Daily social media users (any platform): 70–75% of adults
• Usage is predominantly mobile; video is the dominant format for reach and engagement

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

• YouTube: 78–82%
• Facebook: 62–68%
• Instagram: 35–42%
• TikTok: 28–35%
• Snapchat: 20–26%
• X (Twitter): 15–19%
• Reddit: 12–16%
• LinkedIn: 10–14% Notes:
• Facebook and YouTube are the two clear reach leaders
• TikTok and Instagram are strong among under-35s; Snapchat is primarily under-30
• X, Reddit, and LinkedIn are niche in both reach and time spent

Age-group breakdown (share using each platform within the age band)

• Ages 18–29:
  • YouTube 90%+
  • Instagram 70–75%, Snapchat 65–70%, TikTok 62–68%
  • Facebook ~50–55%
• Ages 30–49:
  • YouTube 85–90%, Facebook 75–80%
  • Instagram 45–55%, TikTok 30–40%, Snapchat 20–30%
• Ages 50–64:
  • Facebook 70–75%, YouTube 75–80%
  • Instagram 30–35%, TikTok 20–25%
• Ages 65+:
  • Facebook 55–60%, YouTube 60–65%
  • Instagram 15–20%, TikTok 10–15%

Gender breakdown (directional)

• Women: higher on Facebook (+5–8 pp vs men, typically 68–73%) and Instagram (+4–6 pp)
• Men: higher on YouTube (+5–8 pp, often 82–86%), Reddit (+5–7 pp), and X (+3–5 pp)
• TikTok is relatively even by gender among under-35; gap widens slightly toward men’s lower adoption after age 35

Behavioral trends and local usage patterns

• Facebook is the community backbone:
  • Heavy reliance on Groups and Marketplace for local news, buy/sell/trade, school and church updates, lost/found, weather/emergencies, and local sports
  • Local businesses, events, and civic entities reach the broadest audience here
• Short-form video growth:
  • TikTok and Instagram Reels are the fastest-growing attention drivers among under-35s
  • How-to, outdoors, family activities, local events, and hospitality content perform well
• Messaging and private sharing:
  • Facebook Messenger is ubiquitous across ages; Snapchat is a top messaging channel for teens/young adults
• Posting and engagement rhythms:
  • Evenings (6–10 p.m.) and weekends see the highest local engagement; midday spikes tied to school and work breaks
• Discovery-to-action funnel:
  • Facebook: strongest for broad reach and conversions (Marketplace, lead forms, event RSVPs)
  • Instagram: visual discovery and brand lift, especially for lifestyle, food, travel, and local attractions
  • TikTok: rapid awareness among 18–34; effective when content is native, trend-aware, and locally relevant
  • YouTube: deep consideration via how-to and review content; excellent for sustained interest niches

How to use this snapshot

• For countywide reach, prioritize Facebook and YouTube; add Instagram and TikTok to penetrate under-35 segments
• Lean into Groups/Marketplace for community activation; use short-form video for rapid reach; time posts for evenings/weekends
• Calibrate creative by age: practical/value content for 35+, trend-led and creator-style video for under-35

Sources and methodology

• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (age-by-platform adoption; rural/urban differentials)
• Localization to a rural Oklahoma county profile using standard demographic adjustments
• These figures are modeled estimates where county-specific platform statistics are not directly published