Mcintosh County

McIntosh County, Oklahoma – key demographics (latest U.S. Census Bureau data: 2020 Census and 2018–2022 ACS)

Population size

• Total population (2020 Census): 18,9xx (roughly 19,000)
• Trend: Slight long‑term decline since 2010; small, rural county

Age

• Median age: ~46 years
• Under 18: ~21%
• 65 and over: ~24–25%
• Insight: Older-than-state average age profile

Sex

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50%

Race and ethnicity

• White alone, not Hispanic: ~68–70%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~16–18%
• Black or African American alone: ~3–4%
• Two or more races: ~7–9%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~4–5%
• Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: <1% each

Households

• Total households: ~8,200
• Persons per household (avg): ~2.3
• Family households: ~65–67%
• Households with children under 18: ~22%
• Nonfamily households: ~33–35%
• Owner-occupied share: ~75–80%
• Insight: Small household size, high owner-occupancy, sizable share of older adults and nonfamily households

Note: Figures reflect the most recent decennial census counts for population and the 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5‑year estimates for composition and household characteristics.

• Population and density: McIntosh County has about 19,000 residents, roughly 30–31 people per square mile (rural).
• Estimated email users: 13,200 adult residents use email regularly. Method: county adult population applied to current U.S. adult email adoption (90%+).
• Age distribution of email users (estimated share of users):
  • 18–29: 13%
  • 30–49: 28%
  • 50–64: 27%
  • 65+: 32% The county’s older age structure pushes a larger share of users into 50+.
• Gender split of email users: ~52% female, ~48% male, mirroring the local population and near-parity adoption.
• Digital access and device trends:
  • Computer access: ~85% of households have a computer.
  • Home broadband: ~72–75% subscribe; ~12–15% rely primarily on smartphones; ~15–20% have no home internet subscription.
  • Seniors increasingly use smartphones for email; younger adults are near-universal users with multiple accounts.
• Connectivity context:
  • Service quality is strongest in and around Checotah and Eufaula; speeds and reliability drop in outlying areas.
  • Fixed wireless and DSL remain important outside town centers; fiber availability is growing but limited.
  • Public access points (libraries, schools) and mobile hotspots play a meaningful role for households without fixed broadband.

Mobile phone usage in McIntosh County, Oklahoma — summary and how it differs from the state

Core usage and adoption (ACS 2019–2023, 5‑year estimates; household-level indicators)

• Households with a smartphone: approximately mid‑80s percent in McIntosh County, a few points lower than Oklahoma overall (about 90% statewide). This gap reflects an older population and lower incomes relative to the state.
• Broadband internet subscription (any type, including cellular data plans): roughly two‑thirds of households in the county, versus about four‑fifths statewide. McIntosh County sits in the lower tier among Oklahoma counties on this metric.
• Cellular data plans for home internet:
  • Any cellular data plan (alone or combined with another subscription): a majority of households.
  • Cellular‑only internet (no cable/DSL/fiber/fixed wireless): around one‑fifth of households in McIntosh County versus mid‑teens statewide, signaling heavier reliance on mobile networks for primary connectivity.
• No internet subscription at home: low‑20s percent in the county versus mid‑ to high‑teens statewide, indicating a persistent access and affordability gap.

Estimated users and device penetration

• Population base: about 19 thousand residents and roughly 8–9 thousand households.
• Adult mobile users: approximately 12–14 thousand residents use a mobile phone, with the lower end driven by a larger 65+ share and lower incomes than the state average.
• Senior adoption: smartphone use among residents 65+ trails the state average by several points; the county’s above‑average senior share pulls down the overall adoption rate compared with Oklahoma.

Demographic factors shaping usage (distinct from state-level patterns)

• Age: McIntosh County has a higher 65+ share than Oklahoma overall. Older age strongly correlates with lower smartphone and app adoption, fewer multi‑line plans, and more voice‑and‑text‑centric usage.
• Income and education: Median household income is below the state median, with a higher poverty rate. These constraints increase price sensitivity, boosting cellular‑only home internet, prepaid plans, and lower‑cost Android uptake relative to the state mix.
• Race and ethnicity: A higher Native American share than the state average aligns with more rural residence patterns and coverage variability that further increases cellular‑only and off‑peak usage strategies.

Digital infrastructure and network performance

• Coverage pattern: 4G LTE coverage is broad along the I‑40 corridor, US‑69, and around Eufaula and Checotah; service degrades in sparsely populated lake-adjacent and wooded areas. This spatial variation is more pronounced than in urbanized Oklahoma counties.
• 5G availability: Low‑band 5G is present on major corridors and in towns; mid‑band 5G (such as 2.5 GHz or C‑band) is more limited than the state’s metro areas, keeping average 5G speeds lower and pushing many users to LTE in fringe areas.
• Capacity and seasonality: Lake Eufaula tourism produces weekend/seasonal congestion spikes (uplink and downlink) that are more noticeable than statewide averages; carriers prioritize highway and town sites, leaving recreation zones with fewer sectorized sites and smaller backhaul.
• Backhaul and buildout: Fiber backhaul density is thinner than in metro Oklahoma, constraining mid‑band 5G upgrades and affecting consistency. Fixed wireless and satellite fill gaps, reinforcing the county’s higher cellular‑only home internet share.

Behavioral and market implications

• Higher mobile-only dependence: The county’s cellular‑only household share is several points above the state, making mobile networks the primary on‑ramp for education, telehealth, and government services more often than elsewhere in Oklahoma.
• Price sensitivity: Greater reliance on prepaid and single‑line plans, fewer premium unlimited tiers, and more careful data budgeting than the state average.
• Device mix: Slightly lower flagship penetration and a longer device replacement cycle compared with state urban markets.

Change over time

• Adoption and reliance: Since the late 2010s, cellular‑only home internet in McIntosh County has grown faster than the statewide rate, while wired broadband uptake has grown more slowly. The result is a wider county‑state gap in fixed broadband and a persistent over‑reliance on mobile networks for primary connectivity.

Key takeaways

• Expect roughly two‑thirds of households to have any broadband subscription, with a notably higher share of cellular‑only homes than the state.
• Mobile phone use is widespread but trails the state slightly due to older age structure and lower incomes.
• Network quality is corridor‑centric, with pronounced rural and seasonal performance dips relative to Oklahoma’s urban counties.

McIntosh County, OK — social media usage snapshot (2024)

User stats

• Residents using social media: ≈11,300 (about 69% of residents age 13+; ≈60% of total population)
• Device mix: overwhelmingly mobile-first (90%+ of use on smartphones)

Age breakdown of social media users (share of users; ≈counts)

• 13–17: 9% (~1.0k)
• 18–29: 17% (~1.9k)
• 30–49: 32% (~3.6k)
• 50–64: 26% (~3.0k)
• 65+: 15% (~1.7k)

Gender breakdown of social media users

• Female: 53% (~6.0k)
• Male: 47% (~5.3k)

Most-used platforms in the county (share of social media users; reach among residents 13+ in parentheses)

• YouTube: 81% (≈56% of 13+)
• Facebook: 78% (≈54% of 13+)
• Facebook Messenger: 64% (≈44% of 13+)
• Instagram: 41% (≈28% of 13+)
• TikTok: 33% (≈23% of 13+)
• Snapchat: 28% (≈19% of 13+)
• X (Twitter): 18% (≈12% of 13+)
• Pinterest: 24% (≈17% of 13+)
• Nextdoor: 6% (≈4% of 13+)

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of Groups and Marketplace for local news, school and church updates, events, buy/sell/trade, lake-related groups (Lake Eufaula), and public safety/weather alerts.
• Video dominates attention: YouTube for how‑to, hunting/fishing, DIY, and local sports; short‑form clips via Facebook Reels/Instagram Reels/TikTok perform strongly.
• Messaging is pragmatic: Facebook Messenger is the default for coordinating family, shift work, and community activities; Snapchat concentrates among teens and twenty‑somethings.
• Commerce: strong engagement with Facebook Marketplace for vehicles, boats/ATVs, tools, and home goods; local boutiques and service businesses see best ROI with boosted Facebook/Instagram posts and geofenced ads around Eufaula and Checotah.
• Timing: engagement peaks evenings (6–10 pm) and weekends; secondary spikes early morning and lunchtime. Content tied to weather, road closures, school athletics, and local events outperforms generic posts.
• Demographic skew: older population share drives higher Facebook reliance; younger users split time with Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. Women over‑index on Facebook/Instagram/Pinterest; men over‑index on YouTube and Reddit (small base).

Notes on methodology and sources

• Figures synthesize U.S. Census Bureau/ACS age structure for McIntosh County with Pew Research Center 2023–2024 platform adoption by age and rural residence, and DataReportal/We Are Social 2024 U.S. platform reach. County‑level platform shares are best‑available estimates reweighted to local demographics.