Osage County

Osage County, Oklahoma — key demographics

Population size

• 45,800 (2023 population estimate)
• 47,987 (2020 Census)
• Change since 2020: approximately −4% to −5%

Age

• Median age: ~41–42 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18 years: ~23%
• 65 years and over: ~20%

Gender

• Female: ~50.5%
• Male: ~49.5%

Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census)

• White alone: ~64%
• Black or African American alone: ~2%–3%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~17%
• Asian alone: ~0.5%–1%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.1%
• Some other race alone: ~3%
• Two or more races: ~12%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~7%

Household data (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: ~18,600–18,900
• Persons per household: ~2.45
• Family households: ~68%–70% of all households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~74%–77%

Insights

• Population has modestly declined since 2020.
• Older age profile than the U.S. overall, with about one in five residents age 65+.
• Substantial American Indian/Alaska Native population share relative to state and national averages.
• High homeownership and predominantly family households, consistent with rural/semirural profiles.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; 2023 Population Estimates Program).

• Population and density: Osage County has 45,818 residents (2020 Census) across ~2,246 sq mi, ≈20 people per square mile (largest county in Oklahoma by area).

• Estimated email users: ~33,000 residents use email (≈72% of total population; ≈88% of adults).

• Age distribution of email users (counts, share):

  • 13–17: ~1,650 (5%)
  • 18–34: ~9,570 (29%)
  • 35–54: ~10,890 (33%)
  • 55–64: ~4,950 (15%)
  • 65+: ~5,940 (18%)

• Gender split among email users: 51% female (16,800) and 49% male (16,200), tracking county demographics.

• Digital access trends and connectivity:

  • About three-quarters of households maintain a fixed broadband subscription; overall internet access (any type) is in the mid–high 80% range.
  • Smartphone‑only internet is common (~1 in 7 households), reflecting rural reliance on mobile data.
  • Access and speeds are strongest in and around population centers such as Pawhuska and Skiatook; northern and western ranchland shows higher dependence on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite.
  • Mobile LTE/5G coverage is solid along US‑60 and primary state highways, with persistent gaps in sparsely populated areas.

These figures indicate broad email reach, with slightly lower penetration among seniors and in the most rural blocks.

Mobile phone usage in Osage County, OK — 2025 snapshot

User base and adoption

• Population and users: Osage County has roughly 46,000 residents, of whom about 35,000 are adults. Estimated smartphone users total 31,000–34,000 (about 82–88% of adults, 68–74% of the total population), reflecting slightly lower adult adoption than Oklahoma’s statewide average.
• Household penetration: Approximately 18,000 households; an estimated 15,500–16,200 (85–90%) have at least one smartphone.
• Mobile-only internet: Roughly 4,500–5,200 households (25–29%) rely primarily or exclusively on a cellular data plan for home internet, noticeably higher than the statewide share (about 17–20%). This indicates greater dependence on mobile networks for home connectivity than the Oklahoma average.

Demographic breakdown and usage differences vs state-level

• Age structure: Osage County skews older than the state. Residents 65+ account for roughly one-fifth of the population (vs. closer to one-sixth statewide), and smartphone adoption within this group trails the state average. This age profile is the single largest factor pulling overall adoption below the statewide rate.
• Tribal and rural composition: The county’s American Indian/Alaska Native share is higher than the state average, and its population is predominantly rural. Both groups show above-average reliance on mobile-only internet and prepaid plans, driven by gaps in fixed broadband availability and price sensitivity.
• Income and plan mix: Median household income is slightly below the Oklahoma median, aligning with higher uptake of prepaid/MVNO plans and Lifeline participation. The 2024 lapse of ACP subsidies had an outsized effect locally, increasing mobile-only reliance compared with metropolitan counties.

Network and digital infrastructure

• Coverage: 4G LTE coverage is strong in and between towns (Pawhuska, Skiatook, Hominy, Fairfax, Barnsdall) and along primary corridors (US‑60, OK‑20, OK‑18, OK‑99). Coverage is comparatively weaker—and sometimes intermittent—in sparsely populated ranchland, the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, and western oil-field tracts. This spatial unevenness is more pronounced than the statewide pattern.
• 5G footprint: Low-band 5G is concentrated on the southern/eastern fringe tied to the Tulsa market and along main highways; mid-band 5G capacity sites are sparse elsewhere. Relative to Oklahoma’s metros, Osage County has slower 5G build-out and a higher share of traffic remaining on LTE.
• Tower density and backhaul: Fewer macro sites per square mile than the state average; many rural sites rely on microwave backhaul, which constrains peak capacity. New build/upgrade activity is clustered along US‑60 and near Skiatook; outside these areas, upgrades lag the state.
• Alternatives to fiber: Fixed wireless (including CBRS) and satellite fill gaps where fiber/coax is unavailable. These alternatives are a primary driver of the county’s higher mobile-only household share versus Oklahoma overall.

How Osage County’s trends differ from Oklahoma statewide

• Higher dependence on mobile networks: A significantly larger portion of households use cellular data as their main or sole home internet connection.
• Slower 5G capacity growth: 5G availability and mid-band capacity trail metro counties, keeping median mobile speeds lower than the statewide median and prolonging LTE reliance.
• Stronger demographic drag on adoption: A larger 65+ share and higher rural and tribal composition translate to slightly lower smartphone adoption and device-per-person ratios than the state average.
• Plan mix skew: Greater use of prepaid/MVNO offers and benefits programs relative to postpaid plans, reflecting local income and coverage realities.

Key takeaways

• Mobile access is widespread but not uniform: Most residents have smartphones, yet coverage quality and 5G capacity are inconsistent outside towns, amplifying the rural digital divide relative to Oklahoma overall.
• Mobile-only households are a defining feature: Osage County leans more heavily on cellular for home connectivity than the state, making network upgrades and rural backhaul improvements disproportionately impactful.
• Closing the gap requires targeted build-out: Additional mid-band 5G sectors, fiber backhaul to rural towers, and fixed-wireless densification away from major corridors would narrow the county’s performance gap with state averages.

Social media usage in Osage County, OK (2024 snapshot)

Scope note: County-specific platform data are not directly published; figures below are 2024 estimates modeled from U.S. Census age structure for Osage County and Pew Research Center/statewide rural benchmarks. They are suitable for planning and directional decisions.

Headline user stats

• Population: 45,818 (2020 Census). Adults (18+): ~35,500
• Adults with internet access: 86% (30,500)
• Adults with a smartphone: 84% (29,800)
• Adults using at least one social or video platform monthly: 80% (28,400)

Most-used platforms among adults (use at least monthly)

• YouTube: ~78–82% (≈ 80%)
• Facebook: ~70–74% (≈ 72%)
• Instagram: ~38–42% (≈ 40%)
• Pinterest: ~32–36% (≈ 34%)
• TikTok: ~28–30% (≈ 29%)
• Snapchat: ~21–23% (≈ 22%)
• LinkedIn: ~18–20% (≈ 19%)
• X (Twitter): ~17–19% (≈ 18%)
• Reddit: ~15–17% (≈ 16%)
• Nextdoor: ~8–10% (≈ 9%)

Age profile of social media users (share of county’s social-media-using adults)

• 18–29: ~19%
• 30–49: ~38%
• 50–64: ~26%
• 65+: ~17%

Gender breakdown

• Overall users: ~52% female, ~48% male
• Platform skews: Facebook and Pinterest skew female; YouTube is roughly even; TikTok and Snapchat lean slightly female; Reddit and X lean male

Behavioral trends observed in similar rural Oklahoma counties and reflected locally

• Facebook is the community backbone: heavy use of local groups, school and sports pages, church and civic updates, severe-weather alerts, obituaries, and Marketplace for vehicles, ranch equipment, and household goods
• Short-form video dominates attention: 15–60 second clips on Facebook Reels, Instagram Reels, and TikTok outperform text/photo posts, driven by mobile-first consumption and data caps
• Event discovery is Facebook-first: county fairs, high school events, rodeos, farmers’ markets, and tribal/cultural events see best reach via FB Events, often cross-posted to Instagram for younger audiences
• YouTube is utility-driven: how-to content (home, auto, ag/ranching), hunting/fishing, small-engine repair, oilfield topics, and local business explainers perform well
• Messaging is private-first: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are widely used for coordination and local buy/sell follow-ups; many conversations move off public feeds quickly
• Time-of-day patterns: engagement peaks on weekday evenings (about 7–10 pm) and Saturday mornings; lunchtime mobile scrolling provides a secondary bump
• Tourism and lifestyle niches: TikTok/Instagram content tied to Pawhuska, Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, Osage Nation culture, Western/home decor, and local eateries sees outsized shareability
• Professional networking is niche: LinkedIn use is concentrated among healthcare, education, public sector, tribal administration, and commuters toward the Tulsa metro
• Coverage gaps shape content: pockets of limited broadband mean vertical, captioned, quick-loading video and single-image posts maintain broader reach than long lives/streams

Source basis

• U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Census; ACS age structure), Pew Research Center (Social Media Use 2023–2024), and rural Oklahoma adoption benchmarks. Figures are county-level estimates derived from these datasets.