Pottawatomie County

Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma — key demographics (latest Census Bureau estimates)

Population

• Total: about 73,000 (ACS 2019–2023). 2020 Census: 72,454.

Age

• Median age: ~38.5 years
• Under 18: ~24%
• 65 and over: ~17%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Race and ethnicity

• White alone: ~70%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~13%
• Two or more races: ~10%
• Black or African American alone: ~3%
• Asian alone: ~1%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander and Some Other Race: ~3–4% combined
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~8% Note: Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity and overlaps with race categories.

Households and housing

• Households: ~28,000
• Average household size: ~2.5 persons
• Family households: ~65–67% of households
• Homeownership rate: ~69% owner-occupied, ~31% renter-occupied

Insights

• Stable population just above 73k since 2020.
• Older age structure than the national average, with a sizable 65+ share.
• Substantially higher American Indian/Alaska Native share than state and national averages.
• Predominantly owner-occupied housing with modest household sizes.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 (5-year) and 2020 Decennial Census.

• Scope: Pottawatomie County, OK (2020 Census population 72,454; ~92 people per sq. mile across ~790 sq. miles).
• Estimated email users: 50,700 adults. Method: ~76% of residents are 18+ (55,000); ~92% of U.S. adults use email, yielding ~50.7k local adult users.
• Gender split among users: 51% female (25,900) and 49% male (24,800), mirroring county sex composition.
• Age distribution among adult email users (reflecting local age mix and age-specific adoption):
  • 18–34: ~30% of users
  • 35–54: ~35%
  • 55–64: ~16%
  • 65+: 19% Adoption is highest under 55 (>90%) and slightly lower for 65+ (85–90%), but still widespread.
• Digital access and connectivity:
  • Households with a computer: ~90%+
  • Households with a broadband internet subscription: ~80% (ACS 2018–2022 pattern for similar mixed urban–rural Oklahoma counties; Pottawatomie tracks closely).
  • Urban core (Shawnee/Tecumseh) benefits from cable/fiber footprints; rural townships rely more on DSL/fixed wireless, which drives the urban–rural broadband gap. Insights: Email is effectively universal among connected adults, with only modest drop-off among seniors. The county’s moderate density and mixed infrastructure mean access—not willingness—is the primary limiter; continuing fiber buildouts in and around Shawnee will lift email usage intensity in rural tracts.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma

Key takeaways that differ from the statewide picture

• Reliance on smartphones as a primary internet connection is higher than the Oklahoma average, driven by a larger rural footprint and lower fixed-broadband availability outside Shawnee and along the I‑40 corridor.
• 5G coverage is strong in and around Shawnee and along I‑40, but falls back to 4G LTE in outlying census blocks more often than the statewide mix, creating a more pronounced urban–rural performance gap.
• The county’s higher share of American Indian/Alaska Native residents and slightly lower median household income correlate with above‑average smartphone-only internet use compared with the state.

Estimated mobile user base

• Total population: approximately 72,000–75,000 (2020 Census baseline 72,454; ACS growth through 2023).
• Adult (18+) population: roughly 55,000–58,000.
• Adult smartphone users: 46,000–51,000 (estimated 82–88% adult adoption, applying Pew Research smartphone adoption rates adjusted modestly downward for rural mix).
• Smartphone-only internet reliance (adults who rely mainly on a phone for online access): about 9,000–12,000 adults (roughly 16–22%, a few points higher than the state average), concentrated outside Shawnee and among lower-income households.

Demographic patterns tied to mobile usage

• Age: The county skews slightly older than the Oklahoma average. Smartphone adoption is near-universal among ages 18–49, dips among 50–64, and drops more notably among 65+, increasing the share of basic cell users in rural tracts compared with the state’s metro-heavy counties.
• Income: Median household income is modestly below the state median, which is associated with higher rates of smartphone-only connectivity and prepaid plans.
• Race/ethnicity: A higher American Indian/Alaska Native share than the state average and a lower Hispanic share. Native households in rural parts of the county are more likely to rely on mobile data or fixed wireless than on cable or fiber, elevating smartphone dependence relative to the state profile.
• Urban–rural split: Shawnee (the primary population center) mirrors statewide urban smartphone patterns, but the rest of the county is more rural than Oklahoma overall, with correspondingly lower fixed-broadband subscription rates and higher mobile substitution.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Networks and coverage:
  • 4G LTE: Near-comprehensive population coverage across the county; performance degrades with distance from highways and towns.
  • 5G: Mid-band and/or C-band 5G is broadly available in Shawnee and along I‑40; 5G coverage thins in outlying areas, where LTE remains the anchor. This urban–rural 5G disparity is more pronounced than the statewide average.
• Providers and technologies:
  • Nationwide carriers (AT&T/FirstNet, T‑Mobile, Verizon) operate throughout the county; competitive signal quality in Shawnee and along I‑40, with more variable service in eastern and southern rural tracts.
  • Fixed wireless access (FWA) from mobile carriers is available in and around Shawnee and pockets near major roads; it fills gaps where cable/fiber are absent and contributes to higher smartphone/FWA substitution than the state overall.
  • Wireline: Cable and fiber footprints are strongest in Shawnee. Rural areas rely on DSL, FWA, or satellite more than statewide averages, reinforcing mobile-centric usage.
• Resilience: Severe weather events (notably the April 2023 Shawnee tornado) have highlighted infrastructure resilience needs. Carriers have deployed temporary assets after storms, but rural backhaul and power redundancy remain weaker than in the state’s major metros.

How county trends diverge from Oklahoma overall

• Adoption level: Overall smartphone adoption is broadly similar to the state but slightly lower among seniors; net impact is a county average that sits at or just below the state rate while still yielding a large absolute user base.
• Mode of access: Smartphone-only (or smartphone-plus-FWA) use is several points higher than the statewide rate, reflecting more limited fixed-broadband options beyond Shawnee.
• Network experience: The 5G-to-LTE mix is more tilted toward LTE in rural Pottawatomie than in the state’s metro counties, widening speed and latency gaps outside the primary corridor.

Bottom line

• Expect roughly 46,000–51,000 adult smartphone users in Pottawatomie County, with 9,000–12,000 adults primarily dependent on mobile for internet access.
• Compared with Oklahoma as a whole, the county shows stronger mobile substitution and a sharper urban–rural performance divide, driven by infrastructure concentration around Shawnee and along I‑40 and by demographic and income factors that increase reliance on smartphones and FWA for everyday connectivity.

Social media in Pottawatomie County, OK: a concise data-backed snapshot

County context

• Population: 72,454 (2020 Census, U.S. Census Bureau).
• Profile: Mix of small city (Shawnee) and rural communities; usage patterns track rural U.S. norms with Facebook and YouTube dominant, and Snapchat/TikTok concentrated among teens and young adults.

User stats (best-available estimates derived from federal and national survey data)

• Adult social media users: ≈39,600 (assuming 72% of adults use social media; rural adult benchmark from Pew Research Center, 2021).
• Teen users (13–17): ≈4,600 (≈95% use any platform; Pew, 2023).
• Total residents 13+ using social media: ≈44,000.

Age groups (share who use each platform; U.S. benchmarks applied to local age cohorts; Pew Research Center, 2024 unless noted)

• Ages 13–17 (Pew, 2023): YouTube 95%, TikTok 67%, Instagram 62%, Snapchat 60%.
• Ages 18–29: YouTube ~95%, Instagram ~78%, Snapchat ~65%, TikTok ~62%, Facebook ~70%.
• Ages 30–49: YouTube ~92%, Facebook ~77%, Instagram ~49%, TikTok ~39%.
• Ages 50–64: Facebook ~73%, YouTube ~83%, Instagram ~29%, TikTok ~15%.
• Ages 65+: Facebook ~50%, YouTube ~49%, Instagram ~13%.

Gender breakdown (national usage patterns shaping local mix; Pew, 2024/2023)

• Overall: Social media audience skews slightly female due to Facebook/Instagram composition; men over-index on Reddit and X (Twitter).
• Platform tilt: Pinterest and Instagram skew female; Reddit and X skew male; Snapchat and TikTok modest female skew; Facebook near even but slightly female in the U.S.
• Implication locally: Expect Facebook/Instagram audiences to be majority female; Reddit/X more male; Snapchat/TikTok mixed but leaning female among teens/young adults.

Most-used platforms and indicative reach

• U.S. adult “ever use” (Pew, 2024): YouTube 83%, Facebook 68%, Instagram 47%, TikTok 33%, Snapchat 27%, Reddit 22%, X (Twitter) 22%, Nextdoor 20%, WhatsApp 21%, Pinterest 35%.
• Localized expectation for Pottawatomie County (applying rural tilt; rounded ranges):
  • YouTube: ~80–85% of adults
  • Facebook: ~65–70% of adults
  • Instagram: ~40–45%
  • TikTok: ~30–35%
  • Snapchat: ~25–30% (higher among under-30s)
  • X (Twitter): ~18–22%
  • Reddit: ~15–20%
  • Nextdoor: ~10–15% (stronger in denser neighborhoods; lighter in rural areas)

Behavioral trends observed in counties like Pottawatomie

• Community-first Facebook usage: Heavy reliance on local groups (yard sales, school sports, church/community announcements), county/city pages, and Facebook Marketplace for buy/sell/trade.
• Short-form video growth: TikTok and Instagram Reels increasingly used for local events, sports highlights, small-business promotion, and storm updates; cross-posting to Facebook is common.
• Private-by-default messaging: Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, and group texts dominate coordination among families and teams; teens favor Snapchat streaks and TikTok DMs.
• News and weather: Local TV stations, meteorologists, and emergency management see spikes on Facebook and YouTube during severe weather, outages, and road closures.
• Small business playbook: Facebook remains the primary “homepage” (events, live video sales, Messenger inquiries). Instagram adds visual reach for boutiques, salons, and food; YouTube for tutorials and product demos.
• Time-of-day cadence: Morning and late evening peaks; weekend surges around school sports, church, and community events. Severe weather triggers real-time engagement surges.
• Civic engagement: School districts, libraries, and municipal offices lean on Facebook for notices; event attendance correlates with boosted posts in the 48–72 hours before events.

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (population baseline).
• Pew Research Center: Americans’ Social Media Use in 2024 (platform reach by age/gender), Teens, Social Media and Technology 2023 (teen usage), Social Media Use in 2021 (rural adoption benchmark).