Roger Mills County

Roger Mills County, Oklahoma — key demographics

Population

• Total: 3,193 (2020 Decennial Census)
• 2023 estimate: ~3,3xx (U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program)
• Land area: ~1,141 sq mi; density ≈ 2.8 people/sq mi (sparse, rural)

Age (ACS 2018–2022, 5-year)

• Median age: ~43
• Under 18: ~25%
• 18–64: ~57%
• 65 and over: ~18%

Gender (ACS 2018–2022)

• Male: ~52%
• Female: ~48%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022)

• Non-Hispanic White: ~75–80%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~10–12%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (NH): ~4–6%
• Two or more races (NH): ~4–6%
• Black (NH): ~0–1%
• Asian (NH): ~0–1%

Households and families (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~1,250
• Average household size: ~2.4
• Family households: ~65% of households
• Married-couple households: ~55–60%
• Households with children under 18: ~25–30%
• One-person households: ~25–30%
• Homeownership rate: ~75–80%

Insights

• Small, aging, and slightly male-skewed population typical of energy- and agriculture-oriented rural counties
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White with a modest Hispanic and American Indian presence

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; 2023 Population Estimates Program)

Roger Mills County, OK is extremely rural (≈3–4 residents per square mile, among the lowest in Oklahoma), which shapes digital access and email use.

Estimated email users: ≈2,450–2,600 residents (about 70–75% of the total population), reflecting roughly 88–90% adoption among adults and lower use among children.

Age distribution of email adoption (share of each age group using email):

• 18–29: ≈95%
• 30–49: ≈95%
• 50–64: ≈88%
• 65+: ≈75% Given the county’s older age profile, a sizable share of users are 50+.

Gender split among users: approximately even (≈50/50), mirroring the population balance.

Digital access trends:

• Home broadband subscription: about two‑thirds of households, lower than urban Oklahoma.
• Smartphone ownership: ≈80%+ of adults; 15–20% of households are cellular‑only.
• Fixed wireless is expanding and improving speeds; satellite remains a fallback in remote sections.
• Fiber is largely limited to town centers; 100/20 Mbps coverage is patchy outside populated areas.

Connectivity context: Very low density and long last‑mile runs raise per‑location build costs, slowing fiber expansion. Adoption is improving as fixed‑wireless and 5G coverage incrementally fill gaps across ranchland and section‑line road areas.

Mobile phone usage in Roger Mills County, Oklahoma — 2024 snapshot

Population and households

• Residents: about 3,300; adults (18+): about 2,580; households: about 1,340; land area: ~1,140 sq mi (very low density).
• Age structure skews older than Oklahoma overall: roughly 22% of adults are 65+ (OK ≈ 16%).

User estimates (people and households)

• Mobile phone users (any cellphone): ≈2,320 adults (about 90% of adults), lower than Oklahoma’s ≈94–95%.
• Smartphone users: ≈1,960 adults (about 76% of adults), below Oklahoma’s ≈85–87%.
• Wireless-only voice households (no landline): ≈830 households (≈62%), below the Oklahoma rate (~70%+), reflecting a modestly higher landline retention among older residents and ranch operations.
• Households using cellular or 5G fixed wireless as their primary home internet: ≈190 households (≈14%), materially above the statewide share (~9–10%).
• Adults relying on mobile data because they lack fixed broadband at home: ≈780 adults (≈30%), above Oklahoma overall (~20–23%).

Demographic breakdown of mobile adoption (county vs state)

• Ages 18–34 (≈22% of county adults, ~570 people): smartphone adoption ≈97% (on par with state).
• Ages 35–64 (≈56% of county adults, ~1,445 people): smartphone adoption ≈83% (state ≈88–90%).
• Ages 65+ (≈22% of county adults, ~565 people): smartphone adoption ≈58% (state ≈68–72%).
• By race/ethnicity (population is majority White with small Hispanic/Latino and Native American communities): adoption differences are driven more by age, coverage, and income than by race; younger Hispanic residents track the high adoption seen in the 18–34 group.

Usage patterns that diverge from state-level

• More households lean on cellular/FWA for home internet because cable and fiber footprints are limited; this shifts usage toward higher monthly mobile data consumption and hotspotting compared with urban/suburban Oklahoma.
• Landline retention is modestly higher than the state average, concentrated among 65+ and remote ranch households who value line power and reliability during outages.
• Feature-phone usage and basic plans are more common among seniors than statewide, keeping overall smartphone penetration several points lower.
• Signal boosters and Wi‑Fi calling are used more frequently to compensate for weak indoor coverage on ranches and in metal buildings; this is less common statewide.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage
  • 4G LTE: present from at least one national carrier across nearly all populated corridors and towns (Cheyenne, Hammon, Reydon, Durham), with gaps on remote section roads and in river breaks.
  • 5G: available from at least one carrier in and around Cheyenne and along US‑283/OK‑33 corridors; estimated population coverage ≈60%, well below Oklahoma’s 90%+.
• Network performance (typical)
  • County median mobile download: ≈35–45 Mbps; upload: ≈6–12 Mbps; median latency: ≈35–50 ms.
  • Oklahoma statewide medians are materially higher (downloads commonly ~70–90 Mbps).
• Sites and backhaul
  • Macro sites: on the order of a few dozen countywide, yielding 8–15 mile spacing; small cells are rare outside civic cores.
  • Backhaul: many sites use microwave backhaul; fiber-fed sites cluster near highways and the county seat. Microwave reliance and long inter-site distances constrain capacity compared with metro Oklahoma.
• Public-safety and enterprise
  • AT&T FirstNet coverage is present on primary corridors and around the county seat; volunteer fire/EMS still rely on VHF/UHF with LTE for data.
  • Oil and agriculture operations contribute to daytime load along highway corridors; off-corridor areas remain coverage-challenged.

Implications and takeaways

• The county’s older age profile and sparse infrastructure produce measurably lower smartphone penetration than the Oklahoma average, with a persistent pocket of feature‑phone users among seniors.
• Conversely, dependence on cellular and 5G fixed wireless for home connectivity is higher than in most of the state, elevating mobile data usage and making network upgrades (mid‑band 5G and fiber backhaul) disproportionately impactful locally.
• 5G population coverage and median speeds lag the state; targeted additions of mid‑band 5G sectors and fiber backhaul on existing towers would close much of the gap.
• Maintaining landlines and using signal boosters remain pragmatic adaptations to terrain and distance, patterns that are rarer in Oklahoma’s urban counties.

Notes on methods and sources

• Figures are 2023–2024 estimates synthesized from U.S. Census Bureau ACS (population, age, households), CDC NHIS (wireless‑only households at the state level, adjusted for rural age mix), FCC coverage/BDC filings and public carrier maps (4G/5G availability), and national/state mobile performance datasets (e.g., Ookla/OpenSignal) benchmarked to rural western Oklahoma. County‑level adoption shares are derived by calibrating state rates to local age structure, density, and infrastructure. Estimates are rounded to reflect uncertainty while remaining decision‑useful.

Social media usage in Roger Mills County, Oklahoma (2024 modeled snapshot)

How these figures were built: County-level estimates derived from U.S. Census/ACS demographics for Roger Mills County and 2023–2024 U.S. rural social-media adoption benchmarks (Pew Research Center and allied industry panels). Figures represent best-available modeled estimates for residents age 13+.

User stats

• Population context: ~3,400 residents; ~2,800 are age 13+
• Social media penetration (13+): 68% use at least monthly; ~70% of users check daily (≈48% of residents 13+ are daily users)
• Primary device: mobile-first (smartphone dominant); desktop use is occasional and task-driven (banking, forms)

Age groups (share who use social media at least monthly; local preference notes)

• 13–17: 92–95% use; heavy on Snapchat (chat/stories), TikTok (short video), YouTube (how‑to, sports highlights). Facebook used mainly for school/athletics updates.
• 18–29: 88–92% use; YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok lead; Facebook retained for events/Marketplace.
• 30–49: 78–82% use; Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram modest; TikTok growing for recipes, DIY, ag/homestead tips.
• 50–64: 62–68% use; Facebook first, YouTube second; limited Instagram/TikTok uptake.
• 65+: 45–52% use; Facebook for family/church/community; YouTube for news, how‑to.

Gender breakdown (share of the county’s social media user base)

• Female: ~52%
• Male: ~48%
• Platform tilt locally: women over-index on Facebook/Instagram; men over-index on YouTube and Reddit; Snapchat skew young female; TikTok near-even among under 40

Most-used platforms (percent of residents age 13+ using monthly)

• YouTube: 62%
• Facebook: 58%
• Facebook Messenger: 50–55%
• Instagram: 26%
• Snapchat: 25%
• TikTok: 24%
• LinkedIn: 8%
• X (Twitter): 9%
• Reddit: 7%
• Nextdoor: ~3% (limited coverage/utility in sparse rural areas) Note: Platform totals exceed overall penetration because people use multiple platforms.

Behavioral trends and engagement patterns

• Local-first behavior: Facebook Groups and Pages for schools, churches, county offices, emergency management, and community buy/sell dominate information flow; trust is highest for posts from known local people or institutions.
• Marketplace utility: Facebook Marketplace is the default classifieds for livestock/tack, farm tools, vehicles, household goods; transaction posts get outsized engagement.
• Weather and incident spikes: Severe storms, wildfires, road closures, and school sports drive rapid engagement surges; users expect timely, plain-language updates with photos or maps.
• Posting windows: Engagement peaks before work (6–8 a.m.) and evenings (7–10 p.m.); weekends show stronger community/event interaction.
• Video patterns: Short vertical video (TikTok/Instagram Reels/YouTube Shorts) performs well; longer YouTube content skews to how‑to, repairs, hunting/fishing, agriculture, and faith content. Bandwidth constraints nudge live streams toward lower resolutions or Wi‑Fi.
• Messaging reliance: Facebook Messenger group chats are a core coordination tool for families, churches, teams, and volunteer groups; SMS still widely used, WhatsApp minimal.
• Ads and calls-to-action: Best performers are hyperlocal—giveaways tied to local causes, sponsorships of school sports or rodeo events, and limited‑time offers with in‑store pickup. Targeting within ~30–50 miles captures practical trading area.
• Cross‑platform habits: Teens/young adults originate content on Snapchat/Instagram and repost to TikTok; older adults rarely leave Facebook. Links out to external sites underperform unless tied to essential services (bill pay, permits, schedules).

Key takeaways

• Facebook and YouTube are the county’s reach pillars; Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok provide depth with under‑40s.
• Daily use is high among users, but content must be mobile‑friendly, concise, and locally relevant to cut through.
• Community trust, timely utility (weather, school, roads), and Marketplace practicality drive the highest engagement and share behavior.