Tulsa County

Tulsa County, Oklahoma — key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau)

Population

• Total population: ~677,000 (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimate)
• 2020 Census count: 669,279

Age

• Median age: ~36
• Under 18: ~24–25%
• 18 to 64: ~59–60%
• 65 and older: ~16%

Sex

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Race and ethnicity

• White, non-Hispanic: ~57%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~16%
• Black or African American: ~11%
• American Indian and Alaska Native: ~6%
• Asian: ~3%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.2%
• Two or more races: ~10% (Note: Hispanic is an ethnicity; race shares other than “White, non-Hispanic” may include Hispanic individuals.)

Households

• Number of households: ~270,000
• Average household size: ~2.55
• Family households: ~62% of households
• Average family size: ~3.1–3.2
• Households with children under 18: ~30%
• One-person households: ~28%
• Housing tenure: ~59% owner-occupied, ~41% renter-occupied

Insights

• More diverse than the Oklahoma average, with higher Hispanic and Black shares and a sizable American Indian population.
• Broad working-age base (about 60%) with roughly one-quarter under 18 and about one-sixth 65+, pointing to balanced youth and aging-service needs.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 (DP05, S0101, S1101) and 2020 Decennial Census.

• Estimated email users: ≈500,000 Tulsa County residents use email regularly (derived from ACS adult population and Pew email adoption among U.S. adults).
• Age distribution of users (share of email users): • 18–29: ~23% • 30–49: ~35% • 50–64: ~24% • 65+: ~18% Adoption is highest among 18–49 (≈95%+), strong for 50–64 (≈92%), and slightly lower for 65+ (≈85%).
• Gender split: Email usage is essentially even; users are ≈51% female and ≈49% male, mirroring the county’s adult population.
• Digital access trends: • Households with a computer: ~93% • Households with a broadband subscription (any type, incl. cellular): ~88% • Households without a home internet subscription: ~12% • Notable smartphone reliance: a meaningful minority of households are smartphone‑only, indicating mobile‑first access patterns.
• Local density/connectivity facts: • Population density ≈1,140 people per square mile (urban/suburban county). • Cable and fiber networks cover most populated areas; practical access to 100+ Mbps fixed service is widespread, supporting high email reliability and usage. • Public libraries and community centers provide free Wi‑Fi that improves access for households without home broadband.

Mobile phone usage in Tulsa County, Oklahoma — 2023–2024 snapshot

User estimates and adoption

• Estimated smartphone users: 450,000–480,000 residents. This is based on Tulsa County’s adult population size and urban smartphone adoption patterns (upper 80s percent among adults in major metros).
• Household mobile internet adoption (ACS S2801, 2023):
  • Any internet subscription: ~90% of households in Tulsa County vs ~85% statewide (+5 percentage points).
  • Cellular data plan in the household: ~82% Tulsa County vs ~79% Oklahoma (+3 pp).
  • Fixed broadband (cable/DSL/fiber): ~78% Tulsa County vs ~73% Oklahoma (+5 pp).
  • Smartphone-only (cellular data plan and no other fixed broadband): ~19% Tulsa County vs ~24% Oklahoma (−5 pp).
  • No internet subscription: ~10% Tulsa County vs ~15% Oklahoma (−5 pp).

Demographic breakdown (patterns from ACS S2802-type cross-tabs; Tulsa County estimates)

• Income:
  • < $35k: smartphone-only reliance is highest (roughly one-third of these households).
  • $35k–$74.9k: smartphone-only around one-fifth.
  • ≥ $75k: smartphone-only in single digits; strong fixed-broadband plus mobile plan bundling.
• Age of householder:
  • Under 35: highest smartphone-only share (mid-20s percent), high mobile-first usage.
  • 35–64: moderate smartphone-only (high teens), strong dual (mobile + fixed) adoption.
  • 65+: lower smartphone-only and higher “no internet” than other age groups, but mobile adoption continues to rise year over year.
• Housing and race/ethnicity:
  • Renters have notably higher smartphone-only reliance than owners.
  • Black and Hispanic households in Tulsa County have higher smartphone-only rates than White non-Hispanic households, mirroring affordability and plan-preference trends seen statewide but at slightly lower levels than the state average because fixed broadband is more available in the county’s urban core.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage: All three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) report 4G LTE and 5G coverage across nearly all populated census blocks in Tulsa County. This exceeds statewide coverage consistency, with rural Oklahoma still showing notable 5G gaps.
• Spectrum and 5G quality: Mid-band 5G (e.g., C-band and 2.5 GHz) is widely deployed in the Tulsa metro, yielding strong capacity and speeds; mmWave is present in dense venues and downtown corridors but limited geographically.
• Cell density and backhaul: Dense macro and small-cell deployments along I‑44, US‑75, US‑169, and the Broken Arrow Expressway, plus nodes in downtown Tulsa, the BOK Center area, major hospitals, and campus zones. Multiple fiber providers (e.g., AT&T, Cox Business, Zayo, Lumen/Windstream) supply abundant backhaul that supports higher mobile capacity than most non-metro parts of the state.
• Performance: Median mobile download speeds in the Tulsa metro are consistently above the statewide median by roughly 15–30%, with typical 5G median speeds clearing 100 Mbps in core areas. Reliability (time-on-5G and indoor performance) is materially better than rural Oklahoma.
• Fixed Wireless Access (5G Home Internet): Available countywide from at least two national carriers. Adoption is meaningful but lower than the statewide average because fixed broadband options are stronger in the county; in rural Oklahoma, FWA fills more primary-home-internet gaps.

How Tulsa County differs from Oklahoma overall

• More dual-connectivity households: Tulsa households are more likely to have both a cellular data plan and a fixed broadband connection, reflecting better infrastructure and competitive pricing.
• Lower smartphone-only dependence: Smartphone-only share is several points lower than the state average, indicating less reliance on mobile as a primary home connection.
• Fewer unconnected households: Share of households with no internet subscription is notably lower than statewide, driven by urban availability and digital inclusion initiatives.
• Faster 5G rollout and higher speeds: Denser sites, stronger fiber backhaul, and earlier mid-band 5G deployment have pushed Tulsa ahead of the state average on performance and consistency.

Key takeaways

• Tulsa County’s mobile adoption is high and skews “mobile + fixed,” not “mobile-only,” thanks to strong wired alternatives and dense 5G coverage.
• Smartphone-only and no-internet rates are lower than the Oklahoma average, underscoring the county’s relative digital inclusion advantage.
• Mobile network quality (coverage, capacity, and speeds) is substantially better than in much of the state, supported by extensive backhaul and site density.
• Income, age, renting status, and race/ethnicity shape mobile-first behavior in Tulsa County, but the county’s urban infrastructure moderates smartphone-only reliance compared with the state overall.

Social media in Tulsa County, OK — snapshot and trends

Scope note: Platform usage percentages are from Pew Research Center’s “Social Media Use in 2024” (U.S. adults). They are applied to Tulsa County’s adult population to size the local audience. People use multiple platforms, so counts overlap.

User stats

• Population baseline: ~680,000 residents; roughly ~510,000 adults (18+).
• Adults using at least one social platform: ~72% of U.S. adults (Pew). Applied locally, ≈365,000 adults in Tulsa County use social media.

Most-used platforms (share of adults who use each platform; local counts are estimates)

• YouTube: 83% → ≈423,000 Tulsa adults
• Facebook: 68% → ≈347,000
• Instagram: 47% → ≈240,000
• Pinterest: 35% → ≈178,000
• TikTok: 33% → ≈168,000
• LinkedIn: 30% → ≈153,000
• Snapchat: 30% → ≈153,000
• X (Twitter): ~22% → ≈112,000
• WhatsApp: ~21% → ≈107,000
• Nextdoor: ~20% → ≈102,000 Note: Percentages are national adult adoption; Tulsa’s mix typically skews slightly Facebook- and YouTube-heavy due to strong family, neighborhood, and local-news use.

Age group patterns (platform adoption patterns among U.S. adults; strong indicators for Tulsa)

• 18–29: YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok dominate. Facebook is used but not primary for this cohort.
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube remain core; Instagram strong; TikTok growing; LinkedIn usage peaks for careers.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube lead; Instagram and TikTok are secondary but rising.
• 65+: Facebook is the primary network; YouTube used for news/how‑to; limited Instagram/TikTok use.

Gender breakdown

• Tulsa County adult population is roughly even by gender (about 51% women, 49% men). Social usage rates overall are similar by gender.
• Platform skews (national patterns reflected locally): women over-index on Pinterest and Nextdoor; men over-index on Reddit and X. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok are broadly balanced.

Behavioral trends in Tulsa County

• Local news and severe weather: Heavy spikes on Facebook, YouTube, X, and Nextdoor during storms, school closings, and traffic incidents.
• Neighborhood/community groups: Strong activity in Facebook Groups and Nextdoor across Broken Arrow, Bixby, Jenks, Owasso, Midtown/South Tulsa for safety alerts, lost/found pets, HOA issues, city services.
• Marketplace and classifieds: Facebook Marketplace is a primary channel for vehicles, furniture, tools, and local services.
• Events and venues: High engagement around Gathering Place, BOK Center, Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa State Fair; discovery via Facebook Events, Instagram Reels/TikTok.
• Food and local businesses: Short‑form video (Reels/TikTok) and Instagram are key for restaurants, coffee, and nightlife discovery; reviews/social proof drive conversion.
• Faith, schools, and nonprofits: Strong organizing on Facebook (pages/groups) for churches, school PTOs/boosters, charity drives, youth sports.
• Professional networking: LinkedIn relevant for energy, aerospace, healthcare, and engineering; recruiting content performs well.
• Creative/music scenes: Instagram and TikTok drive reach for local artists and venues; cross‑posting video to YouTube Shorts extends shelf life.

Key takeaways

• Facebook and YouTube are the reach workhorses; Instagram and TikTok are the engagement drivers for under‑40 audiences; Nextdoor and Facebook Groups are critical for neighborhood-level messaging.
• Expect multi-platform behavior: the typical Tulsa adult uses several platforms, with Facebook for community/commerce, YouTube for video/how‑to/news, and Instagram/TikTok for discovery and culture.

Sources: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (U.S. adults platform adoption and age patterns); U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023 (Tulsa County population and gender split). Estimates above apply Pew’s national adoption rates to Tulsa County’s adult population to size local audiences.