Douglas County

Douglas County, Oregon — key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2019–2023 5-year; rounded)

• Population: ~112,000
• Age:
  • Median age: ~47–48
  • Under 18: ~20–21%
  • 65 and over: ~24%
• Sex:
  • Female: ~50–51%
  • Male: ~49–50%
• Race/ethnicity (mutually exclusive):
  • White, non-Hispanic: ~86%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~6%
  • Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~4–5%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~1.5–2%
  • Asian, non-Hispanic: ~0.7–1%
  • Black, non-Hispanic: ~0.5–0.8%
  • Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: <0.5%
• Households:
  • Total households: ~46,000–47,000
  • Average household size: ~2.3–2.4
  • Family households: ~65–67% of households (married-couple ~48–50%)
  • Households with children under 18: ~24–27%
  • Housing tenure: owner-occupied ~68–70%; renter-occupied ~30–32%

Note: Estimates are rounded; margins of error apply (ACS 5-year).

• Scope: Douglas County, Oregon (pop. 112,000; ~5,071 sq mi). Low density (22 people/sq mi) and rugged terrain lead to uneven connectivity outside the I‑5/Roseburg corridor.

• Estimated email users: Adult population ~93,000. Applying rural internet/email adoption rates (ACS + Pew), roughly 75–85% of adults use email → about 70,000–80,000 users.

• Age distribution of email use (approx.):

  • 18–29: 95–99%
  • 30–49: 95–99%
  • 50–64: 90–95%
  • 65+: 65–80% (rising with smartphone adoption)

• Gender split: Essentially even (men and women show similar email adoption rates).

• Digital access trends:

  • Household broadband subscription is roughly 80–83% (ACS Computer and Internet Use), below the Oregon state average; trending upward since 2019.
  • Mobile-only internet reliance estimated around 10–15%, higher in outlying communities.
  • Strongest wired/fiber coverage along I‑5 (Roseburg, Winston, Sutherlin); patchier service toward the Coast Range, river canyons, and Umpqua National Forest.
  • Public libraries, schools, and civic buildings act as key Wi‑Fi access points.

• Takeaway: Email usage is widespread but constrained at the margins by rural broadband gaps; improvements track ongoing state/federal rural broadband investments.

Here’s a concise, county-focused snapshot of mobile phone usage in Douglas County, Oregon, with emphasis on how it diverges from statewide patterns.

User estimates

• Total mobile phone users: roughly 95,000–105,000 residents (about 85–95% of the population), reflecting near-universal phone ownership among adults and high teen adoption.
• Smartphone users: about 80,000–90,000 people. Adult smartphone penetration is likely in the upper 70s to low 80s percent—several points lower than Oregon’s more urbanized counties.
• Smartphone-only internet access: an estimated 18–24% of households rely primarily or solely on cellular data for home internet, higher than Oregon’s statewide ~12–15%. This reflects rural gaps in fixed broadband and lower household incomes.

Demographic patterns affecting usage (vs Oregon overall)

• Older population: Douglas County’s 65+ share is notably higher than the state average, pulling down smartphone adoption and app-heavy usage. Flip/feature phone usage and simpler Android devices are more common among seniors.
• Lower incomes and more prepaid: A larger share of prepaid and budget plans/MVNOs (e.g., Straight Talk, Visible, Cricket) than in metro counties; upgrade cycles tend to be longer, with more refurbished/used devices.
• Rural residence: Outside the I-5 corridor and town centers (Roseburg, Sutherlin, Winston, Myrtle Creek, Reedsport), residents report more dead zones and heavier reliance on Wi‑Fi calling and signal boosters. Smartphone-only internet use is elevated in these rural tracts.
• Platform mix: Relative to Portland/Willamette Valley, Android share is higher and iPhone share lower, consistent with income and age differences.

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• Coverage geography: Strongest service clusters along I‑5 (Canyonville–Roseburg–Sutherlin axis) and in town centers. Coverage thins in the Coast Range, Umpqua canyons, and forested east county; coastal Reedsport/US‑101 corridor has fair but variable service.
• 5G rollout: Predominantly low-band 5G for broad coverage. Mid-band 5G (e.g., 2.5 GHz/C‑band) is concentrated around Roseburg and the I‑5 corridor; far fewer small cells than in Portland/Salem/Eugene. Little to no mmWave.
• Carrier landscape: Verizon and AT&T have the most consistent rural reach; T‑Mobile performs well where it has mid-band spectrum (notably near I‑5) but can trail in canyons/forests. UScellular remains relevant in pockets of rural coverage. FirstNet (AT&T Band 14) supports public safety and hospitals along main corridors.
• Backhaul and resiliency: Fiber backhaul is strongest along I‑5 and in larger towns (with contributions from regional fiber/co‑op providers), while some remote sites still lean on microwave links. Power outages and wildfires have caused periodic site downtime; carriers have added more generators and hardening on priority towers, but resiliency remains more variable than in metro Oregon.

How Douglas County differs from statewide trends

• Higher dependence on mobile as primary home internet, driven by gaps in fixed broadband and affordability.
• Lower smartphone adoption among seniors and a higher share of basic/entry Android devices; longer device replacement cycles.
• More prepaid/MVNO usage and cost-sensitive plans.
• Slower, spottier mid-band 5G build-out and fewer small cells; performance gains are concentrated around I‑5 rather than countywide.
• Greater sensitivity to terrain and wildfire/power events, producing more persistent dead zones than typical in the Willamette Valley/Portland metro.

Notes on sources and method

• Estimates synthesize recent ACS “Computer and Internet Use” (S2801) patterns for rural Oregon counties, Pew Research smartphone adoption (national), FCC/National Broadband Map mobile availability, and carrier coverage disclosures as of 2023–2024. Figures are provided as ranges to reflect local variability within the county.

Below is a concise, best-available snapshot for Douglas County, OR. Direct, current county-level platform stats aren’t published; figures are estimated from Pew Research Center’s 2024 social media data and adjusted for Douglas County’s older, more rural profile.

Quick user stats (adults 18+)

• Estimated adults using at least one major social platform: ~60,000–75,000
• Age mix of social media users (estimate):
  • 18–29: 18–22%
  • 30–49: 33–38%
  • 50–64: 25–30%
  • 65+: 20–25%
• Gender split among users (approx.): 52% women, 48% men

Most-used platforms in Douglas County (estimated share of adults)

• YouTube: 80–85% (broad across ages; heavy DIY, home, auto, outdoor content)
• Facebook: 70–75% (highest daily use; Groups/Marketplace central to local life)
• Instagram: 35–45% (strong under 40; Reels growth)
• Pinterest: 35–40% (skews female; home, crafts, recipes)
• TikTok: 25–30% (under 35 core; local businesses and creators growing)
• Snapchat: 20–25% (teen/young adult messaging + stories)
• LinkedIn: 15–20% (below national; professional niches)
• X/Twitter: 12–18% (news/politics followers; smaller base)
• Reddit: 10–15% (younger/male skew; hobbies, tech, outdoors)
• WhatsApp: 10–15% (pockets tied to family/intl ties; FB Messenger more prevalent)

Age patterns (what people use most)

• 18–29: Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; YouTube daily; lower Facebook posting but use Groups for events
• 30–49: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram; Pinterest for home/parenting; some TikTok
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominant; Pinterest common; limited Instagram/TikTok
• 65+: Facebook (primary), YouTube secondary; light use elsewhere

Gender tendencies

• Women: More likely on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok; drive local shopping, events, health, and school content
• Men: Higher on YouTube, Reddit, X; strong in outdoor, automotive, DIY, and local sports

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first: Facebook Groups and Marketplace are key for local news, yard/estate sales, jobs in trades, and event discovery
• Video wins: Short-form video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) outperforms static posts; practical “how-to,” homestead, auto, fishing/hunting, and local business spotlights do well
• Trust local voices: Creator and small-business content with recognizable local settings outperforms generic stock
• Messaging channels: FB Messenger is the default; SMS still important; WhatsApp usage is niche
• Broadband reality: Mobile-friendly, short videos with captions matter; evening and weekend posting windows perform best
• Seasonal spikes: Spring–summer for outdoor, home improvement, fairs; fall for hunting, back-to-school, and prep; winter for healthcare, services, and DIY indoor projects

Notes on method and sources

• Estimates derived from Pew Research Center’s Social Media Use (2024) platform adoption benchmarks, adjusted for rural/older demographics typical of Douglas County; population and age structure based on U.S. Census/ACS trends for the county.
• Use local ad-platform audience tools (Meta, Google/YouTube, Snapchat/TikTok) to refine these ranges for campaigns.