Klamath County

Klamath County, Oregon – key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau: 2020 Census and 2018–2022 ACS 5-year estimates)

Population

• Total: 69,413 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: 41.6 years
• Under 18: 22.4%
• 18 to 64: 56.7%
• 65 and over: 20.9%

Gender

• Male: 50.4%
• Female: 49.6%

Race and ethnicity

• White alone: 82.2%
• Black or African American alone: 1.1%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 5.6%
• Asian alone: 1.2%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: 0.3%
• Two or more races: 9.6%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 13.7%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: 72.8%

Households and housing

• Households: 28,919
• Persons per household: 2.42
• Family households: 64.9%
• Households with children under 18: 26.4%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: 64.8%
• Median household income: $55,635
• Persons in poverty: 18.0%

Insights

• Older-than-national age profile and small household size reflect a rural county.
• Predominantly White with a notable American Indian population (Klamath Tribes) and a growing Hispanic/Latino community.

• Population and density: ~70,000 residents across 6,135 sq mi (≈11 people/sq mi). Most connectivity is concentrated in/around Klamath Falls.
• Estimated email users (2024): ~55,000–57,000 residents (≈80–82% of the population; ≈92% of adults).
• Age distribution of email users (share of user base):
  • 13–17: ~6%
  • 18–29: ~16%
  • 30–49: ~30%
  • 50–64: ~28%
  • 65+: ~20% Typical email adoption by age: 18–29 ≈97%, 30–49 ≈96%, 50–64 ≈92%, 65+ ≈85%, teens ≈85–90%.
• Gender split among users: ~50% female, ~50% male (differences <2 percentage points).
• Digital access trends:
  • 81–84% of households have a broadband subscription; 10–12% are smartphone‑only.
  • Urban core (Klamath Falls) has cable/fiber options up to gigabit; rural tracts rely on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite.
  • 5G covers primary corridors (e.g., US‑97); 4G dominates elsewhere. Coverage and adoption are steadily improving via state/federal rural broadband initiatives.
• Insights: Email penetration is very high among working‑age adults and stable overall. Gaps concentrate in senior and remote populations where limited fixed broadband and lower digital literacy reduce usage. Mobile‑friendly email is essential given smartphone‑only households; supplement with alternative channels for 65+ and outlying areas.

Mobile phone usage in Klamath County, Oregon — 2024 snapshot and how it differs from the state

Core user estimates (adults)

• Population baseline: 69,413 (2020 Census). Adult share ≈ 79% → about 54,800 adults.
• Mobile phone users (any cellphone): ≈ 96% of adults → about 52,600 users.
• Smartphone users: ≈ 85–88% of adults → about 46,500–48,200 users.
• Smartphone-only internet users (adults who use the internet solely via a smartphone, no home broadband): ≈ 15–17% of adults → about 8,200–9,300 people.

How Klamath County differs from Oregon overall

• Slightly lower smartphone penetration: County is a few points below Oregon’s urban-heavy average because of older age structure and lower incomes.
• Higher smartphone-only reliance: A meaningfully larger share of residents depend on smartphones/hotspots as their primary internet compared with the statewide average.
• More uneven coverage: Strong service in and around Klamath Falls and along US‑97; markedly more dead zones and LTE-only stretches in forests and valleys than typical for the state.
• 5G that’s mostly low-band: 5G is present in Klamath Falls, but mid-band (capacity) 5G is less prevalent than in Portland/Willamette Valley metros; outside town centers, LTE remains the norm.
• Carrier mix skews “coverage-first”: Verizon generally has the broadest rural footprint; AT&T’s FirstNet presence aids public safety; T‑Mobile has expanded low-band coverage but still faces gaps in remote areas—more so than in Oregon’s cities.
• Greater prepaid/Lifeline usage: Budget and assistance plans make up a larger slice of local subscriptions than statewide averages.

Demographic breakdown of use (estimates reflect local age/income mix applied to current national adoption patterns)

• By age
  • 18–34: smartphone adoption ≈ 94–97%; heavy mobile data and app use.
  • 35–49: ≈ 92–95%.
  • 50–64: ≈ 84–88% (a bit below Oregon’s average for this cohort).
  • 65+: ≈ 68–75% (well below younger cohorts; flip phones and basic phones remain more common than statewide).
• By income
  • Households under $35k show notably higher smartphone-only internet dependence and higher prepaid plan usage than the state average.
  • Middle-income households are more likely to use mobile hotspots or fixed wireless (5G Home Internet) as substitutes where wireline broadband is weak or costly.
• By race/ethnicity
  • Hispanic and Native American residents (a larger share of the county than in Oregon as a whole) are more likely to be smartphone-dependent for internet access, reflecting affordability and availability constraints.
• Urban vs rural within the county
  • Klamath Falls residents show state-comparable smartphone adoption and 5G availability; outlying communities (e.g., Chiloquin, Sprague River, Bly, Bonanza, Fort Klamath) have lower adoption among seniors and higher smartphone-only dependence because fixed broadband is limited or absent.

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• Coverage geography
  • Consistent multi-carrier LTE/5G service in Klamath Falls, at Oregon Tech, Kingsley Field/ANG, and along US‑97 south–north through town.
  • Coverage follows primary corridors: US‑97 (Klamath Falls–Chiloquin), OR‑39 (to Tulelake), OR‑140 (west toward Medford and east toward Lake County). Service becomes intermittent off-corridor and in forested terrain.
  • Known weak or no‑service pockets: stretches within the Fremont‑Winema National Forest, around Sprague River/Bly, portions near Fort Klamath and within/around Crater Lake National Park.
• 5G status
  • Klamath Falls: low‑band 5G from major carriers; spots of higher‑capacity 5G where mid‑band is available, but footprint is smaller than in Oregon’s largest metros.
  • Outside the urban area: largely LTE with occasional low‑band 5G indicators; performance depends heavily on distance to towers and terrain.
• Typical performance patterns
  • In-town 5G: solid everyday performance for streaming, telehealth, and video calls; capacity can tighten during events and wildfire season.
  • Corridor LTE/rural cells: usable for voice/messaging and basic data; speeds degrade at cell edges and in tree cover.
• Public safety and resilience
  • FirstNet (AT&T) coverage supports fire and EMS along primary routes; deployable assets are used during wildfire incidents. Power outages or backhaul cuts can still impact remote sites.
• Alternatives and substitution
  • Fixed-wireline broadband is uneven outside Klamath Falls, driving higher reliance on smartphone hotspots and on fixed wireless options (5G Home Internet where available).
  • Starlink has meaningful uptake in isolated areas; it reduces pure smartphone-only dependence but keeps mobile service essential for on-the-go connectivity.
• Community access points
  • Libraries, schools, and civic buildings in Klamath Falls provide reliable Wi‑Fi and device charging; these are important digital inclusion anchors for students and low-income households.

What the trends mean locally

• Mobile is the default connection for a majority of adults, and a lifeline for thousands who lack affordable, reliable wireline service.
• Capacity improvements in Klamath Falls deliver near‑urban experiences, but the county’s terrain and low tower density keep many outlying areas on LTE or with gaps—diverging from statewide urban norms.
• The combination of older population, lower incomes, and sparse infrastructure yields slightly lower smartphone ownership but higher smartphone‑only internet reliance than Oregon overall.
• Investments that add mid‑band 5G (capacity) in town, extend low‑band coverage along secondary roads, and harden backhaul/power for remote sites will have outsized impact compared with similar spend in Oregon’s metros.

Sources and methods

• Estimates synthesize U.S. Census/ACS population and age structure for Klamath County with current Pew Research Center adoption rates (cellphone and smartphone) and rural–urban deltas, plus FCC mobile coverage patterns and Oregon broadband planning materials as of 2024. Figures are rounded; expect ±2–3 percentage points on adoption estimates.

Klamath County, OR social media snapshot (2024, modeled local estimates)

Overall reach

• County population: ~71,000 (2023 Census estimate)
• Social media users: ~46,000 (≈65% of total population; rural areas typically run 5–8 points below the U.S. average)
• Multi-platform behavior: The typical local user is active on 2–3 platforms

Most-used platforms among local social media users

• YouTube: ~80% of users (≈36,800 people; ~52% of total population)
• Facebook: ~70% (≈32,200; ~45% of population)
• Instagram: ~40% (≈18,400; ~26% of population)
• TikTok: ~30% (≈13,800; ~19% of population)
• Pinterest: ~28% (≈12,900; ~18% of population)
• Snapchat: ~22% (≈10,100; ~14% of population)
• X (Twitter): ~18% (≈8,300; ~12% of population)
• LinkedIn: ~15% (≈6,900; ~10% of population)
• Reddit: ~15% (≈6,900; ~10% of population)
• Nextdoor: ~9% (≈4,100; ~6% of population)

Age profile (share using at least one social platform; local estimates adjusted for rural demographics)

• 13–17: ~92% use social; strongest on YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram; Facebook limited
• 18–29: ~90%; heavy YouTube, Instagram, TikTok; Snapchat still strong; Facebook moderate
• 30–49: ~82%; YouTube and Facebook dominate; Instagram moderate; TikTok/Pinterest mixed
• 50–64: ~68%; Facebook and YouTube lead; Pinterest/Instagram secondary; TikTok smaller
• 65+: ~45%; Facebook primary; YouTube secondary; limited use of Instagram/TikTok

Gender breakdown (usage and platform skews)

• Overall social media adoption: Women ~68%, Men ~63%
• Share of local users: Female ~53%, Male ~47% (≈24k women, 22k men)
• Platform skews:
  • More female: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest (Pinterest ≈70% female)
  • More male: YouTube, Reddit, X (Reddit ≈65–70% male)
  • Closer to even: TikTok, Snapchat

Behavioral trends observed in rural Oregon counties and consistent with Klamath County

• Facebook is the local hub: Groups and Pages drive community news, school and road updates, wildfire information, events, and heavy Marketplace activity (buy/sell farm, outdoor, and household items)
• YouTube is utility-first: DIY repair, agriculture and equipment, home improvement, hunting/fishing, and local government or civic video content
• Short-form video growth: Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts are rising for 18–39, but 50+ remains Facebook-centric
• Messaging patterns: Facebook Messenger is the default; Snapchat dominates teen and young adult messaging
• Business usage: Local retailers, food service, recreation/outdoors, and contractors rely on Facebook; visually oriented businesses add Instagram; TikTok used selectively for reach; LinkedIn usage is modest outside healthcare, education, and public sector hiring
• Civic and emergency comms: County agencies, fire, utilities, and local media post first to Facebook; X is used for simulcasting alerts but has a smaller local audience
• Seasonal engagement: Spikes in summer/fall around wildfire, smoke/air quality, and outdoor recreation; increased Marketplace activity before winter (home heating, vehicles, gear)

Method and sources

• Population: U.S. Census Bureau 2023 estimates for Klamath County
• Adoption and platform shares: Pew Research Center Social Media Use (2024) and rural vs. urban differentials; DataReportal Digital 2024 (U.S.) for national penetration; local figures are modeled by applying rural-adjusted adoption rates to the county’s size and age mix. Exact platform user counts at the county level are not directly published, so figures above are best-available, defensible estimates.