Angelina County

Angelina County, Texas — key demographics

Population

• Total: ~86,800 (2023 estimate; 2020 Census: 86,395)

Age

• Median age: ~37.6 years
• Under 18: ~26%
• 65 and over: ~17%

Gender

• Female: ~50.7%
• Male: ~49.3%

Race/ethnicity (mutually exclusive; share of total population)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~55%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~26%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~16%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: ~1%
• Other or multiracial, non-Hispanic: ~2–3%

Households

• Number of households: ~30,800
• Average household size: ~2.64
• Family households: ~69% of households
• Married-couple families: ~47% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~32%
• Average family size: ~3.2

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey; 2023 Population Estimates). Figures rounded.

Angelina County, TX snapshot (estimates, 2025; based on ACS and Pew adoption benchmarks)

• Population/density: ~87,000 residents; about 100 people per square mile. Population concentrated in Lufkin and Diboll; large rural/forested areas elsewhere.
• Estimated email users: ~60,000–67,000 residents use email at least occasionally (most adults plus many teens).
• Age pattern (share using email):
  • 13–17: high but not universal (~75–85%).
  • 18–49: near-universal (~95–99%).
  • 50–64: very high (~90–95%).
  • 65+: widespread but lower (~80–85%).
• Gender split: Roughly even; county population is about 50–51% female, so email users are similarly balanced.
• Digital access trends:
  • ~90% of households have a computer; ~80–85% have a fixed broadband subscription; most others access via cellular-only plans.
  • Smartphone-only internet reliance likely in the low teens (%) and higher in lower-income and rural tracts.
  • Fastest fixed options cluster in and around Lufkin/Diboll and along major corridors (e.g., US‑59/I‑69); coverage thins in more remote, wooded areas.
  • Public connectivity support includes library Wi‑Fi (e.g., Kurth Memorial Library in Lufkin; T.L.L. Temple Memorial Library in Diboll) and school/community hotspots.

Note: Figures are approximations applying national/regional adoption rates to local population.

Below is a practical, data-informed snapshot of mobile phone usage in Angelina County, Texas, with estimates, demographic patterns, and infrastructure notes. Where possible, figures are shown as ranges and tied to differences from Texas statewide patterns.

User estimates (2025, rounded)

• Population baseline: ~87,000 residents; ~64,000 adults (18+); ~5,600 teens (13–17).
• People with a mobile phone (any kind): ~65,000 (roughly 90–93% of adults plus most teens).
• Smartphone users: ~59,000–62,000 (about 85–88% of adults plus ~95% of teens).
• Households: ~32,000–33,000. Smartphone-only internet households (cellular data but no fixed home broadband): ~7,000–9,000 (about 22–28% of households). How this differs from Texas overall:
• Smartphone-only dependence is meaningfully higher than the Texas average (Texas typically ~18–20%). Overall smartphone ownership is slightly lower than top-line Texas metro rates but usage intensity among owners is high due to fewer fixed-broadband alternatives in rural areas.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age:
  • 18–34: Very high smartphone adoption (~95%); heavy app/social/video usage. Similar to Texas.
  • 35–64: High adoption (~88–92%); elevated reliance on mobile for work navigation/messaging in trades, healthcare, and logistics. Slightly higher mobile-only work use than Texas metros.
  • 65+: Moderate adoption (~60–70%); larger share using basic phones or limited-data plans than the state average; more voice/text-centric.
• Income and plan mix:
  • Median household income trails the state; prepaid and MVNO plans take a larger share of lines than in Texas metros. Device replacement cycles tend to be longer, and Android share is higher than the state average.
  • Higher smartphone-only internet reliance among lower-income households than statewide, as fixed broadband availability/affordability lags.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • With a significant Hispanic population, smartphone ownership is high, but home broadband subscription rates are lower than white, non-Hispanic households—raising smartphone dependence relative to the Texas average.
• Urban/rural split:
  • Lufkin/Diboll residents have 5G coverage and better speeds; outlying rural areas show more LTE fallback and signal variability. This urban–rural gap is wider than the typical gap seen in metro Texas counties.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Network availability:
  • All three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) operate countywide; 4G LTE is the baseline, with 5G primarily in Lufkin, Diboll, and along major corridors (US‑59/69). Mid‑band 5G is present but patchier outside town centers.
  • Typical user speeds: roughly 30–120 Mbps in town (often lower at the edges), with more frequent dips in forested or lake-adjacent areas. Texas metros commonly sustain higher mid-band 5G speeds (150–300+ Mbps), so the county lags state norms on throughput and consistency.
• Terrain and coverage:
  • Dense pine forests, rolling terrain, and water bodies near Sam Rayburn Reservoir create more dead zones and indoor coverage issues than the state average, especially off major roads and in metal-roof structures.
• Backhaul and capacity:
  • Fiber backhaul is strongest along US‑59/69 and around Lufkin; many rural sites rely on longer microwave paths, leading to peak-time congestion. This backhaul constraint is a bigger factor than in Texas metros.
• Tower density and spectrum:
  • Fewer sites per square mile than urban Texas; carriers lean heavily on low-band spectrum for reach. Mid-band 5G (2.5 GHz/C‑band/3.45 GHz) is growing but sparser than statewide averages, limiting capacity bursts.
• Reliability and emergencies:
  • Weather (tropical remnants, severe thunderstorms, winter ice) stresses power and backhaul. FirstNet coverage for public safety is present; hardening has improved, but multi-hour outages still occur more often than in most Texas metros.
• Public access:
  • Libraries, schools, and municipal buildings provide important Wi‑Fi anchors; these see heavier usage than the state average due to higher smartphone-only households and the sunset of the federal ACP subsidy.

Trends that stand out versus Texas statewide

• Higher smartphone-only household share and greater reliance on mobile data for everyday internet needs.
• More prepaid/MVNO usage, slower device upgrade cycles, and a higher share of Android devices.
• Larger performance gap between towns and rural areas; more frequent LTE fallback and lower average 5G speeds than Texas metro benchmarks.
• Coverage variability amplified by forests/terrain; indoor penetration challenges more common than statewide norms.
• Fixed-broadband alternatives (especially fiber) are less pervasive outside town centers, keeping mobile central to connectivity.

Notes on methodology and uncertainty

• Figures are estimates based on county population and age mix, typical U.S./Texas adoption rates by age and income, and rural-versus-urban adjustments observed in East Texas. Actual values can vary by carrier and neighborhood. For planning, treat numbers as directional ranges rather than precise counts.

Below is a concise, localized estimate for Angelina County, TX. Exact county-by-county platform stats aren’t published, so figures use the latest U.S. usage rates (Pew Research Center, 2023–2024) scaled to a county of ~86K residents and typical rural-East-Texas patterns.

Overall usage

• Adults using social media: roughly 70–75% of adults; teens (13–17) 90%+ use at least one platform.
• Daily use: Most Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat users engage daily; YouTube is used both daily and for longer sessions.

Age groups (share who use any social media; behavior highlights)

• 18–29: ~90%+. Heavy on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; Facebook used but less central. Short-form video dominates.
• 30–49: ~80%+. Active on Facebook (Groups/Marketplace), Instagram; rising TikTok use; YouTube for how‑to, product research.
• 50–64: ~70%+. Facebook is the hub (local news, churches, school/sports updates); YouTube for DIY, hunting/fishing, repairs.
• 65+: ~45–50%. Primarily Facebook (community news, events); growing YouTube use.

Gender breakdown

• Overall split is roughly even. Platform skews: women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X (Twitter). WhatsApp use is higher among Hispanic residents.

Most‑used platforms (approx. share of U.S. adults; expect similar ranks locally)

• YouTube: ~83%
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~47%
• Pinterest: ~35% (skews female)
• TikTok: ~33%
• Snapchat: ~30% (strong among under 35)
• LinkedIn: ~30% (likely lower locally due to industry mix)
• WhatsApp: ~29% (higher in Hispanic households)
• X (Twitter): ~22%
• Reddit: ~22%
• Nextdoor: ~19% (often lower outside major metros)

Local behavioral trends to expect

• Facebook is the community backbone: city/county updates, school and high‑school sports, churches, local news/weather, buy/sell/trade and Marketplace.
• Video first: Short‑form video (Reels/TikTok) performs best for events, restaurants, local services; YouTube for tutorials (home/auto repair, outdoor/recreation).
• Hyperlocal Groups drive reach: “Lufkin/Angelina County” groups, yard‑sale groups, and neighborhood watch pages are high‑engagement venues.
• Shopping discovery: Facebook Marketplace and Instagram Shops help small businesses; promo posts with clear deals and local pickup see strong response.
• Language/community: Notable Hispanic population means higher WhatsApp and Spanish‑language Facebook content engagement.
• Timing: Evenings (7–10 pm) and lunch hours see the most activity; weather events and school/sports moments spike engagement.
• Messaging: Snapchat and Instagram DMs for younger users; Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp for families and community coordination.

How to read this

• Use the percentages as a planning baseline; adjust up/down based on your own page insights and ad delivery data. In Angelina County, prioritize Facebook (Groups/Marketplace) and short‑form video, layer Instagram for under‑40 reach, and add YouTube for educational content.