Bell County Local Demographic Profile

Bell County, Texas — key demographics (latest Census/ACS)

Population size

  • 2020 Census: 370,647
  • 2023 estimate (PEP): ~404,000

Age

  • Median age: ~31 years
  • Under 18: ~25%
  • 18–24: ~13%
  • 25–44: ~32%
  • 45–64: ~19%
  • 65+: ~11%

Gender

  • Male: ~51%
  • Female: ~49%

Race/ethnicity (Hispanic can be of any race; shares rounded)

  • White, non-Hispanic: ~43%
  • Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~21%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~27%
  • Asian, non-Hispanic: ~4%
  • Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~5%
  • Other (AIAN, NHPI, other), non-Hispanic: ~1%

Households and housing

  • Households: ~140,000
  • Average household size: ~2.7
  • Family households: ~68%
  • Married-couple families: ~43%
  • Households with children under 18: ~36%
  • Homeownership rate: ~53%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey (ACS) 2018–2022 5-year estimates (tables DP05, S1101); Population Estimates Program (PEP) 2023. Figures rounded.

Email Usage in Bell County

Bell County snapshot (estimates, using ACS/Pew/FCC patterns):

  • Email users: ~270–285k adults. Basis: population ~390–400k, ~300k adults, and 90–92% of U.S. adults use email. Including teens lifts total to ~290–305k users.
  • Age: Email use is near‑universal among 18–49 (>95%), high for 50–64 (90%), and slightly lower for 65+ (80–85%). Bell County’s younger median age (~32) pushes overall adoption higher than the U.S. average.
  • Gender: Roughly even; national male–female gaps are typically <2 percentage points.
  • Digital access trends:
    • About 9 in 10 households have a computer; roughly 8–9 in 10 subscribe to home broadband; 15–20% are smartphone‑only.
    • Urban cores (Killeen–Temple–Belton and the I‑35 corridor, incl. Fort Cavazos area) have broad cable/fiber coverage; rural eastern/northwestern fringes rely more on fixed wireless/DSL, with subscription rates trailing availability.
    • Mobile coverage is strong along highways; pockets of lower speeds persist in sparsely populated tracts.
  • Local density/connectivity facts: Mixed urban–rural county (~1,090 sq mi) with roughly 350–370 people/sq mi; the large military population contributes to a younger, mobile‑first user base.

Mobile Phone Usage in Bell County

Bell County, TX mobile phone usage summary (differences vs Texas highlighted)

County snapshot

  • Population: roughly 390,000–410,000; households: ~140,000–150,000. Younger than Texas overall due to Fort Cavazos (Fort Hood) and a large renter population concentrated in Killeen–Harker Heights–Nolanville and Temple–Belton.

User estimates

  • Smartphone users: about 290,000–320,000 people use a smartphone in Bell County.
  • Households with mobile-only internet (smartphone/hotspot as primary, no home broadband): estimated 22–27% in Bell County, several points higher than the Texas average (roughly 17–20%). Drivers: younger age structure, higher renter share, and pockets with limited fixed broadband.
  • Wireless-only voice (no landline): likely above the Texas rate; Texas is already high nationally, and Bell’s younger, military-leaning population pushes the county higher still.
  • Data usage patterns: higher reliance on hotspots/tethering for home connectivity than the Texas average; heavier mobile video and gaming among younger cohorts.

Demographic breakdown (directional differences vs Texas)

  • Age: 18–34s are a larger slice of the county and are overwhelmingly smartphone-first; mobile-only internet is notably higher in this group than statewide peers.
  • Military and renters: active-duty families and short-tenure renters in Killeen/Harker Heights show elevated prepaid plan use, higher churn, and greater hotspot-as-home-internet use compared with Texas averages.
  • Income: households under ~$35k show much higher mobile-only rates than higher-income households; the county has more such households in certain tracts, lifting the countywide mobile-only share above the state average.
  • Race/ethnicity: Black and Hispanic households in Bell County are more likely than White households to be mobile-only, mirroring national patterns; because these groups make up a larger share of Bell than the Texas average, the county’s overall mobile-only rate runs higher.

Digital infrastructure points (local specifics)

  • 5G coverage: All three nationwide carriers operate 5G; mid-band 5G is broadly available along the I‑14/US‑190 and I‑35 corridors (Killeen–Harker Heights–Nolanville, Temple, Belton). Compared with statewide, Bell’s core urbanized corridor has strong mid-band 5G density; rural edges lag.
  • Rural gaps: Eastern and southwestern fringes (e.g., around Rogers, Little River–Academy, Maxdale/Youngsport) more often fall back to LTE with lower capacity, contributing to higher mobile congestion and evening slowdowns than urban Texas averages.
  • Public safety and military: AT&T FirstNet Band 14 coverage is prominent around Fort Cavazos and major arterials, improving resilience for public safety; this is a stronger footprint than many Texas counties without a large installation.
  • Backhaul and tower siting: Macro sites cluster along I‑35/I‑14, medical campuses in Temple, and near Fort Cavazos gates. Outside that spine, fewer macros serve larger areas, which can depress performance—this urban/rural split is sharper than in many Texas metros.
  • Fixed broadband context: Cities have cable and growing fiber (e.g., AT&T, Spectrum) but several census tracts still lack competitive fiber. Where cable/fiber are sparse or expensive, households substitute mobile plans or fixed wireless more than the Texas average.
  • Public Wi‑Fi/offload: Libraries (Killeen, Temple, Belton), Temple College, UMHB, and medical centers provide dense Wi‑Fi, supporting offload in daytime hubs; this pattern is more pronounced here because of the student and military family presence.
  • Affordability programs: The wind-down of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program in 2024 likely pushed some budget-constrained households toward mobile-only solutions; Bell’s uptake of ACP was relatively high, so the shift is larger than the Texas average in affected tracts.

How Bell County differs most from state-level trends

  • Higher mobile-only internet reliance, driven by a younger, military, and renter-heavy population plus patchy rural fixed broadband.
  • More prepaid and higher churn than Texas overall; plan switching is common with military moves and short lease cycles.
  • Strong 5G in the urban corridor but sharper performance drop-offs outside it, increasing dependence on hotspots and fixed wireless where fiber/cable are thin.
  • Public safety/military network assets (e.g., FirstNet presence) are more extensive than in a typical Texas county and raise baseline coverage around Fort Cavazos.

Notes on sources and method

  • Estimates synthesize U.S. Census ACS (Types of Computers and Internet Subscriptions), Pew Research smartphone adoption, FCC Broadband Data Collection and carrier-reported 5G maps (through 2024), and Texas demographics. Exact county-level mobile-only figures are modeled using ACS household internet subscription patterns, Bell County’s age/income/renter mix, and observed urban–rural coverage splits.

Social Media Trends in Bell County

Here’s a concise, locality-adjusted snapshot of social media use in Bell County, TX. Figures are estimates based on county demographics (younger, military-heavy) and recent U.S. platform adoption patterns (Pew, 2023–2024).

Overall user stats

  • Population: ~400,000; adults (18+): ~300,000
  • Adults using at least one social platform: ~220,000–250,000 (≈73–83% of adults)
  • Teen use (13–17) is very high; including teens lifts total users notably for TikTok/Snapchat

Age mix (share of local social media users)

  • 18–29: 32–36%
  • 30–49: 34–38%
  • 50–64: 18–22%
  • 65+: 10–14%

Gender breakdown (overall; varies by platform)

  • Roughly even overall: women 50–53%, men 47–50%
  • Skews by platform: women over-index on Facebook/Instagram/Pinterest/Snapchat; men on YouTube/Reddit/X

Most-used platforms among adults (percent of adults using)

  • YouTube: 80–85%
  • Facebook: 65–70%
  • Instagram: 48–55%
  • TikTok: 35–45% (higher among 18–29 and parents of teens)
  • Snapchat: 30–40% (concentrated 13–29)
  • Pinterest: 28–33% (largely women, home/lifestyle)
  • LinkedIn: 25–30% (job transitions, VA/career upskilling)
  • X (Twitter): 20–25% (news/sports/emergencies)
  • Reddit: 15–20% (tech, gaming, local threads)
  • Nextdoor: 10–15% (homeowners, Belton/Temple neighborhoods)

Behavioral trends to know

  • Community-first on Facebook: Heavy use of local Groups (Fort Cavazos family groups, buy/sell/trade, rentals, lost & found, road closures). Marketplace is unusually active due to frequent PCS moves.
  • Video-first habits: Short-form (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) drives discovery for food, barbers, auto, gyms, festivals; how-to and long-form on YouTube (DIY, auto repair, fitness, church services).
  • Local info spikes: Weather alerts, school closures, traffic on I‑35, and base-related news drive surges; local TV stations’ pages (KWTX/KCEN) and city pages are key.
  • Messaging backbone: Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp used for coordination across shifts and bilingual households; Instagram DMs for small business inquiries.
  • Youth and military influence: Strong 18–29 cohort (students, soldiers) fuels TikTok/Snapchat, gaming, and creator followings; late-night and early-morning activity aligns with shift work and training schedules.
  • Trust and shopping: High reliance on peer recommendations in Groups; Marketplace and local deals outperform polished ads. Short videos plus social proof (reviews, UGC) convert best.
  • Events and community: Strong engagement around Belton 4th of July, rodeo, First Friday in Temple, Bloomin’ Temple, high school sports; event posts and reels perform well.

Notes

  • Percentages are localized estimates inferred from national adoption rates adjusted for Bell County’s younger age structure and military presence. For campaign planning, validate with small local polls or platform audience tools targeted to Killeen–Temple–Belton/Fort Cavazos.

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