Calhoun County

Here are current, high-level demographics for Calhoun County, Texas (Census 2020; ACS 2018–2022 5-year estimates). Figures are rounded.

Population

• Total population (2020 Census): 20,106
• 2023 estimate: ~20.6k (Census Bureau estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~37–38 years
• Under 18: ~25%
• 65 and over: ~16%

Gender

• Female: ~49–50%
• Male: ~50–51%

Race/ethnicity (mutually exclusive; ACS)

• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~52%
• White, non-Hispanic: ~36%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~5%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: ~7%
• Other/Two+ races, non-Hispanic: ~1–2%

Households and housing (ACS)

• Total households: ~7,300
• Average household size: ~2.8 persons
• Family households: ~72% of households
• Homeownership rate: ~73% of occupied housing units

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey (ACS) 2018–2022 5-year estimates (tables DP05, S0101, S1101; QuickFacts).

Calhoun County, TX snapshot (estimates)

• Email users: ~14,000–16,000 residents use email regularly. Basis: population ~20K; adult share ~75%; ~90% of online adults use email; local internet adoption ~80–85%.
• Age distribution of email users (based on county age mix and national email adoption):
  • 13–17: ~4–6%
  • 18–34: ~24–27%
  • 35–54: ~32–35%
  • 55–64: ~16–18%
  • 65+: ~18–20% (slightly lower use than mid‑age adults, but still high)
• Gender split among email users: approximately even, ~50% female / ~50% male.
• Digital access trends:
  • Home broadband subscription roughly 80–85% of households; remaining households more likely smartphone‑only or rely on hotspots.
  • Email access skews mobile-first for many working‑age adults; seniors more likely to use webmail on PCs at home or public sites.
  • Public access available via libraries/schools in Port Lavaca; cellular networks provide county‑wide baseline coverage with best performance along TX‑35 and in towns.
• Local density/connectivity context:
  • Population density ~40 people/sq mi across a largely coastal, low‑density county, which raises last‑mile costs.
  • Fastest, most reliable fixed broadband is concentrated in Port Lavaca/Point Comfort; service becomes sparser toward Seadrift, Magnolia Beach, and rural peninsulas.

Below is a concise, locally tuned snapshot of mobile phone usage in Calhoun County, Texas, with estimates, demographic context, and infrastructure notes. It highlights how the county differs from statewide patterns.

Headline estimates (residents)

• Population baseline: roughly 20–22k residents; about 77% are adults.
• Adults using any mobile phone: 95–97% adoption implies ~14.8–16.5k adult mobile users.
• Adult smartphone users: 83–88% adoption implies ~13.0–15.0k adult smartphone users.
• Households: about 7–8k total. Mobile-only internet households (no home broadband) are likely 18–25% locally (~1.3–2.0k households), higher than the Texas average.
• Youth phones: among ages ~10–17, expect 55–65% with phones, adding ~1.8–2.2k youth users.

Demographic patterns shaping usage

• Age: The county skews older than Texas overall (share of 65+ likely ~16–18% vs ~13% statewide). This slightly reduces smartphone penetration and raises the share of voice/SMS-centric users.
• Race/ethnicity: A large Hispanic/Latino community (about 50–60% of residents) is associated with higher smartphone dependence for internet access versus wireline service. This pushes up the rate of mobile-only households relative to the state average.
• Income: Median household income is below the Texas average. That correlates with higher prepaid plan usage, Android share, shared-family data plans, and hotspot substitution for home broadband.
• Work patterns: Petrochemical, port/maritime, and commercial fishing employment increase the importance of reliable mobile coverage and messaging apps for shift work, safety, and coordination. This occupational mix is more pronounced than statewide.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Networks present: All three national carriers operate in populated corridors (Port Lavaca, Seadrift, Port O’Connor, and along US‑87/TX‑35/TX‑185). 4G LTE coverage is broad in towns; 5G is available but more patchy outside the main corridors.
• 5G profile: Expect low‑band 5G from multiple carriers across most populated areas and mid‑band 5G concentrated around Port Lavaca and primary highways. Mid‑band breadth is narrower than typical metro Texas counties, so average 5G speeds and capacity gains are less consistent than statewide.
• Terrain effects: Coastal marsh, bays, and wildlife/refuge areas constrain tower placement. Coverage can thin quickly moving toward barrier islands and sparsely populated shoreline areas (e.g., around Indianola and toward Matagorda Island), creating more dead zones than the statewide norm.
• Backhaul: Fiber backhaul is strongest along the main road corridors into Victoria and within Port Lavaca; microwave backhaul is more common toward Port O’Connor and other fringe areas. Redundancy off the main corridors is limited compared with urban Texas, which can lengthen restoration times after storms.
• Resilience: As a hurricane‑exposed Gulf Coast county, many macro sites have backup power and hardened mounts, but smaller cells and remote sites remain vulnerable to extended outages. Disaster‑related mobile traffic surges are a more regular planning factor here than for the state overall.
• Public/anchor connectivity: Schools, libraries, and county facilities act as key Wi‑Fi and device/hotspot providers, with student hotspot programs still important for families in fringe coverage or limited-wireline areas.

How Calhoun County differs from Texas overall

• Higher mobile-only reliance: A meaningfully larger share of households depend on smartphones/hotspots for home internet than the statewide average, driven by lower wireline availability in outlying areas and lower median incomes.
• More prepaid and budget plans: Plan mix tilts more toward prepaid/value tiers than the Texas average, with greater sensitivity to promotional pricing and data allowances.
• Patchier 5G capacity: Mid‑band 5G is less ubiquitous than in Texas metros, and coastal terrain produces more pronounced coverage gaps than the state average.
• Industrial and maritime use: Relative to the state, a larger slice of local mobile traffic supports petrochemical/port/fishing operations, field workers, and near‑shore boating—use cases that depend on corridor and shoreline coverage rather than deep indoor urban coverage.
• Older population headwinds: Slightly higher senior share depresses overall smartphone penetration and app adoption compared to the state, even as younger and Hispanic residents exhibit strong mobile dependence.

Notes on method and uncertainty

• Population and household counts are based on recent Census/ACS ranges; adoption rates draw on Pew and other national/rural benchmarks adjusted for local demographics and broadband availability. Figures are presented as ranges to reflect uncertainty and recent changes in 5G build‑outs.
• For planning or procurement, validate local 5G mid‑band footprints and tower density against the latest FCC Broadband Data Collection maps and carrier coverage tools, and check 2023–2024 ACS 5‑year estimates for precise demographics and income.

Calhoun County, TX social media snapshot (2025, estimates)

Who’s online

• Residents: ~21K. Adults (18+): ~16–17K.
• Estimated adult social media users: 12.5K–14K (≈75–85% penetration). Teen usage is higher (most teens use at least one platform daily).
• Gender among users: ≈53% women, 47% men (women slightly overrepresented due to higher Facebook/Pinterest use).

Age mix of adult users

• 18–29: ~95% use social; heavy Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube.
• 30–49: ~85–90%; Facebook, Instagram, YouTube; growing TikTok.
• 50–64: ~70–75%; Facebook and YouTube dominate; Pinterest for women.
• 65+: ~45–55%; primarily Facebook and YouTube; light Instagram.
• Teens (13–17): very high usage; TikTok and Snapchat lead; YouTube near-universal.

Most-used platforms (adult penetration in county; ±3–5 percentage points)

• YouTube: ~82%
• Facebook: ~72% (Facebook Groups widely used for community info and buy/sell)
• Instagram: ~42%
• TikTok: ~32% (plus majority of teens)
• Pinterest: ~28% (skews female)
• WhatsApp: ~26% (boosted by Hispanic/Latino users and family messaging)
• Snapchat: ~24% (mostly under 30)
• X/Twitter: ~18%
• LinkedIn: ~16% (used for skilled trades/industrial employers more than content)
• Reddit: ~13%

Use frequency (typical)

• Facebook, TikTok, Instagram: most users check daily; TikTok/IG skew heavier time-on-feed under 35.
• YouTube: frequent weekly to daily for how‑to, weather, local interests.

Behavioral trends observed locally

• Community-first: High engagement with school districts, high school sports, churches, city/county pages, volunteer and event posts.
• Weather and emergencies: Spikes around coastal storms, power outages, road/ferry updates; Facebook Groups and YouTube live streams see surges.
• Local commerce: Strong buy/sell/trade groups; restaurant specials, fishing/boating charters, home services; Messenger/WhatsApp for inquiries and bookings.
• Short-form video growth: Reels and TikToks about fishing conditions, plant turnarounds, local events outperform static posts.
• Language: Bilingual (English/Spanish) posts perform better; WhatsApp and Facebook used for family/community networks among Spanish-speaking residents.
• Work rhythms: Engagement peaks early morning, lunch, and evenings; some late-night activity from shift workers in industrial/port jobs.
• Trust cues: Authentic, locally shot content and clear community benefit outperform polished “out-of-town” ads; giveaways and cause tie-ins drive comments/shares.
• Recruiting: Facebook Groups and boosted posts work for hourly/trade roles; LinkedIn useful for specialized technical/professional hiring.

Notes

• Figures are estimates derived from recent U.S./Texas social media benchmarks (e.g., Pew Research Center 2023–2024) adjusted for county size, rural/suburban mix, and demographics (ACS). For planning, treat platform percentages as directional, not absolute counts.