Carson County

Here are concise, recent Census figures for Carson County, Texas.

Population size

• 5,807 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age (ACS 2019–2023, estimates)

• Median age: ~40 years
• Under 18: ~24%
• 18–64: ~58%
• 65 and over: ~18%

Gender (ACS 2019–2023)

• Male: ~51%
• Female: ~49%

Race/ethnicity (ACS 2019–2023; Hispanic can be of any race)

• Non-Hispanic White: ~79%
• Hispanic/Latino: ~16%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~1–2%
• Black or African American: ~1%
• Asian: <1%

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

• Total households: ~2,300
• Average household size: ~2.5–2.6
• Family households: ~70–72% of households (average family size ~3.0)
• Married-couple households: ~55–58% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~30–32%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Figures are rounded; small counties have larger margins of error.

Carson County, TX snapshot (estimates)

• Population/density: 5,800 residents across ~900 sq mi (6 people/sq mi). Connectivity is strongest in town centers (Panhandle, White Deer, Skellytown) and along I‑40 near Groom; coverage thins on ranchlands.

• Email users: ~3,600–4,200 residents (about 65–75% of the population) use email at least monthly; usage is near‑universal among online adults.

• Age distribution of email users: • Under 18: 10–15% • 18–34: 20–25% • 35–54: 30–35% (highest adoption) • 55–64: 15–18% • 65+: 15–20% (adoption lower but rising)

• Gender split: roughly even (women 50–52%, men 48–50% among users).

• Digital access/behaviors: • ~70–80% of households have a broadband subscription; 85–90% have some form of internet (incl. mobile). • 10–15% of households are mobile‑only. • Fiber/cable is common in towns; fixed‑wireless and satellite serve outlying areas; speeds and reliability drop outside populated corridors. • Smartphone‑first access is prevalent; desktops/laptops dominate among working‑age adults.

• Trend: Gradual gains in broadband subscriptions and email engagement since 2020 (school, telehealth, government services), with a persistent rural gap outside towns.

Below is a concise, county-focused picture built from public data trends (ACS, Pew Research, FCC/Texas broadband mapping) and Panhandle market conditions. Figures are estimates intended for planning; use them as ranges and validate locally where decisions require precision.

Headline

• Small, rural county with roughly 6,000–6,300 residents. Mobile adoption is high but skews older and more voice/SMS-reliant than Texas overall. Coverage and 5G availability concentrate along highways and towns; fixed broadband gaps push more households to rely on mobile or fixed wireless for home internet.

User estimates

• Adult population: about 4,700–4,900.
• Adults with any mobile phone: 93–95% → roughly 4,400–4,600 users.
• Smartphone users: 80–85% of adults → about 3,700–4,100.
• Feature‑phone/basic users: roughly 10–15% of adults → about 500–700.
• Households: about 2,300–2,500.
• Wireless‑only voice households (no landline): 65–72% → roughly 1,500–1,800 households (lower than Texas statewide, which is closer to the high 70s).
• Households using mobile hotspots or 4G/5G fixed‑wireless home internet as primary or fallback: 20–30% → about 460–750 households (well above the Texas average due to limited cable/fiber outside towns).
• Prepaid/MVNO share: meaningfully higher than the Texas average, driven by price sensitivity and coverage‑driven carrier churn.
• IoT/M2M lines: present in the hundreds (agriculture, oilfield/energy support, fleet/asset tracking); a larger share of total lines than in urban Texas.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age: Older than the Texas median. This dampens smartphone and app‑centric usage a bit and lengthens device upgrade cycles (3–4 years vs. ~2–3 years statewide).
• Income/education: Lower on average than Texas overall, supporting higher prepaid adoption, BYOD, and MVNO use.
• Race/ethnicity: More non‑Hispanic White, with a sizable but smaller Hispanic population share than the state. Bilingual use exists but Spanish‑first mobile usage is a smaller share than statewide averages.
• Work/life patterns: Agriculture, energy, and the Pantex Plant drive weekday, shift‑based peaks and strong demand along commute corridors. Messaging, voice, and weather/market apps are disproportionately important; streaming and gaming are more constrained by coverage and capacity outside towns.

Digital infrastructure points

• Coverage and spectrum:
  • AT&T and Verizon provide the broadest rural coverage; T‑Mobile has improved on low‑band 5G and mid‑band n41 mainly along I‑40/US‑60/TX‑152 corridors and in/near towns (Panhandle, White Deer, Groom).
  • 5G is mostly low‑band for reach; mid‑band exists along major roads/towns; mmWave/small cells are rare.
  • LTE remains the de facto layer outside corridors; edge areas still see single‑digit Mbps and occasional drops.
  • AT&T’s FirstNet band 14 presence typically bolsters public‑safety coverage around towns and highways.
• Backhaul/fiber:
  • Long‑haul fiber follows the interstate/rail rights‑of‑way and serves key facilities (including Pantex); this improves capacity in adjacent towns but doesn’t fully extend to ranchland.
• Wired alternatives:
  • Cable/fiber limited outside town centers; legacy DSL remains in pockets.
  • Fixed wireless ISPs are common; roof‑mounted CPE is a typical install for unserved blocks.
  • 4G/5G fixed‑wireless home internet (Verizon/T‑Mobile) fills gaps where signal quality supports it.
• Public access:
  • Libraries, schools, and municipal sites remain important Wi‑Fi hubs; E‑rate networks are a significant part of community access.
• Reliability:
  • Weather and power events can stress rural sites; redundancy is thinner than in cities. Users often rely on Wi‑Fi calling at home.

How Carson County differs from Texas overall

• Adoption and devices
  • Slightly lower smartphone penetration and app‑centric use; higher persistence of basic phones and longer upgrade cycles.
  • Higher share of prepaid/MVNO plans and BYOD.
• Access and reliance
  • More households depend on mobile or fixed‑wireless for home internet due to limited cable/fiber footprints.
  • Voice/SMS remains relatively more important; streaming/gaming growth is constrained outside towns.
• Network and performance
  • Coverage is more corridor‑centric; off‑corridor performance is spottier than state averages.
  • 5G availability skews to low‑band for reach; mid‑band depth is patchier than metro Texas.
• Industry/IoT
  • Higher relative use of IoT/M2M for agriculture and energy operations than the Texas average.
• Temporal patterns
  • Noticeable traffic peaks aligned with shift changes and farm/oilfield activity; statewide urban peaks are more evening/entertainment‑driven.

Notes on method

• Population and household counts are derived from recent ACS/Census ranges for small rural Texas counties.
• Mobile ownership rates apply national/rural deltas from Pew Research to local adult counts.
• Wireless‑only, fixed‑wireless, and infrastructure patterns reflect FCC broadband maps, Texas Broadband Development Office eligibility maps, and carrier buildouts common to the Panhandle.
• Use these ranges directionally; for project‑level planning, validate with latest FCC BDC maps, carrier RF planners, school district E‑rate filings, and on‑the‑ground drive testing.

Here’s a concise, locally tuned snapshot. Because county-level platform data aren’t published, figures are estimates based on Carson County’s size and rural-Texas/Pew national patterns; use them as planning benchmarks.

Overall user stats (estimated)

• Population: ~6,000; adults ≈ 75–80% of residents.
• Active social media users: ~3,200–3,900 (roughly 50–65% of total population; 65–75% of adults).
• Gender split among social users: ~52–55% women, ~45–48% men (women slightly more active on social).

Most-used platforms (share of local online adults; estimates)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 70–75%
• Instagram: 35–45%
• TikTok: 25–30%
• Snapchat: 20–25%
• Pinterest: 25–30% overall (40–50% of women)
• X (Twitter): 15–20%
• WhatsApp: 15–20%
• Reddit: 12–18%
• Nextdoor: 5–10%

Age patterns (how usage skews)

• Teens (13–17): Heavy on TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube; IG growing; Facebook mostly for teams/school news.
• Young adults (18–34): YouTube + IG + TikTok core; Snapchat for close friends; Facebook for events/marketplace.
• Midlife (35–54): Facebook is primary (Groups, Marketplace, school/sports, churches), YouTube for how‑to and news, some IG.
• 55+: Facebook + YouTube dominate; Pinterest for projects/recipes; limited TikTok/IG adoption but rising via Reels.

Gender tendencies

• Women: Higher Facebook Group activity, Pinterest usage; strong engagement with local events, school, church, marketplace.
• Men: Higher YouTube, Reddit, X; strong interest in sports, trades/how‑to, hunting/ranch content; Facebook for local info and buy/sell.

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook Groups are the town square: school districts, youth sports, churches, volunteer fire/EMS, buy‑sell‑trade, lost & found.
• Marketplace is a top conversion channel (vehicles, farm/ranch equipment, tools, furniture).
• Short video wins reach (Reels/Shorts); practical info and clear contact details drive action.
• Posting windows that perform: early morning (6–8 a.m.), lunch (12–1), and evenings (7–9); weekend mid‑day for events.
• Word‑of‑mouth matters: local faces, user‑generated photos, and shared posts from known community pages outperform polished corporate creative.
• Coverage/broadband can be spotty: keep videos short, compressed, with on‑screen text and phone numbers; always include a tappable call option.
• Geo radius for ads: 15–40 miles around Panhandle/White Deer/Skellytown groomed to highways and commuting paths; include Amarillo spillover if relevant.

Notes on method

• Built from U.S. Census/ACS population structure for small rural TX counties and Pew Research Center 2024 social media use, adjusted toward rural patterns (higher Facebook, slightly lower IG/TikTok) and observed behavior in similar Panhandle counties. Consider validating with a quick poll in major local Facebook Groups for finer targeting.