Coryell County

Which data vintage do you prefer? I can provide:

• 2020 Census (official count, best for total population and basic race/age)
• Latest ACS 5‑year estimates (2018–2022) for detailed age, sex, race/ethnicity, and household data

If you don’t have a preference, I’ll use the latest ACS 5‑year estimates and note the 2020 Census population for reference.

Coryell County, TX snapshot (estimates)

• Population base: 84,000. Adults (70%) ≈ 58,000.
• Email users: 58,000–62,000 residents (driven by high adult internet adoption; teens use email less).
• Age mix of email users:
  • 13–17: 5–7%
  • 18–34: 34–38% (military presence skews young)
  • 35–54: 30–34%
  • 55+: 22–28%
• Gender split of users: ~53% male, 47% female (reflects county’s military‑influenced demographics; usage rates are similar by gender).

Digital access and trends

• Household device access: ~88–92% have a computer/smart device.
• Fixed broadband subscription: ~82–86% of households; 8–12% are smartphone‑only.
• Connectivity density: Access is strongest along the US‑190/I‑14 corridor (Copperas Cove, Gatesville) with cable/fiber availability; rural areas see more DSL, fixed wireless, satellite, and 5G home internet.
• Usage trends: Younger, mobile‑first residents (service members/spouses) check email primarily on phones; older users lean on webmail via home broadband. Work/school and .mil/.gov accounts contribute to high daily email engagement.

Local density/context: Moderate population density (~75–85 people/sq mi) with clusters near towns and Fort Cavazos; rural pockets experience slower speeds and higher “unserved/underserved” rates.

Below is a county‑level, evidence‑based picture built from ACS/Pew/CTIA/FCC patterns through 2024 and Coryell County’s known population, rural geography, and military presence. Figures are estimates with ranges where local reporting is sparse.

Snapshot context

• Population: roughly 83–85k residents; anchored by Gatesville, Copperas Cove (partly in Coryell), and areas tied to Fort Cavazos. Mix of small‑town/rural west and a commuter corridor along US‑190/SH‑36.
• Distinctive drivers vs Texas overall: larger 18–34 population share tied to the military, more rural households, and patchier fixed broadband in the north/west—pushing heavier reliance on mobile data.

Estimated mobile user base and adoption

• Human‑held mobile lines: about 70–80k active mobile handsets (roughly 0.85–0.95 per resident, in line with national human‑held patterns but below total “connections” figures that include IoT).
• Smartphones: 60–66k smartphone users countywide.
  • Adults (18+): ~55–60k smartphone users (85–92% adult adoption; boosted by younger/military skew).
  • Teens (12–17): ~5.5–6.5k with smartphones (≈90–95%).
• Mobile‑only internet households: 20–28% of households rely on cellular data as their primary home internet (several points higher than the Texas average), especially outside the US‑190 corridor.
• IoT/M2M lines: on the order of 6–12k additional connections (fleet, ag sensors, security systems, and wearables), concentrated in public sector, health, transportation, and ranching operations.

Demographic patterns affecting usage

• Age/military: A larger share of 18–34 and military‑connected households than Texas overall. Effects:
  • High smartphone and unlimited‑data plan uptake; heavy app‑centric use (messaging, maps, gaming, streaming).
  • Slightly higher line churn and seasonal number portability due to PCS moves and training rotations.
• Income/rurality: More rural tracts with lower fixed‑broadband availability correlate with:
  • Higher mobile‑only internet reliance.
  • Greater use of hotspot/tethering and fixed‑wireless from mobile carriers.
• Household composition: Family and multi‑line plans common; junior enlisted and students show somewhat higher prepaid usage than state average, while public‑safety and on‑base employees skew to AT&T/FirstNet postpaid.
• Race/ethnicity: A diverse mix tied to the military presence; device ownership rates are broadly high across groups, but mobile‑only internet is highest where wireline options are weakest.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage
  • 4G LTE: Countywide along US‑190/SH‑36 and towns; thinning toward ranchland and river bottoms northwest and south of Gatesville.
  • 5G: All three national carriers present in populated areas; mid‑band 5G (where available) is strongest along US‑190/Copperas Cove–Gatesville. Outlying areas often fall back to LTE/low‑band 5G.
• Capacity and speeds
  • Towns/corridors: Typical 5G mid‑band downlink 150–300 Mbps; LTE 15–80 Mbps depending on sector load.
  • Rural edges: 5–25 Mbps LTE/low‑band 5G with higher latency; signal shadows in hilly/wooded terrain.
• Towers and density
  • Fewer macro sites per square mile than the Texas average; infill small cells limited to school, hospital, and government nodes. Terrain (rolling limestone hills, creek valleys) creates localized dead zones, especially off paved routes.
• Public safety
  • FirstNet (AT&T Band 14) coverage prioritized around the Fort Cavazos area and county facilities, improving resilience for EMS/law enforcement relative to commercial‑only service.
• Home internet via mobile networks
  • 5G/4G fixed‑wireless (T‑Mobile/Verizon and some regional providers) is available across much of the corridor; adoption is higher than state average where cable/fiber are absent or expensive.
• Backhaul
  • Microwave backhaul persists on some rural sites; fiber backhaul concentrated along US‑190/SH‑36 and in towns—another reason for corridor‑centric performance differences.

How Coryell differs from Texas overall

• Higher mobile‑only internet reliance: Several points above the statewide rate due to patchier cable/fiber in rural tracts.
• Younger, more transient user base: Military‑linked churn and number portability are meaningfully higher; unlimited plans and hotspot usage more common.
• Coverage asymmetry: Strong along US‑190/SH‑36 and town centers, notably weaker in western/northern ranchlands—greater urban‑rural performance gap than the state average.
• Public‑safety tilt: Above‑average FirstNet adoption and prioritized coverage around base‑adjacent areas.
• Fixed‑wireless substitution: 5G home internet uptake outpaces state norms in unserved/underserved pockets.

Notes on method and uncertainty

• Estimates triangulate 2020–2023 ACS demographics, Pew smartphone adoption, CTIA connections ratios, FCC mobile coverage/broadband maps, and known geography/infrastructure of Coryell County. Ranges reflect uncertainty where carrier‑specific and tower‑level data are proprietary or change rapidly.

Below is a concise, best-available estimate for Coryell County, TX. Exact county-level platform usage isn’t directly published; figures are inferred from Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. social media data, Texas/rural-military patterns (Fort Cavazos influence), and recent Census age mix. Use ranges as directional.

Snapshot/user stats

• Adult population: roughly 60–65K; adult social media users: ~48–55K (≈80–85% of adults).
• Access: Most households have broadband; mobile-only access is common among younger and lower-income users.

Most‑used platforms (adult reach, estimated)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 60–70% (highest daily local engagement)
• Instagram: 40–50%
• TikTok: 30–40%
• Snapchat: 25–35% (higher among teens/younger adults)
• WhatsApp: 20–30% (family and bilingual communication)
• X (Twitter): 15–25%
• Reddit: 15–25% (over-index among military/tech/gaming)
• LinkedIn: 15–25% (lower than big metros)
• Nextdoor: 5–10% (more in Gatesville/Copperas Cove neighborhoods)

Age patterns (likely local)

• Teens (13–17): Very high YouTube; heavy TikTok and Snapchat; Facebook low.
• 18–29: YouTube ~90%+; Instagram and Snapchat 60–80%; TikTok 60–70%; Facebook ~50%.
• 30–49: YouTube 85–90%; Facebook 70–75%; Instagram ~50%; TikTok ~40%.
• 50–64: YouTube 75–85%; Facebook 60–70%; Instagram 25–35%.
• 65+: Facebook and YouTube about 45–55%; others low.

Gender tendencies

• Women: Over-index on Facebook/Instagram/Pinterest; dominate local Groups, school/PTA, church, buy-sell communities. Likely 55–60% of active Facebook/Instagram users.
• Men: Over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X, Discord; strong in gaming, sports, and military-related communities. Likely 60–70% on Reddit/X.

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook Groups are the local “public square” (city and county updates, school districts, lost/found pets, severe weather, Marketplace).
• Video-first consumption: TikTok and Instagram Reels drive discovery for eateries, services, and events; YouTube for how‑to, gear, and church services.
• Private messaging shift: Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, and WhatsApp group chats organize family, units, and friend circles.
• Military community effect: Spikes in Marketplace and “PCS” buy/sell, housing tips, and local services; higher Reddit/Discord usage.
• Event rhythms: Engagement peaks evenings and weekends; strong lift around high school sports, festivals, fairs, and weather alerts.
• Trust patterns: Locals rely on admin-led community pages and word-of-mouth; official city/county pages perform well during emergencies.