De Witt County

Which source/year would you like me to use for the figures?

• Latest estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year)
• 2020 Decennial Census counts

I can provide both if you want a comparison.

DeWitt County, TX email usage snapshot (estimates)

• Users: 14k–16k of ~20.2k residents (≈88–93% of adults; 70–80% of total population).
• Age distribution of email users: 13–17: ~8%; 18–34: ~22%; 35–54: ~34%; 55–64: ~16%; 65+: ~20%.
• Gender split: roughly even (≈49–51% either way).
• Digital access trends: Home broadband adoption ~65–75%; smartphone‑only internet ~15–20%. Stronger wired options in Cuero, Yoakum, and Yorktown; many outlying areas rely on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite. Gradual fiber buildouts; public Wi‑Fi (libraries/schools) supplements access. Email use rose during the pandemic for schools, telehealth, and county services and remains sticky.
• Local density/connectivity: ~22 people per square mile across ~910 square miles. Rural dispersion raises last‑mile costs and contributes to patchier speeds/availability outside towns; cellular LTE/5G coverage is best along major corridors, weaker in sparsely populated ranchland.

Notes: Figures are directional, applying recent U.S. email adoption and rural Texas broadband patterns to DeWitt County’s demographics (2020–2024). For planning, validate with current FCC/ACS broadband and county age‑structure data.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in DeWitt County, Texas

Context snapshot

• Population: roughly 20,000–21,000 residents, concentrated in Cuero (county seat), Yorktown, and Nordheim; largely rural outside town centers.
• Demographics: older than Texas overall (median age low-40s vs Texas mid-30s); Hispanic share around four in ten; lower median household income and college-attainment than the state average.

User estimates (adults and households)

• Adults: about 15,500–16,500.
• Smartphone users: 12,800–14,000 (roughly 82–85% of adults), below Texas’ ~90%+.
• Basic/feature-phone users: 1,200–1,800 (notably higher share than state due to older population).
• Wireless-only for voice (no landline): about 68–72% of households, a bit lower than Texas where wireless-only is higher, reflecting more landline persistence among seniors.
• Households using mobile/fixed wireless as primary home internet: estimated 18–25% (significantly higher than urban Texas), driven by patchy wired options outside towns.
• Total active mobile lines (phones, hotspots, tablets, IoT): approximately on par with or modestly above population (roughly 1.0–1.2 lines per resident), boosted by hotspots for home internet and agriculture/oilfield IoT.

Demographic usage patterns

• Seniors (65+): larger share than state; smartphone adoption around 68–72% with lighter data use and longer device replacement cycles; telehealth and messaging use growing.
• Working-age adults (25–54): high smartphone adoption; notable reliance on hotspots or 5G fixed‑wireless for home connectivity in fringe areas.
• Teens/young adults: near-universal smartphone adoption; heavier social/video use, but overall county data consumption per user still trails urban Texas.
• Income and plan mix: prepaid/MVNO penetration higher than state (about 30–35% of lines vs low‑20s in metros), more Android than iPhone (roughly 60–65% Android share).
• Language/use: strong WhatsApp/Facebook usage among Hispanic households; Spanish-language support valued more than in many rural Texas counties but similar to South Texas.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Mobile networks:
  • AT&T and Verizon provide the broadest rural LTE coverage; AT&T’s FirstNet presence is a differentiator for public safety.
  • T-Mobile has solid 5G in and near Cuero and Yorktown; coverage thins on farm-to-market roads and river bottomlands.
  • 5G: low-band is widespread; mid-band/c-band 5G is concentrated around towns and along primary highways (US‑87, US‑183, US‑77A, TX‑72). Many areas still rely on LTE for capacity.
  • Typical performance: town centers see strong 5G with tens to 100+ Mbps; rural stretches often 5–25 Mbps LTE with occasional dead zones.
• Fixed broadband and backhaul:
  • Cable internet available in Cuero; some fiber buildouts from regional providers/co-ops in pockets; DSL and legacy copper persist in outlying areas.
  • 5G Home Internet (T‑Mobile/Verizon) is available at many addresses near towers and is a common substitute where cable/fiber isn’t present.
  • Backhaul largely follows highway corridors toward Victoria and Gonzales; tower spacing is wider than in metro Texas, affecting in‑building coverage off the main roads.
• Public/anchor connectivity: schools, libraries, and clinics in towns have strong wired backbones; outside towns, community Wi‑Fi options are limited.

How DeWitt County differs from Texas overall

• Adoption and devices
  • Lower overall smartphone penetration and higher basic‑phone share, driven by older demographics.
  • Higher prepaid/MVNO usage and longer device replacement cycles; eSIM uptake lags big metros.
• Network and performance
  • Greater reliance on LTE and low‑band 5G; mid‑band 5G capacity is patchy vs the robust statewide urban buildouts.
  • Slower median mobile speeds outside towns; more coverage variability indoors and along secondary roads.
• Home internet behavior
  • More households use mobile hotspots or 5G fixed‑wireless as their primary home internet than the Texas average due to fewer fiber/cable options.
  • Voice landlines persist slightly more than statewide, reflecting the senior population.
• Carrier share
  • AT&T tends to be stronger than in Texas metros (FirstNet and rural footprint); T‑Mobile gains in towns but faces rural gaps; Verizon is a solid second for wide‑area reliability.
• Usage profile
  • Per‑user mobile data consumption is lower than state averages in aggregate but is rising quickly where 5G Home Internet is adopted.
  • Work-related usage (agriculture, oilfield, logistics) drives demand for rugged devices, hotspots, and coverage over peak speed.

What this means for planning and outreach

• Network investment that prioritizes mid‑band 5G coverage expansion beyond Cuero/Yorktown and infill along FM roads would yield outsized benefits.
• Prepaid/MVNO-friendly offerings, Spanish-language support, and senior-focused device training have above-average impact.
• Fixed‑wireless and fiber co‑op partnerships will continue to shape how residents get home internet—and, by extension, how much mobile data they consume.

DeWitt County, TX — social media snapshot (estimates)

Population base

• Population ~20–21k; adults (18+) ~15.5–16.5k.
• Households with broadband: ~75–82%. Smartphone-only users are common in lower-density areas.

How many use social

• Adult social media users: ~11k–13k (≈65–75% of adults).
• Daily active among social users: ~65–72%.

Gender mix (among social users)

• Female: 53–56%
• Male: 44–47%

Age mix (share of social users)

• 13–17: 5–7%
• 18–24: 9–11%
• 25–34: 14–16%
• 35–44: 16–18%
• 45–54: 17–19%
• 55–64: 14–16%
• 65+: 15–18%

Most‑used platforms (adult adoption; county-level estimates)

• Facebook: 60–68% of adults; strongest cross‑age reach. Nearly universal in 35+.
• YouTube: 72–80% of adults; dominant for how‑to, local sports highlights, music.
• Instagram: 28–35% of adults; ≥50% of 18–34.
• TikTok: 22–30% of adults; 55–60% of 18–24; fast growth in 25–34.
• Snapchat: 15–22% of adults; majority of teens/college‑age.
• Facebook Messenger: 55–65% of adults; primary local DM channel.
• WhatsApp: 12–18% of adults; higher with Spanish‑speaking/Hispanic households.
• X (Twitter): 10–15% of adults; used more for state news/sports than local chatter.
• Nextdoor: 5–10% (limited neighborhood coverage; Facebook Groups fill the gap).

Behavioral trends you can plan around

• Facebook is the community hub: school districts, churches, high‑school sports, city/county notices, buy‑sell‑trade and “Cuero/Yoakum” groups. Marketplace is a top local shopping channel.
• Video first: Short vertical video performs best on Facebook Reels/Instagram/TikTok; YouTube for longer how‑to and equipment/DIY (ag, hunting/fishing, home repair).
• Event‑driven spikes: Evenings (7–10 pm), early mornings (6–8 am shift change), lunch (12–1). Big spikes on Friday‑night games, fairs, rodeos, and school events.
• Trust local voices: Posts featuring recognizable local people, schools, and service orgs outperform brand‑only content. Reviews and word‑of‑mouth in groups drive decisions.
• Shopping behavior: Live sales from local boutiques, comment‑to‑buy, and curbside/pickup promos do well. Coupons/raffles tied to school fundraisers get strong shares.
• Messaging is conversion path: Many threads move from public comments to Messenger/WhatsApp for quotes, appointments, and classifieds.
• Older users are highly active: 45+ spends the most time on Facebook, engages heavily with local news, health, home services, and church content.
• Younger users split attention: 13–24 on Snapchat/TikTok for social; Instagram/TikTok for discovery; still keep Facebook for groups, Marketplace, and family.

Notes on methodology

• County‑specific platform data isn’t officially published. Figures are modeled from U.S. Census/ACS demographics for DeWitt County, Pew Research (2023–2024) platform usage by age, and platform ad‑reach samples around Cuero/Yoakum. Treat as directional ranges for planning.