Delta County

Here are key demographics for Delta County, Texas. Figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; ACS 2018–2022 5-year estimates). Small-county margins of error apply.

• Population

  • Total: about 5,200 (2020 Census); roughly 5,200–5,300 in 2018–2022 ACS.

• Age

  • Under 18: ~22%
  • 18–64: ~58%
  • 65 and over: ~20%
  • Median age: ~44 years

• Gender

  • Female: ~50%
  • Male: ~50%

• Race/ethnicity (Hispanic can be any race)

  • White, non-Hispanic: ~83%
  • Hispanic/Latino: ~9%
  • Black/African American, non-Hispanic: ~5%
  • Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~3%
  • Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: each <1%

• Households and housing

  • Total households: ~2,100–2,200
  • Average household size: ~2.4
  • Family households: ~64% of households (married-couple families ~50%)
  • Households with children under 18: ~25–27%
  • Owner-occupied: ~78% (renter-occupied ~22%)
  • Average family size: ~2.9

Delta County, TX snapshot (estimates)

• Population and density: ~5,300 residents over ~278 sq mi (≈19 people/sq mi).
• Email users: ~3,800–4,400 residents use email at least monthly (≈70–83% of total; ≈80–90% of adults). Rural age mix and connectivity likely keep usage below big‑city rates.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 18–34: ~20–25%
  • 35–54: ~30–35%
  • 55–64: ~18–22%
  • 65+: ~20–25% (lower adoption but growing)
• Gender split: roughly even; no meaningful male/female gap in email adoption.
• Digital access trends:
  • Household broadband subscription: ~65–75%; a notable minority are smartphone‑only for internet (≈15–20%).
  • Fixed broadband availability is mixed: basic service widely available, but high‑speed tiers are spottier outside Cooper and main roads; fiber is expanding via state/federal funding.
  • Mobile networks: 4G LTE is broadly available; 5G tends to cluster near town centers/corridors with patchier rural coverage.
  • Fixed wireless and satellite are common gap‑fillers for farms and low‑density areas.

Notes: Figures synthesize county population with rural Texas adoption benchmarks and recent broadband deployment patterns; exact, official email counts are not published.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Delta County, Texas

Overview

• Small, rural county of roughly 5.2k residents (2020 Census), centered on Cooper. Population is older and lower-income than the Texas average, with dispersed settlement patterns that affect wireless coverage and take-up.

User estimates (modeled)

• Total mobile phone users: about 4,000–4,400 residents (roughly 77–85% of the population), including adults and teens.
• Smartphone users: about 3,400–3,900 residents (roughly 65–75% of the population).
• Adult ownership split (estimate):
  • Any mobile phone (18+): 88–93%
  • Smartphone (18+): 78–84%
  • Feature/basic phone (18+): 8–12% (higher than the Texas average due to older age structure)
• Teen ownership (13–17): smartphone adoption ~85–95%, similar to statewide, though data-plan sizes tend to be smaller.

Demographic patterns affecting usage

• Age: Share of residents 65+ is materially higher than the Texas average, pulling down overall smartphone adoption and app-based service use. Flip/basic phones remain common among seniors.
• Income: Median household income is below the Texas average. That correlates with:
  • Higher prepaid and month-to-month plan usage (estimated 40–50% of lines vs ~30–35% statewide)
  • Lower average data buckets and slower device refresh cycles
• Home internet: A larger slice of households are “mobile-only” for internet (relying on phone hotspots or phone data) compared with Texas overall, because wired broadband is inconsistent outside town centers.
• Work patterns: Agriculture, trades, commuting to larger towns (e.g., Commerce/Paris/Sulphur Springs) drive cross-county travel; users often select carriers based on specific road corridors rather than price alone.

Digital infrastructure

• Coverage
  • 4G LTE is common in and around Cooper and along main corridors; coverage drops on some farm-to-market roads, in lowlands/river bottoms, and near the lake.
  • 5G availability is primarily low-band (wide-area) from national carriers; mid-band 5G capacity is limited and spotty, so real-world 5G speeds often resemble strong LTE.
• Performance
  • Typical download speeds: roughly 5–30 Mbps in fringe LTE areas; 20–100 Mbps where 5G low-band or strong LTE is available. Performance varies with distance to towers and vegetation.
  • Indoor coverage issues are frequent in metal-roof homes and larger metal buildings; external antennas/boosters are used more often than in urban Texas.
• Towers and backhaul
  • Sparse macro-tower grid with large cell radii; few small cells. Backhaul is a mix of microwave and limited fiber; capacity upgrades lag urban areas.
  • Public-safety coverage via AT&T FirstNet is present on key sites; reliability improves for responders but does not fully resolve consumer dead zones.
• Home broadband interplay
  • Fiber exists in pockets near town and anchor institutions; many outlying areas rely on fixed wireless ISPs or satellite (Starlink and others). This drives higher dependence on mobile data and hotspots when home service is unavailable or slow.

How Delta County differs from Texas statewide

• Lower adult smartphone penetration, driven mainly by a larger 65+ population and tighter household budgets.
• Higher share of prepaid plans and mobile-only internet households.
• Greater sensitivity to coverage along specific travel routes; carrier choice often based on signal reliability rather than price/features.
• 5G is mostly low-band with modest speed gains; far fewer mid-band 5G deployments than in Texas metros.
• More frequent indoor signal challenges and rural dead zones; residents more likely to use boosters or external antennas.

Notes on method and uncertainty

• Counts are modeled from 2020 Census population, typical rural age shares, and recent national/state adoption rates (e.g., Pew and industry reporting), adjusted downward for rural/older populations and upward for teen adoption. Ranges are provided to reflect uncertainty and local variability.
• Exact tower locations, speed tests, and carrier footprints change; for project-critical decisions, verify with the latest FCC maps, carrier coverage tools, and on-the-ground testing.

Below is a concise, model-based snapshot for Delta County, TX. True county-level platform counts aren’t publicly reported, so figures use recent Pew Research U.S. benchmarks adjusted for rural Texas patterns. Treat as estimates to guide planning.

User stats

• Adult social media adoption: ~65–75% use at least one platform monthly.
• Teens (13–17): ~85–95% use at least one platform.
• Daily users (adults): ~55–65% of adults.
• Device: >90% of usage is mobile; video is the dominant format.

Most-used platforms (estimated share of adults using each monthly)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 65–70%
• Instagram: 35–40%
• TikTok: 25–30%
• Pinterest: 20–25% (skews female)
• Snapchat: 15–20% (under-30)
• X/Twitter: 10–15% (news/sports watchers)
• Reddit: 8–12% (skews male/younger)
• LinkedIn: 5–10% (professionals/commuters)
• Nextdoor: 5–8% (limited in very small towns)

Age patterns (approx. share using each platform)

• 18–29: YouTube 90%+, Instagram 75–80%, TikTok 55–60%, Facebook 55–60%
• 30–49: YouTube ~90%, Facebook 75–80%, Instagram 55–60%, TikTok ~30%
• 50–64: YouTube 80–85%, Facebook 70–75%, Instagram 30–35%, TikTok 15–20%
• 65+: YouTube 60–65%, Facebook 50–55%, Instagram 15–20%, TikTok 8–10%

Gender breakdown (tendencies among users)

• Overall users: roughly balanced, slight female tilt (≈52–54% women).
• Facebook: women 55–60%; men 40–45%.
• YouTube: slight male majority (≈52–55%).
• Instagram/TikTok: near parity or slight female tilt (≈52–58% women).
• Pinterest: strong female majority (≈70–80%).
• Reddit/X: male-skewed (≈60–70% men).

Behavioral trends (observed in rural Texas communities and likely locally)

• Facebook is the community hub: school/church/youth sports updates, civic info, and Marketplace dominate engagement; local Groups drive most reach.
• Video-first habits: YouTube for how‑to, DIY, outdoor and equipment content; Reels/TikTok for discovery among under‑40s.
• Messaging over posting: Many interactions move to Messenger/WhatsApp (event coordination, buy/sell follow‑ups).
• Peak activity: Evenings (about 7–10 pm) and early mornings; Tue–Thu perform best; short captions + clear CTAs work.
• Trust signals: Content from recognizable local people/organizations outperforms brandy creative; reviews and word‑of‑mouth sway purchases.
• Commerce: Heavy Facebook Marketplace and local buy/sell groups; IG Shop/TikTok Shop adoption is growing with younger users.
• Practical constraints: Some limited broadband—shorter videos, lightweight creatives, and mobile-friendly landing pages perform better.

Notes and sources

• Estimates synthesized from Pew Research Center (Social Media Use in 2023–2024), DataReportal Digital 2024: USA, and U.S. Census ACS rural/age patterns. For precise local planning, validate with platform ad audience tools, local page/group insights, or a short resident survey.