Eastland County

Do you want figures from the latest American Community Survey (ACS 5-year, 2018–2022) or strict 2020 Census counts? I can provide both; the ACS offers fuller detail (age, households), while 2020 Census gives the official population count.

• Snapshot: Eastland County has ~18–19k residents spread over ~930 sq mi (≈19–20 people/sq mi). Connectivity is strongest along I‑20 in Eastland, Cisco, Ranger, and Gorman; coverage gets patchier in outlying ranchland.

• Estimated email users: 11,000–14,000 residents. Basis: roughly 75–85% have internet access and ~90% of internet users use email.

• Age distribution of email users (share of users, approximate):

  • 13–17: 8–10%
  • 18–34: 25–30%
  • 35–54: 35–40%
  • 55–64: 15–18%
  • 65+: 12–18% Older adults who are online tend to rely on email more than social apps.

• Gender split: roughly even overall; a slight female skew among older users reflects local population mix.

• Digital access trends:

  • Household broadband in the 70–80% range; mobile/smartphone‑only internet rising (≈15–20% of households).
  • Fixed‑wireless and 5G increasingly fill gaps outside towns; satellite remains a fallback in very low‑density areas.
  • Public Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools, city buildings) is an important access point for some residents.
  • Post‑2020, subscriptions and device ownership increased, but speeds and reliability vary notably outside the I‑20 corridor.

Below is a practical snapshot of mobile phone usage in Eastland County, Texas, with best-available estimates and how local patterns diverge from Texas overall. Where exact local data are not published, ranges are based on county demographics (rural, older, lower-income than the state), national/rural adoption benchmarks, and carrier buildout patterns along I‑20.

Topline estimates (2025)

• Population base: roughly 18–19K residents; about 14–15K adults.
• Mobile phone users (any mobile): ~15–16.5K people. Rationale: rural adult adoption near 85–90% plus high teen uptake.
• Smartphone users: ~12.5–14K people (about 80–85% of mobile users).
• Households primarily relying on mobile data for home internet: materially above the Texas average. Expect low-to-mid 20% of households in Eastland vs low-to-mid teens statewide, driven by limited fixed broadband outside town centers.

Demographic breakdown (what’s different vs Texas overall)

• Age:
  • Teens/young adults: near-universal smartphone use, similar to state.
  • 35–54: slightly lower smartphone penetration than Texas metros but still high (~90%).
  • 55–64: noticeable drop versus state; many use smartphones but keep older models; more mixed feature-phone presence.
  • 65+: substantially lower than state average; smartphone use common but not dominant, and many keep voice/text-only backups.
• Income and plans:
  • Higher share of prepaid/MVNO plans than state average; more price sensitivity and data caps.
  • Longer device replacement cycles; refurbished/older Androids more common than in Texas metros (state skews more to iPhone on postpaid).
• Use patterns:
  • More “mobile-first” or “mobile-only” internet use for everyday tasks (banking, school portals, social, telehealth) because fixed broadband is uneven outside Eastland/Cisco/Ranger.
  • Heavier use of Wi‑Fi when available (work, school, library) to manage data limits.
• Geography within the county:
  • Towns along I‑20 (Eastland, Cisco, Ranger) show near-state adoption levels.
  • Outlying ranchland has lower smartphone uptake and more voice/text reliance due to spotty coverage and in-building signal challenges.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Macro coverage pattern:
  • Strongest along I‑20 and in/around Eastland, Cisco, and Ranger.
  • Noticeable dead or weak zones on secondary and county roads, especially away from the interstate and outside towns.
  • In-building coverage can be weak in metal-roof structures; residents and small businesses more likely than urban Texans to use signal boosters.
• 5G footprint:
  • Low-band “coverage 5G” is common along the corridor; mid-band 5G (faster) is more limited and clustered near towns.
  • mmWave is effectively absent (typical of rural Texas).
  • Result: 5G availability is decent geographically, but median speeds are below Texas metro norms.
• Fixed Wireless Access (FWA):
  • T‑Mobile and Verizon FWA are widely marketed in and around towns and along I‑20; adoption is higher than the state average because cable/fiber options thin out quickly beyond town limits.
• Backhaul and resilience:
  • Sites near the interstate tend to have better backhaul and uptime; remote sites may have fewer redundancy features, so storms and power outages can impact service more visibly than in Texas cities.
• Public safety:
  • AT&T FirstNet presence for first responders; coverage concentrates where commercial AT&T coverage is strongest (corridor/towns).
• Public Wi‑Fi anchors:
  • Libraries, schools, and some municipal facilities act as key connectivity anchors and are used heavily to offset data caps—more so than in urban Texas.

How Eastland differs most from Texas overall

• Adoption is high but trails the state among older adults; Android share and prepaid/MVNO usage are higher than the Texas average.
• A larger share of households rely on mobile data or FWA as their primary home internet due to patchy cable/fiber beyond town centers.
• Coverage is adequate in towns and along I‑20 but has more gaps on rural roads; indoor service is less reliable without boosters.
• 5G is present mainly as broad-coverage low-band; mid-band capacity is spottier, so real-world speeds lag Texas metro areas.
• Device turnover is slower; more cost-conscious plans and heavier Wi‑Fi offloading to manage data.

Notes on method and uncertainty

• Estimates draw on county population/age structure, national rural mobile adoption rates, and Texas carrier buildout norms along interstates.
• For a pinned-down quant profile, pair FCC National Broadband Map/BDCs (for 4G/5G and FWA availability), carrier street-level coverage maps, American Community Survey 5-year (device and internet variables), and local tower databases.

Here’s a concise, planning-ready snapshot for Eastland County, TX. Note: County-level social platform data isn’t published directly; figures below are reasonable estimates modeled from rural-TX/US benchmarks (Pew, DataReportal, platform audience tools) adjusted to the county’s size and age mix.

Quick size

• Population: ~18.5k
• Estimated social media users (13+): 12–14k (≈65–75% of total pop; 78–85% of adults)

Age mix of users (share of local social users)

• 13–17: 8–10%
• 18–24: 12–15%
• 25–34: 18–20%
• 35–54: 35–38%
• 55+: 20–25%

Gender breakdown (of users)

• Female: 51–54%
• Male: 46–49%
• Note: Women skew higher on Facebook and Pinterest; men skew higher on YouTube/X.

Most-used platforms (estimated monthly reach; share of local social users)

• Facebook: 72–78% (Groups/Marketplace are central)
• YouTube: 70–75% (how‑to, local sports, sermons)
• Instagram: 35–45% (younger adults; Stories/Reels)
• TikTok: 30–40% (18–34 growth; short DIY/ranch/outdoors)
• Snapchat: 22–28% (teens/young adults, messaging)
• Pinterest: 20–25% (female skew; home, crafts, recipes)
• X (Twitter): 15–20% (news, sports)
• LinkedIn: 10–15% (small professional base)
• Nextdoor: 5–8% (limited in very small towns)

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first: Facebook Groups and local Pages drive discovery for events, school sports, church activities, fundraisers, and buy/sell/trade.
• Video habits: High YouTube use for repairs, equipment, hunting/fishing, weather; Facebook Live for local games/meetings. Short-form (Reels/TikTok) rising for humor, DIY, ranch life.
• Trust dynamic: Word-of-mouth and UGC outperform polished ads. Local faces, testimonials, and sponsorships (booster clubs, FFA/4-H, teams) convert better.
• Timing: Peaks evenings (6–10pm) and weekends; secondary spikes early morning (6–8am) and lunch hours.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger dominates; Snapchat for teens; WhatsApp use present but smaller than in big-city Texas.
• Commerce: Marketplace is the go-to for vehicles, equipment, furniture; coupon/offer posts outperform generic brand content.
• Content style: Practical, plainspoken, visual. Weather/emergency updates, road closures, and school notices get high engagement.
• Platform mix by age: Teens = Snapchat/TikTok > YouTube > Instagram; 25–44 = Facebook/YouTube + Instagram/TikTok; 45+ = Facebook > YouTube.

How to localize further

• Use Meta/Google ad planners with Eastland County geo to pull current audience counts and refine these ranges monthly.