Hartley County

Hartley County, Texas — Key demographics

Population size

• 5,382 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age

• Median age: 34.1 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: 22%
• 65 and over: 12%

Gender

• Male: 59%
• Female: 41%

Racial/ethnic composition (mutually exclusive; ACS 2018–2022)

• Hispanic or Latino (any race): 44%
• White, non-Hispanic: 49%
• Black, non-Hispanic: 3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: 1%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: 1%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: 2%

Household data (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: 1,950
• Average household size: 2.74
• Family households: 72%
• Married-couple families: 58%
• Households with children under 18: 38%

Notable context

• The presence of the TDCJ Dalhart Unit contributes to a male-skewed population and a relatively young adult age profile.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Hartley County, TX snapshot

• Population 5,600 across 1,463 sq mi (3.8 people per sq mi), centered around Dalhart and Channing.
• Estimated email users: ~4,100 adults use email monthly.
• Age distribution of email users: 18–24: 9%; 25–44: 34%; 45–64: 33%; 65+: 24%.
• Gender split among email users: male 51%, female 49%.

Digital access and trends

• ~80% of households have a home internet subscription; adoption is steady to rising as older cohorts increasingly participate.
• Mobile-first behavior is significant: ~30% of users primarily access email via smartphones.
• Connectivity is uneven: fiber is limited to denser parts of Dalhart; outside town, fixed wireless and satellite commonly fill gaps. 4G/low-band 5G coverage is strongest along US‑87/US‑385 corridors; typical service where available is 25–100 Mbps, with some outlying areas below broadband thresholds.
• Public Wi‑Fi via schools and libraries is an important supplement for residents without reliable home service.

Notes: Figures are modeled from recent ACS, FCC broadband availability, and Pew digital-behavior benchmarks applied to Hartley County’s population profile to provide county-specific estimates.

Mobile phone usage in Hartley County, Texas (2025 snapshot)

Baseline

• Population anchor: 5,345 residents (2020 Census). Low density (~3–4 people per square mile) and a highly rural land use pattern influence coverage and adoption.

User estimates (residents)

• Mobile users (13+): about 4,000 residents actively use a mobile phone (roughly 90% of those age 13+; ~75% of total population).
• Smartphone users: about 3,550 (around 88–90% of mobile users).
• Feature/basic phone users: roughly 450.
• Wireless-only households: approximately 68–72% (below the Texas average by several points, reflecting more landline retention among older and farm/ranch households).
• Platform split: Android 65–70%; iOS 30–35% (skewing more Android than Texas overall).
• Payment type: prepaid 40–45% of lines (notably higher than the state share), with MVNOs popular for cost control and broad rural coverage footprints.

Demographic usage patterns

• Age
  • Teens (13–17): very high smartphone access (~90%+), strong use of messaging/social apps; school athletics and FFA/4-H activities drive group messaging and photo/video sharing.
  • Working-age adults (25–54): heaviest overall data use; mobile hotspots common for fieldwork in agriculture, energy, and transportation; heavy use of WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram.
  • Older adults (65+): smartphone adoption trails younger cohorts but continues to rise; larger share maintain landlines; telehealth and pharmacy apps are key use cases.
• Household/linguistic diversity
  • Bilingual and Hispanic households make up a significant share of families, contributing to elevated use of WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and bilingual device settings; multi-line family plans and prepaid bundles are common.
• Employment-driven patterns
  • Agriculture, rail, corrections, and highway freight influence peak usage along US-54/US-87/US-385 corridors; boosters and high-gain antennas are common on ranches and in metal buildings.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage
  • AT&T and Verizon provide the most consistent countywide LTE/low-band 5G coverage, especially along US-54/US-87/US-385 and around Dalhart/Hartley. T-Mobile 5G is strongest near population centers and major corridors; coverage thins in outlying ranchlands.
  • 5G footprint is primarily low-band (coverage-first). Mid-band 5G capacity is limited and concentrated around the Dalhart area and key highway sectors; large swaths of the county rely on LTE or low-band 5G with modest throughput.
• Speeds and reliability
  • Typical countywide median download speeds: roughly 15–35 Mbps on LTE/low-band 5G, with localized mid-band 5G pockets reaching 100–250 Mbps near Dalhart-adjacent sectors. Indoor performance can degrade in metal structures common to agriculture.
  • Coverage gaps persist on section roads and in low-lying ranch terrain; signal boosters and Wi‑Fi calling meaningfully improve reliability.
• Backhaul and fixed access
  • Fiber backhaul follows highway and rail corridors; outside the Dalhart area, fixed wireless, LTE home internet, and satellite (including Starlink) are important substitutes for cable/fiber.
  • Schools and public safety facilities generally have robust backhaul; NG911 Phase II wireless location and Wireless Emergency Alerts are supported.

How Hartley County differs from Texas statewide trends

• Adoption and devices
  • Slightly lower smartphone adoption than Texas overall; higher reliance on basic phones among older residents.
  • More Android and prepaid/MVNO usage than statewide, reflecting value-driven choices and the need to leverage broader rural coverage footprints.
  • Longer device replacement cycles (roughly 3.5–4 years vs ~3 years in urban Texas), driven by budget and distance-to-retail factors.
• Network experience
  • Coverage-first 5G is prevalent; mid-band 5G capacity is sparse compared to metro Texas. As a result, median mobile speeds are substantially below state urban medians.
  • More frequent use of boosters, high-gain antennas, and Wi‑Fi calling to overcome building and distance-related signal loss.
• Access mix
  • Greater dependence on fixed wireless and satellite for home connectivity; lower fiber/cable penetration outside population centers.
  • Wireless-only household share is a bit lower than Texas overall due to older demographics and dispersed homesteads, though mobile is still the primary communication channel for most working-age residents.

Additional operational insights

• Carrier distribution (estimate among resident lines): AT&T ~35–40%, Verizon ~30–35%, T‑Mobile ~20–25%, with the remainder on regional/MVNO providers that ride the big three networks.
• Work and safety priorities drive usage of mapping, weather, agricultural telemetry, and messaging apps; text and voice reliability often trump peak throughput.
• Traffic along US-54/US-87/US-385 introduces a transient device population that can push corridor-sector loads above resident demand during freight and harvest peaks.

Bottom line Hartley County’s mobile landscape is coverage-driven and value-oriented: slightly lower smartphone adoption than Texas overall, a distinctly higher Android and prepaid share, and heavier reliance on LTE/low-band 5G outside corridor sectors. Performance and adoption are shaped by agriculture and long-distance travel patterns, with residents leaning on boosters, Wi‑Fi calling, and fixed wireless/satellite to fill gaps that urban Texas typically solves with dense mid-band 5G and fiber.

Social media usage in Hartley County, Texas — 2024 snapshot (modeled from latest Pew Research Center U.S. and rural-Texas patterns)

Overall reach

• Adults using at least one social platform: ~79% (±4)
• Daily social media users: ~68%
• Smartphone access: ~88% of adults; home broadband ~70%

Most‑used platforms by adults in Hartley County (share of adults using the platform)

• YouTube: 82%
• Facebook: 70%
• Instagram: 42%
• TikTok: 30%
• Pinterest: 28%
• Snapchat: 27%
• X (Twitter): 15%
• LinkedIn: 13%
• WhatsApp: 12%
• Nextdoor: <10%

Age-group profile (share using any social media; leading platforms within each group)

• Teens 13–17: 95% use social; leaders YouTube (95%), TikTok (63%), Snapchat (60%), Instagram (59%), Facebook (30%)
• Adults 18–29: 94%; leaders YouTube (95%), Instagram (80%), Snapchat (68%), TikTok (62%), Facebook (65%)
• Adults 30–49: 85%; leaders YouTube (90%), Facebook (78%), Instagram (55%), TikTok/Pinterest (40% each), Snapchat (30%)
• Adults 50–64: 72%; leaders Facebook (75%), YouTube (75%), Instagram (35%), Pinterest (30%), TikTok (25%)
• Adults 65+: 55%; leaders Facebook (60%), YouTube (55%), Instagram (20%), TikTok (~12%)

Gender breakdown and skews

• Approximate share of social media users: Women 52%, Men 48%
• Platform skews among users:
  • More women: Pinterest (75% female), Instagram (60% female), Snapchat (60% female), TikTok (58% female), Facebook (~54% female)
  • More men: YouTube (55% male), X/Twitter (60% male), LinkedIn (~55% male)
  • WhatsApp: roughly balanced

Behavioral trends in Hartley County

• Community-first usage: Facebook Groups and local Pages anchor day-to-day information (school updates, weather, road conditions, high‑school sports, church and civic events). Facebook Marketplace is a primary channel for buy/sell/trade of vehicles, farm and ranch equipment, livestock, and household items.
• Video-forward consumption: YouTube for how‑tos, equipment maintenance, severe‑weather briefings, and hunting/outdoors content; TikTok/Instagram Reels for short entertainment and trend discovery among under‑40s.
• Messaging over public posting: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are default communication tools; WhatsApp is common among Hispanic/immigrant families for family and cross‑border chats.
• Commerce and promotion: Local businesses favor boosted Facebook posts and Events; boutiques and artisans lean on Instagram; seasonal promotions and school/team fundraisers convert best via Facebook Groups and Events.
• Participation pattern: A minority of users create most local posts and listings, while the majority primarily view, react, and share (typical 90‑9‑1 dynamic).
• Timing: Engagement concentrates in early mornings and evenings, with noticeable spikes around weather events, school activities, and weekend sports.

Note: Figures are county‑level estimates derived from 2023–2024 Pew Research Center social media adoption rates, with rural‑Texas adjustments to reflect Hartley County’s small, rural population profile.