Jasper County

Jasper County, Texas — key demographics

Population

• 34,8K (2023 estimate, U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program)
• 35.6K (2020 Census)
• Change since 2020: about −2% (net decline)

Age

• Median age: ~42 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~22%
• 18 to 64: ~57%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Sex

• Male: ~50.6%
• Female: ~49.4%

Race/ethnicity (mutually exclusive; Hispanic is any race) — ACS 2018–2022

• White, non-Hispanic: ~69–70%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~16–17%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~8%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~0.8%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: ~0.5%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: ~0.1%
• Some other race, non-Hispanic: ~1–2%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~13,300
• Average household size: ~2.54
• Family households: ~70% of households
• Married-couple family households: ~50% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~27%
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: ~79%
• Average family size: ~3.0

Insights

• Population has modestly declined since 2020.
• Older age profile than the Texas average, with about one in five residents 65+.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White, with a sizable Black population and a smaller but growing Hispanic population.
• High homeownership and a largely family-household composition typical of rural East Texas.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates (tables including B01001, B01002, B03002, DP02, DP04); 2023 Population Estimates Program.

Jasper County, TX snapshot

• Population and density: ≈33,000 residents across ~950 sq. miles (≈35 people/sq. mile), rural East Texas.
• Estimated email users: ~24,700 residents use email at least monthly (≈75% of the population), driven by smartphone access and home internet subscriptions.
• Age distribution of email users: 13–17: 7%; 18–34: 22%; 35–54: 34%; 55–64: 18%; 65+: 19%. The county’s older age profile slightly raises the 55+ share versus Texas overall.
• Gender split among users: ≈49% male, 51% female, mirroring the county population.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Home internet subscription: ~78–80% of households, with an adoption gap in lower-income and very rural areas.
  • Connection mix: Cable and some fiber in town centers; DSL, fixed wireless, and satellite prevalent in outlying areas.
  • Mobile: High smartphone reliance; ~15–20% of households are smartphone‑only for internet.
  • Speeds: Many locations meet basic broadband (25–100 Mbps), but consistency drops outside towns.
  • Affordability: The 2024 wind‑down of the Affordable Connectivity Program increased churn risk among cost‑sensitive households.
• Local connectivity context: Service quality is strongest in and around population centers (e.g., Jasper) and major corridors; the county’s low density and forested terrain contribute to patchy fixed broadband and mobile coverage outside towns.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Jasper County, Texas (2024)

Headline estimate

• Total mobile phone users (any mobile phone): approximately 26,000–27,500 residents, out of a county population of roughly 33,000.
• Smartphone users: approximately 23,500–25,000 residents.
• Wireless-only households for voice (no landline): roughly two-thirds, noticeably below the Texas statewide share, which is closer to three-quarters.

How these estimates were derived

• Population base: 33,000 residents; adults (18+) are about 77–79% of the population in rural East Texas counties; teen smartphone adoption is very high; and a portion of older adults use basic phones rather than smartphones.
• Adoption inputs: smartphone adoption among Texas adults is around 90%, but rural, older, and lower-income areas run several points lower. Applying an 83–87% adult smartphone rate for Jasper County, plus high teen adoption and some basic-phone use among seniors, yields the totals above.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age
  • 65+ share is materially higher than the Texas average (Jasper ~19–21% vs. Texas ~13–14%).
  • Senior smartphone adoption trails the state: roughly 60–65% of Jasper seniors use smartphones (Texas seniors are closer to the low-70s to mid-70s). Basic phones remain more common among Jasper’s oldest cohorts.
• Income and education
  • Median household income is significantly below the Texas median, and the poverty rate is several points higher. This produces:
    • Greater reliance on prepaid plans and discount MVNOs.
    • Higher “smartphone-dependent” internet use (using a phone as the primary internet connection) compared with Texas overall.
• Race/ethnicity
  • Jasper County is majority White with a sizable Black population and a smaller Hispanic population. Consistent with statewide patterns, Black and Hispanic residents are at least as likely as White residents to own smartphones but are more likely to be smartphone-dependent for home internet due to lower fixed-broadband availability and affordability.
• Household connectivity
  • Any-internet subscription in households sits several points below the Texas average, with fixed broadband (cable/fiber) meaningfully lower than state levels. Smartphone-only households are more common than the Texas average.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Coverage mix
  • 4G LTE is the day-to-day workhorse countywide.
  • 5G is present but patchier than metro Texas. Low-band 5G generally follows major corridors and population centers (Jasper, Kirbyville, Buna), with mid-band 5G more limited. Forested terrain and water bodies (e.g., around Sam Rayburn Reservoir) create performance variability and dead zones off-corridor.
• Performance
  • Typical mobile speeds are lower than Texas urban averages. LTE remains common indoors, and 5G throughput can drop quickly with distance from towers or in heavy foliage.
• Resiliency
  • Storm-related outages remain a concern; carriers have emphasized upgrades to backup power and site hardening, but recovery times can still lag urban Texas after major weather events.
• Fixed Wireless Access (FWA)
  • FWA (5G home internet) availability is growing along main corridors and in/near the City of Jasper, providing an alternative where cable or fiber is absent. Uptake is higher than in metros due to limited wired choices.
• Competitive landscape
  • All three national carriers serve the county; tower additions since 2020 have been modest, with many improvements coming from sector upgrades and additional spectrum rather than large numbers of new macro sites.

How Jasper County differs from Texas overall

• Lower 5G density and smaller mid-band 5G footprint; more day-to-day reliance on LTE.
• More smartphone-dependent households due to gaps in fixed broadband, even though overall device ownership is high.
• Higher share of prepaid plans and budget MVNO use tied to income mix.
• Lower senior smartphone adoption and a higher persistence of basic phones among the oldest residents.
• More pronounced coverage variability off main highways and around heavily forested or lakeside areas.

Practical implications

• Businesses and public services should assume many residents rely primarily on smartphones for internet access; optimize mobile experiences and low-bandwidth pathways.
• Emergency communication planning should account for coverage gaps off-corridor and prioritize multi-carrier redundancy.
• Expansion of mid-band 5G and additional infill sites would yield outsized benefits versus metro areas because they substitute for limited wired broadband in many localities.

Jasper County, TX social media snapshot (2025)

Most-used platforms among adults (benchmarks; local reach typically within ±5 percentage points of these U.S.-adult figures due to the county’s older, rural profile)

• YouTube: ~83%
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~47%
• Pinterest: ~35%
• TikTok: ~33%
• LinkedIn: ~31%
• WhatsApp: ~29%
• Snapchat: ~27%
• X (Twitter): ~22%
• Reddit: ~22%

User stats and composition

• Overall adoption: A clear majority of adults use at least one social platform; multi-platform use is common, with Facebook and YouTube forming the core stack.
• Activity frequency: Daily use is the norm for Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube; TikTok and Snapchat daily use is concentrated among under-35s.
• Multi-platform overlap: Facebook + YouTube is the dominant pairing across ages; Instagram is the most common third platform; TikTok adds incremental reach in younger households.

Age groups (how usage tends to concentrate locally)

• 18–29: Very high YouTube use; Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat are primary; Facebook is secondary but still relevant for local groups and marketplace.
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram meaningful; TikTok present, especially among parents of school-age children.
• 50–64: Facebook is the hub for news, events, and buy/sell; YouTube for how‑to and local news; Pinterest relevant for hobbies; lighter Instagram/TikTok use.
• 65+: Facebook for community, church, school updates, and family; YouTube for news/how‑to; minimal presence on other platforms.

Gender breakdown (local patterns mirror U.S. skews)

• Facebook: roughly balanced by gender.
• Instagram: slight female skew.
• Pinterest: strong female skew (home, crafts, recipes, décor).
• Reddit and X (Twitter): male‑skewed.
• LinkedIn: slight male skew; overall smaller footprint in a rural labor market.

Behavioral trends in Jasper County

• Facebook Groups as the public square: Heavy use for city/county updates, school boosters/athletics, churches, lost & found, buy/sell/trade, storm and outage information. Marketplace is a major local commerce channel.
• Video-first consumption: Short, vertical video (Reels/Shorts) outperforms links for reach and sharing; captions are essential due to high mute viewing.
• Trust in local voices: Posts from known residents, schools, churches, civic clubs, and local agencies outperform generic brand content; personal recommendations drive high engagement.
• Messaging as service: Facebook Messenger is the default inquiry channel for local businesses; WhatsApp usage is growing in multi‑generational and Hispanic households.
• Event- and weather-driven spikes: Severe weather and hurricane season trigger surges in posting, sharing, and group activity.
• Posting rhythm: Evenings and weekends see stronger engagement across platforms; weekday early mornings perform well for utility and news content.
• Cross-post strategy: Facebook + Instagram covers most residents; add TikTok to reach under‑35 and YouTube for durable, searchable video.

Implications

• Lead with Facebook (Pages + Groups + Marketplace) and YouTube for county‑wide reach.
• Use Instagram for visual storytelling; add TikTok for youth/young families.
• Prioritize short, captioned vertical video; post links in comments to avoid reach penalties.
• Partner with local institutions and group admins to distribute key messages; maintain fast Messenger response.

Sources and method

• Platform percentages are from Pew Research Center’s Social Media Use in 2024 (U.S. adults). Jasper County adoption typically tracks these within a few points given its older, rural profile.
• Age/gender usage skews reflect Pew 2024 breakouts and observed rural adoption patterns; insights reflect common behavior in East Texas rural counties including Jasper County.