Kaufman County

Kaufman County, Texas – key demographics (latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates; figures rounded)

• Population size:

  • 2023 population estimate: ~186,000
  • Among the fastest-growing counties in the Dallas–Fort Worth region since 2020

• Age:

  • Median age: ~34–35 years
  • Under 18: ~29%
  • 65 and over: ~12%

• Gender:

  • Female: ~50%
  • Male: ~50%

• Racial/ethnic composition (shares sum to ~100%):

  • White, non-Hispanic: ~55%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~26–27%
  • Black or African American: ~12%
  • Asian: ~2%
  • Two or more races and other: ~4–5%

• Household profile:

  • Households: ~60,000–62,000
  • Average household size: ~3.0 persons
  • Family households: ~75% of households; married-couple families: ~55–60%
  • Owner-occupied housing rate: ~75–80%

Insights:

• Rapid population growth with a relatively young, family-heavy age structure.
• High homeownership consistent with suburban/exurban growth patterns in the DFW metro.

Email users in Kaufman County, TX (est.): 113,000 adults. Basis: total population ≈ 168,000; adults ≈ 124,000; U.S. adult email adoption ≈ 91%.

Age distribution (share of email users; adoption rates in parentheses):

• 18–29: 21% (≈94% use email)
• 30–49: 41% (≈96%)
• 50–64: 24% (≈92%)
• 65+: 14% (≈85%)

Gender split:

• Women: 51% of users (≈92% adoption)
• Men: 49% (≈91% adoption)

Digital access and trends:

• Computer access in households: ~90%+
• Home broadband subscription: ~88% (rising with rapid in‑migration)
• Smartphone‑only internet households: ~15%
• Fixed broadband offering ≥100/20 Mbps available to >95% of locations; fiber footprints expanding along growth corridors.
• 5G coverage present along US‑80 and I‑20 and in population centers; LTE is countywide.

Local density/connectivity facts:

• Land area ≈ 781 sq mi; population density ≈ 215 per sq mi.
• One of the Dallas–Fort Worth metro’s fastest‑growing counties since 2010, with suburban growth clustering near Forney, Terrell, and Kaufman, which concentrates demand and supports strong broadband build‑outs.

Mobile phone usage in Kaufman County, Texas — summary with estimates, demographics, and infrastructure, highlighting what differs from the statewide picture

Key takeaways

• Kaufman County is one of the fastest‑growing counties in the United States; that growth is concentrated in suburban corridors (Forney, Terrell, Crandall, Kaufman) and is driving rapid adoption of 5G and high device density per household.
• Usage patterns differ from Texas overall: more exurban commuters, heavier peak‑hour mobile traffic along US‑80 and I‑20, and a sharper urban–rural performance gap within the county than the statewide average.

User estimates (2025)

• Total residents: approximately 185,000–190,000 (U.S. Census Bureau intercensal estimates through 2023 and continued growth into 2025).
• Adults (18+): roughly 135,000–140,000.
• Estimated smartphone users (individuals): 122,000–130,000.
  • Method: apply 88–92% adult smartphone adoption (Pew Research national adoption levels adjusted for a suburban/exurban county adjacent to a major metro) to the adult population.
• Estimated mobile‑only internet households: 6,500–9,000 households.
  • Method: apply 10–14% “cellular‑only” internet reliance to an estimated 65,000 household base; suburban tracts near Dallas tend lower, rural tracts in the south and around Cedar Creek Lake trend higher.

Demographic context most relevant to mobile usage

• Scale and growth:
  • 2010 population: 103,350; 2020 population: 145,310 (+40.6% over the decade).
  • Kaufman ranked among the nation’s fastest‑growing counties in 2021–2023 by percent change, driven by Dallas–Fort Worth spillover.
• Settlement pattern:
  • Suburban concentration along US‑80 (Forney to Mesquite) and I‑20 (Terrell), with lower‑density rural areas south and southeast (Kemp, Scurry, Post Oak Bend) and around Cedar Creek Lake. This produces high intra‑county variation in mobile performance and coverage quality.
• Age and households:
  • Younger, family‑oriented suburban profile relative to rural Texas counties: larger household sizes, a higher share of households with children, and strong multi‑device penetration per home.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Less Hispanic and more non‑Hispanic White share than the Texas average; Black share is above the state average for exurban counties in the DFW ring. This mix—combined with commuting patterns—aligns with high smartphone and mobile data usage in the northern/western tracts.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage and technology mix:
  • 4G LTE blanket coverage across populated areas; 5G coverage is extensive along US‑80, I‑20, US‑175, and within city limits of Forney, Terrell, Kaufman, and Crandall. Rural precincts south of SH‑243 and around the lake still encounter pockets of mid‑band 5G gaps and occasional LTE‑only service.
• Capacity and speeds:
  • Suburban tracts typically see 5G median download speeds in the 100–300 Mbps range where mid‑band 5G is available; rural tracts can drop to 10–50 Mbps on LTE or low‑band 5G, with greater variability at peak commute times.
• Tower density and backhaul:
  • Rapid residential growth since 2020 led to new macro sites and small‑cell infill along US‑80 and I‑20. Backhaul is strongest where fiber is present (Forney, Terrell); limited fiber backhaul in the southern county contributes to higher latency and lower peak throughput.
• Fixed broadband interplay:
  • Fiber and cable are widely available in the suburban north/west (supports strong Wi‑Fi offload), while DSL, fixed wireless, and satellite play a larger role in the south and lake communities. This split increases mobile‑only reliance in rural tracts and raises evening mobile network load where fixed options are weaker.

How Kaufman County differs from the Texas average

• Faster growth and newer housing stock than the state overall, translating to newer devices, higher 5G adoption, and rapid traffic growth per sector.
• More pronounced urban–rural divide within a single county: suburban areas perform at or above Texas urban medians; rural pockets lag more than the statewide rural average due to sparser tower placement and backhaul constraints.
• Heavier commuter‑driven congestion along specific corridors (US‑80, I‑20, US‑175) during morning and evening peaks, with noticeable speed dips and uplink contention that are more acute than statewide norms outside major metros.
• Slightly lower share of Spanish‑dominant households than Texas overall, with communications demand skewing toward multi‑line family plans and high video/app usage typical of young suburban households.
• Higher mobile‑only household share than metro‑core counties but lower than many rural Texas counties—reflecting a mix of strong suburban fixed broadband and rural gaps within the same jurisdiction.

Implications for planning and operations

• Capacity planning should prioritize mid‑band 5G sector splits and small‑cell densification along US‑80 (Forney–Sunnyvale) and I‑20 (Terrell), plus targeted rural macros south of Kaufman city to address coverage holes.
• Backhaul upgrades (fiber extensions) in southern precincts will yield outsized benefits for both fixed wireless and mobile performance.
• Expect continued year‑over‑year growth in mobile data traffic above the Texas average, driven by in‑migration and multi‑device households; plan spectrum utilization and carrier aggregation accordingly.

Kaufman County, TX social media snapshot (2024 modeled estimates) Method note: Figures are county-level modeled estimates derived from Pew Research Center 2023–2024 U.S. social media usage patterns blended with Kaufman County’s age/sex mix from recent ACS data. Where platform-released county stats are unavailable, results reflect best-available modeling and are rounded.

Overall usage

• Adults using at least one social platform monthly: 82–86%
• Daily social media users: ~70%
• Mobile-first usage: ~90% of sessions; short-form video dominates time spent

Most-used platforms (share of adult residents using monthly)

• YouTube: 83–85%
• Facebook: 66–70%
• Instagram: 45–50%
• TikTok: 32–36%
• Snapchat: 28–32%
• Pinterest: 30–35%
• LinkedIn: 27–32%
• X (Twitter): 20–25%
• Reddit: 18–22%
• Nextdoor: 18–24%
• WhatsApp: 20–25%

Age-group patterns

• Teens (13–17): Instagram 80%+, TikTok ~80%, Snapchat ~75%; Facebook ~30–35%; heavy daily use and messaging-first behavior
• 18–29: YouTube ~95%, Instagram ~80%, Snapchat ~65–70%, TikTok ~60%, Facebook ~60–65%
• 30–49: YouTube ~87%, Facebook ~75–80%, Instagram ~50–55%, TikTok ~38–42%, Pinterest ~40%+, LinkedIn ~35%
• 50–64: Facebook ~70–75%, YouTube ~80–85%, Instagram ~30–35%, TikTok ~15–20%, Nextdoor ~20%
• 65+: Facebook ~60–65%, YouTube ~55–60%, Nextdoor ~18–22%, other platforms lower

Gender breakdown

• Overall social media user base: ~51–52% women, ~48–49% men
• Platform skews:
  • More female: Pinterest (75% F), TikTok (58% F), Instagram (55% F), Facebook (52% F)
  • More male: Reddit (70% M), X/Twitter (60% M), YouTube (~55% M)
  • Near-even: Snapchat, LinkedIn, WhatsApp

Behavioral trends and local insights

• Facebook is the community backbone: Groups and Marketplace drive local discovery (city/HOA updates, youth sports, yard sales, services). Boosted posts with geo-targeting perform strongly.
• Nextdoor is highly utility-driven: HOA and neighborhood alerts, local contractor recommendations, lost/found, public safety. Best for hyperlocal services and civic information.
• Video-first consumption: Reels/TikTok and YouTube Shorts lead growth; sub-30s clips with captions outperform. How-to, local dining, real estate, and family activities content index high.
• Family-suburban skew: Younger families in rapidly growing areas (e.g., Forney/Crandall/Heartland) over-index on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; rural/eastern parts lean more on Facebook.
• Messaging channels matter: Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp are common for church groups, teams, and community coordination; click-to-message CTAs convert better than click-to-site for services.
• Timing: Engagement peaks 7–9 a.m., 12–1 p.m., and 7–10 p.m. CT; weekend activity is strong for events, dining, and recreation.
• Commerce and recommendations: Local reviews and neighbor referrals carry outsized influence; giveaways, limited-time offers, and user-generated content outperform polished brand-only creative.
• Language/cultural: Hispanic residents engage heavily on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp for community and small-business pages; bilingual creative increases reach and shares.

Notes for application

• Prioritize Facebook + Instagram for broad reach; layer TikTok for under-40 reach and Nextdoor for hyperlocal conversions.
• Use video and Stories/Reels as primary formats; add YouTube pre-roll for awareness and search lift.
• Lean into Groups, local influencers, and UGC to build trust; keep creatives localized (city names, landmarks, school references).