Kleberg County

Kleberg County, Texas — key demographics

Population size

• 2020 Census: 31,040 (2010: 32,061; −3.2%)

Age (ACS 2018–2022)

• Median age: 27.6 years
• Under 18: 24%
• 18 to 64: 63%
• 65 and over: 13%

Gender (ACS 2018–2022)

• Male: 53%
• Female: 47%

Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census)

• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~73%
• Non-Hispanic White: ~21%
• Non-Hispanic Black: ~3–4%
• Non-Hispanic Asian: ~1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: <1%
• Two or more races/other (non-Hispanic): ~2%

Household data (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~10,200
• Average household size: ~2.7
• Family households: ~63% (average family size ~3.3)
• Housing tenure: ~52% owner-occupied, ~48% renter-occupied

Insights

• Majority-Hispanic county with a notably young age profile influenced by the local university and military presence
• Household tenure is balanced, with a slight edge toward owner-occupancy

Email usage in Kleberg County, TX (population ≈31,000; area ≈1,090 sq mi; density ≈28 people/sq mi)

• Estimated email users: ~22,000–24,000 residents (≈70–75% of all residents; ~90% of adults).
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: ~6%
  • 18–29: ~27% (boosted by Texas A&M University–Kingsville and Naval Air Station personnel)
  • 30–49: ~31%
  • 50–64: ~22%
  • 65+: ~14%
• Gender split among users: ~50% female, ~50% male, mirroring the county’s population.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Home internet subscription: ~82–85% of households; steadily rising since 2018.
  • Smartphone‑only internet users: ~18–22%, higher in rural tracts and lower‑income households.
  • Most wired broadband capacity is concentrated in Kingsville; outlying ranchlands rely more on fixed wireless or satellite.
  • Public and institutional connectivity from Texas A&M University–Kingsville, schools, and libraries provides robust Wi‑Fi coverage in town.
  • Cellular data coverage is strongest along the US‑77/I‑69E corridor; 4G/5G access supports email on mobile for most residents.

Insight: Email penetration is highest among students and working‑age adults; mobile access closes many gaps, but rural areas outside Kingsville remain the primary connectivity weak spots.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Kleberg County, Texas (with contrasts to statewide patterns)

Scope and sources: Statistics below draw primarily from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 2018–2022 5-year “Computer and Internet Use” (table S2801) and standard demographic releases, combined with a simple, stated model to estimate individual mobile users. Infrastructure points reflect FCC availability filings and provider footprints as of 2024.

Headline takeaways that differ from the Texas average

• Kleberg County households rely on cellular data far more than the state overall, with a notably higher share of “cellular-only” home internet. This signals stronger dependence on mobile networks for everyday connectivity.
• Wireline broadband (cable/fiber/DSL) penetration is lower than the Texas average, and desktop/laptop ownership is lower as well—both factors that tilt usage toward smartphones.
• A younger age profile (Texas A&M University–Kingsville, NAS Kingsville) and a large Hispanic population drive heavy mobile messaging/social/video use and higher smartphone reliance relative to wireline-centric patterns seen in larger Texas metros.
• Rural ranchland areas create more pronounced coverage/quality gaps than the state average, concentrating high-quality mobile service in and around Kingsville and along US‑77.

User estimates (modeled)

• Estimated unique mobile phone users: 24,000–26,000 residents (roughly 78–84% of the total population). Method: apply age-specific smartphone ownership rates (adults ~85–90%, teens 12–17 ~90%) to Kleberg’s population structure; round conservatively.
• Estimated adult mobile users: ~22,000–23,000.
• Practical implication: day-to-day connectivity is dominated by mobile for a substantial share of residents, especially students and lower-income households that are less likely to maintain wireline service and a full computer setup.

Household device ownership and internet subscription (ACS 2018–2022, S2801)

• Households with a smartphone
  • Kleberg County: about 88–92% of households
  • Texas: about 90–93%
  • Insight: Smartphone presence is broadly on par with the state, but what differs is how often it substitutes for a computer or home broadband.
• Households with a desktop or laptop computer
  • Kleberg County: roughly low‑ to mid‑70s percent
  • Texas: roughly low‑ to mid‑80s percent
  • Insight: Lower computer ownership in Kleberg elevates smartphone-as-primary-device behavior more than in Texas overall.
• Households with any cellular data plan (for a smartphone/tablet/other)
  • Kleberg County: high‑70s to around 80% of households
  • Texas: mid‑ to high‑70s
  • Insight: Similar prevalence, but see “cellular‑only” below.
• Cellular‑only home internet (households that rely on a cellular data plan and do not have wireline broadband)
  • Kleberg County: around 18–22% of households
  • Texas: roughly 10–14%
  • Insight: Kleberg’s cellular‑only share is markedly higher than the Texas average, underscoring mobile reliance.
• Wireline broadband (cable, fiber, or DSL) subscription
  • Kleberg County: roughly low‑ to mid‑60s percent of households
  • Texas: roughly mid‑ to high‑70s percent
  • Insight: The wireline gap vs. the state shows up directly as more mobile dependence.
• Households with no internet subscription
  • Kleberg County: roughly low‑ to mid‑teens percent
  • Texas: roughly high‑single‑digits percent
  • Insight: Digital exclusion is more common locally; when connected, households are more likely to connect via mobile than wireline.

Demographic context (ACS/census profile)

• Population: roughly 31,000 residents; about 10,000–11,000 households.
• Age: younger-than-state profile due to Texas A&M University–Kingsville and NAS Kingsville; a larger 18–34 cohort correlates with heavy smartphone use.
• Race/ethnicity: a large Hispanic/Latino majority (roughly low‑ to mid‑70s percent). Nationally, Hispanic adults report strong smartphone adoption and higher mobile-only home internet use—patterns that align with the county’s results.
• Income: median household income trails the Texas average; lower income is associated with higher cellular‑only and prepaid mobile reliance.

Digital infrastructure and market characteristics

• Mobile network coverage: 4G LTE is broadly available in Kingsville and along the US‑77 corridor; rural ranchlands exhibit weaker or inconsistent signal quality. 5G service is present in/around Kingsville from national carriers, with performance dropping off in sparsely populated tracts.
• Wireline availability: Cable broadband is established in Kingsville; fiber availability is more limited and uneven outside core neighborhoods. Many rural addresses rely on fixed wireless or satellite, which helps explain the elevated cellular‑only share.
• Public and institutional access: Texas A&M University–Kingsville, public libraries, and schools provide critical high-capacity Wi‑Fi that mitigates household wireline deficits but reinforces mobile-first patterns off‑campus.
• Program dynamics: With the 2024 lapse of ACP funding, low-income households are more likely to maintain a mobile plan than a wireline subscription, widening the county’s gap from statewide wireline norms.

What this means in practice

• Kleberg County is a mobile‑first market by necessity and by preference: smartphone access is nearly universal, but wireline and computer gaps push everyday tasks—schoolwork, job applications, telehealth—onto phones.
• Network investment that most reduces the county–state gap is twofold: filling fiber/wireline holes in and near Kingsville and addressing outdoor/in‑building coverage and capacity on ranchland fringes; both would directly reduce the unusually high cellular‑only rate.
• For service providers, plans that emphasize generous mobile data, hotspot allowances, and student‑friendly pricing match the county’s usage reality better than wireline‑first bundles typical of metro Texas.

Social media usage in Kleberg County, TX (2025 snapshot)

Population and user base

• Population: ~31,000 (U.S. Census Bureau 2023 estimate)
• Estimated social media users: 20,000–22,000 people (roughly 65–72% of the total population; ~83–88% of adults and ~90% of teens)

Age groups (share of social media users)

• 13–17: 7–9%
• 18–24: 17–20% (elevated by Texas A&M University–Kingsville)
• 25–34: 20–22%
• 35–49: 25–28%
• 50–64: 17–19%
• 65+: 8–10%

Gender breakdown

• Overall: roughly even (about 49–51% split)
• Platform skews:
  • Facebook: women 56–60%
  • Instagram: women 54–58%
  • TikTok: women ~55%
  • YouTube: men 55–60%
  • Reddit: men 70–75%

Most-used platforms (share of local social media users)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 63–70%
• Instagram: 45–55%
• TikTok: 40–50%
• Snapchat: 30–40% (heavy among 13–24)
• WhatsApp: 25–35% (strong among Hispanic households and cross‑family groups)
• X (Twitter): 15–22% (news, weather, sports)
• LinkedIn: 12–18% (government, education, healthcare)
• Reddit: 10–15% (students, base personnel, tech/gaming)
• Nextdoor: 5–10% (neighborhoods; many residents default to Facebook Groups instead)

Behavioral trends

• Community and local info: Facebook Groups and Marketplace dominate buy/sell/trade, school updates, lost & found, county notices. Engagement peaks evenings and weekends.
• Student‑driven content: Instagram and Snapchat for campus life and nightlife; heavy Stories and DM sharing; late‑night and after‑class spikes.
• Short‑form video surge: TikTok and Instagram Reels drive discovery for food trucks, taquerias, events, and Western/Tejano music; bilingual audio performs best.
• Messaging backbone: WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger for family, church, and micro‑business coordination; group chats drive event turnout more than public posts.
• News and emergencies: Facebook pages of local agencies and X usage rise during severe weather and hurricane season; share/reshare behavior is high for public safety.
• Video habits: YouTube for music, how‑tos, automotive, and sports highlights; strong consumption of Spanish‑language and bilingual channels.
• Shopping and services: Facebook Marketplace and Instagram shops are key for local deals; DM bookings and cash‑app payments are common for beauty, repair, and home services.
• Language: High bilingual audience; Spanish captions or dual‑language posts increase reach among 30+ cohorts and multigenerational households.
• Influencers: Micro‑local voices (TAMUK athletes/clubs, local food creators, musicians) outperform non‑local influencers for engagement and event turnout.
• Timing norms: Best-performing windows are 7–9 a.m., lunch (11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.), and 7–10 p.m.; student activity sustains later nights midweek.

Notes

• Figures are modeled estimates for Kleberg County using U.S. Census Bureau population data and Pew Research Center’s 2024 social media adoption by age and gender, adjusted for the local university‑age skew and Hispanic household prevalence.

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 population estimates; ACS 5‑year (2019–2023)
• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (platform and demographic adoption)
• Public enrollment context: Texas A&M University–Kingsville (for age‑mix relevance)