Lavaca County

Lavaca County, Texas – key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates; rounded)

Population

• Total population: ~21,300

Age

• Median age: ~46 years
• Under 18: ~22%
• 18 to 64: ~56%
• 65 and over: ~22%

Gender

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Race and ethnicity (Hispanic is any race; other groups are non-Hispanic)

• White (NH): ~75%
• Hispanic or Latino: ~22%
• Black or African American (NH): ~2%
• Two or more races (NH): ~1%
• Asian (NH): <1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (NH): <1%

Households

• Total households: ~8,700
• Average household size: ~2.4
• Family households: ~66% of households
• Married-couple households: ~55% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~26%
• Householder living alone: ~30% (about half are 65+)

Insights

• Older age profile than Texas overall, with roughly one in five residents 65+.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White, with a smaller Hispanic share than the Texas average.
• Household structure skews toward married-couple families, with relatively small household size typical of rural counties.

• Scope and density: Lavaca County has about 21,000 residents spread over 970 sq mi (22 people per sq mi). Roughly 8,400 households; about 82% have a broadband subscription and ~90% have a computer (ACS 2018–2022).

• Estimated email users: ~15,500 adults use email (≈92% of adults; ~74% of total population), based on Pew U.S. adoption benchmarks applied to local demographics.

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

  • 18–29: ~2,500 (16%)
  • 30–49: ~4,900 (32%)
  • 50–64: ~4,400 (28%)
  • 65+: ~3,700 (24%)

• Gender split among email users:

  • Female: ~7,800 (50.5%)
  • Male: ~7,700 (49.5%)

• Digital access trends and insights:

  • Email is near‑universal among working‑age adults; the fastest growth is among 65+ as broadband and device access improve.
  • Rural density raises last‑mile costs; outside town centers, more residents rely on fixed‑wireless or cellular hotspots, which can constrain large attachments and video‑meeting reliability.
  • Broadband availability and adoption are rising with ongoing rural buildouts, yet farm and ranch areas still trail town cores on speed and latency, keeping a modest urban‑rural performance gap.

Mobile phone usage in Lavaca County, Texas — 2025 snapshot

At-a-glance population context

• Population: ~20,800 residents; ~8,300 households
• Age: older than Texas overall; about 23% age 65+ (Texas ~13–14%)
• Rural profile: largely rural with population centers in/around Hallettsville, Shiner, and the Yoakum fringe

User estimates

• Any mobile phone (residents 13+): 17,200 users (96% of residents age 13+; ~83% of total population)
• Smartphone users (residents 13+): 15,500 (87% of residents age 13+; ~75% of total population)
• Cellular-only households (no landline): ~60% of households
• Smartphone-only internet households (no fixed home broadband): ~19% of households
• Prepaid share of consumer mobile lines: ~32% (higher than Texas overall)
• Platform mix (installed base): ~55% Android, ~45% iPhone
• Typical monthly mobile data per smartphone line: median ~13 GB; heavy users (90th percentile) ~35 GB

Demographic usage patterns

• Seniors (65+): very high basic mobile ownership (90%+), but lower smartphone adoption (3 in 4); more voice/SMS-centric use and longer device replacement cycles, which pulls down countywide smartphone share
• Working-age adults (18–64): ~9 in 10 use smartphones; primary mobile data users for work, navigation, and social apps
• Teens (13–17): ~95% smartphone adoption; heaviest messaging and video use, concentrated in towns and school catchments
• Hispanic households (about one-fifth to one-quarter of county residents): comparable or higher smartphone reliance than average and more likely to use prepaid and mobile-only internet options relative to non-Hispanic white households

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Networks present: AT&T (including FirstNet for public safety), T‑Mobile, and Verizon serve the county; most MVNOs ride these networks
• 4G LTE: near-ubiquitous along US‑77, US‑90A, TX‑95/TX‑111, and in/around Hallettsville and Shiner; coverage weakens on low-traffic farm-to-market roads and in low-lying/wooded areas
• 5G:
  • Low-band 5G from AT&T and T‑Mobile broadly overlays LTE coverage
  • Mid-band 5G capacity (e.g., T‑Mobile 2.5 GHz, AT&T 3.45 GHz/C‑Band, Verizon C‑Band) is concentrated in and near towns and along principal corridors; mmWave is not a factor
• Typical performance: in-town 5G median downloads ~50–150 Mbps; rural edge LTE/5G often 5–25 Mbps with higher variability; uplink frequently the limiting factor for live video and telework outside towns
• Backhaul: fiber-fed macro sites cluster near towns/highways; microwave backhaul supports some rural towers, contributing to capacity constraints during peak hours
• Home internet options influencing mobile reliance: fiber/coax in limited footprints (notably via regional cooperatives such as Colorado Valley Communications in parts of Lavaca), AT&T legacy DSL in some areas, plus fixed wireless (T‑Mobile Home Internet widely available around towns; Verizon 5G Home more limited) and satellite (Starlink, Hughesnet, Viasat)

How Lavaca County differs from Texas overall

• Lower smartphone penetration: about 7–10 percentage points below the Texas average on a whole-population basis, driven by an older age structure
• Higher prepaid usage: roughly 5–10 points above the state average, reflecting price sensitivity and intermittent credit profiles common in rural markets
• More Android-leaning installed base: Android leads by ~10 points locally, whereas major Texas metros are iPhone-leaning
• Slower and more variable speeds: mid-band 5G density is lower than in metros; in-town performance is solid, but rural edges see LTE-level speeds and higher latency
• Lower smartphone-only internet reliance than urban Texas: despite patchy fixed broadband in the countryside, the older population mix and presence of regional fiber cooperatives keep “mobile-only” households a few points below large urban counties
• Greater emphasis on coverage and reliability: residents prioritize signal reach for agriculture, energy, and emergency use over bleeding-edge speeds; FirstNet coverage via AT&T is a notable public-safety asset
• Device replacement cycles: longer than state urban averages, yielding a larger tail of older LTE-only or entry-tier 5G devices in active use

Actionable implications

• Capacity matters most in towns, coverage on ranch roads: small-cell or additional mid-band sectors near schools, clinics, and civic centers will yield outsized benefits; rural macro infill improves reliability more than peak speeds
• Prepaid and fixed-wireless bundles will over-index: competitively priced prepaid plans and home 5G offerings resonate, especially as the Affordable Connectivity Program wind-down pushes price-sensitive households toward mobile-centric solutions
• Public anchors and co-op fiber remain pivotal: continued fiber backhaul expansion by regional providers will directly lift mobile capacity and resilience countywide

Notes on methodology

• Estimates combine county population and age structure with recent national/rural mobile ownership and smartphone-adoption benchmarks, adjusted for Lavaca’s older age mix and rural infrastructure profile. Figures are designed to be directionally accurate for local planning and market sizing.

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

What this is: A county-specific, modeled estimate using U.S. Census Bureau ACS (latest available) demographics for Lavaca County combined with Pew Research Center 2024 platform adoption by age, gender, and rural residency. Figures are rounded and reflect monthly use.

User stats

• Residents: ≈21,000; adults (18+): ≈16,500
• Active social media users (13+): ≈13,500–14,500
  • Adults: ~80–85% use at least one platform
  • Teens (13–17): ~90–95% use at least one platform

Most-used platforms (share of residents 13+ using monthly)

• YouTube: 75–80%
• Facebook: 65–70%
• Instagram: 35–40%
• Pinterest: 28–33% (skews female)
• TikTok: 25–30%
• Snapchat: 20–25% (skews under 30)
• WhatsApp: 12–18% (lower than Texas metro average)
• X (Twitter): 12–15% (skews male)
• LinkedIn: 8–12% (concentrated among college-educated professionals)
• Nextdoor: 5–8% (limited neighborhood density)

Age-group profile (share using any social platform; top platforms in each group)

• 13–17: 90–95%; top: YouTube (95%), Instagram (70%), TikTok (70%), Snapchat (65%), Facebook (~20–30%)
• 18–24: 90–95%; top: YouTube (95%), Instagram (75–80%), TikTok (60–65%), Snapchat (55–60%), Facebook (~40%)
• 25–34: 85–90%; top: YouTube (90+), Facebook (60–65%), Instagram (55–60%), TikTok (40–45%), Snapchat (~30–35%)
• 35–54: 80–88%; top: Facebook (70–78%), YouTube (85–90%), Instagram (35–45%), TikTok (22–30%)
• 55–64: 78–83%; top: Facebook (75–80%), YouTube (78–82%), Instagram (25–30%), TikTok (12–18%)
• 65+: 65–72%; top: Facebook (68–75%), YouTube (65–70%), Instagram (15–20%), TikTok (6–10%)

Gender breakdown

• Overall social media adoption: Women ~82–86%; Men ~78–83%
• Platform skews among users:
  • Facebook: slight female skew (~52–55% women)
  • Instagram: female skew (~56–60% women)
  • TikTok: slight female skew (~54–58% women)
  • Pinterest: strong female skew (~70–75% women)
  • YouTube: slight male skew (~52–56% men)
  • X (Twitter): male skew (~58–62% men)
  • LinkedIn: slight male skew

Behavioral trends

• Facebook is the community hub: local news, school athletics, churches, civic groups, ag/FFA/4‑H, yard-sales/marketplace; Groups drive most discussion and event awareness.
• Video first: YouTube for how‑to, farming/ranching, sports highlights; short-form (Reels/TikTok) growing among under‑40s for entertainment and local happenings.
• Messaging matters: Facebook Messenger dominates peer-to-peer and customer inquiries; WhatsApp used within family networks and among cross-border or out‑of‑state ties.
• Shopping and services: Residents discover local restaurants, contractors, health/beauty, and resale items on Facebook and Instagram; Pinterest influences home, crafts, recipes.
• Timing: Peak engagement early morning (6–8 a.m.) and evenings (7–10 p.m.); weekend mid‑day spikes around community events and sports.
• Ads that work: Localized creative (faces/places), promos tied to county events, and practical offers (same‑day service, hours, phone‑first CTAs). Older skew favors clear text, phone numbers, and map links over complex landing pages.
• Trust signals: Recommendations in Facebook Groups heavily sway choices; businesses that respond quickly in comments/DMs and post steady updates earn outsized reach.

Method note: Percentages are county-specific estimates derived by weighting Pew’s 2024 U.S. social media adoption rates by Lavaca County’s age/gender mix and rural profile (ACS). Actual usage will vary by neighborhood and over time, but the relative platform ranking and skews are consistently observed across similar rural Texas counties.