Mcmullen County

McMullen County, Texas — key demographics

Population size and density

• 600 residents (2020 Census). Down from 707 in 2010 (−15%).
• Land area ≈1,139 sq. mi.; population density ≈0.5 persons/sq. mi.

Age

• Median age: ~43 years (ACS 2018–2022).
• Under 18: ~24%; 65 and over: ~18% (ACS 2018–2022).

Gender

• Male ~55%; Female ~45% (ACS 2018–2022).

Racial/ethnic composition (Hispanic is an ethnicity; persons may be any race)

• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~50%.
• Non-Hispanic White: ~45%.
• Other races (combined Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, multiracial): ~5%. (2020 Census; small-county figures rounded due to small population)

Households and families

• Households: ~232; families: ~164 (2020 Census).
• Average household size: ~2.6; average family size: ~3.1 (ACS 2018–2022).
• Tenure: ~80% owner-occupied; ~20% renter-occupied (ACS 2018–2022).

Notes: Small population leads to larger margins of error in ACS figures; 2020 Census provides hard counts for total population and households.

McMullen County, TX (2020 pop. ≈743) spans ≈1,157 sq mi—about 0.6 residents per square mile, among the lowest densities in Texas.

Estimated email users: ≈560 residents. This reflects ~90% adoption among adults and ~75% penetration across the full population.

Age distribution of email users (estimated): 13–17: 5%; 18–34: 22%; 35–54: 35%; 55–64: 18%; 65+: 20%. Users skew slightly older than the state average due to the county’s age profile.

Gender split of email users (estimated): ≈54% male, 46% female, mirroring the county’s male-leaning workforce mix.

Digital access and trends: Household broadband subscription is roughly three-quarters of households, below the Texas average; fixed wireless and satellite are the main growth drivers, with limited fiber. Mobile-only internet reliance is elevated for a rural county. Broadband is strongest around Tilden and along US‑281/SH‑16; many ranchlands depend on wireless or satellite. Most serviceable locations meet 25/3 Mbps thresholds, while a smaller share reaches 100/20+ Mbps. Extremely low density and long last‑mile distances increase per‑premise costs, slowing fiber buildout and shaping email access patterns.

Notes: Estimates synthesized from 2020 Census counts, ACS/FCC rural Texas connectivity patterns, and national email adoption benchmarks.

Mobile phone usage in McMullen County, Texas — summary and estimates (focus on differences from Texas overall)

Definitive context

• Population and dispersion: 743 residents (2020 Census) spread across roughly 1,160 square miles, or about 0.6 people per square mile. Texas overall is about 100+ people per square mile. This extreme sparsity drives network build priorities and user behavior in ways that differ markedly from the state average.

Modeled user estimates (resident base)

• Resident adult smartphone owners: approximately 470–520. Method: about 580 adults (18+) in the county times an 82–88% rural smartphone adoption range (Pew Research 2023–2024 rural rates), adjusted for an older age profile.
• Total resident handsets (smartphones + basic phones): approximately 540–600. This adds near-universal teen smartphone uptake (13–17) and a persistent basic-phone cohort among some seniors.
• Total active lines used by residents (phones plus tablets/hotspots/second lines): approximately 650–850. Rural households with limited wireline broadband lean more on mobile hotspots and second lines than the Texas average.
• Seasonal surge: activity can climb by roughly 25–50% during oilfield peaks (Eagle Ford Shale work crews), as non-resident devices enter the network. This volatility is atypical versus the steadier statewide demand profile.

Demographic factors shaping usage

• Older age structure than Texas overall: higher share of residents 65+. Consequences include a measurably larger basic-phone segment and slightly lower app diversity per user than state averages.
• Working-age patterns reflect energy-sector employment: above-average incidence of employer-provided lines and hotspots and pronounced time-of-day peaks (early morning and evening shift changes).
• Household connectivity: higher propensity for cellular-only or cellular-primary home internet outside the county seat (Tilden), elevating mobile data dependence relative to the Texas average.

Digital infrastructure and coverage characteristics

• Network footprint: all three national carriers provide LTE across populated corridors; coverage thins quickly in ranchland. Outdoor voice along primary roads is generally reliable; indoor coverage is inconsistent in dispersed housing, especially metal-roof structures.
• 5G availability: low-band 5G is present in and around population centers and along main corridors; mid-band 5G (fast 5G) remains limited and discontinuous; mmWave is effectively absent. The typical user experience falls back to LTE more often than in most Texas counties.
• Capacity and backhaul: sparse macro-site grid with a mix of microwave and limited fiber backhaul. This leads to:
  • Lower median throughput and higher variability than Texas metro/suburban norms
  • Noticeable slowdowns during shift changes or when temporary work camps are active
• Fixed broadband context: fiber/cable options are concentrated near civic and commercial nodes; elsewhere, satellite and fixed wireless are the primary wireline alternatives. This drives above-average reliance on mobile hotspots for household connectivity and school/work tasks.
• Public-safety layer: FirstNet (Band 14) is widely deployed across rural Texas and provides an important low-band coverage layer for first responders in and around the county, improving reach but not addressing general-capacity constraints for the public.

How McMullen County differs from statewide trends

• Much sparser tower grid and longer distances to sites than typical Texas counties, producing more dead zones and weaker indoor service despite “covered” maps.
• Slower, patchier mid-band 5G rollout; LTE remains the workhorse layer for many users.
• Higher dependence on mobile networks for home internet, especially beyond the county seat, versus Texas’s more wireline-centric urban/suburban counties.
• Greater seasonality in demand from energy-sector activity, creating sharper, localized capacity spikes that are uncommon at the state level.
• Demographics tilt older, sustaining a larger basic-phone cohort and slightly lower smartphone penetration than the Texas average, even as total per-household line counts are buoyed by hotspots and work lines.

Bottom-line numbers to plan around (resident base)

• 470–520 adult smartphone users
• 540–600 total resident handsets (smart + basic)
• 650–850 total active resident lines when including second lines, tablets, and hotspots
• +25–50% load swing during oilfield peaks, concentrated near work sites and travel corridors

Notes on methodology

• Population: U.S. Census 2020 (743 residents).
• Adoption: rural U.S. smartphone ownership rates from recent Pew Research; adjusted for an older local age profile common to sparsely populated Texas counties.
• Line multipliers reflect higher cellular-only/home-hotspot use observed in rural Texas and the known infrastructure profile of the Eagle Ford region.

Social media usage in McMullen County, TX (modeled 2024 snapshot)

Overview

• Share of adults using at least one social platform monthly: ~72%
• Daily social-media users (among users): ~60%
• Usage is mobile-first and skews toward Facebook and YouTube, reflecting rural Texas age and connectivity patterns

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

• YouTube: 74%
• Facebook: 66%
• Instagram: 31%
• Pinterest: 23%
• WhatsApp: 19%
• TikTok: 22%
• Snapchat: 17%
• X (Twitter): 13%
• LinkedIn: 12%
• Reddit: 9%
• Nextdoor: 6%

Age breakdown (share within each age group)

• 18–29: 94% use at least one platform
  • YouTube 92, Instagram 75, Snapchat 65, TikTok 60, Facebook 55, X 25
• 30–49: 86%
  • YouTube 86, Facebook 73, Instagram 55, TikTok 35, Snapchat 25, WhatsApp 25, Pinterest 22
• 50–64: 70%
  • Facebook 68, YouTube 70, Instagram 28, Pinterest 28, WhatsApp 18, TikTok 15
• 65+: 54%
  • Facebook 58, YouTube 55, Pinterest 20, Instagram 12, WhatsApp 12, TikTok 8

Gender breakdown (share of adults)

• Women: 74% use at least one platform
  • Facebook 70, YouTube 72, Instagram 34, Pinterest 36, WhatsApp 20
• Men: 71%
  • YouTube 76, Facebook 62, Instagram 29, X 17, Reddit 14

Behavioral trends

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of local groups (schools, churches, ranching/hunting, buy/sell via Marketplace), county updates, and event promotion. Comments and shares drive reach more than original posting.
• YouTube dominates long-form viewing and “how-to” content (equipment maintenance, land/ranch projects, outdoor recreation). Skews older male but broad overall.
• Under 35s lean into short-form video (TikTok, Instagram Reels) and ephemeral messaging (Snapchat); discovery is algorithm-driven, not search.
• Messaging is central to coordination: Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp are common for family and group chats, including bilingual threads.
• Engagement patterns typical of rural Texas: highest in evenings and weekends; mid-day dips; strong response to content featuring recognizable local people, places, and practical utility.
• Content styles that perform: concise video under 30 seconds, before/after project visuals, locally relevant deals or notices, and Spanish/English dual-caption posts where applicable.

Notes on method

• Figures are modeled estimates for McMullen County adults, derived from Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. social media adoption benchmarks, adjusted for rural Texas age structure and platform skews using U.S. Census ACS and rural adoption patterns. They reflect expected local usage, not a direct county survey.