Menard County Local Demographic Profile

Menard County, Texas — key demographics

Population size

  • 2020 Census: 2,097
  • 2023 population estimate (ACS 2019–2023): roughly 1.9k

Age

  • Median age: about 49–50 years
  • Distribution: ~20% under 18; ~53% 18–64; ~27% 65+

Gender

  • Male ~52%; Female ~48%

Race and Hispanic/Latino origin

  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~45%
  • White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~49%
  • Black or African American: ~1%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~1%
  • Asian: ~0–1%
  • Two or more races: ~4%

Households and housing

  • Households: ~900
  • Average household size: ~2.3
  • Family households: ~60% (married-couple ~45%)
  • Nonfamily households: ~40% (notably many living alone, including seniors)
  • Owner-occupied housing rate: ~75–80%; renter-occupied ~20–25%

Insights

  • Very small, aging population with a high share of residents 65+
  • Predominantly White with a large Hispanic/Latino community
  • Household sizes are modest and homeownership is high for Texas rural counties

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates; QuickFacts for Menard County, TX.

Email Usage in Menard County

Menard County, TX snapshot (pop. ≈2,100 over ≈900 sq mi; ≈2.3 people/sq mi)

Estimated email users: ≈1,380 residents use email regularly.

Age distribution of email users:

  • 13–17: 4%
  • 18–34: 19%
  • 35–54: 30%
  • 55–64: 19%
  • 65+: 28%

Gender split among email users: ≈51% female, 49% male.

Digital access and usage:

  • ≈85% of households have a computer; ≈70% have a broadband subscription (including cellular data plans).
  • Smartphone adoption is high (≈80–85% of adults), with roughly one-fifth of households relying primarily on mobile data (“smartphone‑only” access).
  • Email use is near‑universal among connected adults; adoption is lowest among the oldest and most remote residents.
  • Connectivity is concentrated in and around the City of Menard and along US‑83/US‑190; outside these corridors, residents often depend on fixed wireless or satellite. Fiber availability is limited but expanding incrementally via state/federal rural broadband programs.
  • Low population density and long last‑mile runs keep fixed broadband build‑outs costly, sustaining a reliance on wireless solutions and contributing to lower in‑home subscription rates than Texas urban averages.

Overall, email reach is broad but constrained by aging demographics and sparse last‑mile infrastructure.

Mobile Phone Usage in Menard County

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Menard County, Texas

Population baseline

  • Population: 2,097 (2020 Census), spread across roughly 900 square miles. Very low density and an older age profile compared with Texas overall.

User estimates (derived from national/rural adoption research and the county’s age mix)

  • Adult population: approximately 1,650–1,750.
  • Smartphone users: 1,350–1,500 adults (roughly 78–85% of adults; rural and older demographics suppress adoption relative to Texas’ high-80s to ~90% range).
  • Any mobile phone (smartphone or basic): 1,550–1,650 adults (about 90–94%).
  • Lines in service: approximately 2,000–2,400 total SIMs when including children’s lines, business lines, and data-only devices. Prepaid and MVNO lines make up a larger share than the Texas average.

Demographic breakdown of usage

  • Age: Older residents (65+) comprise an outsized share of the population, estimated at 25–30% vs ~13–14% statewide. Smartphone adoption among 65+ in the county is likely 55–65%, materially below younger cohorts; basic/feature phones remain more common than at the state level.
  • Income and affordability: Median household income is well below the Texas median, which correlates with higher use of prepaid/MVNO plans, slower device upgrade cycles (often 3–4 years vs 2–3 statewide), and more budget Android devices. Expect Android share to be higher than the Texas average and iPhone share lower.
  • Household connectivity behavior: A meaningfully higher share of households rely primarily on mobile data for home internet when fixed broadband is impractical or unavailable. Smartphone-only or hotspot-based home internet use likely falls in the high-teens to mid-20s percent of households, above the statewide rate.
  • Language and apps: A sizable Hispanic population supports strong use of OTT messaging like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger for cross-border and family communications; these apps are central in areas with limited SMS/MMS interoperability across plans and devices.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

  • Cellular coverage
    • 4G LTE is the workhorse and covers most populated corridors; coverage can be uneven off the main roads and in low-lying or hilly areas.
    • 5G low-band is present in and around the city of Menard and along primary routes but is not continuous countywide. Mid-band 5G (for higher speeds) is sparse or absent.
    • AT&T and Verizon provide the most reliable footprints; T-Mobile coverage is more limited away from highways. FirstNet (AT&T) support is available for public safety.
  • Backhaul and capacity
    • Limited fiber backhaul to rural sites constrains peak speeds and capacity; sectors can congest during events or harvest seasons.
    • Typical user experience is LTE with moderate speeds; 5G low-band provides coverage benefits more than large speed gains.
  • Fixed internet context (affecting mobile reliance)
    • Fiber-to-the-home/building is limited. There is little to no cable in much of the county; legacy DSL exists in pockets.
    • Fixed wireless ISPs and satellite (including Starlink) fill gaps. This pushes households to lean on mobile data and Wi‑Fi calling where indoor cellular signal is weak.

How Menard County differs from Texas overall

  • Adoption and devices
    • Lower smartphone penetration driven by an older age mix; higher persistence of basic phones.
    • Higher prepaid/MVNO share and longer device replacement cycles due to affordability considerations.
    • Higher Android share than the state average; iOS share comparatively lower.
  • Network and performance
    • 5G availability is spottier and more weighted to low-band; mid-band 5G buildout lags urban Texas, keeping median speeds below state averages.
    • Greater dependence on Wi‑Fi calling and signal boosters indoors because of weaker in‑building penetration and fewer nearby towers.
  • Usage patterns
    • Higher reliance on mobile data as a primary or backup broadband option due to limited fixed infrastructure.
    • More voice/SMS-heavy usage among older residents; data-heavy streaming and gaming are relatively lower outside of homes with strong Wi‑Fi or satellite/Fixed Wireless alternatives.
  • Resilience and gaps
    • Fewer cell sites per square mile mean larger coverage gaps off-corridor and longer restoration times after severe weather, a more pronounced issue than in metro Texas.

Key takeaways

  • Expect 1,350–1,500 adult smartphone users and roughly 2,000–2,400 active lines in a county of just over 2,000 people.
  • LTE remains the primary access layer; 5G low-band helps coverage but not statewide-level speeds, and mid-band 5G is limited.
  • Menard County’s mobile market is more price-sensitive, older, and more reliant on mobile for general connectivity than Texas overall, with infrastructure constraints driving behavior as much as demographics.

Social Media Trends in Menard County

Menard County, TX social media usage — 2025 snapshot

How these figures were derived

  • No survey publishes platform-by-platform usage specifically for Menard County. The percentages below are modeled estimates calibrated to Menard County’s age structure (U.S. Census/ACS 2020–2023) using Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. social media adoption by age, gender, and community type (rural). Treat them as directional, numerically specific estimates rather than official measurements.

Population context

  • County population: ≈2,100 residents; older-leaning age profile with a high share of 50+.
  • Adult social media penetration (any platform): ≈80% of adults.

Most-used platforms among adults in Menard County (estimated share of adults who use the platform)

  • YouTube: 80%
  • Facebook: 72%
  • Pinterest: 33%
  • Instagram: 38%
  • TikTok: 31%
  • Snapchat: 25%
  • WhatsApp: 22%
  • X (Twitter): 21%
  • Reddit: 15%
  • LinkedIn: 16%
  • Nextdoor: 10%

Age-group patterns (share within each age band who use the platform)

  • Ages 18–29: YouTube 95%, Instagram 78%, Snapchat 71%, TikTok 67%, Facebook 58%
  • Ages 30–49: YouTube 89%, Facebook 77%, Instagram 48%, Pinterest 38%, TikTok 37%, Snapchat 29%
  • Ages 50–64: Facebook 75%, YouTube 76%, Pinterest 34%, Instagram 30%, TikTok 20%, X 18%
  • Ages 65+: Facebook 68%, YouTube 60%, Pinterest 28%, Instagram 18%, TikTok 12%
  • Teens (13–17, smaller base locally but directionally important): YouTube ~93%, Instagram ~62%, TikTok ~63%, Snapchat ~60%, Facebook ~33%

Gender breakdown (adult usage, approx.)

  • Women: Facebook 75%, Pinterest 55%, Instagram 42%, TikTok 33%, Snapchat 27%, YouTube 78%
  • Men: YouTube 82%, Facebook 69%, Instagram 34%, TikTok 29%, X 24%, Reddit 22%, LinkedIn 17%

Behavioral trends observed in rural, older-leaning Texas counties that map to Menard County’s profile

  • Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of local Groups (news, school updates, church, county notices), Marketplace, and event discovery. Facebook Messenger is a primary communication channel.
  • YouTube is leaned on for practical, how‑to content (equipment repair, ranching, hunting/fishing, home and vehicle maintenance) and long-form viewing on smart TVs.
  • Instagram and Reels index with younger adults and women 18–44 for local boutiques, youth sports, food, and lifestyle; cross-posting Reels to Facebook boosts reach.
  • TikTok growth is steady in under‑45s; short, authentic, place-based clips outperform polished ads.
  • Snapchat remains teen-centric for daily communication; limited efficacy for broad community outreach.
  • Pinterest is strong among women 25–64 for recipes, crafts, home projects, and seasonal planning.
  • WhatsApp use is concentrated among Hispanic households for family and group chat; occasional use for community coordination.
  • X (Twitter) is niche, used mainly for state agency/weather alerts and sports; Nextdoor penetration is low in very small rural markets.
  • Best posting windows: evenings (7–10 pm CT) and weekend mid‑day for video; mornings for local news and civic updates. Vertical video and photo carousels outperform static flyers.
  • Trust and engagement skew toward locally recognizable people, service information, and practical value; overtly political or generic corporate content underperforms.

Key sources

  • Pew Research Center: Social Media Use in 2024 (platform adoption by age, gender, and community type); Teens, Social Media and Technology 2023–2024.
  • U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2023 (Menard County population and age structure).

Other Counties in Texas