Randall County

Key demographics for Randall County, Texas (latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates unless noted)

Population

• Total population: ~147,000
• Growth since 2020 Census (~140,800): +4–5%

Age

• Median age: ~35
• Under 18: ~25%
• 18–64: ~59%
• 65 and over: ~16%

Sex

• Female: ~50.6%
• Male: ~49.4%

Race and ethnicity

• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~25%
• White alone, non-Hispanic: ~65%
• Black or African American alone: ~3%
• Asian alone: ~2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~1%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.1%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~4%

Households and housing

• Total households: ~56,000
• Average household size: ~2.6
• Family households: ~69% of households
• Married-couple households: ~54% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~33%
• One-person households: ~24%
• Homeownership rate: ~70%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 1-year; 2020 Decennial Census (baseline for growth calculation)

Randall County, TX — Email usage snapshot

• Population and density: ~144,000 residents across ~914 sq mi (≈157 people/sq mi), concentrated in Amarillo/Canyon.
• Estimated email users: ≈116,000 residents (modeled from county age mix and national email adoption).
• Age distribution among adult email users:
  • 18–29: ~98%
  • 30–49: ~98%
  • 50–64: ~95%
  • 65+: ~86%
• Gender split among email users: ~50% female, ~50% male (usage gap typically <2 percentage points).
• Digital access and trends:
  • Connectivity is high: roughly 9 in 10 households have a broadband subscription and >95% have a computer/smartphone (ACS-based).
  • About 10–12% of households are smartphone‑only for home internet, reflecting mobile‑centric usage.
  • Cable/fiber from Optimum/Suddenlink and AT&T serve urban/suburban tracts; 5G coverage from AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon spans Amarillo/Canyon corridors.
  • Rural fringe tracts show lower fixed‑wireline speeds and more mobile reliance, but overall access is strong for a largely urban county.

Insights: Email is near‑universal among working‑age adults, with seniors the main growth headroom. High broadband and 5G availability support stable email engagement; mobile‑only households indicate continued demand for mobile‑optimized communications.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Randall County, Texas (2024–2025)

Headline estimates

• Population base: approximately 145,000–150,000 residents.
• Unique mobile users: 128,000–135,000 people (about 87–90% of the total population).
• Smartphone users (adults 18+): 89–92% of adults; 5G‑capable device penetration estimated at 75–80% of active smartphones.
• Active SIMs/lines (including secondary lines, tablets, wearables): 160,000–190,000 (roughly 1.1–1.3 lines per resident).

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age:
  • 18–29: smartphone adoption 97–99%; heavy video/social usage; highest per‑line data consumption.
  • 30–64: 92–95% smartphone adoption; predominately multi‑line postpaid family plans.
  • 65+: 72–78% smartphone adoption; rising 3–5 percentage points year over year.
• Student influence:
  • West Texas A&M University (Canyon) enrollment ~10,000; approximately 6,000–8,000 reside in‑county during the academic year.
  • Prepaid/MVNO share among students is 3–5 percentage points higher than the county average; device turnover faster than non‑student cohorts.
• Income/education:
  • Median household income near or slightly above the Texas average; higher education share elevated due to the university.
  • Consequence: marginally higher postpaid penetration and higher flagship device share than the state average.
• Race/ethnicity profile:
  • Hispanic population share around a quarter of residents, notably below Texas statewide (~40%).
  • Spanish‑language–targeted plan demand and very large (4+ line) family plan prevalence are modestly lower than the state pattern.
• Mobile‑only internet households:
  • Estimated 10–12% of households rely primarily on cellular for home internet, lower than the Texas average (~14–16%) due to strong cable and pockets of fiber availability in Amarillo/Canyon.
• Data consumption:
  • Median monthly mobile data per smartphone line estimated at 17–23 GB; student clusters 25–35 GB.
  • Voice minutes and SMS continue to decline as app‑based messaging dominates.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Macro coverage:
  • AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon provide countywide 4G LTE across populated areas.
  • 5G availability:
    • T‑Mobile: extensive mid‑band (n41) in Amarillo–Canyon corridors and along I‑27/US‑87.
    • Verizon: C‑Band 5G in Amarillo/Canyon and key travel corridors; LTE elsewhere.
    • AT&T: pervasive low‑band 5G, with growing mid‑band capacity in denser zones.
• Performance characteristics:
  • In urban/suburban Randall (southern Amarillo, Canyon), typical median 5G downloads often 150–250 Mbps for T‑Mobile, 100–180 Mbps for Verizon, and 70–140 Mbps for AT&T; uplink commonly 10–25 Mbps.
  • Rural south/east of Canyon see LTE‑first service with typical downloads 5–20 Mbps, and larger cell radii.
• Terrain exceptions:
  • Palo Duro Canyon State Park (southeast Randall) presents notable dead zones on the canyon floor due to steep topography; overlooks and park roads receive intermittent LTE/5G service. This is a distinctive local constraint compared with flatter Texas metros.
• Density and build:
  • Tower density is moderate; macro sites along I‑27/US‑60/US‑87 are fiber‑backhauled; microwave backhaul persists in rural fringes.
  • Small cells exist around WTAMU, medical centers, and retail districts; fewer nodes than large Texas metros but capacity remains adequate given lower peak densities.
• Fixed wireless/home broadband interplay:
  • T‑Mobile 5G Home is widely available in the Amarillo/Canyon footprint; Verizon 5G Home is available where C‑Band is deployed.
  • Cable (Sparklight/Cable One) and selective AT&T fiber reduce dependence on mobile‑only home connectivity relative to statewide patterns.
• Public safety:
  • AT&T FirstNet coverage mirrors AT&T macro build; park and rural road coverage has improved on ridge lines but remains limited within canyon interiors.

How Randall County differs from Texas statewide trends

• Lower mobile‑only household share than the Texas average, driven by cable and growing fiber access in Amarillo/Canyon.
• More consistent mid‑band 5G performance than major Texas metros due to lower congestion and fewer extreme high‑density venues.
• Pronounced terrain‑driven coverage gaps in Palo Duro Canyon—an atypical challenge compared with most Texas urban counties.
• Student‑driven prepaid/MVNO usage pockets (Canyon/WTAMU) that run several points higher than countywide norms, though countywide prepaid remains near the Texas average.
• Slightly higher 5G‑capable device share and faster upgrade cycles in suburban areas, reflecting income/education mix.

Outlook (12–24 months)

• Capacity growth via additional Verizon C‑Band sectors and AT&T mid‑band 5G; continuing T‑Mobile n41 densification.
• New macro/small‑cell nodes expected along southwest Amarillo growth corridors and Canyon’s southeast fringe.
• Targeted public‑safety and outdoor coverage projects will narrow, but not eliminate, dead zones in Palo Duro Canyon.

Key takeaways

• Roughly nine in ten residents use mobile phones; three in four smartphones are 5G‑capable.
• Coverage and speeds are strong in the Amarillo–Canyon corridor, with distinct terrain‑related gaps in and around Palo Duro Canyon.
• Compared with Texas overall, Randall relies slightly less on mobile‑only home internet, enjoys more consistent mid‑band 5G performance, and exhibits localized student‑driven prepaid intensity.

Randall County, TX social media snapshot (2024)

How many people use social media

• Adult residents using at least one social platform: 78% of adults
• Household internet access: ~85% have broadband; smartphone access is near-universal among adults under 50

Most‑used platforms among adults (share of adult residents)

• YouTube: 80%
• Facebook: 66%
• Instagram: 42%
• Pinterest: 34%
• TikTok: 31%
• Snapchat: 26%
• LinkedIn: 28%
• WhatsApp: 19%
• X (Twitter): 20%
• Reddit: 18%
• Nextdoor: 17%

Age mix of social media users

• 18–29: 23%
• 30–49: 37%
• 50–64: 25%
• 65+: 15%

Gender mix of social media users

• Female: 52%
• Male: 48%

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Facebook is the community backbone: neighborhood groups, school/booster clubs, churches, buy/sell/Marketplace, local events. High engagement with posts featuring kids’ activities, high‑school sports, faith/family themes, and service recommendations.
• YouTube is the default for how‑to, home/auto DIY, hunting/outdoors, and local sports highlights; skippable in‑stream and Shorts reach most households.
• Instagram is strong for local dining, boutiques, fitness, and events; Reels outperform photos. Women 25–44 drive the bulk of engagement; Stories are widely viewed but lightly replied to.
• TikTok usage is growing into the 30–49 segment; short local food, “things to do,” and home services content performs best. Organic discovery outpaces search for younger adults.
• Snapchat is concentrated among WTAMU and younger adults in Canyon/south Amarillo; used primarily for messaging and Stories rather than brand following.
• Pinterest is a reliable reach vehicle for women 25–54 around recipes, home projects, holidays, and wedding/baby planning; seasonal spikes are pronounced.
• Nextdoor skews to homeowners 35+; effective for public safety notices, utilities, pet/lost‑found, and service provider referrals.
• X (Twitter) and Reddit remain niche but influential for news, sports chatter, tech/gaming; Reddit is male‑skewed and research‑oriented.
• Peak attention windows: 7–10 pm CT on weekdays and weekend mornings. Local news, weather, school updates, and event content reliably lift engagement.
• Messaging‑led behavior: Click‑to‑Message/DM and text response ads outperform long landing‑page funnels; phone numbers and clear local presence increase conversion.

Notes on methodology

• Figures are 2024 estimates for Randall County derived by applying age‑ and gender‑specific platform adoption rates from recent U.S. studies (Pew Research Center and comparable national datasets) to the county’s ACS age/sex profile; rounded to whole percentages for clarity.