Starr County

Starr County, Texas — key demographics

Population size

• 65,920 (2020 Census)

Age (ACS 2018–2022)

• Median age: ~28.6 years
• Under 18: ~33%
• 18 to 64: ~55%
• 65 and over: ~12%

Gender (ACS 2018–2022)

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census)

• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~99%
• Non-Hispanic White: ~1%
• All other non-Hispanic groups combined: <1%

Household data (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~18,700
• Average household size: ~3.7
• Family households: ~84% of households
• Average family size: ~4.1
• Households with children under 18: ~47%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~73%

Key insights

• One of the most predominantly Hispanic counties in the U.S.
• Younger-than-average population and larger households compared with Texas and U.S. averages.

Starr County, TX snapshot

• Population: 65,920 (2020); density ≈54 per square mile (rural, border county).
• Estimated email users: ~45,000.
• Age distribution of email users (estimated):
  • 13–17: ~5,600 (12%)
  • 18–34: ~16,900 (37%)
  • 35–49: ~11,300 (25%)
  • 50–64: ~7,100 (16%)
  • 65+: ~4,450 (10%)
• Gender split (mirrors population): ≈51% female (23,100 users), 49% male (22,200).
• Digital access and connectivity:
  • Home broadband in roughly 65–75% of households; below Texas average.
  • About 20–30% of households are smartphone‑only or primarily mobile.
  • Service is strongest along the US‑83 corridor (Rio Grande City–Roma); coverage drops in outlying colonias and ranchlands.
  • ACP wind‑down in 2024 raises affordability risks, potentially nudging more residents to mobile‑only access.
• Insight: A young population (median age ~29) and high mobile reliance mean email usage skews to 18–49, with seniors underrepresented; mobile‑first, low‑bandwidth email performs best.

Estimates modeled from 2020 Census population and national email adoption by age.

Starr County, TX mobile phone usage: how it differs from the Texas norm

Scale and user estimates

• Population and households: ~66,000 residents and ~18,500 households; average household size roughly 3.6–3.8.
• Estimated smartphone users: on the order of 50,000–55,000 residents use a smartphone regularly (very high adoption despite lower incomes).
• Mobile‑only internet users: about 26% of households rely on a cellular data plan without a fixed home broadband line, equating to roughly 17,000–19,000 people in mobile‑only households.

Adoption and access (ACS 2018–2022 5‑year patterns)

• Smartphone presence in households: high (upper‑80s to ~90%), only slightly below Texas statewide.
• Internet subscriptions by type (household level):
  • Any broadband (including cellular): ~70–75% in Starr vs ~90% statewide.
  • Fixed broadband (cable/DSL/fiber): ~45–50% in Starr vs ~70%+ statewide.
  • Cellular data plan (household has mobile data): ~60–65% in Starr, closer to ~75% statewide.
  • Cellular‑only households: ~26% in Starr vs ~12% statewide.
  • No home internet subscription: ~25–30% in Starr vs ~10% statewide. Key takeaway: Starr County over‑indexes on mobile‑only connectivity and under‑indexes on fixed home broadband compared with Texas overall.

Demographic drivers of usage

• Ethnicity and language: ~95%+ Hispanic/Latino; a large share of Spanish‑speaking households. This correlates with heavier smartphone reliance for everyday online tasks and communication.
• Age structure: younger than the state average (large youth share), supporting high smartphone penetration and app‑centric usage.
• Income and affordability: among the lowest median household incomes in Texas and historically high poverty rates. Cost sensitivity pushes households toward prepaid plans and mobile‑only internet, and away from higher‑cost fixed broadband bundles.
• Education and school connectivity: school‑issued hotspots and mobile plans have been important for student access, reinforcing mobile’s central role.
• Subsidy dynamics: the wind‑down of the Affordable Connectivity Program in 2024–2025 disproportionately impacts low‑income, rural border counties like Starr, risking further shifts from fixed to mobile‑only service or disconnection.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage footprint: Strongest along the US‑83 corridor (Rio Grande City, Roma) with AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon; weaker and more variable coverage on ranchland and sparsely populated areas north/west of the corridor.
• 5G availability:
  • Present in town centers; mid‑band 5G from T‑Mobile (2.5 GHz) is comparatively more common.
  • AT&T and Verizon face additional mid‑band constraints near the U.S.–Mexico border (C‑band power/coordination limits), dampening 5G capacity relative to Texas interior markets.
• Speeds and capacity: County mobile speeds trail state medians; users commonly experience 20–60 Mbps outside town centers versus Texas medians nearer to ~100 Mbps in larger metros. Indoor performance is uneven in older homes and colonias where signal penetration and backhaul are limited.
• Fixed alternatives: Fiber and cable footprints are modest outside core towns; many addresses depend on DSL, fixed wireless (including CBRS/WISP), or satellite for home broadband. This scarcity sustains higher mobile‑only reliance than the state average.
• Tower/backhaul realities: New macro sites and microwave/fiber backhaul upgrades cluster where demand density justifies them (schools, clinics, government, retail along US‑83). Rural build‑outs progress more slowly due to economics and terrain.

What’s notably different from Texas overall

• Reliance on mobile‑only internet is roughly double the state average.
• Fixed broadband subscription rates are 20+ points lower than the state, driven by availability, affordability, and housing patterns.
• Border‑area spectrum constraints and sparser backhaul limit mid‑band 5G capacity compared with interior Texas metros, keeping observed speeds lower.
• Demographics (younger, overwhelmingly Hispanic, lower income) tilt usage toward smartphones, prepaid plans, and app‑first behaviors for work, school, healthcare, and public services.

Implications

• Carriers that can deliver robust mid‑band 5G along the US‑83 spine and extend coverage into colonias and ranchlands gain share; T‑Mobile’s 2.5 GHz advantage is material in town centers, while AT&T’s wide low‑band footprint remains important off‑corridor.
• Public and private investments that add fiber backhaul and expand fixed options (especially affordable plans) are the fastest path to reduce mobile‑only dependence and close the adoption gap with the Texas average.

Starr County, TX social media snapshot

County context and user base

• Population: 65,920 (2020 Census). Predominantly Hispanic/Latino (~95%+), bilingual Spanish-English, border/rural profile.
• Gender mix: roughly even male/female.
• Estimated adult social media users: about 36,000–40,000, applying national adult social-media adoption to the county’s adult population (Pew Research Center consistently finds ~80%+ of U.S. adults use at least one social platform).

Most-used platforms (benchmarks to apply locally)

• YouTube: 83% of U.S. adults use it (Pew, 2024). Ubiquitous across ages; strong for music, how-to, sports, and religious content.
• Facebook: 68% of U.S. adults. Dominant for community news, events, school updates, and Marketplace; strongest among 30+.
• Instagram: 47% of U.S. adults. Popular with 18–34; heavy Stories/Reels use by local businesses and creators.
• TikTok: 33% of U.S. adults. Very strong among teens and 20s; short-form local culture, food, and music content performs well.
• Snapchat: 30% of U.S. adults. Concentrated among teens/younger adults for direct messaging and ephemeral content.
• WhatsApp: 29% of U.S. adults overall, but notably higher among Hispanic adults per Pew. Expect broad local use for family, cross-border communication, and group coordination.
• X (Twitter): ~22% of U.S. adults. Niche; used for breaking news, emergencies, and sports.

Age groups (usage patterns)

• Teens–29: Near-universal social use; TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat daily; YouTube constant. Messaging-first behavior; less Facebook posting, more group lurking.
• 30–49: High Facebook and WhatsApp for family, school, and work coordination; Instagram Reels and TikTok increasing; YouTube for how-to and entertainment.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; growing WhatsApp for family groups; limited TikTok/Instagram uptake via children and grandchildren.
• 65+: Facebook for community/church/school updates and Marketplace; YouTube for news and religious services; WhatsApp for family.

Gender breakdown (usage patterns)

• Women: Over-index on Facebook (Groups, Marketplace), Instagram Stories/Reels, and WhatsApp family groups; heavy local shopping and school/community engagement.
• Men: Over-index on YouTube (sports, autos, how-to), Facebook Groups for trades/sales, and X for sports/news; WhatsApp for work crews and extended family.

Behavioral trends in Starr County

• Mobile-first, messaging-led: Private channels (WhatsApp, Messenger, Snapchat) often replace public posting; group chats coordinate family, school, church, sports, and shift work.
• Community-centric Facebook: Local news, school districts, county/city pages, churches, sports teams, and buy/sell groups drive engagement. Marketplace is a key commerce channel.
• Bilingual content: Spanish or bilingual posts improve reach and shares; Spanglish common in captions, hashtags, and audio.
• Cross-border connectivity: Heavy WhatsApp use for Mexico–U.S. family networks; interest in border wait times, travel, festivals, and remittances.
• Short-form video rise: TikTok and Reels are primary discovery surfaces for food, events, small businesses, and local creators; vertical video outperforms static posts.
• Event-driven spikes: Weather alerts, school notices, health services, elections, and local sports trigger rapid sharing across Facebook and WhatsApp.
• Trust dynamics: Information from schools, churches, coaches, and local officials travels fast; partnership with these pages multiplies reach.
• Commerce behavior: Price-sensitive, deal-oriented; Facebook Marketplace and Instagram Shops for local buying/selling; DM-to-purchase is common.

Actionable takeaways

• Lead with Facebook (Groups + Marketplace) and WhatsApp for broad, family-centered reach; support with YouTube and Instagram for video.
• Use bilingual captions/subtitles; prioritize vertical video under 30–45 seconds.
• Post around school hours and evenings; align with local events and sports schedules.
• Encourage shares in church, school, and neighborhood groups; seed WhatsApp community lists where appropriate.