Throckmorton County Local Demographic Profile
Throckmorton County, Texas – key demographics (latest U.S. Census Bureau data: 2020 Decennial; 2019–2023 ACS 5‑year; 2023 population estimate)
Population
- Total population (2020 Census): 1,440
- 2023 population estimate: ~1,400
Age
- Median age: ~45 years
- Under 18: ~22%
- 18 to 64: ~57%
- 65 and over: ~21%
Gender
- Male: ~51%
- Female: ~49%
Race and ethnicity
- White alone: ~90%
- Black or African American alone: ~1–2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~1–2%
- Asian alone: <1%
- Two or more races: ~5–6%
- Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~15–16%
- White alone, not Hispanic: ~77–78%
Households and housing
- Total households: ~625–650
- Average household size: ~2.2–2.3
- Family households: ~420
- Owner-occupied housing rate: ~79–80%
- Median value of owner-occupied units: ~$90k–$100k
- Median gross rent: ~$700–$750
- Housing units: ~850
- Overall vacancy rate: ~25–27%
Income and poverty (household context)
- Median household income (2023 dollars): ~$56k–$59k
- Per capita income (2023 dollars): ~$30k–$31k
- Persons in poverty: ~12–13%
Notes
- Figures are the most recent available from the U.S. Census Bureau; small-population counties rely on ACS 5-year estimates, which include sampling error.
Email Usage in Throckmorton County
Throckmorton County, TX (pop. ≈1,440; land ≈915 sq mi) is very sparsely populated (≈1.6 people/sq mi). Estimated adult email users: ≈1,000 (≈70% of residents; ≈89% of adults), rising slowly as mobile and satellite access improve. Including teens, total email users are ≈1,100.
Age distribution of email users (adults):
- 18–34: ≈22%
- 35–64: ≈53%
- 65+: ≈25% Adoption remains highest among 35–64, with seniors growing but still lagging younger adults.
Gender split among users: ≈50% female, ≈50% male.
Digital access and trends:
- ≈65–70% of households have a broadband subscription (ACS-based), with coverage concentrated in and around the towns of Throckmorton and Woodson; remote ranchland areas rely more on fixed wireless, mobile broadband, or satellite.
- Smartphone access is common, and email is frequently accessed on mobile devices; mobile and satellite options have expanded since 2021, supporting incremental gains in email use among older and remote residents.
- Low population density and long loop distances limit wireline buildout; fixed wireless and 4G/5G fill gaps.
Overall, email usage is widespread among adults, with modest growth driven by improving mobile/satellite connectivity and gradual uptake among seniors.
Mobile Phone Usage in Throckmorton County
Throckmorton County, TX — mobile phone usage summary (as of 2024)
Population baseline
- 2020 Census population: 1,440 (very low density, fully rural county with small towns centered on Throckmorton and Woodson)
- Household count: approximately 630–700 (derived from ACS average household size in rural TX)
Estimated mobile users and devices
- Unique mobile users (persons with an active cellular handset): 1,050–1,200
- Method: county population adjusted for age structure and rural adoption; see age breakdown below
- Active SIMs/devices (phones + hotspots/tablets): 1,300–1,600
- Fewer multi-line and wearable connections than urban Texas, but some mobile hotspot reliance lifts device count
Adoption and usage profile (demographic breakdown)
- Overall smartphone adoption among residents 12+: 82–86% (Texas: ~90%)
- Wireless-only adults (no landline): 68–74% (Texas: ~75%). Older age structure keeps this slightly below the state rate despite strong rural wireless substitution
- Age-specific adoption (share with a mobile phone/smartphone):
- 12–17: 94–97% (Texas similar)
- 18–24: 92–95% (Texas similar)
- 25–64: 88–93% (Texas: ~92–96%)
- 65+: 70–78% (Texas: ~80–85%); the county’s larger 65+ cohort is the main drag on overall adoption
- Device mix:
- Smartphones: ~92–94% of active handsets (Texas: ~96–98%)
- Basic/feature phones: 6–8% (Texas: ~2–4%), over-indexed among 65+
- Plan mix:
- Prepaid/MVNO share: 35–45% of lines (Texas urban counties: ~25–35%). Price sensitivity and coverage-driven carrier switching are common
- Home internet substitution:
- Households relying primarily on mobile broadband or satellite for home internet: 30–40% (Texas: ~15–20%). Mobile hotspot usage is materially higher due to limited fixed broadband options
Digital infrastructure and coverage
- Technology footprint:
- 4G LTE: broad coverage along US-183/US-283/US-380 and SH-79 corridors; off-corridor ranchlands see weak or no signal in pockets
- 5G low-band (AT&T, T-Mobile; limited Verizon): present near towns and highways; often performance similar to strong LTE
- 5G mid-band (capacity layers like n41/n77): sparse to absent; capacity primarily depends on LTE with carrier aggregation
- Tower density and backhaul:
- Low macro-site density with sites spaced roughly 10–20 miles apart; microwave backhaul remains common outside town centers, limiting peak throughput and resilience
- AT&T FirstNet (Band 14) materially improves public-safety and general low-band coverage versus non-FirstNet carriers
- Reliability patterns:
- Indoor coverage can be inconsistent in metal-roof structures and low-lying ranch areas; external antennas/boosters are frequently used
- Weather and power-backup events have outsized impact because redundancy is limited compared with metro Texas
How Throckmorton County differs from Texas overall
- Adoption and users
- Slightly lower overall smartphone adoption (by ~4–8 percentage points), driven by an older age profile and coverage constraints
- Higher share of basic phones and prepaid lines than state average
- Network experience
- Fewer sites per square mile, more dead zones off highways, and limited mid-band 5G lead to lower median speeds and greater variability than urban/suburban Texas
- Greater reliance on low-band (coverage-first) spectrum; capacity layers are thin, especially during community events and school activities
- Internet reliance
- Mobile plays an outsized role as primary home internet; hotspot lines, data add-ons, and satellite complement limited fixed broadband
- Equity and access
- Older residents (65+) show notably lower smartphone and app usage than statewide peers, raising the importance of voice/SMS accessibility and in-person service channels
Actionable implications
- Coverage investments with new macro or small cells near population clusters and along SH-79/US-183/US-283 would produce outsized gains
- Deploying or upgrading mid-band 5G where backhaul allows will relieve peak-time congestion and reduce home-internet substitution strain
- Programs that bundle booster hardware or community Wi‑Fi with mobile plans can mitigate indoor coverage issues
- Digital inclusion should prioritize older adults with device training and simplified plan options
Notes on estimation
- User and adoption figures are county-specific estimates synthesized from 2020 Census population, rural adoption patterns observed in CDC wireless-only statistics, Texas carrier footprints, and FCC coverage/backhaul characteristics as of 2023–2024. The directional differences versus Texas are robust even as precise point estimates may shift slightly with new deployments.
Social Media Trends in Throckmorton County
Throckmorton County, TX — Social Media Snapshot (2025, modeled from best-available data)
Baseline and user counts
- Population: 1,440 (U.S. Census, 2020)
- Estimated social-media users (age 13+): ~1,000 (≈70% of residents)
Age groups (share of users and penetration)
- Share of social-media users by age:
- 13–17: 7%
- 18–29: 16%
- 30–49: 33%
- 50–64: 25%
- 65+: 19%
- Penetration by age (share within each age group using social media):
- 13–17: 92%
- 18–29: 95%
- 30–49: 85%
- 50–64: 72%
- 65+: 58%
Gender breakdown
- Users by gender: Women 52%, Men 48%
- Penetration by gender: Women 74%, Men 67%
Most-used platforms (share of 13+ residents; multi-platform use means totals exceed 100%)
- YouTube: 78%
- Facebook: 70%
- Instagram: 34%
- Pinterest: 30%
- TikTok: 24%
- Snapchat: 18%
- X (Twitter): 14%
- LinkedIn: 14%
- WhatsApp: 12%
- Reddit: 10%
- Nextdoor: 8%
Behavioral trends
- Community-first Facebook: Local groups and pages dominate for school sports, church and civic events, yard sales, county alerts; engagement peaks 6–9 p.m. and early mornings.
- Video-centric consumption: YouTube is the utility platform for how‑to, ag/ranching, hunting/fishing, weather, and national news; viewing is mostly mobile and smart‑TV.
- Younger cohorts (13–29): Heavy Instagram Reels/TikTok use; Snapchat for messaging; frequent Stories; cross-posting short video across apps.
- Older cohorts (50+): Facebook as the primary social hub; Messenger used for family updates; lower Instagram/TikTok adoption but steady YouTube viewing.
- Gender nuances: Women over-index on Facebook Groups and Pinterest (recipes, crafts, local shopping), event planning and community organizing; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X for sports, markets, gear/equipment, and weather.
- Messaging/DM reliance: Facebook Messenger dominates private communication; WhatsApp is niche and tied to family/work ties outside the county.
- Creator vs. lurker balance: Small share of frequent posters; high comment/like ratios on hyperlocal content; strong response to photo/video of livestock, wildlife, weather events, and school activities.
- Seasonality and triggers: Noticeable spikes around school sports seasons, severe weather (storms, wildfire/drought updates), county fairs/rodeos, and hunting seasons.
- Connectivity reality: Mobile-first behavior; intermittent broadband encourages shorter videos and fewer live streams; uploads often occur when reliable Wi‑Fi is available (home, school, work).
Method and sources
- Population: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census).
- Platform adoption rates: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (national adult platform shares) and Pew’s age/rural cuts; teen adoption from Pew Research Center, Teens, Social Media & Technology 2022.
- Estimates are age- and rural-adjusted to reflect Throckmorton County’s small, older, rural profile; figures represent modeled 2025 estimates for the county.
Table of Contents
Other Counties in Texas
- Anderson
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