Wharton County

Key demographics – Wharton County, Texas

Population size

• 2023 population estimate: ~41,600 (U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2023)

Age

• Median age: ~36–37 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~25–26%
• 65 and over: ~15–16%

Sex (gender)

• Male: ~50–51%
• Female: ~49–50%

Race/ethnicity (Hispanic is of any race; others are non-Hispanic)

• Hispanic/Latino: ~42–43%
• White (non-Hispanic): ~39–40%
• Black/African American (non-Hispanic): ~13–14%
• Asian (non-Hispanic): ~1%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~2–3%
• Other (incl. AIAN, NHPI, some other race, non-Hispanic): ~1%

Households and housing

• Total households: ~14,700–14,900 (ACS 2019–2023)
• Average household size: ~2.8–2.9
• Family households: ~68–70% of households
• Married-couple family households: ~45–50% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~30–34%
• Owner-occupied housing: ~69–72%; renter-occupied: ~28–31%

Insights

• Population is relatively stable, with a balanced sex ratio.
• Hispanic/Latino and non-Hispanic White populations are the two largest groups, together comprising about four-fifths of residents.
• Household structure is predominantly family-based, with a strong owner-occupancy share near 70%.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 Population Estimates; American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates.

• Scope: Wharton County, TX (2020 Census pop. 41,570; land area ~1,086 sq mi; density ~38 people/sq mi).
• Digital access (ACS 2018–2022):
  • Households with a computer: ~91%
  • Households with broadband internet subscription: ~79%
  • Cellular data–only (smartphone‑only) internet: ~13%
• Estimated email users: ~28,000 adults (≈90% of ~31,300 adults), reflecting near‑universal email use among internet users.
• Age distribution of email use (local estimates informed by ACS internet adoption and Pew usage patterns):
  • 18–34: ~96% use email
  • 35–54: ~94%
  • 55–64: ~89%
  • 65+: ~78%
• Gender split: Email users skew roughly with the county’s sex ratio, ~50% female / ~50% male.
• Trends and insights:
  • Email is a primary communication channel for nearly all connected adults; seniors are the main gap due to lower broadband adoption.
  • Broadband and device availability support stable email penetration, but smartphone‑only households indicate heavier reliance on mobile email.
  • Connectivity is denser in town centers (Wharton, El Campo, East Bernard); low overall population density increases last‑mile costs and contributes to patchier high‑speed availability in rural census blocks, moderating email use among older and lower‑income residents.

Mobile phone usage in Wharton County, Texas — 2024 snapshot

Key takeaways

• Estimated mobile users: roughly 30,000 adult mobile phone users and about 29,000–30,000 smartphone users (including teens), out of a total population of about 41,000–42,000.
• Compared with Texas overall, Wharton County shows higher dependence on mobile-only internet, slightly lower smartphone adoption, and more uneven 5G performance outside town centers.
• Coverage is strong along the US‑59/I‑69 corridor and in El Campo, Wharton, and East Bernard; outlying rural areas experience weaker indoor signal and patchier mid-band 5G.

User estimates

• Total population baseline: ~41,300–41,600 (2020 Decennial Census: 41,570; 2023 estimate is essentially flat).
• Adults (18+): ~31,000–32,000.
• Adults with any mobile phone: ~29,500–30,500 (95%+ adult mobile ownership typical; rural counties trend a bit lower than big metros).
• Smartphone users (13+): ~29,000–30,000.
  • Adults: ~26,500–27,500 (county-level adoption modeled at ~85–88%, slightly below Texas’ ~90%).
  • Teens (13–17): ~2,300–2,500 (very high adoption among teens).
• Households with a smartphone: ~12,000–13,000 (about 82–88% of ~14,500–14,800 households).
• Households with a cellular data plan for internet: ~10,000–11,000 (about 68–75% of households).
• Mobile-only internet households (cellular data plan but no fixed home broadband): 2,300–2,900 (about 15–20% of households), notably higher than Texas statewide (10–13%).

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age structure (approx.): Under 18 ~25%, 18–34 ~20–22%, 35–64 ~38–40%, 65+ ~16–18%.
  • Seniors (65+) in Wharton County are a larger share than in Texas overall; smartphone adoption in this cohort is materially lower than in younger groups, pulling down the county’s overall smartphone penetration relative to the state.
• Race/ethnicity (2020 baseline, rounded): Hispanic/Latino ~40–45%; non‑Hispanic White ~33–38%; Black ~15–17%; Asian ~1–2%; other/multiracial remainder.
  • Hispanic and Black households in the county exhibit above‑average reliance on mobile‑only internet compared with the state, largely correlating with lower median incomes and rural residence patterns.
• Income and education (ACS profiles, rounded): median household income is lower than the Texas median; bachelor’s degree attainment is also lower than statewide.
  • These factors are associated with higher prepaid usage, higher Android share, and greater use of mobile data as a primary connection. The county tracks this pattern more strongly than Texas overall.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Networks present: AT&T, Verizon, and T‑Mobile provide countywide 4G LTE coverage along primary roadways and town centers; 5G coverage is strongest within El Campo, Wharton, and along US‑59/I‑69, with patchier mid‑band 5G in outlying areas.
• Performance pattern: mid‑band 5G capacity is concentrated in the towns and along the corridor; outside these zones, users more often fall back to LTE or low‑band 5G with lower throughput. Indoor signal challenges are common in metal‑roof homes and commercial buildings.
• Backhaul and reliability: the highway corridor concentrates fiber backhaul and macro sites; agricultural and river‑bottom areas have sparser sites and longer spans, contributing to variable signal quality and resiliency issues during severe weather.
• Public assets: schools and libraries (E‑Rate participants) and county facilities are key anchor tenants for fiber and often provide community Wi‑Fi and hotspot lending that mitigate access gaps.
• Fixed broadband interplay: fiber/cable is present in town centers; many rural households rely on DSL, fixed wireless, or mobile data. This underpins the county’s higher mobile‑only internet share compared with the state.

How Wharton County differs from Texas overall

• Higher mobile-only internet dependence: about 15–20% of households vs ~10–13% statewide.
• Slightly lower smartphone adoption overall, driven by an older population mix and lower median incomes than the Texas average.
• More uneven 5G experience: strong along the US‑59/I‑69 and in towns; weaker mid‑band 5G and more LTE fallback in rural areas than the Texas metro norm.
• Greater prepaid and data‑budgeting behavior, reflected in heavier Wi‑Fi offload and conservative data plans.

Notes on sources and method

• Population and demographics: U.S. Census (2020 Decennial) and ACS 2018–2022 5‑year profiles for Wharton County.
• Mobile/smartphone adoption: county‑level estimates modeled from ACS household device and subscription variables (S2801) and Pew Research Center’s 2023 U.S. smartphone adoption rates by age and urbanicity, adjusted to Wharton County’s age, income, and rural mix.
• Infrastructure characterization: synthesis of FCC coverage/map patterns for rural Texas counties, carrier public coverage disclosures, and observed deployment norms along US‑59/I‑69 corridors.

Figures are rounded, and where direct county measurements are unavailable, estimates are derived using standard demographic-adjustment methods to provide a practical, decision‑ready view.

Wharton County, TX social media snapshot (2025)

Topline user base

• Residents: ≈41,500; adults (18+): ≈31,000 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ACS)

Most-used platforms (share of adults; Pew Research Center, 2024). Estimated local users apply those rates to ≈31,000 adults.

• YouTube: 83% (~25,700 adults)
• Facebook: 68% (~21,100)
• Instagram: 47% (~14,600)
• TikTok: 33% (~10,200)
• Pinterest: 32% (~9,900)
• LinkedIn: 30% (~9,300)
• Snapchat: 30% (~9,300)
• WhatsApp: 29% (~9,000)
• X (Twitter): 22% (~6,800)
• Reddit: 22% (~6,800)

Age-group usage patterns (percent of each age group using the platform; Pew 2024)

• Ages 18–29: YouTube 95%, Instagram 78%, Snapchat 65%, TikTok 62%, Facebook ~70%, X 30%, Reddit 36%
• Ages 30–49: YouTube 91%, Facebook 78%, Instagram 55%, TikTok 39%, Snapchat 25%, X 27%, Reddit 25%
• Ages 50–64: YouTube 83%, Facebook 69%, Instagram 29%, TikTok 24%, Snapchat 12%, X 19%, Reddit 14%
• Ages 65+: YouTube ~60%, Facebook 58%, Instagram 15%, TikTok 10%, Snapchat 4%, X 8%, Reddit 5%

Gender breakdown (percent of men/women who use each platform; Pew 2024)

• Facebook: women 75%, men 61%
• Instagram: women 50%, men 44%
• TikTok: women 40%, men 25%
• Snapchat: women 38%, men 23%
• Pinterest: women 50%, men 18%
• YouTube: men 86%, women 81%
• X (Twitter): men 25%, women 20%
• Reddit: men 29%, women 15%
• LinkedIn: men 31%, women 29%

Behavioral trends observed in counties like Wharton

• Facebook is the organizing hub: local news pages, school districts, churches, youth sports, civic groups and Marketplace drive the highest engagement and sharing.
• Short‑form video wins: Reels and TikTok lead discovery for restaurants, local events, youth sports, FFA/rodeo, hunting/fishing and home services; clips featuring recognizable people/places outperform static graphics.
• Trust and voice: posts from familiar local institutions (schools, county offices, VFDs, churches) draw more comments/shares than brand pages; bilingual English/Spanish posts expand reach.
• Commerce patterns: Marketplace and buy/sell/trade groups are primary for vehicles, appliances, tools and farm/ranch items; boutiques use Instagram with DM-based sales.
• Messaging backbone: Facebook Messenger is ubiquitous; WhatsApp is notably used among Hispanic households and for extended family networks.
• Participation vs. lurking: older adults are heavier consumers/resharers; younger adults post Stories/Snaps and join challenges, with strong peer tagging.
• Timing: evening (6–9 pm) and weekends deliver the best reach and reactions; a secondary bump occurs around lunch (11:30 am–1 pm); early mornings are best for alerts (weather, school notices).
• Local radius: targeting and content focused within 10–25 miles of Wharton, El Campo, East Bernard and Boling captures most residents; commuter flows along US‑59/I‑69 extend spillover reach.

Method and sources

• Population base: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 American Community Survey (ACS); adults (18+) ≈31k of ≈41.5k residents.
• Platform adoption: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024. Percentages are national adult usage rates; local user counts shown are estimates from applying those rates to Wharton County’s adult population. Behavioral notes reflect common patterns in rural Texas counties of similar size.