Wilson County

Wilson County, Texas — key demographics

Population size

• 49,753 (2020 Census). Up 15.9% from 42,918 in 2010.

Age

• Median age: ~40 years.
• Under 18: ~26%
• 65 and over: ~16% (Source for age shares and median: ACS 2018–2022 5-year estimates)

Gender

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50% (ACS 2018–2022)

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone: ~90%
• Black or African American alone: ~3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~1%
• Asian alone: ~1%
• Two or more races: ~4%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~42%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~50% (Note: Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity and overlaps with race; ACS 2018–2022)

Households and housing

• Households: ~17,000
• Persons per household: ~2.9
• Family households: ~78% of households
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: ~83% (ACS 2018–2022)

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (population total); American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates (DP05, S1101, housing/household measures).

Wilson County, Texas snapshot (2025)

• Population and density: ~53,600 residents, ~66 people per square mile (large rural areas with suburban clusters around Floresville and La Vernia).
• Estimated email users: ~40,900 residents age 13+ (≈76% of total population).
• Age distribution of email users (share of users):
  • 13–17: 6%
  • 18–34: 26%
  • 35–64: 49%
  • 65+: 19%
• Adoption assumptions applied (from recent U.S. benchmarks): 18–34 ≈97%, 35–64 ≈94%, 65+ ≈85%, teens ≈80%.
• Gender split among users: ~50% female, ~50% male (email use is essentially parity by gender).
• Digital access and trends:
  • Households with a computer: ~94%; with a broadband subscription: ~87% (ACS 2018–2022).
  • Connectivity is highest in town centers and along major corridors; more remote precincts lean on fixed wireless or satellite, with ongoing fiber buildouts and broad 4G/5G mobile coverage improving access.
  • As part of the San Antonio–New Braunfels metro, exurban growth is pushing up broadband subscription rates and email engagement, especially among working-age households and students.

Insights: Email is near-universal among adults under 65 and strong even among seniors, with usage closely tracking broadband availability; suburbanizing areas are closing the remaining access gap.

Wilson County, Texas — mobile phone usage summary (2023–2024)

Headline takeaways

• Estimated mobile users: 41,000–45,000 residents use a mobile phone, including about 38,000–41,000 smartphone users. That equates to roughly 80–85% of total residents and 88–92% of adults.
• Reliance on mobile for internet is meaningfully higher than the Texas average, especially outside Floresville and La Vernia, due to patchy wired broadband in outlying areas.
• 5G is broadly available, but midband 5G capacity is clustered along main corridors and towns; outer ranchland areas still fall back to LTE more often than state urban/suburban norms.

User estimates and adoption

• Total population: about 53,000–55,000; households: roughly 18,000–20,000.
• Adult smartphone adoption: 84–88% (in line with U.S. and Texas baseline, but skewed by a slightly older population profile).
• Overall mobile-phone use (including basic phones): 90%+ of adults; 60–70% of teens have their own device.
• Wireless-only voice (no landline): 75–80% of households, comparable to or slightly above Texas overall.
• Mobile-only or mobile-first home internet (smartphone/hotspot as primary connection): 20–25% of households, several points higher than the Texas average, driven by limited fiber/cable footprints outside town centers.
• Prepaid share (Metro by T-Mobile, Cricket, Boost, etc.): noticeably higher than the Texas average in the county’s Hispanic and lower-density tracts; expect roughly 30%± vs ~25% statewide.

Demographic breakdown and usage characteristics

• Age: Median age is a bit older than Texas overall. Older residents maintain a small but measurable basic‑phone share (feature phones) of roughly 6–8% vs ~4–5% statewide.
• Ethnicity: A large Hispanic community contributes to heavy usage of WhatsApp, Facebook, and YouTube, and a higher prepaid mix. English/Spanish bilingual app usage and OTT messaging are above the state average.
• Commuter pattern: Many residents commute into the San Antonio metro; weekday a.m./p.m. peaks show elevated mobile data use for navigation, music/podcasts, and messaging along US‑181, TX‑97, and FM‑775 corridors.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage: Countywide 5G low‑band coverage from the national carriers is common. Midband 5G capacity (e.g., T‑Mobile “UC,” AT&T/Verizon C‑band) is strong in Floresville and La Vernia and along primary highways, with more LTE fallback in southern/eastern ranchland.
• Typical speeds: Midband 5G in towns commonly supports 150–400 Mbps downlink; LTE‑only zones often see 5–25 Mbps with higher latency. Median performance countywide trails Texas urban/suburban medians.
• Fiber and cable:
  • GVEC Fiber has built fiber in/around La Vernia and nearby communities; AT&T has selective fiber in denser blocks of Floresville; cable (DOCSIS) is available in parts of La Vernia/Floresville.
  • Beyond town centers, many addresses lack fiber/cable, reinforcing mobile hotspot and fixed‑wireless adoption.
• Fixed wireless/home 5G: T‑Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home are available in and near population centers; availability narrows with distance from highway-adjacent sectors.
• Public access: Schools and public libraries in Floresville, La Vernia, and Stockdale provide Wi‑Fi that backstops student and low‑income mobile‑first households.
• Resilience: FirstNet (AT&T) serves public safety users countywide. During severe weather and wildfire events, rural sectors can congest; generators are common on macro sites, but extended power outages still degrade coverage in the most remote areas.

How Wilson County differs from the Texas statewide picture

• Higher mobile-first reliance: A larger share of households rely on smartphones/hotspots as their primary home connection than the Texas average, due to limited fiber/cable beyond towns.
• Coverage pattern: 5G availability is broad, but the practical experience includes more LTE fallback and greater variability in throughput than Texas urban/suburban averages.
• Prepaid and messaging behavior: Prepaid penetration and OTT messaging (WhatsApp) usage are a few points higher than the state norm, tied to income mix and the Hispanic majority/minority composition in several tracts.
• Device mix: A slightly older population sustains a small but higher‑than‑average feature‑phone share and lower accessory adoption (e.g., smartwatches) than metro Texas.
• Daytime network load: Distinct commuter peaks along San Antonio corridors create localized congestion patterns that differ from the more constant load seen in large Texas metros.

Implications

• Network investment with the highest impact: additional midband 5G sectors and rural infill on the southern/eastern edges; fiber backhaul extensions to reduce LTE congestion; targeted small cells in Floresville/La Vernia school and retail clusters.
• Service opportunities: competitively priced prepaid and bilingual support; family plans with hotspot allowances; fixed‑wireless offers for unserved addresses; community Wi‑Fi partnerships near schools and libraries to offset homework gaps.

Note on figures: Counts and percentages reflect best‑available 2023–2024 public datasets (ACS, FCC broadband availability, industry adoption benchmarks) synthesized for Wilson County’s density, age, and race/ethnicity mix. They are presented as actionable estimates for planning and comparison with Texas statewide norms.

Social media usage in Wilson County, Texas (2025 snapshot)

Important note on data: County-specific platform metrics are not directly published. Figures below are modeled estimates for Wilson County using Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. social media usage rates and the county’s age-gender profile from recent U.S. Census/ACS data. Ranges reflect uncertainty at the county level.

Overall usage

• Adult social media penetration: 78–82% of adults
• Daily users among social media users: ~70–75%
• Heavy short‑form video consumers (TikTok/Reels/Shorts) among users: ~45–50%

Age groups (share of adults in each group who use social media)

• 18–29: 90–95%
• 30–49: 82–88%
• 50–64: 68–74%
• 65+: 48–55%

Gender breakdown

• Women: ~51–53% of total social media users
• Platform skews:
  • Women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest (women ≈55–60% of users on these)
  • Men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X/Twitter (men ≈58–65% of users on these)

Most‑used platforms among Wilson County adults (estimates)

• YouTube: 80–83%
• Facebook: 65–70%
• Instagram: 40–45%
• Pinterest: 30–35%
• TikTok: 30–35%
• Snapchat: 25–30%
• WhatsApp: 20–25% (higher among bilingual/Hispanic households)
• LinkedIn: 20–25% (notably among San Antonio commuters/professionals)
• X/Twitter: 18–22%
• Reddit: 18–22%
• Nextdoor: 12–18% (higher in newer subdivisions/HOAs)

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Community-first usage: Facebook Groups are the hub for schools, youth sports, churches, county events, and buy/sell (Marketplace). Cross-posting to multiple local groups is common.
• Video-forward consumption: YouTube is the default for how‑to/DIY, home/ranch projects, hunting/outdoors, and local business explainers; TikTok/Instagram Reels drive entertainment and local discovery among under‑40s.
• Messaging ecosystems: Facebook Messenger dominates group coordination; WhatsApp is prevalent in bilingual and multigenerational households for family and event planning.
• Local commerce: Facebook Marketplace and community groups are primary channels for services (handymen, lawn, trades), vehicles, livestock, and farm/ranch equipment; trust is built via mutual connections and group reputation.
• News and alerts: County and city updates, school closures, and weather/disaster info spread fastest via Facebook Pages/Groups; reposts by group admins amplify reach.
• Time-of-day engagement: Highest after work on weekdays (6–9 pm) and weekend mornings; short‑form video engagement spikes late evening.
• Suburban/HOA micro-networks: Nextdoor usage clusters in subdivisions near La Vernia, Floresville, and Poth for crime watch, utilities, and contractor recommendations.
• Creative formats that perform: Short local reels, before/after project clips, event countdowns, giveaways, and UGC testimonials. Text-only posts underperform unless tied to urgent local news.

How to interpret the numbers

• These percentages align Wilson County with U.S./Texas patterns while accounting for the county’s suburban‑rural mix and commuter ties to the San Antonio metro. Expect Facebook and YouTube to be the broad-reach workhorses; Instagram/TikTok drive under‑40 engagement; Nextdoor is niche but influential within specific neighborhoods.