Yoakum County

Yoakum County, Texas — key demographics

Population

• Total: 7,694 (2020 Census)
• Latest estimate: 7,620 (ACS 2019–2023 5-year)

Age

• Median age: 31.3 years
• Under 18: 31.5%
• 65 and over: 11.6%

Gender

• Male: 52.0%
• Female: 48.0%

Race and Hispanic origin (Hispanic can be any race)

• Hispanic or Latino: 62.1%
• White alone, non-Hispanic: 33.4%
• Black or African American alone, non-Hispanic: 1.7%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone, non-Hispanic: 1.1%
• Asian alone, non-Hispanic: 0.3%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: 1.4%

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

• Total households: 2,340
• Average household size: 3.24
• Family households: 77%
• Married-couple families: 57%
• Households with children under 18: 43%
• Average family size: 3.73

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates.

Yoakum County, TX snapshot

• Population and density: ~7,700 residents; ~9–10 people per sq. mile. Most residents live in Denver City and Plains; outlying areas are very rural.
• Estimated email users: ~5,700 residents (≈74% of the population), derived from local internet subscription rates and age-based adoption patterns.
• Age distribution of email users: 13–17: 7%; 18–34: 27%; 35–54: 36%; 55+: 30%. Adoption is near-universal among 18–54, slightly lower among 55+ and teens.
• Gender split: ≈51% male, 49% female, mirroring county demographics; email usage is effectively even by gender.
• Digital access trends: About 80–85% of households have internet at home; roughly 75–80% have fixed broadband (cable/DSL/fiber or fixed wireless). Roughly 12–15% are smartphone‑only users, and 15–20% lack a home internet subscription and rely on mobile data or public Wi‑Fi.
• Connectivity realities: Broadband is strongest in Denver City and Plains; coverage and speeds drop in ranch and oilfield areas where fixed wireless and cellular are common. Public anchors (schools/libraries) act as key access points.

Insights: Email reach is high but capped by rural broadband gaps; outreach and services requiring email will cover roughly three-quarters of residents, with remaining access barriers concentrated outside town centers.

Mobile phone usage in Yoakum County, Texas (focus: what differs from statewide patterns)

Snapshot and user estimates (2025)

• Population baseline: 7,694 (2020 Census); two population centers (Denver City and Plains) with the rest very rural. Approximate density ~9–10 residents per square mile.
• Estimated mobile phone users (age 13+): ~5,600 residents actively using a mobile phone.
• Adult smartphone owners: ~4,500 (about 85% of ~5,300 adults; aligned with rural U.S. rates).
• Total smartphone users (including teens): ~5,100.
• Wireless-only households (no landline): ~1,880 households, about 78% of an estimated ~2,410 households—above Texas’ already-high wireless-only share (Texas ~75–77%).
• Smartphone-only internet adults (no home broadband, rely on mobile): 1,060 adults (20%), higher than Texas overall (~15%).
• Plan mix: roughly one-third of lines on prepaid in the county (materially higher than Texas’ ~23–25%), reflecting rural and price-sensitive segments.

Demographic breakdown linked to usage

• Ethnicity/language: Majority Hispanic/Latino community (roughly three-fifths of residents), which correlates with:
  • Near-parity smartphone adoption vs county average (Hispanic adults nationally ~88–90%),
  • Higher Android usage and heavy use of WhatsApp/Facebook Messenger for communications.
• Age:
  • Teens: very high smartphone penetration (~95%); high video/social usage.
  • 18–34: near-saturation smartphone use and the most mobile-only internet usage.
  • 65+: lower smartphone adoption (~70–75%), more basic plans and voice/SMS reliance; still well above past cohorts, showing steady catch-up.
• Household structure: Larger household sizes and multi-line family plans are common; device sharing and hotspot use for homework/work are more prevalent than state average.

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• Carrier presence: AT&T, Verizon, and T‑Mobile all operate countywide; primary coverage is low-band LTE/5G for reach. Mid-band 5G capacity is concentrated in and near Denver City and Plains; outside town centers, networks fall back to LTE/low-band 5G.
• Performance profile (typical in rural West Texas):
  • Low-band 5G: ~30–120 Mbps down; LTE often 5–40 Mbps.
  • Mid-band 5G (where present): 200–400 Mbps bursts but limited footprint.
• Backhaul: Mix of microwave and fiber; fiber is present to anchor institutions (schools/municipal sites) and along main corridors, but last-mile fiber to homes is sparse—driving higher smartphone-only and hotspot dependence.
• Coverage gaps: Sparse-population oilfield/agricultural tracts show spotty indoor service; boosters (vehicle/home) are common among farm and oilfield workers. Small-cell density is minimal; macro sites and low-band spectrum do most of the work.
• Retail/support: Few flagship carrier stores; service is via authorized dealers or neighboring counties, influencing plan churn toward prepaid and MVNOs.

How Yoakum County differs from Texas overall

• More wireless-only living: ~78% of households vs ~75–77% statewide, reflecting fewer landlines and more mobile-centric communications.
• Greater mobile-dependence for home internet: ~20% smartphone-only adults vs ~15% in Texas, tied to limited fixed-broadband options in rural areas.
• Slightly lower adult smartphone adoption than urban Texas: ~85% vs ~88–90% in metro areas, with the gap driven by older adults and coverage/performance variability outside towns.
• Higher prepaid and MVNO share: roughly one-third of lines, notably above the state average; driven by price sensitivity, seasonal oilfield employment patterns, and fewer carrier retail options.
• Platform mix tilts more Android than Texas overall, in part due to prepaid and price-sensitive device choices.
• Network capacity more variable: Reliable low-band coverage for reach, but less mid-band 5G depth than metro Texas; speeds more sensitive to distance from towns and to oilfield activity surges.

Operational implications

• Businesses and public services should assume mobile-first communication, with WhatsApp/Facebook as critical channels for Hispanic residents.
• Education and telehealth strategies should plan for hotspot and smartphone access rather than fixed broadband in many homes.
• Emergency communications are best delivered through Wireless Emergency Alerts and SMS, with attention to indoor coverage aids (repeaters/boosters) in outlying areas.
• Carriers can improve experience most by adding mid-band 5G sectors around Denver City and Plains and targeted fill-in sites along oilfield routes.

Sources and methodology

• Population and household baselines from the 2020 Census; adoption and behavioral rates derived from 2024–2025 Pew Research Center smartphone ownership, CDC/NCHS Wireless Substitution estimates (Texas among the highest wireless-only states), and rural U.S. mobile usage patterns, applied to Yoakum County’s rural and Hispanic-majority profile. Estimates are rounded to provide clear, actionable figures.

Yoakum County, TX social media snapshot (2025)

Baseline

• Residents: 7,694 (2020 U.S. Census). Rural, energy/ag economy with a large Hispanic/Latino population (~60%).
• Adult base (18+): ≈5,600–5,900 residents, used below to estimate platform users.

Most‑used platforms among adults (share of adults who use each; Pew Research Center 2024; rounded; local counts are estimates applying those rates to the Yoakum adult base)

• YouTube: ~83% → ≈4,700–4,900 adults
• Facebook: ~68% → ≈3,800–4,000 adults
• Instagram: ~47% → ≈2,600–2,800 adults
• Pinterest: ~35% → ≈1,900–2,100 adults
• LinkedIn: ~30% → ≈1,650–1,750 adults
• TikTok: ~33% → ≈1,800–1,950 adults
• Snapchat: ~27% → ≈1,500–1,600 adults
• X (Twitter): ~22% → ≈1,200–1,300 adults
• Reddit: ~22% → ≈1,200–1,300 adults
• WhatsApp: US‑wide 21%, but Hispanic usage is far higher (46%). Given Yoakum County’s demographics, local adult usage is plausibly ~30–40% → ≈1,700–2,300 adults

Age profile (who uses what; Pew 2024 adults and Pew 2023 teens; county mirrors rural Texas patterns)

• Teens (13–17): YouTube ~95%; Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok each ~60–70%. Facebook far lower.
• 18–29: YouTube ~95%; Instagram ~75%; Snapchat ~65%; TikTok ~60%; Facebook ~65–70%.
• 30–49: Facebook ~75–80%; YouTube ~90%; Instagram ~50%; TikTok ~40%; Snapchat ~25%.
• 50–64: Facebook ~70+%; YouTube ~80+%; Instagram ~30%; TikTok ~10–15%.
• 65+: Facebook ~50%; YouTube ~50%; Instagram/TikTok each <20%.

Gender patterns (directional)

• Women over‑index on Facebook and especially Pinterest (women ~50% vs men ~20%). Instagram slightly higher among women.
• Men over‑index on YouTube, Reddit, and X. LinkedIn skew modestly male in rural areas.

Local behavioral trends

• Community info hub: Facebook Groups dominate for schools (ISDs), churches, high‑school sports, civic alerts, yard‑sale/“swap” groups, and county offices. Engagement spikes around weather, road closures, school announcements, elections, and Friday‑night sports.
• Marketplace and classifieds: Heavy use of Facebook Marketplace for vehicles, farm/ranch equipment, tools, and household goods.
• Messaging is critical: Facebook Messenger is ubiquitous; WhatsApp is common for bilingual families and cross‑border/extended‑family communication.
• Video‑first consumption: YouTube for how‑to, farm/ranch, auto repair, and oilfield content; TikTok/Reels for quick local updates, humor, and small‑business promotion.
• Small‑business playbook: Facebook Pages + Instagram Reels for boutiques, food trucks, salons, auto, and contractors; boosted posts outperform complex ad funnels. Local offers and before/after visuals drive clicks.
• Participation style: Many “read more than post.” Short videos and photo carousels outperform text‑only updates. Events and giveaways lift comments and shares.
• Access reality: Usage is mobile‑first; posting often clusters in evenings and weekends when off shift.

Notes on method

• Population from the 2020 Census; adult base derived from Texas age structure.
• Platform percentages from Pew Research Center’s 2024 Social Media Use (U.S. adults) and Pew 2023 Teens & Tech; WhatsApp adjusted upward to reflect higher Hispanic adoption.
• Figures are small‑area estimates applying national/rural patterns to Yoakum County’s demographics; round to the nearest hundred for practical planning.