Daggett County

Key demographics — Daggett County, Utah

• Population size:

  • 1,029 (2020 Census; least-populous county in Utah)

• Age:

  • Median age: ~47 years
  • Under 18: ~17%
  • 65 and over: ~24%
  • (ACS 2019–2023)

• Gender:

  • Male ~55%
  • Female ~45%
  • (2020 Census)

• Race/ethnicity (ACS 2019–2023):

  • White alone: ~90%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~9%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~3%
  • Two or more races: ~4%
  • Black, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: each <1%

• Households (ACS 2019–2023):

  • Total households: ~420
  • Average household size: ~2.3
  • Family households: ~60% (married-couple ~45%)
  • Nonfamily households: ~40%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census DHC/DP1; 2019–2023 ACS 5-year DP02/DP05).

Daggett County, UT snapshot (estimates)

• Local context: ~1,000–1,100 residents; ~1.5 people per sq. mile across ~700 sq. miles. Settlement concentrated in Manila and Dutch John; large areas are public land, which increases last‑mile costs and gaps.
• Estimated email users: 800–900 residents use email regularly. Basis: ~80–85% adults in population; 90–95% of adults and ~75–85% of teens use email.
• Age distribution of email users (share of users):
  • 18–34: ~20–25%
  • 35–54: ~33–38%
  • 55–64: ~18–22%
  • 65+: ~15–22% Users skew middle‑aged due to both population mix and near‑universal adoption under 55.
• Gender split among users: roughly even (≈49–51% each); email adoption shows minimal gender gap.
• Digital access trends:
  • Broadband strongest in/near Manila and Dutch John and along SR‑43/44; outside towns many households rely on fixed wireless or satellite.
  • Home broadband adoption roughly 70–80% of households; 15–25% are smartphone‑only.
  • Growing satellite (e.g., LEO) subscriptions since 2022 to reach remote ranches/cabins.
  • Mobile LTE/5G coverage is corridor‑focused; terrain causes dead zones off main roads.

These figures blend Census/ACS population patterns for rural Utah with national email/adoption benchmarks to yield county‑level estimates.

Below is a practical, county‑specific view built from public coverage maps, census patterns for very‑rural Utah counties, and typical rural adoption rates. Exact counts in Daggett are hard to pin down because it’s Utah’s smallest county and has heavy seasonal visitation; ranges reflect that uncertainty.

Snapshot

• Population baseline: ≈1,000 residents year‑round; density is very low and much of the land is public (Ashley National Forest/Flaming Gorge).
• Economy/traffic drivers: Outdoor recreation and cross‑border travel (WY/CO) create large seasonal swings in mobile demand.

Estimated mobile user base

• Resident mobile users: roughly 750–950 unique resident users.
• Active resident devices: about 1,000–1,400 SIMs/devices (phones, hotspots, tablets), reflecting multi‑line households and work devices.
• Seasonal and transient devices: summer weekends commonly see 2,500–6,000 devices present near Flaming Gorge, marinas, campgrounds, and along US‑191/SR‑44/SR‑43—many times the resident base.

Demographic breakdown that shapes usage

• Age: Skews older than Utah overall.
  • 65+ share is roughly double the state average; seniors’ smartphone adoption is high but still below younger cohorts. Voice/SMS and Wi‑Fi calling remain important.
  • Smaller share of teens/young adults than statewide; fewer college‑age users.
• Households: Smaller household size than the Utah norm; fewer large family plans, more single/dual‑line accounts.
• Language/ethnicity: Less diverse than the state overall; fewer multilingual needs than along the Wasatch Front.
• Work patterns: Outdoor, seasonal, and service work mean uneven weekday usage and heavy weekend/holiday spikes. Ranching/outdoor users add some IoT (trail cams, trackers), but IoT density is low versus metro Utah.

Network and digital infrastructure

• Macro coverage: Concentrated along US‑191 and key state routes plus a handful of lake/recreation nodes. Expect dead zones in canyons, forested terrain, and backcountry spurs.
• Carriers and roaming:
  • Verizon generally strongest in remote Utah; AT&T is viable on main corridors; T‑Mobile’s low‑band footprint reaches some corridors but mid‑band is sparse. Cross‑border roaming into WY/CO occurs near the edges.
• 5G and speeds:
  • Low‑band 5G exists on some corridors, but mid‑band 5G is limited or absent. Much traffic remains on LTE.
  • Typical user speeds: LTE/low‑band 5G in the tens of Mbps under light load, but congestion is common on summer afternoons near recreation sites.
• Backhaul and resilience: Few macro sites, with microwave backhaul in places; single‑path backhaul and winter storms can create outages. Backup power varies site‑to‑site.
• Wireline/broadband context: Some public‑facility/business fiber exists, but residential fiber is limited. Many households lean on WISPs, aging DSL, or Starlink—driving heavy Wi‑Fi‑first behavior and Wi‑Fi calling.
• Public safety: FirstNet (AT&T Band 14) is present along main corridors and facilities but has coverage gaps in backcountry. Utah’s NG911 is in place; precise location relies on VoLTE/coverage availability.

How Daggett County differs from Utah statewide

• Coverage and tech mix
  • Much less mid‑band 5G; a higher share of traffic remains LTE/low‑band 5G than in Wasatch Front counties.
  • More roaming and cross‑border edge cases (WY/CO), with Verizon favored for reach; T‑Mobile presence is comparatively weaker.
• Demand pattern
  • Extreme seasonal peaks from tourism produce weekend/holiday congestion that dwarfs resident baselines—far more volatile than state averages.
• User profile and behavior
  • Older user base, fewer large family plans, slower device upgrade cycles; higher reliance on voice/SMS and Wi‑Fi calling.
  • Education/work usage is less “always‑connected” than in Utah’s urban counties; more offline periods due to terrain gaps.
• Access and reliability
  • Greater dependence on satellite/WISP for home internet; more handset use as a hotspot substitute.
  • Higher sensitivity to single‑point failures (limited towers/backhaul) and to power/weather disruptions.

Implications for planning and service

• Prioritize additional macro/small‑cell coverage at marinas, campgrounds, and highway junctions to handle seasonal spikes.
• Add or harden backhaul diversity and site backup power.
• Expand mid‑band 5G or capacity LTE sectors along US‑191/SR‑44/SR‑43.
• Promote Wi‑Fi calling readiness and device compatibility for residents; target senior‑friendly plans/devices.
• Coordinate with Wyoming/Colorado networks near borders to smooth roaming and emergency alert performance.

Below is a concise, best-available snapshot for Daggett County, UT. Because county-level social media surveys don’t exist for such a small population, figures are estimates extrapolated from Utah/rural U.S. data (Pew Research Center 2023–2024; U.S. Census/ACS). Treat ranges as directional.

Quick user stats

• Population: ~1,000 residents; adults ~750–850.
• Internet access: roughly 80–88% of households have internet.
• Social media users: about 500–600 adults (roughly 65–75% of adults), plus seasonal influx of visitors around Flaming Gorge.

Most-used platforms (share of adult internet users in-county; estimates)

• YouTube: 70–80%
• Facebook: 60–70% (Facebook Groups are especially important)
• Facebook Messenger: 55–65%
• Instagram: 35–45%
• Snapchat: 25–35% (skews under 35; Utah runs a bit higher than national)
• TikTok: 20–30%
• Pinterest: 25–35% (skews female, 25–54)
• X (Twitter): 10–15% (news, sports, state politics)
• Reddit: 8–15% (skews male, younger)
• WhatsApp: 10–18% (family/mission/intl ties; not mainstream locally)
• Nextdoor: <5% (very limited footprint in sparse, rural areas)

Age profile (who’s on social, and where)

• Teens (13–17): Very high use overall; Snapchat, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok dominate; Facebook mainly for events/parent-connected groups.
• 18–29: Highest multi-platform use; Snapchat/Instagram/TikTok + YouTube; Facebook for groups/swaps.
• 30–49: Broadest reach; Facebook (Groups/Marketplace), YouTube, Instagram; growing TikTok use for short tips/recreation.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube lead; Pinterest for projects; some Instagram.
• 65+: Facebook and YouTube primarily; adoption rises for emergency info and community updates.

Gender notes

• County has a slight male majority (approx. 52–55%). Usage patterns follow national trends:
  • Women: More active on Facebook (Groups/Marketplace), Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok.
  • Men: Higher on YouTube, Reddit, X; Facebook still common for local groups and classifieds.

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook Groups = community hub: county news, road conditions, wildfire/closures, school updates, buy/sell/swap, lost-and-found, and event coordination.
• Seasonal spikes: Summer/fall recreation around Flaming Gorge drives more posting, check-ins, fishing reports, and photo/video sharing; visitor content blends with local feeds.
• Government and emergencies: Sheriff, county, and town pages rely on Facebook for urgent alerts; these posts get the widest immediate reach.
• Visual-first content: Catch-and-release photos, lake levels, trail/road status, and event flyers pull strong engagement; short vertical video (reels/TikTok) is rising but still secondary to Facebook.
• Messaging behavior: Facebook Messenger is the default for coordinating services and sales; teens/20s lean on Snapchat DMs.
• Low creator, high lurker: Many residents read/engage via reactions and shares rather than posting frequently; official pages and a few active community members drive most local conversation.
• Cross-border audience: Practical radius extends into southwest Wyoming and northwest Colorado; targeting within 25–75 miles often outperforms strict county-only targeting due to tiny population.
• Marketplace utility: Facebook Marketplace is a primary channel for local services, gear, vehicles, and seasonal rentals.
• Timing: Evenings and weekends see the highest local engagement; weekday mornings for government/service updates.
• Ad inventory: Limited locally; small budgets with radius targeting, boosted posts in key groups, and event reminders are effective.

Practical takeaways

• Prioritize Facebook (page + Groups) and YouTube; add Instagram for visuals and Snapchat/TikTok only if targeting under-35s.
• Use radius-based geotargeting (25–75 miles) and seasonal campaigns tied to recreation peaks.
• Post community-first content: conditions, safety updates, event info, and practical “what’s open/changed” notices.
• Leverage Messenger for lead capture and quick responses; consider short video for fishing/boating tips and local business spotlights.

Sources informing estimates: Pew Research Center 2023–2024 U.S. social media use; U.S. Census/ACS for population/internet adoption; rural-urban usage differentials.