Emery County

Here are concise, high-level demographics for Emery County, Utah. Figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 ACS 5‑year; 2023 population estimates).

Population size

• 2020 Census: 9,825
• 2023 estimate: ~9,800

Age

• Median age: ~37
• Under 18: ~28%
• 65 and over: ~18–19%

Gender

• Male: ~51%
• Female: ~49%

Racial/ethnic composition (percent of total)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~87–89%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~9–10%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~1%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Black: ~0.3%
• Asian: ~0.3%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%

Household data

• Households: ~3,400–3,500
• Average household size: ~2.8–2.9 persons
• Family households: ~70% (majority are married-couple families)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5‑year estimates; Vintage 2023 Population Estimates.

Emery County, UT snapshot (population ~10–11k; ~2–3 people/sq. mile)

Estimated email users

• 7.5k–9.0k residents (≈70–85% of total), based on rural internet adoption and near‑universal email use among internet users.

Age distribution of email use (share of each age group using email)

• 13–17: 70–85% (school-driven; many smartphone-only)
• 18–29: 95–99%
• 30–49: 94–98%
• 50–64: 85–93%
• 65+: 65–80% (growing via telehealth/banking)

Gender split

• Roughly even (≈49–51% men/women among users).

Digital access trends

• Home broadband adoption ~70–80% of households; 10–15% are smartphone‑only.
• Fiber is expanding in town centers (e.g., Castle Dale, Huntington, Ferron) via local provider Emery Telcom; outskirts often rely on DSL or fixed wireless.
• Mobile broadband (LTE/5G) is strongest along SR‑10 and I‑70; canyon/mesa terrain creates dead zones.
• Public anchors (libraries, schools, county buildings) provide key Wi‑Fi access; increased use since pandemic for telework/telehealth.

Local connectivity/density facts

• Very low density complicates last‑mile builds; ranchlands and remote homes are the most underserved.
• Where fiber is available, households commonly meet 100/20 Mbps+; many peripheral areas fall below that threshold.

Notes: Estimates synthesized from Census/ACS, Pew, FCC/NTIA rural broadband data.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Emery County, Utah (distinct from state-level patterns)

Context and approach

• Exact carrier subscriber counts aren’t published at the county level. Figures below are reasoned estimates based on county population, rural adoption patterns in Utah, Pew smartphone ownership, FCC coverage maps, and known local infrastructure (e.g., Emery Telcom).

User estimates

• Population baseline: roughly 9,500–10,000 residents.
• Unique mobile users (all ages): about 8,000–9,200 residents with an active mobile line (≈80–92% penetration vs Utah often >95%).
• Adult smartphone users: about 6,200–7,200 (≈82–90% of adults), lower than Utah’s urban corridors where adult smartphone ownership is typically near 90–95%.
• Total active lines/devices (phones, tablets, hotspots, IoT): approximately 10,000–12,000, reflecting multi-line households and some cellular home-internet devices.
• Cellular-only home internet: meaningfully higher than along the Wasatch Front—on the order of 15–25% of households in outlying areas, where wired options are limited.

Demographic breakdown and usage implications

• Age structure: older than Utah overall—fewer 18–34 year-olds and a larger 55+ share. This skews:
  • Slightly lower smartphone adoption and app-centric usage among seniors.
  • Longer device replacement cycles; more value orientation (prepaid/MVNO, mid-tier Android devices).
• Household income and education: below state averages, contributing to:
  • Higher prepaid/MVNO share than the Wasatch Front.
  • Greater price sensitivity to unlimited/high-cap plans; heavier reliance on Wi‑Fi at home/work to manage mobile data.
• Households with teens: still a strong driver of smartphone adoption, but take-up is moderated by patchier coverage outside towns.
• Work patterns: energy, agriculture, and outdoor recreation jobs mean more time outside robust coverage; voice/SMS reliability and basic LTE data often prioritized over cutting-edge 5G speeds.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carriers present: AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon cover the main population centers and highways; service becomes sparse in the San Rafael Swell, canyonlands, and remote desert/plateau areas.
• 5G footprint:
  • Low-band 5G generally tracks highways (I‑70, SR‑10) and towns (Huntington, Castle Dale, Ferron, Green River). Mid-band 5G capacity is limited to a few sites, so average speeds are below Utah urban norms.
  • Many users operate primarily on LTE outside town centers.
• Tower siting pattern: macro sites are concentrated along the SR‑10 corridor (Huntington–Castle Dale–Ferron–Emery) and the I‑70/Green River area, with large geographic gaps elsewhere. Terrain (mesas, canyons) creates shadow zones.
• Backhaul and fiber:
  • Emery Telcom is the key local fiber/broadband provider; fiber routes interconnect the main towns and likely support cellular backhaul there.
  • Outside town fiber laterals, some sites rely on microwave backhaul, which can constrain capacity during peak loads.
• Fixed broadband alternatives:
  • Emery Telcom fiber/coax in towns; some DSL remnants.
  • Fixed wireless ISPs and Starlink fill coverage gaps for ranches and remote homes; these households often pair fixed wireless/satellite with mobile hotspots for redundancy.
• Public safety and resilience:
  • AT&T’s FirstNet presence covers highways and towns but mirrors commercial coverage constraints in backcountry.
  • Single-corridor fiber routes and long power runs mean storms/wildfire can create localized outages; residents often keep legacy radios/scanners as fallbacks.

How Emery County differs from Utah statewide

• Coverage and speeds: noticeably less mid-band 5G and fewer sectors per capita than the Wasatch Front; more LTE-only usage and bigger dead zones in recreation/backcountry areas.
• Adoption and plans: slightly lower smartphone penetration among seniors; higher prepaid/MVNO share; longer device lifecycles; Android share likely higher than state average.
• Home internet mix: higher reliance on cellular-only or cellular-plus-satellite in outlying areas; in-town users lean on Emery Telcom fiber/Wi‑Fi and keep smaller mobile data buckets.
• Seasonal/temporal patterns: sharper peaks from I‑70 travelers and recreation hotspots (e.g., Goblin Valley area, river corridors), producing weekend/holiday congestion not seen in urban Utah where capacity is denser.
• Enterprise/public sector: more outdoor/field work drives demand for coverage along work routes and in canyons rather than indoor-capacity hotspots; push-to-talk and offline-capable apps matter more.

Notes and uncertainties

• Figures are estimates; carrier- and county-specific subscriber counts, exact tower counts, and granular 5G layers aren’t publicly released.

Social media in Emery County, Utah — short breakdown

How to read this: County-level platform data isn’t publicly reported. Figures below are estimates created by applying 2024 Pew Research Center U.S. usage rates (with rural adjustments) to Emery County’s 10,000 residents (7,500 adults). Treat as directional.

Estimated platform reach among adults (share of adults; approximate users)

• YouTube: 80–85% (~6.0–6.4K). Broad, daily how‑to, news, hobbies.
• Facebook: 65–70% (~4.9–5.3K). Highest daily local engagement (Groups, Pages, Marketplace).
• Instagram: 35–45% (~2.6–3.4K). Strong with 18–39; Stories/Reels consumption > posting.
• TikTok: 25–35% (~1.9–2.6K). Short‑form entertainment and local info; younger skew.
• Snapchat: 28–35% (~2.1–2.6K). Teens/young adults; heavy messaging and Stories.
• Pinterest: 30–38% (~2.3–2.9K). Projects, recipes, home, events; female‑skewed.
• WhatsApp: 20–28% (~1.5–2.1K). Family/church/friends group chats; cross‑border ties.
• X (Twitter): 15–22% (~1.1–1.6K). Niche: sports, news, state politics.
• Reddit: 15–22% (~1.1–1.6K). Male‑skewed; hobbies, tech, outdoors.
• Nextdoor: <10% (<750). Coverage varies in rural areas; limited footprint.

Age patterns

• Teens (13–17): YouTube ≈ universal; Snapchat and TikTok are top daily; Instagram moderate; Facebook minimal except for events.
• 18–29: YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok lead; Facebook used mainly for Marketplace and local groups.
• 30–49: Facebook + YouTube dominate; Instagram moderate; TikTok rising; Pinterest strong among women.
• 50–64: Facebook #1 for community/family; YouTube for DIY/how‑to; some Pinterest; limited TikTok/Instagram.
• 65+: Facebook for family/church/local info; YouTube for tutorials and sermons; others low.

Gender breakdown (directional, based on national skews)

• Overall social media user base roughly balanced by gender in the county.
• Skews female: Facebook (slight), Instagram (slight), Pinterest (strong).
• Skews male: YouTube (slight), Reddit (strong), X (moderate).
• Snapchat and TikTok are more age‑ than gender‑driven.

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first usage: Facebook Groups/Pages are the county’s “public square” for road closures, school sports, events, lost/found, emergency notices, and buy/sell.
• Marketplace heavy: Facebook Marketplace is the primary local commerce channel; high response to listings within 15–30 miles.
• Messaging centric: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat power day‑to‑day communication; group chats for teams, classes, and church activities.
• Content preferences: DIY, hunting/fishing, off‑road/auto, home improvement, local government updates, weather, and youth sports perform best. Short videos (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) outperform static posts.
• Timing: Engagement peaks evenings (7–10 p.m.) and weekends; midday bumps on weekdays. Weather events and school/game days spike activity.
• Creator vs consumer: Many residents consume more than they post; most original posts happen in Groups rather than personal profiles.
• Small business playbook: Facebook as the primary page + boosted posts; Instagram for visuals; short‑form video repurposed across Reels/TikTok/Shorts drives outsized reach.

Notes on connectivity

• Rural broadband can be patchy compared to Utah metro areas; usage is mobile‑first. Short, captioned video and lightweight creatives perform best.

Sources/method: Estimates derived from Pew Research Center Social Media Use (2024, U.S. adults) with rural adjustments; combined with Emery County population/age structure from recent ACS/Census releases.