Kittitas County

Kittitas County, Washington — key demographics

Population size

• 44,337 (2020 Decennial Census)
• Growth since 2010: +8.4% (from 40,915)

Age

• Median age: about 33 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Age distribution:
  • Under 18: ~16%
  • 18–24: ~22% (inflated by Central Washington University)
  • 25–44: ~27–28%
  • 45–64: ~21%
  • 65+: ~14%

Gender

• Male: ~51–52%
• Female: ~48–49%

Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census; Hispanic is of any race)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~80%
• Hispanic/Latino: ~10%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~7%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: ~2–3%
• Black/African American, non-Hispanic: ~1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~1–2%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: <1%

Household data (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~17,500–17,700
• Average household size: ~2.3–2.4
• Family households: ~55–57% of households; nonfamily: ~43–45%
• Households with children under 18: ~22–24%
• Homeownership rate: ~55–57%
• Notable context: higher share of 18–24-year-olds and nonfamily households due to university presence; meaningful group-quarters population (college housing)

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5‑year estimates.

Kittitas County, WA email usage snapshot

• Estimated users: 35,000–36,000 adults. Basis: 2020 population 44,337; adults ≈ 37k; applying recent U.S. adult email adoption (94–96%) yields ~35–36k active users.
• Age mix of email users (est.): 18–24 ≈ 8.3k (23%); 25–44 ≈ 11.5k (32%); 45–64 ≈ 9.4k (26%); 65+ ≈ 6.8k (19%). Central Washington University raises the 18–24 share.
• Gender split among users: ~50% female, ~50% male, matching county demographics.
• Digital access and trends: Most households have a computer and a broadband subscription, with subscription rates in the high-80s percent (ACS). Smartphone‑only access persists for a minority of households, especially in rural areas. Broadband availability and speeds have been improving, with fiber/cable concentrated in Ellensburg and Cle Elum; fixed wireless and satellite cover outlying valleys and canyons. Older‑adult email adoption is rising, narrowing the 65+ gap.
• Local density/connectivity facts: County area ≈ 2,333 sq mi; population density ≈ 19 people/sq mi. Connectivity is strongest along the I‑90 corridor (Ellensburg–Kittitas–Cle Elum), with more limited options in mountainous and sparsely populated areas.

Mobile phone usage in Kittitas County, Washington — key findings and differences from statewide patterns

Topline user estimates

• Population baseline: ≈49,000 residents (2023 estimate). The county’s age mix skews younger than the state because of Central Washington University (CWU) in Ellensburg.
• Active mobile phone users: 39,000–41,000 residents, or about 80–84% of the total population, use a smartphone regularly. This is driven by near-universal ownership among college-aged adults and strong adoption among working-age adults.
• Adult penetration by age (estimated, using current U.S. adoption rates applied to Kittitas demographics):
  • 18–24: ~9,600 users (≈98% of ~9,800 residents)
  • 25–44: ~13,000 users (≈95% of ~13,700 residents)
  • 45–64: ~8,800 users (≈90% of ~9,800 residents)
  • 65+: ~5,900 users (≈75% of ~7,800 residents)
  • High-teen adoption adds roughly 2,000 additional users among ages 13–17
• Compared with Washington overall: Adult smartphone penetration in Kittitas is slightly higher among 18–24 and moderately lower among 65+, yielding a similar overall rate but with more mobile activity centered in the student and young-worker segments.

Demographic breakdown and behavior

• College influence: Approximately 10,000 CWU students in Ellensburg lift 18–24 smartphone penetration to near 100%, increase mobile data consumption on and around campus, and raise the share of prepaid and MVNO lines relative to the state.
• Rural-senior contrast: A larger rural and mountain-area senior population than the Puget Sound core correlates with lower smartphone adoption among 65+ versus the state average, more basic/flip-phone retention, and higher reliance on voice/SMS in outlying communities.
• Mobile-only internet households: 15–20% of households are effectively mobile-only for home internet (cellular data plan with no wired broadband), higher than the Washington state range of roughly 10–12%. This is concentrated outside Ellensburg, in Upper County communities (e.g., Cle Elum–Roslyn area) and agricultural valleys.
• Device and plan mix: Students and seasonal workers increase the share of single-line and prepaid plans; year-round households in Ellensburg and Kittitas tend toward postpaid family plans. Wearables and hotspots modestly raise per-capita line counts in academic terms and during peak recreation months.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Networks present: All three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) operate countywide; AT&T’s FirstNet supports public safety. 5G NR is established in Ellensburg and along the I‑90 corridor; LTE remains dominant in canyons and forested areas.
• 5G footprint:
  • Mid-band 5G (n41/n77) broadly covers Ellensburg, Kittitas, and the I‑90 corridor into Upper County towns (Cle Elum, South Cle Elum, Roslyn), enabling 100–500 Mbps class mobile data under good signal.
  • Outside towns and highways, 5G drops to LTE or disappears entirely in terrain-limited areas (Manastash, Teanaway, Yakima River Canyon SR‑821, and National Forest/Wilderness tracts).
• Highway and recreation corridors: Coverage is strong on I‑90, including Snoqualmie Pass eastward into Ellensburg, though winter weather can cause temporary site outages and backhaul interruptions. Recreation sites and trailheads often have limited or no service, with brief signal along ridgelines or near towns.
• Fixed-wireless and satellite as complements: T‑Mobile 5G Home and Verizon 5G Home are available in and around Ellensburg and parts of Upper County; fixed-wireless ISPs and Starlink fill gaps in rural valleys and foothills where wired broadband is sparse. This raises the county’s mobile and FWA share above the state average.
• Public safety and resilience: Wildfire seasons and winter storms drive temporary congestion and site hardening needs. Priority and preemption via FirstNet are active for responders; carriers have added portable cells during major events (e.g., Ellensburg Rodeo) to handle surges.

How Kittitas differs from Washington state

• More mobile-dependent households: A higher share of cellular-only home internet and fixed-wireless use than the state average, reflecting rural geography and uneven wireline availability outside Ellensburg.
• Youth-driven usage: A significantly larger 18–24 cohort than statewide lifts total smartphone users and per-user data consumption in the academic year; prepaid/MVNO penetration is higher than the state norm.
• Sharper urban–rural split: Town centers and I‑90 enjoy robust 5G, while canyons and forested uplands have LTE-only or uncovered pockets. The contrast is stronger than in coastal metro counties.
• Seasonal volatility: Traffic spikes occur during university terms, major events, and outdoor seasons, creating more pronounced temporal load swings than the statewide pattern dominated by permanent urban populations.

Key metrics (current best estimates)

• Smartphone users: 39–41k residents (80–84% of population)
• Adult penetration by age: 98% (18–24), 95% (25–44), 90% (45–64), 75% (65+)
• Mobile-only home internet households: 15–20% (vs 10–12% statewide)
• 5G availability: Continuous in Ellensburg/I‑90 towns; intermittent or absent in canyons and high-country terrain; LTE is the fallback outside corridors

Implications

• Network planning should prioritize canyon backhaul diversity, additional mid-band 5G sectors in Upper County towns, and temporary capacity for large events and winter travel periods.
• Digital equity work in rural senior areas should include device training and affordable plans with strong LTE fallback, while student-focused plans and campus small cells will continue to carry outsized demand.
• Expect continued growth in fixed‑wireless and mobile‑only households unless wireline fiber expansion accelerates beyond Ellensburg and primary corridors.

Kittitas County, WA — social media usage snapshot (2024)

What this reflects

• Best-available 2024 estimates derived from Pew Research Center U.S. usage rates, adjusted for Kittitas County’s age mix (large college population via Central Washington University) and U.S. Census population estimates.

User base and penetration

• Population: ~48,000 (2023 estimate), with an unusually large 18–24 cohort due to CWU enrollment.
• Social media penetration (13+): ~83%.
• Estimated social media users (13+): ~35,000.
• Gender split of users: roughly even overall; platform skews noted below.

Most-used platforms (share of Kittitas adults using monthly; %)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 66%
• Instagram: 52% (skews 18–34, slight female tilt)
• Facebook Messenger: 60%
• WhatsApp: 23% (growing among students/international communities)
• TikTok: 38% (strong among 16–29)
• Snapchat: 32% (strong among 16–24)
• Pinterest: 33% (majority female)
• X (Twitter): 22% (male-leaning, news/sports)
• Reddit: 20% (male-leaning, tech/outdoors)
• LinkedIn: 22% (professionals, university/staff)
• Nextdoor: 18% (homeowners, neighborhoods in Ellensburg/Cle Elum/Roslyn)

Age-group patterns (share of platform use within each group; directional highlights)

• Teens (13–17): Heavy TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube; light Facebook.
• 18–24: Very high Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok (Instagram ~80%, Snapchat ~75%, TikTok ~70%); YouTube near-universal; Facebook used mainly for groups/marketplace/housing.
• 25–34: Instagram, YouTube, Facebook strong; rising TikTok; Messenger/WhatsApp for coordination.
• 35–54: Facebook and YouTube dominant; Instagram steady; Pinterest active; Nextdoor starts to matter.
• 55+: Facebook and YouTube primary; Pinterest moderate; rising comfort with Instagram Reels; Nextdoor for local info.

Gender tendencies

• Female: Higher likelihood of Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook groups/marketplace, and Nextdoor participation.
• Male: Higher likelihood of YouTube, Reddit, X; stronger engagement with tech, sports, and outdoors gear communities.
• Platform balance: Facebook roughly even; Instagram slightly female; TikTok balanced to slight female; Reddit/X male-skewed.

Behavioral trends specific to Kittitas County

• Community-first usage: Facebook Groups and Marketplace are central for housing (student rentals), buy/sell/trade, lost-and-found pets, and local services.
• Event and local discovery: Heavy reliance on Facebook/Instagram for fairs, rodeos, music, farmers’ markets, and CWU events; Reels/Stories drive awareness.
• Outdoors-driven content: Strong engagement with hiking, fly-fishing, climbing, skiing/snow conditions; trip-planning and trail reports perform well on Instagram, YouTube, Reddit.
• Real-time information: Spikes during winter pass closures (I-90 Snoqualmie), smoke/wildfire season, and weather alerts; Facebook and X see rapid sharing; local groups amplify reach.
• Student lifecycle effects: Activity and follower growth surge late Aug–Oct and Jan (move-in/start of quarter); housing and part-time jobs content peaks pre-term.
• Messaging as a service channel: High use of Messenger and Instagram DMs for inquiries, reservations, and sales; quick replies correlate with conversion.
• Format preferences: Short vertical video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) outperforms static posts; YouTube used for longer how-tos (outdoor skills, gear, local guides).
• Timing: Evenings (7–10 pm) and weekend mornings see higher engagement; lunchtime spikes on weekdays for short-form video.
• Neighborhood networks: Nextdoor usage concentrated in homeowner-dense areas (Cle Elum, Roslyn, Suncadia) for contractor recommendations and safety updates.

Key takeaways

• Overall social media reach is high (~83% of residents 13+), with above-average youth usage lifting Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat.
• Facebook and YouTube remain the countywide anchors; Instagram is the growth workhorse; TikTok is essential for 16–29.
• Community groups, marketplace, and real-time local updates shape behavior more than brand pages; local, timely, and outdoors-centric content wins attention.