Wahkiakum County

Wahkiakum County, Washington — key demographics

Population

• 4,422 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age (ACS 2018–2022 5-year)

• Median age: 53.8 years
• Under 18: 17%
• 18 to 64: 56%
• 65 and over: 27%

Gender (ACS 2018–2022)

• Male: 51%
• Female: 49%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022; race is non-Hispanic unless noted)

• White (non-Hispanic): 90%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): 4%
• Two or more races: 4%
• American Indian and Alaska Native: 1%
• Asian: 0.4%
• Black or African American: 0.2%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0.1%

Households and income (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~2,000
• Average household size: 2.2
• Family households: ~65%
• Homeownership rate: ~83%
• Median household income: ~$62,000
• Persons below poverty: ~11–12%

Insights

• Very small, rural county with an older age profile (median ~54; over one-quarter 65+)
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White population
• Small household size and high homeownership consistent with rural Washington

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey (5-year estimates)

Wahkiakum County, WA snapshot

• Population: 4,422 (2020 Census); land area ≈263 sq mi; density ≈16.8 people/sq mi (second-smallest population in Washington). Low density raises last‑mile broadband costs and variability of service quality between Cathlamet/Puget Island and outlying areas.

Digital access trends

• About 4 in 5 households subscribe to broadband and about 9 in 10 have a computer (ACS 2018–2022), with gradual gains since 2019 via state/federal rural broadband investments; fixed wireless and satellite remain important in remote pockets.

Estimated email users

• ≈3,700 residents use email (≈83% of total population), derived from U.S. adult email adoption (~89–92%) applied to Wahkiakum’s older-skewing demographics; usage among internet users is near-universal.

Age distribution of email users (estimate)

• 18–29: ~15%
• 30–49: ~28%
• 50–64: ~30%
• 65+: ~22%
• Teens (13–17): ~5%

Gender split (estimate)

• Roughly even: ~51% female, ~49% male, mirroring the county’s population mix; email adoption shows no meaningful gender gap.

Key insight

• High overall email penetration, but the county’s very low population density and mixed last‑mile options make access (and thus email engagement) more uneven outside the main population centers.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Wahkiakum County, Washington

Context

• Population and settlement: Wahkiakum County is small (2020 Census population: 4,422) and very rural, with low population density and a notably older age profile compared with Washington State overall. These structural factors drive distinct mobile adoption and coverage patterns relative to the state average.

Estimated user base and adoption

• Adult mobile users: Given the county’s rural character and older population, adult smartphone ownership is materially below Washington’s statewide rate. A practical estimate places adult smartphone adoption in the low-to-mid 70% range locally (vs. roughly mid-to-high 80s statewide), yielding on the order of 2,700–3,200 adult smartphone users in the county. Basic/feature-phone reliance is correspondingly higher.
• Mobile-only internet users: The share of households that rely on mobile data plans as their primary internet connection is higher than the state average, reflecting more limited wired broadband options and the cost of fixed service. This smartphone-only reliance is notably concentrated among lower-income and single-person households.
• Age effects: Residents 65+ are a larger share of the population than the state average, and this group’s smartphone adoption and mobile data use remain significantly lower than younger cohorts. The county’s age structure therefore pulls down overall smartphone penetration and per-user data consumption compared with state norms.

Demographic breakdown of usage patterns

• Older adults (65+): Lower smartphone adoption, more voice/text-first usage, and a higher prevalence of basic phones. When smartphones are used, data plans tend to be smaller, and usage skews to essential apps and messaging.
• Working-age adults (25–64): Mixed profile—many use smartphones as a primary device, with a sizable minority relying on mobile data to bridge gaps in fixed broadband availability at home.
• Youth and students: High smartphone adoption comparable to statewide levels, but device performance and plan quality vary by household income and coverage at the home address.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Network footprint: Coverage is concentrated along SR-4, Cathlamet, Puget Island, and other population centers. Interior forested and hilly areas exhibit coverage gaps and weaker indoor signal, especially away from main corridors and the Columbia River.
• 4G vs. 5G: 4G LTE remains the dominant service layer countywide. Low-band 5G is present along primary corridors but is not yet contiguous across interior areas; mid-band 5G capacity is limited relative to Washington’s urban counties.
• Capacity and performance: Peak-hour congestion is noticeable during regional travel peaks and community events, with download/upload performance dropping more sharply than in urban Washington. Median speeds in-population are adequate for general use but lag materially behind the state’s urban/suburban medians; performance off-corridor degrades faster due to weaker signal and fewer sectors.
• Roaming and cross-river effects: Signals from Oregon-side towers along the Columbia can supplement service near the river, but handoffs and indoor reliability are inconsistent in fringe areas.
• Public safety and resilience: Rural topography and fewer sites mean outages (power or backhaul) can have outsized local impact. The county relies on carrier hardening along main corridors; redundancy is thinner than statewide urban standards.

How Wahkiakum differs from Washington State overall

• Adoption gap driven by age and rurality: Smartphone penetration is several points lower than the statewide average, with a higher share of basic-phone users, primarily due to the county’s older age structure and lower population density.
• Higher mobile-only dependence: A larger slice of households use mobile data plans as their primary or fallback home internet compared with the state average, reflecting sparser and costlier fixed broadband options.
• Coverage quality is more corridor-bound: Reliable service tracks closely to SR-4 and town centers, while interior dead zones and weak indoor signal are more common than the state norm.
• Slower, more variable speeds: Median mobile speeds and consistency trail statewide figures, and performance varies more by location and time of day due to fewer cell sites and limited mid-band capacity.
• Slower 5G build-out: Low-band 5G exists but is less contiguous, and mid-band capacity is less pervasive than in Puget Sound and other urban regions, delaying the step-change in speeds that many Washington residents already see.

Key takeaways

• Expect solid 4G LTE and some low-band 5G along primary corridors and in Cathlamet/Puget Island; plan for weaker indoor service and spotty coverage off-corridor.
• Smartphone ownership is widespread but below statewide levels, with older residents and low-density areas driving the gap.
• Mobile data serves as a critical connectivity layer for a larger share of households than statewide, but capacity and resilience constraints make service quality more variable than in Washington’s urban counties.

Social media usage snapshot for Wahkiakum County, WA

What the numbers say (benchmarks applied locally)

• Population baseline: 4,422 residents (2020 Census). Wahkiakum is rural and older-skewing, which typically concentrates usage on Facebook and YouTube and lowers adoption of newer visual apps among older adults.
• Most‑used platforms among U.S. adults (Pew Research Center, 2024), which best reflect the platform ranking you should expect locally:
  • YouTube: 83%
  • Facebook: 68%
  • Instagram: ~50%
  • TikTok: 33%
  • Snapchat: 30%
  • Pinterest: 35%
  • LinkedIn: 30%
  • WhatsApp: 29%
  • X (Twitter): 22%
  • Reddit: 22%
  • Nextdoor: ~1 in 5 adults
• Teen benchmarks (Pew, 2023) informative for local middle/high schoolers:
  • YouTube: 93%
  • TikTok: 63%
  • Instagram: 62%
  • Snapchat: 60%

Age-group patterns you should expect in Wahkiakum

• 65+ and 50–64: Heavy Facebook and YouTube use; light Instagram/TikTok. Facebook is the primary hub for local news, events, churches, school updates, and buy/sell groups.
• 30–49: Mix of Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram; growing TikTok use for short how‑to, recipes, and local recommendations.
• 18–29: Mostly YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok; Facebook used but not central.
• Under 18: Mirrors national teen pattern above; Snapchat and TikTok dominate daily social messaging and entertainment, with YouTube as the default video platform.

Gender breakdown (how usage skews)

• Women: Over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; strong engagement with local groups, marketplace, events, crafts/DIY, recipes, and school activities.
• Men: Over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X; strong engagement with mechanics, outdoors, fishing/boating, local sports, and tech topics.
• Overall: Facebook has a slight female tilt; YouTube is near-universal across genders.

Behavioral trends on the ground

• Local-first communities: Facebook Groups (community groups, buy/sell/trade, events, lost & found) are the county’s digital town square. Marketplace is a primary channel for informal commerce.
• Video for problem-solving: YouTube is used for DIY, home, auto, equipment, and outdoor skills; TikTok/Instagram Reels supplement with quick tips.
• Messaging as coordination: Facebook Messenger and SMS remain dominant for day-to-day coordination; WhatsApp appears mainly in niche family or work circles.
• Discovery and word-of-mouth: Short-form video (Reels/TikTok) increasingly drives local business discovery, but older adults still rely on Facebook posts and shares.
• Neighborhood info: Nextdoor has a presence for hyperlocal issues and services, but overall local conversation is still more active on Facebook Groups.
• Professional networking: LinkedIn usage is present but modest relative to urban Washington; best suited for regional rather than hyperlocal reach.

Practical implications

• To reach most adults: Prioritize Facebook (Pages + Groups + Marketplace) and YouTube; post community-relevant content and service updates.
• To reach under 35: Add Instagram and TikTok; use short vertical video and location tags.
• For women-led engagement: Lean into Facebook Groups and Pinterest-style creative/DIY content.
• For men-led engagement: Use YouTube tutorials, outdoor/gear content, and timely event posts.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census); Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024; Pew Research Center, Teens, Social Media and Technology 2023. Percentages cited are national benchmarks used to localize platform ranking and behaviors for a rural, older-leaning county like Wahkiakum.