Campbell County

Campbell County, Wyoming — key demographics

Population

• 47,026 (2020 Decennial Census)
• ~48,000 (2023 Census Bureau population estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~35 years
• Under 18: ~28%
• 18–64: ~61–62%
• 65 and over: ~10–11%

Sex (Census “sex” variable)

• Male: ~52%
• Female: ~48%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022)

• White alone: ~87%
• Black or African American alone: ~1%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~2%
• Asian alone: ~1%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: <1%
• Some other race: ~3%
• Two or more races: ~6%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~12% [can be of any race]

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~17,000
• Average household size: ~2.8
• Average family size: ~3.2
• Family households: ~71% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~36%
• Occupied housing: ~72% owner-occupied, ~28% renter-occupied

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey (ACS) 2018–2022 5-year estimates; Census Vintage 2023 population estimates.

Campbell County, WY snapshot (estimates)

• Estimated email users: 36,000–41,000 residents (roughly 75–85% of the total population), based on county demographics and typical U.S. email adoption among internet users.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: ~2–3k (school-driven use).
  • 18–34: ~11–13k (near-universal for work, school, services).
  • 35–64: ~16–18k (work/commerce heavy).
  • 65+: ~4–5k (slightly lower adoption but rising).
• Gender split: Approximately even; county skews slightly male (energy sector), so roughly 52% male, 48% female among users; usage rates are similar by gender.
• Digital access trends:
  • Home broadband subscription is high for a rural county (about mid‑ to high‑80% of households), with 15–20% smartphone‑only connections.
  • Gillette/Wright corridors have cable/fiber and 5G; outlying areas more often use fixed wireless or satellite.
  • Public libraries and schools provide important Wi‑Fi/device access and email help.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Low overall density (~10 people per sq. mile across ~4,800 sq. miles) concentrates fast wired options in Gillette along I‑90; coverage thins with distance from town, affecting email access speeds and reliability.

Notes: Figures are modeled from ACS population, rural broadband data, and national email-use patterns.

Campbell County, WY — mobile phone usage snapshot

Bottom line: Mobile adoption in Campbell County is slightly higher than the Wyoming average, with stronger 5G availability in Gillette/Wright and a bigger role for employer-provided lines due to the energy sector. Rural dead zones still exist off main corridors, but open terrain and ongoing carrier upgrades make coverage more uniform than in many mountainous parts of the state.

User estimates

• Population/households: ~48,000 people; ~17,000–18,000 households.
• Unique mobile phone users: 35,000–40,000 individuals (about 75–85% of the population), reflecting high adult and teen adoption.
• Active mobile lines (phones + tablets/hotspots/IoT): 45,000–55,000, elevated by work-issued devices common in mining/energy.
• Smartphone adoption (adults): 84–88% countywide; 88–92% in Gillette/Wright. This is modestly above the Wyoming average by a few percentage points.
• “Cellular-only” home internet households: Somewhat above the state average in Gillette and among younger renters/shift workers, supported by strong 4G/5G and fixed-wireless offers; still below big-city U.S. rates.

Demographic and geographic patterns

• Age
  • 18–34: 92–96% smartphone adoption; heavier monthly data use (streaming, social/video, navigation). Higher likelihood of mobile-only home internet compared to statewide peers.
  • 35–64: 88–92% adoption; more multi-line family plans and work phones than the state average.
  • 65+: 70–78% smartphone adoption; higher share of basic/feature phones than younger cohorts but slightly better smartphone uptake than many rural Wyoming counties due to proximity to services in Gillette.
• Income and employment
  • Higher median household income than the state average (energy sector), correlating with more multi-device plans (tablets, hotspots, wearables) and employer-liable lines.
  • Shift work and long commutes to mines/fields increase reliance on navigation, messaging, and hotspot tethering; booster ownership is more common than statewide.
• Race/ethnicity and education
  • Smaller share of residents from the state’s most underserved reservation areas than Wyoming overall, so the sharpest digital divides seen on tribal lands statewide are less pronounced locally.
  • Education levels and job training tied to energy/technical work support above-average adoption of job-related mobile apps and services.
• Urban vs rural
  • Gillette/Wright: Broad 4G LTE and low-band 5G with growing mid-band 5G capacity; higher average speeds and reliability than many small Wyoming cities.
  • Outlying areas (ranches, grasslands, mine perimeters): Coverage is generally better than in mountainous western WY but still includes pockets with weak signal; voice/text more reliable than sustained high-throughput data.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Cellular coverage and 5G
  • Verizon and AT&T: Established LTE footprints along I-90, WY-59, and population centers; low-band 5G covers the main corridors, with capacity-focused upgrades in Gillette.
  • T-Mobile: 600 MHz coverage has expanded; mid-band 5G (n41) capacity typically present in Gillette, leading to strong in-town speeds.
  • AT&T FirstNet: Public-safety network presence benefits first responders and large events; coverage generally mirrors AT&T’s commercial footprint with priority features.
• Backhaul and tower siting
  • Tower density clusters along highways, rail, and near industrial sites; microwave and fiber backhaul leverage the county’s relatively open terrain, aiding consistency versus mountainous counties.
• Fixed broadband context that affects mobile use
  • Cable broadband is available in Gillette; DSL and fiber are present in parts of the county.
  • Visionary Broadband (headquartered in Gillette) operates fixed-wireless and fiber in the region, offering alternatives that reduce pressure on cellular networks in town.
  • T-Mobile Home Internet is widely available in city neighborhoods; Verizon LTE/5G Home is available in select areas, supporting the above-average cellular-only household share.
• Public Wi‑Fi and anchor institutions
  • Schools, libraries, and county facilities in Gillette provide robust Wi‑Fi offload locations; rural facilities are fewer and farther apart than the state average in populated corridors, making mobile connectivity more critical for remote workers.

How Campbell County differs from Wyoming overall

• Slightly higher smartphone adoption and unique-user penetration, driven by younger workforce and higher incomes.
• Greater prevalence of employer-provided and multi-line accounts, lifting total active lines per capita above the state average.
• Better mid-band 5G availability and capacity in town than many similarly sized Wyoming communities; correspondingly higher in-town median speeds.
• Higher share of cellular-only households in urban areas and among younger renters/shift workers.
• Coverage “gaps” are more a function of distance and land-use (remote sites, lease roads) than mountain topography; overall, rural reliability is somewhat better than western WY but still inconsistent off main corridors.
• Digital divide is less tied to reservation access constraints than statewide figures suggest, but seniors and very remote households still face cost and coverage barriers.

Notes on sources and methodology

• Estimates synthesize patterns from recent ACS “Computer and Internet Use” tables, Pew Research smartphone adoption, carrier coverage disclosures and upgrades through 2024, and known local ISP footprints. Exact county-level mobile metrics are not fully published; figures are presented as ranges with emphasis on differences versus state-level trends.

Campbell County, WY social media snapshot (estimates)

At a glance

• Population ≈47,000; residents aged 13+ ≈38,000–40,000
• Active social media users: ≈30,000–33,000 (about 75–80% of 13+)
• Slightly younger and more male than U.S. average due to energy sector; median age low-to-mid 30s; gender ≈52% male / 48% female

Most-used platforms (share of 13+ using at least monthly; estimates)

• YouTube: 78–85% (≈30k–33k)
• Facebook: 60–68% (≈23k–27k)
• Instagram: 35–42% (≈14k–17k)
• Snapchat: 32–40% (≈12k–16k)
• TikTok: 28–35% (≈11k–14k)
• Pinterest: 15–22% overall; 30–40% of adult women
• LinkedIn: 12–16% (energy/professional roles)
• X (Twitter): 10–14%
• WhatsApp: 8–12% (higher with bilingual/Hispanic households)
• Reddit: 10–15% among 18–34; lower overall

Age patterns (who uses what)

• Teens (13–17): YouTube ~95%; Snapchat 70–80%; TikTok 65–75%; Instagram 60–65%; Facebook ~25–35%
• 18–29: YouTube ~90–95%; Instagram ~75–85%; Snapchat ~60–75%; TikTok ~60–70%; Facebook ~55–65%
• 30–49: Facebook ~75–85%; YouTube ~80–90%; Instagram ~40–50%; TikTok ~30–40%; Pinterest (women) ~35–45%
• 50+: Facebook ~65–75%; YouTube ~55–65%; Instagram ~15–25%; TikTok ~10–20%

Gender notes

• County base: ~52% male / 48% female
• Women over-index: Facebook Groups, Instagram, Pinterest; lead local school, sports, and community-group engagement
• Men over-index: YouTube, X, Reddit; strong interest in energy, outdoors, sports, equipment content
• TikTok and Snapchat skew slightly female; LinkedIn leans male via energy/engineering roles

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of Groups for local news, road/weather updates, school and youth sports, buy/sell/trade, lost & found, hunting/rodeo/4-H
• Events discovery lives on Facebook (and to a lesser degree Instagram): CAM-PLEX, county fair, rodeos, concerts; Facebook Events drives RSVPs and reminders
• Short-form video rising fast: Reels and TikTok perform for local businesses, recruiting, and “what’s happening this weekend” roundups; cross-posting is common
• Messaging habits: Facebook Messenger dominates for general public; Snapchat is the default messenger for teens/young adults
• Peak engagement windows: early morning (6–8 am) and late evening (8–10 pm) MT, reflecting shift work; spikes around storms, closures, and high school sports
• Content that wins: hyper-local visuals (recognizable places/people), timely updates (weather, roads, openings), practical info (deals, jobs), and community spotlights
• Advertising/recruiting: Facebook/Instagram best for broad local reach; TikTok effective for 18–29 recruiting (trades/energy); LinkedIn useful for engineers/managers; Pinterest works for retail/home/outdoors targeting women
• Influencers: few large creators; micro-influencers (photographers, ranch/rural lifestyle, coaches) drive strong niche engagement

Method note: County-level platform data isn’t published. Figures are estimates synthesized from Pew Research Center 2024 platform adoption, U.S. rural benchmarks, platform reach norms, and Campbell County demographics (Census 2020–2023).