Crook County

Key demographics for Crook County, Wyoming

• Population size:

  • 7,181 (2020 Decennial Census)

• Age (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates):

  • Median age: ~47 years
  • Under 18: ~22%
  • 65 and over: ~23%

• Gender (ACS 2019–2023):

  • Male: ~51%
  • Female: ~49%

• Race/ethnicity (2020 Census unless noted):

  • White alone: ~94–95%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~1%
  • Black or African American: <1%
  • Asian: <1%
  • Two or more races: ~3%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~3–4%

• Households (ACS 2019–2023):

  • Total households: ~3,100
  • Average household size: ~2.3
  • Family households: ~2,100 (about two-thirds of households)
  • Households with children under 18: ~25–30%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates.

Crook County, WY summary (estimates)

• Context: About 7,200 residents spread across 2,865 sq mi (2.5 people/sq mi). Most live in/near Sundance, Moorcroft, and Hulett; vast rural areas make wired buildouts costly.
• Email users: 4,500–5,000 residents age 13+ use email, derived from Wyoming household internet adoption (80–85%) and the fact that ~90% of internet users use email.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: ~5–8%
  • 18–34: ~25–30%
  • 35–54: ~30–35% (largest share)
  • 55–64: ~15–20%
  • 65+: ~15–20% (slightly lower use than younger adults)
• Gender split: Roughly mirrors the population (about 51% male, 49% female); email usage rates are similar by gender.
• Digital access trends:
  • Broadband subscription likely ~75–85% of households, with higher take-up in towns and lower in outlying ranchlands/Black Hills foothills.
  • Fixed broadband coverage and speeds are uneven outside town centers; many residents rely on DSL, fixed wireless ISPs, or satellite.
  • Growing smartphone dependence for internet access in areas lacking reliable wired service; mobile coverage strongest along I‑90 corridor.
  • State and federal rural broadband programs (e.g., BEAD) are driving incremental fiber and fixed‑wireless expansion.

Below is a concise, planning-oriented snapshot of mobile phone usage in Crook County, Wyoming, with estimates and infrastructure notes. Figures are approximate, derived from 2020–2024 population estimates, rural adoption benchmarks (e.g., Pew/NTIA), and carrier deployment patterns in northeastern Wyoming and the Black Hills region.

Quick context

• Population base: roughly 7,700–8,000 residents; about 6,000–6,300 adults. Older and more rural than the Wyoming average.

User estimates

• Adult smartphone users: about 5,000–5,300 (roughly 80–85% of adults; a few points lower than Wyoming’s larger cities).
• Basic/feature phone users: about 500–750 adults (8–12% of adults; higher than state average due to older age mix and patchier coverage).
• Adults with no mobile phone: roughly 3–7%.
• Total active mobile lines (personal + work + tablets/hotspots): 9,000–10,500 lines (about 1.15–1.30 lines per resident).
• Mobile-only internet households (smartphone or hotspot as primary home internet): estimated 12–18% of households, likely a bit higher than the statewide share because wired options thin out outside towns.
• Prepaid share: estimated 25–35% of consumer lines (above the state average), reflecting price sensitivity and coverage-driven churn.

Demographic and behavioral patterns

• Age: Higher share of 55+ than the state average. Smartphone take-up by 65+ likely 60–70% (vs higher in Cheyenne/Casper), which pulls down the countywide average.
• Income/occupation: More ranching, resource, and outdoor work leads to:
  • Slightly higher use of rugged/flip phones and push-to-talk/radios alongside smartphones.
  • Greater reliance on mobile hotspots for work in the field.
• Education/tech comfort: A smaller share with 4-year degrees vs state average correlates with a modestly higher rate of basic phones and in-store carrier support usage.
• Seasonal effects: Summer tourism to Devils Tower and spillover from the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally drive short, sharp spikes in device counts and data consumption, stressing capacity on corridors and at trailheads.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Coverage pattern:
  • Strongest along I‑90 (Sundance, Moorcroft) and town centers (Hulett); service degrades across ranchlands and in the Bear Lodge Mountains.
  • Cross-border signal from South Dakota Black Hills sites supplements coverage in the east.
• Technology mix (typical, not exhaustive):
  • 4G LTE remains the workhorse across the county.
  • 5G low-band (DSS/NR) from AT&T and Verizon is present around towns and I‑90; T‑Mobile low-band (Band 71) helps with rural reach.
  • Mid-band 5G (n41/C‑band) is limited; where present, it’s mainly along I‑90 and near Sundance/Moorcroft. Most of the county runs on LTE or low-band 5G.
• Speeds and reliability:
  • Towns and I‑90: often 50–200 Mbps on 5G/LTE with good signal.
  • Outlying areas: 2–20 Mbps LTE common; higher latency; signal boosters and external antennas are widely used on ranches.
  • Notable dead zones: forested and hilly terrain north and west of Hulett, parts of WY‑24 toward Devils Tower, canyons near Aladdin/Beulah.
• Backhaul and power:
  • Fiber is concentrated along I‑90 and into exchanges; microwave backhaul supports remote sites.
  • Sites typically have limited battery backup; prolonged outages during wildfires/winter storms can drop service without generator support.
• Public safety:
  • FirstNet (AT&T Band 14) covers key towns/corridors, improving priority access; temporary COLTs/COWs are used during large events or incidents.
• Carrier dynamics (tendencies in rural NE Wyoming):
  • Verizon generally holds the largest share due to rural coverage.
  • AT&T is strong on corridors and with FirstNet for agencies.
  • T‑Mobile is improving but remains more constrained off-corridor than in Wyoming’s bigger cities.

How Crook County differs from Wyoming overall

• Adoption: Slightly lower smartphone penetration and a higher feature‑phone share, driven by older demographics and coverage gaps.
• Internet access pattern: A higher proportion of mobile-only households and hotspot use, reflecting thinner wired options outside towns.
• Carrier mix: Heavier tilt to Verizon and AT&T; T‑Mobile share smaller than in Cheyenne, Casper, or Laramie where mid‑band 5G is broader.
• 5G reality: County relies more on LTE/low‑band 5G with fewer mid‑band 5G islands; statewide averages are buoyed by mid‑band in larger cities.
• Seasonality: Distinct congestion spikes tied to Devils Tower tourism and Sturgis spillover; networks see sharp but brief loads that are less predictable than in Wyoming’s larger metro corridors.
• Equipment behavior: Greater use of boosters, external antennas, and Wi‑Fi calling to overcome terrain—less common in the state’s urban areas.

Planning implications and quick wins

• Add/upgrade sites along WY‑24 (Devils Tower corridor) and north of Hulett; prioritize fiber backhaul to existing macros to raise capacity.
• Expand FirstNet and roaming resilience in forested/wildfire zones; ensure generator coverage at critical sites.
• Encourage device booster programs and public Wi‑Fi offload in visitor hotspots (trailheads, monument lots) to handle seasonal peaks.
• Coordinate temporary capacity (COWs/COLTs) during Sturgis week and peak tourism windows.

Below is a concise, county-sized snapshot using county demographics (small, rural), Pew Research platform usage (2023–2024), and rural-vs-urban deltas to estimate Crook County–specific patterns. Figures are best-guess ranges, reflecting multi-platform usage; they won’t sum to 100%.

Population and user base

• Residents: roughly 7.2k–7.8k
• Age 13+: about 6.2k–6.7k
• Social media users (any platform, monthly): ~4.2k–5.0k people (≈65–75% of age 13+)

Age mix of local social media users (share of users)

• 13–17: 8–10%
• 18–29: 19–22%
• 30–49: 34–38%
• 50–64: 22–25%
• 65+: 10–13%

Gender breakdown (share of users)

• Female: 50–55%
• Male: 45–50%
• Notes: Facebook, Pinterest skew female; Reddit, X skew male.

Most-used platforms in Crook County (estimated weekly reach among local social media users)

• YouTube: 75–80%
• Facebook: 70–75%
• Facebook Messenger: 60–65%
• Instagram: 30–35%
• Snapchat: 28–33% (very high among teens/early 20s)
• TikTok: 28–33% (rapid growth in under-35s)
• Pinterest: 22–27% (strong among women, home/outdoors)
• WhatsApp: 10–15% (family, travel ties)
• LinkedIn: 12–16% (lower due to local industry mix)
• X (Twitter): 10–14% (news/sports followers)
• Reddit: 9–12% (younger, hobby/tech/outdoors)
• Nextdoor: 2–4% (limited footprint in sparse rural areas)

Behavioral trends observed in rural Wyoming counties (and evident in Crook)

• Facebook is the community hub: buy/sell groups, school and county updates, road conditions, lost-and-found pets, event coordination, and sheriff/EMS notices. Local businesses often use Facebook pages instead of standalone websites.
• Video-first problem solving: YouTube for “how-to” (machinery repair, ranch equipment, home/vehicle DIY), hunting/fishing, and outdoor gear reviews. Short-form (Reels/TikTok) growing for tips and local scenery.
• Messaging over posting: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat group chats for teams, clubs (4‑H/FFA), and family coordination; low Twitter-style public posting.
• Tourism seasonality: Instagram/TikTok content spikes around Devils Tower/Black Hills travel season; fall sees hunting content peaks.
• Trust is local: Users favor county offices, schools, and known admins/moderators. Rumor control in Facebook groups matters; politics is often moderated to keep groups usable.
• Connectivity-aware habits: Evening peaks; some users conserve data or face patchy coverage. Upload speeds can limit live streaming; Starlink/FCC-funded builds are gradually improving reliability.

Notes on methodology

• Derived from Pew Research on platform penetration, rural vs. urban differentials, and county age structure; adjusted for small-county context. Treat as directional estimates suitable for planning and outreach, not official counts.