Uinta County

Key demographics of Uinta County, Wyoming (most recent available):

Population

• 20,3xx (2023 Census population estimate; 2020 Census: ~20.5k)
• Population density: ~8–9 people per sq. mile

Age

• Median age: ~36–37 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~28%
• 65 and over: ~15%

Sex

• Male: ~51%
• Female: ~49%

Race and Ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~82–84%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~12–13%
• Two or more races: ~3–4%
• American Indian and Alaska Native: ~1%
• Black or African American: ~0.5–1%
• Asian: ~0.5–1%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0–0.2%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~7.3k–7.6k
• Average household size: ~2.6–2.7
• Family households: ~65–70% of households; married-couple families ~50–55% of all households
• Households with children under 18: ~33–36%
• Nonfamily households: ~30–35%; one-person households ~25–30%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~70–73%

Insights

• Demographically young and family-oriented relative to the U.S. average.
• Predominantly White non-Hispanic, with a meaningful Hispanic/Latino community (~1 in 8 residents).
• Household structure is skewed toward families, with comparatively high homeownership.

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

• Scope: Uinta County, WY (~20.2k residents; ≈9.7 people per sq. mile).
• Estimated email users (adults): ≈14.5k of ≈15.6k adults (≈93% penetration).
• Age pattern (email adoption; estimated users):
  • 18–29: ≈97% (≈3.2k users)
  • 30–49: ≈96% (≈5.1k users)
  • 50–64: ≈94% (≈4.0k users)
  • 65+: ≈82% (≈2.3k users)
  • Insight: Most email users are 18–49 (~57–60%); adoption softens among 65+ but remains high.
• Gender split: County skews slightly male (~51/49). Email adoption is near-parity (men ≈91%, women ≈92%), yielding ≈7.2k male and ≈7.1k female adult users.
• Digital access trends:
  • Households with an internet subscription: ≈87%; with fixed broadband: ≈73%; cellular-only: ≈12–14%.
  • Device access: ≈92% of households have a computer; smartphone access is widespread, supporting high email reach.
  • Connectivity facts: Population concentrates along the I‑80/Evanston–Lyman–Mountain View corridor, where fixed broadband availability and speeds are highest; sparsely populated tracts see weaker fixed options and greater reliance on mobile data.
• Bottom line: Despite rural density, Uinta County exhibits mainstream U.S.-level email adoption, with modest declines in the oldest cohort and access gaps mainly outside the I‑80 corridor.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Uinta County, Wyoming

Headline estimates (2024, modeled from 2020 Census base, ACS S2801 computer/Internet-use patterns for rural counties, Pew mobile adoption by age/rurality, and FCC mobile coverage filings)

• Population baseline: about 20.5k residents and roughly 7.7–8.0k households.
• Unique mobile users: 15.0k–16.2k residents actively using a mobile phone (about 73–79% of total residents, reflecting near‑universal adult use and limited use among children under 13).
• Adult smartphone users: 12.6k–13.3k (roughly 84–88% of adults), with an additional 1.2k–1.6k adults using basic/feature phones.
• Households with a cellular data plan: approximately 70–73% of households.
• Smartphone‑only home internet (cellular data as primary/only subscription): about 20–22% of households, above the statewide share.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age
  • 18–49: smartphone ownership ~92–95%; heavy app/data use; dual‑SIM or multi‑carrier plans are more common among commuters to Utah.
  • 50–64: ~80–85% smartphone ownership; higher voice/SMS reliance than younger cohorts.
  • 65+: ~60–68% smartphone ownership; notable share keeps basic phones; telehealth usage has grown but is constrained by signal gaps outside towns.
• Income and education
  • Lower‑income and some rental households over‑index on smartphone‑only home internet due to limited wired options outside Evanston/Bridger Valley and the attractiveness of Union Wireless and national prepaid plans.
• Race/ethnicity
  • Hispanic households (roughly one in ten county residents) show higher smartphone‑only reliance than White non‑Hispanic households, consistent with statewide and national rural patterns.
• Workforce and mobility
  • Freight and energy corridor effects along I‑80 drive daytime network load spikes and transient roaming traffic; device churn and prepaid activity are elevated among seasonal workers relative to the Wyoming average.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Operators present: Union Wireless (headquartered in Mountain View, Uinta County), Verizon, AT&T/FirstNet, and T‑Mobile.
• 5G and LTE footprint
  • Corridor strength: I‑80, Evanston, Fort Bridger, Lyman, Mountain View have strong LTE and broadly available 5G (T‑Mobile mid‑band; Verizon DSS; AT&T low‑band/FirstNet).
  • Off‑corridor gaps: Coverage degrades quickly north/east of population centers and into foothills of the Uinta Mountains, with numerous single‑provider pockets.
• Backhaul and fiber
  • Multiple long‑haul fiber routes follow I‑80/Union Pacific; Union Telephone/Union Wireless operates regional fiber rings interconnecting Evanston and Bridger Valley. These assets underpin comparatively good capacity in towns but do not yet eliminate rural last‑mile gaps.
• Public safety and resilience
  • FirstNet coverage is robust on I‑80 and in towns; terrain‑driven dead zones persist in canyons and on ranchlands. Winter storm closures on I‑80 create atypical, short‑term congestion and handover stress.

How Uinta County differs from the Wyoming state picture

• Carrier mix: Union Wireless has an outsized share locally (home‑carrier advantage and rural roaming agreements), whereas the statewide mix tilts more toward the national three in population centers like Cheyenne and Casper.
• Single‑provider areas: Uinta has a higher share of census blocks where only one carrier offers a usable outdoor signal away from highways, increasing switching friction and device‑compatibility issues versus the state average.
• 5G depth: 5G coverage is strong on I‑80 and in Evanston but thins faster with distance from corridors than the statewide norm; mid‑band (capacity‑oriented) 5G is less pervasive off‑corridor than in more populated Wyoming counties.
• Smartphone‑only households: The county’s smartphone‑only internet reliance (about 20–22% of households) is several points higher than Wyoming overall, reflecting sparse cable/FTTP availability outside a few towns.
• Cross‑border dynamics: Proximity to Utah generates more cross‑market device choices and plan selection aimed at the Wasatch Front commute/travel pattern than is typical elsewhere in the state.
• Traffic patterns: I‑80 through‑traffic and freight produce sharper diurnal and seasonal load swings than the Wyoming average, which is more evenly distributed in cities along I‑25.

Notes on method and confidence

• User and household figures are modeled from the county’s population/household counts, rural smartphone adoption by age from recent Pew Research, and ACS S2801 household subscription patterns observed in rural Wyoming counties of similar density. Coverage characterizations align with FCC Broadband Data Collection filings and operator deployments along I‑80 as of 2023–2024.

Uinta County, WY social media snapshot (2025)

Key numbers

• Population: ~20.5k residents (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 estimate)
• Broadband adoption: ~84–86% of households subscribe to broadband (ACS 2022)
• Smartphone ownership: ~85–88% of adults (Pew, rural U.S.)
• Residents using at least one major social platform
  • Adults (18+): ~75–80% ≈ 11.5k–12.5k users (modeled from Pew 2024 + rural adjustment)
  • Teens (13–17): ~95% ≈ 1.3k–1.5k users (Pew 2023–2024 Teens)

Most‑used platforms among adults in Uinta County (modeled shares of adult residents)

• YouTube: ~80%
• Facebook: ~70%
• Instagram: ~40%
• TikTok: ~30%
• Pinterest: ~32% (notably higher among women)
• Snapchat: ~23% (much higher among ages 13–29)
• X (Twitter): ~16%
• Reddit: ~18%
• LinkedIn: ~18%
• Nextdoor: ~6% Notes: Shares reflect “use the platform” at any frequency; figures are derived by applying Pew 2024 U.S. adoption rates with rural adjustments typical for Wyoming counties.

Age group usage and platform tilt (estimated)

• 13–17: 95% use at least one platform; YouTube (95%), TikTok (63%), Snapchat (60%), Instagram (~59%)
• 18–29: 90%+ overall; strongest on YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok; Facebook secondary
• 30–49: ~85–90% overall; Facebook and YouTube dominant; Instagram moderate; TikTok rising but lower
• 50–64: ~70–80% overall; Facebook and YouTube lead; Pinterest meaningful; Instagram modest
• 65+: ~55–65% overall; Facebook primary; YouTube moderate; other platforms niche

Gender breakdown

• Overall social media usage is near parity (roughly 50/50 men–women).
• Platform skews (user mix patterns)
  • Pinterest: heavily female (women comprise roughly two‑thirds of users)
  • Reddit: male‑leaning (about two‑thirds male)
  • Instagram: slight female tilt
  • Facebook and YouTube: broadly balanced
  • X (Twitter): slight male tilt

Behavioral trends in Uinta County (observable in rural WY/Mountain West communities)

• Community and information
  • Facebook Groups and Pages are the hub for school updates, youth sports, community events, church/volunteer activities, highway/road closures (notably I‑80), weather alerts, and local news.
  • Neighborhood and buy/sell/trade groups are highly active; Marketplace is the default for classifieds.
• Commerce and local marketing
  • Facebook is the primary channel for local businesses; giveaways, raffles, coupon codes, and limited‑time offers perform well.
  • Instagram is effective for visual retail (boutiques, salons, restaurants); Reels outperform static posts.
  • TikTok is emerging for short‑form promos among younger audiences; success depends on creator‑style, informal content.
• Content and engagement patterns
  • High engagement with local faces and topics: HS sports, rodeo, hunting/fishing, outdoor and automotive how‑tos, storm/wildlife footage.
  • Most activity is mobile and after‑work hours; engagement peaks evenings (7–10 pm) and weekend mornings.
  • Participation skews toward consuming, sharing, and commenting in groups; relatively fewer original long‑form creators.
• Messaging
  • Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are default DMs; WhatsApp usage is limited and community‑specific; SMS still common for coordination.

How these figures were derived

• Demographics and broadband: U.S. Census Bureau (Uinta County QuickFacts, 2023 est.; ACS 2022 broadband).
• Platform adoption: Pew Research Center, “Social Media Use” (2024 adults) and “Teens, Social Media and Technology” (2023–2024).
• County‑level percentages are modeled by applying Pew’s age‑ and rural‑segment adoption rates to Uinta County’s age structure and broadband profile, with conservative rural adjustments consistent with Wyoming counties.