Weston County

Weston County, Wyoming — key demographics

Population size

• 6,838 (2020 Decennial Census)
• Change since 2010: −5.1% (2010 count 7,208)

Age

• Median age: 43.6 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~21%
• 18–64: ~59%
• 65 and over: ~20%

Gender

• Male: ~53%
• Female: ~47% (ACS 2018–2022)

Race and ethnicity (2020 Census unless noted)

• White alone, non-Hispanic: ~88–89%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~5–6%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~3–4%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~1–2%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~0.3%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: ~0.3%

Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~2,900
• Average household size: ~2.28
• Family households: ~63% of households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~76% (renter ~24%)
• Median household income: ~$66,800
• Poverty rate: ~9–10%

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

Weston County, WY snapshot (2025)

• Population: ~6,900; density ~2.9 people per square mile, with most residents in Newcastle and Upton.
• Estimated email users: ~5,200 residents (≈75% of total; ≈90% of those age 13+).
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: 6%
  • 18–34: 22%
  • 35–54: 36%
  • 55–64: 16%
  • 65+: 20%
• Gender split of email users: ~51% male, ~49% female (mirrors county demographics).
• Digital access and trends:
  • Home internet subscription: roughly 82–85% of households; fiber concentrated in town centers, with ongoing buildouts since 2022.
  • Rural access: outside Newcastle/Upton, many homes rely on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite; smartphone‑only access around 9–12%.
  • Mobile coverage: strong LTE on primary corridors (US‑16/85); 5G primarily in and near Newcastle/Upton.
• Insights:
  • Email adoption is near‑universal among working‑age adults; seniors lag but are narrowing the gap via smartphones.
  • Low population density and long loop distances keep non‑fiber speeds variable in ranchland areas, sustaining reliance on mobile and satellite for email.

Mobile phone usage in Weston County, Wyoming — 2025 snapshot

Population baseline

• Residents: about 6,930 (2023 Census estimate), concentrated in Newcastle and Upton
• Households: roughly 2,900
• Age structure: about 21% age 65+ (older than Wyoming overall), which materially affects device mix and plan selection

User estimates

• Adults with any mobile phone: ~5,100 (about 94% of the 18+ population)
• Adult smartphone users: ~4,400 (about 81% of adults)
• Adult basic/feature-phone users: ~700 (about 13% of adults), a notably higher share than the state average
• Mobile-only (no landline) households: ~2,100 (about 72% of households), modestly below the statewide share
• Households relying on a cellular data plan as their primary home internet: ~15% (below the statewide rate, reflecting capacity and coverage constraints outside town centers)

Demographic breakdown of mobile adoption

• Seniors (65+): smartphone adoption ~60–65%; higher retention of landlines and basic phones than the state norm
• Working-age adults (25–64): smartphone adoption ~88–90%; heavier use of hotspotting for field work but still less likely than the state average to be “mobile-only” for home internet
• Youth (13–24): near-universal handset access; prepaid share higher than state average due to price sensitivity and patchy 5G off-corridor
• Platform mix: Android roughly 60%, iPhone roughly 40% (leaning more Android than Wyoming overall)

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Network footprint: LTE is the dominant access layer outside town limits; 5G low-band covers Newcastle and Upton for all three national carriers, with mid-band 5G largely confined to town cores; no mmWave
• Macro sites: on the order of two dozen countywide, clustered around Newcastle, Upton, and along US‑16/US‑85; very limited small‑cell deployment
• Backhaul: fiber-fed sites in town; microwave backhaul still common at rural towers, constraining peak capacity and uplink performance
• Carrier positioning
  • Verizon: broadest rural footprint; reliable LTE on major corridors; low-band 5G in town cores
  • AT&T/FirstNet: strong in towns and along highways; Band 14 supports public safety; more rural gaps than Verizon northwest of Newcastle
  • T‑Mobile: coverage concentrated on US‑16/US‑85 and population centers; Extended Range 5G present in towns, but off‑corridor service is patchier than the state average
• Public safety and resilience: FirstNet coverage present; limited fiber route diversity outside towns means weather or fiber cuts can degrade mobile capacity more than in larger Wyoming counties

Behaviors and usage patterns

• Voice and text usage remain relatively high per line compared with the state average; streaming video is concentrated in town where 5G or strong LTE is available
• Greater reliance on signal boosters in homes, ranch shops, and vehicles than the state average
• Prepaid and Verizon/AT&T‑based MVNOs are overrepresented relative to the state, reflecting coverage preferences and cost control
• Hotspotting for work (agriculture, energy, transportation) is common but often constrained by data caps and rural LTE capacity

How Weston County differs from Wyoming overall

• Slower 5G maturation: 5G is town-centric with limited mid‑band; LTE remains the workhorse across much of the county, while many Wyoming counties now see broader mid‑band 5G penetration
• More legacy usage: higher share of basic phones and landline retention, tied to the county’s older age profile and ranching/field‑work needs
• Lower mobile‑only internet reliance: fewer households depend exclusively on cellular for home broadband because fixed wireless, DSL, or co‑op fiber in town is comparatively more practical than contending with variable rural cellular capacity
• More pronounced coverage gradients: performance drops off more sharply away from US‑16/US‑85 and town sites than is typical in more populated Wyoming counties
• Device and plan mix: higher Android and prepaid shares, with stronger tilt toward Verizon/AT&T networks due to off‑corridor reach

Outlook

• Expect incremental 5G capacity upgrades (additional sectors and mid‑band overlays) on existing towers rather than many new sites
• Public‑safety and wildfire priorities will drive selective rural infill via FirstNet where funding allows
• Any new fiber laterals to industrial areas and tower rings would have outsized impact on mobile speeds and reliability compared with statewide averages, where backhaul is less of a bottleneck

Note on methodology: Figures above combine recent Census/ACS demographics with state and national wireless adoption benchmarks, CDC wireless‑only household trends, FCC/National Broadband Map insights, and carrier coverage disclosures, adjusted for Weston County’s settlement pattern and terrain to produce county‑level estimates.

Social media in Weston County, WY (modeled 2024 snapshot)

User stats

• Population: ≈6,900 residents; ≈5,400 adults (18+). Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020/ACS 2022).
• Adult social media users: ≈3,900 (about 72% of adults use at least one social platform; Pew Research, U.S. adults).
• Gender among users: roughly balanced at ≈50% women, ≈50% men (overall U.S. use is similar by gender; local male-skewed population and female-skewed platform mix offset each other).

Age breakdown of adult users (share of the county’s social-media user base)

• 18–29: ~19%
• 30–49: ~39% (largest cohort)
• 50–64: ~29%
• 65+: ~14% Method: County age structure combined with age-specific adoption from Pew Research (2024/2021 series).

Most-used platforms (estimated percent of adults who use each platform at least occasionally)

• YouTube: ~80%
• Facebook: ~67%
• Instagram: ~38%
• Pinterest: ~32%
• TikTok: ~27%
• Snapchat: ~22%
• LinkedIn: ~20%
• X (Twitter): ~17%
• Reddit: ~16%
• WhatsApp: ~15%
• Nextdoor: ~10% Basis: Pew Research Center “Social Media Use in 2024” U.S. adult adoption, adjusted slightly downward where rural usage runs lower (e.g., Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, X, Nextdoor) and aligned to local demographics.

Behavioral trends

• Local-first engagement: Facebook functions as the county’s bulletin board—city/county pages, school and sports updates, church and community events, buy/sell/trade and Marketplace dominate daily activity.
• Video-centric consumption: Short video (Facebook Reels, Instagram Reels, TikTok) sees above-average engagement; YouTube is the go-to for how‑to, ranching/outdoors, home repair, automotive, and equipment content.
• Age splits:
  • Under 30: heavy on Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok; Facebook primarily for groups/events.
  • 30–49: cross‑platform power users; active in local Facebook groups, casual Instagram use, growing TikTok viewing.
  • 50+: rely on Facebook for news/community and YouTube for tutorials/entertainment; minimal use of Reddit/X/Snap.
• Shopping and recommendations: Facebook Marketplace and local group listings drive most social commerce; Pinterest influences DIY, home, crafts; Instagram useful for local boutiques and services showcasing visual work.
• Messaging patterns: Facebook Messenger is the default; Snapchat for teens/young adults; WhatsApp niche (family ties, international contacts).
• News and alerts: Local government, EMS, schools disproportionately use Facebook for closures, road and weather alerts; residents follow these pages and share within groups.
• Timing and devices: Engagement skews to after‑work evenings and weekends; usage is predominantly mobile, with short-form video and image posts outperforming long text.
• Advertising notes: Boosted Facebook posts provide the broadest local reach at low cost; Instagram and TikTok perform well for younger targeting and visual offerings; YouTube pre‑roll effective for county‑wide awareness.

Sources and method notes

• Population/age/sex: U.S. Census Bureau (Decennial 2020; ACS 2022 5‑year).
• Platform adoption by age/gender and overall U.S. usage: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (and prior series for rural/urban differentials).
• Figures are modeled for Weston County by applying Pew’s adoption rates to local demographics; treat as best‑available local estimates in the absence of county‑level measurement.