Clay County

To ensure accuracy: which data vintage would you like?

• 2020 Decennial Census (official counts), or
• Latest ACS 5-year estimates (most current; e.g., 2019–2023)?

Also, by “household data,” do you want just number of households and average household size, or also family vs. nonfamily shares and households with children?

Clay County, AL email usage (estimates)

• User count: ~10,000 adult email users. Method: ~14.2k residents × ~79% adults ≈ 11.2k adults; apply 88–92% email adoption among U.S. adults (Pew Research), yielding ~9.8k–10.3k. Including teens adds several hundred more.

• Age distribution of users (approximate share of users, reflecting Clay’s older age profile):

  • 18–29: 12–15%
  • 30–49: 28–32%
  • 50–64: 27–31%
  • 65+: 22–26%

• Gender split: Nearly even; likely mirrors population (roughly 51% female, 49% male). Email adoption shows minimal gender differences nationally.

• Digital access trends:

  • Low density and rural terrain raise last‑mile costs: ~14.2k people over ~600 sq mi ≈ 23 residents per sq mi.
  • Fixed broadband is strongest in/near Ashland and Lineville; service is spottier in outlying areas, with greater reliance on mobile data and hotspots.
  • Ongoing fiber expansion is occurring statewide via BEAD/ARPA-funded projects; rural counties like Clay are typical priorities.
  • Public access points (libraries, schools, government buildings) help bridge access gaps.

Notes: County‑level email metrics aren’t directly published; figures are derived from U.S. Census population structure and national email adoption rates.

Below is a concise, evidence‑based snapshot of mobile phone usage in Clay County, Alabama, with estimates and how local patterns differ from Alabama statewide averages. Figures are approximate and derived by applying recent Pew Research smartphone adoption rates and American Community Survey patterns to Clay County’s size, age, and rural profile.

Quick baseline

• Population: roughly 14–15k residents; about 11–12k adults.
• Rural, older-leaning age mix; lower median income than the Alabama average; limited wired broadband outside Ashland and Lineville.

Estimated mobile phone users

• Adult mobile phone users: about 9,000–10,000 (≈85–90% of adults).
• Total users including teens: about 9,800–10,600. Teen smartphone adoption is very high, but children under 13 are mostly not counted.
• Feature phones: likely 5–8% of adult users (a bit higher than statewide, where feature‑phone use is very low).
• “Smartphone‑only” internet households (rely on cellular data, no home wired broadband): roughly 20–30% in Clay County vs about 15–20% statewide.

Demographic breakdown (drivers and likely distribution)

• Age
  • 18–49: Smartphone adoption broadly in the low‑to‑mid 90% range, similar to Alabama overall.
  • 50–64: Upper‑80s to low‑90s.
  • 65+: Around 70–75%, a few points below the state average; this larger 65+ share pulls down the county’s overall rate.
• Income and plan type
  • Lower incomes and greater price sensitivity mean above‑average use of prepaid plans and data‑capped options; greater reliance on smartphones as the primary internet device than statewide.
• Race/ethnicity
  • County is majority White with a notable Black population; current usage gaps are driven more by age, income, and infrastructure than by race per se.
• Device/usage patterns
  • Higher share of Android and budget devices is typical for rural, lower‑income markets; BYOD and family plan aggregation are common.

Digital infrastructure points

• Coverage geography
  • Stronger coverage and capacity in/near Ashland and Lineville and along main corridors (e.g., AL‑9). Valleys, ridgelines, and forested areas—especially where the Talladega National Forest extends into the county—produce more dead zones and indoor signal challenges than the state average.
• Network generations
  • Low‑band 5G is present from major carriers, but mid‑band 5G (the faster “5G UC/UWB/n41” layers) is spotty; LTE remains the workhorse outside town centers. This yields more variable speeds and higher latency than Alabama’s metro counties.
• Sites and backhaul
  • Fewer macro towers per square mile than state averages; colocation on public safety and utility structures is common. Backhaul often mixes microwave with limited fiber, so peak‑hour capacity constraints are more noticeable than in metro areas.
• Home connectivity alternatives
  • Fixed wireless (LTE/5G home internet) plays an outsized role where cable/FTTH is unavailable; many households lean on smartphone hotspots. Wi‑Fi calling, external antennas, and signal boosters are used more frequently than statewide.
• Public access
  • Libraries, schools, and county facilities serve as important Wi‑Fi hubs; this safety‑net role is more pronounced than in urban Alabama.

How Clay County differs from Alabama overall

• Slightly lower overall adult smartphone penetration, driven by a larger 65+ share and rural terrain.
• Higher dependence on mobile data for home internet (smartphone‑only or cellular‑only households).
• More coverage variability and indoor signal issues; LTE reliance remains higher; mid‑band 5G is less prevalent.
• Greater use of prepaid/budget plans and cost‑conscious data habits.
• Public and community Wi‑Fi assets carry more weight in bridging connectivity gaps.

Notes on method

• Estimates apply Pew Research Center smartphone ownership rates by age and rural status to Clay County’s likely age mix and ACS device‑subscription patterns for rural Alabama. For planning, validate with the latest ACS S2801 (Computers and Internet Subscriptions), FCC mobile coverage maps, and carrier build‑out updates specific to Clay County.

Below is a concise, locally tuned snapshot based on U.S. Census age/gender structure for Clay County and national platform-usage patterns (Pew Research Center). County-level platform data aren’t published, so percentages are modeled estimates for residents age 13+.

High-level user stats

• Population: ~14K; older-leaning age mix; smartphone-first usage common.
• Gender: ~51% female, ~49% male (ACS). Women slightly more active on Facebook/Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube/Reddit/X.

Most-used platforms in Clay County (estimated share of residents 13+ using each platform)

• YouTube: 75–80%
• Facebook: 60–65%
• Instagram: 28–35%
• TikTok: 22–30%
• Pinterest: 22–30% (female-skewed)
• Snapchat: 18–25% (teen/20s-skewed)
• X (Twitter): 10–15%
• Reddit: 8–12%
• LinkedIn: 10–15% (lower in rural/older populations)

Age-group patterns (what they use most)

• Teens (13–17): Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube; Instagram secondary; Facebook mainly for school/teams.
• 18–29: YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; Facebook for events/Marketplace and family.
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram moderate; TikTok rising; Pinterest strong among women.
• 50–64: Facebook first, YouTube second; Pinterest for hobbies; limited Instagram/TikTok.
• 65+: Facebook is primary; YouTube for news/how‑to and church content; minimal use of other platforms.

Gender breakdown in use (directional)

• Women: Higher activity on Facebook (including Groups and Messenger) and Pinterest; solid Instagram usage.
• Men: Higher on YouTube; more likely to use Reddit and X; Facebook still widely used.

Behavioral trends and local habits

• Facebook as community hub: School updates, high‑school sports, churches, local government, buy/sell/trade groups. Marketplace is heavily used.
• Video consumption: Short vertical clips perform best on Facebook/Instagram; YouTube favored for how‑to, repairs, outdoor and sports content; Facebook Live for local meetings/events.
• Timing: Peaks mornings (6–8 a.m.) and evenings (7–10 p.m.); strong weekend/event spikes (e.g., Friday-night football, festivals).
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger for most residents; Snapchat among teens/young adults; WhatsApp niche.
• Trust signals: Posts from known locals, schools, churches, first responders; content naming specific places/people outperforms generic posts.
• Advertising notes: Simple creative, phone-number CTAs, and “Message” buttons work well. Geo-target within ~15–30 miles of Ashland/Lineville. Use Facebook/Instagram for 30+ audiences; add Instagram/TikTok for under‑35 reach.

Method note

• Percentages are modeled from Pew’s U.S. platform adoption by age, adjusted to Clay County’s older age structure; round to ranges. For precise counts, use platform ad planners with a Clay County or ZIP-radius filter to pull current audience estimates.