Geneva County

Key demographics — Geneva County, Alabama (U.S. Census Bureau, 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates; rounded)

• Population: ~26,600
• Age: median ~42 years; under 18: ~22%; 18–64: ~58%; 65+: ~20%
• Gender: ~49% male, ~51% female
• Race/ethnicity (Hispanic can be of any race):
  • White: ~82%
  • Black or African American: ~12%
  • Hispanic/Latino: ~4%
  • Two or more races: ~2%
  • Other (Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, NHPI): ~1%
• Households: ~10,500
  • Average household size: ~2.5
  • Family households: ~68% (married-couple ~50%)
  • Households with children under 18: ~27%
  • Tenure: owner-occupied ~77%, renter-occupied ~23%

Note: Figures are estimates and may not sum to 100% due to rounding and category definitions.

Geneva County, AL — email usage snapshot

• Population baseline: ~26–27k residents (2020 Census).
• Estimated email users: ~19–21k residents use email regularly (assumes ~80% internet adoption and ~90% email use among internet users).

Age distribution among email users (estimates):

• 13–17: 5–7% (school-driven usage)
• 18–34: 25–28% (near-universal among adults)
• 35–54: 35–40% (work-centric)
• 55–64: 15–18% (high but not universal)
• 65+: 15–20% (lower access; strong use once connected)

Gender split (estimate): ~49% male / 51% female, roughly mirroring local demographics.

Digital access trends:

• Household internet subscription likely 75–85%; 10–20% are smartphone‑only.
• Best fixed broadband in towns (Geneva, Slocomb, Hartford); rural areas rely more on DSL/fixed‑wireless, with fiber builds expanding via recent state/federal grants.
• Mobile coverage is solid along main corridors; indoor and remote 5G performance varies.

Local density/connectivity context:

• Rural county with roughly 40–50 people per square mile and many homes outside municipal cores, increasing last‑mile costs and contributing to patchy high‑speed availability.

Below is a practical, decision-ready snapshot of mobile phone usage in Geneva County, Alabama, with estimates, demographic patterns, and infrastructure notes. Emphasis is on what differs from statewide trends.

Headline user estimates (2025, rounded ranges)

• Population baseline: ~26–27k residents; ~20–21k adults 18+.
• Any cellphone ownership (adults): 92–95% → ~18.5–20k adult users.
• Smartphone ownership (adults): 78–83% → ~15.5–17.5k adult smartphone users.
• Feature/voice-only adults: 6–10% → ~1.2–2.1k.
• Teen smartphone users (13–17): ~1.6–1.9k (very high adoption).
• Mobile-only internet households (no fixed broadband, rely on smartphone/hotspot): 22–28% of ~10–11k households → ~2.2–3.0k households.

How Geneva County differs from Alabama overall

• Slightly lower adult smartphone penetration: 3–6 percentage points below the state average (older age structure and lower median income).
• More mobile-only households: 5–8 points higher than the statewide share; hotspotting fills fixed-broadband gaps, especially outside town centers.
• Higher prepaid mix: 5–10 points higher than state average; brands like Straight Talk, Cricket, Boost, Metro by T-Mobile are notably common.
• 5G is more “coverage-first” than “capacity-first”: low-band 5G is present; mid-band/capacity 5G (for higher speeds) is spottier than in Alabama’s metro counties.
• Speeds are more variable: town centers generally see acceptable LTE/low-band 5G; outlying areas trend slower and more latency-prone than the state average.
• Greater reliance on signal boosters and Wi‑Fi calling in fringe areas; fewer small-cell deployments than in urban Alabama.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age
  • 65+: Smartphone ownership materially below state average; higher incidence of flip/feature phones; voice/SMS remain primary. This age band drives the county’s lower overall smartphone share.
  • 18–44: Near-statewide smartphone adoption; heavy use of social/video apps; hotspotting for shared home use more common than statewide due to patchy fixed broadband.
• Income
  • Lower-income households are more likely to be prepaid, Android-heavy, and to use refurbished devices; device financing and pay-as-you-go are common. Data budgeting (limited plans, off-peak use, public Wi‑Fi) is more prevalent than statewide.
• Race/ethnicity
  • County is whiter and older than Alabama overall. Minority and younger households show smartphone and app usage rates closer to statewide norms and are more likely to rely on mobile as primary internet than their peers statewide.

Digital infrastructure snapshot

• Coverage pattern
  • 4G LTE: Generally solid along primary corridors and in towns (Geneva, Hartford, Samson, Slocomb). River bottoms and low-lying/wooded stretches can see coverage dips.
  • 5G: Low-band from AT&T/T‑Mobile is present on main roads; Verizon’s low-band 5G is intermittent. Mid-band/C‑Band/N41 capacity sites are fewer than in metro Alabama, so peak speeds lag.
• Corridors and nodes
  • Stronger service along AL‑52 (east–west through Slocomb–Hartford–Geneva–Samson) and AL‑167 (north–south via Hartford). Outskirts and farm roads see more variability.
• Capacity and performance
  • Typical town-center median downloads: roughly 20–80 Mbps on LTE/low-band 5G; rural edges frequently sub‑20 Mbps and latency spikes at peak times.
  • Event- and school-adjacent congestion is noticeable, with fewer small cells/DAS than in urban counties.
• Backhaul and tower density
  • “Dozens” of macro sites across the county; density is lower than in Alabama metros. Many sites rely on microwave backhaul where fiber isn’t readily available, constraining 5G capacity.
• Public safety and resilience
  • FirstNet (AT&T) presence along major routes; hurricane-season readiness is a planning priority. Power/fiber cuts can create wider service impacts due to limited redundancy compared to cities.

Implications

• Carriers: The biggest wins come from adding mid-band 5G on existing towers, targeted small cells in town centers/schools, and improved microwave-to-fiber backhaul upgrades.
• Public sector and community: Digital inclusion efforts that bundle device affordability, prepaid-friendly subsidies, and signal-booster programs will outperform “fiber-only” approaches in the near term.
• Businesses and institutions: Plan for Wi‑Fi calling indoors, provide guest Wi‑Fi in public venues, and expect higher customer reliance on mobile payments and hotspotting.

Methods note

• Estimates derived by applying recent Pew/state mobile adoption rates to Geneva County’s population/age-income profile (Census/ACS), and corroborated with typical rural Southeast network patterns and FCC coverage/backhaul disclosures. Use ranges to reflect local variability and recent network upgrades.

Geneva County, AL — social media snapshot (modeled 2025) Note: County-level social metrics aren’t directly published. Figures below are modeled from U.S. Census/ACS age–sex mix for Geneva County and Pew Research Center 2024 platform adoption, adjusted for rural Alabama usage patterns.

Headline user stats

• Population: ~26.7k; residents 13+: ~22.7k
• Social media users (13+): ~17.5–18.5k (≈78–82% penetration); daily users ≈65% of 13+
• Gender among social users: ≈55% women, 45% men

Age profile of social users (share of social users)

• 13–17: ~9%
• 18–29: ~16%
• 30–49: ~30%
• 50–64: ~23%
• 65+: ~22%

Most-used platforms in the county (estimated monthly reach of residents 13+; users multi-home)

• YouTube: ~78% (broad across ages; strong on smart TVs)
• Facebook: ~74% (very strong 30+, nearly universal among 65+ users)
• Instagram: ~46% (skews 18–39; women > men)
• TikTok: ~38% (fast growth 16–34; cross-posted Reels common)
• Pinterest: ~30% (mostly women 25–54; home, crafts, recipes)
• Snapchat: ~25% (teens/20s; messaging-centric)
• X/Twitter: ~17% (news/sports watchers; limited general use)
• LinkedIn: ~14% (small white-collar segment)
• Reddit: ~12% (male-skewing, hobby/DIY)
• Nextdoor: ~6% (patchy neighborhood coverage)

Behavioral trends to know

• Local-first on Facebook: heavy use of Groups, Marketplace, church/school pages, high-school sports, lost-and-found pets, and storm updates. Trust is peer/community driven.
• Video time is rising: YouTube for how-to, hunting/fishing, farm/auto repair, sermons, and local event replays; TikTok/Reels for short clips from local businesses and creators.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is default; WhatsApp use is low; Snapchat DMs important for teens/20s.
• Shopping behaviors: Price-sensitive; prefers local pickup via Marketplace. Seasonal spikes around school events, sports seasons, and severe weather.
• Access patterns: Mobile-first; peak engagement evenings 7–9 pm CT and weekend afternoons. Older users are highly responsive to photo posts and simple videos.
• Platform overlap: Many small businesses post to Facebook first, mirror to Instagram; X/Twitter mainly for regional news, meteorologists, and sports commentary.