Morgan County

Morgan County, Alabama – key demographics

Population

• 2023 population estimate: ~126,000
• 2020 Census: 123,421 (modest growth since 2020)

Age

• Median age: ~39 years
• Under 18: ~24%
• 65 and over: ~17%

Gender

• Female: ~50.5%
• Male: ~49.5%

Race and ethnicity

• White, non-Hispanic: ~72%
• Black or African American: ~12%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~11%
• Two or more races: ~4%
• Asian: ~1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~1%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%

Households and housing

• Households: ~49,000
• Average household size: ~2.55
• Family households: ~69% (married-couple families ~48–50%)
• Households with children under 18: ~30%
• Single-person households: ~24%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~73%
• Housing units: ~54,000

Insights

• Population is slowly growing with a balanced, slightly older age profile.
• The county remains majority non-Hispanic White with a notable and growing Hispanic community.
• Household size and homeownership are in line with Alabama norms, with a predominance of family households.

Morgan County, AL email usage snapshot (2025 est.)

• Population: ~126,000; density ~215 people per sq mi.
• Estimated email users: 87,000 residents. Method: county population x adult internet adoption (89%) x email use among online adults (~92%), plus teen (13–17) uptake.

Age distribution of email users

• 13–17: ~7%
• 18–29: ~17%
• 30–49: ~37%
• 50–64: ~24%
• 65+: ~15%

Gender split among email users

• Female ~51%
• Male ~49%

Digital access and trends

• ~82% of households have a broadband subscription; ~90% have a computer device (ACS).
• ~90% of adults own a smartphone; ~18–20% are smartphone-only for home internet (Pew/ACS aligned).
• Urban core (Decatur–Hartselle) has multi-provider cable and expanding fiber, supporting 100–300+ Mbps typical service; rural east/south areas rely more on DSL or fixed wireless with lower speeds.
• Adoption is rising as fiber builds along the I‑65/US‑31 corridor reduce the urban–rural gap, but affordability and device access remain key constraints in lower-density tracts.

Local connectivity facts

• Over half of residents live in the Decatur–Hartselle urban area, where provider competition and public Wi‑Fi (libraries, civic facilities) boost access and email engagement.

Mobile phone usage in Morgan County, Alabama — snapshot and contrasts with state-level

User base and penetration (estimates grounded in Census population and national ownership rates)

• Population anchor: 123,421 residents (2020 Census).
• Active mobile phone users: approximately 95,000–105,000 residents use a mobile phone on a typical day. This reflects nearly all adults and most teens having a handset.
• Smartphone users: roughly 85,000–95,000 residents use smartphones, driven by high adult smartphone ownership and near-universal teen access.
• Total cellular connections: an estimated 150,000–175,000 active cellular connections countywide when including smartphones, tablets, hotspots, vehicles, and IoT devices (typical per-capita connection levels seen across the U.S. and Alabama).

Demographic breakdown and what it means for usage

• Settlement pattern: The county is anchored by the Decatur–Hartselle urban area with suburban and industrial corridors along US‑31/AL‑20 and I‑65, plus more rural communities to the west and south (e.g., Danville, Falkville, Eva, Lacey’s Spring).
• Age structure: A balanced mix of working-age adults and families, with a sizable 25–54 workforce tied to manufacturing, logistics, and services; seniors are present but not as dominant as in many rural Alabama counties. This supports high smartphone and app usage for work scheduling, navigation, payments, and media.
• Race/ethnicity: Morgan County has a higher Hispanic/Latino share and a lower Black share than Alabama as a whole (per 2020 Census patterns). The result is strong mobile-first communication habits, higher use of messaging and social apps, and robust prepaid/MVNO adoption alongside postpaid family plans.
• Income/education context: Proximity to the Huntsville-Decatur tech/manufacturing corridor lifts device quality and data-plan uptake above many rural parts of the state, while rural tracts still show cost-sensitive plan selection and shared-device behavior.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• 5G footprint: All three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) provide 5G across the Decatur–Hartselle urban area and along I‑65, with mid‑band 5G delivering noticeably higher capacity and speeds in town and along major corridors. mmWave 5G, where present, is limited to small pockets.
• LTE depth: Extensive LTE coverage remains the baseline countywide; rural edges rely more on low‑band spectrum for reach, with occasional dead zones in river bluffs and hollows.
• Backhaul and fiber: Multiple long‑haul and metro fiber routes run through the Tennessee Valley and the I‑65 corridor, giving carriers solid backhaul for 5G upgrades, particularly in and around Decatur’s industrial zones and civic anchors (hospitals, schools).
• Sites and densification: Dozens of macro towers serve the county, with added sectorization and small‑cell infill near commercial clusters, highways, and river crossings. Industrial sites increasingly host private/enterprise LTE/5G or CBRS small cells to support operations and IoT.

How Morgan County differs from Alabama’s state‑level trends

• Coverage quality and speed: Median mobile performance in the Decatur urban area is typically stronger than the Alabama average due to mid‑band 5G density and robust fiber backhaul; rural pockets still lag but are closer to urban performance than in many Black Belt or Appalachian counties.
• Per‑capita connections: Industrial IoT (sensors, fleet, telematics) and logistics along the Tennessee River/I‑65 corridor push connections-per-resident above what’s common in rural Alabama counties, lifting total SIMs well beyond the number of residents.
• Plan mix: A dual market is evident—postpaid multi-line plans are common among suburban families and manufacturing/defense workers, while prepaid/MVNO plans have above‑average adoption in younger, bilingual, and cost‑sensitive households. This split is more pronounced than the statewide pattern because of Morgan County’s industry mix and demographics.
• Mobility demand pattern: Commute and freight corridors (I‑65, US‑31, AL‑20/24) concentrate daytime demand and drive targeted capacity upgrades; this corridor-driven pattern is more acute than the statewide average.
• Digital divide: The urban–rural gap exists but is narrower than in many Alabama counties; targeted fills along river valleys and growth areas have improved reliability relative to the state’s more sparsely served regions.

Bottom line Morgan County’s mobile market skews more urban-industrial than Alabama overall: more mid‑band 5G where people live and work, higher per‑capita device counts due to industrial and logistics needs, and a mixed plan landscape reflecting both higher-income suburban users and cost‑sensitive mobile‑first households. This produces above‑state mobile performance in the Decatur–I‑65 corridor with persistent—but shrinking—rural gaps.

Social media usage in Morgan County, Alabama (2025 snapshot)

How these figures were derived: Percentages reflect the latest U.S. usage rates (Pew Research Center, 2023–2024) applied to Morgan County’s population profile; in practice, Morgan County’s behavior tracks closely with small‑metro Southern counties.

Most-used platforms among adults (18+)

• YouTube: 83% use
• Facebook: 68% use
• Instagram: 47% use
• TikTok: 33% use
• Pinterest: 35% use Notes:
• Facebook and YouTube dominate reach and daily visitation.
• Instagram and TikTok are rising fast with under‑35s; Pinterest is strong among women and home/lifestyle shoppers.

Age-group usage patterns

• Teens (13–17): YouTube 95%, Instagram 62%, TikTok 67%, Snapchat 60%, Facebook 33%
• Adults overall (18+): skew to YouTube and Facebook; short‑form video (Reels/TikTok) strongest among 18–34; Facebook usage rises again among 45+
• Seniors (65+): Facebook and YouTube remain the primary platforms; minimal TikTok/Snapchat

Gender breakdown (directional)

• Women: higher usage of Facebook and Pinterest; strong participation in local Facebook Groups, school/activities updates, marketplace listings, home and lifestyle content
• Men: higher usage of YouTube, Reddit, and X (Twitter); strong interest in sports, DIY, automotive, and local news topics

Behavioral trends

• Local-first engagement: Heavy reliance on Facebook Groups/Pages and Marketplace for community news, school/youth sports updates, church events, yard sales, local services, and lost/found. Recommendation-seeking (e.g., contractors, healthcare, realtors) is common.
• Video-forward consumption: Short-form video (Reels/TikTok) is the top attention driver for entertainment, food spots, events, and small-business promotions; YouTube used for how‑tos, product research, and longer local storytelling.
• Messaging as a service channel: Facebook Messenger is a primary contact method for local businesses (quotes, bookings, hours), with quick replies materially affecting conversion; Instagram DMs used by younger adults.
• Commerce behavior: Facebook Marketplace is a key P2P channel (furniture, tools, vehicles); local retailers push limited-time offers via Reels/Stories. Pinterest drives planning/consideration for home projects and décor.
• Time-of-day patterns: Spikes in early morning (school/work prep), lunch hour, and evening (7–10 p.m.); weekend usage lifts for events, sports, and shopping.
• Trust and amplification: User-generated content and neighbor recommendations carry outsized influence; posts with recognizable local landmarks, people, or organizations outperform generic creative.

What this means for reach in Morgan County

• To reach most adults quickly, use Facebook + YouTube; layer Instagram for under‑40 reach and TikTok for under‑35 engagement.
• For women-driven categories (home, family, health, retail), add Pinterest and Facebook Groups; for men-driven categories (auto, trades, sports), prioritize YouTube and Facebook video.
• Use short-form vertical video for discovery and Messenger/DMs for conversion and service follow-up.