Pickens County

Key demographics — Pickens County, Alabama

• Population

  • 19,123 (2020 Census)
  • ~19.1k (2023 Census Population Estimates Program)

• Age (ACS 2018–2022)

  • Median age: ~41.5 years
  • Under 18: ~23%
  • 65 and over: ~19%

• Gender (ACS 2018–2022)

  • Female: ~51%
  • Male: ~49%

• Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022)

  • White alone: ~54%
  • Black or African American alone: ~43%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.4%
  • Asian alone: ~0.2%
  • Two or more races: ~1%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2%
  • White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~53%

• Households (ACS 2018–2022)

  • Households: ~7,400
  • Persons per household: ~2.5
  • Family households: ~65%
  • Nonfamily households: ~35%
  • Households with children under 18: ~27%
  • Households with someone age 65+ living alone: ~12%

Insights: The county has just over 19,000 residents, a near even White/Black racial composition, an older median age than the U.S. overall, and relatively small household sizes consistent with rural Alabama.

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

Pickens County, AL snapshot

• Population 19,123 (2020); ~7,300 households; density ≈22 people per square mile.
• Estimated email users: ~12,800 residents (≈85% of adults), in line with rural Alabama internet adoption; ~9,000 check email daily.

Age mix of email users (estimated)

• 18–29: 20%
• 30–49: 34%
• 50–64: 26%
• 65+: 20%

Gender split

• ~51% female, 49% male among users, mirroring the local population.

Access and usage trends

• ~82% of households have a computer or smartphone; ~68% have a home broadband subscription; ~18% are smartphone‑only internet users.
• Email is primarily accessed via mobile (≈80% of users), with steady year‑over‑year gains in home broadband of ~1–2 percentage points since 2019.

Connectivity context

• Service is strongest in and around Carrollton, Aliceville, and Reform; many outlying areas rely on DSL, fixed wireless, or LTE.
• Low rural density and distance from fiber backbones temper speeds and consistency, but 4G coverage is widespread and 5G is emerging along main corridors.

Sources: U.S. Census/ACS (2020–2022) and Pew Research Center tech adoption benchmarks.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Pickens County, Alabama

Topline user estimates

• Total residents using a mobile phone (any type): approximately 12,000–14,000 people, or about 90–95% of adults living in the county.
• Smartphone users: approximately 10,500–12,500 people, equating to roughly 78–85% of adults.
• Mobile-only internet users (no wired home broadband, rely primarily on cellular data): materially higher than the Alabama average, accounting for an estimated 20–28% of households in Pickens County versus a mid-teens share statewide.

How Pickens County differs from Alabama overall

• Smartphone adoption: 5–8 percentage points lower than the statewide rate, reflecting older age structure, lower median income, and higher rurality.
• Mobile-only dependence: 6–10 points higher than the state, with more households using a cellular data plan as their primary or only internet connection.
• Prepaid plans: noticeably higher share than the statewide mix, reflecting price sensitivity and credit-access dynamics common in rural counties.
• Device mix: higher Android share than the state average; iPhone share lower, consistent with income and rural market patterns.
• Digital divide: higher share of households with no internet subscription at all (roughly double the statewide rate), with gaps concentrated outside town centers.

Demographic breakdown (usage patterns)

• Age:
  • 18–34: very high smartphone penetration (≈90–96%); heavy use for social, video, and messaging; mobile is primary connection for many.
  • 35–64: high penetration (≈85–90%); large share uses mobile for work and navigation; higher likelihood of multi-line family plans.
  • 65+: substantially lower smartphone adoption (≈60–70%); more basic phone use and voice/text-first behavior; growth driven by telehealth and messaging with family.
• Income:
  • Low- to moderate-income households show higher reliance on prepaid and mobile-only internet, with data-capping and hotspot usage more common than elsewhere in Alabama.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Black residents constitute a large share of the county population and exhibit strong smartphone reliance for primary internet access, a pattern observed across rural Southern counties; affordability remains a limiting factor for plan tiers and device upgrades.
• Education:
  • Households without postsecondary education are overrepresented among mobile-only users; households with college degrees are more likely to maintain both mobile and fixed broadband.

Digital infrastructure and coverage characteristics

• Network generation mix:
  • 4G LTE: broadly available along major corridors and in/around Aliceville and Carrollton; service degrades in wooded areas and low-lying terrain.
  • 5G: present but limited, primarily low-band 5G with wide coverage and modest speed gains; mid-band 5G capacity is spotty and concentrated near towns.
• Capacity and performance:
  • Typical daytime outdoor speeds range from low double digits to ~50 Mbps near population centers; sub-5 Mbps pockets persist in sparsely populated areas and inside some metal-roof structures.
  • Evening congestion is more pronounced than the state average due to fewer sectors and lower tower density.
• Tower density and siting:
  • Fewer macro sites per square mile than Alabama’s average; coverage gaps most apparent off US-82 and away from town centers, with foliage and river bottoms affecting signal.
• Fixed broadband context (relevant to mobile substitution):
  • Cable and fiber availability is limited to select neighborhoods; a larger share of the county relies on legacy DSL or fixed wireless than the state overall.
  • The constrained wireline footprint pushes more households to use mobile hotspots as a primary or backup connection, directly elevating cellular data demand.
• Public safety and resilience:
  • First responder networks are present, but storm-related outages can isolate pockets longer than in urban Alabama; generators and temporary cells are used episodically to restore coverage.

Trends to watch

• Gradual uptick in 5G coverage, with low-band filling in first and capacity layers following, should narrow the performance gap with state averages.
• Mobile-only households are likely to remain elevated relative to Alabama until fiber or upgraded cable coverage expands in outlying areas.
• Prepaid share will stay above the state average, but discounted postpaid and fixed wireless offers could pull some households into higher-capacity plans.

Method notes

• Figures are derived from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year computer and internet indicators, FCC mobile and broadband availability collections, and rural adoption patterns from recent national surveys (2019–2023). County-level user counts are modeled from adult population and rural adoption differentials; ranges reflect sampling error and rural-market variability.

Pickens County, AL social media snapshot (modeled 2025 estimates) Note: County-specific platform data aren’t published directly. Figures below are modeled from the county’s age profile (U.S. Census/ACS) and Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. platform adoption, adjusted for rural usage patterns.

Headline user stats

• Population: ~19,000 residents; ~14,500 adults (18+)
• Online adults: ~12,000 (≈82% of adults have regular internet/smartphone access)
• Active social media users: ~10,500 adults (≈72% of all adults; ≈88% of online adults)

Age and gender mix of adult social media users

• By age: 18–29: 23% | 30–44: 26% | 45–64: 31% | 65+: 20%
• By gender: 54% women | 46% men
• Implications: Older adults are highly active on Facebook; younger users concentrate on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. Women over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube and Reddit.

Most-used platforms among adult social media users (share of users)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 72%
• Instagram: 38%
• TikTok: 30%
• Pinterest: 32%
• Snapchat: 24%
• WhatsApp: 18%
• X (Twitter): 17%
• Reddit: 13%
• LinkedIn: 14%
• Nextdoor: 8% These reflect rural Southern usage: strong Facebook and YouTube; moderate Instagram/TikTok; niche professional and neighborhood apps.

Behavioral trends

• Community-first Facebook: Heavy reliance on Facebook Groups for churches, schools/sports, civic updates, obituaries, and buy/sell via Marketplace; local businesses use boosted posts and event listings.
• Video as utility: YouTube dominates “how-to” (home/auto repair, farming, hunting/fishing, small-engine), high school sports highlights, sermons, and local creators; mobile viewing and short videos preferred.
• Youth messaging ecosystems: Teens/20s use Snapchat for daily messaging and streaks; Instagram for local social scenes; TikTok for trends and entertainment; cross-posting to Reels common.
• News and alerts: Local news consumption is Facebook-centered (county/sheriff/EMA pages). Rapid spread of urgent info but also rumor amplification; screenshots circulate via Messenger/Snapchat.
• Commerce and services: Facebook Marketplace is the default for used goods; service providers (roofing, lawn care, auto) rely on reviews in Groups and before/after reels.
• Timing and cadence: Peaks evenings 7–10 pm and weekends; older adults post weekly, younger users post daily via stories/reels; school-year calendars drive spikes.
• Access realities: Mobile-first behavior due to uneven home broadband; creators favor short, compressed video and vertical formats; download-light content performs best.
• Trust and tone: Higher trust in hyperlocal pages and known admins; low tolerance for national political rancor in community groups; moderators enforce “local-only” norms.