Randolph County

Randolph County, Alabama — key demographics

Population

• 21,967 (2020 Census)
• ~21,900 (2023 Census estimate; essentially stable since 2020)

Age

• Median age: ~44 years
• Under 18: ~21%
• 18–64: ~58%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50%

Race and ethnicity (percent of total population; Hispanic can be of any race)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~74–76%
• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~19–21%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~3–4%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• Asian: ~0.2–0.4%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.3–0.5%
• Other races: ~0.3–0.6%

Households and housing

• Households: ~8,600–8,800
• Average household size: ~2.45–2.55 persons
• Family households: ~64–67% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~24–27%
• Owner-occupied housing: ~76–80% of occupied housing units
• Renter-occupied housing: ~20–24%

Insights

• Stable population with an older age profile relative to the U.S. average.
• Majority White with a substantial Black population and a small but growing Hispanic community.
• High owner-occupancy and smaller household sizes consistent with rural Alabama counties.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (P.L. 94-171 Redistricting Data) and 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Randolph County, AL snapshot

• Population and density: ≈21,900 residents; ≈38 people per square mile (rural).
• Estimated email users (age 13+): ≈13,700 (about 78% of residents 13+).
• Age distribution of email users (counts, share):
  • 13–17: ≈1,100 (8%)
  • 18–29: ≈2,500 (18%)
  • 30–49: ≈5,500 (40%)
  • 50–64: ≈3,000 (22%)
  • 65+: ≈1,600 (12%)
• Gender split among email users: ≈51% female (7,000), 49% male (6,700). No material gender gap in usage.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Household broadband subscription: ≈73%; computer/smartphone access: ≈90%.
  • Smartphone-only internet households: ≈16%; no home internet: ≈7%.
  • Email is near-universal among connected adults; usage intensity is highest in the 30–49 cohort and lowest in 65+ due to connectivity and device gaps.
• Local connectivity context:
  • Low population density and dispersed housing increase last‑mile costs; fiber/coax coverage is strongest in/near town centers (Roanoke, Wedowee, Wadley) with more DSL, fixed‑wireless, or satellite reliance in outlying areas.
  • Mobile coverage is generally better along primary corridors and in towns, with weaker signal in forested and lakeside terrain.

Figures are derived from ACS/Pew statewide and rural benchmarks applied to Randolph County’s size and age structure.

Mobile phone usage in Randolph County, Alabama (2024 snapshot)

Topline user estimates

• Population: ~21,900 residents; ~17,100 adults (18+); ~8,700 occupied households.
• Adult mobile phone users: ~16,200 (≈95% of adults).
• Adult smartphone users: ~14,350 (≈84% of adults).
• Teens 13–17 with smartphones: ~1,310 (≈95% of teens).
• Combined 13+ smartphone users: ~15,660; combined 13+ mobile users (any phone): ~17,520.

Demographic breakdown (key differences vs Alabama)

• Age (largest driver in the county):
  • 18–29: ~2,480 smartphone users (≈97% adoption; on par with state).
  • 30–49: ~5,200 (≈95%; on par with state).
  • 50–64: ~3,830 (≈83%; modestly below state by ~2–4 percentage points).
  • 65+: ~2,850 (≈64%; materially below Alabama seniors at ~68–72%). The county’s older age structure pulls overall smartphone penetration below the state average.
• Income:
  • Smartphone-dependent internet use (have a smartphone but no fixed home broadband) is elevated: ≈21% of households countywide vs ≈17–19% statewide.
  • By income bracket (county): <$35k ≈35% smartphone-dependent; $35–75k ≈20%; $75k+ ≈8%. This gap is wider than Alabama overall, reflecting limited fixed broadband choices in rural tracts.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Smartphone adoption is broadly similar by race (mid–high 80s to low 90s in percentage terms among adults), with smaller gaps than those by age or income. Racial composition (majority White, sizable Black population, small Hispanic share) does not materially change overall adoption relative to the state; infrastructure access does.

Household telephony mix

• Wireless-only households (no landline): ≈64% in Randolph vs ≈70–73% statewide. The county’s lower wireless-only rate reflects both an older population (more likely to keep landlines) and patchier cellular coverage in outlying areas.
• Households with no fixed broadband: ≈32% in Randolph vs ≈20–24% statewide; many of these rely on mobile data plans and hotspots as primary internet.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage footprint:
  • 5G population coverage: ~75% from at least one national carrier, concentrated in Roanoke, Wedowee, along US‑431 and AL‑22 corridors; LTE-only service remains common in outlying communities (e.g., Woodland area and lake-adjacent hollows).
  • Compared with Alabama’s ~90%+ 5G population coverage, Randolph lags, with more dead zones and indoors-only coverage gaps away from highways.
• Capacity and speeds (typical, not peak):
  • LTE median downloads ~8–25 Mbps in rural tracts; 5G where available ~60–120 Mbps. Both medians trail state urban corridors (often 20–35 Mbps LTE and 120–220 Mbps 5G).
  • Upload speeds are frequently <5 Mbps on LTE outside town centers, affecting telehealth and video upstreams.
• Sites and backhaul:
  • Estimated 25–35 macro cell sites countywide (roughly 1 site per 17–23 square miles), with microwave and limited fiber backhaul. Site spacing and terrain around Lake Wedowee create coverage variability.
• Carrier mix and plans:
  • All three national MNOs present; MVNO uptake is relatively high among lower-income users. Prepaid share is higher than the state’s urban counties, aligning with income and credit profiles.
• Public-safety and resiliency:
  • First responder networks (e.g., FirstNet on AT&T) are present along main corridors; secondary roads and lakeside areas still see capacity constraints during storms and seasonal tourism peaks.

How Randolph County trends differ from Alabama overall

• Slightly lower overall smartphone adoption, driven mainly by a larger 65+ segment and below-state senior adoption.
• Higher reliance on smartphones as the primary internet connection due to fewer fixed broadband options, especially outside Roanoke and Wedowee.
• Lower wireless-only household share than the state despite high mobile use, reflecting retention of landlines among seniors and coverage gaps.
• More LTE-only and fringe 5G zones; median mobile speeds and uplink performance lag state averages.
• Greater variability in service quality by micro‑location (lake coves, forested hollows), making boosters and Wi‑Fi calling more common workarounds.

Method notes (for interpretability)

• Population, household counts and age structure reflect recent Census/ACS profiles for Randolph County; mobile adoption rates draw on rural-U.S. and Alabama-specific patterns from major surveys (Pew, CDC NHIS, FCC maps) adjusted to the county’s age/income mix and rural infrastructure profile. Figures are rounded to reflect estimation.

Social media in Randolph County, Alabama (2024 modeled snapshot) Note: County-level platform stats are not directly published; figures below are modeled from 2023–2024 Pew Research platform adoption, ACS county demographics, and rural Alabama internet usage. Platform percentages are share of residents ages 13+ unless noted.

Overall usage

• Social media penetration (13+): 78%
• Daily active users: 63% of residents (≈80% of social users)
• Primary devices: smartphone-first usage dominates; desktop use is secondary and task-driven

Most-used platforms (share of residents 13+)

• Facebook: 61%
• YouTube: 58%
• Instagram: 31%
• TikTok: 26%
• Snapchat: 18%
• Pinterest: 15%
• X (Twitter): 12%
• LinkedIn: 11%
• Reddit: 7%
• Nextdoor: 6% Note: Users often maintain multiple platforms; totals exceed 100%.

Age-group usage patterns

• 13–17: 95% use social; among these users: YouTube 92%, TikTok 74%, Instagram 70%, Snapchat 64%, Facebook 28%, X 12%
• 18–29: 94%; YouTube 90%, Instagram 74%, TikTok 64%, Snapchat 52%, Facebook 55%, X 20%, Reddit 18%
• 30–49: 85%; Facebook 76%, YouTube 78%, Instagram 43%, TikTok 30%, Snapchat 20%, X 16%, Pinterest 22%
• 50–64: 70%; Facebook 79%, YouTube 65%, Instagram 28%, TikTok 17%, Pinterest 20%
• 65+: 55%; Facebook 72%, YouTube 54%, Instagram 15%, TikTok 8%

Gender breakdown

• Share of social media users: 54% female, 46% male
• Platform skews (share of each platform’s users who are female): Pinterest 78%, Facebook 58%, Instagram 56%, TikTok 55%, Snapchat 53%, LinkedIn 45%, YouTube 43%, X 38%, Reddit 30%

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Facebook is the community backbone: heavy use of local Groups (schools, churches, sports, yard sales) and Marketplace for vehicles, equipment, and household goods
• Video is ascendant: short-form (Reels/TikTok) growth among under-40s; YouTube favored for tutorials, outdoor/hunting/fishing content, DIY, and streaming local faith services
• Messaging behaviors: Facebook Messenger is the default for adults; Snapchat is the primary peer chat channel for teens; WhatsApp use is niche
• Local news and alerts: residents rely on Facebook Pages/Groups for weather, school updates, road conditions, and civic info; trust and engagement increase with recognizable local voices
• Posting and engagement cadence: adults 30+ post a few times per month and share/comment more than they create; teens/20s post Stories/Snaps daily and prefer DMs over public feeds
• Time-of-day peaks: 6–8 a.m., 12–1 p.m., and 7–9 p.m. CT; weekend mornings are strong for Marketplace and event discovery
• Advertising implications: best reach and conversion for local services and retail on Facebook/Instagram; boutiques/beauty perform well on Instagram/Reels; youth-oriented campaigns see strongest awareness on TikTok/Snapchat; LinkedIn is limited and best used for hiring rather than demand gen

Key takeaways

• Facebook and YouTube dominate overall reach; Instagram and TikTok are essential for under-40s
• Community, commerce, and local information drive engagement more than national topics
• Creative that is local, video-first, and optimized for evening mobile consumption performs best