Talladega County

Talladega County, Alabama — key demographics

Population

• 2023 population estimate: ~81,800 (U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program)
• 2020 Census count: ~82,100

Age

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

Gender

• Female: ~51–52%
• Male: ~48–49%

Race and ethnicity (share of total population)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~67–68%
• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~28%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3–4%
• Two or more races: ~1–2%
• Asian: ~0.4–0.6%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.3–0.5%

Households

• Total households: ~31,500–32,000
• Average household size: ~2.45–2.50
• Family households: ~65–67% of households
• Nonfamily households: ~33–35%

Insights

• Population is relatively stable to slightly declining since 2020.
• Age structure skews middle-aged with a sizable 65+ share, indicating gradual aging.
• The county is majority White with a substantial Black population and a small but growing Hispanic community.
• Household sizes are typical for Alabama, with about two-thirds of households being family households.

Primary sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2023 Population Estimates; 2020 Census DHC; 2023 ACS 1-year).

Talladega County, AL — email usage snapshot (2025)

• Estimated email users: ~50,000 adults. Method: ~81,000 residents; ~78% are 18+; ~86% adult internet adoption; ~92% of internet users use email.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 18–29: ~23%
  • 30–49: ~34%
  • 50–64: ~24%
  • 65+: ~19%
• Gender split among email users: ~52% female, ~48% male (mirrors county adult demographics; usage rates by gender are essentially equal).
• Digital access and trends:
  • ~86–88% of households have a computer or smartphone; ~74–78% have a home broadband subscription.
  • Mobile‑only internet reliance is elevated for a rural county (~15–18%), supporting heavy email access via smartphones.
  • Fixed broadband availability is broad: roughly ~90% of serviceable locations have access to ≥100/20 Mbps; fiber passings are expanding from city centers outward.
  • 4G LTE is near‑universal; 5G covers the main population corridors, improving email reliability on mobile.
• Local density/connectivity context:
  • Population density ≈110 residents per square mile, with more dispersed rural tracts outside Talladega, Sylacauga, and Lincoln; these areas show lower fixed‑broadband take‑up and greater mobile dependence, modestly reducing email intensity among older and lower‑income households.

Mobile phone usage in Talladega County, Alabama — summary (focus on how it differs from the statewide picture)

Scale and user estimates (2023–2024 best-available estimates)

• Population and households: roughly 81,000 residents and 31,000–32,000 households.
• Adult smartphone users: 55,000–57,000 adults use a smartphone (about 87–90% of adults), slightly below Alabama’s statewide adult adoption (about 90–92%).
• Households with at least one smartphone: 86–90% in Talladega County (about 27,000–29,000 households), versus about 90–93% statewide.
• Cellular data plan in the household (any line with a mobile data plan): 70–75% of households locally versus about 76–80% statewide.
• Smartphone‑only households (have a smartphone but no fixed home broadband): 17–21% in Talladega County (about 5,300–6,700 households), higher than Alabama overall (about 13–15%). This is the clearest divergence from the state.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age:
  • 65+ share is slightly higher in Talladega than Alabama as a whole, which modestly lowers overall smartphone adoption. Adoption among 65+ remains materially lower than among under‑65s, and a larger share of non‑smartphone households are age‑concentrated.
• Income:
  • Poverty and low-to-moderate income shares are higher than the state average, driving heavier smartphone‑only reliance. Budget-conscious users are more likely to use prepaid plans and rely on mobile data as the primary home connection.
• Race and ethnicity:
  • The county’s racial mix is broadly similar to Alabama’s, but smartphone‑only reliance is elevated in lower‑income census tracts (including majority‑Black areas in and around Talladega and Sylacauga). That concentration contributes to the county’s higher smartphone‑only rate versus the state.
• Children and teens:
  • Teen smartphone penetration is very high (well over 90%), and in smartphone‑only households teens rely on mobile data for schoolwork more than the state average, reflecting the local fixed‑broadband gap.

Digital infrastructure highlights (mobile and fixed) shaping usage

• Coverage:
  • 4G LTE: effectively countywide outdoors from all three national carriers across populated areas.
  • 5G: broad low‑band coverage; mid‑band 5G capacity is concentrated along I‑20 (Lincoln/Talladega Superspeedway), US‑280 (Sylacauga/Childersburg), and the city of Talladega. Rural eastern and southern pockets see weaker indoor service and capacity.
• Performance:
  • Typical user experience: mid‑band 5G 60–120 Mbps where available; LTE commonly 10–40 Mbps in rural zones. Event‑driven congestion around the Superspeedway creates sharper peak‑time slowdowns than the state average.
• Fixed broadband context:
  • Fiber is clustered in town centers and select corridors (e.g., parts of Lincoln, Sylacauga/Childersburg, and electric‑co‑op footprints). Large unincorporated areas remain DSL/copper, cable‑only, or reliant on fixed wireless. This patchwork elevates smartphone‑only and mobile‑primary behavior compared with Alabama overall.
• Buildout trajectory:
  • Recent and ongoing investments: co‑op fiber expansions, selective AT&T and cable upgrades, and additional macro/small‑cell sites near I‑20 and US‑280. Remaining gaps align with hilly/forested terrain and lower‑density tracts.

What’s different from Alabama’s statewide trends

• More smartphone‑only households: Talladega runs about 3–6 percentage points higher than the state, reflecting affordability constraints and uneven wireline availability.
• Slightly lower overall household smartphone penetration and cellular‑plan uptake: both trail the state by roughly 2–4 points, influenced by an older age structure and income mix.
• Higher dependence on mobile as a primary internet pathway: households without fixed broadband lean on mobile data and hotspots more than the state average, especially in rural and low‑income tracts.
• Sharper performance variability: bigger swings between peak and off‑peak periods due to large events and fewer high‑capacity 5G sectors in outlying areas.

Implications

• Mobile is the de facto on‑ramp to the internet for a larger share of Talladega County residents than statewide averages indicate; device affordability and prepaid plans remain central.
• Expanding mid‑band 5G and filling rural coverage/capacity holes, alongside continued fiber buildouts, would directly reduce smartphone‑only reliance and improve educational and telehealth access.

Talladega County, AL social media snapshot (2024)

Overall usage

• Population: ≈81,000 residents
• Estimated social media users: ≈54,000 (≈67% of total population), driven by ≈78% of adults (18+) and ≈95% of teens (13–17) using at least one platform
• Gender among users: ≈53% women, 47% men

Age profile of social media users (share of all local social users)

• 13–17: 9%
• 18–24: 12%
• 25–34: 16%
• 35–44: 16%
• 45–54: 16%
• 55–64: 14%
• 65+: 16%

Most-used platforms among local social media users (share using each)

• YouTube: 82%
• Facebook: 76%
• Instagram: 48%
• Pinterest: 31%
• TikTok: 28%
• Snapchat: 22%
• LinkedIn: 18%
• Reddit: 12%
• X (Twitter): 15%
• Nextdoor: 9%

Behavioral trends and content patterns

• Facebook is the community backbone: heavy use of Groups and Marketplace for local news, buy/sell, school and church updates, and weather-related information. Public-safety posts, road closures, and school announcements routinely outperform.
• Video-first behavior: YouTube for tutorials, automotive/DIY, and racing content; short-form video (Reels/TikTok) dominates discovery for under-35s.
• Event-driven spikes: Engagement surges around Talladega Superspeedway race weeks, high-school sports, festivals, and severe weather; local businesses time promos to these windows.
• Messaging-centric for youth: Teens favor Snapchat and Instagram DMs; Facebook Messenger is widely used across ages.
• Local trust signals matter: Posts that feature familiar faces, local landmarks, or practical benefit (deals, openings, service changes) outperform generic creative.
• Commerce and services: Restaurants, auto, home services, outdoor/rec, and salons rely on Facebook/Instagram for offers and reviews; Pinterest drives planning/DIY interest among women 25–54.
• Platform roles:
  • Facebook/YouTube = reach and community.
  • Instagram/TikTok = younger audiences and creative discovery.
  • LinkedIn = hiring for healthcare, manufacturing, and public-sector roles.
  • X = real-time sports/statewide news; niche locally.
  • Nextdoor = neighborhood updates; smaller base than Facebook Groups.
• Timing: Highest engagement late afternoons/evenings and weekend mornings; weather and local-news days override typical patterns.

Notes on methodology

• Figures are modeled estimates using 2023–2024 Pew Research Center U.S. platform adoption rates adjusted to Talladega County’s age/sex profile (U.S. Census Bureau/ACS) to produce county-level estimates. Percentages reflect share of local social media users unless otherwise specified.