Tallapoosa County

Tallapoosa County, Alabama – key demographics

Population

• 2023 population estimate: ~41,300 (U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program)
• 2020 Census: 41,311

Age

• Median age: ~44 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~20%
• 18–64: ~59%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Female: ~51–52%
• Male: ~48–49%

Race and ethnicity (Hispanic can be of any race; ACS 2018–2022)

• White: ~68–70%
• Black or African American: ~25–28%
• Hispanic/Latino: ~3%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• Asian: <1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: <1%

Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~16,500–17,000
• Average household size: ~2.35–2.40
• Family households: ~65–67% of households; married-couple families ~45–50%
• Housing units: ~25,000–27,000 (notably high share of seasonal/vacant units due to Lake Martin area)
• Owner-occupied rate: ~70–75%
• Median household income: roughly $50,000–$52,000
• Poverty rate (people): ~16–18%

Insights

• Stable population near 41k with an older age profile (about 1 in 5 residents 65+).
• Predominantly White with a sizable Black population; Hispanic share small but growing.
• Smaller household sizes and elevated vacancy rates reflect significant seasonal/second-home housing.
• Income below national median and poverty modestly above the U.S. average.

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

• Scope: Tallapoosa County, AL (population ≈41,300; density ≈57 people/sq. mi.; ≈16,700 households).
• Digital access: 88–90% of households have a computer; ~76–80% have a broadband subscription (ACS 2018–2022), plus a small smartphone‑only segment (8–10%). Connectivity is strongest around Alexander City/Dadeville and Lake Martin corridors; more rural tracts show lower subscription rates and greater cellular dependence.
• Estimated email users: ≈31,300 residents (≈76% of total population; ≈92–95% of internet users use email).
• Age distribution of email users (modeled from county age mix and national adoption by age):
  • 13–17: ~1.8k (6%)
  • 18–29: ~5.1k (16%)
  • 30–49: ~9.4k (30%)
  • 50–64: ~7.8k (25%)
  • 65+: ~7.2k (23%)
• Gender split: County population is ~52% female/48% male; email usage is effectively parity by gender, yielding ≈16.3k female and ≈15.0k male email users.
• Trends and insights:
  • Broadband subscription has risen in recent years with incremental fiber/cable builds; gaps persist in low‑density areas off main corridors.
  • Smartphone‑centric access is common among lower‑income households, sustaining email use even where fixed broadband lags.
  • Local density below the state average increases last‑mile costs, reinforcing the urban‑rural digital divide despite improving coverage.

Tallapoosa County, Alabama — mobile phone usage and connectivity profile (2023–2024)

Core user estimates

• Adult smartphone users: 27,000 (about 82% of the county’s ~33,000 adults), below Alabama’s statewide share (86%).
• Households with any broadband subscription: 12,700 of ~16,700 households (≈76%), below Alabama (85%).
• Households relying on mobile broadband only (cellular data plan with no cable/fiber/DSL at home): 3,500 (≈21%), higher than Alabama overall (17%).

Demographic breakdown (how Tallapoosa differs from statewide patterns)

• Age:
  • 18–34: near-saturation smartphone adoption (95%), similar to statewide, but a larger share are mobile-only at home (28% vs ~23% statewide), reflecting more price-sensitive, renter-heavy segments.
  • 65+: smartphone adoption ~70% (a wider gap vs younger adults than statewide), and fixed-broadband adoption lags; device ownership is improving, but cost and digital literacy remain barriers.
• Income:
  • < $25k household income: mobile-only at home ≈30% (vs ~24% statewide), indicating stronger substitution of cellular for home internet.
  • ≥ $75k: mobile-only ≈10% (near statewide), but overall take-up of both smartphone and fixed broadband remains slightly lower than Alabama averages due to sparser infrastructure outside town centers.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Black households show higher mobile-only reliance (26%) than White households (18%), mirroring state patterns but with a somewhat larger gap locally, driven by income and fixed-network availability differences.

Digital infrastructure points

• Network coverage and technology:
  • All three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) provide countywide 4G LTE; 5G low-band now covers the population centers and corridors (notably US‑280, AL‑22, AL‑49). Mid-band 5G is present around Alexander City and Dadeville and along primary travel routes; interior rural tracts see wider spacing between sites and more low-band reliance.
  • Practical performance: towns and lakeside areas typically see strong 4G and low-/mid-band 5G performance; interior timber and rolling terrain create pockets of weaker indoor coverage, especially in northern and eastern census blocks.
• Fixed-network interplay:
  • Cable and fiber are available in and around Alexander City and Dadeville; fiber has expanded since 2021 but remains discontinuous in rural areas. Where fixed options are sparse or costly, households substitute with smartphones and hotspotting, lifting the county’s mobile-only share above the state average.
• Emergency and recreational demand:
  • Lake Martin recreation and weekend-home patterns increase seasonal mobile load; carriers prioritize shoreline and highway sectors, leading to better peak capacity around the lake compared to interior rural roads.

Trends since 2020 (how Tallapoosa is diverging from the state)

• Smartphone penetration rose roughly 4 percentage points (to ~82%), but the county remains a few points below Alabama overall; the gap is widest among seniors.
• Mobile-only households increased from ~19% to ~21%, while Alabama overall rose more slowly to ~17%. This indicates heavier reliance on cellular as a primary home connection locally.
• Home broadband adoption improved modestly (low-to-mid 70s% to ~76%) but trails the state’s mid‑80s%, reflecting slower fiber/cable reach outside towns.
• 5G availability expanded rapidly from near-zero to broad low-band coverage by at least one carrier; however, mid-band 5G depth is spottier than statewide urban/suburban areas, sustaining the usage of LTE and low-band 5G in rural tracts.

What this means for planners and providers

• Mobile is the default on-ramp: A higher-than-state share of households treat cellular as their only home internet, especially among lower-income and younger adults. Offers that bundle generous hotspot data and affordable multi-line plans will reach the largest need.
• Senior adoption gap is more pronounced: Targeted device support, simplified plans, and community training could close the county’s wider age gap in smartphone adoption and home connectivity.
• Infrastructure priorities: Additional mid-band 5G sectors (and fixed wireless access) in interior census blocks, plus incremental fiber builds off existing town nodes, would reduce the mobile-only reliance driven by limited fixed options.

Data vintage and basis

• User and household statistics are derived from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019–2023 5‑year estimates (computer and internet subscription items) and aligned with FCC National Broadband Map mobile availability (mid‑2024). State comparisons use Alabama aggregates from the same series.

Tallapoosa County, AL — social media usage snapshot (modeled 2025 estimates)

Population and online base

• Population: ~41,300; adults (18+): ~32,600; gender: ~52% women, ~48% men
• Smartphone/internet access: solid but mixed rural coverage; mobile-first usage dominates

Most-used platforms among adults (18+) (Percent of adults; approx. user counts in parentheses)

• YouTube: 80% (~26,100)
• Facebook: 73% (~23,800)
• Instagram: 40% (~13,000)
• Pinterest: 33% (~10,800)
• TikTok: 30% (~9,800)
• Snapchat: 22% (~7,200)
• X (Twitter): 18% (~5,900)
• LinkedIn: 18% (~5,900)
• WhatsApp: 16% (~5,200)
• Reddit: 14% (~4,600)
• Nextdoor: 9% (~2,900)

Age-pattern highlights (adult usage tendencies)

• 18–29 (~15% of adults): very high YouTube; heavy Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; Facebook still active for local ties
• 30–49 (~33%): Facebook and YouTube dominant; Instagram solid; TikTok mid-level; Pinterest strong among women
• 50–64 (~26%): Facebook first; YouTube second; Instagram/TikTok lighter; Pinterest steady among women
• 65+ (~26%): Facebook primary; YouTube moderate; limited Instagram/TikTok

Gender breakdown

• Overall user base mirrors population (~52% women, ~48% men)
• Skews by platform:
  • More women: Pinterest (80% women), Facebook (54% women), Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat (slight female tilt)
  • More men: Reddit (70% men), X/Twitter (60% men), LinkedIn (~55% men)
  • Near-even: YouTube, WhatsApp

Behavioral trends and local nuances

• Facebook is the daily hub: local news, schools, churches, high school sports, yard sales, obituaries, missing pets; Groups and Marketplace drive high participation
• Video first: short vertical video (Reels/Shorts) growing fast; 15–60 seconds with captions performs best
• Lake Martin lifestyle content over-indexes: boating, fishing, marinas, seasonal events, home/lot improvements
• Timing: morning check-in (6:30–8:30 am), lunch (11:30 am–1:30 pm), and evenings (7–10 pm) peak; weekends strong, especially Sun afternoon
• Event-driven spikes: severe weather and community incidents push real-time Facebook engagement
• Messaging behavior: many interactions shift from posts to Facebook Messenger/SMS for quotes, appointments, and buy/sell follow-ups
• Trust and voice: local faces, familiar landmarks, and community tone outperform polished corporate creative
• Ads that work: click-to-message, lead-gen with callbacks, Marketplace listings, geotargeted (10–25 miles around Alexander City/Dadeville); interests that index well include boating/outdoors, hunting/fishing, home projects, youth sports, healthcare

Notes on method

• Figures are modeled from 2023–2024 U.S. Census/ACS demographics for Tallapoosa County and Pew Research Center’s 2024 social media adoption rates, adjusted for a rural Alabama profile. Percentages refer to share of adults (18+); counts are rounded estimates.