Maricopa County

Key demographics of Maricopa County, Arizona (latest available):

• Population size

  • 4.59 million (2023 Census Population Estimates Program)
  • Largest county in Arizona and among the fastest-growing in the U.S.

• Age

  • Median age: ~37
  • Under 18: ~23%
  • 65 and over: ~17%

• Gender

  • Female: ~50%
  • Male: ~50%

• Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2023)

  • White, non-Hispanic: ~54%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~32%
  • Black or African American: ~6–7%
  • Asian: ~4–5%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~2%
  • Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: <1%
  • Two or more races: ~5%
  • Note: Race shares are “alone”; Hispanic is an ethnicity (any race), so categories can overlap.

• Households (ACS 2023)

  • Households: ~1.7–1.8 million
  • Average household size: ~2.6–2.7
  • Owner-occupied: ~63%
  • Renter-occupied: ~37%
  • Households with children under 18: ~31%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 Population Estimates Program (PEP) and 2023 American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year estimates.

Maricopa County, AZ (≈4.6M residents; 4th most populous U.S. county) has broadly ubiquitous email use.

• Estimated email users (18+): ~3.25 million. Basis: ~3.54M adults and ~92% email adoption among U.S. adults.
• Age profile (share using email): 18–29: ~99%; 30–49: ~98%; 50–64: ~94%; 65+: ~86%. Given the county’s relatively young skew, most email users are 18–49.
• Gender split among users: essentially even (women ~93%, men ~92% use email), yielding ~50/50 user composition.
• Digital access: ~95% of households have a computer and ~89–90% have a broadband subscription (ACS). About 12–15% are smartphone‑only internet households, indicating strong mobile email reliance.
• Connectivity and density facts: Population density is ~500 per square mile across ~9,200 sq mi, but the vast majority live in the highly connected Phoenix urban core, with countywide coverage by all three national 5G carriers and extensive cable/fiber footprints. Broadband adoption and device availability underpin near-universal email access, with older adults the primary gap segment and mobile‑only users an important deliverability/format consideration.

Maricopa County, AZ mobile phone usage overview (distinct from state-level)

Topline user estimates

• Population context: Maricopa County holds roughly 62–64% of Arizona’s residents, concentrating the state’s mobile user base in the Phoenix metro.
• Adult smartphone users: Approximately 3.2–3.4 million adults in Maricopa use a smartphone, reflecting near-ubiquitous adoption in urban/suburban areas.
• Household device and connectivity (ACS-style indicators, most recent estimates):
  • Households with a smartphone: Maricopa ~93–95% vs Arizona ~91–93%.
  • Households with no internet subscription: Maricopa ~5–7% vs Arizona ~8–10%.
  • Households relying on cellular data as their primary/only home internet (“mobile-only”): Maricopa ~14–16% vs Arizona ~16–18%.

Demographic breakdown (Maricopa vs statewide)

• Age:
  • 18–34: Smartphone adoption near saturation (Maricopa ~96–98% vs AZ ~95–97%).
  • 65+: Higher urban uptake and accessibility support in Maricopa (≈82–85%) vs statewide (≈77–80%), narrowing the digital gap among seniors relative to the rest of Arizona.
• Income:
  • <$25k households: Higher likelihood of smartphone-only internet in both geographies, but slightly lower in Maricopa (23–26%) than statewide (26–30%) due to broader availability of subsidized fixed broadband and public Wi‑Fi.
  • ≥$100k households: High multi-device, dual‑connection usage (smartphone + fixed broadband) is more prevalent in Maricopa (85–90%) than statewide (80–86%).
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Hispanic/Latino households show strong smartphone adoption countywide and a higher tendency toward smartphone-centric access; Maricopa’s higher urban infrastructure access reduces smartphone-only dependence modestly (≈20–24%) compared with statewide (≈22–27%).
• Education:
  • High school or less: Greater smartphone reliance (Maricopa ≈18–22% smartphone‑only) vs bachelor’s+ (≈7–10%), a gap that is somewhat smaller in Maricopa than in rural counties.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• 5G availability:
  • Dense, multi-carrier 5G coverage across all urbanized places in Maricopa (Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, Tempe, Glendale, Peoria). Mid‑band 5G (e.g., n41, C‑band) is widespread in Maricopa and more contiguous than in rural Arizona, translating into higher, more consistent mobile speeds.
  • Millimeter‑wave 5G nodes are concentrated in downtown corridors, entertainment districts, campuses (e.g., around ASU), and stadiums, enabling very high peak capacity not typically observed outside the county’s urban core.
• Mobile performance:
  • Median smartphone download speeds in the Phoenix metro typically outpace statewide medians, reflecting denser spectrum deployments and small‑cell buildouts. Recent independent testing shows Phoenix-area medians commonly in the low-to-mid hundreds of Mbps on leading carriers, versus lower double- to low triple-digits across many non‑metro Arizona markets.
• Fixed wireless home internet (FWA):
  • Adoption is notably higher in Maricopa than in rural Arizona due to strong 5G mid‑band signals and competitive pricing. An estimated 8–12% of Maricopa households use 5G/LTE FWA for home internet, compared with roughly 6–9% statewide, lifting overall mobile data usage in the county.
• Fiber and cable interplay:
  • Extensive cable coverage (e.g., Cox) and ongoing fiber buildouts (including recent expansions in East Valley cities) reduce “no‑internet” rates and moderate smartphone‑only reliance in Maricopa relative to the rest of the state. This fixed-network density complements, rather than displaces, high mobile usage, enabling dual‑connectivity behaviors.

Trends that differentiate Maricopa from the Arizona state average

• Higher smartphone penetration and lower digital exclusion: Maricopa’s smartphone adoption is a few points higher, and households without internet are a few points lower than statewide figures, due to urban infrastructure and program availability.
• More mid‑band 5G, better median speeds: Denser, multi‑carrier mid‑band deployments yield higher typical smartphone speeds and capacity in Maricopa than in Arizona’s rural counties.
• Greater FWA uptake, not just mobile-on-the-go: Maricopa shows stronger home adoption of mobile networks via FWA, which increases total mobile data consumption beyond handset usage alone—an effect much less pronounced across Arizona’s rural areas.
• Narrower demographic gaps: Age-, income-, and education-based disparities in smartphone access and usage are present but smaller in Maricopa than statewide, reflecting better device availability, public Wi‑Fi, and fixed-broadband alternatives that reduce smartphone-only dependence among vulnerable groups.
• Venue- and corridor-driven capacity: Stadiums, universities, airports, and dense downtowns have extensive small-cell and mmWave buildouts in Maricopa, creating peak-capacity zones not typical in the rest of the state.

Key takeaways

• Maricopa County’s mobile landscape is defined by near-universal smartphone adoption, widespread and higher-performing 5G, and growing fixed wireless home internet use.
• Compared with statewide patterns, Maricopa exhibits higher connectivity, faster median mobile speeds, lower “no-internet” share, and smaller demographic gaps, driven by dense urban infrastructure and competitive network investment.

Social media usage in Maricopa County, AZ (2025 snapshot)

At-a-glance user stats

• Population: ≈4.6M (ACS 2023). Adults (18+): ≈3.55M; Teens (13–17): ≈0.30M.
• Active social media users (13+): ≈3.0M
  • Adults: ≈2.67M (≈72% of adults use at least one social platform)
  • Teens: ≈0.29M (≈95% of teens use social platforms)
• Gender split among active users: ≈53% women, 47% men (overall; platform skews vary)

Most-used platforms (adult penetration; county estimates aligned to Pew Research 2023)

• YouTube: ≈83% of adults
• Facebook: ≈68%
• Instagram: ≈47%
• Pinterest: ≈35%
• TikTok: ≈33%
• Snapchat: ≈30%
• LinkedIn: ≈30%
• X (Twitter): ≈22%
• Reddit: ≈22%
• WhatsApp: ≈21%
• Nextdoor: ≈20% (notable suburban/HOA adoption)

Estimated adult user counts by platform (applying the above to ≈3.55M adults)

• YouTube ≈2.95M; Facebook ≈2.41M; Instagram ≈1.67M; Pinterest ≈1.24M; TikTok ≈1.17M; Snapchat ≈1.07M; LinkedIn ≈1.07M; X ≈0.78M; Reddit ≈0.78M; WhatsApp ≈0.75M; Nextdoor ≈0.71M

Age breakdown

• Adult social media audience composition (modeled from county age mix × Pew usage by age):
  • 18–29: ≈24%
  • 30–49: ≈40%
  • 50–64: ≈23%
  • 65+: ≈13%
• Teen (13–17) platform use (Pew 2023): YouTube ≈93%, TikTok ≈63%, Snapchat ≈60%, Instagram ≈59%, Facebook ≈33%

Gender breakdown by platform (directional skews consistent with Pew 2023 and major ad platforms)

• More women: Pinterest (strongly; ~70%+ of users), Facebook and Instagram (slight), Snapchat (slight), Nextdoor (slight)
• More men: Reddit (≈2:1 male), X/Twitter (≈60% male), YouTube (slight male tilt), Discord (male-heavy among younger users)

Behavioral trends observed locally

• Neighborhood and local info: Heavy use of Facebook Groups and Nextdoor for HOA updates, lost/found, safety, local services, and “buy/sell/trade.” Trust in local recommendations is high; UGC and neighbor referrals convert well.
• Bilingual engagement: With roughly one-third of residents Hispanic/Latino, Facebook and WhatsApp see above-average Spanish/bilingual use; bilingual creatives increase reach and response in the West Valley and South Phoenix.
• Youth & campus gravity: ASU and other campuses drive outsized Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat activity; short-form video and creator-led content outperform among 18–29.
• Real-time sports and events: Suns, Cardinals, Diamondbacks, Mercury, Rising FC, concerts, and festivals create predictable spikes across X, Instagram, and Reddit; game-day and highlight clips earn high shares and comments.
• Seasonality and dayparts: Summer heat shifts engagement later into the evening; winter “snowbird” months lift daytime Facebook/Nextdoor activity among 55+. Weekend mornings are strong for local discovery and family activities.
• Commerce and discovery: Facebook Marketplace and local buy/sell groups are widely used; Instagram Reels and Google Maps reviews influence dining, hiking, and events. DMs (Messenger/Instagram) are a primary contact channel for local businesses.
• Civic interest: Election cycles and public-safety topics drive surges on Facebook, X, and Nextdoor; concise, factual updates outperform long-form posts.
• Creative formats that perform: Short-form video, carousels with clear value (deals, openings), localized UGC (hikes, food, neighborhood spots), and before/after service demos outperform static brand posts.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (2023) for population; Pew Research Center (2023–2024) for platform penetration and age/teen usage; Common Sense Media (2023) for teen adoption; platform advertising audience estimates (Phoenix DMA) for gender skews and local lift indicators. Figures are county-level estimates derived from these definitive sources.