Benton County

Which data vintage would you like? I can summarize from:

• 2020 Decennial Census (official count), or
• Latest American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year estimates (2022 or 2023).

If you don’t specify, I’ll use the latest ACS available.

Benton County, AR — estimated email usage (assumptions: ~300k residents; ~75% adults; Pew finds email use near-universal among internet users; county broadband subscription is high vs state)

• Estimated email users: 210k–240k residents (roughly 85–95% of adults).
• Age distribution (share using email):
  • 13–17: ~85–90%
  • 18–29: ~95–99%
  • 30–49: ~96–99%
  • 50–64: ~90–96%
  • 65+: ~75–85%
• Gender split: Essentially even; men and women differ by only a few percentage points.
• Digital access trends:
  • High home broadband and smartphone adoption; strong corporate presence (e.g., Walmart HQ) supports heavy digital and remote‑work use.
  • Urban I‑49 corridor (Bentonville–Rogers–Bella Vista) has robust broadband availability; rural pockets see slower speeds or fewer provider choices.
  • Growing reliance on mobile data among younger and lower‑income users; public/library Wi‑Fi helps fill gaps.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • One of Arkansas’ fastest‑growing, most connected counties; household broadband subscription rates are well above the state average.
  • Dense ISP competition and 5G coverage in urban areas improve reliability and speeds; fiber availability is common in many neighborhoods along the I‑49 corridor.

Below is a concise, data‑informed snapshot of mobile phone usage in Benton County, Arkansas, with emphasis on how it differs from statewide patterns. Figures are modeled estimates using 2023 ACS population structure for Benton County and national/region-specific adoption rates from Pew/NTIA/FCC/OpenSignal/Ookla; treat them as directional, not exact.

Topline user estimates (2024)

• Population baseline: roughly 300,000 residents in Benton County; about 240,000–245,000 are age 13+.
• Smartphone users: approximately 225,000–240,000 people (about 88–92% of residents age 13+).
• Any cellphone (smartphone or basic): roughly 240,000–250,000 adults and teens.
• 5G-capable devices: estimated 170,000–195,000 users (roughly 70–80% of smartphone users), above the Arkansas statewide share.
• Smartphone-only internet households: materially lower than the Arkansas average. Expect Benton County in the low‑teens percent, versus a notably higher statewide share, given the county’s higher fixed broadband availability and incomes.

Demographic breakdown (modeled)

• By age
  • Teens (13–17): near‑universal smartphone access (~93–97%); about 18–20 thousand users.
  • 18–29: ~95–99% adoption; roughly 48–52 thousand users.
  • 30–49: ~93–97%; roughly 75–83 thousand users.
  • 50–64: ~85–92%; roughly 45–50 thousand users.
  • 65+: ~70–80%; roughly 32–36 thousand users, notably higher than typical Arkansas senior adoption.
• By income/education
  • Higher median income and bachelor’s attainment than Arkansas overall translate into earlier 5G device turnover, more postpaid plans, and less smartphone‑only reliance than the state average.
• By race/ethnicity
  • Benton County’s larger Hispanic population share (roughly 18–20%) drives strong mobile engagement; however, better countywide fixed broadband means Hispanic residents here are less likely to be smartphone‑only than Hispanic residents statewide.
• Urban–rural within the county
  • I‑49 corridor cities (Bentonville, Rogers, Bella Vista, and parts of Siloam Springs) show near‑universal smartphone adoption and high 5G usage.
  • Western townships and areas around Beaver Lake see more prepaid usage, occasional coverage shadows, and higher mobile‑only reliance than the county core but still generally lower than comparable rural areas elsewhere in Arkansas.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage and technology mix
  • Mid‑band 5G is broadly available along the I‑49 corridor: T‑Mobile’s 2.5 GHz and Verizon/AT&T C‑Band/3.45 GHz deployments have densified since 2022–2024, pushing faster median speeds than the Arkansas statewide average in Bentonville/Rogers.
  • Low‑band 5G/LTE (600/700/850 MHz) blankets most of the county; signal shadowing occurs in hilly, lake-adjacent pockets.
• Capacity and performance
  • Downtown Bentonville/Walmart campus and commercial corridors have denser sites and small‑cell infill, yielding consistently higher throughput and lower latency than many Arkansas counties.
  • Speed test aggregators typically show Bentonville–Rogers medians above the state median, reflecting earlier mid‑band 5G rollout and heavier enterprise demand.
• Fixed broadband interplay
  • Strong fiber and cable presence (e.g., AT&T Fiber/Cox/OzarksGo in and near the corridor) reduces smartphone‑only dependence and shifts mobile use toward complementing robust home/work connections.
  • 5G home internet is available in most populated areas and is used as a competitive alternative, but it fills gaps more in exurban pockets than in the urban core.
• Equity and subsidy dynamics
  • The wind‑down of the Affordable Connectivity Program in 2024 likely affected some low‑income mobile and fixed subscriptions countywide, but impacts are smaller than the Arkansas average due to higher incomes and broader fixed options.

How Benton County differs from Arkansas overall

• Higher smartphone and 5G device penetration driven by younger age structure, higher incomes, and education levels.
• Lower share of smartphone‑only internet households because fiber/cable availability is stronger along the county’s growth corridor.
• Earlier and denser mid‑band 5G buildouts produce faster median speeds than the statewide average, especially in Bentonville/Rogers.
• Seniors in Benton County are more likely to own smartphones than seniors statewide, narrowing the age gap in adoption inside the county.
• Within‑county rural pockets still face coverage and affordability frictions, but the magnitude is less severe than in many rural Arkansas counties.

Method notes and sources

• Population and demographics: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023 (county level).
• Adoption benchmarks: Pew Research Center (smartphone ownership by age), NTIA Internet Use Survey (device and broadband adoption, smartphone‑only reliance).
• Network availability/performance: FCC mobile coverage filings and crowd‑sourced speed test aggregators (Ookla/OpenSignal) for the NWA corridor since 2022–2024.
• Estimates above apply national/region trends to Benton County’s age/income mix; use for planning and sizing rather than compliance reporting.

Social media usage in Benton County, AR (short, data-informed snapshot)

How many people use social media

• Adults using at least one social platform: roughly 80–85% of adults (on the order of ~200,000 people, given county size)
• Daily users: about 55–60% of adults Note: Figures are estimates based on Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. usage rates applied to Benton County’s adult population (ACS).

Most-used platforms (estimated share of adults)

• YouTube: ~80–85%
• Facebook: ~65–70%
• Instagram: ~45–50%
• TikTok: ~30–35% (higher among under-35)
• Snapchat: ~28–32% (concentrated 18–29)
• LinkedIn: ~30–35% (likely slightly above U.S. average due to Walmart/vendor workforce)
• Pinterest: ~30–35% (skews female)
• WhatsApp: ~30–35% (likely above average in Hispanic and South Asian households)
• X (Twitter): ~20–22% (news/sports/tech niches)
• Reddit: ~20–22% (male/tech/outdoors niches)
• Nextdoor: moderate adoption in suburban/HOA areas; reliable county-wide % not available

Age patterns (penetration of any social media)

• 18–29: ~90–95%
• 30–49: ~80–85%
• 50–64: ~70–75%
• 65+: ~45–55% (Facebook and YouTube dominate; growing YouTube usage)

Gender breakdown

• Overall usage is roughly even by gender.
• Skews by platform: women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X, LinkedIn.
• Messaging apps (WhatsApp) see strong usage across both genders in multilingual households.

Notable behavioral trends (local context)

• Facebook Groups and Marketplace are key for hyperlocal info (schools, city updates, buy/sell, church and volunteer groups). Engagement is event-driven (e.g., Bentonville First Friday, festivals, races, arts/cycling events).
• Short-form video (Instagram Reels, TikTok) is the fastest-growing format; local businesses and creators lean into food, trails/outdoors, new-store openings.
• YouTube is a how-to and family content hub; also used for church services and local sports highlights.
• LinkedIn has outsized engagement relative to state averages (Walmart HQ, supplier and tech/vendor ecosystem).
• WhatsApp usage is meaningfully higher in Spanish- and Indian-language communities; bilingual (English/Spanish) content improves reach in Rogers/Bentonville.
• Nextdoor/Neighborhood groups see steady use for HOA issues, safety, city services, and contractor referrals.
• Timing: weekday evenings (7–9 pm CT) and weekend mornings perform best for consumer content; LinkedIn peaks weekday mornings.
• Discovery leans mobile-first; paid boosts are often needed for reach beyond immediate community groups.

Method and limits

• Percentages reflect Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. platform adoption rates, adjusted qualitatively for Benton County’s workforce and demographics (ACS). County-specific platform counts are not publicly published; treat figures as best-fit estimates rather than audited totals.