Boone County

Here are concise, current Census-based demographics for Boone County, Arkansas.

Population

• 37,373 (2020 Decennial Census)
• ~38,000 (ACS 2018–2022 5-year estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~42–43 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~22%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49% (ACS 2018–2022)

Race/ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~89–90%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~4%
• Two or more races: ~3–4%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~1–1.5%
• Asian: ~0.5–1%
• Black or African American: ~0.3–0.6%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~15,100
• Average household size: ~2.4
• Family households: ~63% of households; married-couple families ~50%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~74%
• Households with children under 18: ~27%
• Households with someone 65+ living alone: ~13%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey (ACS) 2018–2022 5-year estimates.

Boone County, AR email usage (estimates)

• Population and density: 37.5k residents across ~590 sq mi (63 people/sq mi). Harrison is the main hub (~13k), with large rural areas where terrain can hinder last‑mile service.
• Estimated email users: ~27k–30k residents use email (about 72–80% of total population; roughly 85–90% of adults).
• Age distribution among email users (approx. share of users):
  • 13–17: 8–10%
  • 18–29: 18–20%
  • 30–49: 30–33%
  • 50–64: 22–24%
  • 65+: 16–18%
• Gender split among users: ~51% female, ~49% male (tracks overall population).
• Digital access and trends:
  • Household internet subscriptions likely in the low‑to‑mid 80% range; adoption strongest in and around Harrison.
  • Broadband availability is generally good along US‑62/65/412 corridors; patchier in low‑density hollows and ridge areas.
  • Smartphone reliance is notable (roughly 10–15% of households are mobile‑only), supporting email access even where home broadband lags.
  • Gradual gains from ongoing fiber and fixed‑wireless buildouts, but affordability and geography remain key constraints.

Notes: Figures are synthesized from recent ACS demographics, FCC availability patterns, and national email adoption (Pew), scaled to local conditions.

Below is a concise, evidence‑based summary using blended estimates from ACS population data and state/rural adoption rates reported by Pew/NTIA/FCC as of 2023–2024. Figures are modeled ranges meant to be planning‑grade, not exact counts.

High‑level estimate for Boone County, AR

• Population base: roughly 37–38k residents; about 78% are adults (≈29–30k).
• Resident mobile phone users (any mobile phone): about 27k–30k.
• Resident smartphone users: about 24k–26k. Method note: Calculations apply rural Arkansas adoption discounts to national/state rates (smartphone ownership generally 80–85% of adults in rural Arkansas; any mobile phone near 90–92%), then add teens 13–17 with high smartphone adoption.

Demographic breakdown (modeled)

• Age
  • 13–17: very high smartphone adoption (≈90–95%); limited purchasing power keeps many on family or prepaid plans.
  • 18–29: near‑universal smartphone adoption (≈95%+).
  • 30–49: very high (≈92–96%).
  • 50–64: moderately high (≈85–90%).
  • 65+: substantially lower (≈60–70% smartphone; a noticeable share keeps basic/feature phones).
• Income
  • Under $30k: lower smartphone adoption (≈70–78%) and greater reliance on prepaid and “smartphone‑only” internet access.
  • $30–75k: mid‑to‑high adoption (≈85–90%).
  • $75k+: very high adoption (≈95%+).
• Education
  • Bachelor’s+ cohorts are more likely to have smartphones and multiple lines per household; HS‑or‑less cohorts show more basic phones and prepaid usage.
• Race/ethnicity
  • The county’s population is predominantly White; small Hispanic community trends younger and shows above‑average smartphone‑only internet reliance relative to county average.

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• Terrain effects: Ozark topography (ridges/valleys and the Bull Shoals Lake area) creates shadowed zones; service is strong on ridge‑tops and along highways but can drop in hollows and coves.
• 4G LTE: Broad coverage on primary corridors (US‑65/US‑412 and around Harrison); gaps remain on secondary roads and in valleys.
• 5G
  • Low‑band 5G: Generally available in and around Harrison and along main corridors across all three national carriers; good for coverage but only moderate speeds.
  • Mid‑band 5G (capacity layers): More limited—primarily near Harrison and other population clusters. Expect bigger speed drops outside town compared with urban Arkansas.
• Carrier dynamics
  • AT&T and Verizon typically provide the most consistent rural coverage footprint; AT&T’s FirstNet build improves public‑safety and spillover consumer coverage on Band 14 in key corridors.
  • T‑Mobile coverage has expanded, especially along highways, but performance can still be variable off‑corridor where sites are sparse.
• Fixed‑wireless/home internet over cellular
  • 5G/4G fixed‑wireless offerings (e.g., from T‑Mobile and Verizon) are available in and near Harrison and some nearby communities; adoption is meaningful where cable/fiber is limited.
• Tower siting
  • Macro sites cluster along transportation corridors, ridge lines, and municipal water towers; infill is sparse outside towns, which contributes to capacity constraints and indoor coverage challenges.
• Public safety and resilience
  • FirstNet presence and multi‑carrier backup power on key sites provide redundancy along major routes; isolated outages can last longer in remote pockets after severe weather.

How Boone County differs from Arkansas statewide trends

• Slightly lower smartphone adoption overall
  • Older age structure and lower median income pull Boone’s smartphone adoption 3–5 percentage points below Arkansas’ statewide average.
  • A larger‑than‑average share of 65+ residents continues to use basic phones.
• Higher smartphone‑only internet reliance among lower‑income and younger households
  • Because wired options thin out quickly outside Harrison, smartphone‑only and mobile hotspot usage is a bit more common than Arkansas’ overall rate.
• More dependence on coverage over capacity
  • County users are more likely to prioritize carriers with stronger rural reach (AT&T/Verizon) versus pure speed. Mid‑band 5G capacity layers are less prevalent than in urban Arkansas (e.g., NWA and Little Rock metros), so peak speeds are lower and more variable.
• Greater role for fixed‑wireless as a home broadband substitute
  • With fewer cable/fiber footprints outside town centers, cellular fixed‑wireless fills a bigger gap than it does in better‑wired Arkansas counties.
• ACP sunset impact
  • The end of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program has a noticeable local effect: more plan downgrades, prepaid shifts, and shared family plans—patterns that are somewhat more pronounced than the state average due to Boone’s income mix.

Planning takeaways

• Expect 24k–26k resident smartphone users and 27k–30k total mobile users, with usage concentrated along the Harrison area and highway corridors.
• Improving mid‑band 5G capacity and adding infill sites in valley communities would notably raise user experience relative to today’s coverage‑first profile.
• Outreach and device/plan assistance for seniors and low‑income households would narrow the local adoption gap versus statewide.

Below is a concise, localized snapshot using the best available benchmarks. Exact county-level platform stats aren’t published; figures are estimates created by applying recent U.S./rural patterns (Pew Research Center, 2024) to Boone County’s population profile.

Boone County at a glance

• Population: ~38,000 residents; roughly 28,000–30,000 adults (18+).
• Estimated active social media audience: majority of adults use at least one major platform; mobile-first usage dominates.

Most-used platforms (estimated share of adults; ballpark counts)

• YouTube: ~80–85% (≈23–25k adults)
• Facebook: ~65–70% (≈18–21k) — tends to over-index in rural communities
• Instagram: ~40–50% (≈11–15k)
• TikTok: ~30–40% (≈9–12k), heavily concentrated under 35
• Pinterest: ~30–35% (≈9–10k), strong female skew
• Snapchat: ~25–30% (≈7–9k), mostly teens/20s
• LinkedIn: ~20–30% (≈6–9k), lower in rural labor mixes
• X/Twitter and Reddit: ~20–25% each (≈6–7k), niche/local-news watchers and hobbyists

Age mix (what’s used by whom)

• Teens/18–24: Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram daily; YouTube near-universal. Facebook mainly for family/school updates.
• 25–44: Facebook + YouTube core; Instagram rising; TikTok for entertainment and local finds; Messenger/DMs for commerce and coordination.
• 45–64: Facebook groups/pages and YouTube dominate; Pinterest for projects/recipes; Instagram secondary.
• 65+: Facebook (groups, local news, church, health info); YouTube for how‑to and sermons. Lower adoption of newer apps.

Gender patterns

• Overall use is close to even. Platform skews: women higher on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; men higher on YouTube, Reddit, X/Twitter. TikTok mixed.

Local behavioral trends to note

• Facebook Groups are the community hub: school/booster clubs, church events, buy‑sell‑trade, lost & found, weather/emergency updates, county politics.
• Video-first behavior: YouTube for how‑to (auto, small engine, homesteading, crafts), hunting/fishing, local music and sermons; short-form TikTok/Reels among under 35.
• Commerce and classifieds: High activity in local Facebook buy/sell groups; Messenger is the default for inquiries and deals.
• Timing: Evenings and weekends see the highest engagement; spikes around school announcements, weather events, and seasonal happenings (sports, fairs).
• Discovery: Younger users find local eateries, boutiques, and events via Instagram/TikTok; older adults via Facebook pages/groups and shared posts.
• Connectivity reality: Mobile data drives consumption; concise videos, vertical formats, and lightweight posts perform well.

Notes on method and sources

• Estimates use Pew Research Center’s Social Media Use in 2024 platform adoption rates as a baseline, adjusted for rural patterns, applied to Boone County’s adult population size (U.S. Census ACS population ranges). Exact county-specific platform shares are not directly reported, so figures are directional but decision-useful.