Cleveland County

Here are the key demographics for Cleveland County, Arkansas (latest available U.S. Census/ACS):

Population size

• Total population: 7,550 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age

• Median age: about 42 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~20%

Gender

• Female: ~50%

Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census)

• White (alone): ~77%
• Black or African American (alone): ~19%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (alone): ~0.5%
• Asian (alone): ~0.2%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2–3% Note: Hispanic overlaps with race categories.

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Number of households: ~2,900
• Average household size: ~2.6
• Family households: ~70% (married-couple ~50–55%)
• Median household income: roughly $50–52k
• Poverty rate: roughly 14–16%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~80%+

Snapshot: Email use in Cleveland County, Arkansas

• Population and density: About 7,500 residents across roughly 600 sq. mi (≈12–13 people per sq. mi). Most wired connectivity clusters in/near Rison (county seat) and small towns; coverage thins on rural roads and forested areas.
• Estimated email users: 4,200–5,100 residents use email at least monthly (driven by adult use).
• Age mix of email users (est.):
  • 13–17: 5–8%
  • 18–34: 22–26%
  • 35–64: 45–52%
  • 65+: 20–25% (lower adoption than younger groups but rising)
• Gender split: Approximately even (≈49–51% male/female). No meaningful usage gap overall; any differences appear mainly among the oldest cohorts.
• Digital access trends:
  • Home broadband subscription is roughly two-thirds of households (typical for rural Arkansas), leaving notable gaps in dispersed areas.
  • 15–25% of adults are smartphone‑only internet users, which can limit email attachment and work/school use.
  • Fixed wireless and satellite are common outside town centers; fiber/cable availability is patchy.
  • Public Wi‑Fi (libraries/schools) is an important backstop.
  • Ongoing state/federal broadband initiatives (e.g., BEAD) target rural expansion, likely improving email reliability over the next 2–3 years.

Sources informing estimates: U.S. Census/ACS, FCC rural broadband data, Pew research on email/internet adoption.

Below is a practical, data‑informed snapshot of mobile phone usage in Cleveland County, Arkansas, with transparent estimates and a focus on how the county differs from statewide patterns.

Quick baseline

• Population: about 7,500–7,700 residents; largely rural, centered on Rison; older and lower‑income than the Arkansas average.

Estimated mobile users

• Smartphone users (all ages): about 5,000–5,600 people.
  • Method: apply rural adoption rates by age (Pew Research/ACS style benchmarks) to Cleveland County’s age mix; adjust down slightly for rural/older profile.
• Any mobile phone (smartphone or basic): roughly 6,300–6,800 people.
• Households relying mainly on mobile data (“smartphone‑only” or hotspot as primary internet): roughly 550–750 households.
  • Method: assume ~3,000 households countywide and a rural “mobile‑only” share in the high‑teens to mid‑20% range, higher than the Arkansas average.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age:
  • 18–49: high smartphone adoption (low‑to‑mid 90%); app‑centric use, streaming where coverage allows.
  • 50–64: lower adoption (around ~80%); more voice/SMS, selective app use; some keep older LTE devices.
  • 65+: notably lower adoption (high‑50s to ~60%); above‑average use of flip/basic phones; smartphones used more for calling, messaging, Facebook, and telehealth when available.
• Income:
  • More prepaid and budget plans than the state average; data‑cap management is common (Wi‑Fi offload at home, school, or library).
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Black residents (a meaningful share locally) are more likely to be “smartphone‑dependent” for home internet than white residents—mirroring national patterns—because wired broadband is less available/affordable in parts of the county.
• Geography:
  • In‑town (Rison/US‑79 corridor): better signal consistency and 5G availability; higher use of video apps, mobile banking, and telehealth.
  • Outlying timber/river bottom areas: spottier signal; more voice/SMS reliance, use of boosters, and hotspot devices; greater satellite/WISP fallback.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Network coverage:
  • 4G LTE: effectively the baseline countywide along primary roads; speeds often 5–50 Mbps, higher near towers.
  • 5G: mainly low‑band from national carriers along US‑79/near Rison; mid‑band 5G (fastest) is limited or absent in many rural pockets.
  • mmWave 5G: unlikely.
• Carriers:
  • AT&T, Verizon, and T‑Mobile all present; low‑band 5G overlays are most consistent; T‑Mobile’s 600 MHz and AT&T/Verizon low‑band help penetrate rural areas, but performance varies by location and device.
• Capacity and speeds:
  • Expect larger swings than in metro Arkansas: sub‑10 Mbps in fringe areas during congestion; 30–150+ Mbps where 5G low‑band is strong; higher only if near a site with mid‑band (spotty).
• Backhaul and towers:
  • Macro sites cluster along US‑79 and near communities; longer spacing between towers produces dead zones on county roads and in forested terrain.
• Alternatives/augmenters:
  • Fixed wireless (including T‑Mobile Home Internet) is available in parts of the county; Verizon 5G Home more limited.
  • WISPs and Starlink fill gaps where DSL/cable/fiber are missing.
  • Public Wi‑Fi at schools, the library, and municipal buildings remains important for homework and uploads.
• Resilience:
  • Storms/power outages can knock down throughput or sites; residents commonly rely on car chargers, battery packs, and offline apps.

How Cleveland County differs from Arkansas overall

• Lower smartphone adoption overall, driven by a larger 65+ share and lower incomes (gap of roughly 5–8 percentage points vs. statewide adult smartphone adoption).
• Higher “mobile‑only” internet reliance among households (by roughly 5–10 points vs. the state), due to patchier wired broadband and budget constraints.
• More prepaid plans and older devices in use; slower turnover to 5G‑capable phones than the state average.
• 5G footprint is shallower and more heavily low‑band; fewer places see mid‑band 5G speeds typical of larger Arkansas towns.
• Bigger urban–rural gap within the county: corridors and Rison see acceptable 5G/LTE; many secondary roads see LTE‑only or intermittent coverage.
• Greater use of signal boosters, hotspots, and satellite as complements to mobile service.

Notes on uncertainty and sources

• These are reasoned estimates using: county population and age structure (ACS), national/rural smartphone adoption patterns (Pew Research), and carrier/FCC coverage norms for rural Arkansas. For address‑level specifics, check the FCC National Broadband Map and each carrier’s coverage map.

Below is a concise, best-available estimate of social media habits in Cleveland County, Arkansas. Exact county-level metrics aren’t published; figures are modeled from recent Pew Research platform adoption, rural-Arkansas patterns, and the county’s small, mostly rural population (~7–8k). Percentages refer to residents age 13+ using each platform at least monthly.

Headline user stats

• Estimated social media users: 5,000–5,800 (roughly 65–75% of residents 13+)
• Access context: usage leans mobile-first; broadband can be spotty, which favors short video and image posts

Most-used platforms (share of residents 13+)

• YouTube: 70–80%
• Facebook: 60–70% (dominant among ages 30+; the “town square”)
• Instagram: 35–45%
• TikTok: 30–40%
• Snapchat: 25–35% (concentrated under 30)
• Pinterest: 20–25% overall (notably higher among adult women)
• X (Twitter): 10–15%
• LinkedIn: 8–12% (used mainly for job browsing, not networking)
• Nextdoor: <5% (low neighborhood density; Facebook Groups fill this role)

Age-group adoption and platform skews (share within each age group using social monthly)

• 13–17: 90–95%; heavy on YouTube (~95%), TikTok (70–75%), Snapchat (60–65%), Instagram (60–65%); Facebook 25–35%
• 18–29: 85–90%; Instagram (75–80%), YouTube (90%+), TikTok (60–65%), Snapchat (55–60%), Facebook (55–60%)
• 30–49: 80–85%; Facebook (75–80%), YouTube (85–90%), Instagram (45–50%), TikTok (35–45%)
• 50–64: 70–75%; Facebook (70–75%), YouTube (75–80%), Instagram (30–35%), TikTok (20–25%)
• 65+: 55–60%; Facebook (65–70%), YouTube (60–65%), Instagram (20–25%)

Gender breakdown

• Overall active users are roughly even: women 50–54%, men 46–50%
• Platform skews: Facebook and Pinterest skew female; YouTube, X, and Reddit skew male

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is central: local news, school and church updates, high school sports, obituaries, buy-sell-trade, and Marketplace
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are primary; WhatsApp usage is low
• Video habits: YouTube for how-to/DIY, equipment repair, hunting/fishing; TikTok/Instagram Reels for short entertainment
• Shopping: Heavy Facebook Marketplace use; Instagram Shops/light social commerce otherwise
• Civic/emergency: Fast sharing of severe-weather alerts, road closures, and county office notices
• Timing: Peak engagement early mornings (6–8 a.m.), lunch, and evenings (7–10 p.m.); weekend spikes around games and church
• Content style: Preference for local faces, practical info, and short videos; skepticism of overly corporate messaging
• Connectivity: Mobile-first, with some bandwidth limits—optimize for short, compressed video and clear captions
• Jobs: Local employers recruit via Facebook Groups/pages; limited reliance on LinkedIn