Crittenden County

Here are key demographics for Crittenden County, Arkansas.

Population

• Total: 48,163 (2020 Census). Recent ACS estimates place the population at roughly 47–48k.

Age

• Median age: about 36 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~27%
• 65 and over: ~15%

Gender

• Female: ~52%
• Male: ~48%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022; non-Hispanic unless noted)

• Black or African American: ~49%
• White: ~43%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~5%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• Asian: ~0.6%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.3%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~18,000
• Average household size: ~2.6–2.7
• Family households: ~65%
  • Married-couple families: ~39–40%
  • Female householder, no spouse present: ~20–22%
• Housing tenure: ~58% owner-occupied, ~42% renter-occupied

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (population count) and American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates (age, sex, race/ethnicity, and household characteristics).

Crittenden County, AR — email usage snapshot

• Population/density: ~48,000 residents; ~79 people per square mile (land area ≈610 sq mi). Centered on West Memphis within the Memphis metro; I‑40 and I‑55 corridors concentrate connectivity.
• Internet access: Recent ACS estimates suggest roughly mid‑70s to low‑80s percent of households have an internet subscription; mobile broadband is common. Coverage is strongest in West Memphis and along interstates, with weaker fixed-broadband options in more rural delta tracts.
• Estimated email users: Applying typical U.S. patterns (most internet users use email) to local internet adoption implies about 34,000–37,000 residents use email.
• Age distribution of email users (approximate):
  • 18–29: 17–20%
  • 30–49: 33–36%
  • 50–64: 24–27%
  • 65+: 17–20% (slightly lower adoption than younger groups)
• Gender split: Roughly even (about 50/50), mirroring county demographics; minor differences emerge mainly at older ages.
• Digital access trends: Gradual gains from fiber/5G buildouts near population centers; affordability remains a barrier for some households (post-ACP), so smartphone‑only access is notable. Public institutions (schools, libraries) help bridge access with Wi‑Fi and devices.

Notes: Estimates combine county population with ACS internet-subscription patterns and Pew Research findings that the vast majority of internet users use email.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Crittenden County, Arkansas (focus on what differs from statewide patterns)

Headline estimates (2025, rounded)

• Population and households: ~47–48k residents; ~18–19k households.
• Adult smartphone users: 31–34k (about 80–83% of adults), a few points below the Arkansas average (84–86%).
• Mobile-only internet households (no home wireline, rely on cellular): 4.2–5.2k households (about 22–28%), clearly above Arkansas overall (17–20%).
• Prepaid share of mobile lines: ~35–40% (vs. ~28–32% statewide), reflecting higher price sensitivity.
• 5G-capable device penetration among smartphone users: ~65–75% in the West Memphis–Marion area; lower in rural tracts due to older/4G-only devices.

How Crittenden differs from the Arkansas state picture

• More mobile-only connectivity: A larger slice of households rely exclusively on cellular data, driven by patchier wireline options outside West Memphis/Marion and tighter household budgets. This raises average data use per line (hotspotting) compared with the state.
• Slightly lower overall adult smartphone adoption but higher dependence: Ownership is a bit lower than the state average, yet those who do own smartphones are more likely to use them as their primary internet connection.
• Higher prepaid mix and churn: Price-sensitive users lean toward prepaid and promotional plans; plan switching is more common than statewide norms.
• Better mid-band 5G coverage where people live and work: Proximity to the Memphis metro and the I‑40/I‑55 corridors yields stronger 5G in towns and along highways than many rural Arkansas counties, but rural river-bottom areas still trail.
• ACP aftereffects: The end of the Affordable Connectivity Program in 2024 disproportionately increased mobile-only reliance and plan downgrades locally compared with the state overall.

Demographic breakdown (estimates and tendencies)

• Age
  • 18–29: Very high smartphone adoption (~94–97%); heavy app-based communication and streaming; high hotspot use among renters.
  • 30–49: ~92–95% adoption; many multi-line family plans; strong 5G take-up in Marion/West Memphis.
  • 50–64: ~78–84% adoption; mix of postpaid and prepaid; moderate smartphone-only internet use where home broadband is absent.
  • 65+: ~58–68% adoption; lower than state average; elevated voice/text reliance; smartphone-only internet common where fixed broadband is limited.
• Income
  • < $25k: ~72–78% smartphone ownership; mobile-only internet ~35–45%; prepaid dominant.
  • $25k–$75k: ~85–90% ownership; mobile-only ~20–25%; cost-conscious plans and hotspotting for homework/telework.

  • $75k: ~92–96% ownership; mobile-only ~8–12%; higher 5G device adoption.

• Race/ethnicity
  • Black residents (a larger share of the county than statewide) show similar smartphone ownership rates to Whites but a higher likelihood of smartphone-only internet and prepaid usage, boosting overall county dependence on mobile relative to Arkansas.
  • Hispanic residents (small but growing share) typically exhibit high smartphone adoption and mobile-first behavior.
• Geography within the county
  • West Memphis and Marion: Highest 5G availability and speeds; more bundled postpaid family plans.
  • Smaller towns and agricultural tracts (e.g., Earle, Turrell, Crawfordsville, Edmondson, Jericho): Lower wireline availability; more prepaid and mobile-only households; more signal variability.

Digital infrastructure snapshot

• Coverage and technology
  • All three nationwide carriers operate in the county. Mid-band 5G covers West Memphis, Marion, interstate corridors (I‑40/I‑55), and most populated areas; mmWave is limited to a few dense spots, if present.
  • Rural floodplain and levee-adjacent areas see 4G-only pockets and occasional dead zones, especially away from highways.
• Performance (typical ranges, not guarantees)
  • Town centers and interstates: 5G median downloads roughly 100–200 Mbps; uplinks 10–25 Mbps; low latency suitable for HD streaming and telehealth.
  • Rural tracts: 4G/low-band 5G often 10–50 Mbps down; uplinks 2–8 Mbps; performance sensitive to foliage, distance from towers, and river levees.
• Backhaul and capacity
  • Strong fiber backhaul along I‑40/I‑55 and Memphis metro rings helps urban macro sites; capacity constraints show up in rural sectors during peak evening hours and harvest season (machine telematics, hotspotting).
• Wireline context that shapes mobile use
  • West Memphis/Marion have incumbent cable and some telco fiber, but many outlying areas lack affordable high-speed wireline options. Fixed wireless and satellite fill some gaps; many households instead lean on smartphones/hotspots.

Implications to watch

• Mobile networks are the default on-ramp for a sizable share of households; outages or congestion have outsized impacts on education, telehealth, and job search.
• Device refresh cycles are longer than the state average in rural parts, keeping a notable 4G-only footprint in use even where 5G is available.
• As carriers refarm spectrum and expand mid-band 5G beyond the interstates, expect gradual reductions in mobile-only pain points (video stability, uplink for telework) in the smaller towns.

Notes on method

• Estimates blend: recent ACS Computer and Internet Use (households with cellular data plans and “cellular-only” subscriptions), Pew/NTIA device ownership by age/income/race, FCC deployment data, and typical Midwest/South carrier performance patterns near large metros (Memphis) vs. rural delta areas. Values are given as ranges to reflect uncertainty and late-2024 policy changes (e.g., ACP lapse).

Crittenden County, AR — social media snapshot (estimates)

Context

• Population ~48k; adults ~36k. Most residents live in/around West Memphis and Marion.
• Household broadband access roughly 75–85%; smartphone ownership ~85–90% among adults.
• Overall adult social media penetration: about 74–79% (≈27–29k adults use at least one platform).

Age profile of adult social media users (share of users, not population)

• 18–29: ~26%
• 30–49: ~39%
• 50–64: ~24%
• 65+: 12% Notes: Adoption is highest among 18–29 (90–95%), strong for 30–49 (80–85%), moderate 50–64 (70–75%), and lower 65+ (~45–55%).

Gender breakdown

• Overall users: ~54% women, ~46% men.
• Skews by platform: women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X.

Most-used platforms among adults (estimated reach in county; ranges reflect local adjustment of national benchmarks)

• YouTube: ~80–85%
• Facebook: ~72–76% (especially strong 30+)
• Instagram: ~38–45% (heavy 18–34)
• TikTok: ~30–36% (very high under 30; lighter 50+)
• Pinterest: ~30–35% (female skew)
• Snapchat: ~22–28% (concentrated under 30)
• X/Twitter: ~16–22% (news/sports skew; younger men)
• WhatsApp: ~12–18% (smaller, used in specific communities)
• Reddit: ~12–18% (male/tech/gaming)
• Nextdoor: ~8–12% (neighborhood pockets in Marion/West Memphis)

Behavioral trends

• Facebook as the community backbone: heavy use of Groups for city/schools, church events, lost-and-found, local buy/sell; strong Marketplace activity.
• Video-first consumption: rapid growth of TikTok and YouTube Shorts; widespread viewing of Facebook/Instagram Reels. Local businesses cross-post short promos and specials.
• Local information diet: high engagement with weather alerts, road/bridge traffic (I-40/I-55), school sports, crime updates, and Memphis metro news pages.
• Commerce and recommendations: “Who do you recommend…?” posts in Groups drive service discovery; SMBs rely on boosted posts geo-targeted ~15–20 miles.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is default; Snapchat DM common for teens/20s; WhatsApp pockets in immigrant/extended-family networks.
• Activity patterns: peaks early morning (commute/school), lunch, and 7–10 p.m.; strong Sunday afternoon engagement; after-school spike for teens.
• Participation styles: many older users comment/share in Groups; younger users post ephemeral Stories/Snaps, consume short-form video, and share via DMs more than public posts.

Method notes

• Figures are county-level estimates derived by applying recent U.S. social media adoption rates (by age/gender/platform; e.g., Pew Research Center 2023–2024) to Crittenden County’s demographics (U.S. Census/ACS) and adjusting for broadband and rural–suburban mix. Expect ±3–5 percentage points on large platforms and ±5–8 on smaller ones.