Cross County

Which source/year would you like? I can provide:

• 2020 Decennial Census (exact total population and race counts)
• 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates (best for age, sex, household characteristics in small counties)

If you prefer, I’ll use the latest 2019–2023 ACS 5-year plus 2020 Census for total population.

Cross County, Arkansas email usage snapshot (estimates)

• Users: About 12–14 thousand residents use email at least monthly. This assumes a county population near 16–17k and adult email adoption around 90–95%, plus many teens.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: 4–6%
  • 18–34: 25–30%
  • 35–54: 30–35%
  • 55–64: 15–18%
  • 65+: 15–20% (slightly lower usage rates than younger groups)
• Gender split: Roughly 51% female, 49% male among users (mirroring the county’s population).
• Digital access trends:
  • Around 75–80% of households have a home broadband subscription; 15–20% are smartphone‑only for internet.
  • Fiber and fixed‑wireless coverage have expanded since 2021; fastest tiers cluster in and around Wynne, with slower or cost‑sensitive access in rural tracts.
  • The wind‑down of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program in 2024 likely pressures affordability for some households, risking small drops in subscriptions.
• Local density/connectivity context:
  • Population density is roughly 27–30 people per square mile, with half the county’s residents in/near Wynne and the rest dispersed rurally—conditions that raise last‑mile costs and make fixed‑wireless and mobile networks important complements to wireline service.

Below is a concise, decision‑oriented snapshot of mobile phone use in Cross County, Arkansas, with estimates and patterns that diverge from Arkansas statewide norms.

Key ways Cross County differs from the Arkansas average

• Higher reliance on mobile as the primary internet connection due to patchier fixed broadband outside Wynne.
• Slightly lower smartphone adoption overall, driven by an older age mix and lower incomes.
• Greater coverage variability: solid LTE/low‑band 5G near Wynne and along major corridors; more dead zones in low‑lying farmland and along lesser-traveled county roads.
• Prepaid and budget plans more common; fixed‑wireless (5G home Internet) uptake higher where cable/fiber are limited.

User estimates

• Population baseline: about 16.5–17.0k residents; roughly 12.7–13.2k adults.
• Mobile phone (any cellphone) ownership: 92–95% of adults in rural counties → about 11.7–12.5k adult mobile users.
• Smartphone ownership: 78–83% of adults in similar rural counties → about 10.0–10.9k adult smartphone users.
• Households: roughly 6.2–6.6k.
  • Households with a cellular data plan (phone or hotspot) at home: 65–75% → about 4.0–4.9k households.
  • Mobile‑only home internet (no cable/DSL/fiber): 20–28% → about 1.25–1.8k households.
• Plan mix: higher share of prepaid and single‑line/value plans than state average; ACP sunset in 2024 likely nudged some users to smaller data buckets or intermittent connectivity.

Demographic breakdown shaping usage

• Age: older than the state average (about 20–22% age 65+). Seniors are less likely to own smartphones and more likely to keep basic/flip phones; this drags down overall smartphone penetration vs Arkansas.
• Income: median household income below the state median; cost sensitivity drives prepaid adoption, Android share, and hotspot-based home internet.
• Race/ethnicity: approximate composition White ~70%, Black ~25–28%, Hispanic ~3–4%. Consistent with national patterns, Black and Hispanic households are more likely to rely on smartphones as the primary internet connection, reinforcing the county’s higher mobile‑only share.
• Geography: Wynne (county seat) has the strongest indoor 5G/LTE and most retail options; unincorporated areas depend more on outdoor reception, external antennas, or fixed‑wireless CPEs.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Carrier footprint: AT&T, Verizon, and T‑Mobile all provide LTE; low‑band 5G covers main corridors. Mid‑band 5G capacity is strongest in/near Wynne and along US‑64/AR‑1; coverage thins in agricultural areas east/west of those corridors.
• Backhaul: Fiber follows primary highways and municipal routes; outside Wynne, sites commonly rely on microwave backhaul, which can constrain capacity during peak hours.
• Fixed broadband: Fiber is available in parts of Wynne (regional providers such as Ritter operate in East Arkansas); cable footprints are limited; legacy DSL persists in rural tracts. This drives higher adoption of 5G fixed‑wireless and satellite (Starlink) compared with statewide averages.
• Resilience: 2023 severe weather/tornado impacts around Wynne prompted some carrier hardening and site rebuilds, temporarily affecting coverage and accelerating selective upgrades.
• Public assets: Schools and libraries offer E‑rate supported Wi‑Fi; post‑disaster device/hotspot programs increased local familiarity with hotspot‑based access.

What this means in practice

• Expect more mobile‑only households and hotspot usage than the Arkansas average, especially outside Wynne.
• Indoor performance can vary widely in farmhouses and metal buildings; external antennas/boosters materially improve usability.
• For service planning, mid‑band 5G infill and fiber backhaul extensions along county secondaries would yield above‑average gains versus similar spend in urban Arkansas.

Notes on method and sources

• Estimates synthesize 2020–2023 Census/ACS demographics, Pew smartphone adoption by age/income/rural status, CDC/NCHS wireless‑only trends, FCC coverage/broadband map patterns, and known provider footprints in East Arkansas. Figures are presented as ranges to reflect local variability and the latest map/ACS updates. For a precise point‑in‑time figure, pull ACS S2801 (Internet Subscriptions) and FCC Mobile Coverage data for Cross County for the target year.

Cross County, AR social media snapshot (est., 2025)

Topline users

• Population: ~16–17k residents
• Social media users: ~10–12k (about 62–70% of residents; slightly below U.S. average due to rural/older profile)
• Access pattern: mobile-first; home broadband varies by area

Most-used platforms (share of social media users)

• Facebook: 80–85%
• YouTube: 75–80%
• Instagram: 40–45%
• TikTok: 35–40%
• Snapchat: 30–35% (concentrated under 25)
• Pinterest: 20–25% (female skew)
• X/Twitter: 15–20% (sports, news, weather)
• LinkedIn: 10–15% (smaller professional base)
• Nextdoor: <5% (Facebook Groups fill the neighborhood role)

Age mix of users

• 13–17: 15–18% (Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram)
• 18–24: 10–12% (TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube)
• 25–34: 18–20% (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok; Marketplace use)
• 35–54: 30–35% (Facebook, YouTube; Groups, local info)
• 55+: 25–30% (Facebook, YouTube; lighter on Instagram/TikTok)

Gender breakdown

• Female: ~52–54% of users; over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; strong participation in Groups and Marketplace
• Male: ~46–48%; over-index on YouTube and X; interests skew to sports, hunting/fishing, ag and local news

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first: Local news, school sports, church events, fundraisers, and severe-weather updates drive high engagement; Facebook Groups dominate community conversation.
• Marketplace heavy: Buy/sell/trade and service referrals are routine; prompt responses and clear pricing matter.
• Short video rise: Reels/TikTok see growing use, but practical posts (hours, phone, directions) and local faces still outperform polished creative.
• Timing: Peaks after 6–9 pm CT and weekend mornings; secondary bump at lunch hours on weekdays.
• Trust and tone: Neighbor-to-neighbor voice works best; UGC and testimonials outperform corporate messaging.
• Event-driven spikes: Weather alerts, school closings, road conditions; seasonal ag content performs well.
• Channel roles:
  • Facebook for reach, Groups, and Marketplace.
  • Instagram for younger demos and visuals; cross-post with Facebook.
  • TikTok for discovery among under-35s.
  • Snapchat for direct communication with teens/young adults (less public reach).
  • YouTube for how-to, church services, sports highlights.

Notes and caveats

• Direct county-level platform stats aren’t published; figures are estimates derived from Arkansas-wide and rural U.S. patterns (e.g., Pew Research Center, DataReportal) adjusted for Cross County’s small, older-leaning, rural profile. If you can share page/ad analytics, we can localize these further.