Franklin County

To provide accurate, up-to-date figures, which data vintage do you prefer?

• 2020 Decennial Census (official counts)
• Latest ACS 5-year estimates (2019–2023), which include more detail but are estimates with margins of error

Once you choose, I’ll return concise numbers for population size, age, gender, race/ethnicity, and household characteristics for Franklin County, AR.

Franklin County, AR snapshot (estimates, based on state/rural benchmarks and recent ACS/FCC trends):

• Estimated email users: 11,000–13,500 residents (about 65–75% of the total population ~18K). Daily use skews mobile.
• Age distribution of email adoption:
  • 13–24: ~90–95%
  • 25–54: ~95–98%
  • 55–64: ~85–90%
  • 65+: ~65–75%
• Gender split: roughly even; email use tracks overall population (near 50/50).
• Digital access trends:
  • Household internet subscription: ~70–80% (lower than urban Arkansas); a meaningful minority are smartphone‑only (≈10–20%).
  • Connectivity improving via Arkansas Rural Connect/BEAD investments; expanding fiber and fixed‑wireless since 2021.
  • Libraries, schools, and municipal Wi‑Fi remain important access points for lower‑income and senior users.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population density ~29 people per square mile (spread across ~620 sq mi), which raises last‑mile costs and slows fiber build‑out.
  • Best broadband/cellular coverage along I‑40 and in Ozark/Charleston; service becomes spottier in northern, forested terrain.

Bottom line: Most adults use email, but adoption and frequency drop among seniors and in the most rural parts; ongoing builds are narrowing the gap.

Below is a county-level snapshot synthesized from recent federal surveys (ACS/Decennial Census, NTIA, FCC Broadband Data Collection), national mobile adoption research (e.g., Pew, CDC wireless‑only), and typical rural Arkansas usage patterns. Figures are estimates or ranges; use local planning data and carrier maps to validate siting decisions.

Overview

• County context: Franklin County is small and largely rural (population roughly 17–18k), anchored by Ozark (I‑40/US‑64) and Charleston (AR‑22), with hilly/forested terrain toward the Ozark National Forest causing variable radio propagation. This geography drives many of the differences from statewide averages.

Estimated mobile users

• Adults with any mobile phone: ~12,000–13,300 (about 92–95% of ~13–14k adults).
• Adult smartphone users: ~10,500–12,000 (about 80–85% of adults).
• Teens (13–17) with smartphones: high penetration (≈90%+), adding roughly 1,200–1,600 additional users.
• Households that are wireless‑only for voice (no landline): roughly 75–80% of adults live in wireless‑only households—at or slightly above Arkansas’s already high rate.
• Households relying primarily on cellular for home internet: estimated 15–25% (not just as a backup), higher than the Arkansas statewide share, reflecting gaps in wireline availability outside Ozark/Charleston.

Demographic patterns (what’s different locally)

• Age:
  • Seniors: Larger senior share than the state average; smartphone adoption 60–70% among 65+, so the county’s overall smartphone rate runs a few points below Arkansas’s.
  • Under 35: Near‑saturation smartphone use, but more price‑sensitive plans and MVNOs than in metro counties.
• Income and education:
  • More prepaid/MVNO usage, family plans with data caps, and Android devices than Arkansas’s metro counties; device financing/upgrades lag.
  • Higher incidence of “mobile‑only” internet among lower‑income households and renters, used for school/work in lieu of wired broadband.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • The county is majority White with a small but meaningful Hispanic population. Hispanic households show above‑average smartphone‑only home internet use (consistent with state/national trends), so outreach and service materials in Spanish matter for adoption and support.
• Disability:
  • A modestly higher disability rate than the state average suggests above‑average use of accessibility features and potential sensitivity to device screen size, audio quality, and emergency reliability.

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• Macro coverage:
  • 4G LTE is broadly available along I‑40, US‑64, AR‑22, and in Ozark/Charleston. Coverage thins in the northern hills (e.g., along AR‑23 “Pig Trail” and near National Forest areas), with dead zones and capacity drops in valleys.
  • 5G low‑band is present along the interstate corridor and town centers; mid‑band 5G capacity is spotty compared with Arkansas’s urban corridors.
• Capacity and performance:
  • Typical 4G speeds are moderate; 5G can improve downlink in town centers but uplink and indoor penetration remain constraints in older buildings and metal‑roof homes.
  • Peak‑hour congestion is noticeable near schools, highway interchanges, and event venues due to limited sector density.
• Backhaul:
  • Fiber follows I‑40 and main arterials; off‑corridor sites rely more on microwave hops, which can limit capacity upgrades north of the river.
• Home broadband alternatives:
  • Fixed wireless (LTE/5G) home internet is available in and near towns and along I‑40; coverage becomes inconsistent in hollows.
  • Electric‑co‑op and telco fiber builds are expanding but remain incomplete in sparsely populated areas, sustaining higher reliance on cellular data.
• Community access:
  • Libraries and schools in Ozark and Charleston provide key public Wi‑Fi and device charging; these are heavily used by students in cellular‑only households.
• Emergency communications:
  • Terrain‑related dead zones persist; residents often keep car chargers, offline maps, and multiple SIMs/Hotspots. E911 routing generally works well near towns; accuracy degrades in fringe areas.

How Franklin County differs from Arkansas statewide trends

• Slightly lower adult smartphone penetration, driven by an older age mix and affordability constraints.
• Higher share of prepaid/MVNO plans, shared/family data plans, and Android devices.
• Greater reliance on cellular as the primary home internet connection, especially outside the Ozark/Charleston cores.
• More pronounced coverage variability due to terrain; mid‑band 5G capacity and small‑cell density lag behind urban counties (Pulaski, Benton, Washington).
• Heavier use of public Wi‑Fi for homework and telehealth than in metro areas.
• Outage sensitivity: weather and power events have a larger impact on both macro coverage and backhaul than in flatter, denser parts of the state.

Planning implications

• Prioritize mid‑band 5G upgrades and additional sectors along I‑40, AR‑23, and AR‑22, plus targeted fill‑in sites for valleys north of the river.
• Pair coverage with capacity: where low‑band 5G exists, add mid‑band carriers and fiber backhaul to relieve LTE congestion in town centers.
• Support mobile‑only households: affordable plans with reliable hotspot allowances and strong indoor coverage will have outsized impact.
• Digital inclusion: expand community Wi‑Fi, device lending, and Spanish‑language support; coordinate with schools and libraries for after‑school bandwidth needs.
• Leverage state/federal funds (e.g., BEAD and state rural broadband programs) to close remaining fiber gaps so mobile isn’t the only viable home connection.

Franklin County, AR — social media snapshot (2025, estimates)

Overall usage

• Adult reach: roughly 75–80% of adults use at least one social platform (about 10–12k adults).
• Daily use: most check at least once daily; Facebook and YouTube are near‑daily for many, with Instagram/TikTok daily among under‑40s.

Most‑used platforms (share of adults who use)

• YouTube: 75–85%
• Facebook: 60–70%
• Instagram: 35–45%
• TikTok: 25–35%
• Pinterest: 25–35% (skews female)
• Snapchat: 20–30% (skews under 30)
• WhatsApp: 15–25% (smaller but growing)
• X (Twitter), Reddit, LinkedIn: each ~12–20% (niche audiences)

Age patterns

• 13–17: Snapchat/TikTok heavy; YouTube universal; Facebook mainly for teams/events.
• 18–29: Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat daily; YouTube universal; Facebook for Groups/Marketplace.
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube dominant; Instagram moderate; TikTok rising; heavy Marketplace use.
• 50–64: Facebook primary; YouTube for news/how‑to; Pinterest common among women.
• 65+: Facebook for family/community updates; YouTube for sermons/music; limited TikTok/Instagram.

Gender tendencies

• Women: Overindex on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; very active in local buy‑sell, school, and church groups; strong engagement with Reels/short video.
• Men: Overindex on YouTube, Reddit, X; active in hunting/fishing, sports, auto, and agriculture groups; Facebook used for Marketplace and local news.

Behavioral trends

• Facebook Groups = the town square: county buy/sell/trade, local events, school athletics; practical posts get the highest engagement.
• Marketplace is a major driver for local commerce (vehicles, farm equipment, furniture).
• Local‑first content wins: posts featuring recognizable people/places, high school sports highlights, church/community events.
• Video everywhere: short‑form (Reels/TikTok) for discovery; YouTube for tutorials, meetings, and longer local content.
• Best posting windows: early morning (6–8 a.m.), lunch (11:30–1), evenings (7–10 p.m.), and weekends.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is primary; group texts common; WhatsApp used within certain family/work circles.
• Trust dynamics: higher trust in known local voices; many closed/approval‑only groups for privacy/moderation.
• Ads: Boosted Facebook/Instagram posts with tight geo‑targeting (10–20 miles) perform best; creative with local faces/logos outperforms generic stock content.

Notes on methodology

• Figures are estimates based on 2023–2024 U.S. platform adoption (Pew Research) adjusted for rural counties in Arkansas and typical usage patterns; treat as directional rather than exact counts.