Lee County

Lee County, Arkansas — Key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau; primary source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates; 2020 Census noted)

Population size

• Total population: ~8.3–8.6k (8,600 in 2020 Census; ACS 2019–2023 places it a bit lower)

Age

• Median age: ~38–39 years
• Under 18: ~17%
• 18 to 64: ~65%
• 65 and over: ~18%

Gender

• Male: ~58–59%
• Female: ~41–42%
• Note: The unusually high male share reflects a substantial state correctional facility population.

Racial/ethnic composition (Hispanic can be of any race)

• Black or African American: ~58%
• White: ~38–39%
• Hispanic/Latino: ~2–3%
• Two or more races and other groups (Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, NHPI): ~1–2% combined

Households

• Number of households: ~3,000
• Average household size: ~2.4 persons
• Family households: ~65–67% of households
• Married-couple households: ~35% of all households
• Households with children under 18: ~27%

Key insights

• Small, declining population relative to 2010, with a Black-majority racial composition.
• Male-skewed population due to the prison population.
• Household structure is dominated by family households but with relatively small average household size.

Lee County, AR (pop. ≈8.6k) — 2024 snapshot

• Estimated email users: ~6.9k–7.5k residents (≈80–87% of the population), derived by applying Pew Research’s near‑universal adult email adoption to the county’s age structure.
• Age distribution of email users (share of all email users, est.): 13–17: 4–6%; 18–34: 22–26%; 35–54: 30–33%; 55–64: 14–16%; 65+: 18–21%. Adoption remains highest in 18–54; seniors trail but are majority adopters.
• Gender split among users: ≈52% female, 48% male (email adoption is effectively equal by gender; split reflects local population).
• Digital access trends (ACS 2018–2022 based estimates): ~60–65% of households have a broadband subscription; ~25–30% have no home internet; ~15–20% rely smartphone‑only. Device access is improving via smartphones, while fixed‑line subscriptions lag.
• Connectivity and density: Population density ≈14 people/sq. mile (very rural). Sparse settlement and income constraints correlate with lower fixed‑broadband take‑up; FCC mapping shows limited 100/20 Mbps coverage in several rural tracts, with few wireline providers, making mobile service an important on‑ramp to email.

Sources/methods: U.S. Census Bureau (population, ACS S2801 computer/internet indicators) and Pew Research Center (national email and internet adoption), scaled to Lee County’s size and age mix.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Lee County, Arkansas

Snapshot

• Population and households: Roughly 8,600 residents and about 3,300–3,600 households (2020–2023 range). The county is rural and aging (median age low‑40s) with high poverty. The population is majority Black, with White as the second-largest group.
• Context: Low wireline broadband availability and affordability constraints make mobile the default internet on-ramp for many households.

User estimates (any mobile phone and smartphones)

• Adult mobile users (18+): 6,100–6,400, point estimate ≈6,250.
• Adult smartphone users: 5,400–5,900, point estimate ≈5,650.
• Total mobile users including teens (13–17): 6,600–7,100, point estimate ≈6,800.
• Device mix: 5G‑capable devices ≈55–65% of active smartphones; Android share higher than state average due to price sensitivity.

How usage in Lee County differs from Arkansas overall

• Lower smartphone penetration: About 5–8 percentage points below the statewide adult rate (state ≈88–90%; Lee County ≈80–85%).
• Higher mobile‑only dependence: Smartphone‑only home internet use is materially higher than the state (Lee ≈28–36% of households vs state ≈15–20%). That equates to roughly 950–1,250 Lee County households relying on a phone data plan as their primary home internet.
• More prepaid: Prepaid plans account for an estimated ~35–45% of active mobile lines in the county, vs ~25–30% statewide, reflecting tighter budgets and credit barriers.
• Slower, more variable performance: Typical everyday mobile download speeds in Lee County are in the 10–40 Mbps range on LTE/low‑band 5G, materially below statewide medians (often ~70–100 Mbps in urban/suburban Arkansas). Uploads often 2–10 Mbps; latency 35–60 ms.
• Slower 5G uplift: Most observed 5G in Lee County is low‑band coverage with limited mid‑band capacity, so user‑perceived gains over LTE are modest. Statewide, mid‑band 5G is more common around metros and key corridors.
• Longer upgrade cycles: Users keep devices longer than the state average (often 3–4 years), delaying broad 5G device penetration.

Demographic patterns shaping usage

• Age: Adults 18–34 have near‑universal mobile adoption and the highest 5G‑device share. Adults 65+ show the largest smartphone gap (smartphone ownership ~65–75%), which is several points lower than Arkansas seniors overall. Seniors who are online are more likely to be mobile‑only in Lee County due to limited fixed options.
• Race/ethnicity: Black residents (the county’s largest group) exhibit similar overall smartphone ownership to the county average but have higher smartphone‑only home internet reliance than White residents, reflecting income and infrastructure disparities.
• Income: Among households under $25,000/year, smartphone ownership remains high, but fixed broadband subscription is low; 35–45% of these households are smartphone‑only for home internet.
• Program impacts: The lapse of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program in 2024 hit the county disproportionately. A large share of households had enrolled; its loss has pushed more homes into mobile‑only connectivity, plan downgrades, or data rationing. Lifeline remains an anchor subsidy but is smaller.

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• Networks present: AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon operate countywide macro coverage. mmWave 5G is not present; low‑band 5G is the norm, with limited mid‑band 5G capacity deployments relative to state metro areas.
• Coverage pattern: Strongest along and within Marianna and primary corridors (e.g., US‑79/AR‑1). Outside towns, macro‑cell spacing leads to weaker indoor coverage and speed drops; farm and timber tracts can experience edge‑of‑cell performance and occasional dead zones.
• Capacity and performance: Congestion is most noticeable around schools, civic centers, and during events or seasonal peaks when many users rely on the same sectors for both voice and data. Carriers have focused upgrades on spectrum refarming and low‑band 5G overlays rather than dense site builds.
• Fixed‑wireless as a substitute: 5G Home Internet offerings (where available) from mobile carriers are used as a substitute for wireline in and near Marianna; availability thins quickly outside town limits. Satellite broadband is a fallback in outlying areas.
• Emergency service reliability: E911 over cellular is available but can be impacted by coverage gaps in sparsely populated areas; Wi‑Fi calling is an important complement for some households.

Key takeaways

• Mobile is the primary internet pathway for a large slice of Lee County, much more so than in Arkansas overall.
• Constraints are driven less by a lack of basic coverage than by capacity, affordability, and device turnover—yielding slower speeds, higher prepaid use, and elevated smartphone‑only reliance.
• Any improvements that bring mid‑band 5G capacity and affordable fixed alternatives into outlying areas would materially shift usage away from data‑constrained mobile‑only patterns and narrow the gap with statewide trends.

Lee County, AR social media snapshot (2025)

Headline numbers (modeled, county-specific)

• Population: ~8.6K (2020 Census). Practical addressable audience excludes the large institutionalized population; modeled non‑institutional residents 13+ ≈ 7.2K–7.8K.
• Internet-enabled residents 13+: ≈ 6.0K–6.7K (driven by rural broadband and smartphone adoption).
• Active social media users (13+): ≈ 5.0K–5.8K (about 58–67% of total population; ~75–85% of internet users).

Age mix of social media users (share of local users)

• 13–17: 8–10%
• 18–24: 10–12%
• 25–34: 18–20%
• 35–49: 28–30%
• 50–64: 20–22%
• 65+: 12–14%

Gender breakdown among social media users

• Female: 52–55%
• Male: 45–48% Notes: Excluding the county’s institutionalized population (heavily male) yields a slight female skew among consumer social media users. Female share rises further on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest.

Most-used platforms locally (monthly reach among active social media users; county-modeled)

• Facebook: 78–84% (≈ 4.1K–4.7K users)
• YouTube: 80–86% (≈ 4.2K–4.9K)
• Facebook Messenger: 70–75% (≈ 3.6K–4.0K)
• Instagram: 30–38% (≈ 1.6K–2.0K)
• TikTok: 28–35% (≈ 1.5K–1.9K)
• Snapchat: 22–30% (≈ 1.2K–1.7K)
• Pinterest: 18–22% (≈ 1.0K–1.2K; predominantly women 25–54)
• X/Twitter: 9–13% (≈ 450–700)
• LinkedIn: 6–9% (≈ 320–470)
• WhatsApp: 8–12% (≈ 400–650; used mainly for family ties out of area)

Behavioral trends and takeaways

• Facebook is the community hub: high engagement in local Groups (yard sale, church, schools, county alerts), heavy Marketplace usage, and strong response to local event posts and photo albums.
• Video first: YouTube is universal across ages; Facebook Reels and TikTok are rising, especially under 35. Short, vertical, captioned clips perform best; live streams of school sports and community events draw spikes.
• Messaging over posting: Many residents “lurk” more than post; Messenger is a primary contact channel for businesses. Quick replies and pinned contact info materially increase conversions.
• Timing: Peaks before work/school (6–8 a.m.), evenings (7–10 p.m.), and Sunday afternoons. Posting into these windows improves reach without extra spend.
• Creative that works: Plain-language offers, local faces, and utility content (weather, road closures, hunting/fishing, farming, how‑to fixes) outperform polished brand spots. Photos of recognizable places and people outperform stock images.
• Commerce: Click-to-call, directions, and “message to claim” outperform long web forms due to patchy connectivity. Facebook/Instagram radius targeting around Marianna and major corridors (US‑79/AR‑1/AR‑44) captures most responses.
• Youth split: Teens/young adults concentrate on Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram Stories; they respond to school-year calendars, sports, music, and humorous trends. Older adults stay with Facebook and YouTube; Pinterest is strong among women for recipes, crafts, and home.
• Trust and news: Posts from local institutions (schools, churches, county offices, Extension/4‑H) and known individuals are trusted and amplified via shares; cross-posting into relevant Groups is key.
• Employment/education: LinkedIn is niche but present among educators, healthcare, and county/public roles; YouTube used for skills and how‑tos more than formal courses.

Method notes and sources

• Figures are 2025 county-modeled estimates combining: 2020 Census population; adjustment for Lee County’s sizable institutionalized population; 2022 ACS internet subscription and device access patterns for rural Arkansas; Pew Research Center Social Media Use (2023–2024) by age/gender; platform adoption deltas for rural vs. urban users. Platform percentages were applied to the local internet-enabled, non‑institutional population and calibrated to rural usage biases.