Mississippi County

Mississippi County, Arkansas — key demographics (latest official)

Population size

• 40,685 (2020 Decennial Census)
• Directional trend: modest decline since 2010; ACS 2019–2023 still places the county around 40K residents

Age

• Median age: ~36.7 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~25–26%
• 65 and over: ~16%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49% (ACS 2019–2023)

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2019–2023)

• White alone: ~56%
• Black or African American alone: ~35%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~7–8%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~1% combined (Note: Hispanic is an ethnicity and overlaps with race categories)

Household data (ACS 2019–2023)

• Total households: ~15,200
• Average household size: ~2.55
• Family households: ~64% of households
• Married-couple families: ~40% of households
• Female householder, no spouse present: ~18–19%
• Housing tenure: ~58% owner-occupied, ~42% renter-occupied

Insights

• Population has contracted from 2010 levels but stabilized near 40K
• Demographics are majority White with a large Black population and a growing Hispanic share
• Household size is modest; renter share is relatively elevated for a rural county

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Mississippi County, AR email usage (estimates, 2024):

• Population ≈40,500; adults ≈30,400.
• Estimated adult email users: ≈26,500 (about 87% of adults).
• Age profile of email users: 18–29: 22%; 30–49: 35%; 50–64: 27%; 65+: 16% (reflects lower senior adoption).
• Gender split among users: ~51% female, ~49% male (near the county’s population balance).

Digital access and usage:

• About 3 in 4 households subscribe to home broadband; roughly 1 in 4 lack a home internet subscription, pushing heavier mobile reliance.
• Approximately 20–25% of adults are smartphone‑only internet users; around two‑thirds of email users primarily access email on mobile.
• Daily email engagement is strong: roughly 70–80% of users check email at least once per day.

Local density/connectivity facts:

• Population density ≈45 people per square mile; connectivity is denser in Blytheville and Osceola, where cable/fiber options are most available.
• Fixed broadband at 100/20 Mbps is available to roughly 80–85% of addresses; gigabit service is concentrated in town centers.
• Cellular LTE/5G covers the main population corridors (notably along I‑55), supporting reliable mobile email access even where wired options are limited.

Mississippi County, Arkansas — Mobile phone usage snapshot (2024–2025)

User estimates

• Population and households: ≈40,000 residents; ≈15,500–16,000 households; ≈31,000 adults (18+).
• Adult mobile adoption: ≈95–97% of adults use a mobile phone (≈29,500–30,000 users); ≈82–86% use smartphones (≈25,500–26,500 users). These rates are slightly below metro Arkansas but broadly in line with statewide ownership, with a larger share of “smartphone-only” internet users than the state average.
• Household device and access profile (ACS-style measures, 5‑year estimates pattern for similar Delta counties):
  • Households with a smartphone: ≈86–90% (≈13,500–14,400 households).
  • Households with any cellular data plan: ≈60–70%.
  • Cellular‑only home internet (no cable/fiber/DSL at home, relies on phone/hotspot): ≈22–26% (≈3,400–4,100 households), notably higher than Arkansas overall (≈13–16%).
  • No home internet subscription of any kind: ≈18–22% (≈2,800–3,400 households), above the Arkansas average (≈15–17%).

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age:
  • 18–34: high smartphone penetration (≈92–96%); heavy app‑based communication and streaming; higher data consumption.
  • 35–64: high smartphone penetration (≈85–90%); mixed postpaid and prepaid; hotspot use for children’s schoolwork.
  • 65+: lower smartphone penetration (≈60–70%), higher share of basic phones; above‑average likelihood of no home internet, increasing reliance on cellular voice/SMS and limited data.
• Income:
  • Low‑income households (≤$25k) form a larger share than the state average and are disproportionately “cellular‑only” at home (often >30% within this bracket). Prepaid plans and Lifeline participation rates are higher than statewide.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Black and Hispanic households (together a larger share here than in Arkansas overall) show higher smartphone dependence and higher cellular‑only rates than White households, reflecting affordability gaps and limited fixed‑line availability in some tracts.
• Work patterns:
  • Shift and industrial workers around Blytheville–Osceola corridors are more mobile‑reliant for scheduling, telehealth, and benefits portals, driving higher off‑peak data usage compared with statewide norms.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage:
  • All three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) provide countywide coverage in populated areas; 5G is present in and around Blytheville, Osceola, and along I‑55/US‑61. Low‑band 5G covers most travel corridors; mid‑band 5G is concentrated near towns and highways. Farm and river‑adjacent tracts still see weak indoor signal and occasional dead zones.
• Capacity and speeds:
  • Typical user speeds: roughly 25–80 Mbps across rural tracts; 80–200 Mbps in town centers and along I‑55 where mid‑band 5G is available. This trails the state’s metro‑driven median and shows greater variability by location and building type.
• Backhaul and build activity:
  • Industrial growth (e.g., steel facilities near Osceola) has driven targeted capacity upgrades and some new cell sites, improving performance on shift routes; benefits dilute beyond those corridors.
• Fixed broadband interplay:
  • Fiber or cable options exist in town centers, but many outlying blocks remain DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite‑only. This patchwork materially raises the county’s cellular‑only share compared with Arkansas overall.
• Programs and affordability:
  • The county historically exhibited above‑average enrollment in affordability programs (Lifeline/ACP). The 2024 ACP lapse increased the risk of service downgrades or disconnections, nudging more households toward prepaid mobile data and hotspot use.

How Mississippi County differs from the Arkansas state profile

• Higher reliance on cellular‑only home internet (roughly +6 to +10 percentage points versus the state), driven by affordability and fixed‑line gaps.
• Higher share of prepaid and Lifeline users; greater smartphone dependence among low‑income, Black, and Hispanic households.
• More pronounced urban–rural performance gap: solid mid‑band 5G along I‑55 and in towns, but slower, less consistent service in agricultural tracts and near the river.
• Older adults are more likely to be offline or to use basic phones than the statewide 65+ population, widening the local digital divide.

Key takeaways

• Around 26,000 adult smartphone users live in the county, but roughly one in four households relies on mobile data as their only home internet, a notably higher dependence than Arkansas overall.
• Investment along industrial corridors has improved 5G capacity, yet rural gaps persist, keeping median mobile speeds below state urban benchmarks.
• Affordability and fixed‑line availability—not baseline device ownership—are the primary constraints; policies or builds that expand fiber to outlying tracts or restore robust subsidies would likely shift a meaningful share of “cellular‑only” households to mixed connectivity.

Mississippi County, Arkansas — social media usage (2025 snapshot)

Headline user stats

• Population: ≈40.6k (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 est.). Roughly 33k residents are age 13+.
• Active social media users (13+): ≈24k–27k (≈70–80% penetration). Among adults 18+, overall social media adoption is ≈72% (consistent with Pew national adult rates).

Age groups

• Teens (13–17): Very high adoption (≈95% use at least one platform). Heaviest on YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, then Instagram; Facebook is low among teens but used for school, sports, and family updates.
• Young adults (18–29): Highest multi-platform use; short-form video (TikTok/Reels/Shorts) + Instagram dominant; Facebook used mainly for events, groups, and Marketplace.
• Adults (30–49): Broad, multi-platform use; Facebook and YouTube anchor daily habits; Instagram and TikTok growing for entertainment and shopping discovery.
• Adults (50–64): Solid Facebook and YouTube usage; Instagram/TikTok used but less frequently; Messenger is a primary communication tool.
• Seniors (65+): Lower overall adoption but concentrated on Facebook (for family/church/community) and YouTube.

Gender breakdown

• County population: roughly 51% female, 49% male (Census).
• Among social users, expect a slight female majority (~53–55%) driven by heavier female use of Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X.

Most-used platforms (share of U.S. adults who use each; Mississippi County patterns closely mirror these, with Facebook typically over-indexing and LinkedIn under-indexing in rural areas)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• TikTok: 33%
• Pinterest: 35%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• Snapchat: 27%
• Reddit: 22%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• WhatsApp: 21% Daily-use intensity among platform users (behavioral indicator): Facebook ~70% use daily; Instagram ~59%; Snapchat ~59%; TikTok ~54%; YouTube ~54% use daily.

Behavioral trends to expect locally

• Facebook is the community backbone: School, church, sports, and city/county updates live in Groups and Pages; Marketplace is a top local buying/selling channel.
• Video-first consumption: Short-form (Reels, TikTok, Shorts) drives reach and recall; game highlights, local events, and how-to content perform best.
• Messaging > calling: Facebook Messenger is ubiquitous across adults; Snapchat dominates teen/young adult messaging; WhatsApp use is modest except in specific communities/industries.
• Prime engagement windows: Evenings (6–10 pm) and Sunday nights peak; quick morning check-ins (6–8 am) are common.
• Local trust effects: Recommendations in neighborhood and interest groups strongly influence purchasing; user-generated content from familiar faces outperforms brand-first creative.
• Government, schools, and events: Public offices and districts primarily post on Facebook; cross-posts to Instagram are increasing; X is used mainly for weather/sports/live updates.
• Mobile-first reality: Most activity is smartphone-based; concise vertical video and tap-friendly posts outperform desktop-oriented formats.
• Professional networking is niche: LinkedIn reach is lower than national average; use skews to healthcare, education admin, advanced manufacturing, and public sector roles.

How these figures were derived

• Population and gender: U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts for Mississippi County, AR (2023 estimates).
• Platform usage percentages and daily-use behavior: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 and related reports.
• Localized insights reflect rural-county usage patterns observed in Arkansas and the broader U.S., applying Pew adoption rates to the county’s age mix to estimate 13+ penetration and behavioral tendencies.