Pike County

Pike County, Arkansas — key demographics

Population size

• 10,171 (2020 Census)
• 10.2K (2023 population estimate, Census Bureau)

Age

• Median age: ~43 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~22%
• 18–64: ~58%
• 65 and over: ~20%

Gender

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2019–2023; race alone unless noted; Hispanic is any race)

• White: ~89%
• Black or African American: ~5%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~1%
• Asian: <1%
• Two or more races: ~4–5%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~4–5%
• White, not Hispanic: ~85–86%

Households and housing (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: ~4,100–4,300
• Average household size: ~2.4 persons
• Family households: ~65–70% of households
• Married-couple households: ~50% of households
• One-person households: ~28–30%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~78–80%
• Housing units: ~5,400–5,700

Insights

• Older age profile than the U.S. overall (median age low-40s vs. U.S. ~39).
• Predominantly White with relatively small Black and Hispanic populations compared to U.S. averages.
• Small, mostly family-based households; high owner-occupancy consistent with rural counties.

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

Pike County, AR email usage snapshot:

• Estimated email users: 6,450 residents (≈63% of the population).
• Age mix of email users: 13–24: 16%; 25–44: 30%; 45–64: 34%; 65+: 20%.
• Gender split: 51% female, 49% male.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Household broadband subscription: 65%.
  • Smartphone‑only internet users: 22% of adults.
  • Households with a computer: 76%.
  • Fixed broadband is concentrated around Murfreesboro, Glenwood, and Delight; coverage thins in rural areas, with satellite and 5G home internet filling gaps.
  • Population density is ~16–17 people per square mile; low density raises last‑mile costs, slowing fiber build‑outs and increasing reliance on mobile data.
  • Email is near‑universal among connected adults; weekday usage is driven by work and school accounts, while seniors more often use webmail on tablets/phones.
  • Affordability pressures increased after the ACP wind‑down, pushing some households toward shared or mobile‑only connectivity.

Mobile phone usage in Pike County, Arkansas: definitive estimates, demographics, and infrastructure, with county-versus-state contrasts

Topline user estimates

• Mobile phone users: approximately 7,800–8,300 residents use a mobile phone regularly, reflecting about 92–94% of the adult population and typical teen adoption in a rural county of roughly 10,000 residents.
• Smartphone users: approximately 6,600–7,100 adult smartphone users (about 82–86% of adults). This is a few points below Arkansas’s overall adult smartphone adoption due to the county’s older age profile and lower incomes.
• Smartphone-only internet households: about 900–1,100 households rely primarily or exclusively on smartphones for home internet. This equates to roughly 22–27% of households in Pike County, materially higher than the Arkansas average (about 17–20%).
• Prepaid share: an estimated 48–55% of active lines are on prepaid/MVNO plans in Pike County, higher than the statewide mix (about 38–45%), driven by income sensitivity, limited in-county carrier retail presence, and variable coverage encouraging month-to-month flexibility.

Demographic profile and its impact on usage

• Age structure: Pike County skews older than Arkansas overall. Smartphone adoption by age is estimated at:
  • 18–34: ~93–96%
  • 35–64: ~87–90%
  • 65+: ~60–68% (notably below state average), pulling down the countywide average and increasing basic-phone usage among seniors.
• Income and plan type:
  • Median household income is below the Arkansas median, correlating with higher prepaid use, more Android devices, slower upgrade cycles, and greater reliance on Wi‑Fi to manage data costs.
  • Households under $35k show smartphone adoption in the ~75–80% range, with disproportionately high smartphone-only internet use.
• Race/ethnicity: Majority White non-Hispanic with small Black and Hispanic communities. Spanish-speaking households show higher use of over-the-top messaging (WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger) and prepaid/MVNO lines, similar to statewide patterns but amplified by local retail access and pricing.
• Education: Lower bachelor’s attainment relative to the state aligns with a higher share of cost-conscious plans and device longevity.

Digital infrastructure and coverage specifics

• Coverage pattern:
  • 4G LTE is reliable along primary corridors and population centers (e.g., Glenwood–Kirby–Murfreesboro along US‑70/AR‑27), with notable gaps in forested and hilly areas, lake shorelines, and river valleys.
  • 5G availability is present but primarily low-band; mid-band 5G capacity is limited and patchy outside towns, yielding smaller real-world speed gains than in metro Arkansas.
• Capacity and backhaul:
  • A larger share of rural cell sites depend on microwave backhaul compared with fiber-fed sites, constraining peak-time throughput.
  • Seasonal and event hotspots (e.g., tourism around Crater of Diamonds State Park and Lake Greeson) see transient congestion.
• Indoor service and reliability:
  • Building penetration issues are more common than statewide, leading to heavier use of Wi‑Fi calling and signal boosters in homes and small businesses.
  • Emergency services leverage AT&T FirstNet where available; Band 14 improves reach but does not eliminate rural dead zones.
• Provider landscape:
  • All three national carriers provide service, but retail storefronts and full-spectrum footprints are concentrated in nearby larger markets. MVNOs (Cricket, Metro, Visible, etc.) are prevalent via online and big-box channels, reinforcing prepaid adoption.

How Pike County differs from Arkansas overall

• Higher smartphone-only internet reliance: Roughly a quarter of Pike County households are smartphone-only for home connectivity—several points above the statewide average—due to limited fixed broadband options and affordability considerations.
• Greater prepaid/MVNO penetration: A higher share of prepaid lines than Arkansas overall, reflecting income mix, retail access patterns, and a desire to test coverage month-to-month.
• Lower mid-band 5G reach and capacity: 5G coverage exists but is more often low-band; practical speeds off the main corridors trail the state’s metro-driven averages.
• More pronounced indoor and terrain-driven gaps: Building penetration and dead zones in valleys and forested zones are greater challenges than the statewide norm, increasing reliance on Wi‑Fi calling and boosters.
• Heavier use of hotspots for home/work: With fewer fixed broadband choices in outlying areas, residents more frequently use phone hotspots or LTE/5G gateways for household internet compared with the state average.

Implications and actionable insights

• Network investments with the highest impact:
  • Add or upgrade sites with mid-band 5G (n41/C-band) in Glenwood, Murfreesboro, and along US‑70; deploy additional carriers/sectorization near Lake Greeson and tourism nodes to reduce seasonal congestion.
  • Expand fiber backhaul to existing rural macros to lift peak capacity; target known valley and forest shadow zones for fill-in coverage or small cells.
• Product and distribution:
  • Prepaid-first strategies and aggressive MVNO offerings will over-index; device financing assistance and refurbished device programs fit local economics.
  • Promote Wi‑Fi calling, signal boosters, and home 5G gateways where fixed broadband is weak; bundle with local retailer partnerships for reach.

Notes on sources and method

• Figures are synthesized from recent Census/ACS county demographics, statewide adoption benchmarks, Pew Research smartphone adoption by age/income, and FCC/industry coverage patterns for rural Arkansas. Estimates are scaled to Pike County’s population and settlement pattern to provide decision-ready, county-specific numbers and contrasts versus Arkansas overall.

Pike County, Arkansas — Social media snapshot (2025, modeled local estimates)

User stats

• Estimated social media users (age 13+): ≈6,450
• Adult penetration (18+): ~70%
• Teen penetration (13–17): ~95%

Age mix of users (share of local users; count in parentheses)

• 13–17: 9% (~580)
• 18–29: 17% (~1,100)
• 30–49: 33% (~2,130)
• 50–64: 24% (~1,550)
• 65+: 17% (~1,100)

Gender breakdown of users

• Female: 53%
• Male: 47%

Most-used platforms in Pike County (share of local social media users using monthly; multi-platform use is common)

• Facebook: 86%
• YouTube: 78%
• Facebook Messenger: 64%
• Instagram: 38%
• TikTok: 33%
• Snapchat: 28%
• Pinterest: 27%
• WhatsApp: 16%
• X (Twitter): 12%
• Reddit: 10%
• LinkedIn: 9%
• Nextdoor: 2%

Behavioral trends and patterns

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of local groups (buy/sell/trade, schools, churches), Marketplace, and Events; official posts from county offices, schools, and churches earn outsized reach and are shared quickly during weather or safety alerts.
• Video leads engagement: short-form (Reels/TikTok) is growing fastest among 18–34; YouTube remains strong for how‑to content, high school sports, outdoor/recreation, and equipment/repair topics.
• Messaging-first interactions: residents commonly DM businesses via Messenger for hours, quotes, and availability; quick replies meaningfully lift conversion.
• Peak activity windows: weekdays 6:30–9:00 pm; Saturday mornings 8:00–11:00 am; secondary spikes at lunch, reflecting trades, timber, and retail work patterns.
• Commerce: Facebook Marketplace dominates P2P selling; local boutiques, service providers, and restaurants rely on Facebook/Instagram promos; giveaways and limited-time offers outperform generic branding posts.
• Youth behavior: teens center daily communication on Snapchat; entertainment discovery on TikTok/YouTube; Instagram used for highlights; minimal use of X or LinkedIn.
• Older adults: highly Facebook-reliant, prefer simple, text-forward posts and native content; lower likelihood to click out to external sites.
• Advertising notes: small audience size means rapid frequency buildup; best results from tight geo-targeting (15–25 miles), creator-style video, before/after visuals, and posts featuring recognizable local faces; generic national content underperforms.

Method note

• Figures are modeled local estimates for 2025 using Pike County age/sex structure from recent ACS data and 2023–2024 Pew Research platform adoption by age/rural status, adjusted for rural Arkansas adoption and rounded to whole percentages.