Poinsett County

Poinsett County, Arkansas — key demographics

Population size

• 23,528 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age structure (ACS 2018–2022)

• Median age: ~41 years
• Under 18: ~23%
• 18–64: ~58%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Gender (ACS 2018–2022)

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2018–2022)

• White alone, non-Hispanic: ~85%
• Black or African American alone: ~7%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~4%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• American Indian and Alaska Native: ~1%
• Asian: <1%

Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~9.4k
• Average household size: ~2.45
• Family households: ~67% of all households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~66%; renter-occupied: ~34%
• Median household income: roughly mid-$40,000s
• Persons below poverty level: ~21%

Insights

• Small, slowly declining population with an older age profile than the nation
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White, with a modest Black population and a small but growing Hispanic share
• Household sizes are modest; homeownership typical of rural Arkansas; poverty notably above the U.S. average

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Poinsett County, AR overview (ACS/Pew-based estimates):

• Population ~23,300; land area ~750 sq mi; density ~31 people/sq mi (rural Mississippi Delta).
• Email users: ~15,000 adults (≈83% of adults) plus ~1,000–1,500 teens; total ≈16,000–17,000 residents use email.
• Age distribution of email users: 18–34 ≈28%, 35–54 ≈37%, 55+ ≈35% (reflects older-leaning local age mix with slightly lower adoption among seniors).
• Gender split among users: ≈51% female, 49% male, mirroring the county population.
• Digital access: ~71% of households have a broadband subscription; ~86% have a computer or smartphone. An estimated 18–20% are mobile‑only, especially outside Trumann, Harrisburg, and Marked Tree.
• Trends: Fixed broadband adoption has inched up since 2019, with rising smartphone dependence in outlying areas. The 2024 wind‑down of the Affordable Connectivity Program likely dampens new subscriptions, while BEAD‑funded fiber builds should expand coverage through 2025–2028.
• Connectivity facts: Town centers typically have multiple providers; many rural tracts remain underserved for wired gigabit. 25/3 Mbps coverage is widespread, but limited upload speeds constrain remote work and telehealth.

Notes: Estimates derived from ACS 2022–2023 and Pew Research on internet/email adoption.

Mobile phone usage in Poinsett County, Arkansas — key statistics and trends different from the state

Scope and sources

• Figures are from the latest available U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2018–2022 5‑year “Computer and Internet Use” (S2801/S2802) and population totals from the ACS; infrastructure points reflect FCC broadband filings and carrier buildout patterns current through 2024.

User estimates and adoption

• Population and households: roughly 23–24 thousand residents across about 9–10 thousand households.
• Estimated mobile users: 19–21 thousand people use a mobile phone; an estimated 16–18 thousand are smartphone users (derived from ACS household smartphone adoption and county age structure).
• Household smartphone access: about the low‑to‑mid‑80% of households have a smartphone, below the Arkansas statewide rate (upper‑80%).
• Cellular data plans: roughly 7 in 10 households have a cellular data plan (below the Arkansas average, mid‑70%).
• Mobile‑only internet: approximately 1 in 5 households rely on a cellular data plan with no wireline internet, notably higher than the state average (about 1 in 7).
• No home internet: about 1 in 5 households report no internet subscription of any kind, higher than the state average (mid‑teens).

Demographic breakdown (household‑level patterns)

• Age of householder
  • Under 35: smartphone access is near universal (mid‑90%); mobile‑only internet roughly one‑quarter.
  • 35–64: smartphone access high‑80s; mobile‑only around one‑fifth.
  • 65+: smartphone access around 70%; mobile‑only near 1 in 4 to 1 in 3.
  • Difference from Arkansas: seniors in Poinsett trail state smartphone access by several points but exceed state mobile‑only reliance by several points.
• Income
  • Under $25k: smartphone access around upper‑70s; mobile‑only reliance about one‑third.
  • $25k–$75k: smartphone access mid‑to‑upper‑80s; mobile‑only near one‑fifth.
  • $75k+: smartphone access near universal (upper‑90s); mobile‑only in the single digits.
  • Difference from Arkansas: low‑income mobile‑only reliance is meaningfully higher than the state average.
• Households with children
  • With children: smartphone access low‑90s; mobile‑only around one‑quarter.
  • Without children: smartphone access low‑80s; mobile‑only around one‑fifth.
• Urban/rural pattern within the county
  • Town centers (Harrisburg, Trumann, Marked Tree) show higher smartphone and plan adoption and lower “no internet” shares than outlying rural blocks, where cellular‑only is more common.

Digital infrastructure and market characteristics

• Coverage footprint
  • AT&T and Verizon provide the widest rural LTE/low‑band 5G coverage; T‑Mobile’s 5G is strongest along major corridors (US‑63/AR‑1) and in towns, with patchier service in agricultural areas and river bottoms.
  • Distinct from statewide: a greater share of rural census blocks experience weak indoor signal or LTE‑only fallback, contributing to higher mobile‑only reliance but uneven performance.
• Capacity and performance
  • Mid‑band 5G capacity is concentrated in and near towns; many rural sectors remain low‑band 5G or LTE, with noticeable evening congestion where households hotspot for home access.
• Backhaul and fiber presence
  • Ongoing middle‑mile/backhaul upgrades by regional providers (e.g., Ritter Communications) and incumbents have improved tower backhaul and added residential fiber in town centers, but numerous rural blocks remain limited to legacy DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite. This wireline gap is a principal driver of above‑average cellular‑only adoption.
• Device/plan mix
  • Higher prevalence of prepaid plans and Android devices than statewide, aligned with lower incomes and stronger use of MVNOs; this supports access but can limit 5G priority and peak speeds compared with postpaid tiers.

How Poinsett County differs from Arkansas overall

• Lower household smartphone adoption (by several percentage points).
• Lower share of households with cellular data plans overall.
• Higher mobile‑only internet reliance (roughly 5–10 percentage points above the state rate).
• Higher share of households with no internet subscription at all.
• More pronounced age and income divides: seniors and low‑income households are significantly more likely to be mobile‑only and less likely to have wireline broadband.
• Coverage and capacity gaps are more rural and persistent than the state average, reinforcing mobile‑only behavior and evening congestion.

Implications

• Network load management: carriers see heavier hotspot traffic and evening congestion; adding mid‑band sectors on rural sites and small‑cell infill in towns would yield outsized gains.
• Equity focus: targeted subsidies and fiber builds in high‑poverty, senior‑heavy blocks could reduce mobile‑only dependence and close the adoption gap relative to the state.

Below is a concise, county-specific snapshot built from modeled estimates. Figures combine Poinsett County’s age/sex profile (U.S. Census/ACS) with Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. social media adoption by age and gender. Percentages reflect adults (18+) unless noted and are rounded.

Topline usage

• Overall reach (13+): ~82% use at least one social platform monthly
• Adults (18+): ~80% use social monthly; daily users: ~64%
• Mobile-first usage: ~90% primarily on smartphones
• Typical peaks: 6–8 a.m., 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m., 7–10 p.m. (local time)

Most-used platforms in Poinsett County (adults)

• YouTube: 81%
• Facebook: 70%
• Instagram: 39%
• Pinterest: 31%
• TikTok: 29%
• Snapchat: 26%
• WhatsApp: 18%
• X (Twitter): 15%
• Reddit: 12%
• LinkedIn: 12%
• Nextdoor: 7%

Age-group adoption and platform skews

• Teens 13–17 (for context): 95% use social; heaviest on YouTube (95%), TikTok (72%), Snapchat (70%), Instagram (60%); Facebook (25%)
• 18–29: 95% use social; YouTube (94%), Instagram (75%), TikTok (70%), Snapchat (66%), Facebook (63%)
• 30–49: 88% use; Facebook (78%), YouTube (86%), Instagram (52%), TikTok (33%), Pinterest (38%)
• 50–64: 76% use; Facebook (72%), YouTube (69%), Instagram (33%), Pinterest (32%), TikTok (20%)
• 65+: 58% use; Facebook (60%), YouTube (49%), Pinterest (20%), Instagram (18%), TikTok (10–12%)

Gender breakdown (adults)

• Overall adoption: women ~82%, men ~78%
• Women: Facebook (74%), Pinterest (44%), Instagram (42%), TikTok (31%), YouTube (~78%)
• Men: YouTube (84%), Facebook (66%), Instagram (35%), TikTok (26%), Reddit (18%), X (17%)

Behavioral trends observed in rural Arkansas counties like Poinsett

• Local-first engagement: Strong participation in Facebook Groups focused on community news, school sports, churches, city/county services, buy-sell-trade, and severe weather updates
• Messaging reliance: Heavy use of Facebook Messenger for coordination (sports, church, family logistics); SMS remains common among older adults
• Video habits: Short-form video dominates (TikTok, Reels, Shorts); live streams for high school sports and church services see strong event-driven spikes
• Commerce and classifieds: Facebook Marketplace and local groups drive informal commerce; seasonal activity rises around planting/harvest, back-to-school, and holidays
• News and alerts: Facebook pages for local media, government, and law enforcement are primary information sources; share-and-comment behavior is high on public-safety and weather posts
• Platform roles:
  • Facebook = community hub and classifieds
  • YouTube = how-to, local sports highlights, church services, music/entertainment
  • Instagram/TikTok = younger audiences, local businesses, food spots, school life
  • Pinterest = recipes, crafts, home projects (female-skewed)
  • X/Reddit = niche use (sports, national news, hobbies)
  • LinkedIn = modest professional networking; concentrated among educators, healthcare, and public sector

Notes on interpretation

• Poinsett County’s older/rural profile boosts Facebook and dampens LinkedIn, Reddit, and X versus national averages; Instagram/TikTok are strong with under-30s but taper above age 35
• Adoption and engagement are sensitive to broadband and mobile coverage; smartphone-only access increases preference for short videos, Stories/Reels, and messaging over long-form text

Sources

• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (platform adoption by age/gender)
• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates for Poinsett County age/sex composition (Method: County demographics weighted by national platform adoption to produce county-level modeled estimates)