Polk County

Polk County, Arkansas – key demographics (most recent Census/ACS data)

• Population

  • 2020 Census: 19,221
  • 2023 estimate: ~19.1K (slight decline since 2010)

• Age

  • Median age: ~46 years
  • Under 18: ~21–22%
  • 65 and over: ~22–23%

• Sex

  • Female: ~50–51%
  • Male: ~49–50%

• Race/ethnicity (percent of total population)

  • White, non-Hispanic: ~85%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~6–7%
  • Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~5%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~1–2%
  • Black, non-Hispanic: ~1%
  • Asian, non-Hispanic: <1%
  • Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: ~0%

• Households and housing

  • Households: ~7.6–7.7K
  • Persons per household: ~2.45–2.50
  • Family households: ~60–65% of households
  • Households with children under 18: ~25–27%
  • Owner-occupied housing rate: ~75–78%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year; 2023 Population Estimates Program).

• Population baseline: Polk County had 19,221 residents (2020), roughly 22 people per square mile—well below Arkansas’ ~58/sq‑mi average, reflecting sparse, rural connectivity.
• Estimated email users: ~13,900 adult users (≈93% of adults; ≈72% of total population).
• Age distribution of email users (modeled from county age mix and national usage rates):
  • 18–29: ~2,640 users
  • 30–49: ~4,480 users
  • 50–64: ~3,540 users
  • 65+: ~3,230 users
• Gender split among email users: 50.5% female (7,010) and 49.5% male (6,870).
• Digital access and trends:
  • Household internet: ≈71% broadband subscription, ~10% smartphone‑only, ~19% with no home internet.
  • Access gaps are concentrated outside Mena and along forested, mountainous terrain where fixed‑line options thin out; residents often rely on 4G LTE for email, with 5G primarily near population centers and highway corridors.
  • Fiber expansion projects (state/federal-funded, 2024–2028) are raising availability and speeds; library and school Wi‑Fi remain important access points.
• Insights:
  • Email is effectively universal among connected adults, including seniors, but overall usage is capped by rural connectivity gaps.
  • Growth will come from new last‑mile fiber and improved mobile coverage, narrowing the ~1 in 5 no‑home‑internet gap and lifting daily email engagement in outlying communities.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Polk County, Arkansas

Scale and user estimates

• Population base: 19,221 (2020 Census); households about 7,800–8,000.
• Adult smartphone users (estimate): 12,000–13,500 residents, based on American Community Survey (ACS 2018–2022) smartphone-in-household rates and Polk County’s adult population share.
• Household-level device and subscription indicators (ACS 2018–2022, 5-year):
  • Households with a smartphone: ~89% in Polk County vs ~92% statewide.
  • Households with a cellular data plan: ~70% Polk vs ~75% Arkansas.
  • Broadband subscription (any technology): ~73% Polk vs ~79% Arkansas.
  • No internet subscription: ~23% Polk vs ~18% Arkansas.
  • Smartphone-only households (smartphone but no computer): ~11% Polk vs ~9% Arkansas. Key insight: Mobile access is widespread but runs a few points below the Arkansas average; dependence on smartphones as the primary/only internet device is modestly higher than the state.

Demographic drivers and usage patterns

• Older population profile: About 23–24% age 65+ in Polk vs ~18% statewide. This skews overall smartphone adoption a bit lower and raises the share of voice/text-first users, especially outside Mena.
• Income and education: Higher poverty share and lower bachelor’s attainment than the state average correlate with:
  • Slightly higher prepaid plan use and budget Android device penetration.
  • Higher likelihood of smartphone-only internet access in lower-income households.
• Rural settlement pattern: With most residents outside the main town of Mena, mobile service quality and 5G availability vary sharply by terrain and distance to corridors.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Radio access networks:
  • All three national carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T‑Mobile) provide 4G LTE in and around Mena and along US‑71; coverage thins in the Ouachita National Forest and along secondary roads (AR‑8, AR‑375, AR‑88).
  • 5G availability: Present along main corridors and population centers; patchier than the statewide norm outside town centers due to terrain and tower spacing. Low‑band spectrum (AT&T Band 12/14 FirstNet, T‑Mobile Band 71, Verizon Band 13) underpins most wide‑area coverage.
• Backhaul and capacity:
  • Fiber backhaul is concentrated along US‑71 and into Mena; microwave backhaul remains common on outlying sites, limiting peak speeds during busy hours compared with urban Arkansas markets.
• Fixed wireless/home internet via mobile networks:
  • T‑Mobile and AT&T offer 4G/5G home internet in and around Mena; eligibility drops in the mountains and forested valleys where signal and backhaul are weaker.
• Public safety:
  • FirstNet (AT&T) is active; coverage improvements often come via Band 14 upgrades on shared public-safety/macro sites.
• Tower market:
  • Sites primarily owned by major towercos (American Tower, SBA, Crown Castle) with infill limited by terrain and permit constraints near the national forest.

How Polk County trends differ from Arkansas overall

• Adoption: Household smartphone presence is a few percentage points lower than the state, primarily due to a larger senior share and more dispersed rural households.
• Access mode: Polk shows a higher share of smartphone-only internet households than the statewide average, reflecting lower fixed-broadband availability and affordability in rural tracts.
• Network performance and 5G reach: 5G coverage and median mobile speeds lag state urban/suburban norms; performance is strong in Mena and along US‑71 but drops rapidly off-corridor.
• Affordability mix: Prepaid and subsidy-supported plans (e.g., ACP-era enrollments) historically accounted for a larger portion of lines than in metro Arkansas; with ACP’s wind-down, Polk faces greater risk of increased smartphone-only dependence and data-constrained plans.
• Reliability: Terrain-induced dead zones and microwave-fed sites create more variability in call reliability and data throughput than typical statewide conditions, especially during peak hours and severe weather.

Implications

• For service providers: Capacity upgrades tied to fiber backhaul extensions and additional low-band 5G carriers off the US‑71 corridor will yield outsized benefits; targeted small cells or repeaters near valleys and school/bus routes can close prominent gaps.
• For public agencies and anchor institutions: Mobile coverage improvements will likely deliver higher near-term connectivity gains than fixed builds in the most rugged areas; co-location with public safety/transport assets can accelerate gap-filling.
• For residents and businesses: Plan selection with strong low-band coverage (and Wi‑Fi calling) materially improves reliability outside Mena; external antennas or signal boosters are effective in fringe areas.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2018–2022 (S2801 Types of Computers and Internet Subscriptions; county vs state comparisons); FCC carrier coverage filings and FirstNet public materials; carrier-disclosed spectrum holdings and rural Arkansas deployment patterns.

Polk County, AR social media snapshot (2025, best-available local estimates)

• Population context

  • Residents: ≈19.4K (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 estimates)
  • Adults (18+): ≈15.1K
  • Adults using at least one social platform: ≈10.6K (≈70% of adults; modeled from Pew Research Center rural/older-age adoption rates)

• Platform usage (share of adult social media users in Polk County; multiple platforms per person)

  • Facebook: ≈85% (≈9.0K users) — most dominant for community/news, local commerce, and events
  • YouTube: ≈80% (≈8.5K) — how‑to, local interest, outdoors, faith, and school content
  • Instagram: ≈35% (≈3.7K) — younger adults, local boutiques, food, events; often cross‑posted from Facebook
  • Pinterest: ≈32% (≈3.4K) — strong among women; home, crafts, recipes
  • TikTok: ≈28% (≈3.0K) — growing among 18–39; short local videos (outdoors, small business highlights)
  • Snapchat: ≈20% (≈2.1K) — teens/young adults; low business utility
  • X (Twitter): ≈15% (≈1.6K) — niche; sports, statewide news, weather trackers
  • LinkedIn: ≈12% (≈1.3K) — professionals, education/healthcare admins
  • Reddit: ≈10% (≈1.1K) — hobby and regional subs; not a local discovery channel
  • Nextdoor: ≈6% (≈0.6K) — limited neighborhood coverage; Facebook Groups fill the “hyperlocal” role

• Age distribution of local social media users (share of the ≈10.6K users)

  • 18–29: ≈20% (≈2.1K)
  • 30–49: ≈35% (≈3.7K)
  • 50–64: ≈28% (≈3.0K)
  • 65+: ≈17% (≈1.8K)

• Gender breakdown (share of the ≈10.6K users)

  • Female: ≈53% (≈5.6K)
  • Male: ≈47% (≈5.0K)
  • Notes: Women over‑index on Facebook and Pinterest; men over‑index on YouTube, Reddit, and X

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of Groups for school updates, church activities, civic info, weather alerts, yard sales, and lost/found. Marketplace is a primary buy/sell channel.
• Video first: YouTube and Facebook video are core for local promotion; short‑form TikTok/Instagram Reels growing with under‑40s and small businesses.
• Mobile‑heavy usage: Most engagement occurs on smartphones; evening (7–10 pm) and weekend peaks. Daytime spikes align with school and weather announcements.
• Trust and authenticity: Posts from recognizable local institutions, officials, schools, and businesses drive markedly higher engagement than faceless pages. UGC (photos from events, sports, outdoors) performs better than stock creative.
• Cross‑posting is common: Many pages post first to Facebook, then to Instagram; TikTok content is often repurposed as Reels.
• Ads that work locally: Geofenced promos, limited‑time offers, event reminders, and participation with active Groups outperform generic brand ads. Click‑to‑Message (Messenger) and Marketplace listings convert well for services and retail.
• Platform outlook (12–18 months): Facebook stable and still dominant; Instagram and TikTok continue modest growth among 18–39; X stays niche; Pinterest steady with seasonal spikes; Snapchat remains youth‑centric.

Method and sources

• Figures are county‑specific estimates derived by applying Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. social media adoption by age and platform to Polk County’s age structure and rural profile, anchored to U.S. Census Bureau 2023 population estimates. They reflect overlapping platform use and are intended for planning-level decisions.