Pulaski County

Pulaski County, Arkansas — key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ACS 1-year unless noted)

Population

• Total population: ~399,000
• Number of households: ~167,000
• Average household size: ~2.36
• Average family size: ~3.05

Age

• Median age: ~37
• Under 18: ~22–23%
• 65 and over: ~16–17%

Sex

• Female: ~52%
• Male: ~48%

Race and ethnicity (mutually exclusive; Hispanic can be any race)

• Non-Hispanic White: ~49–50%
• Non-Hispanic Black or African American: ~38%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~8–9%
• Non-Hispanic Asian: ~2–3%
• Non-Hispanic Two or more races/Other (incl. AIAN, NHPI): ~2%

Household composition

• Family households: ~58–60%
  • Married-couple families: ~39–41% of households
  • Female householder, no spouse: ~14–16%
• Nonfamily households: ~40–42%
  • Living alone: ~33–35% of all households
  • 65+ living alone: ~10–11%

Insights

• The county is roughly half non-Hispanic White with a large non-Hispanic Black population and a growing Hispanic community near 9%.
• Age structure is relatively balanced, with a modest senior share and a median age around 37.
• Household mix skews toward smaller households, with about one-third living alone.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 1-year (tables DP05, S0101, S1101) and related estimates.

Pulaski County, AR (pop ~400,000): ~311,000 email users (≈78% of residents; ≈93% of people age 13+).

Age distribution of email users

• 13–17: ~20k (6%)
• 18–34: ~93k (30%)
• 35–54: ~104k (33%)
• 55–64: ~41k (13%)
• 65+: ~53k (17%)

Gender split

• County is ~52% female, 48% male; email users mirror this: ≈162k female, ≈149k male.

Digital access and usage patterns

• ≈89% of households have a home broadband subscription; ≈18% are smartphone‑only; ≈11% have no home internet.
• Email adoption closely tracks internet access: highest among 18–54; modestly lower among 65+ and in lower‑income neighborhoods.

Local density/connectivity facts

• Density ≈525 residents per sq mi across ~760 sq mi of land.
• Urban Little Rock/North Little Rock cores have cable and fiber with gigabit availability and broad 5G coverage; outer fringes rely more on fixed wireless/DSL.
• The Central Arkansas Library System provides free Wi‑Fi and computers at branches across the county, expanding access for residents without home service.

Mobile phone usage in Pulaski County, AR (2023–2024)

Scale and user estimates

• Population and households: ~400,000 residents and ~170,000 households.
• Smartphone access: American Community Survey (ACS S2801) indicates smartphone access in Pulaski County is in the low-90s percent of households, a few points higher than Arkansas overall (high-80s to ~90%). Households with no internet subscription are notably lower in Pulaski (roughly 9–12%) than statewide (about 15–19%).
• Individual users: Applying typical urban smartphone adoption to the county’s adult population yields an estimated 290,000–310,000 smartphone users (including teens, ~310,000–330,000 total mobile users).
• Wireless-only voice: Consistent with National Health Interview Survey patterns, roughly two-thirds of Pulaski County adults live in wireless-only (no landline) households—lower than Arkansas overall, which is among the higher wireless-only states.

Demographic breakdown (directional differences confirmed by ACS and major surveys; shares are rounded to reflect available county-level precision)

• Age:
  • 18–34: Very high smartphone ownership (>95%); heavy mobile data/video use. Pulaski tracks close to national urban rates and exceeds the Arkansas average.
  • 35–64: High adoption (~90%+), with strong employer-paid device presence given the concentration of state and health sector jobs.
  • 65+: Higher smartphone adoption in Pulaski (~75–80%) than the statewide average (typically low-70s), reflecting better device availability, retail access, and support services in the metro area.
• Income and education:
  • Low-income households in Pulaski are less likely than higher-income peers to have home broadband and are more likely to rely on smartphones as the primary internet connection; however, the mobile-only reliance gap is smaller than in rural Arkansas.
  • Higher educational attainment in the county correlates with greater multi-device ownership (smartphone + tablet/laptop) and postpaid plan uptake.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Black residents (a larger share of the county than the state average) exhibit smartphone ownership on par with the county average, with slightly higher use of prepaid/MVNO plans than postpaid.
  • Hispanic residents are more mobile-first than the county average, with above-average reliance on smartphones for internet access and messaging apps; language-inclusive plans and international calling features see stronger traction in this segment.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• 5G availability: All three national carriers provide countywide 5G coverage across the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Sherwood corridor, with contiguous mid-band 5G along major transportation routes. Coverage in populated areas is effectively ubiquitous; patchiness is limited to low-density edges.
• Capacity and speeds: Independent speed testing in 2023–2024 shows mid-band 5G delivering typical median download speeds roughly 150–300 Mbps in central Little Rock and 50–120 Mbps toward western and northern fringes—consistently faster than statewide medians due to denser site grids and greater fiber backhaul.
• Backhaul and fiber: Robust fiber presence (AT&T Fiber and major cable operators) anchors mobile backhaul and small-cell densification in core corridors (downtown, medical district, interstates), supporting higher mobile throughput and lower latency than most Arkansas counties.
• Public connectivity: Libraries, universities, hospitals, and government complexes provide extensive Wi‑Fi offload capacity; this reduces peak-hour strain on mobile networks in the urban core more than is typical statewide.

How Pulaski County differs from Arkansas overall

• Higher smartphone penetration and lower “no-internet” household share than the state average.
• More postpaid and employer-provided lines; lower dependence on prepaid than rural counties.
• Higher 5G availability and materially faster median mobile speeds due to denser macro/small-cell deployment and stronger fiber backhaul.
• Smaller, though still present, mobile-reliance gap by income; fewer cellular-only households than statewide, reflecting better fixed-broadband options.
• Heavier data consumption (video, telehealth, navigation, and enterprise apps), especially around state government and healthcare hubs.
• Older adults adopt smartphones at higher rates than the Arkansas average, narrowing the age-based digital divide relative to the rest of the state.

Key takeaways

• Expect ~300,000+ active smartphone users in Pulaski County, with usage intensity and network performance above Arkansas norms.
• Infrastructure—particularly mid-band 5G and fiber backhaul—drives a measurable advantage in speeds and reliability versus most of the state.
• Mobile is a primary access channel for many low- and moderate-income households, but Pulaski’s broader availability of fixed broadband and public Wi‑Fi moderates the mobile-only reliance seen elsewhere in Arkansas.

Pulaski County, AR — social media snapshot (2024–2025)

Overview/user stats

• Overall penetration: Approximately 72–75% of residents and roughly 80%+ of adults use at least one social platform (U.S. benchmarks applied locally).
• Multi‑platform behavior: Most adults use several platforms in parallel (video + one or two social apps + a messaging app), mirroring national patterns.

Most‑used platforms among adults (estimated share of Pulaski County adults, aligned to Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. adoption rates)

• YouTube: ~83%
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~47%
• Pinterest: ~35%
• LinkedIn: ~30%
• TikTok: ~33%
• Snapchat: ~27%
• WhatsApp: ~26%
• X (Twitter): ~22%
• Reddit: ~22%

Age group patterns

• 18–29: Very high daily use; over-index on short‑form video and chat. Heavy on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; YouTube is near‑universal. Facebook is used but less central.
• 30–49: Broadest multi‑platform use. Facebook and Instagram for family/community and local businesses; YouTube for how‑to, product research; growing TikTok/Reels use.
• 50–64: Facebook is the hub (news, church, school, civic groups, marketplace). YouTube for tutorials and local content; Pinterest for hobbies; some Instagram.
• 65+: Facebook and YouTube dominate; limited use of newer apps. Messaging via Facebook Messenger is common.

Gender breakdown (directional, based on U.S. usage patterns that track in Pulaski County)

• Overall adoption is similar by gender.
• Women over‑index on Facebook, Instagram, and especially Pinterest; men over‑index on YouTube, Reddit, X, and LinkedIn.
• Pinterest is notably female‑skewed; Reddit and X are male‑skewed.

Behavioral trends in Pulaski County

• Community-first Facebook usage: Neighborhood, school, church, civic, and buy/sell/trade groups drive daily engagement; Facebook Events is central for local happenings.
• Short‑form video growth: TikTok and Instagram Reels are key for local discovery (food, festivals, small businesses); cross‑posting between TikTok and Instagram is common.
• Video as default: YouTube underpins entertainment, DIY/home projects, product research, and local/government streams; it reaches all ages.
• Messaging layer: Facebook Messenger is the default for local communications; WhatsApp is used within international/Hispanic communities and for cross‑border ties.
• Local commerce: Facebook Marketplace, Instagram Shops, and TikTok Shop are active for resale and small business; reviews and “before/after” video format perform well.
• News and public information: Facebook Pages/Groups and YouTube carry most local news reach; X usage is narrower and more news/politics‑centric.
• Posting patterns: Evenings and weekends see strongest engagement; live video and short clips with people/places recognizable to locals outperform generic stock content.

Notes on methodology

• County‑level platform metrics are not routinely published; figures above apply Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adult platform adoption rates to Pulaski County’s adult population and are consistent with patterns observed in urban Arkansas counties.

Key sources

• Pew Research Center, “Social Media Use in 2024” (U.S. adult platform adoption)
• DataReportal, Digital 2024: USA (population‑level social media penetration)
• U.S. Census Bureau, ACS (demographic structure for local age/gender context)