Saint Francis County

Saint Francis County, Arkansas — key demographics (latest available from U.S. Census Bureau: 2020 Census; 2019–2023 ACS; 2023 Population Estimates)

Population size and change

• Total population (2023 estimate): ~22.8K, continuing a long-term decline from 28.3K (2010) and ~24.2K (2020)

Age

• Under 18: ~21%
• 65 and over: ~16%
• Median age: ~38–39 years

Gender

• Female: ~44–46% (male-skewed due to federal correctional facilities in the county)

Racial/ethnic composition

• Black or African American: ~55–58%
• White (non-Hispanic): ~37–40%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~4–5%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: each <1%

Household and housing

• Households (ACS 5-year): ~8.5K–9.0K
• Persons per household: ~2.5
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~60–62%
• Median household income (in 2022 dollars): ~$34K–$38K
• Per capita income: ~$19K–$21K
• Persons in poverty: ~26–30%
• Median gross rent: ~$650–$750

Notable context

• A sizable group-quarters population (federal prisons in Forrest City) materially skews sex ratio, age distribution (more adults 18–44), and some socioeconomic indicators.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (PL 94-171), 2019–2023 American Community Survey (5-year), and 2023 Population Estimates Program.

Saint Francis County, Arkansas (pop. ≈23,090; land ≈635 sq mi; density ≈36 people/sq mi) centers on Forrest City along the I‑40 corridor, where connectivity is strongest; rural townships to the north/south lag.

Estimated email users: ≈15,600 residents (about 85% of people age 15+), modeled from local age structure and national email adoption.

Age distribution of email users (share of users):

• 15–24: 17%
• 25–44: 35%
• 45–64: 28%
• 65+: 20%

Gender split among email users: ≈52% female, 48% male. Note: The county’s sizable incarcerated population skews total population male, but non‑institutional email adoption remains roughly even by gender.

Digital access and trends:

• Home internet: roughly three‑quarters of households subscribe to broadband; about one in five lack a home subscription; ~1 in 9 are smartphone‑only users.
• Coverage: >95% of addresses have at least 25/3 Mbps availability; fiber and higher‑speed options have expanded since 2021, with fastest uptake in Forrest City/I‑40; gaps persist in sparsely populated areas.
• Devices: Most households have a computer and/or smartphone; library, school, and civic facilities serve as important access points for those without home service.

Overall, email usage is widespread but constrained at the margins by affordability and rural last‑mile connectivity.

Saint Francis County, Arkansas — Mobile Phone Usage Summary (2023–2024)

Population and baseline context

• Population: about 23,000–23,500 residents; roughly 8,500–9,000 households. The county includes Forrest City (largest population center) and a sizable incarcerated population at FCI Forrest City, which depresses per-capita device metrics relative to the non-institutionalized adult population.
• Demographics: majority Black county (roughly mid-50% Black, low-40% White, small Hispanic/Latino share), older than the state average, and lower income than the state median. These characteristics correlate with greater mobile-only internet reliance and higher prepaid usage.

Estimated mobile user base

• Adults (18+): ~17,500–18,500.
• Smartphone users: ~14,000–15,000 adults (roughly 78–82% of adults), lower than the Arkansas statewide rate (typically mid-80s%).
• Feature phone users: ~1,100–1,600 adults (about 6–9%).
• Adults without a mobile phone: ~1,800–2,500 (about 10–14%); the apparent per-capita share is elevated by the county’s incarcerated population.

How county usage differs from Arkansas overall

• Lower smartphone adoption: 5–8 percentage points below the state average, concentrated among seniors (65+) and very low-income residents.
• Higher mobile-only internet reliance: about 24–30% of households use cellular data as their primary/only internet connection vs roughly the high-teens percentage statewide.
• More prepaid and Android: prepaid lines constitute an estimated 35–45% of active lines (10–15 points above state mix); Android share is roughly 68–75% of smartphones (about 8–12 points higher than statewide), reflecting price sensitivity.
• Home broadband subscription gap: only about 58–66% of households maintain fixed broadband (cable/DSL/fiber/satellite), materially below the state level (low– to mid‑70s%). This pushes higher mobile data usage per line in the county.
• Usage profile: higher reliance on tethering and hotspot use for school/work tasks and government services; heavier messaging and short‑form video relative to long‑form 4K streaming outside the I‑40 corridor due to capacity limits.

Demographic breakdown of mobile usage (estimates)

• By age:
  • 18–34: near‑universal smartphone access (mid‑ to high‑90s%); heavy app and social usage.
  • 35–64: high smartphone access (mid‑80s to low‑90s%).
  • 65+: substantially lower adoption (about 55–65%), well below the state’s senior adoption rate.
• By race/ethnicity:
  • Black adults: high smartphone adoption and above‑average mobile‑only internet reliance, driven by cost constraints and weaker fixed‑line availability in some neighborhoods.
  • White adults: slightly lower smartphone adoption than Black adults in the county, with a higher share of feature‑phone users among seniors.
• By income/education:
  • Lowest‑income households are far more likely to be smartphone‑only/mobile‑only for internet and to use prepaid plans; fixed broadband non‑subscription is concentrated here.
  • Households with children have higher device counts per household and higher monthly data consumption due to school and entertainment needs.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage
  • All three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) provide 4G LTE countywide coverage with 5G along the I‑40 corridor and in/around Forrest City. Coverage thins in low‑lying rural areas and wooded tracts away from highways.
• Capacity and speeds
  • Interstate and town cores: 5G mid‑band and C‑band where available deliver strong performance suitable for HD/4K streaming, telehealth, and video conferencing.
  • Rural stretches: predominantly 4G LTE with variable capacity; users experience larger swings in download speed and higher latency, especially at peak evening hours.
• Backhaul and resilience
  • Fiber backhaul follows I‑40 and key arterials; outside those corridors, carriers lean more on microwave backhaul. Power resiliency is mixed; ice storms and severe weather can cause localized outages until generators or restoration crews arrive.
• Assets and anchors
  • Dozens of registered macro towers serve the county, clustered along I‑40, US‑70, AR‑1, and around Forrest City. Small cells and sector densification are focused near interstate exits and commercial areas.
  • Public anchors (schools, hospital/clinics, East Arkansas Community College) act as demand hubs and Wi‑Fi offload points; E‑Rate investments have improved on‑premise connectivity but do not fully offset residential last‑mile gaps.

Quantified household internet mix (county vs state, estimates)

• Fixed broadband subscribers: County 58–66% of households; State low‑ to mid‑70s%.
• Mobile‑only internet households: County 24–30%; State ~15–20%.
• No home internet of any kind: County roughly 8–12%; State ~6–9%.

User behavior and market mix

• Prepaid penetration: 35–45% of lines; strong presence of MVNOs due to pricing and credit constraints.
• Device ecosystem: Android 68–75%; iOS 25–32%.
• Average mobile data use: roughly 15–22 GB per smartphone per month, higher than the statewide average due to mobile‑only households and hotspot use.
• Churn and number porting: higher than state average, tied to prepaid share and income volatility.

Key takeaways for Saint Francis County

• The county leans more heavily on mobile connectivity than Arkansas overall, not because of unusually high smartphone ownership, but because fixed broadband availability, affordability, and senior adoption lag.
• Investment that expands mid‑band 5G away from the interstate and improves fiber backhaul to rural towers would meaningfully narrow the performance gap.
• Programs that address device affordability, prepaid plan stability, and senior digital literacy would likely raise adoption toward the statewide norm and reduce mobile‑only dependence for work, education, and telehealth.

Social media usage snapshot: Saint Francis County, Arkansas (2025)

Population and access context

• Population: ~23,000 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2019–2023). Adult share roughly three-quarters of residents.
• Internet/smartphone access: About 4 in 5 households in rural Arkansas have home internet; ~9 in 10 adults own a smartphone (Pew Research Center, 2024; ACS).
• Note on denominators: The county includes a sizable incarcerated population in Forrest City; social media usage reflects the non‑institutionalized population.

Overall social media penetration (adults)

• Adults using at least one social platform: ~75–80% of non‑institutionalized adults (in line with U.S. adult usage; Pew 2024).
• Practical takeaway: Social media reaches a clear majority of adults and essentially all teens locally.

Most‑used platforms among adults (share of adults who use each; local estimates aligned to rural U.S. patterns)

• YouTube: ~80–85%
• Facebook: ~70–75% (slightly higher than urban averages; backbone for community info)
• Instagram: ~45–50%
• TikTok: ~30–35%
• Snapchat: ~25–30%
• Pinterest: ~30–35% (strong among women)
• LinkedIn: ~15–25% (lower in rural counties)
• X/Twitter: ~15–20% (lower than national average)
• WhatsApp: ~20–25% (pockets of heavy use for family/community messaging)
• Nextdoor: ~10–15% (varies by neighborhood adoption)

Age‑group usage patterns (platform reach within each group; adults reflect Pew 2024 patterns, applied locally)

• Teens (13–17): >90% use at least one platform; heavy daily use of TikTok and Snapchat; Instagram close behind; YouTube nearly universal.
• 18–29: YouTube ~90%+; Instagram ~75–80%; Snapchat ~60–65%; TikTok ~60–65%; Facebook ~50–60%.
• 30–49: YouTube ~90%; Facebook ~70–80%; Instagram ~45–50%; TikTok ~35–40%; Snapchat ~20–25%.
• 50–64: YouTube ~80–85%; Facebook ~70–75%; Instagram ~20–25%; TikTok ~15–20%.
• 65+: Facebook ~55–65%; YouTube ~55–65%; Instagram ~10–15%; TikTok ~5–10%.

Gender breakdown and platform skew

• Overall local social media audience skews slightly female among non‑institutionalized residents.
• Platform tendencies (U.S. adult patterns applied locally):
  • Pinterest: majority women (~70–75% of users)
  • Reddit: majority men (~60–70% of users)
  • X/Twitter: modest male skew
  • TikTok and Snapchat: slight female skew
  • Facebook and YouTube: broadly balanced

Behavioral trends observed in rural Arkansas counties like Saint Francis

• Facebook as the community hub: School districts, churches, local government, youth sports, obituaries, and “yard sale”/Marketplace groups drive daily check‑ins; severe‑weather and outage updates see rapid engagement and sharing.
• Marketplace > traditional classifieds: Strong buy/sell behavior for vehicles, tools, farm/ranch items; trust built through local group rules and moderator reputation.
• Short‑form video growth: Reels and TikTok clips (often cross‑posted) power discovery for local restaurants, salons, auto services, and events; creators favor quick how‑to, behind‑the‑scenes, and faith/community content.
• Messaging first: Facebook Messenger is ubiquitous among adults; teens and young adults rely on Snapchat for day‑to‑day communication; WhatsApp adoption concentrated in families with out‑of‑area ties.
• News and civic info: Residents rely more on Facebook pages/groups and YouTube livestreams than on X for local news; county meetings, church services, and school events see regular live/recorded video consumption.
• Ad spend and outreach: Small businesses lean on boosted Facebook posts and Instagram Reels for reach; employment and housing leads commonly originate in Facebook groups rather than LinkedIn or X.
• Time‑of‑day patterns: Peaks around lunch and 7–10 p.m.; seasonal spikes around school calendars, holidays, and severe weather.

Sources and method notes

• Platform percentages and demographic skews reflect Pew Research Center: Social Media Use in 2024 (applied to a rural‑county context). Population context from U.S. Census Bureau ACS (2019–2023). Rural internet adoption from ACS and national device ownership from Pew. Local platform shares are estimates aligned to rural Arkansas usage patterns and may exceed or trail national averages by a few points (Facebook higher; X and LinkedIn lower).