Union County

Union County, Arkansas – key demographics (latest U.S. Census Bureau data: 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey [ACS] 5‑year; QuickFacts)

Population

• Total: 39,054 (2020 Census)
• Recent estimate: approximately 38,000 (ACS 2019–2023)

Age

• Median age: about 42 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~22–23%
• 65 and over: ~20–21%

Sex

• Female: ~51–52%
• Male: ~48–49%

Race and ethnicity (percent of total population)

• White alone (non‑Hispanic): ~56–59%
• Black or African American alone: ~36–37%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3–4%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Asian alone: ~0.5–0.7%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.4–0.6%

Households

• Number of households: ~16,000 (ACS 2019–2023)
• Average household size: ~2.35–2.40 persons
• Owner‑occupied housing rate: ~70–72%

Insights

• Population has modestly declined since 2010 and is older than the national median, with roughly one in five residents age 65+.
• The county is majority White with a large Black population and a small but growing Hispanic population.
• Household size is modest and homeownership is relatively high for a rural county.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 ACS 5‑year; QuickFacts (Union County, Arkansas).

Union County, Arkansas snapshot (2024 est.)

• Population: ~38,000; area ~1,039 sq mi; density ~37 people/sq mi. El Dorado holds ~46% of residents, with the remainder in lower-density townships.
• Estimated email users: ~28,000 (about 90% of adults; ~73% of total population).

Age distribution of email users (approx. share of users):

• 18–29: 18%
• 30–49: 32%
• 50–64: 25%
• 65+: 25% This reflects near-universal use among younger adults and slightly lower adoption among seniors.

Gender split among users:

• Female ~51%
• Male ~49% (email adoption is essentially parity by gender)

Digital access and connectivity:

• ~81% of households have a broadband subscription; ~89% have any internet access.
• Fiber/cable are concentrated in El Dorado; rural areas lean on DSL and fixed wireless, with adoption typically 10–12 points lower outside the city.
• Smartphone-only internet households: ~18–20%, making mobile the primary email channel for many residents.
• Cellular LTE covers >95% of populated areas; 5G is present along El Dorado and US‑167/US‑82 corridors.

Insights: Email reach is broad and reliable among adults, strongest in El Dorado. Rural adoption gaps persist, so multi-channel outreach (email plus SMS) improves coverage. Sources: U.S. Census/ACS, FCC broadband data, Pew research.

Union County, Arkansas: Mobile phone usage snapshot (2024)

Population and user estimates

• Population: approximately 38,500 (2023 estimate; 2020 census was 38,682). About 29,000 are adults.
• Estimated adult smartphone users: roughly 23,000–25,000 (about 80–85% of adults), a few points below Arkansas’s statewide adult adoption, which trends closer to the mid-to-high 80s.
• Household smartphone access: about 88–91% of households have at least one smartphone (Union County likely trails the statewide rate by ~2–4 percentage points).
• Smartphone‑only internet households: approximately 20–25% of households rely on cellular data plans as their primary home internet, a higher share than the Arkansas statewide average.
• Total active mobile subscriptions (all device types): on the order of 35,000–45,000 lines countywide, reflecting multiple lines per household but lower line density than urban Arkansas counties.

Demographic patterns that shape usage

• Age: An older age profile than the state drives a wider adoption gap among seniors. Youth and working‑age adults approach near‑universal smartphone ownership; adults 65+ are materially less likely to own smartphones or use them as primary internet (local senior adoption sits several points below the state average).
• Income and affordability: Lower median household income and higher poverty rates than the Arkansas average correlate with:
  • Higher reliance on smartphone‑only access (using mobile data instead of fixed broadband).
  • Greater use of prepaid plans and budget Android devices.
• Race and ethnicity: Black households (a larger share of the county than the state average) are more likely to rely on smartphones for home internet than wired broadband, mirroring national and state digital‑equity patterns.
• Work and commuting: Daytime demand clusters around El Dorado and industrial sites, with noticeable evening peaks in residential areas where home broadband alternatives are limited.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Networks present: AT&T (including FirstNet), Verizon, and T‑Mobile all provide LTE and low‑band 5G across core population centers (El Dorado, Huttig, Junction City, Norphlet, Smackover), with LTE fallback in sparsely populated or heavily forested areas.
• 5G profile:
  • Low‑band 5G covers most populated corridors but does not markedly exceed LTE speeds in fringe areas.
  • Mid‑band 5G (e.g., T‑Mobile n41, Verizon/AT&T C‑band) is concentrated in and around El Dorado and along major highways; countywide mid‑band 5G availability is materially lower than the statewide average.
• Performance: Typical median mobile speeds are strongest in El Dorado and along US‑167/US‑82; speeds drop in rural south and west segments due to tower spacing, foliage, and topography. Indoor coverage weakness is common in metal‑roof structures and large industrial facilities.
• Backhaul and capacity: Limited fiber backhaul outside the El Dorado area constrains sector capacity and peak‑hour performance in rural cells compared with better‑fibred parts of the state.
• Public safety: AT&T FirstNet is the primary public‑safety LTE/5G network; coverage is generally good in El Dorado with rural gaps filled by deployables during incidents.
• Cross‑border effects: Proximity to Louisiana means some devices may roam or prefer neighboring cells in southern fringe areas, impacting consistency.

How Union County differs from Arkansas overall

• Adoption and access
  • Slightly lower adult smartphone adoption than the statewide average, driven by an older age mix and affordability.
  • Higher share of smartphone‑only households than the Arkansas average, indicating greater dependence on mobile data to meet home‑internet needs.
  • Higher prepaid penetration and budget device mix than state urban counties.
• Network and performance
  • Broader low‑band 5G footprint than in past years, but mid‑band 5G coverage is meaningfully behind the state’s metro‑weighted average.
  • Greater variability in speeds and reliability due to tower spacing and backhaul constraints; urban Arkansas locales generally post higher medians and fewer dead zones.
• Digital divide
  • The senior adoption gap is wider than the state average.
  • Income‑ and race‑linked disparities in home internet substitution (smartphone‑only) are more pronounced locally than statewide.

Implications

• Mobile networks are the primary bridge for many households lacking reliable fixed broadband; capacity upgrades (mid‑band 5G and backhaul) will have outsized local impact.
• Digital inclusion efforts that pair affordable plans/devices with senior training and fixed‑wireless or fiber buildouts would close the largest local gaps more effectively than in Arkansas metros where mid‑band 5G and fiber are already prevalent.

Notes on sources and basis

• Estimates reflect 2020 census population baselines, 2018–2022 American Community Survey patterns on device and subscription types, and 2023–2024 carrier coverage deployments in Arkansas. Figures are rounded for decision‑use clarity and emphasize county‑vs‑state directional differences.

Social media usage snapshot for Union County, Arkansas (est. 2024–2025)

• Overall reach

  • Estimated social media users: 21,000–23,000 residents aged 13+ (about 68–72% of residents 13+).
  • Access context: smartphone ownership 85–90% of adults; home internet subscriptions roughly 75–82% of households.

• Age profile of local social media users

  • 13–17: 8–10%
  • 18–29: 22–25%
  • 30–49: 32–35%
  • 50–64: 22–24%
  • 65+: 12–14%
  • Takeaway: User base skews slightly older than the national mix, reflecting the county’s older age structure, but 50+ usage is substantial.

• Gender breakdown of users

  • Female: 52–55%
  • Male: 45–48%
  • Takeaway: Women slightly over-index, especially on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube and X.

• Most-used platforms among local social media users

  • YouTube: 82–88%
  • Facebook: 70–76%
  • Instagram: 34–40%
  • TikTok: 30–36%
  • Snapchat: 24–30%
  • Pinterest: 24–30%
  • X (Twitter): 10–15%
  • LinkedIn: 12–18%
  • Reddit: 8–12%
  • Nextdoor: 4–7%
  • Rank order: YouTube and Facebook dominate; Instagram and TikTok form the secondary tier; others are niche.

• Behavioral trends and local usage patterns

  • Community-first behavior: Heavy reliance on Facebook Groups and Pages for schools, churches, youth sports, local government, and events; Facebook Marketplace is a top commerce use-case.
  • Video preference: Short-form video (Reels/TikTok/YouTube Shorts) drives the highest engagement; live streams perform during games, festivals, and severe weather.
  • News and alerts: Spikes in local news, weather, and public safety updates; local broadcasters and county/school accounts are high-trust sources.
  • Timing: Peak engagement evenings (7–10 p.m.) and weekends; secondary spikes at lunch hours on workdays; weather events create real-time surges.
  • Demographic nuances:
    • 13–24: Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram-led; YouTube near-universal.
    • 25–44: Facebook + Instagram core, with growing TikTok; YouTube for how‑to and product research.
    • 45–64: Facebook dominant; YouTube strong; Pinterest notable among women.
    • 65+: Facebook primary; YouTube for news, church, and DIY.
  • Advertising/organic effectiveness:
    • Best paid reach: Facebook/Instagram for broad local targeting; TikTok efficient for 18–34; YouTube for awareness at scale.
    • Best organic reach: Facebook Groups/Pages with localized content; video outperforms static posts; calls-to-action tied to local causes or events convert better.

Notes on data: Figures are modeled for Union County using its age/sex profile (U.S. Census/ACS) and 2023–2024 U.S. platform adoption benchmarks (e.g., Pew Research), adjusted for rural/southern usage patterns and platform audience tools; ranges reflect estimation uncertainty.