Dixie County

Do you want these figures from the 2020 Decennial Census (official counts) or the latest American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2018–2022), which provide more detail but are estimates? I can include margins of error if you’d like.

Dixie County, FL snapshot (estimates)

• Population baseline: ~17,000 (2020 Census). Low density ~24 people/sq mi; service is best in/around Cross City and along US‑19/98, sparser in remote coastal/forested areas.
• Email users: ~9,000–12,000 residents use email at least occasionally. Method: rural internet adoption ~70–80% and >90% of internet users use email (Pew/national).
• Age mix of email users:
  • 13–24: ~10–15% (heavy mobile/social use; email mainly for school/work).
  • 25–44: ~25–30%.
  • 45–64: ~30–35% (largest cohort locally).
  • 65+: ~20–25% (growing use for telehealth/government services).
• Gender split: roughly even overall; slight male skew possible due to the local correctional facility, but email use rates are similar by gender.
• Digital access trends:
  • Home broadband adoption roughly 65–75% (rural-level).
  • Smartphone‑only internet users ~15–25% (common in rural/low‑income households).
  • Public Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools) and mobile hotspots fill gaps.
  • Ongoing state/federal rural broadband grants aim to reduce unserved pockets; incremental fiber/wireless build‑outs expected.

Overall: email is near‑universal among connected adults, with growth among seniors and mobile‑first usage rising, but coverage and affordability gaps persist in the most remote areas.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Dixie County, Florida

Context

• Small, rural Gulf Coast county with roughly 17,000 residents, older than the Florida average and with lower household incomes.
• Population is concentrated in and around Cross City and Old Town, with large areas of forest, wetlands, and coastline that are sparsely populated.

User estimates (order-of-magnitude, based on rural adoption patterns and age structure)

• Total mobile phone users (any cellphone): approximately 12,000–13,500 residents.
• Smartphone users: approximately 10,000–12,000 residents. Method notes: Assumes ~78–80% adult share of population and rural “any cellphone” adoption near 88–92%, with smartphone adoption somewhat below the statewide average due to age and income mix.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age: A larger share of 65+ residents than statewide leads to:
  • Lower smartphone penetration among seniors, with a noticeable minority using basic/flip phones.
  • Growing but still below-state telehealth and app usage among seniors; many rely on voice/SMS.
• Income and plans:
  • Higher reliance on prepaid/MVNO plans than Florida overall.
  • More data-capped plans and hotspot use for home connectivity because fixed broadband options are limited or expensive in outlying areas.
• Youth and working-age adults:
  • Near-universal phone ownership; heavy use of social apps and messaging.
  • Above-average “smartphone-only” internet users compared with the state (mobile device is the primary or only connection at home).
• Language and race/ethnicity:
  • County is less diverse than Florida overall; usage differences track more with age/income than with language needs.
• Work patterns:
  • Outdoor and shift-based work (forestry, construction, fishing, services) increases demand for reliable voice/SMS coverage along highways and job sites; some adoption of push-to-talk apps and two-way radios for fringe areas.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Coverage footprint:
  • Solid 4G LTE in and along US-19/98 and in population centers (Cross City, Old Town).
  • Noticeable dead zones or weak signal in coastal areas (e.g., near Horseshoe Beach), the wildlife refuge/forest, and along secondary roads.
• 5G:
  • Predominantly low-band 5G along main corridors; mid-band 5G is spotty to limited compared with Florida metros; no mmWave.
• Capacity:
  • Sparse tower density means congestion during peak events (storms, festivals) and at busy highway segments.
• Backhaul and resilience:
  • Limited fiber routes and some microwave backhaul; redundancy is thinner than statewide norms.
  • Storm vulnerability is higher than average; hurricanes can cause multi-day outages despite generator-backed sites. Recovery times trend longer than in urban Florida.
• Public safety and emergency communications:
  • First responder networks (e.g., FirstNet) present but coverage advantages over commercial networks are modest in remote zones; satellite is a common fallback for EOC and coastal operations.
• Fixed broadband interplay:
  • Fewer cable/fiber options than the state average in rural tracts; WISPs and satellite fill gaps.
  • This pushes higher dependence on mobile hotspots and smartphone tethering.

How Dixie County differs from Florida overall

• Lower smartphone penetration and app usage among seniors due to older age structure.
• Higher share of prepaid/MVNO subscribers and data-capped plans tied to lower incomes and credit constraints.
• Greater “smartphone-only” households because fixed broadband is less available or less affordable outside town centers.
• More pronounced coverage gaps and slower 5G rollout; tower density and backhaul redundancy are below state norms.
• Outage duration and variability during severe weather are worse than the Florida average; restoration takes longer in remote areas.
• Network performance is more corridor-dependent; quality drops quickly off the main highways relative to urban/suburban Florida.

Implications for stakeholders

• Carriers: Priority is infill sites and mid-band 5G along secondary roads, coastal areas, and around public safety hubs; invest in hardened power and diverse backhaul.
• Public sector: Target grants (e.g., BEAD/RDOF-era equivalents) toward coastal and refuge-adjacent gaps; co-locate public safety gear on commercial sites.
• Businesses/healthcare: Plan for offline-capable apps, SMS fallbacks, and asynchronous telehealth to accommodate variable bandwidth.
• Residents: Prepaid plans with generous hotspot data or fixed wireless/satellite can mitigate limited wireline options; external antennas/boosters help in fringe zones.

Below is a concise, best-available snapshot. Precise, public, county‑level social media stats are scarce; figures are estimates inferred from Pew Research (2023–24), platform audience tools, Florida/rural usage patterns, and Dixie County’s older age profile.

At a glance (Dixie County ≈18k residents)

• Estimated social media users (age 13+): 10,000–12,500 monthly; 6,000–8,000 daily
• Access notes: usage is mobile‑heavy; Facebook/Messenger and YouTube are the default entry points

Age groups (share using any social media within each bracket)

• 13–17: 90–95%
• 18–29: 85–95%
• 30–49: 75–85%
• 50–64: 60–75%
• 65+: 40–55% Platform skews by age
• Teens: TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat; Instagram secondary; minimal Facebook except for school/sports updates
• 18–29: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube; Facebook for events/Marketplace
• 30–49: Facebook dominant; Instagram and YouTube strong; TikTok growing
• 50–64: Facebook + YouTube core; Instagram/TikTok selective
• 65+: Facebook first; YouTube second; others marginal

Gender breakdown among active social users

• Female: 53–57% (over-index on Facebook Groups, Pinterest, Instagram)
• Male: 43–47% (over-index on YouTube, X/Twitter, Reddit)

Most‑used platforms in Dixie County (estimated monthly usage among local social media users; multi‑platform use means totals exceed 100%)

• Facebook (incl. Messenger): 78–86%
• YouTube: 70–80%
• Instagram: 32–42%
• TikTok: 28–38%
• Pinterest: 22–30%
• Snapchat: 18–26%
• X (Twitter): 10–15%
• Reddit: 8–12%
• LinkedIn: 6–10%
• Nextdoor: 3–7%

Behavioral trends to know

• Hyper‑local first: Facebook Groups and Pages drive community info (weather/hurricane updates, road conditions, school sports, lost/found, church and civic events). Marketplace is a major traffic source for local services and buy/sell/trade.
• Video wins attention: Short, vertical video (Reels/TikTok) outperforms static posts; older users still consume more YouTube “how‑to,” fishing/outdoors, and local government meeting clips.
• Messaging‑centric conversion: Many inquiries shift to Facebook Messenger or SMS; include DM‑friendly CTAs and phone numbers.
• Timing: Engagement clusters evenings (7–10 pm) and weekend mornings; severe‑weather days create spikes.
• Local identity content performs: Outdoors (fishing, hunting, river/Gulf), storm prep/recovery, school pride, and practical service info get above‑average shares.
• Access constraints: Mobile data and patchy broadband favor concise posts, lightweight video, and clear contact info.
• Seasonal patterns: Summer tourism/outdoors and hurricane season meaningfully lift local search and social engagement.

Note: Figures are directional estimates tailored to Dixie County’s rural/older profile using national/platform data adjusted for local demographics.