Franklin County

Franklin County, Florida — key demographics

• Population

  • 2020 Census: 12,451
  • 2019–2023 ACS estimate: about 12.5–12.7k

• Age

  • Median age: about 49–50 years
  • Under 18: ~15%
  • 65 and over: ~26–28%

• Gender

  • Male: ~54–56%
  • Female: ~44–46%

• Race/ethnicity (approx., ACS 2019–2023)

  • White (non-Hispanic): ~68–70%
  • Black or African American: ~18–20%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~6–8%
  • Two or more races: ~4–5%
  • Asian: <1%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: <1%

• Households (ACS 2019–2023)

  • Number of households: ~5,000–5,200
  • Average household size: ~2.2
  • Family households: ~55–57% of households
  • Households with children under 18: ~18–20%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Franklin County, FL snapshot (estimates)

• Population/density: ~12.5K residents; ~23 people per square mile. Towns (Apalachicola, Carrabelle, Eastpoint) are denser; barrier islands and inland tracts are sparse.
• Estimated email users: 8,000–9,500 regular users (derived from ~85–90% of adults online and ~95% of internet users using email).
• Age distribution: Roughly 20% under 18, 55% ages 18–64, 25% 65+. Email use is near-universal among younger/middle-aged adults and somewhat lower among 65+.
• Gender split: Approximately 54% male / 46% female (skewed by male correctional populations).
• Digital access and trends:
  • ~80–85% of households have internet; ~70–75% have fixed broadband. About 10–15% are mobile-only; 15–20% lack home internet.
  • Cable is prevalent in town centers; DSL and fixed wireless serve many rural areas; limited fiber. Satellite (e.g., Starlink) is increasingly used in remote stretches and on barrier islands.
  • Speeds ≥100 Mbps are common in town blocks but patchy outside them.
  • Seasonal residents and tourism drive peak demand; storm-related outages remain a resilience concern on the coast.

Notes: Figures synthesized from recent ACS/FCC/Pew patterns for small rural Florida counties; exact local counts vary year to year.

Below is a concise, county‑specific snapshot based on the most recent public research trends (Pew, FCC mobile/broadband maps, ACS/Census), carrier buildouts through 2024, and Franklin County’s demographics. Figures are best‑estimate ranges; exact county‑level mobile ownership data are not formally published.

Context

• Small, rural, coastal county (~12–13k residents) with a high median age, concentrated along the US‑98 corridor (Apalachicola, Eastpoint, Carrabelle, St. George Island) and large forested interiors (Tate’s Hell). Tourism and seasonal occupancy drive sharp demand swings.

User estimates

• Adult smartphone ownership: roughly 78–83% of adults (vs Florida ~89–91%). With ~10–11k adults, that’s about 8–9k resident smartphone users.
• Mobile‑only internet households (no home wireline): estimated 20–28% (vs Florida ~16–20%), reflecting limited wireline choices outside the coastal corridor and reliance on hotspots.
• Prepaid share: meaningfully higher than the state average; roughly 35–45% of lines (vs Florida ~25–35%), driven by lower incomes, seasonal/temporary workers, and MVNO presence.
• Multi‑SIM/hotspot use: above state average; many short‑term renters and small businesses use phone‑based tethering or dedicated hotspots for primary access.
• Seasonality: on peak weekends/holidays, active devices on the islands and along US‑98 can jump dramatically, straining capacity in ways uncommon at the state level.

Demographic breakdown (how users differ from Florida overall)

• Older adults: 65+ share is materially higher (~27–30% vs Florida ~21%). Senior smartphone adoption is improving but still trails younger cohorts, pulling down overall penetration and slowing upgrade cycles.
• Income/education: lower median household income and lower bachelor’s‑degree attainment than the state. Effects: longer device replacement cycles, higher refurbished/used device use, and greater sensitivity to plan price (prepaid/MVNO).
• Workforce mix: fishing, construction, hospitality, and public safety drive demand for rugged devices, PTT/dispatch features, and FirstNet lines; this mix is more prominent than in urban Florida counties.
• Seasonal/visitor mix: a larger share of transient users (tourists, second‑home occupants) who rely on mobile data for short stays, producing atypically high peak‑to‑average network load.

Digital infrastructure points (what’s on the ground)

• Coverage pattern: All three national carriers cover the coastal US‑98 spine and towns; inland forested areas (SR‑65/67 corridors) have noticeable gaps and weaker signal—more pronounced than typical for Florida.
• 5G deployment:
  • Low‑band 5G from AT&T, Verizon, and T‑Mobile is common along the coast and towns.
  • Mid‑band 5G (T‑Mobile 2.5 GHz; Verizon/AT&T C‑band) is limited to the denser nodes (Apalachicola–Eastpoint–Carrabelle) and select sites; barrier islands and interior often remain low‑band/LTE. This yields lower median speeds than Florida’s metro counties.
• Capacity and speeds: Typical off‑peak coastal speeds range roughly 25–150 Mbps; holiday/weekend peaks on St. George Island and in Apalachicola often see congestion and uplink bottlenecks—capacity constraints more acute than state norms due to tourism spikes and fewer sectors per site.
• Backhaul: Mixed fiber and microwave. Fiber is strongest along US‑98 and major bridges; some sites still rely on microwave backhaul inland, which can limit 5G capacity compared with fiber‑rich Florida metros.
• Resilience: Post‑hurricane hardening (backup generators, faster COW/COLT deployments, FirstNet build) improved recovery times, but storm‑related outages are still more common than statewide averages given exposure to wind/surge and salt corrosion.
• Public/anchor connectivity: Libraries, schools, and county facilities provide Wi‑Fi and charging—used heavily after storms and by mobile‑only households.

Key ways Franklin County differs from Florida overall

• Lower overall smartphone penetration driven by older age structure and income.
• Higher reliance on prepaid/MVNO plans and mobile‑only home internet.
• Sparser mid‑band 5G footprint and more single‑carrier “pockets,” leading to lower median speeds and greater variability.
• Stronger seasonality: larger peak congestion swings tied to tourism than typical Florida counties.
• Greater dependence on mobile for public safety and disaster response (notably FirstNet) and higher sensitivity to weather‑related outages.

Notes on uncertainty and method

• County‑level mobile ownership is inferred from statewide adoption (Pew), adjusted for Franklin’s age/income profile (ACS), rurality, FCC coverage/backhaul constraints, and observed rural deployment patterns through 2024.

Social media usage in Franklin County, FL (short, 2025 estimate)

How to read this: These are modeled estimates for adults (18+) in Franklin County, based on 2024 Pew U.S. platform usage and the county’s older/rural demographic profile. Shares are “use at least monthly.” People use multiple platforms, so percentages don’t sum to 100.

Headline user stats

• Adult population: ≈10,000 (of ≈12,000 residents)
• Any social media: 78–82% of adults ≈ 8,000–8,400 users
• Daily social users: ~60–68% of adults
• Primary access: mobile-first; Facebook Messenger is the default DM for many

Most‑used platforms (adults; monthly)

• YouTube: 75–80%
• Facebook: 60–65%
• Instagram: 28–33%
• Pinterest: 25–30%
• TikTok: 22–27%
• Snapchat: 16–20%
• X (Twitter): 12–15%
• Nextdoor: 12–18% (stronger in Apalachicola/Carrabelle/Eastpoint neighborhoods)
• WhatsApp: 10–13%
• Reddit: 10–12%

Age groups (share using any social; platform lean)

• 18–29: 92–96%; heavy Instagram/TikTok/Snap; YouTube universal; Facebook for events/jobs
• 30–49: 86–90%; Facebook + YouTube core; Instagram ~40–50%; TikTok ~25–35%
• 50–64: 74–80%; Facebook dominant; YouTube strong; Pinterest notable; limited TikTok
• 65+: 55–60%; Facebook and YouTube mainly; minimal Instagram/TikTok

Gender notes

• Women: 82–85% use any social; higher Facebook (≈70–75%) and Pinterest (≈35–40%); Instagram ~30–35%
• Men: 74–78% use any social; higher YouTube (≈80–85%), Reddit (≈12–15%), X (≈12–15%); Facebook ~55–60%

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the community hub: local news, school and church updates, buy/sell/trade, lost pets, and hurricane prep/aftermath information. Groups drive most engagement.
• Weather spikes attention: storm tracks, road closures, power updates outperform all other content during hurricane season.
• Tourism seasonality: Spring–Fall sees more Instagram/TikTok activity around beaches, oysters/seafood, festivals, and rentals; locals still interact via Facebook.
• Small business marketing: Facebook Pages, Marketplace, and event posts are the workhorses; modest ad spend goes far due to small audience size.
• Video habits: YouTube for how‑to (home repair, boating/fishing), product research, and local government clips; short‑form (Reels/TikTok) growing for dining and things‑to‑do.
• Messaging > posting for many older users: they share links privately via Messenger/Texts more than public posting.
• Timing: Highest engagement evenings (6–9 pm) and weekends; retirees add a late‑morning bump on weekdays.
• Trust dynamics: Posts from known locals/business owners outperform official pages unless there’s an emergency; rumor control by group admins matters.

Note on precision: True county‑level platform counts aren’t publicly published; figures above are best‑fit estimates from national data adjusted to Franklin County’s age mix and rural context.