Lee County

Key demographics – Lee County, Florida (U.S. Census Bureau)

Population size

• 760,822 (2020 Decennial Census official count)

Age (ACS 2019–2023)

• Median age: ~49 years
• Under 18: ~18%
• 18–64: ~54%
• 65 and over: ~28%

Gender (ACS 2019–2023)

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Race/ethnicity (mutually exclusive; ACS 2019–2023)

• Non-Hispanic White: ~62%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~23%
• Non-Hispanic Black or African American: ~9%
• Non-Hispanic Asian: ~2%
• Non-Hispanic Two or More Races: ~3%
• Other non-Hispanic (including American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, some other race): ~1%

Household data (ACS 2019–2023)

• Average household size: ~2.4 persons
• Family households: ~63% of households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~72% (renter-occupied ~28%)
• Households with children under 18: ~22–23%
• One-person households: ~28–30%

Notes: Population count is from the 2020 Census; age, gender, race/ethnicity, and household characteristics are from the American Community Survey (2019–2023), providing the most recent multi-year estimates for composition and housing.

Lee County, FL email usage snapshot (2023–2024):

• Estimated email users: 622,000 adults. Basis: ~822,000 residents, ~82% adults (676,000), with ~92% adult email adoption.
• Gender split of users: ~52% female, ~48% male (mirrors county demographics).
• Age distribution of users (approximate counts):
  • 18–34: 23% (~142k)
  • 35–54: 31% (~192k)
  • 55–64: 18% (~115k)
  • 65+: 28% (~174k)

Digital access and trends:

• Household connectivity: ~94% have a computer; ~87% have a broadband subscription; ~12% are smartphone‑only; ~10% lack home internet.
• Seniors and lower‑income renters are overrepresented among non‑subscribers; urban tracts (Cape Coral–Fort Myers) show the highest adoption.
• Mobile dependence is rising, supporting consistent email access despite occasional service disruptions during hurricane season.

Local density/connectivity facts:

• Population density ~1,040 people per square mile; the county is predominantly urban, aiding multi‑provider coverage (cable and growing fiber) and robust 4G/5G mobile service along major corridors.
• High broadband subscription levels underpin near‑universal email usage, with the main gap concentrated among 65+ and offline households.

Mobile phone usage in Lee County, Florida — 2023–2024 snapshot, with differences vs. statewide

Topline user estimates

• Adult smartphone users: ≈620,000. Methodology: Applying current U.S. adult smartphone adoption (~90%, Pew Research Center, 2023) to Lee County’s adult population (Census Bureau estimates, 2023). Result is consistent with household device ownership reported by ACS.
• Household smartphone ownership: about 92% of Lee County households have a smartphone (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2019–2023 5-year, Table S2801). Florida statewide is about 93%, placing Lee slightly below the state average.
• Mobile-only home internet: about 15% of Lee County households rely on a cellular data plan without a wired home broadband subscription, vs. roughly 13% statewide (ACS 2019–2023, S2801). This indicates higher dependence on mobile networks for primary internet access than Florida overall.

Demographic breakdown and how it shapes usage

• Older population share: Lee County’s 65+ share is notably higher than the state average (roughly 30% vs. ~21% statewide, ACS 2019–2023). This dampens overall smartphone penetration slightly relative to Florida, because seniors adopt smartphones at lower rates than younger adults. Despite this, mobile-only reliance among working-age and lower-income households pulls mobile network usage up, yielding a “split” market: somewhat lower overall household smartphone penetration but higher-than-average mobile-only internet reliance.
• Income and tenure: Mobile-only internet in Lee County is concentrated among lower-income households and renters, mirroring statewide patterns but at a marginally higher incidence locally (ACS S2801/S2802). This segment drives heavier smartphone data usage and hotspot dependence for work, school, and entertainment.
• Race/ethnicity and language: Lee County’s growing Hispanic population and younger multilingual households show above-average smartphone dependence for connectivity and messaging apps, contributing to the county’s higher mobile-only share relative to the state. This aligns with statewide demographic patterns but is more pronounced in Lee due to local income and housing mix.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage and technology mix:
  • 4G LTE: Near-universal population coverage by AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon in urbanized areas (FCC Broadband Data Collection, June 2024).
  • 5G: Broad low-band 5G coverage countywide with expanding mid-band 5G (T-Mobile 2.5 GHz; Verizon C-band; AT&T 3.45 GHz/C-band) along the I-75/US-41 corridor and in Cape Coral–Fort Myers. Coverage is strong in populated zones, with thinner service toward barrier islands and conservation areas.
• Capacity and seasonal load: Lee County faces sharper seasonal demand spikes than the state average due to snowbird and tourism flows. Carriers have added small cells and sector splits in Cape Coral, Fort Myers, and near beaches to manage peak loads; this demand seasonality is a more pronounced driver locally than statewide.
• Resilience and disaster hardening: Post–Hurricane Ian (2022), operators increased backup power, portable cell (COW/COLTs) staging, and alternative backhaul readiness. This hardening is more visible and actively managed in Lee than in many Florida counties, reflecting higher coastal risk and lessons learned from prolonged power/transport outages after Ian.
• Backhaul and fiber: Dense fiber backhaul along I-75 and US-41 underpins 5G mid-band upgrades and small-cell deployments in core urban areas. Inland agricultural and preserve zones have sparser backhaul, contributing to coverage/throughput gradients not as evident in more uniformly urban Florida counties.

How Lee County differs from Florida overall

• Slightly lower household smartphone penetration (≈92% vs. ≈93%) driven by a larger senior population share.
• Higher mobile-only home internet dependence (~15% vs. ~13%), reflecting a bigger cohort of cost-sensitive or highly mobile households using smartphones as their primary connection.
• More pronounced seasonal traffic surges requiring targeted densification and capacity management.
• Stronger emphasis on network resiliency investments post-Ian, with measurable improvements in backup power and rapid-deployment assets compared with many parts of the state.
• Geographic constraints (barrier islands, wetlands/preserves) create localized coverage and backhaul challenges that are less common at the statewide level.

Implications

• Network planning in Lee County must cater to both an older, somewhat lower-adoption population and a sizeable mobile-first segment that drives peak cellular data loads.
• Continued small-cell and mid-band 5G expansion in Cape Coral–Fort Myers, plus hardened coastal macro sites with reliable backup power, will yield outsized benefits relative to typical Florida counties.
• Programs that convert mobile-only households to affordable fixed or fixed–wireless home broadband could narrow the local gap in digital equity while reducing congestion on macro cellular networks.

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2019–2023 5-year estimates, Tables S2801/S2802 (smartphone ownership, internet subscription types, demographics)
• FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC) coverage filings, June 2024 (4G/5G availability by provider)
• Pew Research Center, Mobile Fact Sheet, 2023 (adult smartphone ownership baseline)
• Public carrier 5G deployment disclosures, 2023–2024 (mid-band rollout footprints)

Lee County, FL social media snapshot (2025)

Overall usage

• Estimated social media users: ~600,000 residents (about 73% of the total population; ~86% of adults 18+)

Audience breakdown

• Age share of local social media users
  • 13–17: 7%
  • 18–24: 9%
  • 25–34: 15%
  • 35–44: 17%
  • 45–54: 16%
  • 55–64: 16%
  • 65+: 20%
• Gender split of social media users: 53% female, 47% male

Most‑used platforms in Lee County (percent of residents 13+ using monthly)

• YouTube: 76%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 41%
• TikTok: 31%
• Pinterest: 28%
• WhatsApp: 22%
• LinkedIn: 20%
• Snapchat: 18%
• X (Twitter): 17%
• Nextdoor: 12%

Behavioral trends and local nuances

• Facebook remains the community hub: high participation in neighborhood, HOA, school, and local buy/sell groups; strong event discovery and local business reviews
• Video-first consumption: YouTube and Facebook/Instagram Reels drive reach; short-form video outperforms static posts for awareness and click-through
• Daytime engagement is elevated: sizable retiree base boosts mid-morning and early‑afternoon activity; working-age peaks remain early evening
• Seasonality matters: Nov–Apr influx of seasonal residents increases impressions and engagement, especially for dining, events, healthcare, home services, and real estate
• Local information spikes: hurricane season and severe-weather windows trigger surges to official county, utilities, and news pages; trust in verified local sources is high
• Discovery patterns: 35+ rely on Facebook and Google surfaces for local services; under‑35 skew toward Instagram/TikTok for food, fitness, and experiences
• Private sharing grows: Messenger/WhatsApp groups and DMs carry a larger share of link/content sharing than public posts, especially among family networks
• Commerce signals: coupons, limited‑time offers, and event RSVPs perform well; lead-gen forms on Facebook/Instagram convert for home improvement, medical/dental, and real estate

Note: Figures are 2025 estimates modeled from the latest county demographics and U.S. platform adoption rates, adjusted for Lee County’s older age profile and suburban composition. Percentages reflect residents aged 13+ unless noted.