Madison County

Madison County, Florida – key demographics

Population size

• Total population: 18,493 (2020 Decennial Census)
• Land area: ~716 sq mi; population density ~26 per sq mi

Age

• Median age: ~41 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~20%
• 18 to 64: ~60%
• 65 and over: ~20%

Gender

• Male: ~54%
• Female: ~46% Note: A sizable correctional population skews the sex ratio toward males; the household population is closer to parity.

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2019–2023; race is non-Hispanic unless noted)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~52%
• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~40%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~7%
• Two or more races: ~1–2%
• Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: each <1%

Households and housing (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: ~6,600
• Average household size: ~2.5 people
• Family households: ~63% of households; married-couple households ~45–46%
• Households with children under 18: ~27%
• Single-person households: ~30% (about 12% are people 65+ living alone)
• Housing units: ~8,200; vacancy rate ~19–20%
• Homeownership rate: ~75–76%

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

• Estimated email users: ~14,100 adults in Madison County, FL (≈95% of the ~14,850 adults; total population ≈18,500).
• Age distribution of email users: 18–29: 17%; 30–49: 30%; 50–64: 33%; 65+: 20%. Usage is near-universal under 65 and high among seniors.
• Gender split among email users: ~52% female, 48% male. The share skews slightly female because a sizable incarcerated male population is offline.
• Digital access and usage:
  • 74% of households have a fixed broadband subscription (4,900 households).
  • ~86% have a computer; ~17% are smartphone‑only for internet access.
  • Email is frequently accessed via smartphones, especially in lower‑income and rural tracts, sustaining high usage even where home broadband is absent.
• Density/connectivity facts:
  • Population density ≈26 people per square mile across a large rural area, raising last‑mile costs and contributing to patchy speeds outside town centers.
  • Connectivity is strongest around Madison, Lee, and Greenville and along the I‑10/US‑90 corridors; outlying areas lean on DSL, fixed‑wireless, or satellite.
• Trend: Expansion of 4G/5G and fixed‑wireless since 2020 has boosted access, particularly for older residents; the 2024 wind‑down of federal affordability subsidies may trim home broadband, but email use remains resilient via mobile.

Mobile phone usage in Madison County, Florida: key facts, estimates, and how it differs from statewide patterns

Headline summary

• Madison County is a sparsely populated, rural county with roughly 18,000–19,000 residents spread over more than 700 square miles, which shapes both demand and the cost of mobile coverage.
• Estimated 13,000–14,000 people in the county use a mobile phone, including about 11,500–12,500 smartphone users; mobile phones are the primary internet connection for a notably high share of households.
• Coverage is reliable along I-10/US-90 and in towns (Madison, Lee, Greenville) but thins out on rural roads and around lakes/woodlands, with 5G capacity concentrated near major corridors rather than broadly distributed as in Florida’s metros.

User estimates

• Population base: ~18,500 residents (±500); ~77–79% are adults, implying ~14,200–14,900 adults.
• Mobile phone users (any mobile): ~13,200–13,900 people.
• Smartphone users: ~11,700–12,400 people (majority of adult users plus most teens).
• Teen smartphone users (ages 13–17): roughly 800–950.
• Households relying primarily on mobile for home internet: approximately 1,400–1,900 (about 20–28% of households), a higher share than Florida’s statewide average (roughly low- to mid-teens).

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age
  • Seniors (65+): roughly one-fifth of residents. Smartphone adoption in this group trails younger adults, with a larger-than-state-average minority using basic/flip phones and pared-back data plans.
  • Working-age adults (25–64): highest smartphone and data-plan adoption; primary drivers of peak-hour traffic on I-10/US-90 and in town centers.
  • Teens: near-universal smartphone access; heavy use of messaging/social/video, with mobile hotspots often used for homework in households lacking wired broadband.
• Race/ethnicity (population composition approximate): White ~56–58%, Black ~35–38%, Hispanic/Latino ~5–7%, other groups small. Smartphone ownership is broadly high across groups, though data plan size and device price tiers skew more budget-conscious than in Florida’s metros.
• Income and plan mix
  • Median household income is well below Florida’s statewide median, and this shows up in plan selection: higher reliance on prepaid/MVNO offerings, more single-line plans, and tighter data caps than the state average.
  • Device mix leans more toward budget and midrange Android models than in metro Florida, which has stronger iPhone penetration.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Networks and spectrum
  • All three national carriers operate in the county. Low-band 4G/5G (e.g., 600/700/850 MHz) underpins countywide reach; mid-band 5G (e.g., 2.5 GHz, C-band, 3.45 GHz) is deployed mainly along I-10/US-90 and in/near Madison, with limited spillover to rural areas.
  • mmWave 5G is not a practical factor here; capacity gains come from mid-band where present and carrier aggregation on LTE/low-band 5G elsewhere.
• Tower siting and backhaul
  • Macro sites cluster along I-10 and state highways (US-90, US-221, SR-53), with longer gaps on rural roads and around lakes/forests (e.g., Cherry Lake area) that introduce dead zones and weak indoor signal.
  • Fiber backhaul follows the interstate/US-90 corridors; outside those, microwave and longer fiber laterals support sites at greater inter-site distances, limiting capacity compared with urban Florida.
• Typical user experience
  • Along major corridors and in towns: solid LTE and low-/mid-band 5G with good reliability and moderate speeds.
  • Outside corridors: coverage becomes predominantly low-band LTE/5G with lower capacity and more variable indoor service; home signal boosters are common.
  • Fixed wireless access (5G home internet) from at least one national carrier is available in/around town centers; availability thins in outlying areas. Satellite remains a widely used fallback in the far rural parts.
• Resilience
  • Storm-related outages last longer than in urban counties due to sparse power restoration priorities and fewer overlapping cells. FirstNet (AT&T) coverage supports public safety, but extended rural backup-power coverage remains a constraint.

How Madison County differs from Florida statewide

• Coverage pattern: In Madison County, high-quality 5G is corridor-centric; statewide, metros enjoy dense mid-band 5G with broad indoor reach. Residents here encounter more low-band-only zones and greater reliance on LTE fallback.
• Access to wired broadband: Lower wired-broadband availability drives a higher share of mobile-only households (roughly 20–28% locally vs low- to mid-teens statewide), making mobile phones the primary on-ramp to the internet for many.
• Plan economics: Prepaid/MVNO lines constitute a larger slice of active lines than the statewide norm, with smaller data buckets and more hotspot use to cover homework and day-to-day needs.
• Device mix: Greater share of budget and midrange Android devices than in metro Florida, where higher incomes support more premium devices and larger family postpaid plans.
• Capacity and speeds: Average real-world downlink capacity is lower and more variable than in Florida’s metros due to sparser mid-band 5G and wider inter-site distances; indoor speeds in rural homes frequently lag statewide norms.
• Adoption among seniors: A larger-than-average minority of older residents still use basic phones or limited-data smartphones, keeping overall smartphone penetration a bit below the statewide figure.

Implications and near-term outlook

• Demand pressure is heaviest along I-10/US-90 and in the city of Madison; incremental mid-band 5G buildouts on these corridors will yield outsized benefits relative to more remote areas.
• Mobile is acting as an important substitute for wired broadband for thousands of residents; sustaining or expanding mid-band 5G and fixed wireless footprints will materially affect digital inclusion.
• Affordable Connectivity Program funding ended in 2024; without comparable replacement support, cost sensitivity will keep prepaid usage high and may limit data consumption despite rising need.
• Any new fiber laterals to rural towers or community anchors would improve backhaul and translate directly into better rural 5G capacity, narrowing the gap with state-level performance.

Notes on methodology

• Population and household bases are drawn from recent census/ACS estimates; mobile adoption rates reflect current rural-versus-urban patterns observed in national and Florida data. Figures are expressed as county-specific estimates to provide actionable planning baselines.

Social media usage in Madison County, Florida — short breakdown

County context

• Population: 18,493 (2020 Census). Rural and mobile-first usage patterns are prevalent, with Facebook and YouTube central to community information and entertainment.

Most-used platforms (best-available proxies) Note: County-level platform penetration isn’t published by platforms or government. The percentages below are the latest widely cited U.S. adult usage rates (Pew Research Center, 2023–2024) and serve as the most reliable proxies for Madison County. Given the county’s older, rural profile, Facebook and YouTube usage locally typically meets or exceeds these benchmarks.

• YouTube: 83% of adults
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• TikTok: 33%
• Pinterest: 33%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• Snapchat: 27%
• X (Twitter): 23%
• Reddit: 18%
• WhatsApp: ~21–23%

Age-group patterns (local behaviors in line with national trends)

• Teens (13–17): Heavy on YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat; light Facebook use except for school/sports updates.
• 18–29: Multiplatform; Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube dominate; Facebook used for local groups/events.
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube lead; Instagram secondary; TikTok growing; Facebook Marketplace heavily used.
• 50–64: Facebook first, YouTube second; Pinterest strong among women; limited TikTok/Snapchat.
• 65+: Facebook primary, YouTube for news/how-to; minimal presence on newer platforms.

Gender breakdown (platform skews)

• Overall social media participation is roughly balanced by gender locally; platform skews mirror national patterns:
  • More women: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest (shopping, schools, churches, community groups).
  • More men: YouTube, Reddit, X (sports, outdoor/DIY, local politics).
  • Neutral/mixed: TikTok, Snapchat (skews younger more than by gender), WhatsApp (used for family/work messaging).

Behavioral trends specific to rural North Florida communities like Madison County

• Community information hub: Facebook groups/pages for county government, public safety/EM, schools, churches, youth sports, and events drive recurring engagement; posts about weather, road closures, and storms spike reach.
• Commerce and classifieds: Facebook Marketplace and local buy/sell/trade groups are the primary channels for person-to-person sales, farm/ranch equipment, vehicles, yard sales, rentals, and services.
• Local identity and networks: High engagement with high school sports, fairs/festivals, FFA/4‑H, hunting/fishing, and agriculture content; word-of-mouth amplified via shares in closed groups.
• Small business marketing: Restaurants, contractors, realtors, and boutiques lean on Facebook + Instagram for promos, live video, and Stories; boosted posts targeted within a ~25–50 mile radius perform well.
• Video-first consumption: Short-form video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) outperforms static posts for reach; how‑to, behind‑the‑scenes, local highlights, and event recaps do best.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is the default for inquiries and customer service; WhatsApp used by some family/work circles.
• Timing: Engagement peaks early morning (6–8 am), lunch (11:30 am–1 pm), and evenings (7–10 pm); weekends are strong for Marketplace and event posts.

Practical ranking for Madison County outreach

• Primary: Facebook, YouTube
• Secondary: Instagram, TikTok (for under‑40), Pinterest (women 30+)
• Niche: Snapchat (teens/young adults), LinkedIn (professional), X/Reddit (news/politics/hobbies), WhatsApp (messaging)