Martin County

Martin County, Florida – key demographics (latest available)

Population size

• 165,000–166,000 (2023 Census estimate). Up from 158,431 in 2020.

Age

• Median age: ~53 years (older than Florida and U.S. overall).
• Under 18: ~19%
• 65 and over: ~32%
• Under 5: ~4%

Gender

• Female: ~51–52%
• Male: ~48–49%

Race and ethnicity (percent of total population)

• White alone: ~87%
• Black or African American alone: ~5–6%
• Asian alone: ~1–2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: <1%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0%
• Two or more races: ~5–6%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~19–21%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~69–72%

Households

• Households: ~70,000–71,000
• Average household size: ~2.25 persons
• Family households: ~62–64% of households; married-couple families roughly half of all households
• Households with one or more people age 65+: ~45–50%
• Households with children under 18: ~18–20%
• Homeowner-occupied housing rate: ~77–80%

Notable insights

• Older population profile with roughly one in three residents age 65+, small household size, and high homeownership.
• Predominantly White non-Hispanic, with a sizable and growing Hispanic/Latino community.

Primary sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (2023), and American Community Survey (ACS) 2019–2023 5-year estimates; Census QuickFacts for Martin County, Florida.

Martin County, FL email usage (estimates grounded in U.S. Census/ACS, Pew Research, and FCC data)

• Estimated email users: ≈125,000 residents (about 90% of adults).
• Age distribution of email users: 18–29: 16%; 30–49: 27%; 50–64: 25%; 65+: 32% (county skews older, but email remains widely adopted among seniors).
• Gender split: ≈51% female, 49% male, mirroring the county’s population.
• Digital access trends:
  • ≈90% of households maintain a home broadband subscription; smartphone-only internet households ≈12–15%.
  • Fixed broadband availability is widespread (>95% have access to at least 25/3 Mbps; coastal communities commonly have cable/fiber with 100/20+ Mbps).
  • Mobile coverage is near-universal 4G LTE with expanding 5G along the coast and population centers (Stuart, Jensen Beach, Palm City, Hobe Sound).
• Local density/connectivity facts: Population ≈165,000; density ≈300 residents per square mile. Connectivity is strongest along the US‑1/I‑95 corridor; lower-density western tracts have fewer high-speed options but are improving via ongoing broadband buildouts.

Insight: Email penetration is effectively ubiquitous across working-age adults and remains a primary channel even among retirees, supported by high subscription and mobile coverage rates.

Mobile phone usage in Martin County, Florida — 2024 profile

Bottom line

• Adult mobile phone users (any mobile): ~129,600, or 95–96% of adults
• Adult smartphone users: ~118,200, or ~87% of adults (lower than Florida’s ~91% statewide)
• Households: ~74,000; wireless-only (no landline) adult household share estimated ~64–68% (below Florida’s ~72–75%)

How these figures were derived

• County population and age structure from recent Census/ACS; adult smartphone ownership rates from Pew Research (2023) applied to Martin’s older-skewed age mix; wireless-only household rates benchmarked to CDC/NHIS (2022–2023) and adjusted for Martin’s higher 65+ share.

User estimates and demographics

• Adult population (18+): ~135,300
• Any mobile phone (feature or smart): 129,600 users (95.8% of adults)
• Smartphones: 118,200 users (87.4% of adults)
• By age cohort (smartphone ownership, modeled):
  • 18–34: 25,600 users (97% ownership)
  • 35–49: 27,500 users (98%)
  • 50–64: 23,800 users (90%)
  • 65+: 41,400 users (76%)
• Smartphone-only households (no desktop/laptop/tablet in home): ~6,500–7,000 (about 9% of households), below Florida’s ~12–14%
• Cellular data–only home internet (no wired subscription): 6,500–7,000 households (9%), vs Florida ~12–15%
• Key demographic drivers versus Florida:
  • Older population: ~33% of residents are 65+ (vs ~21% statewide), suppressing smartphone and wireless-only rates
  • Higher median incomes and homeownership raise postpaid adoption and multi-line family plans but reduce prepaid reliance relative to the state
  • Seasonal “snowbird” influx increases peak mobile usage Jan–Mar along coastal corridors without materially changing annual adoption rates

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage
  • 4G LTE: essentially ubiquitous across populated areas (>99% population coverage)
  • 5G: low-band coverage across nearly all populated areas; mid-band 5G (C-band/2.5 GHz) concentrated east of I‑95 along US‑1 (Jensen Beach–Stuart–Palm City) and Turnpike nodes; sparser west of Palm City, in and around Indiantown, and near large preserves
• Performance (public test data and carrier mid-band deployments, 2023–2024)
  • Typical mid-band 5G downloads in coastal population centers: ~150–300 Mbps; uploads ~15–30 Mbps
  • Typical LTE/low-band 5G in inland/rural tracts: ~10–50 Mbps down; ~5–10 Mbps up
  • Florida statewide median mobile speeds are higher overall due to dense urban small-cell builds (Miami–Orlando–Tampa); Martin’s speeds trail those by roughly one performance tier outside the coastal core
• Capacity and densification
  • Fewer small cells per square mile than major metros; macro sites carry a larger share of traffic
  • Backhaul is robust along US‑1/I‑95 with cable and telco fiber; inland sectors rely more on microwave and legacy plant, which can cap peak throughput
• Resilience and seasonality
  • Networks are hardened for hurricanes; temporary congestion is most likely during winter tourist peaks and during restoration windows after major storms
  • Boating and waterfront clusters along the Intracoastal add localized capacity demand on weekends and holidays

Trends that differ from Florida statewide

• Lower smartphone penetration: ~87% adult smartphone ownership vs ~91% statewide, driven by a much older age profile
• Lower wireless-only and cellular-only home internet rates than the state, reflecting higher fixed broadband take-up among homeowners
• Mid-band 5G is more geographically uneven: fast in the east corridor, patchier inland; Florida’s largest metros have broader mid-band saturation and more small cells
• Usage is more seasonal, with sharper winter peaks than the state average
• Device and plan mix skews toward postpaid multi-line and senior-focused MVNOs rather than carrier prepaid, the reverse of patterns seen in several younger, more urban Florida counties

What this means for stakeholders

• Carriers: prioritize mid-band infill west of I‑95 and around Indiantown; add seasonal capacity along US‑1, downtown Stuart, beach approaches, and marinas
• Public sector: target digital inclusion for seniors; smartphone skills training and discounted plans/hotspots will move the needle more than device access alone
• Businesses: expect strong mobile engagement from working-age residents and snowbirds, but maintain alternate channels for seniors who are less smartphone-centric

Sources and methodology

• U.S. Census/ACS (population, households, age distribution, device and subscription types), CDC/NHIS (wireless-only households), Pew Research (smartphone ownership by age), FCC mobile coverage filings and carrier deployment announcements through 2024, and public speed-test aggregates. County figures are modeled estimates aligned to these datasets and Martin County’s demographic mix.

Social media usage in Martin County, Florida (short breakdown)

Population context

• Total population: ~165,000; adults (18+) ≈ 137,000 (≈83% of residents)
• Households with an internet subscription: ~88% (ACS-based estimate)

Overall social media penetration (adults)

• Adults using at least one social platform: ≈ 95,000 (≈68–72% of adults)

Age profile of adult social media users (share of each age group using social media)

• 18–29: ~85–90%
• 30–49: ~80–85%
• 50–64: ~70–75%
• 65+: ~45–50% Note: Martin County skews older (≈1 in 3 adults 65+), pulling the overall penetration slightly below the U.S. average.

Gender breakdown of users

• Female: ~54–56%
• Male: ~44–46% (Reflects platform patterns where women are more active on Facebook/Instagram; men modestly higher on X/Reddit but smaller locally.)

Most-used platforms among adults in Martin County (share of adults; rounded)

• YouTube: ~72–78%
• Facebook: ~58–65%
• Instagram: ~28–35%
• TikTok: ~22–28%
• LinkedIn: ~18–22%
• Snapchat: ~12–18%
• X (Twitter): ~14–18% Rank order by reach: YouTube ≈ Facebook » Instagram ≈ TikTok » LinkedIn » Snapchat ≈ X.

Behavioral trends and engagement patterns

• Community-first behavior: Facebook Groups and local pages (city/county agencies, schools, HOAs, boating/fishing clubs, youth sports, hurricane updates) drive outsized engagement and link-sharing.
• Seasonal lift: Activity rises Nov–Apr with seasonal residents; events, dining, and outdoor recreation content perform strongly in winter; back-to-school and storm season content peak late summer.
• Content formats: Short-form vertical video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) is the fastest-growing format for 25–54; 55+ remains most responsive to photo/carousel posts and local news clips on Facebook.
• Local intent: High interaction with recommendations, reviews, and “near me” posts; click-to-call and map taps are common outcomes for service businesses.
• Timing: Two consistent engagement windows—morning (7–9 a.m.) and early evening (6–9 p.m.); weekends skew to events and leisure content, weekdays to news and services.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger dominates business inquiries; WhatsApp usage is present (notably among bilingual/Hispanic households) but secondary to Messenger locally.
• Safety/weather spikes: Hurricane tracks, beach/water quality, and road/incidents produce rapid reach surges; public-sector pages and local media see cross-platform boosts.

What the numbers mean for targeting

• Reach breadth: Facebook remains the most efficient single network for 35+ and community reach; YouTube delivers the widest overall exposure and strong video completion rates.
• Growth cohorts: Instagram and TikTok are now essential for 18–44 discovery; Reels placement notably extends reach to 35–54.
• Professional niche: LinkedIn reach concentrates in Palm City, Stuart, and Jensen Beach zip codes among managers/healthcare/professional services.

Method and sources

• Population and internet access are derived from U.S. Census Bureau/ACS estimates for Martin County (latest available through 2023).
• Platform adoption percentages are best-available local estimates triangulated from Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. platform usage, platform ad-reach tools (Meta, Google/YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, LinkedIn) as of 2024, adjusted to Martin County’s older age mix.
• Figures are rounded to reflect estimation error and platform reporting variability while remaining decision-useful for planning.