Suwannee County

Suwannee County, Florida — key demographics

Population size

• Total population: 43,474 (2020 Decennial Census)
• 2010–2020 growth: +4.6% (from 41,551)
• 2023 population estimate: ~46,000 (U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program)

Age and sex (ACS 2018–2022, 5-year)

• Median age: ~44 years
• Age distribution: under 18: ~22%; 18–64: ~57%; 65+: ~21%
• Sex: ~50.5% female; ~49.5% male

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022, 5-year)

• White alone: ~74%
• Black or African American alone: ~15%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.5%
• Asian: ~0.6%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%
• Some other race: ~3%
• Two or more races: ~6–7%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~10–11% Note: Hispanic origin is an ethnicity and overlaps with race categories.

Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022, 5-year)

• Households: ~16,700
• Average household size: ~2.56
• Family households: ~71% of households; married-couple families: ~49% of households
• With children under 18: ~26% of households
• Housing tenure: ~78% owner-occupied; ~22% renter-occupied
• Median household income: ~$50,000; per capita income: ~$24,000
• Poverty rate: ~19%
• Median gross rent: ~$900

Insights

• Modest but steady population growth since 2010.
• Older age structure with about one in five residents age 65+.
• Predominantly White population with meaningful Black and Hispanic communities.
• High owner-occupancy and smaller household sizes typical of rural North Florida.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates; Population Estimates Program (2023).

Suwannee County, FL snapshot

• Scale: ~45,000 residents, ~17,000 households, population density ~63 people per sq. mile; predominantly rural (Live Oak micropolitan hub).
• Estimated email users: ~31,000 adults (≈86% of adults), reflecting rural internet adoption patterns.
• Age distribution of email users (share of email users → approx. counts): 18–34: 26% → ~8,100; 35–54: 33% → ~10,200; 55–64: 17% → ~5,300; 65+: 24% → ~7,400. Younger and prime‑working ages have the highest penetration; seniors are substantial but slightly lower-adopting.
• Gender split among email users: 51% female (15,800), 49% male (15,200), mirroring the county’s population.
• Digital access trends: About 80% of households have a broadband subscription; roughly 10–15% report no home internet, and ~8–12% are smartphone‑only. Broadband adoption trails the Florida average by several points but has risen steadily since 2017. Connectivity is strongest in and around Live Oak and along major corridors, with weaker, slower options in dispersed rural areas; this geography contributes to gaps for low‑income and older residents.
• Insight: Email is effectively a default channel for most working‑age residents; outreach that pairs email with SMS and offline touchpoints best covers smartphone‑only and no‑internet households.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Suwannee County, FL

Scope and sources

• Statistics reference the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 2018–2022 5‑year estimates for county- and state-level “Computer and Internet Use” (table S2801) and standard demographic tables, combined with 2024-informed estimates for user counts derived from those benchmarks. Infrastructure notes draw on publicly reported carrier buildouts and federal broadband mapping practices as of 2023–2024.

User estimates

• Residents with a mobile phone: approximately 38,000–41,000 individuals, reflecting high adult smartphone adoption consistent with national rural patterns.
• Households with a smartphone: about 85–88% in Suwannee County, below Florida’s ~90–92%.
• Households with a cellular data plan (any mobile broadband subscription): roughly 70–74% in Suwannee vs ~78–81% statewide.
• Cellular-only at home (no wireline subscription, rely on mobile data): approximately 15–18% of households in Suwannee vs ~10–12% statewide. This “smartphone-only” reliance is a key differentiator from the state average.
• Households with no internet subscription: around 14–17% in Suwannee vs ~8–10% statewide.

Demographic breakdown (relative to Florida)

• Age: Suwannee has an older age mix (65+ share several points higher than the state). Estimated smartphone adoption by age:
  • 18–34: ~96–98% (near-state parity).
  • 35–64: ~90–94% (slightly below state).
  • 65+: ~68–74% (notably below Florida’s low‑to‑mid‑70s), contributing to lower overall adoption and more voice/SMS‑centric use among seniors.
• Income: A larger share of households under $35k than the state average correlates with higher prepaid usage and higher smartphone‑only internet reliance. Low‑income households are more likely to substitute mobile data for home broadband.
• Education and employment: Lower college-attainment and a higher share of blue‑collar/rural employment correlate with lower multi‑device ownership (fewer tablets/laptops with data plans) and greater concentration on a single smartphone per adult.
• Rurality: Dispersed settlement outside Live Oak and Branford yields more variability in indoor coverage and speeds, encouraging behavior such as multiple SIMs per household or selective carrier choice by address.

Digital infrastructure points

• Coverage pattern:
  • 4G LTE: Broad outdoor coverage across populated areas; indoor coverage is strongest in and around Live Oak and along US‑90, US‑129, and I‑10, with weaker spots along the Suwannee River, forested tracts, and low‑density roads.
  • 5G: All three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) advertise 5G in the county. T‑Mobile typically provides the widest 5G footprint (including mid‑band along major corridors), while AT&T and Verizon lean more on low‑band 5G with selective capacity upgrades. 5G coverage depth and capacity lag urban Florida metros.
• Capacity and performance: Median speeds in rural pockets are constrained by mid‑band spectrum availability and site density; users often experience larger downlink variance and slower evening performance than Florida’s metro averages. This performance gap reinforces smartphone‑only reliance but dampens heavy video and telehealth use compared with state norms.
• Site density and topology: Fewer macro sites per square mile than metro Florida and limited small‑cell presence. Terrain, tree cover, and building materials contribute to indoor signal variability outside town centers.
• Backhaul and fiber context: Fiber backhaul improvements have followed highway corridors and utility rights‑of‑way; however, fiber-to-the-home remains sparser than state averages, which indirectly elevates mobile network load as households substitute cellular for fixed broadband.
• Public safety and resilience: Storm‑hardening is a priority; backup power at macro sites is common but not universal. Outage risks during severe weather are higher than in dense urban areas due to longer restoration times and fewer redundant transport routes.

How Suwannee differs from Florida overall

• Lower smartphone household penetration and mobile‑broadband subscription rates than the Florida average, driven by older age structure, lower incomes, and rural settlement patterns.
• Higher share of cellular‑only households, indicating greater dependence on smartphones as the primary on‑ramp to the internet.
• More variable indoor coverage and lower typical 5G capacity than Florida’s urban counties, with noticeable performance gradients between town centers/corridors and outlying rural areas.
• Slower uptake of multi‑device mobile data (tablets/hotspots) than the state, with budgets concentrated on one primary smartphone per adult.
• Network investment is ongoing but remains focused on corridor builds and selective 5G upgrades; the county’s site density and mid‑band depth trail state metro norms.

Key takeaways

• Mobile phone access is widespread in Suwannee County, but adoption and capacity are modestly below Florida averages.
• The county’s standout trend is significantly higher smartphone‑only internet reliance, reflecting both affordability and infrastructure constraints.
• Targeted enhancements—mid‑band 5G infill, indoor coverage solutions, and continued fiber backhaul and fixed‑broadband expansion—would narrow the gap with state‑level usage patterns and improve reliability for education, telehealth, and work.

Social media usage in Suwannee County, FL (2024 snapshot)

How many people use social media

• Adult penetration: about 70% of adults use at least one social platform.
• Estimated adult users: roughly 25,000 residents.
• Women comprise about 52% of social media users; men about 48% (reflecting the county’s slight female-majority population).

Age profile

• Share of county social media users by age:
  • 18–29: ~23%
  • 30–49: ~38%
  • 50–64: ~23%
  • 65+: ~16%
• Adoption by age (percent of adults in each group who use any social media):
  • 18–29: ~95%
  • 30–49: ~84%
  • 50–64: ~66%
  • 65+: ~40%

Most-used platforms (share of adults who use each platform)

• YouTube: ~78%
• Facebook: ~67%
• Instagram: ~39%
• Pinterest: ~31%
• TikTok: ~30%
• Snapchat: ~25%
• WhatsApp: ~23%
• X (Twitter): ~20%
• LinkedIn: ~20%
• Reddit: ~18%

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Facebook is the community backbone: heavy use of Groups for local news, school/faith updates, events, and buy/sell/trade; Marketplace is a key commerce channel.
• YouTube is widely used for how‑to content, equipment repair, outdoors/homesteading, trucking, and music; a notable share is watched on connected TVs at home.
• Short‑form video (Reels/Shorts/TikTok) drives discovery among 18–39; local food, events, and family activities perform well; DMs are a common path to small‑business inquiries.
• Platform skews: Pinterest over-indexes among women; Reddit and X skew male; Facebook remains strongest with 35+, while TikTok/Snapchat concentrate under 35.
• Timing: Engagement typically peaks early mornings (before work/school) and evenings; weekends see strong activity around local events and sports.
• Trust and conversion: Local testimonials, recognizable faces, and community affiliation outperform generic creative; phone calls, Messenger, and in‑person visits are common conversion actions.
• Seasonality: Noticeable spikes around storms/hurricane updates, school calendars, county fairs, hunting/fishing seasons, and holidays.

Notes on figures

• Statistics are modeled from Pew Research Center’s 2023 U.S. platform adoption (with rural adjustments) applied to Suwannee County’s age/sex mix from recent ACS/census estimates. Numbers are rounded for clarity and represent the best available county‑level picture where direct platform data are not published.