Brantley County

Here are key demographics for Brantley County, Georgia.

Population

• Total population (2020 Census): 18,021

Age (ACS 2018–2022, 5-year estimates)

• Under 18: ~25–26%
• 65 and over: ~16%
• Median age: ~39 years

Gender (ACS 2018–2022)

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Race/Ethnicity (U.S. Census/ACS; race alone unless noted)

• White alone: ~89%
• Black or African American alone: ~7%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.7–0.8%
• Asian alone: ~0.2–0.4%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~3%
• White alone, not Hispanic: ~87%

Households and Housing (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~6,500–6,600
• Persons per household: ~2.7
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~84%
• Median household income (2022 dollars): roughly $48k–$51k
• Persons in poverty: ~18–19%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates.

Brantley County, GA snapshot (estimates)

• Population and density: ~19,000 residents; ~40 people per square mile (rural, low-density).
• Estimated email users: 13,000–15,000 (about 70–80% of residents), reflecting rural GA internet subscription levels and near‑universal email use among connected adults.

Age distribution of email users (approximate share of users; adoption within each age):

• 13–24: 15–20% of users; ~90–95% adoption where connected (school/work).
• 25–44: 30–35%; ~95% adoption.
• 45–64: 30–35%; ~85–90% adoption.
• 65+: 15–20%; ~60–75% adoption.

Gender split: Roughly even among users (about 49% male, 51% female), mirroring local demographics.

Digital access and connectivity trends:

• Household broadband in rural southeast Georgia is below the state average; a notable share of residents are smartphone‑only.
• Service is strongest in/near population centers (e.g., Nahunta); outlying areas face longer last‑mile distances, fewer providers, and slower, less reliable service.
• Public Wi‑Fi (libraries/schools) and cellular hotspots are important access points.
• State/federal rural broadband programs are expanding coverage and speeds, but gaps persist in the most sparsely populated tracts.

Notes: Figures are derived from Census population, rural GA broadband adoption patterns, and national email usage by age.

Brantley County, GA — mobile usage snapshot (focus on how it differs from statewide patterns)

User estimates (modeled, 2024)

• Population/households: ~19–20k residents; ~6.5–7.2k households; adults ~14–15k.
• Mobile phone ownership (any mobile): 92–95% of adults → ~13.3–14.3k adult users.
• Smartphone users: 80–86% of adults → ~11.6–12.9k adult smartphone users. Including teens, total smartphone users are roughly 14–15k.
• Active cellular connections (phones + tablets + hotspots): 1.1–1.3 lines per resident → ~21–26k lines countywide.
• Mobile-only internet households: 30–40% of households rely primarily on cellular data/hotspots (vs ~20–25% statewide).
• Prepaid share: 40–50% of mobile lines (vs ~30–35% statewide).
• Device replacement cycle: longer than GA average (common 3–4 years vs ~2–3), contributing to a larger share of older Android devices.

Demographic usage patterns (key differences from GA overall)

• Age:
  • 65+: smartphone adoption ~55–65% (lower than GA’s ~70%+); more voice/text-centric use; higher need for in-home boosters.
  • 25–54: near-universal ownership; heavier hotspot use for work/school due to patchy fixed broadband.
  • Teens: high access via hand‑me‑downs; usage constrained by data caps in prepaid plans.
• Income/education: Lower median income than GA → higher prepaid uptake, smaller data plans, and greater mobile-only dependence for homework and streaming.
• Household type: More single-provider or multi-line family plans sharing limited data; higher incidence of mobile service as the only internet in rental and remote households.
• Occupation/context: Forestry, construction, logistics, and commuting to Waycross/Brunswick drive demand for reliable corridor coverage and rugged devices; push-to-talk/LMR interoperability matters for some users.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage pattern:
  • 4G LTE is the workhorse; generally solid along US 82/SR 520 and US 301 and in towns (Nahunta, Hoboken); weaker on low-density roads, river bottoms, and swamp edges.
  • 5G: low-band from all 3 carriers along main corridors; mid-band 5G (capacity) is limited—stronger spillover near Glynn (Brunswick/I‑95) and Ware (Waycross), tapering in interior areas. Expect typical speeds 20–100 Mbps on LTE/low-band 5G; higher near county edges with mid-band.
• Carrier dynamics: Verizon historically broad rural coverage; AT&T strong in towns and for public safety via FirstNet; T‑Mobile often fastest where mid-band reaches but with more gaps off-corridor. Performance divergence across carriers is larger than in metro Georgia.
• Towers/backhaul: Rural macro sites spaced several miles apart; small cells are rare. Fiber backhaul tracks the US 82 corridor; many outlying sites use microwave, which can limit capacity consistency.
• Fixed broadband context (drives mobile reliance):
  • Local independent telco (BTC/Brantley Telephone) offers fiber in and near Nahunta/Hoboken pockets; outside of those, DSL and legacy options persist.
  • Cable coverage is limited; consequently, fixed wireless access (T‑Mobile/Verizon) adoption is rising and substitutes for home broadband in many areas.
• Public safety/critical comms: FirstNet (AT&T Band 14) added on select sites since 2020, improving priority coverage; in-building penetration at schools and public buildings can still require boosters/DAS.
• Community access: Library/school Wi‑Fi is heavily used after school hours; parking-lot Wi‑Fi remains a notable access point in some communities.

Trends that differ most from state-level

• Greater dependence on mobile as primary home internet (notably higher mobile-only and FWA adoption).
• Higher prepaid penetration and tighter data budgets; more conservative app/media use and quality settings.
• Slower average 5G experience due to limited mid-band reach; larger gaps between carriers in both coverage and speed.
• Older device mix and longer upgrade cycles, which dampen 5G feature uptake and eSIM usage.
• Wider age-based adoption gaps (especially seniors) and more frequent use of signal boosters in homes/vehicles.

Implications

• Network upgrades that prioritize mid-band 5G on existing rural macros, fiber backhaul extensions off the US 82/US 301 corridors, and targeted in-building solutions will yield outsized benefits versus statewide averages.
• Plans and programs tailored to prepaid and mobile-only households (bigger hotspot allotments, content compression, ACP/low-income alternatives) address the core local usage reality more than in most of Georgia.

Notes on methodology

• Figures are synthesized from rural adoption norms, Georgia-wide benchmarks, and known Southeast GA infrastructure patterns as of 2024, scaled to Brantley County’s size and settlement pattern. Treat numbers as directional ranges rather than point estimates.

Brantley County, GA social media snapshot

Population baseline

• Residents: about 20,000 (small, rural county)
• Estimated active social media users (13+): roughly 12,000–14,000 monthly

Age mix of active users (est.)

• 13–17: 8–10%
• 18–29: 18–22%
• 30–49: 35–40% (largest cohort; heavy Facebook usage)
• 50–64: 20–25%
• 65+: 10–15% (mainly Facebook and YouTube)

Gender

• Overall usage is roughly even. Slight female skew on Facebook/Pinterest; slight male skew on YouTube/Reddit/X.

Most-used platforms (estimated monthly reach among residents 13+)

• YouTube: 70–80%
• Facebook: 60–70% (dominant for local news, groups, Marketplace)
• Instagram: 30–35%
• TikTok: 25–30%
• Snapchat: 20–25% (teens/20s)
• Pinterest: 20–30% (women 25–54)
• X (Twitter): 10–15%
• Reddit: 8–12%
• LinkedIn: 8–12%
• Nextdoor: 3–5% (limited neighborhood coverage) Note: Ranges reflect rural adjustments and Brantley’s older age profile.

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the community hub: school sports, church events, yard sales, lost & found, and county/EM alerts. Marketplace is heavily used for buy/sell.
• Video-first consumption is rising: short vertical videos (Facebook Reels/TikTok) outperform photos and links; local, familiar faces drive higher engagement.
• Messaging patterns: Facebook Messenger is the default for adults; Snapchat for teens/college-age.
• Best posting windows: evenings (7–10 pm) and weekends; lunchtime works for quick updates.
• Local business behavior: most small businesses rely on Facebook Pages and boosted posts; coupons, giveaways, and event promos perform well.
• Cross-posting norms: TikTok clips are often repurposed as Instagram/Facebook Reels; Instagram posts auto-share to Facebook for reach.
• Trust and tone: content from known locals, schools, churches, and first responders is trusted; hard-sell ads underperform without a community tie-in.
• Connectivity considerations: patchy broadband favors shorter videos, compressed media, and clear text overlays; avoid large downloads or high-bitrate live streams.

Method note

• County-level platform stats aren’t officially published. Figures above are directional estimates derived from Brantley’s population/age mix combined with recent U.S. platform adoption benchmarks (with rural adjustments). Use for planning, not as audited counts.