Calhoun County

Calhoun County, Georgia – key demographics (most recent U.S. Census Bureau data; small-county ACS 5‑year estimates have margins of error)

Population size

• Total population: 5,573 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age

• Median age: ~39 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~17%
• 18 to 64: ~72%
• 65 and over: ~11%

Gender

• Male: ~60–62%
• Female: ~38–40% (Note: The county includes Calhoun State Prison, which skews the population more male and working-age.)

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2019–2023)

• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~60–65%
• White (non-Hispanic): ~28–32%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~4–6%
• Two or more races / Other (including Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, NHPI): ~2–3% combined

Households (ACS 2019–2023; excludes group quarters like prisons)

• Households: ~1,700–1,800
• Average household size: ~2.4–2.6
• Family households: ~60–66% of households
• Married-couple families: ~33–38% of households
• Female householder, no spouse: ~20–25%
• One-person households: ~28–32%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (PL 94-171) and 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

Calhoun County, GA snapshot (population ~5.5k; ~20 people per sq. mile)

Estimated email users: 3,600–4,200 residents use email at least monthly. Estimate based on adult share of the population and rural internet adoption.

Age distribution (estimated adoption rates):

• 18–34: 95–98%
• 35–64: 90–95%
• 65+: 70–85% Older adults participate less mainly due to connectivity and device gaps, not interest.

Gender split: Roughly even usage among men and women; overall population skews slightly male due to incarceration, but email adoption differences by gender are minor.

Digital access trends:

• Household fixed-broadband subscription roughly 60–70% (below GA average), with notable reliance on mobile data.
• Smartphone-only internet users: approximately 10–15%.
• Public Wi‑Fi (schools, libraries, municipal spots) and mobile hotspots are important access points.
• Low density and long last‑mile distances constrain fiber/cable buildout; many areas depend on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite.

Implications: Email is widely used for work, government services, and commerce, but outreach should assume some residents are mobile-only or have intermittent home broadband.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Calhoun County, Georgia

At a glance (estimates)

• Population/households: ~5.5–6.5k residents, ~2.2–2.6k households.
• Mobile users: ~4.5–5.5k individual mobile subscribers; smartphone users ~3.3–4.2k.
• Mobile-only internet households: 25–35% (higher than Georgia overall ~18–22%).
• Prepaid/MVNO share: 45–55% of lines (higher than GA ~30–35%).
• Android share: ~70–80% of smartphones (higher than GA ~55–60%).
• 5G-capable device penetration: ~45–55% (lower than GA ~70–75%).

Demographic patterns driving usage

• Age: Smartphone adoption among 60+ estimated 55–65% (below GA ~75%); younger adults are near statewide norms but rely more on prepaid plans.
• Race/ethnicity: Majority-Black county; Black residents show higher mobile-only internet reliance and Android/prepaid usage than statewide averages.
• Income: Lower median income and the sunset of ACP subsidies in 2024 push households toward lower-cost prepaid and longer device replacement cycles (3–4 years vs 2–3 statewide).

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carriers present: AT&T and Verizon provide the most consistent rural LTE; T-Mobile coverage improving along highways and town centers but spottier off-corridor.
• 5G: Predominantly low-band 5G on main corridors; limited mid-band (C-band/2.5 GHz) footprint versus metro Georgia. mmWave effectively absent.
• Tower grid: Sparse macro sites concentrated near Arlington, Edison, Morgan, Leary, and US-82/GA-37; coverage gaps in timber and farm tracts and on county roads off main highways.
• Capacity/backhaul: Several rural sites rely on microwave backhaul; speeds drop at school release, events, or during storms. Indoor coverage can be weak in metal-roof structures.
• Public access: Few carrier retail locations; public Wi‑Fi mostly at libraries, schools, and a handful of businesses—less dense than state average.
• First responders: AT&T FirstNet present on key sites; provides priority but overall rural constraints still apply.
• Fixed broadband context: Legacy DSL and limited cable/fiber footprints in towns; this elevates demand for mobile hotspots and fixed wireless (availability for T‑Mobile/Verizon home internet is spotty and corridor-dependent).

How Calhoun County differs from Georgia overall

• Higher dependence on mobile as primary internet, especially among low-income and Black households.
• Greater share of prepaid/MVNO users and Android devices; longer upgrade cycles.
• Lower 5G device adoption and less mid-band 5G coverage; slower average data speeds and higher latency.
• More pronounced coverage variability: solid along highways/town centers, notable dead zones in low-density areas.
• Fewer public Wi‑Fi and retail support options, magnifying reliance on self-service and prepaid channels.

Notes on method

• Estimates synthesize 2020 Census/ACS population baselines, typical rural adoption discounts from statewide/Pew benchmarks, and known rural Georgia coverage patterns. For planning, validate with carrier coverage maps, FCC broadband/BDT data, school district tech surveys, and a local drive test.

Calhoun County, GA social media snapshot

Context and user base

• Population: roughly 5.5–5.8K residents. The county includes Calhoun State Prison (~1.5K incarcerated males), which skews census age/gender counts but incarcerated people are not active social media users.
• Civilian (non-incarcerated) residents: roughly 4.0–4.3K; adults ~3.0–3.3K.
• Estimated active adult social media users: about 2.3K–2.6K (applying national adoption rates to the local civilian adult population).

Most-used platforms (estimated share of adult civilians; rounded; applied to ~3.1K adults)

• YouTube: ~80–85% → ~2.5K–2.7K users
• Facebook: ~65–70% → ~2.0K–2.2K
• Instagram: ~45–50% → ~1.4K–1.6K
• TikTok: ~30–35% → ~0.9K–1.1K
• Snapchat: ~25–30% → ~0.8K–1.0K
• Pinterest: ~30–35% → ~0.9K–1.1K (heavily female)
• WhatsApp: ~20–30% → ~0.6K–1.0K (usage concentrated in Latino/immigrant communities)
• X/Twitter: ~20–25% → ~0.6K–0.8K
• LinkedIn: ~20–30% → ~0.6K–1.0K
• Reddit: ~15–22% → ~0.5K–0.7K

Age mix (who uses what)

• Teens (13–17): Very high YouTube; heavy Snapchat and TikTok; Instagram strong; Facebook mostly for school/sports pages and events.
• 18–29: Nearly universal YouTube; Instagram and TikTok are primary; Snapchat common; Facebook used for groups/marketplace, not posting.
• 30–49: Facebook is the hub (Groups, Marketplace, school/rec sports, church); YouTube daily; Instagram secondary; TikTok/Reels rising for short video.
• 50–64: Facebook dominant for news/community; YouTube for how‑tos and local content; Pinterest meaningful among women.
• 65+: Facebook adoption continues to grow; YouTube moderate; limited use of TikTok/Instagram.

Gender breakdown (typical local pattern)

• Overall active user base skews roughly balanced once excluding the prison population.
• Women: Overrepresented on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; heavy use of Groups/Marketplace and event content.
• Men: Overrepresented on YouTube, Reddit, X; strong consumption of how‑to, sports, and ag/mechanical content.

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook Groups run local life: school athletics, church bulletins, community alerts, lost & found, obituaries, local politics.
• Marketplace is a primary commerce channel (farm/yard equipment, vehicles, furniture); most transactions arranged via Messenger/text.
• Video first: YouTube for repairs, farming, hunting/fishing, and regional news; short‑form clips (Reels/TikTok) used by local businesses for reach.
• Local news via social: follows and shares from Albany TV stations, sheriff’s office, EMA, GDOT; engagement spikes during severe weather and elections.
• Posting cadence: Peaks evenings (after work/school) and weekends; secondary bump at lunch and after school events.
• Connectivity reality: Mobile‑first; some bandwidth constraints favor short videos, photo posts, and live streams on Facebook.
• Community commerce and services: High trust in known local pages; strong word‑of‑mouth amplification; visible skepticism of scams.

Method notes and sources

• County population and the presence of Calhoun State Prison based on U.S. Census/ACS and Georgia DOC; platform adoption rates from Pew Research Center’s U.S. adult social media use (2023–2024). Exact county‑level platform stats aren’t published; figures above apply national adult adoption rates to Calhoun County’s estimated civilian adult population and are intended as ballpark estimates.