Chatham County

Key demographics — Chatham County, Georgia (U.S. Census Bureau; latest ACS estimates, rounded)

• Population: ~305,000–310,000
• Age:
  • Median age: ~36–37
  • Under 18: ~21%
  • 18–64: ~63%
  • 65 and over: ~16%
• Gender: ~48% male, ~52% female
• Race/ethnicity (Hispanic can be any race):
  • White (non-Hispanic): ~46–48%
  • Black/African American (non-Hispanic): ~40–42%
  • Hispanic/Latino: ~7–8%
  • Asian: ~2–3%
  • Two or more races: ~3–4%
  • Other (incl. AIAN, NHPI): ~1%
• Households:
  • Total households: ~120,000–125,000
  • Average household size: ~2.4–2.5
  • Family households: ~58–61% of households
  • Households with children under 18: ~26–29%
  • Homeownership rate: ~54–57%

Notes: Figures reflect American Community Survey county-level estimates; exact values vary slightly by ACS 1-year vs 5-year release.

Chatham County, GA (estimates)

• Population: ~308,000; gender: ~51% female, 49% male.
• Email users: ~250,000–265,000 residents (≈80–86% of the population). Adults only: ~200,000–230,000.
• Age pattern (share of population → estimated email adoption):
  • Under 18 (~22%) → 55–65% use email.
  • 18–34 (~26%) → 95–99%.
  • 35–64 (~37%) → 93–97%.
  • 65+ (~15%) → 78–85%.
• Gender split in usage: roughly even; differences typically within ±2–3 percentage points.
• Digital access trends:
  • ~93–95% of households have a computer.
  • ~88–90% have a broadband subscription.
  • Smartphone-only access remains more common in lower-income households, which can limit consistent email use.
• Local density/connectivity:
  • ~720 people per square mile (≈308k over ~426 sq. mi of land).
  • Urban Savannah and the I‑95/I‑16 corridors show the highest provider competition and fastest fixed services; outer coastal/rural pockets have more variable speeds and adoption.

Method: Estimates apply national email/internet adoption by age (e.g., Pew Research) to Chatham’s age mix and ACS computer/broadband rates. Figures are directional, not official counts.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Chatham County, Georgia

Baseline and user estimates

• Population and households: ~310,000 residents and roughly 125,000–130,000 households.
• Smartphone users: About 230,000–260,000 residents use a smartphone (driven by ~90%+ adult adoption; teens push the total higher).
• Active mobile lines: Approximately 350,000–420,000 SIMs/lines in service (110–130 lines per 100 residents, typical for urban counties where many people carry multiple lines/devices).
• Wireless-only voice: A large majority of households are wireless-only for voice (no landline), likely in the 70–80% range, broadly in line with other urban counties in the South.
• Mobile-reliant home internet: Countywide, an estimated 12–15% of households rely primarily on cellular data for home internet. In lower-income census tracts, this can reach 15–20%. In Chatham the driver is more affordability and housing patterns than infrastructure gaps.

Demographic patterns shaping usage

• Age: Very high smartphone adoption among 18–44; seniors 65+ show growing but still lower adoption. Student-heavy segments (SCAD and other colleges) boost multi-line usage and heavy data consumption, especially evenings and during the academic year.
• Race/ethnicity: With a higher share of Black residents than the state average, Chatham shows elevated smartphone-only internet use in some neighborhoods. Hispanic residents also show above-average mobile dependence. These gaps are primarily affordability- and device-first driven, not coverage-driven.
• Income and plans: Service-sector workers and students increase the share of prepaid and budget MVNO plans compared with Georgia’s suburban and higher-income counties. Device financing and BYOD are common; family plans remain strong among long-term residents.
• Transient populations: Tourism, port/logistics workers, and military personnel (Hunter Army Airfield) contribute to higher device churn, temporary lines, and FirstNet/public-safety usage.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage: The urban core (Savannah, Midtown, Southside, Pooler) has dense LTE and wide mid-band 5G coverage from all three national carriers, with strong capacity along I‑95, I‑16, and airport corridors. Small cells and concealed sites are used in the Historic District to manage capacity while meeting preservation requirements.
• Capacity pinch points: Event and tourist hotspots (River Street, City Market, Forsyth Park), Tybee Island on peak weekends, and port-adjacent corridors can experience short-term congestion that carriers mitigate with small cells or temporary mobile sites during large events (for example, St. Patrick’s Day).
• Coastal and island areas: Marshes/barrier islands and strict siting rules can create localized weak spots; indoor coverage can be variable in historic masonry buildings.
• Backhaul and fiber: Robust metro fiber from multiple providers (e.g., AT&T, Comcast Business; regional providers serve islands and business parks) supports 5G capacity and enterprise connectivity. The Port of Savannah and logistics parks have strong private-network interest (including CBRS) for IoT/operations.
• Public safety and resilience: Coastal hurricane risk drives above-average network hardening, generator-backed macro sites, and seasonal deployment of COWs/COLTs on evacuation routes. FirstNet coverage is a planning priority for local agencies.

How Chatham County differs from Georgia overall

• More capacity-driven than coverage-driven: Unlike rural Georgia, where gaps in fixed broadband and sparsely spaced towers drive mobile dependence, Chatham’s issues are mostly capacity management in dense, historic, and tourist areas with generally excellent baseline coverage.
• Higher mid-band 5G availability and small-cell density: The Savannah urban core has earlier and denser mid-band 5G and more small cells than much of the state outside Atlanta, reflecting tourism, port traffic, and preservation constraints.
• Event and seasonality effects: Traffic surges during major events and peak tourist seasons are more pronounced than in most Georgia counties (excluding Atlanta core), requiring temporary capacity augments.
• Port/logistics footprint: Industrial IoT and private wireless demand around the Port of Savannah is a distinctive local driver that most Georgia counties don’t share at this scale.
• Demographic tilt: A higher share of Black residents and a sizable student population increase smartphone-only internet use in specific neighborhoods and raise the prevalence of prepaid/MVNO lines compared with many Georgia suburban counties. However, overall countywide reliance on mobile for home internet is lower than in Georgia’s rural counties because fixed broadband availability is better.

Notes on methodology and uncertainty

• Figures are estimates synthesized from recent national/state adoption rates, ACS demographics, and typical urban-county mobile penetration patterns as of 2024. For planning-grade numbers, combine: ACS 1-year county data for demographics and home internet, NHIS for wireless-only households, FCC coverage/BDT for 5G availability, and crowd-sourced performance datasets (Ookla, OpenSignal) for capacity hot spots.

Social media in Chatham County, GA — short breakdown

Baseline

• Population: ≈300,000 residents; ≈230,000 adults (18+). Gender split ≈52% female, 48% male. Age mix (approx.): 13–17 (6%), 18–24 (10%), 25–34 (15%), 35–54 (27%), 55–64 (12%), 65+ (15%).

Most‑used platforms (estimated)

• Percentages reflect US adult adoption (Pew, 2024); local counts apply those rates to ≈230k adults in Chatham.
• YouTube: 83% of adults (190k local users)
• Facebook: 68% (156k)
• Instagram: 47% (108k)
• Pinterest: 35% (80k)
• TikTok: 33% (75k)
• LinkedIn: 30% (69k)
• Snapchat: 27% (62k) — higher among 13–24
• X (Twitter): 22% (50k)
• Reddit: 22% (50k)
• WhatsApp: 21% (48k)
• Nextdoor: 20% (46k) — highly localized utility

Age patterns (local implications)

• Teens (13–17): Heavy TikTok and Snapchat; minimal Facebook. Strong daily use and creator behavior.
• 18–24 (incl. SCAD students): Instagram, TikTok, YouTube dominate; Snapchat for messaging; Reddit for niches.
• 25–34: Instagram and YouTube for discovery; Facebook for events; TikTok growing.
• 35–54: Facebook strong (Groups, Marketplace), YouTube; Instagram for Reels; Nextdoor for neighborhoods.
• 55+: Facebook for family/news; YouTube how‑to and local info; rising Nextdoor usage.

Gender tendencies

• Women: More active on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; lead in local Groups, events, and shopping discovery.
• Men: Higher relative presence on YouTube, Reddit, X; strong in sports, gaming, tech, and local news niches.
• Both: Similar TikTok and WhatsApp adoption, usage patterns differ by age.

Behavioral trends specific to Chatham/Savannah area

• Community and safety: Heavy reliance on Facebook Groups and Nextdoor for neighborhoods (lost pets, code enforcement, HOA, safety alerts). Spikes during hurricane season and major weather events.
• Events drive peaks: St. Patrick’s Day, Savannah Music Festival, SCAD events, and tourism season boost Instagram/TikTok Reels, Stories, and UGC; best-performing posts use location tags and short‑form video.
• Tourism and hospitality: Instagram/TikTok favored for restaurant, nightlife, and Tybee Island/riverfront discovery; reviews and “list” content move traffic quickly.
• Education and youth influence: SCAD presence amplifies TikTok/IG trends, design/arts content, and creator collaborations.
• Industry mix: LinkedIn active for port/logistics, aerospace (Gulfstream), healthcare, and government roles; recruiting content performs well.
• Government and alerts: Local agencies and newsrooms use Facebook and X for quick updates; residents reshare on Facebook Groups.
• Content preferences: Authentic, hyper‑local posts, deals, and timely updates outperform polished brand ads; short‑form video > static; evenings/weekends see higher engagement.
• Marketplace behavior: Facebook Marketplace widely used for furniture, moving, and student cycles; trust reinforced by local group rules.

Notes and method

• Platform percentages are US adult adoption (Pew Research Center, 2024) applied to ≈230k Chatham adults to estimate local user counts; teen behaviors reflect national patterns adjusted for SCAD/student presence.
• Use these as planning benchmarks; platform ad tools and local surveys can refine exact reach.