Dodge County

What reference year do you want? I can provide the latest Census QuickFacts (2023 population estimate with 2019–2023 ACS for age/households) or 2020 decennial Census figures.

Dodge County, GA snapshot (estimates)

• Population/density: 20,000 residents across ~500 sq mi (40 people/sq mi), largely rural.
• Email users: ~13,000–15,000 residents use email at least occasionally (driven by adult internet adoption and school accounts for teens).
• Age pattern (approx. adoption among each group):
  • 13–17: 85–95%
  • 18–34: 95%+
  • 35–54: ~90%
  • 55–64: ~80–85%
  • 65+: ~65–75%
• Gender split: Email users roughly mirror the population (about 51% female, 49% male).
• Digital access and trends:
  • Devices: ~80–85% of households have a computer; many access email primarily via smartphones.
  • Home internet: ~65–75% of households have a broadband subscription; ~10–15% are smartphone‑only; ~20–25% have no home internet service.
  • Connectivity: Faster cable/fiber is concentrated in and near towns (e.g., Eastman); outlying areas rely more on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite, which can limit consistent email access.
  • Ongoing state/federal investments aim to extend last‑mile broadband; public Wi‑Fi (schools, libraries) remains important for those without home service.

Notes: Figures are synthesized from rural Georgia and national adoption benchmarks; exact local values may vary.

Mobile phone usage in Dodge County, Georgia — summary with county–vs–state contrasts

User estimates (order‑of‑magnitude)

• Population baseline: roughly 19–21k residents; about 15–16k adults.
• Mobile phone users: about 14.5–16.5k people use a mobile phone (roughly 88–92% of adults plus most teens).
• Smartphone users: about 12–13.5k adult smartphone users (roughly 78–85% of adults; slightly below Georgia’s statewide rate, driven by an older age mix).
• Smartphone‑dependent for internet: materially higher than the Georgia average. Expect roughly 20–28% of households relying on smartphones as their primary home internet (vs about mid‑teens statewide), reflecting sparser wired broadband.
• Plan mix: prepaid share elevated (≈35–45% in Dodge vs ≈25–30% statewide), tied to lower median incomes and credit constraints.
• Platform mix: Android likely leads more than in Georgia overall (roughly 55–65% Android in Dodge vs closer to parity statewide), a common rural cost trend.

Demographic patterns shaping usage

• Age: A larger 65+ share than Georgia overall depresses smartphone adoption and pushes some basic‑phone use; younger adults and families still show high smartphone and unlimited‑data adoption.
• Income and affordability: Lower household incomes and the wind‑down of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program increased price sensitivity, nudging users toward prepaid, hotspotting, and fixed‑wireless home internet.
• Race/ethnicity and language: Smaller Hispanic/immigrant population than the state average means less multilingual retail/support demand than metro Georgia; digital inclusion efforts are more about affordability and coverage than language access.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Cellular coverage:
  • 4G LTE: Generally solid along US‑23/341, GA‑87, Eastman, and other population clusters; coverage thins in forested/agricultural tracts and along county edges.
  • 5G: Predominantly low‑band 5G with spotty mid‑band capacity; strongest around Eastman and highway corridors. 5G availability and speeds lag the state average (Atlanta and larger metros drive Georgia’s 5G metrics).
  • Small cells: Minimal outside the core of Eastman; far fewer densification sites than in Georgia’s urban counties, contributing to weaker indoor coverage and peak‑hour slowdowns.
• Backhaul and towers:
  • Fewer macro sites per square mile than the state average; longer inter‑site distances produce more dead zones in low‑lying/wooded areas.
  • Fiber backhaul is concentrated along main roads; limited lateral fiber constrains mid‑band 5G upgrades away from towns.
• Home internet interplay:
  • Cable/fiber availability drops quickly outside Eastman, so many households lean on mobile hotspots or fixed wireless access (FWA) from Verizon/T‑Mobile near towns and along corridors. FWA adoption is higher than Georgia’s average because it often outperforms remaining DSL.
• Performance:
  • Median mobile speeds and 5G share of tests tend to be lower than statewide figures; variability by carrier is wider in Dodge than in metro counties.

How Dodge County differs most from Georgia overall

• Higher smartphone‑dependent households and greater reliance on mobile/FWA for home internet due to sparser wired options.
• Higher prepaid and Android shares; lower iPhone share than metro‑heavy statewide mix.
• Lower 5G capacity deployment, fewer small cells, and more coverage variability within the county.
• More pronounced indoor coverage challenges in metal‑roof structures and at the fringes of macro cells.
• Adoption gap concentrated among seniors; younger cohorts mirror statewide usage once coverage and price are acceptable.

Notes and validation

• Treat figures as planning estimates anchored to rural‑US and Georgia patterns. For precise local counts, combine: FCC National Broadband Map (coverage and technology by location), carrier 5G/LTE maps, Ookla/OpenSignal/RootMetrics for speed/availability, and ACS county demographics (age/income). Local insights from school district, library, and county E‑911/tower records help pinpoint dead zones and backhaul limits.

Below is a concise, best-available estimate. County-level platform data isn’t published directly; figures are derived by applying recent Pew Research national usage rates to Dodge County’s demographics (ACS) and adjusting slightly for rural Southeast patterns. Treat these as directional.

Headline user stats

• Population base: ~20,000 residents; estimated 13+ population ~17,000.
• Estimated social media users (13+): 12,000–14,000 (≈70–80% penetration).
• Daily users among social users: ~65–75%.
• Device mix: >90% mobile-first; video consumption is high (short-form and live).

Most-used platforms in Dodge County (share of social media users; multi-platform use is common)

• YouTube: 78–85%
• Facebook: 70–78% (strongest single platform locally)
• Instagram: 30–40%
• TikTok: 28–36%
• Snapchat: 22–30% (concentrated under 35)
• Pinterest: 28–36% (skews female)
• WhatsApp: 12–20%
• X (Twitter): 10–15%
• LinkedIn: 8–15% (lower in rural areas)

Age mix of the local social audience (share of social users)

• 13–17: 8–9%
• 18–24: 9–11%
• 25–34: 15–17%
• 35–44: 16–18%
• 45–54: 15–17%
• 55–64: 14–16%
• 65+: 15–18%

Gender breakdown of social users

• Female: 53–56%
• Male: 44–47% Notes: Women over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube and Reddit/X.

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the community hub: Heavy use of Groups (churches, schools, booster clubs, buy/sell/trade), Events, and Marketplace. Local news, weather, and public-safety posts spread quickly via shares.
• Short-form video is rising: Facebook Reels, Instagram Reels, and TikTok drive discovery; “face-to-camera,” how-to, and event highlights outperform polished ads.
• Messaging matters: Facebook Messenger and SMS drive appointment-setting and customer service; click-to-call and map/directions CTAs convert well for local businesses.
• Timing: Engagement peaks before work (6:30–8:30 a.m.), lunch (12–1 p.m.), and evenings (7–10 p.m.); weekends see strong Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon activity.
• Content that wins: Community-first stories, youth and high school sports, faith- and family-oriented events, hunting/fishing/outdoors, local deals/discounts, and weather-related updates.
• Trust dynamics: Word-of-mouth and shares from known locals carry outsized weight. Creator-style posts from recognizable community members outperform brand-only messages.
• Targeting radius: Practical reach often centers on Eastman and extends ~10–20 miles for local retail, services, and events.

Method notes

• Demographics: ACS/Census for Dodge County population and age/gender mix.
• Platform rates: Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. social media usage benchmarks, adjusted modestly for rural Southeast usage patterns (higher Facebook/Pinterest, lower LinkedIn/X).