Effingham County

Which data vintage would you like? I can use:

• 2020 Decennial Census (exact counts) or
• Latest ACS 5-year estimates (2019–2023) for more detail

Also, which household metrics do you need beyond household count and average household size (e.g., family vs. nonfamily share, homeownership rate)?

Effingham County, GA snapshot

• Population and density: ≈68,000 residents; ≈140 people per sq. mile (fast-growing Savannah metro suburb).
• Estimated email users: 45,000–55,000 residents (≈80–85% of all residents; ≈90% of adults).
• Age distribution of email use (estimates, in line with U.S. adoption):
  • Ages 13–17: 70–80%
  • 18–34: 90–95%
  • 35–54: 94–97%
  • 55–64: ~90%
  • 65+: 80–85%
• Gender split among users: roughly mirrors the population (≈51% female, 49% male).
• Digital access trends:
  • Home broadband subscription in most households: ~85–90%.
  • Smartphone‑only internet reliance: ~10–15% of households.
  • Access is strongest along the GA‑21 corridor and in/around Rincon–Springfield–Guyton subdivisions (cable/fiber), with patchier speeds in northern rural tracts where DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite fill gaps.
  • Cellular: broad 4G/LTE coverage; 5G present in population centers/major routes.
• Local connectivity context: Rapid population growth since 2010 has spurred new subdivisions and network buildouts, but rural pockets remain less served, contributing to a modest urban‑rural digital divide within the county.

Below is a pragmatic, estimate-based snapshot tailored to Effingham County, Georgia. Figures are directional ranges built from recent Census/ACS trends for fast‑growing exurban counties, national smartphone adoption research (e.g., Pew), and the county’s known growth pattern in the Savannah metro. Treat as planning estimates rather than official counts.

Executive summary: how Effingham differs from Georgia overall

• Faster growth, more young families, and heavy commuting to Savannah/port/logistics create higher on-the-go mobile usage than the state average.
• Mixed suburban–rural footprint means strong 5G/LTE along main corridors but more variable service in outer tracts; this drives slightly higher reliance on mobile-only internet than the state average despite above-average incomes.
• Device mix skews newer (family upgrades, safety/location tracking) and prepaid penetration is moderate in growing Hispanic/younger segments.

Size of the mobile user base (estimates)

• Population baseline: roughly 67,000–72,000 residents; ~23,000–25,000 households.
• Adult smartphone users: about 44,000–50,000 adults with smartphones.
  • Method: ~74% adults × local adoption 85–90% (higher in suburban centers, lower in rural pockets).
• Youth smartphone users (10–17): about 5,500–7,000.
  • Method: ~10% of population aged 10–17; adoption ~70% (ages 10–12) to ~95% (13–17).
• Total smartphone users (all ages): approximately 50,000–57,000.
• Active cellular lines/SIMs: roughly 60,000–75,000 (1.1–1.3 lines per adult when including wearables, tablets, hotspots, work lines).
• Mobile-broadband–only households: about 3,500–5,000 households (15–20% of households).
  • Likely a few points higher than the statewide share due to patchy wired options in outer tracts and strong fixed‑wireless 5G offerings in denser corridors.

Demographic and usage patterns

• Age
  • Younger family profile than the Georgia average; earlier device adoption for teens/tweens and high use of family safety/location apps.
  • Seniors share smaller than statewide, but in rural tracts older residents still show lower smartphone adoption and more voice/SMS dependence.
• Income and work
  • Median household income slightly above the state’s; device upgrade cycles and 5G handset penetration are correspondingly strong.
  • Large commuter base to Savannah/industrial/logistics jobs → pronounced peak-hour mobile data/voice use on GA‑21, SR‑30, and school/work start/finish times.
• Race/ethnicity
  • Majority White, with growing Black and Hispanic populations.
  • Hispanic/younger segments show higher use of prepaid and messaging-centric apps; bilingual support matters for outreach and digital services.

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• Cellular coverage
  • All three national carriers present; best performance and 5G mid‑band availability cluster along the GA‑21 corridor and in/around Rincon, Springfield, Guyton, and newer subdivisions.
  • Outer western/southern rural tracts can see lower SINR and occasional capacity constraints; in-vehicle and home signal boosters are more common than in metro Georgia.
• 5G and capacity trends
  • Mid‑band 5G is less uniform than in Atlanta/Augusta/Columbus; where available it meaningfully lifts fixed‑wireless and hotspot performance.
  • Capacity investments tend to track new housing starts, schools, and logistics/warehouse nodes supporting the Savannah port; transient congestion aligns with shift changes and school events.
• Wired backhaul and alternatives
  • Fiber and cable penetration is strong in denser corridors but drops off in exurban pockets; fixed‑wireless 5G home internet is a notable substitute in those areas.
  • New subdivisions often deliver better fiber-fed small‑cell/macro performance than legacy rural roads a few miles away, creating sharp service contrasts within short distances.
• Public and community access
  • Schools, libraries, and county facilities act as important Wi‑Fi anchors; after‑school hours show heavy use, supporting the inference of higher student dependence on mobile data.

How these trends differ from statewide patterns

• Adoption and devices: Effingham likely sits a notch above Georgia’s average in household 5G handset penetration and family device counts, driven by income and age mix.
• Access patterns: Reliance on mobile-only or mobile‑primary internet is somewhat higher than the state average in the county’s outer tracts, even though incomes are higher—wired competition drops off faster with distance from the main corridors than in most Georgia metro counties.
• Network performance: Median speeds and 5G availability trail top metro areas (ATL), but exceed many rural Georgia counties; the distribution is more uneven within short radii because growth has outpaced uniform upgrades.
• Temporal demand: Commuter and school-driven spikes are more pronounced than statewide norms, reflecting the county’s bedroom‑community role in the Savannah region.

Planning implications

• Expect continuing growth in fixed‑wireless 5G subscriptions and hotspot use, especially where new fiber is not yet built.
• Small cells and additional sectors along GA‑21/school clusters will yield outsized congestion relief.
• Digital equity efforts should target rural seniors and mobile‑only student households for device, plan, and signal‑boost support.

Notes on methodology and confidence

• Figures are modeled from recent exurban Georgia county demographics, national smartphone adoption rates, and typical carrier deployment patterns in fast‑growing suburban–rural fringes. For operational decisions, validate with the latest ACS 5‑year tables (household internet and device access), FCC/NTIA broadband maps, and carrier RF design/drive test data specific to Effingham County.

Effingham County, GA — social media snapshot (estimates)

Population baseline

• Residents: ~67–70k; adults (18+): ~48–50k.
• Adult social media users: ~41–43k (≈82–86% of adults). Teens (13–17): >90% use at least one platform.
• Note: Local figures are estimated by applying current U.S. usage patterns (Pew Research/DataReportal) to county demographics; treat as directional.

Most‑used platforms (adults; estimated share of adults using each)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 60–70%
• Instagram: 40–50%
• TikTok: 30–35%
• Pinterest: 30–35% (skews female)
• Snapchat: 20–30% (heavily <30)
• LinkedIn: 25–30% (skews college‑educated/white‑collar, Savannah/port/logistics ties)
• X (Twitter): 18–22% (news/sports followers)
• Nextdoor: 15–20% (suburban neighborhoods, HOA areas)
• WhatsApp: 15–20% (higher among Hispanic/immigrant families)

Age groups (usage and platform skew)

• Teens (13–17): 95%+ on at least one; top: YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram. Very high daily use; short‑form video first.
• 18–29: 90–95% overall; Instagram/TikTok dominant; Snapchat common; YouTube universal; Facebook for events/family.
• 30–49: 85–90% overall; Facebook and YouTube lead; Instagram growing; TikTok/Reels for entertainment/how‑tos.
• 50–64: 70–80% overall; Facebook primary; YouTube for how‑to, news, church/streaming; Pinterest for projects/recipes.
• 65+: 50–60% overall; Facebook (family/grandkids, local news) and YouTube; some Nextdoor.

Gender notes

• Overall usage similar by gender (county is ~50/50).
• Skews: Facebook and Instagram lean slightly female; Pinterest strongly female; YouTube, Reddit/X lean male; LinkedIn slightly male.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is near‑universal among Facebook users; WhatsApp use clusters in specific communities.

Behavioral trends (local)

• Community‑centric: Heavy engagement in Facebook Groups (schools, youth sports, churches, “buy/sell/trade” and yard‑sale groups), Marketplace, and event posts. Nextdoor used for neighborhood issues, contractors, lost/found.
• Video‑first consumption: Reels/Shorts/TikTok drive discovery; how‑to, local sports highlights, restaurant/food content perform well. Many churches and schools stream or post to YouTube/Facebook.
• Local info & alerts: Facebook is a go‑to for weather updates, school notices, road closures, and county services. Evenings and early mornings see the most local engagement.
• Commerce: Facebook Marketplace is a primary channel for secondhand goods; small businesses rely on Facebook/Instagram for promos and DMs for customer service.
• Youth behavior: Teens favor Snapchat (messaging/streaks) and TikTok for trends; Instagram DMs for group chats; low X usage.
• Worklife patterns: Shift workers tied to Savannah’s port/logistics/aerospace check mobile content during breaks; short, captioned videos and clear CTAs work best.
• Trust signals: Local faces, recognizable landmarks, and community partnerships (schools, churches, booster clubs) lift engagement and shares.

Quick counts (back‑of‑envelope, adults)

• Facebook users: ~30–35k; Instagram: ~19–25k; TikTok: ~15–17k; YouTube: ~39–43k; Snapchat: ~10–15k; Pinterest: ~15–17k; LinkedIn: ~12–15k; X: ~9–11k; Nextdoor: ~7–10k.

Method/caveats

• Estimates extrapolate national platform adoption by age/gender to Effingham’s population; real local penetration can vary. For precision (e.g., ad planning), validate with platform ad tools (geo‑targeted reach), local school/organization insights, and group membership counts.