Franklin County

Franklin County, Georgia – key demographics (latest Census/ACS)

Population

• Total: 23,424 (2020 Decennial Census)
• ACS 2018–2022 estimate: about 24,000

Age

• Median age: ~41–42 years
• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~19–20%

Sex

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50%

Race/ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~82–84%
• Black/African American (non-Hispanic): ~9–10%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~6–7%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Asian: ~0.5%
• Other (including American Indian/Alaska Native, NHPI): <1%

Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~9,100
• Average household size: ~2.6
• Homeownership rate: ~72–75%
• Median household income: roughly $50,000–$55,000 (2022 dollars)
• Poverty rate: ~15–17%
• Median gross rent: roughly $750–$850

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

Franklin County, GA — email usage (estimates)

• Context: ~25k residents; density ~85–95 per sq mi across ~260 sq mi.
• Estimated email users: 17k–20k (about 70–80% of residents), based on rural GA ACS-style internet/device access and Pew email adoption among online adults.
• Age mix of email users (share of users): 13–17: 6%; 18–34: 24%; 35–54: 33%; 55–64: 17%; 65+: 20% (older cohorts slightly less likely to use email daily).
• Gender split: near-even (≈49% male, 51% female); email adoption is similar by gender.
• Digital access trends:
  • 75–85% of households subscribe to home broadband.
  • 80–90% of households have a computer.
  • 85–90% of adults own a smartphone.
  • Fiber and fixed‑wireless builds since 2020 have improved speeds near towns/transport corridors; satellite/fixed‑wireless fills gaps in sparsely populated areas.
• Local density/connectivity notes: Coverage is typically stronger in/near Carnesville, Lavonia, and Royston and along I‑85; slower or less reliable service is more common on the county’s rural periphery. Public libraries and schools provide free Wi‑Fi/email access points.

Figures are directional for planning and should be refined with the latest ACS 5‑year county tables and current provider coverage maps.

Below is a county-focused snapshot built from ACS + FCC patterns for rural Georgia and recent carrier rollouts. Figures are rounded ranges to reflect the latest available estimates; they highlight where Franklin County differs from Georgia as a whole.

Headline differences vs. Georgia

• Slightly fewer smartphone-equipped households than the state average
• Reliance on cellular-only home internet is notably higher than statewide
• Wireline broadband (especially cable/fiber) is spottier outside town centers; fixed wireless access (FWA) fills gaps
• Older age profile depresses smartphone adoption among seniors vs. the state

User estimates

• Population and households: ~23–24k residents; roughly 9k households
• Households with smartphones: about 86–89% of households (≈7,700–8,100). Georgia is closer to ~92%.
• Individual smartphone users (adults 18+): about 13.5k–15.5k users (roughly 75–85% of adults). Statewide adult adoption is typically a few points higher.
• Cellular-only home internet: roughly 24–28% of households rely primarily on a cellular data plan for home internet, compared with ~15–18% statewide.
• Any home broadband subscription (of any type): ~81–84% of households, versus upper-80s statewide.

Demographic breakdown (how Franklin differs)

• Age:
  • 18–29: near-universal smartphone use (90%+), similar to the state.
  • 30–64: high adoption (mid/upper-80s), slightly below Georgia.
  • 65+: markedly lower (roughly mid-50s to low-60s), several points below the Georgia average due to a larger senior share and lower fixed broadband availability.
• Income:
  • <$25k: lower smartphone and home broadband uptake; higher likelihood of mobile-only internet and prepaid plans than statewide.
  • $75k+: near-universal smartphone and broadband adoption, similar to Georgia.
• Education:
  • Lower educational attainment segments show reduced smartphone and home broadband adoption compared with state averages; mobile-only is used more to bridge cost and access gaps.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • County is more White, non-Hispanic than Georgia overall; differences in smartphone adoption by race are modest compared with the stronger age/income effects locally.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Mobile coverage and 5G:
  • Strongest coverage clusters along I‑85 and in/around Carnesville, Lavonia, Franklin Springs, and parts of Royston.
  • AT&T and Verizon low‑band 5G/4G cover most populated corridors; T‑Mobile mid‑band 5G is improving along highways and town centers but remains patchy in rural tracts.
  • Mid‑band/high‑capacity 5G is more limited than in metro Georgia; speeds and indoor reliability drop off in hilly/wooded areas away from highways.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA):
  • T‑Mobile Home Internet is available to many addresses near highways and towns; Verizon 5G Home appears in smaller pockets. FWA adoption is higher than the state average because it’s often the best non‑DSL option outside cable footprints.
• Wireline broadband:
  • Cable (e.g., Spectrum or similar) mainly in town centers; coverage thins quickly in outlying areas.
  • Legacy DSL (e.g., Kinetic/Windstream) is widespread but variable in speed; fiber builds are underway but not countywide.
  • A larger share of addresses remain unserved/underserved by 100/20 Mbps compared with Georgia overall; grant‑funded fiber projects (ARPA/BEAD-era) are expected to narrow this gap through 2026.
• Practical effects:
  • Higher share of cellular-only households drives peak-hour congestion on macro sites serving exurban areas.
  • ACP’s lapse in 2024 likely nudged some low‑income households toward mobile-only connectivity, widening the county–state gap in home wireline uptake.

What to watch through 2026

• Fiber buildouts from incumbents and regional providers should reduce the county’s mobile-only reliance.
• Expanded mid‑band 5G layers (especially on AT&T/Verizon) and additional towers/small cells along secondary roads would improve indoor coverage and FWA consistency.
• Senior adoption could rise if fiber reaches more subdivisions and if subsidized plans return; that’s the biggest lever to close the usage gap with the state.

Sources and basis

• U.S. Census Bureau, ACS “Types of Computers and Internet Subscriptions” (S2801) for smartphone, broadband, and cellular-only household patterns
• FCC Broadband Availability Map and carrier public coverage maps (for relative 5G/FWA availability)
• Pew Research Center (state/rural smartphone adoption benchmarks)
• Georgia broadband program announcements (ARPA/BEAD), for expected fiber expansion timelines

Franklin County, GA — social media snapshot (best-available estimates, 2025; modeled from local ACS demographics and Pew platform adoption; ±3–5 pts)

Overall user base (13+)

• Total residents using at least one social platform: ~15.5k–16.5k
• Adults (18+) using social: ~14k–15k (about 78–82% of adults)

Gender mix (among users)

• Female ~52%
• Male ~48%

Age mix (share of total users)

• 13–17: ~9%
• 18–29: ~20–22%
• 30–49: ~34–36%
• 50–64: ~23–25%
• 65+: ~13–15%

Most-used platforms among adults (18+) — percent of adults who use each

• YouTube: 72–76%
• Facebook: 68–72%
• Instagram: 32–38%
• Pinterest: 30–34% (skews female)
• TikTok: 24–28% (strong under 30)
• Snapchat: 18–22% (mostly teens/20s)
• WhatsApp: 14–18% (niche; messaging)
• X (Twitter): 14–17% (news/sports followers)
• LinkedIn: 10–14% (lower in rural areas)
• Reddit: 9–12%
• Nextdoor: 5–8% (limited neighborhood density)

Behavioral trends

• Facebook is the default local hub: heavy use of Groups and Marketplace for school/sports updates, church and civic events, yard sales, and local alerts. County/sheriff/schools’ pages drive spikes during weather and road incidents.
• Video-first consumption: short-form clips (Reels/TikTok) see strong completion when cross-posted; YouTube used for DIY, farm/outdoor content, sermons, and how‑tos.
• Messaging patterns: Facebook Messenger dominates; SMS remains common. WhatsApp use is concentrated among Hispanic/international families and work crews.
• Shopping discovery: Facebook/Instagram for local boutiques, services, and events; Marketplace for classifieds. Pinterest drives recipe, home, and craft saves.
• Youth behavior: teens center on Snapchat (messaging/stories) and TikTok; Instagram for Reels and DMs. They rarely post on Facebook but still check group info when prompted.
• Older adults: Facebook + YouTube heavy; Pinterest for home/crafts. Lower TikTok/Snapchat adoption.
• Timing: engagement peaks evenings (7–10 pm) and weekends; midday dips on school/workdays. Weather and breaking-local posts cut through at any hour.
• Content that travels: short local videos with clear captions, faces, and recognizable places; posts naming towns/roads; event posts with date/time in the image; giveaways and before/after transformations.

Practical takeaways

• Broad local reach: Facebook + YouTube.
• Under-30 reach: Instagram + TikTok (Reels-first creative; cross-post).
• Commerce: Facebook/IG for promos; Marketplace for classified-style offers.
• Recruiting/professional: Facebook plus selective LinkedIn.
• Lean into Groups, short vertical video, and Messenger replies; post evenings/weekends for lift.

Note: Figures are estimates derived from county age mix and national/state usage rates; exact platform user counts at the county level are not publicly reported.