Heard County

Heard County, Georgia — key demographics (latest official data)

Population

• 11,412 (2020 Decennial Census)
• Population density: ~35 per square mile

Age

• Median age: ~41 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~22–24%
• 65 and over: ~16–18%

Gender

• Male: ~50–51%
• Female: ~49–50%

Race/ethnicity (Hispanic may be of any race; ACS 2018–2022)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~82–84%
• Black/African American (non-Hispanic): ~11–13%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~3–4%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, and other races: each <1%

Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~4,200–4,300
• Average household size: ~2.6 persons
• Family households: ~70–75% of households
• Married-couple households: ~55–60% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~28–30%
• Living alone (householder): ~22–24%; age 65+ living alone: ~10–12%
• Owner-occupied housing: ~78–82% of occupied units; renter-occupied: ~18–22%

Insights

• Small, rural county with modest population change since 2010.
• Older age profile than the Georgia statewide median.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White with a notable Black minority and small Hispanic presence.
• High homeownership and a majority of family/married-couple households typical of rural Georgia.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates (DP02, DP03, DP04, DP05). Figures rounded for clarity; small margins of error apply.

• Population and density: Heard County has roughly 11.4k residents spread over ~300 square miles (≈38 people per sq. mile), reflecting a rural, low‑density service area.
• Estimated email users: ≈7,300 adults use email regularly. Method: ≈85% of adults use the internet in rural Georgia; ≈92% of online adults use email.
• Age mix (county population): ≈24% under 18, ≈19% ages 18–34, ≈39% ages 35–64, ≈18% ages 65+. Email use tracks the adult mix, with slightly lower use intensity among 65+ but high overall penetration.
• Gender split: Email users are roughly proportional to population (≈50% female, 50% male).
• Digital access and devices:
  • Households: ≈4,400.
  • Broadband subscription: about three‑quarters of households have a home broadband subscription; roughly one in five lacks home internet.
  • Smartphone reliance: a noticeable minority are smartphone‑only for internet access, which keeps email usage high but primarily mobile.
• Connectivity and trends:
  • Rural topology and distance from major backbones constrain wired options outside town centers.
  • Fiber and fixed‑wireless buildouts since 2021 have expanded service footprints and nudged subscription rates upward.
  • Public Wi‑Fi (libraries/schools) and mobile networks play an outsized role in bridging gaps, supporting consistent email access even where home broadband is absent.

Heard County, GA mobile phone usage summary (2024)

Population baseline

• Residents: ≈11,700; households: ≈4,450 (ACS 2022–2023).
• Rural profile, older and lower-income than the Georgia average, which shapes mobile adoption and dependence patterns.

User estimates

• Adult smartphone users: ≈7,600 (about 85% of ≈8,900 adults). Including teens 13–17, total smartphone users are ≈8,200.
• Residents using any mobile phone (smartphone or basic): ≈9,200 (≈78% of all residents).
• Mobile-only internet households (cellular data plan and no wired home broadband): ≈20% of households (≈900), versus ≈12–14% statewide.
• Households with no internet subscription of any kind: ≈17% (≈750), versus ≈11% statewide.
• Households with a smartphone but no computer: ≈10% locally vs ≈6% statewide.

Demographic breakdown and how it differs from Georgia

• Age
  • 18–34: smartphone adoption ≈95% (near state level); heavier app and social use; limited differences from GA.
  • 35–64: ≈90% smartphone adoption (a few points below GA), higher likelihood of using mobile as primary home internet.
  • 65+: ≈72% smartphone adoption (8–10 points below GA). This group is more likely to have voice/text-centric plans or share devices within households.
• Income
  • Under $35k household income: ≈35% are mobile-only for home internet vs ≈25% statewide. This group drives most of the county’s above-average mobile dependence.
• Race/ethnicity (population roughly: White ~78%, Black ~16%, Hispanic ~4%)
  • Smartphone ownership is high across groups, but Black and Hispanic households show higher mobile-only internet reliance than White households locally, mirroring state patterns but with larger gaps due to fewer wired options.
• Education
  • Households without a college degree are notably more likely to be mobile-only (≈1.5× the county average), a larger differential than seen at the state level.

Digital infrastructure points

• Coverage
  • 5G population coverage: ≈80–85% in Heard County vs ≈95% statewide. 5G is concentrated around Franklin and along primary corridors; large LTE-only pockets persist in wooded and hilly areas and along river valleys.
  • LTE population coverage: high (≈98%+ outdoors), but indoor signal quality varies in low-lying and heavily forested tracts.
• Capacity
  • Low-band 5G (coverage-focused) is common; mid-band 5G capacity is limited outside town centers, keeping real-world speeds and uplink performance below statewide medians.
• Backhaul and siting
  • Sparse macro-cell site density compared with metro Georgia; fewer fiber-fed sites away from main roads dampen peak speeds and add variability during evening hours.
  • FirstNet (AT&T Band 14) presence improves public-safety reliability; spillover benefits for consumer coverage near those sites.
• Carrier dynamics
  • AT&T and Verizon hold a coverage edge in the more remote parts of the county; T-Mobile’s 5G coverage has expanded on major routes but remains patchier off-corridor than in metro areas.
• Fixed-broadband interplay
  • DSL and limited cable footprints outside town limits, with spotty fiber availability. This scarcity raises the county’s mobile-only home internet rate and keeps smartphone hotspot use above state norms.

Behavioral and market differences vs Georgia

• Higher reliance on mobile as the primary internet: ≈20% of households vs ≈12–14% statewide. Hotspot use is materially higher, especially among low-income and renter households.
• Lower 5G capacity share: More time spent on LTE and low-band 5G than in metro/suburban Georgia, which affects streaming quality and large-app updates.
• Plan mix: Prepaid and budget MVNO plans have a larger share than statewide, reflecting income and coverage-driven carrier selection.
• Device mix: Slightly older handset mix and higher Android share than the state average, linked to price sensitivity and longer replacement cycles.
• Adoption gap for seniors: A wider lag in 65+ smartphone adoption than statewide, contributing to a larger cohort using basic phones or shared family devices.

Key takeaways

• Mobile connectivity is nearly universal for adults, but Heard County leans more heavily on mobile as a home internet substitute than Georgia overall.
• Coverage is broad but capacity-limited outside town centers; 5G availability lags the state, with persistent LTE-only areas.
• Income and infrastructure constraints, more than willingness to adopt, explain most of the county’s deviation from statewide smartphone and subscription patterns.

Sources and approach

• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (2022–2023) for population, households, income, device, and subscription indicators (tables including S2801).
• FCC National Broadband Map (2023–2024) and carrier public coverage disclosures for coverage/capacity patterns.
• Pew Research Center (2023–2024) for national/rural smartphone ownership benchmarks, scaled to county demographics.
• Estimates above are rounded and reconciled across these datasets to produce county-appropriate figures and state contrasts.

Heard County, GA social media snapshot (adult population-based estimates)

Population baseline

• Total population: 11,400 (2020 Census). Adults 18+: ~8,900.

Estimated platform reach among adults (multi-platform; percentages reflect likely share of adults using each service; counts rounded)

• YouTube: 81% (~7,200 adults)
• Facebook: 70% (~6,200)
• Instagram: 39% (~3,500)
• TikTok: 27% (~2,400)
• Snapchat: 24% (~2,100)
• Pinterest: 32% (~2,800)
• WhatsApp: 24% (~2,100)
• LinkedIn: 24% (~2,100)
• X (Twitter): 18% (~1,600)
• Reddit: 18% (~1,600)
• Nextdoor: 8% (~700)

Age-group usage patterns (share of each age group likely to use these platforms; local behavior mirrors rural U.S. trends)

• 18–29: Instagram 75–80; Snapchat 60–65; TikTok 60+; YouTube 90+; Facebook ~35–40.
• 30–49: Facebook ~70; YouTube 85+; Instagram ~55–60; TikTok ~35–40; Snapchat ~25–30; LinkedIn ~30.
• 50–64: Facebook ~70–75; YouTube ~80+; Instagram ~25–30; TikTok ~20–25; Pinterest ~35–40.
• 65+: Facebook ~60–65; YouTube ~55–60; Instagram ~10–15; TikTok ~8–12; Pinterest ~25–30.

Gender breakdown tendencies (platform skews among local users)

• More women: Facebook (slight), Instagram (moderate), Pinterest (strong majority), Snapchat (moderate), TikTok (slight-to-moderate).
• More men: YouTube (slight), Reddit (strong), X/Twitter (moderate), LinkedIn (slight).
• WhatsApp: relatively even.

Behavioral trends observed in rural Georgia counties and applicable to Heard County

• Facebook is the community backbone: heavy use of Groups for schools, churches, youth sports, emergency/weather updates, road closures, and buy/sell via Marketplace; Messenger doubles as a primary contact channel for local businesses and services.
• YouTube as a “how‑to” and entertainment hub: strong consumption of DIY, home/auto repair, farming/outdoors, hunting/fishing, and high‑school sports highlights; local businesses increasingly use Shorts for awareness.
• Short‑form video growth: Instagram Reels and TikTok see steady traction among under‑40s for local events, food spots, and small-business promotions; cross-posting from TikTok to Reels is common.
• Event and commerce discovery: Residents frequently discover local events, yard sales, and seasonal festivals through Facebook Events and Group posts; Pinterest drives seasonal/home project planning and local vendor searches among women 25–54.
• Lower X/Twitter and Reddit penetration: Used mainly by sports fans, news/politics followers, and tech-oriented users; limited role for everyday community coordination.
• Nextdoor coverage is spotty: Adoption lags Facebook Groups for hyperlocal news due to platform availability and network effects in rural areas.
• Timing: Engagement peaks evenings (7–10 pm) and weekends; midday spikes around school announcements and severe-weather alerts.
• Trust and word-of-mouth: High reliance on recommendations inside closed/local groups; user comments and admin endorsements materially influence purchase decisions for trades, lawncare, auto services, and home repairs.

Notes on methodology

• Counts and percentages are derived by applying Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. platform adoption rates, adjusted to rural usage patterns, to Heard County’s adult population (U.S. Census 2020). Figures are estimates intended for local planning and benchmarking.