Houston County

Key demographics for Houston County, Georgia

• Population

  • 166,000–167,000 (2023 Census estimate)
  • 157,863 (2020 Decennial Census)

• Age

  • Under 5 years: ~6.8%
  • Under 18 years: ~25.0%
  • 65 years and over: ~13.4%
  • Median age: ~35–36 years

• Gender

  • Female: ~51.0%
  • Male: ~49.0%

• Race and ethnicity

  • White alone: ~59%
  • Black or African American alone: ~31%
  • Asian alone: ~3%
  • American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~0.6%
  • Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.3%
  • Two or more races: ~5–6%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~9–10%
  • White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~50%

• Households

  • ~60,000 households (ACS 2018–2022)
  • Persons per household: ~2.7

Insights: The county is growing since 2020, has a relatively young median age (influenced by Robins Air Force Base), and a diverse racial/ethnic mix with sizable Black and Hispanic populations.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2023 Population Estimates Program; 2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year).

Houston County, GA email usage snapshot

• Population and density: 163,633 residents (2020 Census); ~435 people per square mile across ~376 sq mi of land.
• Estimated email users: 123,000 residents. Method: apply national adult email usage (92%, Pew Research) to Houston County’s adult population and include teens 13–17 at lower adoption.
• Age distribution of usage (penetration): 18–29 ~99%, 30–49 ~98%, 50–64 ~95%, 65+ ~85% (Pew U.S. benchmarks applied locally). This yields a user base concentrated among 18–54, with strong but slightly lower uptake among 65+.
• Gender split: near parity; approximately 51% female, 49% male among email users, mirroring county demographics.
• Digital access and devices: About 89% of households have a broadband subscription and roughly 92–95% have a computer (ACS 2018–2022). A meaningful minority rely primarily on smartphones for internet access (~15–20%, Pew), pushing mobile-first email behavior.
• Connectivity and local density facts: Urbanized areas around Warner Robins/Perry along the I‑75 corridor have robust multi-ISP coverage with widespread 100/20 Mbps availability (FCC Broadband Map), while more rural pockets at the county’s edges show comparatively lower fixed-speed options.
• Insight: High household broadband plus strong mobile reliance underpins broad email reach, with especially deep penetration among working-age adults.

Houston County, GA mobile phone usage snapshot (distinctives vs. Georgia overall)

Bottom line estimates (2024)

• Total residents: roughly mid‑160,000s; adult share is high, and the county has a younger-than-state age profile due to Robins Air Force Base (RAFB) and associated industries.
• Mobile users: approximately 140,000–155,000 residents use a mobile phone regularly.
• Smartphone reach: households with at least one smartphone are in the low-to-mid 90% range; individual adult smartphone use is near 90% and likely 1–2 points higher than the Georgia average because of the county’s younger, military-heavy mix.
• Mobile-only internet households: high‑teens to low‑20s percent, a few points above the state share, reflecting stronger mobile substitution.

How Houston County differs from state-level patterns

• Younger and more military‑connected: A sizable active-duty, civilian‑DoD, and veteran population drives higher smartphone adoption, heavier mobile data use, and greater mobile‑only substitution than the Georgia mean.
• Higher share of working‑age families: More households with children (relative to Georgia) correlate with near‑universal smartphone presence at the household level and multi‑line plans; prepaid uptake is present but postpaid family plans appear comparatively stronger around RAFB and Warner Robins.
• Commute and daytime population swing: The base and logistics/industrial corridors create strong daytime mobile traffic spikes and higher small‑cell/sector density around Warner Robins and the GA‑247/US‑41 corridors, a pattern less pronounced statewide.
• Faster 5G adoption and fixed‑wireless use: Robust mid‑band 5G near RAFB, I‑75/US‑129/GA‑247, and Warner Robins/Perry has enabled above‑average uptake of 5G fixed‑wireless home internet compared with statewide averages, reinforcing mobile‑only trends.

Demographic lens (implications for usage)

• Age: A larger 18–44 population share than the Georgia average supports higher smartphone saturation, heavier app‑based services, mobile gaming, and video streaming; seniors’ share is lower than state average, modestly reducing the digital‑divide burden relative to Georgia overall.
• Income and education: Middle‑income, dual‑earner households tied to defense, healthcare, and logistics push multi‑SIM adoption and higher average data buckets; lower‑income pockets in south/outer precincts still rely more on smartphone‑only access.
• Race/ethnicity: A diverse population (notably Black and growing Hispanic communities) aligns with strong smartphone‑centric access patterns; outreach and services optimized for mobile (bilingual care, SMS-based benefits, and mobile banking) perform well compared with desktop-first approaches.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• 5G coverage: All three nationwide MNOs (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) provide 5G across the populated core (Warner Robins, Centerville, Perry) and along I‑75 and GA‑247; mid‑band 5G capacity nodes are densest around RAFB and retail corridors.
• Spectrum/capacity posture: Mid‑band holdings (C‑band/3.45 GHz for AT&T/Verizon; 2.5 GHz for T‑Mobile) are actively deployed; this yields higher median 5G speeds and more consistent capacity than many rural Georgia counties.
• Macro and small‑cell siting: Tower density tracks highways, the base perimeter, and civic/retail clusters; infill small cells and sector splits appear around high‑traffic zones, reducing congestion at peak shift changes and events.
• Fixed‑wireless access (FWA): 5G FWA (T‑Mobile, Verizon) is widely marketed in the county and sees stronger take‑rates than the Georgia average where cable/fiber options are limited or price‑sensitive.
• Wireline backdrop: Cable and selective fiber footprints are solid in Warner Robins/Centerville/Perry, thinning toward rural edges. Where fiber is absent, residents lean more on mobile and FWA, raising mobile data consumption versus the state norm.

Behavioral and usage patterns

• Data consumption: Heavier per‑line data use than the Georgia average, driven by video, gaming, and hotspotting for homework and field work; base‑adjacent zones show pronounced evening and weekend streaming peaks.
• Plan mix: Family postpaid bundles dominate in the urban core; prepaid penetration is meaningful in price‑sensitive tracts and among transient residents, but overall plan ARPU trends above the typical Georgia county outside metro Atlanta.
• Device refresh: Faster refresh cycles (particularly among defense/aviation tech workers) keep 5G device penetration high, enabling better network utilization and reinforcing app‑centric service usage.
• Work and school: BYOD and hybrid work practices tied to defense contractors and healthcare increase reliance on secure mobile collaboration, MFA, and hotspotting; student hotspot programs see steady use where fiber gaps persist.

Key takeaways for strategy and planning

• Expect mobile-only dependence to remain a few points above the Georgia average for the next 2–3 years, supported by 5G FWA and ongoing household price sensitivity on wireline tiers.
• Capacity planning should prioritize mid‑band 5G densification around RAFB, I‑75 interchanges, GA‑247, and school clusters, aligning with predictable shift and school traffic waves.
• Mobile-first service design (benefits enrollment, healthcare appointmenting, public safety alerts) will outperform desktop‑primary approaches given the county’s smartphone‑centric access profile.

Social media usage in Houston County, GA (2024 snapshot, modeled from latest Pew Research Center U.S. adoption rates and U.S. Census population structure)

User base

• Adults using social media: roughly 90,000–100,000 residents (about 72–76% of adults; aligns with Pew’s 2024 U.S. adult social media adoption).
• Gender: user base mirrors the county’s adult population, approximately 51% female, 49% male. Women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X (Twitter).
• Age adoption (share using at least one platform, by age):
  • 18–29: ~90–95%
  • 30–49: ~83–88%
  • 50–64: ~73–78%
  • 65+: ~45–50%

Most-used platforms (adult adoption; apply locally for expected reach)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• Pinterest: 35%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• TikTok: 33%
• Snapchat: 27%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• Reddit: 22%
• WhatsApp: 29% Note: Applying these to Houston County’s adult user base yields approximate adult reach counts (e.g., Facebook ~60–70% of adults; YouTube ~80%+), with platform skews by age and gender as noted below.

Age and gender skews by platform (local expectations mirror national patterns)

• Teens/young adults (13–29): Very high on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat. Instagram/TikTok dominate discovery; Snapchat used for daily messaging.
• 30–49: Heavy on Facebook and YouTube; growing use of Instagram and TikTok; LinkedIn usage concentrated among white-collar and base-affiliated professionals.
• 50–64 and 65+: Facebook and YouTube are primary; Pinterest usage is strong among women; TikTok adoption rising but still minority.
• Women: Higher propensity for Facebook Groups/Marketplace, Instagram, Pinterest.
• Men: Higher propensity for YouTube, Reddit, X; gaming, sports, and tech content over-index.

Behavioral trends specific to a suburban, military-anchored county

• Community-first behavior: High engagement with Facebook Groups and Events tied to schools, youth sports, churches, neighborhood associations, and Robins AFB communities. Nextdoor is present in suburban tracts for safety, utilities, and HOA chatter.
• Marketplace-centric shopping: Facebook Marketplace is a dominant local channel for vehicles, rentals, yard sales, and home services; trust is built via local groups and mutual connections.
• Short-form video growth: TikTok and Instagram Reels are key for local restaurants, boutiques, realtors, and service providers; “before/after,” behind-the-scenes, and tip-style videos perform best.
• Information and how-to on YouTube: DIY, home improvement, auto, hunting/fishing, and local news recaps see steady watch time; churches and schools frequently stream/host content on Facebook Live and YouTube.
• News and alerts: Local stations and government pages (city, county, schools) get strong reach via Facebook; storm and traffic updates see spikes in engagement.
• Messaging as the conversion layer: Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp facilitate appointment setting and customer service for small businesses; response-time expectations are same-day.
• Time-of-day patterns: Mobile-first consumption with evening peaks (7–10 pm) and weekend surges; shift-work patterns tied to base operations create earlier morning and late-night activity pockets.

Key takeaways

• Facebook and YouTube provide the broadest adult reach; Instagram and TikTok are essential for under-40 engagement and discovery.
• Community groups and Marketplace on Facebook are pivotal for local trust and conversion.
• Short-form video is the highest-ROI format for awareness; Messenger/WhatsApp close the loop for inquiries and bookings.

Sources: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use (2024); U.S. Census Bureau (Decennial and ACS for Houston County age/sex composition). Figures are county-level estimates derived from these benchmarks.