Jackson County

Jackson County, Georgia — key demographics

Population size

• 75,907 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age

• Median age: ~38.5 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~26%
• 65 and over: ~15%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2018–2022)

• White alone: ~82%
• Black or African American alone: ~8%
• Asian alone: ~2%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~1%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~12%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~72% Note: Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity and overlaps with race categories.

Household data (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~26,700
• Average household size: ~2.9
• Family households: ~77% of households; married-couple families comprise the majority
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~77–78%
• Total housing units: ~29,000; vacancy rate ~7–8%

Key insights

• Fast-growing county since 2010, with a family-oriented profile (larger household size, high owner occupancy).
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White with a sizable and growing Hispanic population.
• Relatively young age structure, with more than a quarter of residents under 18.

Jackson County, GA snapshot (ACS/Pew-based estimates)

• Population and density: ≈85,000 residents; ≈250 people per sq. mile across ~340 sq. miles.
• Estimated email users: ≈64,000–66,000 residents (about 92% of ≈66,000 adults plus most teens).
• Gender split among users: ≈51% female, 49% male (mirrors county sex ratio).
• Age distribution (county population): under 18: 25%; 18–34: 22%; 35–54: 29%; 55–64: 12%; 65+: 12%.
• Email adoption by age (modeled from national rates): 18–64: >95%; 65+: ~85%; teens 13–17: ~85–90%. Seniors account for most non-users.
• Digital access:
  • Households with a computer: ≈92%.
  • Households with an internet subscription: ≈88%.
  • Broadband (cable/DSL/fiber) subscription: ≈86%.
  • Smartphone-only internet: ≈7–8% of households, indicating a notable mobile-email cohort.
• Local connectivity and density facts: Population clusters along the I‑85 corridor (Jefferson–Braselton–Commerce), where wired broadband adoption is highest; more rural northern/eastern tracts show lower fixed subscriptions. Overall internet subscription rates have risen several points since 2018, supporting strong email reach for residents, schools, and small businesses.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Jackson County, Georgia (latest data through 2023/2024)

Key takeaways that differ from the Georgia statewide picture

• Higher mobile-only reliance: A larger share of Jackson County households use cellular data as their only internet connection than the state average, reflecting exurban/rural pockets with weaker fixed-broadband options.
• Similar or slightly higher smartphone access: Household smartphone access is on par with or a touch above Georgia overall, buoyed by fast-growing family and commuter households along I‑85.
• More variable performance: 5G coverage and speeds are strong along the I‑85/Jefferson–Commerce/Braselton corridor but drop to LTE and lower median speeds in interior rural tracts, creating greater intra-county variability than seen in metro-heavy statewide averages.
• Infrastructure skewed to corridors: Radio sites and backhaul are concentrated along I‑85 and major arteries (US‑129, US‑441), leaving more indoor coverage gaps in scattered subdivisions and farm areas than the statewide norm.
• Growth-driven load: Rapid population and industrial growth produces pronounced peak-hour congestion patterns around logistics/industrial nodes compared with statewide averages.

User and adoption estimates

• Population base: ≈86,000 residents (2023 Census estimate range for the county).
• Adult smartphone users: ≈58,000 adults use a smartphone. Derived by applying Pew’s ~90% adult smartphone adoption to the county’s adult population share.
• Household smartphone access (ACS S2801, 2018–2022 5‑year):
  • Jackson County: ≈93–95% of households report having a smartphone.
  • Georgia: ≈92–93%.
• Households with a cellular data plan (any mobile data subscription; ACS S2801):
  • Jackson County: ≈80–83% of households.
  • Georgia: ≈79–81%.
• Cellular-only internet households (cellular data subscription and no wireline; ACS S2801, derived):
  • Jackson County: ≈16–18% of households.
  • Georgia: ≈12–14%.
• No home internet subscription of any kind (ACS S2801):
  • Jackson County: ≈9–11% of households.
  • Georgia: ≈8–10%.
• Total active mobile lines (including multiple lines per person and IoT; CTIA statewide ratios applied): ≈90,000–100,000 lines countywide at any given time, reflecting >1 line per resident typical in the U.S.

Demographic and geographic patterns inside the county

• Age:
  • 18–49: near-universal smartphone adoption (~95%+), slightly higher mobile-only internet usage than older groups.
  • 50–64: high adoption (~90%).
  • 65+: lower adoption (~75–80%), a bit below the state average for seniors, with higher likelihood of voice/SMS-only usage or shared plans.
• Income:
  • Under $35k: most likely to be mobile-only for home internet (roughly 1.5–2x the county average rate), consistent with statewide affordability patterns.
  • $35–75k: above-average mobile-only usage due to trade-offs between cable/fiber availability and cost.
  • $75k+: predominantly mixed-use (mobile + fixed broadband), lower mobile-only share.
• Household type:
  • Families with children show the highest smartphone and mobile-data usage per household, driven by multiple lines and school/work-from-home spillover.
• Place within the county:
  • Strongest 5G coverage and capacity: Braselton/Hoschton area, Jefferson, Commerce, and along I‑85 interchanges and major arterials (US‑129, US‑441).
  • More LTE-only areas and indoor coverage challenges: dispersed rural tracts between towns and in new subdivisions set back from highway corridors.

Digital infrastructure snapshot

• 4G LTE: Near-ubiquitous outdoor coverage in populated areas by the three national carriers; indoor performance varies off-corridor.
• 5G availability:
  • Broad low-band 5G countywide from at least one carrier, with mid-band 5G concentrated along I‑85 and town centers.
  • Population coverage by robust mid-band 5G is lower than the statewide average, reflecting fewer sites off-corridor.
• Speeds (typical user experience from national measurement panels in 2023/2024, generalized):
  • Corridor/town centers with mid-band 5G: median 150–300 Mbps downlink; uplink 15–40 Mbps.
  • Rural/interior LTE pockets: median 10–60 Mbps downlink; uplink 3–15 Mbps.
  • Greater variability and slower off-peak-to-peak transitions than metro Georgia due to site spacing and backhaul limitations in pockets.
• Capacity and densification:
  • Recent buildout has focused on I‑85 interchanges, logistics/industrial parks, and fast-growing subdivisions, with continued need for additional sectors and small cells to stabilize peak-hour throughput.
• Backhaul and fiber context:
  • Cable and fiber availability is improving but remains uneven compared with metro counties; this underpins higher mobile-only household reliance than the Georgia average.

What makes Jackson County’s trendline distinct from Georgia overall

• Reliance on mobile as primary internet is meaningfully higher (≈16–18% vs ≈12–14% statewide).
• Household smartphone access is comparable or slightly higher despite more exurban/rural territory, buoyed by high-growth family households.
• Coverage/capacity is more corridor-centric, creating bigger gaps between best- and worst-case performance within the county than typical statewide.
• Peak-load effects from logistics/industrial growth are more pronounced than the state average, with midday and evening congestion around I‑85 nodes.
• Seniors’ smartphone adoption lags slightly versus statewide, while working-age adoption and multi-line households run a touch higher.

Sources and methods

• American Community Survey (ACS) S2801 “Computer and Internet Use,” 2018–2022 5‑year county and state estimates for smartphone access, internet subscription types, and mobile-only indicators (derived from subscription categories).
• Pew Research Center (2023) for U.S. adult smartphone adoption baseline applied to county adult population structure.
• CTIA industry metrics for lines-per-capita to approximate total active lines, scaled to county population.
• FCC mobile coverage filings and national third-party performance panels (2023/2024) for generalized 4G/5G availability and typical speed ranges; localized patterns inferred from Jackson County’s settlement and highway geography.

Social media in Jackson County, GA: a concise 2025 snapshot

Overall usage

• Social media penetration among adults: approximately 83% of adults use at least one platform. This aligns with 2024 Pew Research Center figures for U.S. adults and is consistent with suburban Georgia counties.

Most-used platforms (share of adults using each; Pew Research Center, 2024 U.S. adults; Jackson County usage closely mirrors this mix)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: ~50%
• TikTok: ~33%
• Snapchat: ~31%
• WhatsApp: ~29%
• Pinterest: ~35%
• LinkedIn: ~30%
• X (Twitter): ~23%
• Reddit: ~22%

Age-group patterns (local behavior tracks national patterns in similar suburban/rural-edge counties)

• Ages 18–29: Very high YouTube use; Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok are core daily apps; Facebook is used but less central than for older cohorts.
• Ages 30–49: YouTube and Facebook are dominant; Instagram is significant; TikTok adoption is moderate and growing; Snapchat use declines versus 18–29.
• Ages 50–64: Facebook and YouTube lead; Instagram is secondary; TikTok has smaller but rising adoption.
• Ages 65+: Facebook remains the primary network; YouTube used for news, how‑to, and church/streaming content; other platforms see limited uptake.

Gender breakdown (skews consistent with national data)

• Women: Overrepresented on Facebook and Instagram; Pinterest’s audience is majority female (around 75–80% of users nationally).
• Men: Overrepresented on YouTube, Reddit (about two-thirds male nationally), and X; LinkedIn has a slight male tilt.

Behavioral trends observed in exurban/suburban Georgia communities like Jackson County

• Facebook as the community hub: Heavy use of Facebook Groups for neighborhoods/HOAs, school and youth sports updates, church and civic announcements, buy‑sell‑trade and yard‑sale groups, traffic/weather alerts, and small‑business promotions. Facebook Marketplace is a major local commerce channel.
• Short‑form video growth: TikTok and Instagram Reels drive discovery for restaurants, boutiques, real estate, contractors, and home services; creators often cross‑post between TikTok and Reels.
• Youth communication: Snapchat remains a primary messaging/social platform among teens/young adults; Instagram DMs and Stories are key for peer networks.
• YouTube as utility media: Strong for cord‑cutting, news clips, DIY, automotive/outdoors content, and church/community livestreams.
• Neighborhood platforms: Nextdoor activity is moderate in HOA‑dense areas; most practical recommendations and lost‑pet/contractor posts still concentrate in Facebook Groups.
• Usage cadence: Mobile‑first consumption; engagement peaks evenings (roughly 7–10 p.m. ET) and weekends; spikes around local school calendars, sports seasons, weather events, and community festivals.

Notes on data

• Platform percentages are from Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adult social media study; Jackson County’s platform mix and skews are expected to align closely due to its suburban/exurban demographics and broadband adoption patterns.