Lee County

Lee County, Georgia — key demographics (latest available Census/ACS)

Population size

• 33,900 (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimate)
• 33,163 (2020 Decennial Census); up ~17% from 28,298 in 2010

Age

• Median age: ~38.3 years
• Under 18: ~27.7%
• 18–44: ~34.1%
• 45–64: ~26.0%
• 65 and over: ~12.2%

Gender

• Female: ~51.0%
• Male: ~49.0%

Race and ethnicity (mutually exclusive; Hispanic shown separately)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~66.9%
• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~23.5%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~4.9%
• Asian (non-Hispanic): ~1.3%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~2.7%
• Other, incl. American Indian/Alaska Native, NHPI (non-Hispanic): ~0.7%

Households

• Total households: ~11,700
• Average household size: ~2.88
• Family households: ~76% of households
• Married-couple households: ~60% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~40%
• Housing tenure: ~80% owner-occupied, ~20% renter-occupied

Insights

• Population has grown notably since 2010, with a family-oriented profile (large share of married-couple and child households).
• Owner-occupancy is high relative to Georgia overall, indicating a predominantly homeowner market.
• Racial composition is majority White with a substantial Black population and a smaller but present Hispanic community.

Lee County, Georgia — email usage snapshot

• Population and density: 33,163 residents (2020 Census), roughly 90 people per square mile.
• Estimated email users: ~23,000–25,000 residents. This models Pew Research adult email adoption (≈92–95%) to Lee County’s adult population and includes older teens.
• Age distribution and adoption (modeled):
  • 18–29: ~13% of residents; ≈96% use email.
  • 30–49: ~28%; ≈95%.
  • 50–64: ~21%; ≈91%.
  • 65+: ~11%; ≈85%.
  • Teens 15–17: high but modestly lower than adults.
• Gender split: Population is roughly 51% female, 49% male; email usage is near parity, yielding a similar split among users.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Most households have a broadband subscription (about nine in ten), with computer/smartphone access in the vast majority of homes.
  • Smartphone‑only internet households are a meaningful minority, reflecting mobile‑first access patterns.
  • Access is strongest in and around Leesburg/US‑19 corridors; rural tracts show higher reliance on mobile and legacy connections.
  • Trend since 2018: rising broadband subscription and senior adoption, narrowing—but not eliminating—rural gaps.

Notes: Figures are modeled from 2020 Census population, ACS age structure patterns, and recent Pew email adoption rates by age and gender.

Mobile phone usage in Lee County, Georgia — summary and local-vs-state contrasts

Baseline population context

• Population: 33,163 (2020 Decennial Census); roughly 11,800 households.
• Demographics (2020): about 70% White, 22% Black, 4–5% Hispanic/Latino, ~2% Asian, remainder multiracial/other. Median age is mid– to late–30s, with a larger share of families with children than the state average.

User estimates (2024)

• Adult smartphone users: approximately 23,500–25,000 residents use smartphones, equating to roughly 87–90% of adults (derived from county age structure and Pew Research’s 2023–2024 adoption rates).
• Total smartphone users including teens (13–17): about 24,500–26,000.
• Mobile-only households (cellular data as primary/only home internet): estimated 1,300–1,650 households (≈11–14% of households), higher in rural tracts west and south of Leesburg and lower in cable/fiber-served neighborhoods.
• Average lines per person: applying U.S. norms of 1.3–1.5 wireless connections per resident suggests roughly 43,000–50,000 active mobile connections in the county (phones, watches, tablets, hotspots, IoT).

Demographic breakdown of usage

• Age:
  • 18–49: effectively near-saturation smartphone ownership (≈95%+), multi-line family plans are common.
  • 50–64: high ownership (~90%), but a higher mix of budget Android devices and BYOD plans than younger groups.
  • 65+: lower ownership (≈70–75%), with a noticeable SMS/voice-first cohort; adoption is trending upward year over year.
• Income/education:
  • Higher-income, newer subdivisions around Leesburg show near-universal smartphone adoption, heavier 5G data use, and higher accessory line counts (watches, tablets).
  • Lower-density rural census blocks show more reliance on mobile hotspots for home access where cable/fiber is absent.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Smartphone adoption is high across all racial/ethnic groups; small gaps reflect age and income differences rather than race-specific effects. Usage distribution broadly mirrors the county’s population shares.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Cellular coverage:
  • Strong macro coverage from AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile along US‑19, GA‑32, and through Leesburg; generally reliable signal in town centers and school campuses.
  • 5G availability:
    • T‑Mobile: broad 5G coverage with mid‑band along major corridors and population centers, giving higher median speeds where deployed.
    • Verizon: 5G coverage with C‑Band present in the Albany metro area spilling into southern/eastern Lee; robust LTE fallback countywide.
    • AT&T: 5G and FirstNet coverage focused on public safety and civic facilities; solid LTE elsewhere, with mid‑band 5G expanding.
  • Notable weak spots: low-lying areas near creeks and far‑western/southern rural tracts can have weaker indoor signal and slower data, especially inside metal-roof structures.
• Wireline broadband:
  • Cable (Mediacom) is the primary high-speed wireline option in Leesburg and many platted subdivisions; typical tiers 300 Mbps–1 Gbps.
  • Fiber: expanding but not uniform; available in select neighborhoods and business corridors via Kinetic by Windstream and limited AT&T Fiber footprints.
  • DSL legacy plant persists in some rural pockets; where cable/fiber are absent, residents often rely on fixed wireless (T‑Mobile/Verizon 5G Home) or satellite (including LEO options).
• Public assets and siting:
  • Carrier equipment is concentrated on macro towers along US‑19/GA‑3 and municipal/water-tank sites; small cells are sparse compared to metro Georgia.

How Lee County trends differ from Georgia statewide

• More suburban–rural mix than the state average:
  • Slightly lower small‑cell density and fewer overlapping carrier nodes than metro counties; coverage is broad but speeds vary more by location.
• Higher reliance on cable plus fixed wireless, lower fiber saturation:
  • In metro Georgia, fiber is widely available; in Lee County, cable dominates in town while rural addresses more often use mobile hotspots or 5G Home Internet. This lifts the share of mobile‑only or mobile‑primary households above statewide urban rates.
• Carrier selection skews toward coverage consistency:
  • AT&T and Verizon hold a larger share among commuters, public safety, and rural users due to perceived reach and FirstNet presence, while T‑Mobile often posts higher 5G speeds in covered corridors. In Atlanta-area counties, T‑Mobile’s footprint and small‑cell grid narrow this gap.
• Demographics drive multi-line uptake:
  • Family-heavy neighborhoods around Leesburg push above-average lines per household (phones plus wearables/tablets) compared with the state’s rural counties, but senior adoption lags metro areas, keeping overall adult smartphone penetration slightly below the Atlanta-metro average.
• Mobility as a home-internet substitute:
  • Because non-metro fiber is patchy, the county shows a higher prevalence of hotspot use for schoolwork and telework in rural blocks than Georgia’s urban counties, even as town centers rely on cable.

Actionable implications

• Network planning: Macro upgrades and targeted small cells near schools, athletic complexes, and US‑19 commuter choke points will yield outsized benefits.
• Equity focus: Signal hardening and mid‑band 5G infill in rural tracts can reduce the mobile-reliance penalty for students and seniors.
• Provider competition: Continued fiber buildout would likely reduce mobile-only household share and shift peak-hour traffic off cellular sectors in the evenings.

Sources and methodology

• Population and household counts: 2020 U.S. Census.
• Adoption rates: Pew Research Center 2023–2024 smartphone/cellphone ownership by age and community type.
• Infrastructure characterization: FCC mobile and fixed broadband coverage data and public carrier coverage disclosures through 2024, combined with regional deployment patterns in southwest Georgia. Estimates are derived by applying these rates to Lee County’s demographic structure.

Social media usage snapshot: Lee County, Georgia (modeled from latest Census population and Pew Research Center 2024 platform-usage rates)

Population base

• Residents: approximately 34,000 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 estimate)
• Adults (18+): approximately 26,000

Overall user stats

• Adults using at least one social platform: approximately 18,500–19,000 (about 70–73% of adults; aligns with U.S. adult social media adoption)
• Teens (13–17) using social media: approximately 2,100–2,300 (roughly 90–95% of teens, consistent with national teen adoption)
• Total residents on social media (teens + adults): roughly 20,500–21,500

Most-used platforms among adults (shares reflect Pew U.S. adult usage in 2024; counts apply those shares to Lee County’s ~26k adults)

• YouTube: 83% → approximately 21,600 adults
• Facebook: 68% → approximately 17,700 adults
• Instagram: 47% → approximately 12,200 adults
• Pinterest: 35% → approximately 9,100 adults
• TikTok: 33% → approximately 8,600 adults
• LinkedIn: 30% → approximately 7,800 adults
• Snapchat: 27% → approximately 7,000 adults
• X (Twitter): 22% → approximately 5,700 adults
• Reddit: 22% → approximately 5,700 adults
• WhatsApp: 21% → approximately 5,500 adults
• Nextdoor: 19% → approximately 4,900 adults

Age group patterns

• 13–17: Near-universal use; heavy on YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok; Instagram also strong; Facebook minimal except for school/sports announcements.
• 18–29: Broadest platform mix; Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube dominate; Facebook used for local groups/Marketplace.
• 30–44: Facebook and YouTube lead for parenting, school, youth sports, and local services; Instagram for brands/influencers; TikTok rising.
• 45–64: Facebook and YouTube are primary; Pinterest strong for DIY/home/recipes; moderate Instagram; some TikTok for how-tos.
• 65+: Facebook and YouTube prevalent for community news, church content, and entertainment; limited use of other platforms.

Gender breakdown

• Overall users: roughly 51% female, 49% male (mirrors county population)
• Platform skews: Pinterest and Instagram lean female; Reddit and YouTube lean male; Facebook relatively balanced but slightly female-leaning; Snapchat and TikTok skew younger rather than strongly by gender.

Behavioral trends (local context)

• Community-first usage: Facebook Groups and Pages for schools, youth sports, churches, civic clubs, and county updates; Facebook Marketplace is a top local commerce channel.
• Short-form video surge: TikTok and Instagram Reels drive discovery for local restaurants, events, and services; YouTube Shorts used for quick how-tos and product research.
• Utility viewing: YouTube for home repair, hunting/fishing, lawn/landscaping, auto maintenance, and technology tutorials.
• Messaging and DMs: Facebook Messenger and Instagram DMs are default contact methods for small businesses, teams, and event organizers.
• Safety and neighborhood info: Nextdoor used in subdivisions/HOAs for alerts, contractor referrals, and lost/found; Facebook also anchors local incident updates.
• News and weather: Facebook, YouTube, and X used for regional news, storm and road updates; engagement spikes around severe weather and school announcements.
• Shopping path: Discovery on TikTok/Instagram; validation via Facebook community feedback; conversion through Facebook Marketplace, direct messages, or local websites.
• Posting cadence: Evenings and weekends show highest engagement; school-year calendars drive spikes around sports, concerts, and fundraisers.

Notes on method

• Population from U.S. Census Bureau 2023 estimates; adult/teen splits reflect typical U.S. age structure.
• Platform percentages are Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. adult usage rates applied to Lee County’s adult population to produce localized counts.
• Teen adoption draws on recent national teen social media and YouTube usage research (Pew/Common Sense).