Marion County

Marion County, Georgia – key demographics

Population

• Total population: 7,498 (2020 Census)
• 2023 population estimate: ~7.4k (Census Vintage 2023), modest decline since 2020

Age

• Median age: ~41–42 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~23%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Sex

• Female: ~49%
• Male: ~51%

Race/ethnicity (shares of total population)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~62%
• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~30%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~8%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• Asian: ~0.4%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.5%

Households and housing

• Households: ~2,900 (ACS 2019–2023)
• Persons per household: ~2.5
• Family households: ~70%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~79%
• Median household income: ~$48k
• Poverty rate: ~20%

Insights

• Small, rural county with slight population decline and an older-than-national age profile.
• Racial makeup is predominantly White and Black, with a small but notable Hispanic population.
• High owner-occupancy and modest household sizes typical of rural Georgia.

Marion County, GA snapshot (estimates; latest Census/ACS and national usage benchmarks applied)

• Population and density: ~7,500 residents across ~366 sq mi (≈20 people/sq mi), ≈2,900–3,000 households; highly rural with population clustered around Buena Vista.
• Email users: ≈5,600 residents 13+ use email regularly.
• Age distribution of email users (approximate counts):
  • 13–17: 0.29K
  • 18–29: 1.00K
  • 30–49: 1.89K
  • 50–64: 1.31K
  • 65+: 1.15K
• Gender split among users: ≈51% female, 49% male (email use is effectively universal across genders).
• Digital access and trends:
  • ~85% of households have a computer; ~70% maintain a home broadband subscription.
  • ~20–25% are smartphone‑only internet households, pushing mobile‑first email behavior.
  • Email adoption is near‑universal for ages 18–64 and steadily rising among 65+; seniors’ growth and smartphone‑only reliance drive simple, mobile‑optimized email use.
• Connectivity facts:
  • Fixed broadband availability is strongest in/near Buena Vista and along main corridors; outlying areas see lower speeds and fewer provider options.
  • Residents without wired broadband commonly rely on 4G/LTE and public Wi‑Fi (schools, library, municipal hotspots), indicating a persistent rural digital divide despite broadly available mobile coverage.

Mobile phone usage in Marion County, Georgia (2024 snapshot)

Population baseline

• Population: 7,500 (2020 Census; rural county centered on Buena Vista)
• Households: ≈2,885 (avg. household size ≈2.6)

User estimates

• Mobile phone users (any type): ≈5,940 residents (≈79% of the total population; ≈94% of adults 18+ plus most teens 13–17)
• Smartphone users: ≈5,240 residents (≈70% of total population; ≈88% of mobile users)
• Feature-phone (non‑smartphone) users: ≈700 residents (≈12% of mobile users), concentrated among seniors
• Mobile-only home internet households (no wireline service): ≈635 households (≈22% of all households)
• Home internet mix: ≈68% wireline broadband (DSL/cable/fiber), ≈22% mobile-only, ≈10% no home internet

Demographic breakdown of mobile usage

• By age (users are estimates; ownership rates reflect rural adoption patterns):
  • 18–34: ≈1,410 smartphone users (≈94% smartphone ownership in this cohort)
  • 35–64: ≈2,580 smartphone users (≈84% ownership)
  • 65+: ≈830 smartphone users (≈65% ownership); higher feature‑phone retention and shared/family plans
  • Teens 13–17: ≈420 smartphone users (≈91% ownership)
• By race/ethnicity (population composition; mobile-only reliance varies by group):
  • White (non‑Hispanic): ≈54% of population; ≈17% of White households are mobile‑only
  • Black: ≈36% of population; ≈28% of Black households are mobile‑only
  • Hispanic/Latino: ≈7% of population; ≈30% of Hispanic households are mobile‑only
  • Other: ≈3% of population; ≈22% mobile‑only
  • Totals align to ≈635 mobile‑only households countywide
• Income and plans:
  • Median household income ≈$43,000 (vs Georgia ≈$68,000), contributing to higher use of prepaid and MVNO plans, shared data, and Android‑leaning device mix

Digital infrastructure

• Networks present: AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon serve the county; FirstNet available via AT&T for public safety
• 5G availability (population covered):
  • At least one provider: ≈80%
  • All three providers: ≈40%
  • 5G is predominantly low‑band; limited mid‑band 5G near Buena Vista and along primary corridors (GA‑26/GA‑41/GA‑137)
• 4G LTE: Near‑universal outdoor coverage on main roads; indoor coverage varies in dispersed, forested areas
• Typical mobile speeds:
  • Low‑band 5G: ≈30–100 Mbps down, ≈5–15 Mbps up
  • LTE: ≈5–25 Mbps down, ≈2–7 Mbps up
• Cell‑site grid: Sparse rural macro network on the order of 15–20 macro sites countywide (≈1 site per 20–25 square miles), with microwave backhaul supplementing fiber
• Fixed wireless access (FWA) over 4G/5G: Offered by T‑Mobile and Verizon to a substantial share of addresses; adoption ≈7–10% of households (≈200–290 lines), primarily where cable/fiber are unavailable or costly
• Wireline landscape: Cable/DSL are the predominant fixed options; limited fiber‑to‑the‑home passings outside a handful of anchors and business corridors

How Marion County differs from Georgia statewide

• Lower smartphone adoption: ≈88% of mobile users in Marion vs ≈90–92% statewide, driven by a larger senior share and lower incomes
• Much higher mobile‑only internet reliance: ≈22% of households are mobile‑only vs ≈13–15% statewide
• Lower wireline broadband uptake: ≈68% of households with wireline broadband vs ≈80–84% statewide
• Slower median mobile speeds: Typical downlink in Marion ≈25–40 Mbps vs ≈75–100 Mbps in metro Georgia, reflecting limited mid‑band 5G and sparser cell density
• Coverage parity outdoors but weaker indoors: Outdoor LTE/5G coverage is broad, yet in‑building performance lags state urban/suburban norms due to distance from towers and building materials
• Higher prevalence of prepaid/MVNO plans and data‑budgeting behaviors: A direct result of income and plan pricing, contrasting with the postpaid dominance in metro areas

Key implications

• Mobile networks are the primary on‑ramp for a sizable share of residents; policies that expand mid‑band 5G and FWA capacity will have outsized impact
• Senior‑focused device and plan education can accelerate smartphone adoption and telehealth readiness
• Expanding fiber backhaul to more macro sites and adding small cells in Buena Vista and school/commercial clusters would lift median speeds and indoor reliability

Sources and methodology note: Estimates synthesize 2020 Census and ACS demographics for Marion County with recent rural adoption rates from national surveys (e.g., Pew) and FCC mobile/broadband availability patterns for rural Georgia as of 2023–2024. Numbers are rounded to reflect county scale.

Social media usage in Marion County, GA (modeled 2024 snapshot)

Overall reach

• Adult social media penetration: 73% of residents 18+ use at least one platform
• Teen penetration (13–17): 88%
• Daily users among adult users: ~78% check at least once per day

Most‑used platforms (share of adult social media users)

• YouTube: 79%
• Facebook: 74%
• Instagram: 38%
• TikTok: 32%
• Pinterest: 28%
• Snapchat: 24%
• X (Twitter): 14%
• LinkedIn: 13%
• WhatsApp: 12%
• Reddit: 11%
• Nextdoor: 4%

Age profile (adult usage rate by age group)

• 18–29: 94%
• 30–49: 86%
• 50–64: 73%
• 65+: 54%

Gender breakdown

• Share of adult social media users: 53% female, 47% male
• Platform skews:
  • Facebook, Pinterest: skew female
  • YouTube, Reddit: skew male
  • Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat: near parity but younger‑weighted

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of Groups/Pages for local news, school updates, high‑school sports, church events, and Marketplace buying/selling
• Video first: short‑form (Reels/TikTok) among under‑40s; how‑to, repairs, outdoors, sermons, and local music on YouTube across ages
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is the default; business replies via Messenger see higher engagement than email
• Commerce: Marketplace and local buy/sell groups outperform standalone classifieds; posts with clear price, location, and pickup details convert best
• Trust and discovery: recommendations in local groups and shares from known community members drive decisions more than brand pages or X
• Timing: peak engagement windows are early morning (6–8 a.m.) and evening (7–10 p.m.), with weekend spikes for events and sales
• Content that performs: photos/video of people and places residents recognize, giveaways tied to local causes, concise how‑to clips, and before/after visuals for services
• Underrepresented channels: LinkedIn, X, and Nextdoor have limited local reach; they are secondary for awareness, not primary for conversions

Notes

• Figures are 2024 modeled estimates for Marion County based on rural‑South usage patterns, Pew Research Center platform adoption among U.S. and rural adults, ACS county demographics, and platform advertising reach benchmarks. Percentages denote share of users unless stated as overall penetration.