Morgan County

Morgan County, Georgia — key demographics (latest U.S. Census Bureau data; 2020 Decennial Census and 2018–2022 ACS 5-year estimates)

Population

• Total population: 20,097 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~44 years
• Under 18: ~22%
• 18–64: ~58%
• 65 and over: ~20%

Gender

• Female: ~51–52%
• Male: ~48–49%

Race and ethnicity (2020 Census)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~68%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~24–25%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~4%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~2–3%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: <1%
• Other (including AIAN, NHPI, some other race): ~1%

Households (2018–2022 ACS)

• Total households: ~7,600–7,700
• Average household size: ~2.6
• Family households: ~69%
• Married-couple households: ~54%
• Households with children under 18: ~26%
• Householder living alone: ~24% (about 10% are 65+ living alone)

Insights

• Small, slow-growing county centered on Madison, with a majority White population and a substantial Black community.
• Age profile skews older than the U.S. overall, with about one in five residents 65+.
• Household structure is family-oriented with relatively small household sizes typical of rural/suburban Georgia.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (P.L. 94-171) and American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates (table sets for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and households).

• Context: Morgan County, Georgia had 20,097 residents in 2020; population density ≈58 residents per square mile.

• Estimated email users: ≈15,300 residents use email regularly. This reflects ≈14,200 adults (≈92% of ~15,500 adults) plus ≈1,100 teens ages 13–17.

• Age distribution of email users (approximate counts and shares):

  • 18–29: ~2,750 (18%)
  • 30–49: ~5,800 (38%)
  • 50–64: ~4,400 (29%)
  • 65+: ~2,350 (15%)

• Gender split: ~51% female, 49% male; email users ≈7,800 women and ≈7,500 men.

• Digital access and trends:

  • Broadband subscription: ~82–85% of households (consistent with Georgia’s ACS benchmarks, slightly lower in rural areas).
  • Computer access: ~90%+ of households; most email access is via smartphones as mobile adoption is high.
  • Mobile-only internet: mid‑teens share of households, indicating reliance on cellular data for email.
  • Connectivity is strongest in and around Madison and the I‑20 corridor; lower-density areas see more gaps, though coverage and speeds have improved steadily since 2020.

These estimates combine 2020 Census population, ACS household internet metrics, and national email adoption rates to localize Morgan County usage.

Morgan County, Georgia — mobile phone usage summary (2024)

Population baseline

• Population: ~20,600 residents (U.S. Census Bureau 2023 estimate)
• Adults (18+): ~16,050
• Age structure (share of total population, modeled from ACS distributions): under 18 ~22%, 18–24 ~7.5%, 25–44 ~24%, 45–64 ~24.8%, 65+ ~21.6%
• Rural profile: Predominantly rural with the county seat (Madison) and the I‑20 corridor as the primary population/traffic centers

Estimated mobile users (adults 18+)

• Any mobile phone: ~15,480 adults (≈96.4% of adults)
• Smartphones: ~14,310 adults (≈89.2% of adults)
• Basic-phone only: ~1,170 adults (≈7.3% of adults)
• Adults without a mobile phone: ~570 (≈3.6% of adults)
• Smartphone‑dependent for internet (no home broadband): ~2,700 adults (≈19% of adult smartphone users; higher than the statewide average)
• Wireless‑only households (no landline): ~5,900 of ~7,800 households (≈75–76%; consistent with CDC South region wireless substitution)

Demographic breakdown (ownership modeled by applying Pew Research Center adoption rates by age/race to Morgan County’s population mix)

• By age (adult smartphone ownership):
  • 18–24: ~96% (≈1,480 users)
  • 25–44: ~98% (≈4,850 users)
  • 45–64: ~90% (≈4,600 users)
  • 65+: ~76% (≈3,380 users)
• By race/ethnicity (adult smartphone ownership share, weighted):
  • White (non‑Hispanic): ~89%
  • Black: ~89%
  • Hispanic: ~93%
  • Overall weighted county average: ~89–90%
• Income/education tilt (inferred from ACS patterns for similar rural GA counties):
  • Slightly lower bachelor’s attainment and a higher share of older adults correlate with marginally lower smartphone penetration but higher smartphone‑only internet reliance versus the state

Digital infrastructure points

• Coverage and technologies:
  • All three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) report 4G LTE coverage countywide on primary roads and 5G coverage focused in Madison and along I‑20 as of 2024 (carrier maps; FCC filings)
  • 5G mid‑band (T‑Mobile “UC”, Verizon C‑band, AT&T 5G+) is strongest in/near Madison and the interstate corridor; outlying rural areas more often rely on LTE or low‑band 5G
  • AT&T FirstNet Band 14 public‑safety coverage present around the county seat and major corridors
• Backhaul and corridors:
  • I‑20 is the anchor corridor for fiber backhaul and macro‑site density; performance and capacity generally improve closer to I‑20 and towns (Madison, Rutledge)
• Service gaps and reliability:
  • Pockets of weaker signal and lower capacity persist on low‑traffic county roads and in heavily vegetated/low‑lying areas away from the interstate and town centers—typical of rural RF propagation and sparser site grids
• Mobile broadband as substitute:
  • Elevated use of mobile data as a primary internet connection outside Madison where fixed fiber/cable options thin out; T‑Mobile/Verizon 5G home internet eligibility is concentrated near I‑20 and town centers, tapering with distance

How Morgan County differs from Georgia overall

• Slightly lower adult smartphone penetration (≈89% vs ≈91–92% statewide), driven by an older age profile and more rural settlement
• Higher smartphone‑only internet reliance (≈19% vs ≈14–16% statewide), reflecting more limited fixed‑broadband options outside town centers
• Wireless‑only (no landline) households at or above the South region benchmark (~75–76%), a few points higher than Georgia’s metro‑weighted average
• 5G availability is present but more corridor‑centric than in metro Georgia; residents off the interstate more often fall back to LTE or low‑band 5G

Notes on method and sources

• Population and age structure: U.S. Census Bureau (2023 population estimate; ACS age shares for Morgan County–like rural GA counties)
• Smartphone and any‑mobile ownership rates by age/race: Pew Research Center (Mobile Fact Sheet, 2023)
• Wireless‑only households: CDC National Health Interview Survey (Wireless Substitution, 2022, South region)
• Coverage/5G: FCC Broadband Map (2024) and carrier public coverage maps (2024)
• Figures are modeled county‑level estimates produced by applying nationally benchmarked adoption rates to Morgan County’s demographic mix and rounded to the nearest 10–50 for clarity.

Morgan County, GA social media snapshot (2025)

What you can count on (hard numbers)

• Population baseline: 20,097 residents (2020 Census).
• Gender mix (countywide): approximately 51% female, 49% male (ACS).
• No public source publishes platform-by-platform usage at the county level; the mix below uses the best-available benchmarks (Pew Research Center, 2024) that closely track rural/suburban Georgia behavior.

User stats (local order-of-magnitude)

• Adult social-media users: roughly 10–12 thousand residents. Benchmarking method: most U.S. adults use social media (about 72%); applying that adoption rate to Morgan County’s adult population yields ≈11K active adult users.

Most-used platforms (share of U.S. adults; a reliable proxy for Morgan County)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• Pinterest: 35%
• TikTok: 33%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• Snapchat: 30%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• WhatsApp: 21%
• Reddit: 19%
• Nextdoor: 13%

Age-group usage patterns (local behavior aligned to rural/suburban Georgia)

• Under 18: Very heavy on YouTube; TikTok and Snapchat are daily drivers; Instagram secondary; Facebook minimal except for school/teams info via parents.
• 18–29: Instagram and TikTok lead for discovery and entertainment; Snapchat for messaging; YouTube universal; Facebook mainly for events, groups, and Marketplace.
• 30–49: Facebook plus Messenger are dominant for community, school and family updates; YouTube for how‑to and local content; Instagram (especially Reels) growing.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Pinterest notable for projects, recipes, and home; TikTok adoption rising but still secondary.
• 65+: Facebook is primary; YouTube used for news, church services, and tutorials; some Nextdoor use in neighborhoods, but many rely on Facebook Groups instead.

Gender breakdown (usage tendencies)

• Women: Over-index on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest; strong engagement with local groups (schools, churches, civic clubs) and Marketplace.
• Men: Over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X, and LinkedIn; more sports, trades, and news content; YouTube and Facebook for local info.

Behavioral trends in Morgan County

• Community-first Facebook: Local Groups (schools, churches, recreation, neighborhoods) are the daily heartbeat; Marketplace is a major buy/sell channel.
• Video leads: Short-form video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) drives discovery, even for local businesses and events; how‑to and local-event recaps perform well on YouTube and Facebook.
• Event-driven spikes: Fairs, athletics, and school calendars produce sharp engagement peaks; photo albums and quick highlight clips get the most shares.
• Messaging over posting: Many interactions move to Messenger/Snapchat DMs; word-of-mouth amplification via private chats is common after initial public posts.
• Trust in familiar voices: Content from recognizable local figures (coaches, pastors, small-business owners) outperforms brand-only messaging.
• Practical content wins: Local news, closures, weather alerts, lost-and-found pets, and service recommendations consistently top engagement.

How to apply this mix locally

• Use Facebook + YouTube for widest reach across adults; add Instagram/TikTok to reach under‑35s.
• Lean on Facebook Groups and short-form video for community impact; keep calls-to-action simple and locally specific.
• Post around local rhythms (after-school and early evening on weekdays; weekend mornings); pair event promos with quick video recaps to maximize shares.

Sources: U.S. Census (2020 decennial, ACS for gender mix); Pew Research Center Social Media Use (2024) for platform adoption rates. These benchmarks are the most reliable way to represent Morgan County’s platform usage in the absence of county-specific platform reporting.