Paulding County

Key demographics for Paulding County, Georgia (latest U.S. Census Bureau data)

Population size

• 2023 population estimate: ~190,000

Age

• Median age: ~36–37 years
• Under 18: ~27%
• 65 and older: ~12–13%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone: ~63%
• Black or African American alone: ~27%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~10%
• Asian alone: ~2%
• Two or more races: ~4%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: <1% combined

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~59,000–60,000
• Persons per household (avg): ~3.0
• Family households: ~77% of households
• Married-couple households: ~57–58%
• Households with children under 18: ~40–41%
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: ~80%

Insights

• Fast-growing, family-oriented suburban county with high homeownership.
• Younger-than-national age profile and sizable shares of Black and Hispanic residents contributing to increasing diversity.

Paulding County, GA email usage (estimates based on Census/ACS and Pew research)

• Population and density: ≈175,000 residents (2023 est.) across ≈314 sq mi, ~560 people per sq mi; a suburban Atlanta county with strong residential broadband availability.
• Estimated email users: ~120,000 adults (≈92% of 18+ residents).
• By age (users):
  • 18–29: ~24,900 (≈95% of ~26,250 in this group)
  • 30–49: ~45,400 (≈96% of ~47,250)
  • 50–64: ~30,600 (≈92% of ~33,250)
  • 65+: ~19,300 (≈85% of ~22,750)
• Gender split among users: 51% female (61,300) and 49% male (58,900), reflecting the county’s near-even sex ratio.
• Digital access and trends:
  • ~95–97% of households have a computer.
  • ~91–93% have a home broadband subscription; ~10–12% are smartphone-only for internet.
  • Robust 4G/5G coverage from major carriers across populated corridors; cable and expanding fiber (e.g., around Dallas and Hiram) anchor high home-broadband reliance, while some western/rural tracts lean on fixed wireless or satellite.
  • Email is near-universal among working-age adults, with the heaviest daily use in the 30–49 cohort and slightly lower but still high adoption among seniors.

Mobile phone usage in Paulding County, Georgia — 2024 snapshot

Population baseline

• Population: ~179,000 (2023 Census estimate; 2020 Census was 168,661)
• Households: ~60,000

User estimates

• Unique mobile phone users (any handset): ~135,000 residents
• Smartphone users: ~129,000 residents (about 72% of total population; ~91% of adults)
• Active mobile subscriptions: ~215,000 lines (about 1.2 lines per resident), reflecting multi-line family plans and work devices

Demographic breakdown of usage

• By age (ownership/use, applying Pew 2023 adoption rates to Paulding’s suburban age mix):
  • 18–29: ~98% smartphone adoption; very high app, video, and social usage
  • 30–49: ~97% adoption; heaviest multi-line family-plan participation and hotspot use
  • 50–64: ~90% adoption; strong 5G upgrade rates for navigation, streaming, and telehealth
  • 65+: ~78% adoption; growing usage of larger-screen smartphones, health and messaging apps
  • Teens (13–17): ~85–90% have a smartphone; school-related apps and short‑form video dominate
• By race/ethnicity (ownership gap is narrow, usage patterns differ):
  • Ownership across White, Black, and Hispanic adults is broadly comparable (near 90%+), but Black and Hispanic households show higher reliance on mobile data as a primary connection when home broadband is absent
• By income:
  • Middle- and higher-income suburbs dominate; more postpaid multi-line plans and faster turnover to 5G devices
  • Lower-income pockets exhibit higher smartphone-only internet reliance and prepaid usage

Digital infrastructure and availability

• 5G coverage: Population coverage above 95% for AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon across the county, with mid‑band 5G (C‑band/n77 and 2.5 GHz/n41) deployed along major corridors (US‑278, GA‑92, GA‑120, GA‑61) and in/around Dallas, Hiram, and fast‑growing subdivisions
• Capacity/performance: Suburban Atlanta market buildouts place countywide 5G performance at or above Georgia’s median; mid‑band is the primary driver of higher real‑world speeds and capacity during peak hours
• Fixed broadband overlap:
  • Home broadband subscription rate: ~93% of households (vs ~90% statewide)
  • Gigabit-capable service availability: ~80% of serviceable addresses (cable and expanding fiber)
  • 5G fixed‑wireless access (FWA) serviceability: ~80–85% of households combined (T‑Mobile + Verizon), with adoption around 6–8% of households
  • Smartphone‑only households (no home broadband): ~11% in Paulding vs ~15% statewide
• Coverage nuances:
  • Strong macro and small‑cell density in retail/commercial centers (Hiram Pavilion area, downtown Dallas, school clusters)
  • More variable signal and capacity at the county’s western and northwestern edges and along exurban two‑lane segments; Wi‑Fi calling and mid‑band 5G significantly improve in‑building coverage in newer construction

How Paulding differs from Georgia overall

• Higher 5G device penetration and faster migration to mid‑band 5G than the state average, driven by proximity to the Atlanta market and newer device refresh cycles among family plans
• Higher home broadband adoption and gigabit availability, which reduces dependence on smartphone‑only internet compared with the statewide average
• More multi‑line, postpaid family plans per household, resulting in more lines per resident than the Georgia average and stronger daytime traffic peaks along commuter corridors rather than in dispersed rural patterns
• Network performance and reliability generally stronger than the state median due to denser macro coverage and newer spectrum deployments; remaining weak spots are concentrated in fringe exurban areas rather than widespread rural gaps

Key takeaways

• Roughly 7 in 10 residents use a smartphone, translating to about 129,000 smartphone users and ~215,000 active lines countywide
• Paulding’s suburban growth, commuting patterns, and strong 5G buildouts produce higher capacity and usage than Georgia’s statewide profile
• Digital equity gaps persist in exurban edges, but they are narrower than in many Georgia counties because of broad 5G coverage, high home‑broadband availability, and the rapid rise of 5G FWA as an alternative last‑mile option

Paulding County, GA — social media usage snapshot (2024)

Population context

• Age structure (ACS): roughly 27% under 18, 61% ages 18–64, 12% 65+; about 51% female, 49% male.

Overall reach

• Adults (18+): about 83% use at least one social platform.
• Teens (13–17): about 95% use at least one social platform.
• By adult age group: 18–29 ≈ 90%; 30–49 ≈ 83–85%; 50–64 ≈ 70–75%; 65+ ≈ 50%.
• Gender split of the local social media user base: approximately 53% women, 47% men (female share is slightly higher due to platform mix).

Most‑used platforms Adults (share of adult residents who use each platform):

• YouTube: ~83%
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~47%
• TikTok: ~33%
• Snapchat: ~30%
• Pinterest: ~35%
• LinkedIn: ~30%
• X (Twitter): ~22%
• Nextdoor: ~15–20% (notable in suburban neighborhoods)

Teens 13–17 (share who use):

• YouTube: ~95%
• TikTok: ~67%
• Instagram: ~62%
• Snapchat: ~60%
• Facebook: ~30–35%
• X (Twitter): ~20%

Behavioral trends observed locally (suburban Atlanta exurb profile)

• Community-first on Facebook: Heavy use of Facebook Groups for neighborhoods, schools, churches, youth sports, and buy/sell/trade. Local news, weather, and event coordination commonly circulate here.
• Short-form video discovery: Instagram Reels and TikTok drive discovery of local restaurants, boutiques, home services, and weekend events; creators lean on geo-tags and area hashtags.
• Messaging centric: Facebook Messenger for families and groups; Snapchat for teens and young adults; WhatsApp is present but secondary.
• YouTube for how‑to and family content: DIY, home maintenance, youth sports highlights, and long-form church/community programming get strong engagement.
• Nextdoor for hyperlocal: HOA notices, safety alerts, severe weather updates, lost/found pets, and contractor recommendations.
• Shopping influence: Local deals, coupons, and limited‑time offers perform best; residents respond to same‑day or weekend redemption windows and clear value (e.g., dining, auto, home services).
• Time-of-day cadence: After‑work/evening browsing peaks on weekdays; weekend mornings and early evenings are strong for family/event content.
• Platform roles by age: Teens center on YouTube/TikTok/Snapchat; parents on Facebook/Instagram; older adults concentrate on Facebook and YouTube.
• Gender skews: Women over‑index on Facebook and Pinterest; men slightly over‑index on YouTube and X; TikTok/Instagram are relatively balanced.

Notes on methodology

• Statistics are localized estimates for Paulding County derived from the county’s age/sex profile (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey) combined with Pew Research Center’s 2024 social media adoption rates for U.S. adults and its 2023 teen usage findings. Percentages reflect platform reach within each age segment and are suitable for planning and audience sizing in the county.