Pickens County

Pickens County, Georgia — Key demographics

Population size

• 33,216 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age

• Median age: ~45 years (2020/ACS)
• Age distribution (approx.): under 18: ~21%; 18–64: ~58%; 65+: ~21%

Gender

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50%

Racial and ethnic composition (2020 Census)

• White alone: ~90–91%
• Black or African American alone: ~2%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~0.3–0.4%
• Asian alone: ~0.5–0.6%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.0%
• Some Other Race alone: ~0.3%
• Two or more races: ~5–6%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~4–5%

Households

• Total households: ~12,900 (2020)
• Average household size: ~2.5–2.6
• Family households: ~72–74% of households; married-couple families ~55–60%
• Households with children under 18: ~25–27%
• Nonfamily households: ~26–28%

Notes

• Population figure is from the 2020 Decennial Census. Household structure, age, and some composition shares are from recent ACS 5-year estimates bracketing 2020 and are rounded.

Pickens County, GA (2020 Census: 33,216 residents across ~232 sq mi; ~143 people/sq mi).

Estimated email users: ~26,100 (≈92% of adults plus ≈85% of teens).

Users by age:

• 13–17: ~2.1k (8%)
• 18–34: ~5.7k (22%)
• 35–54: ~8.3k (32%)
• 55–64: ~3.9k (15%)
• 65+: ~6.0k (23%)

Gender split among users: ≈51% female, 49% male.

Digital access: ~12,700 households; ~87% have a broadband subscription (cable/DSL/fiber/fixed wireless), ~91% have a computer; ~10–12% are smartphone‑only internet households. About 13% of households lack a home broadband subscription, concentrating in lower‑density tracts.

Trends: Broadband adoption and email use are near‑universal under age 55. The main gap is among residents 65+, where email adoption is roughly 80–85% but rising as device ownership and digital literacy improve. Mobile‑only access remains a meaningful fallback in rural areas and correlates with lower household income and higher age.

Connectivity context: Service density is highest in and around Jasper and along major corridors; mountainous and sparsely populated tracts show greater reliance on fixed wireless and cellular, with slower upload speeds. Email remains the default digital identifier for residents, with strong daily use among working‑age adults.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Pickens County, Georgia (2024–2025)

Scope and population anchor

• Population base: approximately 35,000 residents (2023–2024 Census/ACS estimates), with an older age profile than Georgia overall.

User estimates (modeled from recent Pew Research Center adoption rates, ACS age mix, and rural adjustments)

• Adult mobile-phone users (any cellphone): ~25,800 (about 94% of the ~27,500 adults).
• Adult smartphone users: ~23,100 (about 84% of adults).
• Teen smartphone users (ages 13–17): ~1,900.
• Total smartphone users (13+): roughly 25,000 countywide.

Demographic breakdown (share of smartphone users by age and inferred counts)

• Ages 18–34: very high adoption (≈95–97%); ~6,300–6,500 users. Pickens’ share of young adults is smaller than the state, keeping overall penetration lower than Georgia.
• Ages 35–64: high adoption (≈88–92%); ~12,000–12,500 users. This cohort is the core of smartphone usage locally.
• Ages 65+: moderate adoption for seniors (≈65–75%, higher than a few years ago but below younger groups); ~4,000–4,600 users. Pickens’ larger 65+ share (low‑20s percent vs Georgia’s mid‑teens) depresses countywide smartphone penetration relative to the state.

Usage patterns and access

• Mobile‑only internet households: estimated 18–22% of households, above Georgia’s average by several points. This reflects pockets where fixed broadband is limited or cost-sensitive.
• Plan mix: prepaid lines likely a few points higher than the Georgia average (≈+3–5 pp), consistent with rural and cost‑control patterns.
• Work‑and‑commute demand peaks along the GA‑515/I‑575 and GA‑53 corridors (Jasper/Talking Rock), with noticeably lighter loads in sparsely populated northern and western tracts.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Cellular networks: All three national carriers provide LTE countywide; low‑band 5G is broadly available, with mid‑band 5G clustered around Jasper, Talking Rock, and along GA‑515. Coverage is strongest along highways and in town centers.
• Terrain effects: Ridge‑and‑valley topography creates dead zones and weaker indoor signal in hollows and on the rugged western/northern edges (e.g., Burnt Mountain area and parts of the Big Canoe vicinity). Metal‑roofed homes further reduce in‑building performance.
• Backhaul and capacity: Sites along GA‑515 benefit from better fiber backhaul and sustain higher 5G utilization; off‑corridor sites rely more on LTE and low‑band 5G, with lower peak and median speeds than metro Georgia.
• Fixed broadband anchors that shape mobile dependence:
  • Kinetic by Windstream has expanded fiber in and around Jasper and Talking Rock, reducing mobile‑only reliance in those footprints.
  • ETC Communications (Ellijay Telephone) provides fiber in portions of northern Pickens and select neighborhoods.
  • Outside fiber footprints, residents contend with legacy DSL or fixed wireless; satellite fills remaining gaps. Public libraries and civic buildings provide Wi‑Fi as important off‑mobile access points.

How Pickens County differs from the Georgia state profile

• Lower overall smartphone penetration: Countywide adoption is several percentage points below Georgia’s average due to a larger senior share and more rural households.
• More mobile‑only households: The county’s mobile‑only internet rate is measurably above the state average, driven by cost, availability, and satisfaction with improved LTE/5G performance along the main corridor.
• Slower typical speeds off‑corridor: Reliance on LTE and low‑band 5G away from Jasper/GA‑515 yields lower median speeds and more variable uplink performance than in metro areas.
• Slightly higher prepaid share and longer device replacement cycles: Budget sensitivity and rural buying patterns push prepaid uptake above the state average and extend upgrade intervals.
• Greater coverage variability: Topography produces sharper neighborhood‑level differences in signal quality than typical Georgia suburban counties, making carrier choice and device band support more consequential.

Key takeaways

• About 25,000 residents in Pickens actively use smartphones, with usage concentrated among working‑age adults and strong commuter‑corridor activity.
• Digital infrastructure is bifurcated: robust 5G and fiber along GA‑515/Jasper versus patchier coverage and older access technologies in outlying areas.
• Compared with Georgia overall, Pickens shows slightly lower smartphone penetration, higher mobile‑only reliance, and more uneven 5G capacity—classic rural‑suburban transition dynamics shaped by terrain and ongoing fiber buildouts.

Sources and methodology

• Population and age structure: U.S. Census Bureau/ACS (latest available 2023–2024 county estimates).
• Smartphone and mobile adoption rates by age and rural context: Pew Research Center (2023–2024).
• Infrastructure characterization: FCC broadband/5G availability maps (2024), Georgia Broadband Office publications, and regional ISP buildout announcements. Figures are modeled by applying age‑specific adoption rates to the county’s age mix and adjusting for rural factors documented by Pew and FCC.

Social media usage in Pickens County, GA (short, data-driven breakdown)

Population baseline

• Residents: ~35,000 (U.S. Census Bureau 2023 estimate)
• Adults (18+): ~27,000 (used to translate platform reach into local counts)

Most-used platforms among adults (apply Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. usage rates to Pickens County’s adult population; figures are approximate)

• YouTube: ~80–85% of adults → ~21,600–23,000 users locally
• Facebook: ~65–70% → ~17,500–18,900
• Instagram: ~45–50% → ~12,200–13,500
• Pinterest: ~30–35% → ~8,100–9,500
• TikTok: ~30–35% → ~8,100–9,500
• Snapchat: ~28–32% → ~7,600–8,600
• X (Twitter): ~20–25% → ~5,400–6,800
• Reddit: ~20–25% → ~5,400–6,800
• LinkedIn: ~20–25% → ~5,400–6,800
• Nextdoor: ~15–20% → ~4,000–5,400

Age-group patterns (share of adults on each platform mirrors national patterns; the following describe local expectations)

• 18–29: Near-universal YouTube; majority on Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok; Facebook present but secondary. Short-form video and messaging dominate.
• 30–49: YouTube and Facebook lead; Instagram used by about half; TikTok adoption rising but still secondary; Snapchat moderate.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram modest; TikTok low but growing.
• 65+: Facebook and YouTube are primary; minimal use of Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat.

Gender breakdown (directional, based on national patterns applied locally)

• Overall adoption is similar by gender.
• Platforms skewing female: Pinterest (women ~3x men), Instagram (slight female tilt), Facebook (slight female tilt).
• Platforms skewing male: Reddit and X/Twitter (male tilt), YouTube (slight male tilt).
• LinkedIn is roughly balanced.

Behavioral trends observed in similar North Georgia/rural-suburban counties and expected locally

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of Groups (schools, youth sports, local government, churches), Marketplace, and event posts; strongest for reaching 30+.
• YouTube is the default for how-to, trades/DIY, outdoor recreation, and church/municipal video; longer watch sessions on connected TVs and mobile in evenings.
• Instagram and Reels are effective for local dining, real estate, retail, and tourism-oriented content (North Georgia mountains/outdoors); Stories drive day-of promotions.
• TikTok growth is fastest among under-35s; short, location-tagged content and creator collaborations boost reach for small businesses.
• Snapchat remains a peer-to-peer channel for teens/young adults; local ad impact is limited unless targeting high-school/college-age cohorts.
• Nextdoor use clusters in denser neighborhoods/subdivisions near Jasper; best for hyperlocal service providers and HOA-scale messaging.
• Engagement timing: peaks evenings (7–10 p.m.) and weekends; weather, school closures, road incidents, and community events trigger sharp spikes, especially on Facebook.
• Mobile-first consumption: vertical video and concise captions outperform; links off-platform underperform relative to native video and carousels.

Notes on methodology and sources

• Population: U.S. Census Bureau estimates for Pickens County (2023).
• Platform percentages: Pew Research Center, 2024 U.S. adult social media use. Local counts are derived by applying national adult usage rates to the estimated 27,000 adults in Pickens County. Overlap across platforms is expected.