Quitman County

Key demographics for Quitman County, Georgia

• Population

  • 2020 Census: 2,235
  • 2023 estimate: ~2,170 (Census Bureau vintage 2023)

• Age

  • Median age: ~51 years
  • Under 18: ~18%
  • 18 to 64: ~55%
  • 65 and over: ~27%

• Gender

  • Female: ~50%
  • Male: ~50%

• Race and ethnicity (2020 Census)

  • White (non-Hispanic): ~56%
  • Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~38%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~4%
  • Two or more races and other: ~2%

• Households (ACS 2018–2022)

  • Total households: ~1,020
  • Average household size: ~2.2
  • Family households: ~59% of households
  • Married-couple families: ~45% of households
  • Nonfamily households: ~41%
  • Households with people under 18: ~20%
  • Households with people 65+: ~40%
  • Owner-occupied housing rate: ~78%
  • Average family size: ~2.7

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (Demographic Profile, PL 94-171) and American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates.

Quitman County, GA email usage (estimates)

• Population and density: ≈2,300 residents; ≈15 people per square mile (very low rural density).
• Estimated email users: ≈1,520 adult users (about 84% of ≈1,810 adults), reflecting rural U.S. email adoption patterns.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 18–29: ≈14% (~210 users)
  • 30–49: ≈27% (~410 users)
  • 50–64: ≈31% (~470 users)
  • 65+: ≈28% (~430 users)
• Gender split among email users: ≈52% female (790) and 48% male (730), mirroring county demographics.
• Digital access and connectivity:
  • Household broadband subscriptions: ≈65–70% of households (roughly 620–670 of ~950 households).
  • Smartphone‑only internet households: ≈23% of connected households (~140–155), indicating reliance on mobile email.
  • Device access: The vast majority of households have a computer and/or smartphone; older and lower‑income residents show lower home broadband take‑up, increasing dependence on mobile data.
  • Network context: Sparse settlement and long last‑mile runs limit fiber build‑out; fixed wireless, DSL/cable in and around Georgetown, satellite, and 4G/5G mobile service are key access paths.
• Trend insight: Broadband and smartphone adoption continue to rise, pulling email usage upward, but the rural last‑mile gap sustains a notable smartphone‑only segment and slower speeds outside the population center.

Mobile phone usage in Quitman County, Georgia — 2025 snapshot

Executive takeaways versus Georgia statewide

• Fewer smartphones per adult than the state average, but far more residents rely on a smartphone as their primary or only internet connection.
• Older age structure and lower household incomes push up basic-phone use and prepaid adoption.
• Fixed broadband subscription is notably lower than the state, making mobile networks a critical access point for everyday connectivity.

User estimates

• Population baseline: about 2,300 residents; roughly 1,800 adults.
• Adult mobile users: approximately 1,620 adults use a mobile phone (≈90% of adults).
• Smartphone users: about 1,480 adults use a smartphone (≈82% of adults); another ≈140 use basic/feature phones; ≈180 adults have no mobile phone.
• Household-level internet mix (≈1,050 households):
  • Fixed broadband subscription: ≈58% (about 610 households), well below Georgia’s ≈83%.
  • Smartphone-only internet access: ≈30% (about 315 households), higher than Georgia’s ≈19%.
  • No home internet: ≈12% (about 125 households), higher than Georgia’s ≈7%.

Demographic breakdown and adoption patterns

• Age
  • Seniors (65+): roughly 24% of the population. Among seniors, smartphone adoption is notably lower than younger cohorts (about two-thirds use smartphones, with the remainder split between basic phones and no mobile). This age mix is a primary driver of the county’s lower overall smartphone rate relative to Georgia.
• Income
  • Median household income is substantially below the Georgia median, and a majority of households fall under $40,000. In this group, smartphone-only internet reliance runs around 40%, reflecting cost and availability constraints on home broadband. This is materially higher than the state’s rate in the same income band.
• Race/ethnicity
  • The county is majority Black, with White residents the next largest group. When controlling for age and income, smartphone ownership rates by race are broadly similar; however, Black households in the county show a higher likelihood of smartphone-only internet reliance than White households due to lower fixed-broadband adoption.
• Plan and device mix
  • Prepaid lines account for an estimated 55–60% of active lines (versus roughly 35–40% statewide), reflecting credit and price sensitivity.
  • Android share is higher than the state average; iOS share lower, consistent with income-driven device choices.

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• Mobile network footprint
  • 4G LTE provides the baseline across populated areas and primary road corridors; 5G low-band is present along main travel routes, with limited mid-band capacity outside those corridors. Off-corridor interiors and lakeside/forested areas experience weaker indoor coverage and occasional dead zones typical of very low-density counties.
• Capacity and performance
  • Smaller site density and long inter-site distances constrain peak speeds and indoor reliability compared with Georgia’s metro counties; performance is best in and around Georgetown and along primary highways.
• Fixed broadband context
  • A sizable share of locations remain unserved or underserved by high-capacity fixed broadband, which helps explain the elevated smartphone-only reliance and heavier use of mobile hotspots for home connectivity.
• Community access points
  • Public Wi‑Fi at civic buildings (e.g., county offices, schools, library) plays an outsize role for uploads, homework, telehealth, and device updates, substituting for limited in-home broadband.

How Quitman County differs most from the state

• Lower smartphone penetration (≈82% of adults vs. ≈90% statewide), driven by an older population and cost constraints.
• Much higher smartphone-only internet reliance (≈30% of households vs. ≈19% statewide), reflecting both affordability pressures and gaps in fixed broadband availability.
• Higher prepaid share and older devices, translating to lower average speeds and more conservative data use than typical Georgia markets.
• Coverage is adequate along major corridors but less reliable in interior rural areas, making connectivity more location-dependent than in metro Georgia.

Notes on sources and method

• Estimates synthesize U.S. Census Bureau ACS demographics, Pew Research mobile adoption benchmarks, and federal/state broadband availability indicators to produce county-level figures consistent with rural Georgia patterns in 2023–2024. Figures are rounded for clarity and presented as point estimates to support planning.

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

Definitive baseline

• Population: 2,235 residents (U.S. Census, 2020)

Modeled user stats (best-available estimates using Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. platform adoption, adjusted for a rural, older-leaning county profile)

• Adults (18+): ~1,720–1,780
• Active social media users (13+): ~1,500–1,600
• Adult social media users (18+): ~1,350–1,450 (≈78–83% of adults)

Age mix of local social media users (share of all users, 13+)

• 13–17: 8–10%
• 18–29: 16–20%
• 30–49: 30–35%
• 50–64: 22–26%
• 65+: 18–22%

Gender breakdown (share of local social media users)

• Women: 52–55%
• Men: 45–48%

Most-used platforms (share of adult social media users; ranges reflect rural/age adjustments)

• YouTube: 75–85%
• Facebook: 65–75%
• Instagram: 25–35%
• TikTok: 20–30%
• Pinterest: 20–30% (skews female 30–64)
• Snapchat: 15–25% (teens/20s)
• WhatsApp: 5–12% (niche; family ties/immigrants)
• X (Twitter): 10–15%
• LinkedIn: 10–18% (commuters/professionals)
• Nextdoor: <5% (limited footprint in very low-density areas)

Behavioral trends to know

• Platform gravity: Facebook and YouTube dominate for news, church and school updates, local government notices, public safety, weather, hunting/fishing, and high school sports. Instagram/TikTok add reach under 35.
• Community-first engagement: Local faces, events, and practical info outperform polished brand content. Marketplace and buy–sell–trade groups see heavy use.
• Messaging habits: Facebook Messenger and SMS group chats (churches, booster clubs, teams) are key for coordination.
• Content formats: Short native video (FB/IG Reels, TikTok) and simple photo posts perform best; links off-platform underperform.
• Timing: Evenings (about 7–9 pm) and Sunday late afternoon tend to see the highest engagement; early mornings (6–8 am) are a secondary window. Midday dips on weekdays.
• Trust signals: Peer recommendations and visible local ties (staff faces, landmarks, sponsorships of school/rec sports) boost response; hard-sell ads underperform.
• Advertising note: Hyperlocal targeting with clear value (seasonal offers, service availability, event reminders) and click-to-call or message CTAs convert better than traffic campaigns.

Method note

• County-level social media counts are not published by platforms or government sources. Figures above are modeled from the 2020 Census population, Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. platform use, and known rural/age skews; use as planning estimates.