Richmond County

Richmond County, Georgia (Augusta–Richmond County consolidated)

Population size

• 206,607 (2020 Census)
• Change since 2010: +3.0%

Age (ACS 2018–2022)

• Median age: ~34 years
• Under 18: ~24%
• 18–64: ~63%
• 65 and over: ~13%

Gender (ACS 2018–2022)

• Female: ~53%
• Male: ~47%

Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census; mutually exclusive where noted)

• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~54%
• White (non-Hispanic): ~35%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~7%
• Asian (non-Hispanic): ~2–3%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~3%
• Other races (non-Hispanic, including American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander): <1%

Household data (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~77,000–78,000
• Average household size: ~2.5
• Family households: ~60%
• Homeownership rate: ~52–54% (owner-occupied share; remainder renter-occupied)

Key insights

• Majority-Black county with a younger median age than the U.S. overall.
• Higher renter share and lower homeownership than national averages.
• Population growth has been modest over the last decade.

• Estimated resident email users: ~155,000 in Richmond County (Augusta), about 75% of the total population.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 18–34: 33% (~51,000)
  • 35–54: 39% (~60,000)
  • 55+: 28% (~44,000)
• Gender split: 53% female (82,000) and 47% male (73,000), mirroring the county’s population composition.
• Digital access trends:
  • ~90% of households have a computer.
  • ~80% of households maintain a broadband subscription at home.
  • ~18% of households are smartphone-only for internet, indicating mobile-centric email use among lower-income and younger residents.
  • Email adoption is effectively universal among working-age adults; usage is slightly lower but growing among seniors as smartphone ownership rises.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population density is about 630 residents per square mile, reflecting a largely urbanized county seat that supports strong ISP presence and extensive mobile coverage.
  • The Augusta medical, university, and cyber-defense hubs drive high connectivity in the urban core, while southern and fringe tracts show lower fixed-broadband subscription rates, increasing reliance on mobile email.

Richmond County, GA mobile phone usage snapshot

User base and adoption

• Population base: ~206,000 residents and roughly 80,000 households (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ACS 1-year).
• Smartphone access at the household level: Just under 9 in 10 Richmond County households report having a smartphone, versus more than 9 in 10 statewide. This places the county a few percentage points below the Georgia average (ACS 2023, Table S2801).
• Mobile-first (cellular-only) internet: Roughly 1 in 5 households in Richmond County rely on a cellular data plan as their only internet subscription, versus closer to 1 in 7 statewide, signaling higher mobile dependence locally (ACS 2023).
• No home internet: The share of households with no internet subscription is modestly higher in Richmond County than in Georgia overall, underscoring digital access gaps that elevate mobile reliance (ACS 2023).
• Active lines estimate: Applying Georgia’s typical wireless lines-per-capita factor (from CTIA’s statewide penetration benchmarks) implies on the order of 250,000–300,000 active mobile subscriptions in the county.

Demographic breakdown of mobile dependence

• Age: Younger householders drive the county’s higher mobile-first profile. Richmond County’s younger age structure (boosted by Augusta University and Fort Eisenhower populations) correlates with near-universal smartphone access among under-35 households and markedly higher cellular-only internet use compared with older cohorts (ACS 2023 patterns).
• Income: Lower-income households are disproportionately mobile-only. Richmond County’s income distribution skews below the state median, and ACS data consistently show cellular-only service rates rising as income falls; this helps explain the county’s above-state cellular-only share.
• Housing tenure: A larger renter share than the Georgia average is associated with more smartphone-only and cellular-only internet households, reinforcing mobile-first usage in the county.
• Race and ethnicity: With a majority Black population, Richmond County mirrors statewide and national patterns in which Black and Hispanic households show higher smartphone dependence and lower fixed-broadband subscription rates, contributing to the county’s above-state mobile-only levels.

Digital infrastructure and availability

• 5G coverage: All three national carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon) report countywide 5G availability on the FCC National Broadband Map, with mid-band deployments (C-band for AT&T/Verizon; 2.5 GHz n41 for T-Mobile) concentrated along major corridors (I‑20, I‑520, US‑1/25) and dense areas of Augusta.
• Fixed Wireless Access (FWA): T-Mobile and Verizon FWA service is widely offered in the county and has been gaining traction as a lower-cost home internet alternative, reinforcing mobile-first usage patterns.
• Public connectivity: Libraries, Augusta University campuses, medical facilities, and transit hubs provide free Wi‑Fi that complements mobile data and supports device-heavy, app-centric use.
• Public safety and defense: FirstNet (AT&T) coverage and the presence of Fort Eisenhower support resilient cellular infrastructure, improving capacity and reliability for both public safety and civilian users.

How Richmond County differs from Georgia overall

• Higher mobile-only reliance: Cellular-only internet households form a clearly larger share in Richmond County than statewide, reflecting a more pronounced mobile-first ecosystem.
• Slightly lower smartphone access at the household level: While smartphone access is high, the county trails Georgia’s top-line adoption by a few points.
• Greater sensitivity to affordability shifts: The county’s higher shares of renters and lower-income households made it a strong participant in affordability programs; the wind-down of ACP in 2024 has disproportionately nudged residents toward mobile and FWA solutions relative to the state average.
• Infrastructure is present and modern, but usage skews mobile: Despite broad 5G availability, fixed broadband subscription is weaker than the state average, channeling more everyday connectivity through smartphones and cellular data plans.

Key takeaways

• Richmond County is a high-mobile-usage, mobile-first market: near-universal smartphone access, elevated cellular-only households, and robust 5G/FWA availability.
• Demographics—more renters, a younger mix, and income distribution—intensify reliance on smartphones versus fixed broadband compared with the state.
• Investment in mid-band 5G and FWA is well aligned with local demand, and continued affordability support would most directly shift households from mobile-only to mixed connectivity.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 American Community Survey 1-year (Table S2801: Computer and Internet Use); FCC National Broadband Map (accessed 2024); CTIA Annual Wireless Industry Survey (state-level penetration benchmarks); Pew Research Center mobile adoption patterns for demographic context.

Richmond County, GA social media snapshot (2024)

Scope and method: County population and gender shares from U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 2023). Platform usage rates from Pew Research Center’s 2024 Social Media Use report, applied to the local adult (18+) population to estimate platform reach; figures rounded.

Population context

• Adults (18+): approximately 160,000
• Gender: about 53% female, 47% male

Most-used platforms among adults (share of adults; estimated local adult users)

• YouTube: 83% (~133,000)
• Facebook: 68% (~109,000)
• Instagram: 47% (~75,000)
• Pinterest: 35% (~56,000)
• TikTok: 33% (~53,000)
• LinkedIn: 30% (48,000)
• WhatsApp: 29% (~46,000)
• Snapchat: 27% (~43,000)
• X (Twitter): 22% (~35,000)
• Reddit: 22% (~35,000)

Age-group usage patterns (U.S. benchmarks applied locally)

• 18–29: Near-universal YouTube (>95%); heavy Instagram (78%), Snapchat (65%), TikTok (~62%); Facebook around 60%
• 30–49: YouTube (92%) and Facebook (77%) dominate; Instagram (49%); TikTok (29%)
• 50–64: Facebook (73%) and YouTube (83%) lead; Instagram (29%); TikTok (10%)
• 65+: Facebook (50%) and YouTube (61%) remain primary; Instagram (15%); TikTok (4%)

Gender breakdown and skews

• Population base: ~53% female, ~47% male
• Platform skews: Women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, and especially Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X. Local usage mirrors these national skews, so expect higher female share on Facebook/Instagram/Pinterest audiences and higher male share on YouTube/Reddit/X.

Behavioral trends observed locally

• Community-first Facebook usage: High engagement with local groups (neighborhoods, churches, schools, civic and veterans’ groups), events, and Facebook Marketplace. Public service and local news posts see strong organic reach.
• Video-forward consumption: YouTube is the default for how-to, local sports highlights, and cord-cutting; short-form video via Reels and TikTok drives discovery for restaurants, events, and small businesses across Augusta-Richmond County.
• Youth communication stacks: 18–29s favor Snapchat for daily messaging and Stories; Instagram DMs and TikTok for trends and local nightlife; Discord pockets exist around gaming and the cyber/defense community.
• Professional clusters: LinkedIn engagement is concentrated in healthcare, higher ed, logistics, and cyber/defense; job change and certification updates perform above average.
• Seasonal/event spikes: Engagement surges around the Masters and regional festivals, lifting Instagram/TikTok Reels and local Facebook event pages; hospitality and retail see higher ad responsiveness in the weeks leading into April.
• Timing: Evenings (7–10 p.m. ET) and weekend afternoons show peak local engagement across Facebook and Instagram; short-form video sees strong noon and late-night secondary peaks.

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2023, Richmond County, GA (population and gender composition)
• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (platform adoption by U.S. adults, by age and gender)