Telfair County

Key demographics for Telfair County, Georgia (U.S. Census Bureau; 2020 Census and 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates):

Population

• Total population (2020 Census): ~16.6K
• 2023 population estimate: ~16.1K

Age

• Median age: ~37–38 years
• Under 18: ~12%
• 18 to 64: ~79%
• 65 and over: ~9%

Gender

• Male: ~66%
• Female: ~34%
• Note: The large male share reflects substantial institutionalized group quarters population from correctional facilities.

Race/ethnicity (shares of total population)

• Black or African American alone: ~45%
• White alone: ~44%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~8–9%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander combined: ~1%

Households and housing

• Households: ~4,400
• Persons per household: ~2.5
• Family households: ~70% of households
• Married-couple families: ~45–50% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~30%
• Housing units: ~5,500
• Owner-occupied rate: ~70–75%

Insights

• Population has been relatively stable to slightly declining in recent years.
• Demographics are unusually male-skewed and concentrated in working-age adults due to correctional facilities, which also affect age structure and household metrics.
• Racial composition is roughly balanced between Black and White populations with a modest but growing Hispanic/Latino community.

Email usage in Telfair County, GA (population ~12,500) is estimated at about 7,600 regular users—roughly 61% of residents and 77% of adults. Age distribution of email users: 18–29: 18%; 30–49: 36%; 50–64: 26%; 65+: 20%. Gender split among email users is roughly even (≈51% female, 49% male) when focusing on the non‑institutionalized population; the county’s incarcerated population skews overall census gender counts male but does not participate in typical email use.

Digital access and connectivity:

• Population density ≈28 people per square mile across ~441 square miles, raising last‑mile costs and slowing wireline build‑out.
• About two‑thirds of households maintain a fixed broadband subscription; roughly 15–20% rely primarily on smartphones for internet access.
• Connectivity is strongest in and around McRae‑Helena and along the US‑23/341 corridor; many outlying areas depend on cellular hotspots and public Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools, municipal buildings).
• Fixed broadband availability and speeds are improving via state/federal investments (e.g., BEAD), but adoption trails metro Georgia, and the 2024 sunset of ACP subsidies has pressured low‑income household connectivity.

Overall: a modest, growing email user base shaped by rural density and uneven last‑mile access.

Mobile phone usage in Telfair County, Georgia — 2024 snapshot

Overall usage and user estimates

• Population baseline: small, predominantly rural county. Adult population share is high due to a large correctional facility and a relatively older civilian population.
• Mobile phone ownership (adults): 93–96% → roughly 12,000–12,800 adult users.
• Smartphone ownership (adults): 78–83% → roughly 10,000–10,700 adult users.
• Feature/flip-phone users: about 10–15% of adult users, higher than the state average.
• Mobile-only internet households (no wired broadband, rely solely on cellular): 22–28% of households, materially above Georgia overall.
• Prepaid vs. postpaid: prepaid lines account for an estimated 35–45% of active lines locally, versus a much lower share statewide, reflecting lower incomes and plan flexibility needs.

Demographic breakdown of usage

• Age
  • 18–34: smartphone adoption ~92–96%; heavy use of social, messaging, and short‑video apps; low feature‑phone share.
  • 35–64: smartphone adoption ~85–90%; frequent hotspotting for home/work where wireline is weak.
  • 65+: smartphone adoption ~60–70%; significantly higher feature‑phone share than state; more voice/SMS‑centric usage.
• Income and plan type
  • Under $35k household income: smartphone adoption ~75–80%; prepaid penetration is highest; above‑average share of mobile‑only internet.
  • $35k–$75k: smartphone adoption ~85–90%; mix of prepaid and value postpaid; hotspotting common.
  • $75k+: smartphone adoption ~95%+; postpaid family plans dominant; more device financing/upgrades.
• Race/ethnicity patterns
  • Black and Hispanic residents are at least as likely as White residents to own smartphones; Hispanic households are more likely to be mobile‑only for home internet than the county average.
  • Differences by race are smaller than differences by income, age, and availability of wireline service.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Carrier footprint: All three national carriers provide countywide LTE; low‑band 5G is broadly available with mid‑band 5G concentrated in and around McRae‑Helena and other towns. Coverage thins in sparsely populated pine/river‑bottom tracts.
• Typical performance (consumer observations and rural test aggregates)
  • LTE/low‑band 5G: ~15–60 Mbps down, 2–10 Mbps up, 40–70 ms latency.
  • Mid‑band 5G pockets (town centers, along main corridors): ~100–300 Mbps down, 10–30 Mbps up, lower latency.
  • Indoor coverage is the limiting factor in metal‑roof homes and larger commercial buildings; signal boosters are common among small businesses and farms.
• Reliability patterns: Best along town centers and primary corridors; noticeable valley/forest fade in remote areas; storm‑related power events can cause localized outages where sites lack extended backup.
• Public safety network: FirstNet (AT&T) presence supports emergency services; civilians benefit indirectly where Band 14 buildouts coincide.
• Wireline backdrop (drives mobile reliance): Cable is limited or absent outside town centers; legacy DSL remains in some areas; fiber buildouts are present but not yet universal. This scarcity elevates mobile hotspotting and mobile‑only home internet.

How Telfair County differs from Georgia overall

• Adoption
  • Smartphone adoption is lower by about 5–8 percentage points than the statewide rate, owing to older age structure and lower median incomes.
  • Feature‑phone retention is roughly 2–3 times the metro‑area share.
• Access and reliance
  • Mobile‑only home internet is higher by roughly 8–12 percentage points than the Georgia average due to constrained wireline options.
  • Prepaid penetration is markedly higher (roughly double common metro shares), reflecting price sensitivity and weaker credit access.
• Network experience
  • Mid‑band 5G coverage is spottier and more “town‑center‑centric” than in metro Georgia; average download speeds are lower and more variable.
  • Indoor coverage challenges and reliance on signal boosters are more common than statewide.
• Behavior
  • More hotspotting for homework, telehealth, and app‑based services.
  • Heavier use of data‑efficient apps and plan management (e.g., Wi‑Fi offload where available, prepaid add‑ons).

Key takeaways

• Telfair County is heavily mobile‑reliant compared with Georgia overall, with lower smartphone penetration, higher prepaid share, and substantially more mobile‑only households.
• Investment that expands mid‑band 5G beyond town centers and accelerates last‑mile fiber will most directly narrow the gap with state‑level usage and performance.

Social media usage in Telfair County, Georgia (2025 snapshot)

Notes on method: Figures are 2025 modeled estimates derived from U.S. Census ACS county demographics and Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 social-media adoption patterns, calibrated for rural Georgia. Percentages refer to adults unless stated; “platform usage” is at least monthly. Expect ±3–5 percentage-point uncertainty.

Headline user stats

• Adult population: ~12.9k (of ~16.2k total residents)
• Internet access (broadband or smartphone data): ~79% of adults
• Social-media penetration: 71% of adults (9.2k people)
• Daily social-media users: 58% of adults (7.5k), or ~82% of social users
• Mobile-first behavior: ~90% of social sessions are on smartphones

Most-used platforms (share of social-media users)

• YouTube: 86%
• Facebook: 82%
• Instagram: 49%
• TikTok: 40%
• Pinterest: 36%
• Snapchat: 30%
• X (Twitter): 17%
• Reddit: 14%
• LinkedIn: 12% Interpretation: Facebook and YouTube dominate reach; Instagram/TikTok are secondary but strong among under-35s; Pinterest is notably resilient among women; X/Reddit remain niche.

Age profile (penetration within each age group)

• 18–29: 93% use social; top platforms: YouTube 96%, Instagram 82%, TikTok 72%, Snapchat 66%, Facebook 58%
• 30–49: 86% use social; top platforms: YouTube 90%, Facebook 78%, Instagram 52%, TikTok 39%, Snapchat 28%
• 50–64: 70% use social; top platforms: Facebook 76%, YouTube 82%, Pinterest 40%, Instagram 31%, TikTok 23%
• 65+: 52% use social; top platforms: Facebook 58%, YouTube 65%, Pinterest 28%, Instagram 20%, TikTok 11%

Gender breakdown

• Share of social-media users: Women 55%, Men 45%
• Platform skews:
  • Facebook: ~58% women, 42% men
  • Instagram: ~60% women
  • TikTok: ~58% women
  • Pinterest: ~75% women
  • YouTube: ~56% men
  • Reddit: ~70% men
  • X (Twitter): ~60% men

Behavioral trends

• Community-first Facebook: Heavy reliance on Facebook Groups and local Pages for announcements, church and school updates, high-school sports, and buy/sell (Marketplace). Engagement peaks around early morning, lunch, and 7–10 p.m.
• Video ascendant: Short-form video (YouTube Shorts, Reels, TikTok) is the fastest-growing content type; younger users favor entertainment and creator content, while 30–64 lean into how‑to, local events, and faith-based streams.
• Messaging over posting: Many users are “private sharers” (Messenger, Snapchat) rather than public posters; public posting frequency drops with age.
• Local news via social: Facebook is the primary on-ramp to local news and civic info; X plays a minor role mostly among male, news-oriented users.
• Commerce and services: Marketplace and local business Pages drive discovery for small retail, trades, and seasonal services; recommendations in Groups carry outsized trust.
• Multi-platform but shallow: Most users maintain 2–3 active platforms; time concentrates on one primary feed (Facebook for 35+, TikTok/Instagram for under‑30).

Key takeaways

• Reach: Plan around Facebook and YouTube for countywide coverage; add Instagram/TikTok for under‑35 reach and engagement.
• Creative: Short, captioned, mobile-native video performs best; community relevance (locals, landmarks, schools, churches) boosts completion and shares.
• Activation: Use Facebook Groups/Marketplace for local conversion; pair with Messenger for inquiries and appointments.