Union County

Union County, Georgia — Key Demographics (most recent Census Bureau data)

Population

• Total population: ~26.6k (2023 Population Estimates); 24.6k (2020 Census)
• Growth since 2020: ~+8–9%

Age

• Median age: ~53 years
• Under 18: ~18%
• 18–64: ~52%
• 65 and over: ~30%

Gender

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50%

Race and ethnicity (mutually exclusive; ACS 2019–2023)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~92%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~4%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~2–3%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~0.5–1%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: ~0.4–0.6%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~0.2–0.3%
• Other, non-Hispanic: <0.5%

Households and housing

• Total households: ~11.1k
• Average household size: ~2.2–2.3
• Family households: ~69–70% of households
• Married-couple households: ~58–60% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~20–22%
• One-person households: ~27–29%; living alone age 65+: ~14–16%
• Tenure: owner-occupied ~82–85%; renter-occupied ~15–18%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2019–2023 American Community Survey (5-year) and 2023 Population Estimates Program. Figures rounded for clarity.

Union County, GA snapshot (pop ~26,000; ~321 sq mi; ~81 people/sq mi):

• Estimated email users: 19,000–21,000. Derived by applying U.S. adult email adoption (~90%+) to the county’s older-skewing population.
• Age distribution of email users (reflects local age mix and national adoption by age):
  • 18–29: ~10–12%
  • 30–49: ~22–25%
  • 50–64: ~26–28%
  • 65+: ~30–34%
• Gender split: ~51% female, 49% male; email usage is effectively parity (gap ≤2 percentage points).
• Digital access and devices (ACS Computer & Internet Use benchmarks, rural GA patterns):
  • Households with a computer/smartphone: ~90%
  • Broadband subscription (cable/DSL/fiber/fixed wireless): ~80–85%
  • Smartphone-only internet households: ~8–12%
• Trends:
  • 2020–2024: Rising broadband subscriptions and fiber/fixed‑wireless buildouts increased reliable access; seniors’ email adoption strengthened with telehealth, government services, and banking shifts.
  • Mobile coverage and fixed‑wireless fill gaps in mountainous terrain; remote pockets still rely on satellite where wired options are sparse.
• Connectivity facts:
  • Low settlement density and Appalachian topography raise last‑mile costs, but regional electric‑cooperative fiber expansions have improved availability along main corridors.

Sources informing estimates: U.S. Census/ACS (population, device/broadband), Pew Research Center (email adoption by age), rural Georgia broadband trend data (FCC/ACS).

Summary of mobile phone usage in Union County, Georgia (2024)

Topline user estimates

• Total residents: roughly 25–27 thousand; adult share about 82–84%.
• Smartphone users: estimated 18–21 thousand (about 78–83% of adults), 5–8 percentage points lower than the Georgia statewide adult average, reflecting Union County’s older age structure and rural geography.
• Basic/feature-phone primary users: estimated 2–3 thousand adults (about 12–16%), higher than the state share.
• Cellular-only home internet households: estimated 8–12% of households, modestly below the statewide share, due to relatively good fixed-fiber availability from the local electric cooperative compared with many rural counties.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age:
  • 65+: a much larger share than the state (about one-third of residents vs roughly one-sixth statewide). Smartphone adoption in this group is markedly lower than the state norm; many rely on larger-screen devices at home and voice/SMS on mobile.
  • 18–44: smaller share than the state; high smartphone penetration (>90%) similar to Georgia overall.
  • Net effect: the county’s age mix pulls overall smartphone penetration below the Georgia average and raises the share of basic-phone users.
• Income and plans:
  • Median household income is lower than the state average, which correlates with higher use of prepaid and MVNO plans and tighter data allowances. This diverges from metro Georgia markets that skew toward postpaid and premium unlimited tiers.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Less diverse than Georgia overall; differences here play a smaller role than age and rurality in explaining adoption gaps.
• Work and mobility:
  • Commuting is predominantly intra-county or to nearby counties; mobile usage spikes seasonally with visitors to Blairsville, Lake Nottely, and state park areas, causing occasional peak-time congestion unlike the steadier patterns in metro counties.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Carrier presence:
  • All three national carriers (AT&T including FirstNet, Verizon, T-Mobile) operate countywide. 4G LTE covers most populated corridors; 5G is present in and around Blairsville and along primary highways, with patchy reach in mountain valleys.
• Terrain-driven gaps:
  • The Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest and ridge/valley topography create dead zones and weak indoor signal pockets (notably around Wolf Pen Gap/GA-180, Suches approaches, and some lakeside and holler areas). This terrain-related variability is more pronounced than the state average.
• Speeds and reliability:
  • Typical outdoor LTE speeds: roughly 10–35 Mbps; mid-band 5G, where available, can deliver 100–300 Mbps, but coverage is not continuous. Indoor performance often depends on proximity to a macro site or the use of Wi‑Fi calling.
• Backhaul and fiber influence:
  • Blue Ridge Mountain EMC’s fiber build and other fixed-broadband upgrades reduce dependence on cellular for home internet compared with many rural Georgia counties, a notable deviation from statewide rural patterns.
• Emergency and public-safety overlay:
  • FirstNet presence improves coverage along primary routes and civic sites, but topography still presents challenges away from highways and town centers.

Trends that differ from Georgia statewide

• Adoption level: Overall smartphone adoption is lower by several points than the state average, driven mainly by the county’s older age profile rather than interest or affordability alone.
• Plan mix: Higher reliance on prepaid/MVNO options and conservative data plans than in metro Georgia; this curbs per-line mobile data consumption.
• Network experience: Coverage variability and indoor service challenges are more terrain-driven than in most of Georgia; residents lean more on Wi‑Fi calling and boosters.
• Cellular-only households: A bit lower share than the state, bucking the broader rural trend, because fiber availability is comparatively strong for a mountainous county.
• Seasonal load: Tourism-related surges produce short windows of congestion uncommon in most Georgia counties outside coastal or metro-event hotspots.

What this means for stakeholders

• Operators: Greatest ROI from targeted infill (valley floors, lakeside pockets, park gateways) and mid-band 5G upgrades near Blairsville and along US-19/129 and US-76 to smooth seasonal loads.
• Public sector: Continued tower siting on ridgelines and rights-of-way, plus indoor coverage solutions for public buildings and clinics, will address the most acute gaps.
• Businesses and residents: Expect solid everyday service in town and along primary corridors, with practical reliance on Wi‑Fi calling in some homes and cabins; travelers should anticipate spotty service on forest roads and high-elevation byways.

Note on figures: County-level mobile adoption figures are modeled from federal device/Internet subscription data, rural-vs-urban adoption research, and the county’s demographic mix. State-level comparisons reflect recent Georgia and U.S. benchmarks; the directional differences and ranges above are robust given Union County’s age and terrain profile.

Social media usage in Union County, Georgia (modeled 2025 snapshot)

How this was built

• Benchmarks: Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adult platform adoption rates applied to Union County’s age/sex profile from U.S. Census Bureau ACS (2018–2022, with 2023 population updates). Use these as practical planning figures for the county.

County profile (audience context)

• Population: mid-26,000s; older-leaning (median age ~52–53)
• 65+ share: roughly 30% of residents
• Adults (18+): roughly 4 out of 5 residents
• Gender: ~51% female, ~49% male (ACS)

Most-used platforms among adults (estimated share of Union County adults)

• YouTube: ~83%
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~47%
• Pinterest: ~35%
• TikTok: ~33%
• LinkedIn: ~30%
• Snapchat: ~30%
• Also present but smaller: WhatsApp ~26%, X (Twitter) ~22%, Reddit ~22%, Nextdoor ~15–20%

Age-group patterns (what’s most used by whom)

• 65+: Heavy on Facebook and YouTube; light on Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram modest; TikTok limited but growing
• 30–49: YouTube near-universal; Facebook strong; Instagram widely used; TikTok moderate
• 18–29: Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube dominate; Facebook is secondary for this cohort

Gender breakdown (usage tendencies)

• Women: More likely than men to use Facebook and especially Pinterest; active in local community/buy–sell groups
• Men: More likely than women to use YouTube, Reddit, and X; Facebook still widely used across both

Behavioral trends in Union County (rural, older-leaning market)

• Facebook is the community hub: high engagement in local groups (events, yard sales, road closures, school/church updates), and it’s the default for local governments, schools, and civic orgs
• YouTube is a go-to for DIY, homesteading, outdoor recreation (fishing, hiking), equipment reviews, and local event highlights
• Instagram and TikTok skew to under-45s and to visitor-facing content (tourism, dining, real estate, outdoor attractions); short-form video (Reels/Shorts) drives discovery
• Messaging is centered on Facebook Messenger; WhatsApp usage is present but smaller and tends to be community-specific
• Local businesses rely on Facebook Pages, Groups, and Marketplace; boosted posts with tight geo-targeting (15–25 miles around Blairsville) perform well for foot-traffic promotions

Key takeaways

• Expect Facebook and YouTube to capture the majority of attention across all ages, with Instagram/TikTok important for reaching under-45s
• Pinterest is a meaningful secondary channel for reaching women (home, crafts, gardening, recipes, travel)
• Plan creative around community relevance, practical utility (DIY/how-to), and short-form video to reach younger segments

Sources

• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (U.S. adult platform adoption)
• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2018–2022 (Union County age/sex profile) and Census population estimates (2023)