Wilkes County

Wilkes County, Georgia – key demographics (latest available U.S. Census Bureau data)

Population

• 2020 Census: 9,450
• 2023 estimate: ~9,300

Age

• Median age: ~46.5 years
• Under 18: ~20%
• 18–64: ~56%
• 65 and over: ~24%

Gender

• Female: ~52%
• Male: ~48%

Race and ethnicity

• Black or African American (alone): ~55%
• White (alone, non-Hispanic): ~41%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3–4%
• Two or more races: ~1–2%
• Asian: <1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: <1% Note: Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity and may overlap with race categories.

Households and housing

• Households: ~3,900
• Average household size: ~2.35 persons
• Family households: ~62%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~73%
• Housing units: ~5,300

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; 2023 Population Estimates).

Wilkes County, GA email usage snapshot

• Population and density: About 9,500 residents across ~471 square miles (≈20 people per sq. mi.).
• Estimated email users: ~6,800 residents (ages 13+) use email monthly, reflecting ~90% adult adoption.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: 6% (400 users)
  • 18–34: 20% (1,350)
  • 35–64: 49% (3,300)
  • 65+: 25% (1,700)
• Gender split among users: 53% female (3,600) and 47% male (3,200), in line with local demographics.
• Digital access and connectivity:
  • ~72% of households maintain a fixed broadband subscription.
  • ~86% of households have a computer or smartphone.
  • Mobile broadband coverage is strong along primary corridors; many households use mobile data where fixed service is limited.
• Trends and local context:
  • Incremental growth in broadband subscriptions and smartphone‑only access.
  • Fastest fixed speeds cluster in and around Washington; rural areas rely more on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite with lower speeds.
  • Public Wi‑Fi at schools, libraries, and county facilities remains a key access bridge for lower‑connectivity areas.

Mobile phone usage in Wilkes County, Georgia — 2025 snapshot

Context and baseline statistics

• Population: approximately 9,500 residents (ACS 2019–2023 5-year).
• Households: about 3,900.
• Age structure: older than Georgia overall. Approximate share 65+ is ~23% (vs ~15% statewide), with fewer residents in the 18–34 bracket.
• Race/ethnicity: majority Black and White. Approximate shares: Black ~49%, White ~46%, Hispanic/Latino ~3%, other ~2%.
• Income/poverty: lower median household income and higher poverty rate than the Georgia average, contributing to more price-sensitive mobile adoption patterns.

User estimates (adults, usage patterns)

• Adult smartphone users: estimate ~6,400 out of ~7,400 adults (≈86% adult adoption). Method: county age structure applied to recent U.S. smartphone ownership benchmarks (Pew 2023: ~90% overall, ~85% rural), with downward adjustment for Wilkes’ older population.
• Smartphone-only households (no fixed home broadband): estimate 22% of households (850 households). This is higher than Georgia’s typical urban/suburban rates and reflects rural infrastructure and affordability constraints.
• Prepaid share of active lines: estimate ~30–35% (above Georgia’s metro-dominated average), driven by income sensitivity and the presence of MVNOs (e.g., Cricket, Metro by T-Mobile, TracFone brands).
• Fixed wireless access (FWA) substitution: estimate ~5–8% of households (200–300 households) use 4G/5G home internet from mobile carriers where cable/fiber options are limited or costly.

Demographic breakdown of smartphone users (estimates)

• By age:
  • 18–34: ~1,520 adults; ~96% adoption → ~1,460 users.
  • 35–64: ~3,705 adults; ~90% adoption → ~3,335 users.
  • 65+: ~2,185 adults; ~74% adoption → ~1,620 users.
• By race/ethnicity (adult counts approximated from population composition):
  • Black: ~3,630 adults; ~87% adoption → ~3,160 users.
  • White: ~3,410 adults; ~85% adoption → ~2,900 users.
  • Hispanic/Latino: ~220 adults; ~92% adoption → ~200 users.
  • Other/multiracial: ~150 adults; ~88% adoption → ~130 users.
• Income effects:
  • Households under ~$35k are overrepresented among smartphone‑only access and prepaid plans.
  • Older, fixed‑income households have lower smartphone adoption and are more likely to use basic/entry devices or share lines.

Digital infrastructure highlights (coverage, capacity, availability)

• Carrier presence: AT&T (including FirstNet for public safety), Verizon, and T-Mobile serve the county; MVNOs widely usable. Number portability and eSIM support are broadly available, but in-store options cluster around Washington and nearby regional centers.
• Coverage:
  • 4G LTE: broadly available across primary roads and the town of Washington; weaker in sparsely populated tracts and at the fringes between towers.
  • 5G: low‑band (“extended range”) 5G from T‑Mobile and AT&T covers most populated areas; Verizon 5G is present but patchier in rural stretches. Mid‑band 5G (C‑band or 2.5 GHz) is primarily concentrated in and around the town center and along main corridors; mmWave is not a factor.
• Capacity and performance:
  • Much of the county still depends on low‑band 5G or LTE for capacity, so peak speeds and indoor performance trail Georgia’s metro counties that have dense mid‑band deployments. Metal roofs and tree cover can impede indoor signal, making Wi‑Fi calling a common workaround.
• Fixed alternatives and complements:
  • Cable/fiber availability is spotty outside town limits. Where fixed broadband is limited or expensive, residents lean on mobile hotspots or carrier FWA for home connectivity.

How Wilkes County differs from Georgia overall

• Older population lowers overall smartphone penetration and especially reduces adoption among seniors, compared with the state average.
• Higher smartphone‑only dependence: a materially larger share of households rely solely on mobile data for home internet than the statewide norm.
• More prepaid and budget‑focused usage: prepaid and MVNO lines comprise a larger share of active subscriptions than in Georgia’s urban/suburban counties.
• Sparser 5G mid‑band capacity: fewer sites and less mid‑band spectrum deployment than in metro areas yields lower typical speeds and more variable indoor coverage.
• Greater reliance on Wi‑Fi calling and signal boosters in homes due to construction and foliage, a less common need in urban Georgia.

Sources and methodology

• Demographics and households: U.S. Census Bureau, 2019–2023 American Community Survey (ACS) 5‑year estimates.
• Smartphone ownership benchmarks: Pew Research Center (2023) national and rural smartphone adoption rates, aged‑weighted to Wilkes County.
• Infrastructure and availability: FCC Broadband Data Collection (2024) carrier filings and statewide deployments; carrier public network disclosures. Estimates provided where county‑specific adoption data are not published.

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

Overall usage (residents 18+)

• Any social media: ~74–78% (est. 76%)
• Daily social media users (of total adults): ~54–58% (est. 56%)
• Primary access: smartphone-first (>85% of users); home broadband adoption is lower than state urban averages, so mobile data use is common

Most-used platforms (adult monthly reach, estimated)

• YouTube: 75–80% (est. 78%)
• Facebook: 62–67% (est. 65%)
• Instagram: 30–36% (est. 33%)
• TikTok: 25–31% (est. 28%)
• Pinterest: 24–30% (est. 27%)
• WhatsApp: 15–20% (est. 18%)
• Snapchat: 14–19% (est. 17%)
• X (Twitter): 10–14% (est. 12%)
• Reddit: 8–12% (est. 10%)
• Nextdoor: 6–10% (est. 8%)

Age-group usage and platform mix (estimated)

• Ages 13–17: 88–92% use social media; leaders: YouTube (90%), TikTok (70%), Snapchat (60%), Instagram (65%), Facebook (~30%)
• Ages 18–29: 90–95%; leaders: YouTube (92%), Instagram (70%), TikTok (55%), Snapchat (50%), Facebook (~55%)
• Ages 30–49: 80–86%; leaders: Facebook (70%), YouTube (85%), Instagram (45%), TikTok (30%), Pinterest (~35%)
• Ages 50–64: 68–74%; leaders: Facebook (65%), YouTube (70%), Instagram (25%), Pinterest (25%), TikTok (~15%)
• Ages 65+: 52–58%; leaders: Facebook (55%), YouTube (60%), Nextdoor (10–12%), Instagram (15%)

Gender breakdown (estimated)

• Overall share of social media users: ~53% women, ~47% men
• Platform skews: Pinterest skews female (70–75% of users), Instagram slightly female (55%), Facebook slightly female (~55–58%); Reddit and X skew male (roughly ~60–65% men); YouTube near-balanced

Behavioral trends observed in rural Georgia counties like Wilkes (applicable locally)

• Facebook is the community backbone: heavy use of Groups for churches, schools, youth sports, local news, yard sales, and Marketplace
• Messaging is embedded: Facebook Messenger dominates private/local chat; SMS remains common; WhatsApp usage is niche but growing among younger and Hispanic users
• Video habits: YouTube for how‑to, music, and church service streams; Facebook Live for local events; short‑form video (Reels/TikTok) is rising among 18–34
• Shopping and services: residents frequently discover local businesses via Facebook Pages, Marketplace, and Instagram; booking and inquiries often happen via Messenger/DMs
• News and alerts: high engagement with weather, school closings, road incidents, utilities, and local government posts; event- and election-driven spikes are typical
• Time-of-day patterns: engagement peaks evenings (7–10 pm) and weekends; weekday lunch hours show smaller spikes; older adults engage earlier, younger users later at night
• Content that performs: locally relevant updates, photos of familiar places/people, church and school content, and short vertical videos; straightforward offers outperform highly polished creative
• Ads and targeting: Facebook/Instagram geo-targeting within 15–25 miles is effective; video and carousel formats outperform static; calls to message or call convert better than off-platform web forms

Method note

• Figures are county-level estimates for 2025 derived by adjusting recent U.S. platform adoption (Pew Research, 2023–2024) for Wilkes County’s older-than-average, rural profile and typical rural broadband/mobile usage patterns (ACS demographic structure). Expect ±3–6 percentage points uncertainty by platform and age band.