Worth County

Worth County, Georgia — key demographics

Population size

• 20,784 (2020 Census)
• Context: small, largely rural county with modest population decline since 2010

Age (ACS 2018–2022)

• Median age: ~41–42 years
• Under 18: ~24%
• 18–64: ~58%
• 65 and over: ~18–19%

Gender (ACS 2018–2022)

• Female: ~51–52%
• Male: ~48–49%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2018–2022)

• White alone: ~64%
• Black or African American alone: ~30–31%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~4–5%
• Two or more races: ~1–2%
• Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, and other races: each <1%

Household data (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~7,700–7,900
• Average household size: ~2.6
• Family households: ~69–70% of all households
• Married-couple households: ~48–50% of all households
• Households with own children under 18: ~27–29%
• One-person households: ~25–28%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~75–78%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Worth County, GA snapshot (pop. ≈20,700; ≈36 residents per sq. mile)

• Estimated email users: ≈15,600 residents (≈75% of total; ≈92% of adults).
• Age profile of email users:
  • 13–17: ≈1,600 (10%)
  • 18–29: ≈2,800 (18%)
  • 30–49: ≈4,100 (26%)
  • 50–64: ≈4,000 (26%)
  • 65+: ≈3,100 (20%)
• Gender split among email users: Female ≈52% (≈8,100); Male ≈48% (≈7,500).
• Digital access and trends:
  • Households with a computer: ≈88%.
  • Households with a broadband subscription: ≈78%.
  • Smartphone-only internet households: ≈18%, indicating a meaningful mobile-dependent segment.
  • Daily email use among adult users: ≈60–65%.
  • Fixed broadband (≥25/3 Mbps) available to roughly the mid‑80s percent of locations; fastest wired options are concentrated in and around Sylvester, with many outlying addresses relying on DSL, fixed‑wireless, or satellite.
• Insights: Email penetration is high among working-age adults and remains strong among seniors due to healthcare, government, and retail communications. Coverage gaps and cost sensitivity outside town centers modestly depress adoption, while improving 4G/5G and recent fiber buildouts continue to lift usage and reliability.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Worth County, Georgia (latest available data, 2018–2022 ACS; context updated through 2024)

Headline user estimates

• Population and households: About 20.6–20.8k residents and roughly 8k households.
• Smartphone reach: About 88% of households have a smartphone (ACS 2018–2022), translating to roughly 7,000 smartphone‑equipped households. Using adult population share and national adoption patterns in rural areas, this equals an estimated 14–15k individual smartphone users in the county at any given time.
• Mobile-only reliance at home: Approximately 18% of households rely on a cellular data plan as their only home internet connection, equating to about 1,400–1,500 households or roughly 3,500–3,800 residents affected.
• Any broadband subscription at home (of any type): About 72% of households.

How Worth County differs from Georgia overall

• Higher mobile-only dependence: Worth County’s cellular‑only home internet share is materially higher (about +6 to +8 percentage points) than the Georgia average (~10–12%). This indicates heavier reliance on mobile networks for primary internet access than statewide norms.
• Slightly lower smartphone household penetration: County smartphone penetration (88%) trails Georgia (92%) by several points, reflecting a modest adoption gap consistent with rural and lower‑income areas.
• Lower fixed broadband subscription: Any‑broadband subscription rates are lower in Worth (72%) than Georgia (82–84%), with a correspondingly larger share reporting no home internet subscription (~18% vs ~12% statewide). This gap is a primary driver of the county’s higher cellular‑only usage.
• Device mix: Desktop/laptop ownership is several points lower than the state average, while smartphone presence is closer to the state average. This mix pushes more day‑to‑day connectivity onto phones.

Demographic breakdown and implications for mobile usage

• Age: Worth County skews older than Georgia overall (share 65+ roughly 19–21% vs ~15% statewide). Older households are less likely to have smartphones and more likely to lack home internet, moderating overall smartphone penetration but increasing practical dependence on mobile for essential tasks where fixed broadband is absent.
• Income: Median household income is notably lower than the Georgia median (roughly upper‑$40ks vs upper‑$60ks statewide). Lower income correlates with higher smartphone‑only and cellular‑only reliance because of the total cost of fixed broadband plus in‑home equipment.
• Race/ethnicity: The county’s population is majority White with a large Black community and a small but growing Hispanic population. Statewide and national data show Black and Hispanic households are more likely to be smartphone‑reliant; combined with local income patterns, this contributes to the county’s higher cellular‑only share.
• Housing: A higher share of rural single‑family and some rental housing stock relative to metro Georgia limits the availability of cable/fiber in parts of the county, further nudging households toward mobile data plans.

Digital infrastructure notes (mobile and broadband)

• Coverage: LTE from national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) is broadly present across populated corridors and towns; 5G low‑band is available in and around Sylvester and along major routes, with performance tapering in sparsely populated agricultural areas. Mid‑band 5G capacity is more limited and concentrated near population centers and highways.
• Performance: County‑wide mobile performance shows greater variability than state metro areas due to tower spacing and terrain/foliage. Users commonly experience strong service along US‑82/GA‑112/GA‑33 corridors and weaker service in low‑density tracts between towns.
• Fixed network context: Cable and fiber options are concentrated in municipal areas; large unincorporated areas rely on legacy DSL, fixed wireless, or cellular. This footprint aligns with the county’s higher cellular‑only share.
• Emergency/priority: FirstNet (AT&T) coverage encompasses the county’s primary corridors and public‑safety sites, reflecting statewide buildout; rural dead zones persist off main routes, impacting redundancy for mobile‑only households.

What these trends mean on the ground

• Mobile networks carry a larger share of everyday connectivity than in Georgia overall, including schoolwork, telehealth, and app‑based services.
• Any improvements to mid‑band 5G or expansion of fixed fiber along county roads would disproportionately reduce the cellular‑only burden and close the usage gap with the state.
• Programs targeting affordability (subsidies and low‑cost plans) and device access are likely to move the needle more in Worth County than in metro Georgia because cost and availability both suppress fixed broadband adoption.

Key statistics at a glance (ACS 2018–2022 unless noted)

• Households with a smartphone: Worth ~88% vs Georgia ~92%.
• Households with any broadband subscription: Worth ~72% vs Georgia ~82–84%.
• Households with cellular data plan only (no other home internet): Worth ~18% vs Georgia ~10–12%.
• No home internet subscription: Worth ~18% vs Georgia ~12%.
• Estimated individual smartphone users: ~14–15k residents.
• Estimated residents in cellular‑only households: ~3.5–3.8k.

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2018–2022 5‑year, Table S2801 (Types of Computers and Internet Subscriptions).
• Pew Research Center (2023) for U.S. adult smartphone adoption benchmarks used to translate household measures into user counts.
• FCC Broadband Data Collection (2023–2024 filings) and statewide carrier disclosures for coverage characterizations.

Worth County, GA social media snapshot (modeled, 2023–2024)

• Population baseline: ≈20,400 residents (ACS 2023). Estimated active social media users (age 13+): ≈12,100 people (about 59% of total residents; ≈72% of those 13+).

Most‑used platforms (share of local social media users)

• YouTube: ~84%
• Facebook: ~64%
• Instagram: ~49%
• TikTok: ~36%
• Pinterest: ~33%
• Snapchat: ~30%
• LinkedIn: ~27%
• X (Twitter): ~22%
• Reddit: ~22%

Age breakdown of local social media users

• 13–17: ~10%
• 18–29: ~20%
• 30–44: ~25%
• 45–64: ~30%
• 65+: ~15%

Gender breakdown of local social media users

• Female: ~53%
• Male: ~47%

Behavioral trends observed in rural South counties of similar size (consistent with Worth County)

• Facebook is the community hub: high participation in school, church, civic, and buy/sell/trade groups; Marketplace is a major discovery channel for goods and local services.
• YouTube is the default for utility content: strong interest in DIY, home/auto repair, hunting/fishing, farming and small‑equipment maintenance, faith content, and local sports highlights.
• Short‑form video is rising among under‑35s: TikTok and Instagram Reels drive entertainment and local trend discovery; cross‑posting of short clips to Facebook extends reach to older audiences.
• Snapchat is primarily teen/young‑adult messaging and stories; low direct commerce impact but high daily engagement and peer influence.
• Pinterest over‑indexes among women for recipes, crafts, home projects, weddings, and seasonal/holiday planning; useful for local retail and event promotion.
• LinkedIn/X are niche: LinkedIn skews to educators, healthcare, finance, and government; X usage centers on sports, state news, and weather alerts rather than local commerce.
• Messaging ties it together: Facebook Messenger is the default for inquiries and appointments with local businesses; WhatsApp use is limited.
• Content that performs best: local faces and places (youth sports, school events, milestones), practical how‑to tips, timely updates (closures, storms), and deals with immediate utility; polished “brand” creative underperforms authentic local voice.

Method and sources

• Figures are modeled for Worth County by applying Pew Research Center 2024 adult platform adoption rates and Pew 2023 teen usage to ACS 2023 population and age structure typical of rural Georgia; totals rounded to reflect uncertainty.