Franklin County

Which reference year/source would you like me to use?

• U.S. Census 2020 (official count, limited detail), or
• ACS 2018–2022 5-year estimates (most recent comprehensive county-level demographics)

If you have no preference, I’ll use ACS 2018–2022 for population, age, sex, race/ethnicity, and household data.

Franklin County, IL snapshot

• Population and density: ~37.8k residents (2020 Census); ~88 people per sq. mile.
• Estimated email users: ~26–28k residents. Assumes ~85–90% of adults use email plus many teens, applying Pew national adoption rates to local age mix.

Age mix of email users (approx.)

• 18–29: ~16%
• 30–49: ~32%
• 50–64: ~27%
• 65+: ~25% Older adults are a large share locally but have lower adoption, so they represent a slightly smaller share of users than of population.

Gender split

• Roughly 51% female, 49% male (email usage is essentially parity by gender).

Digital access and trends

• Households with broadband: ~80%; with a computer/smartphone: ~90%; about 10–15% lack home internet and may be mobile‑only or offline (ACS 2018–2022 estimates).
• Connectivity is denser in town centers (e.g., Benton, West Frankfort) and thinner in sparsely populated areas—typical of rural Illinois.
• Broadband subscriptions and smartphone access have risen since 2015, narrowing but not eliminating rural gaps.

Notes: Figures are estimates derived from U.S. Census/ACS and Pew Research patterns applied to Franklin County; local surveys may vary.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Franklin County, Illinois (focus on how it differs from the Illinois average)

Context snapshot

• Population: about 38,000; roughly 15,000–16,000 households; older and lower-income than the Illinois average.
• Geography: largely rural with population clustered in West Frankfort, Benton, and along I‑57; lower settlement density outside towns.

User estimates (order‑of‑magnitude, derived from census demographics and national/rural adoption benchmarks)

• Adult mobile phone users: 27,000–29,000 adults (roughly 93–96% of adults). Including teens would add several thousand additional users.
• Adult smartphone users: 23,000–26,000 (roughly 80–88% of adults), a few points lower than statewide.
• Households with no landline (wireless‑only telephone): about 9,500–11,000 households (roughly 60–70%), somewhat below the statewide share because seniors are more likely to keep landlines.
• Households primarily relying on mobile data for home internet: about 2,500–3,000 (roughly 15–20%), higher than the statewide share, driven by gaps in affordable fixed broadband outside towns.

Demographic drivers and usage patterns

• Age: A higher 65+ share than Illinois overall depresses smartphone adoption and app breadth among seniors. Younger adults’ usage is similar to statewide norms.
• Income and affordability: Lower median household income leads to more prepaid plans, tighter data caps, and careful data management (Wi‑Fi offloading, video at lower resolutions).
• Education/digital skills: Lower bachelor’s attainment correlates with slower device replacement cycles and more reliance on a small set of apps (voice/SMS, Facebook, YouTube).
• Work patterns: More outdoor and shift work increases voice/SMS reliance and demand for wide‑area coverage over ultra‑fast speeds.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Cellular coverage: Countywide outdoor LTE is common; 5G is present primarily along I‑57 and in/near West Frankfort and Benton. Interior rural areas see patchier 5G and more band‑12/low‑band LTE reliance.
• Speeds: Typical LTE speeds vary widely (often 10–60 Mbps outside towns). Mid‑band 5G can deliver 100–300 Mbps where available but is not yet ubiquitous away from the highway corridor.
• Tower siting: Macro towers cluster along I‑57, state routes, and town perimeters; fewer sites and limited small‑cell densification in sparsely populated townships create indoor coverage variability.
• Backhaul: Fiber is strongest along the interstate/municipal corridors; some rural sectors still depend on microwave backhaul, which can constrain peak capacity.
• Fixed broadband context: Cable and some fiber in towns; legacy DSL and fixed wireless in outlying areas. Satellite (e.g., LEO) uptake is growing in the most remote spots. These gaps push a higher share of households to rely on cellular for home internet than the state average.

How Franklin County differs from Illinois overall

• Slightly lower adult smartphone penetration due to an older age profile; wider senior adoption gap.
• Higher dependence on mobile data as a primary internet option in rural tracts because fixed broadband choices are fewer or pricier than in metro Illinois.
• Slower 5G rollout and less mid‑band/capacity‑focused densification; performance is more location‑sensitive, with noticeable step‑ups near I‑57 and town centers.
• More prepaid and budget plan usage; tighter data caps and greater sensitivity to deprioritization during peak times.
• Fewer small cells and indoor coverage aids; more reports of dead zones or weak indoor signal in low‑lying or wooded areas.

Implications for service, programs, and outreach

• Optimize for reliability over peak speed: robust LTE coverage and low‑band spectrum matter more than headline 5G speeds outside towns.
• Keep experiences data‑light and offline‑friendly; SMS and voice remain effective channels.
• Investments with outsized impact: additional macro sites or sector upgrades in the eastern and far‑rural townships; fiber backhaul extensions off the I‑57 spine; targeted in‑building solutions for public venues.
• Digital inclusion: senior‑focused smartphone training and affordable plans/devices would narrow the county’s usage gap with the state.

Franklin County, IL social media snapshot (estimates; 2025)

How the numbers were derived

• County population and age profile: recent ACS/Census estimates for Franklin County (rural Southern Illinois, population ~38k; ~29–30k adults; gender ~51% women, 49% men; older-leaning age mix).
• Platform usage: Pew Research Center 2023–2024 national data, adjusted for rural markets and the county’s older age profile. Local, platform-verified county-level stats are not published; figures below are modeled estimates. Multi-platform use is common, so totals exceed 100%.

Overall usage

• Adults using at least one social platform: ~70–75% of adults ≈ 21k–23k people
• Teens (13–17) using social: ~90–95% ≈ 1.8k–2.1k
• Daily users (any platform): ~60–65% of adults ≈ 18k–20k
• Dominant access: mobile-first (smartphone penetration in rural areas ~80–85%)

Most-used platforms (adults; estimated percent of adult residents)

• YouTube: 72–78%
• Facebook: 62–70% (primary local network; Groups and Marketplace heavy)
• Instagram: 28–35%
• TikTok: 22–30% (growing, strongest under 35)
• Snapchat: 18–24% (concentrated under 30)
• Pinterest: 26–34% (skews female, DIY/home/recipes)
• WhatsApp: 10–15% (small; family ties/out-of-area contacts)
• X/Twitter: 12–18% (news/sports followers)
• LinkedIn: 8–12% (lower in rural labor mix)
• Reddit: 8–12% (younger males; hobby/problem-solving)
• Nextdoor: <5% (limited footprint)

Age-group patterns (localized from national trends)

• Teens 13–17: YouTube 90%+, TikTok ~60%+, Snapchat ~60%, Instagram ~50–60%; Facebook used mostly for teams/schools, not posting.
• 18–29: Near-universal social; Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok lead; Facebook for events, groups, and Marketplace; YouTube for how-to, fitness, music.
• 30–49: Facebook is home base; YouTube for DIY and product research; Instagram growing; TikTok/Reels for entertainment and local business discovery; Pinterest strong among moms.
• 50–64: Heavy Facebook (groups, churches, schools), YouTube; moderate Pinterest; light but rising TikTok/Instagram via Reels.
• 65+: Facebook Groups and Messenger for family and local info; YouTube for news/how-to; minimal use of newer platforms.

Gender tendencies (directional)

• Women: More Facebook and Pinterest; highest engagement in local Groups (schools, churches, buy/sell). Strong Marketplace activity. Instagram usage higher than men in 25–44.
• Men: More YouTube, some Reddit and X; Facebook for Groups (hunting/fishing, autos, local sports). TikTok usage rising in younger men.

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first: Facebook Groups drive news, school updates, sports, church announcements, lost-and-found pets, weather/road conditions, and yard-sale threads.
• Marketplace-led commerce: High activity for autos, farm/outdoor gear, furniture; weekend peaks.
• Short-form video growth: TikTok and Facebook/Instagram Reels see strong reach; many posts are cross-posted between platforms.
• Local proof wins: Posts featuring recognizable places, people, or teams outperform generic content. Word-of-mouth and neighbor shares matter.
• Timing: Evenings (7–10 pm) and lunch breaks (11:30 am–1 pm) are reliable engagement windows; Sunday afternoons are strong for community posts.
• Messaging as customer service: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are common for inquiries and coordination; WhatsApp niche.
• Connectivity caveat: Spotty broadband can limit live video and long streams; vertical, short video and photo posts perform reliably.

Notes

• Treat platform percentages as directional for planning and benchmarking; verify with page insights/ad platforms when running campaigns in Franklin County. Sources: Pew Research Center (2023–2024) Social Media Use studies; ACS/Census county demographics.