Dearborn County

Dearborn County, Indiana — key demographics

Population

• 50,679 (2020 Census)

Age (ACS 2018–2022)

• Median age: ~41 years
• Under 18: ~23%
• 18 to 64: ~61%
• 65 and over: ~16%

Gender (ACS 2018–2022)

• Female: ~49.7%
• Male: ~50.3%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022)

• White alone: ~95%
• Black or African American alone: ~0.6%
• Asian alone: ~0.5%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.2%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~1.5% Note: Hispanic/Latino can be of any race; race shares may overlap with Hispanic.

Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~19,100
• Average household size: ~2.6
• Family households: ~70% of households
• Married-couple households: ~55% of households
• Owner-occupied housing: ~82%

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

Dearborn County, IN email usage (estimates based on U.S. Census/ACS and Pew adoption benchmarks)

• Population/households: ~50,000–51,000 residents; ~19,000–20,000 households.
• Estimated email users: ~36,000–41,000 residents (roughly 85–90% of adults; many teens use school accounts).
• Age pattern of email use:
  • 18–29: ~95–99%
  • 30–49: ~95–99%
  • 50–64: ~90–95%
  • 65+: ~75–85% (growing annually)
• Gender split: Population roughly 50% female / 50% male; email usage shows minimal gender differences.

Digital access trends

• Broadband: ~80–85% of households report a home internet subscription; gaps persist in rural areas.
• Mobile: ~85% of adults own a smartphone, so a majority access email primarily via mobile.
• Public/anchor access: Libraries and schools in Lawrenceburg, Greendale, and Aurora provide free Wi‑Fi and devices, supporting students and lower‑income households.
• Rural connectivity: Some areas rely on fixed wireless or satellite; state Next Level Connections projects are expanding fiber.

Local density/connectivity facts

• Population density ~160 per square mile.
• Best wireline coverage along the eastern river corridor (Lawrenceburg–Greendale–Aurora) near I‑275/I‑74; more variable service in hilly/wooded interior townships that can impede line‑of‑sight for wireless.

Mobile phone usage in Dearborn County, Indiana (2025 snapshot)

Executive estimate

• Population base: ~51,000 residents. Adult (18+) population ~39,000; residents 12+ ~44,000.
• Mobile phone users (any handset): about 41,000–43,000 residents age 12+ (roughly 92–95% of adults; 94–97% of 12+).
• Smartphone users: about 36,000–38,000 residents age 12+ (roughly 82–86% of adults; 84–87% of 12+).
• Feature‑phone or limited smartphone users: ~3,000–5,000, concentrated among older adults and in the most rural townships.

How Dearborn County differs from Indiana overall

• Coverage and 5G availability are better than typical rural Indiana because of spillover from the Cincinnati metro buildout. Mid‑band 5G from AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon is common in and around Lawrenceburg/Greendale, the I‑275 loop, US‑50, and the I‑74/US‑52 corridor at West Harrison.
• Terrain causes more pronounced dead zones than the state average. River valleys and wooded, hilly areas along SR‑1, SR‑48, and interior township roads see LTE-only or weak service; indoor coverage can be challenging in older brick riverfront buildings. This contrast—strong metro-adjacent 5G plus deep rural shadows—is sharper than in most Indiana counties.
• Slightly higher iPhone share and lower prepaid share than the state average. Dearborn’s higher household incomes and Cincinnati‑oriented commuter base skew toward postpaid family plans and iOS a bit more than statewide patterns.
• Seniors are a larger slice of the population than the state average, which depresses smartphone adoption at the top end of the age curve. Net effect: overall smartphone penetration is roughly on par with Indiana, but the county has more feature‑phone or older‑device users among residents 65+.
• Cross‑border usage with Ohio/Kentucky is common. Daytime demand shifts toward Hamilton County (OH) job centers; network selection, roaming policies, and Ohio‑centric retail footprints influence plan choices more than in interior Indiana counties.
• Affordability shocks (e.g., the sunset of the federal ACP in 2024) likely had a smaller impact on mobile connectivity than in lower‑income rural Indiana counties, thanks to higher median incomes and Cincinnati‑market competition.

Demographic breakdown (estimates)

• Age
  • 12–17: Very high smartphone use (~90–95%); heavy data/video usage; minimal feature‑phone presence.
  • 18–49: Near‑universal mobile and smartphone adoption (~95%+); strong 5G uptake in and around Lawrenceburg/Greendale and the I‑275 corridor.
  • 50–64: High mobile use (~95%); smartphone adoption ~80–85%; some older Android devices persist.
  • 65+: Mobile use ~80–88%; smartphone adoption ~60–65%, with a notable feature‑phone cohort and greater reliance on Wi‑Fi at home.
• Income
  • Households above the state median show near‑universal smartphone ownership, more multi‑line postpaid plans, and higher data‑tier subscriptions than the Indiana average.
  • Low‑income households maintain high basic mobile adoption but are more likely to use budget MVNOs and older handsets; the loss of ACP primarily affects data plan sizes rather than line continuity.
• Geography within the county
  • Highest 5G utilization: Lawrenceburg, Greendale, Aurora core; along I‑275/US‑50 and near the casino/retail districts.
  • Variable/weak zones: interior valleys and ridge roads north of US‑50 (portions of Logan, York, and Harrison Townships) and along SR‑1/SR‑48.
• Work and commuting
  • Out‑of‑state commuting into Cincinnati concentrates peak mobile data and voice off‑county during weekdays; evenings/weekends see heavier in‑county usage. This cross‑border pattern is more pronounced than the state average.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Carriers: AT&T, Verizon, and T‑Mobile provide the primary coverage. FirstNet (AT&T) is established on major corridors; Verizon Frontline presence for public safety is typical.
• 5G footprint: Mid‑band 5G covers the county’s western and river‑adjacent population centers and major highways; rural interiors often fall back to LTE. Small cells exist in dense commercial areas near Lawrenceburg/Greendale; macro towers line I‑275, US‑50, I‑74/US‑52, and key state routes.
• Backhaul and fiber: Regional fiber from SEI Communications and cross‑border carriers (e.g., altafiber/Cincinnati Bell) supports robust backhaul near the Ohio line, improving capacity relative to many Indiana rural counties.
• Known pain points: River-valley shadowing, tree cover, and topography create indoor coverage issues; some farm and hollow areas require Wi‑Fi calling or external antennas.
• Public safety and 911: Indiana’s NG911 and text‑to‑911 are active; radio sites and county towers offer co‑location opportunities that can improve commercial fill‑in coverage.
• Public/anchor connectivity: Libraries, schools, and municipal buildings in Lawrenceburg/Greendale/Aurora offer Wi‑Fi that supplements weak indoor cellular in older structures.

Trends to watch

• Continued metro-led 5G densification from Cincinnati is likely to extend deeper along US‑50 and SR‑1 before fully covering interior valleys; fixed‑wireless 5G home internet will grow along these corridors.
• Senior adoption is rising but remains the main drag on countywide smartphone penetration; targeted device education and financing can close most of the remaining gap.
• If federal affordability support remains limited, expect stable line counts but slower upgrades to premium data tiers among low‑income users; Dearborn should be less affected than many Indiana rural peers.

Notes on methods

• User counts are derived from the county population, age structure from recent Census/ACS patterns, Pew age‑based adoption rates, and rural/riverside coverage effects seen in FCC maps and carrier buildouts through 2023–2024. Figures are rounded ranges to reflect uncertainty and year‑to‑year change.

Below is a concise, county-specific snapshot built from the latest Pew Research (US adults, 2024; US teens, 2023) scaled to Dearborn County’s population and age mix. Exact county-level platform data aren’t published, so treat figures as reasonable estimates.

Baseline (Dearborn County, IN)

• Population: ≈51,000
• Adults (18+): ≈39,000; Teens (13–17): ≈3,500
• Gender: roughly even split (slight female tilt, typical of ACS data)

Most‑used platforms (Adults 18+) — estimated local reach

• YouTube: ~83% of adults ≈ 32,000
• Facebook: ~68% ≈ 26,000
• Instagram: ~47% ≈ 18,000
• Pinterest: ~35% ≈ 13,500
• TikTok: ~33% ≈ 13,000
• Snapchat: ~27% ≈ 10,500
• X (Twitter): ~22% ≈ 8,600
• Reddit: ~22% ≈ 8,600
• WhatsApp: ~21% ≈ 8,200
• Nextdoor: ~17% ≈ 6,600 Note: Percentages reflect US adult averages; counts are those percentages applied to ≈39k adults.

Most‑used platforms (Teens 13–17) — estimated local reach

• YouTube: ~93% ≈ 3,250
• TikTok: ~63% ≈ 2,200
• Snapchat: ~60% ≈ 2,100
• Instagram: ~59% ≈ 2,000
• Facebook: ~33% ≈ 1,150 Note: Percentages reflect US teen averages; counts applied to ≈3.5k teens.

Age-group patterns

• 13–17: Snapchat and TikTok for daily social/messaging; YouTube for entertainment and how‑to.
• 18–24: Instagram + TikTok + YouTube core; Snapchat still common; Facebook used mainly for events/Marketplace.
• 25–44: Dual home on Facebook and Instagram; heavy YouTube; Marketplace, local parenting/school groups.
• 45–64: Facebook is primary; YouTube second; Pinterest notable for projects, recipes, home ideas; Nextdoor adoption in suburban areas.
• 65+: Facebook to follow family/local news; YouTube for tutorials; lighter use of Instagram/TikTok.

Gender breakdown (directional)

• Women over-index on Facebook Groups, Instagram, and Pinterest (shopping ideas, recipes, crafts, local events).
• Men over-index on YouTube (DIY, sports, auto), Reddit, and X.
• TikTok and Snapchat show smaller gender gaps among younger users.

Behavioral trends (local flavor)

• Community-first use: High engagement in Facebook Groups for schools, youth sports, local government, road closures, and severe-weather updates.
• Marketplace matters: Facebook Marketplace is a top driver of daily opens and peer-to-peer sales.
• Video wins: Short-form video (Reels/Shorts/TikTok) outperforms static posts; cross-posting to Facebook Reels expands reach beyond followers.
• Peak times: Early morning (7–8 a.m.), lunch (12–1 p.m.), and evening (8–10 p.m.); weather alerts and school announcements spike engagement.
• Suburban neighborhood chatter: Nextdoor usage in subdivisions/HOA areas (lost pets, safety, contractor recs); spikes around storms or outages.
• Regional pull: Cincinnati media/sports (Bengals, Reds, FC Cincinnati) drive bursts on X, Facebook, and YouTube; local high‑school sports content performs strongly.
• Messaging: FB Messenger is ubiquitous among adults; Snapchat is the default for teens/young adults; WhatsApp is niche (family and international ties).
• Trust signals: Posts from known local institutions, schools, churches, and recognizable community members outperform brand-only posts.
• What converts: Time-bound deals, giveaways, and event posts for local restaurants/venues; “faces + places” creative works best.

Notes on method

• County counts are estimates applying Pew US usage rates to Dearborn’s adult/teen populations and rounding.
• Sources: Pew Research Center (Social Media Use in 2024; Teens, Social Media and Technology 2023); U.S. Census/ACS for population and age mix.