Greene County

Greene County, Indiana — key demographics

Population size

• 30,803 (2020 Census). Down from 33,165 in 2010 (-7.1%)

Age

• Median age: ~43.5 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~22%
• 18 to 64: ~59%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Sex

• Male: ~50%
• Female: ~50%

Race and ethnicity (shares may not sum to 100% due to overlap of Hispanic with race)

• White alone: ~96%
• Black or African American alone: ~0.5%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~0.3%
• Asian alone: ~0.5%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.1%
• Two or more races: ~2.7%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~1.5%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~94–95%

Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~12,300
• Average household size: ~2.4
• Family households: ~66%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~78%
• Median household income (2022 dollars): ~$58,000
• Per capita income (2022 dollars): ~$29,000
• Persons in poverty: ~12–13%
• Housing units: ~14,100; median value (owner-occupied): ~$120,000

Insights

• Small, aging, predominantly White, high homeownership county with modest incomes and a gradual population decline over the last decade.

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

Greene County, Indiana snapshot (estimates using 2023 population, ACS broadband subscription, and Pew email-adoption benchmarks)

• Population and density: ~30,400 residents across ~543 sq mi (≈56 people/sq mi); ~12,300 households.
• Estimated email users: ~23,000 residents age 13+ use email at least monthly.
• Age profile of email adoption:
  • 13–17: ~85%
  • 18–29: ~95%
  • 30–49: ~96%
  • 50–64: ~92%
  • 65+: ~80%
• Gender split among email users: ≈51% female, 49% male (practically even).
• Digital access and usage trends:
  • Households with a broadband subscription: ~79% (≈9,700 households).
  • Smartphone-only internet users: ~17% of adults, indicating reliance on mobile email in areas with weaker fixed service.
  • Households with no computer: ~11%, constraining email access for a minority.
  • Public connectivity: free Wi‑Fi and computer access at libraries in Bloomfield, Linton, Jasonville, and Worthington support email use.
  • Connectivity pattern: strongest fixed broadband and fiber in town centers/corridors; rural areas lean on DSL and fixed wireless, with ongoing co‑op/municipal fiber buildouts improving coverage.

Overall: high email penetration across all ages, near-universal among working-age adults, with access gaps concentrated in older and rural households.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Greene County, Indiana

Scope and sources

• Basis: 2020–2024 ACS (household device and internet subscription), FCC broadband/coverage filings, and national adoption benchmarks (Pew) adjusted to county demographics. Figures below are county-specific estimates calibrated to 2023–2024 conditions.

Population base

• Residents: ≈30,100 (2023).
• Households: ≈12,200.

User estimates

• Unique mobile phone users: 24,800–25,500 residents (82–85% of the population).
• Smartphone users: 22,000–23,000 residents (73–76% of the population; roughly 88–90% of residents age 12+).
• Households with at least one smartphone: 85–87% (Indiana: 89–91%).
• Smartphone-only households (cellular data but no fixed home broadband): 15–18% (≈1,800–2,200 households), materially above the Indiana average of 11–12%.
• Active lines per user: 1.05–1.15 (secondary lines/MVNOs raise line counts above unique users).

Demographic breakdown (ownership and reliance)

• By age (adult smartphone ownership): 18–34: 95–97%; 35–49: 93–95%; 50–64: 86–89%; 65+: 68–74% (Greene skews older than the state, pulling the county average down 2–4 percentage points versus Indiana).
• By income: <$35k households at 80–85% smartphone ownership, with markedly higher smartphone-only internet reliance (≈25–30% of this bracket).
• By geography: Outlying western and southern tracts show 3–6 percentage points lower smartphone ownership and higher mobile-only dependence than the county average; towns (Linton, Bloomfield, Jasonville, Worthington) sit at or slightly above the county average.

Usage and plan mix

• Prepaid/MVNO share: 35–40% of lines (Indiana: ~28–32%), reflecting price sensitivity and patchy 5G performance outside corridors.
• Device mix: Smartphones dominate; basic/feature phones persist mainly among seniors (≈10–15% of 65+ users).
• Upgrade cadence: Slower than the state, with a larger share of devices >3 years old, which dampens 5G usage even where available.
• Hotspot use: Elevated for homework and telehealth among mobile-only households; K–12 hotspot loan programs fill evening coverage gaps.

Digital infrastructure

• 4G LTE: Countywide on AT&T and Verizon; T-Mobile LTE is solid in towns and along the I‑69 corridor but shows gaps in far-west and south.
• 5G:
  • Low-band (AT&T/Verizon/T-Mobile): Broad but variable; generally similar reach to LTE with better indoor reliability in towns.
  • Mid-band (C-band/n77 or 2.5 GHz): Concentrated along I‑69 and in/around Linton, Bloomfield, Worthington, and Jasonville; patchy elsewhere.
• Performance (typical user experience):
  • LTE: 10–30 Mbps down, 2–8 Mbps up in towns; single‑digit Mbps at rural edges.
  • 5G low-band: 25–60 Mbps; 5G mid-band: 100–250 Mbps where available.
• Backhaul and resiliency: Fiber backhaul tracks I‑69, SR‑54, and US‑231; microwave backhaul serves remote sites. Storm-related power outages degrade western rural sectors more than the state average due to longer restoration times.
• Fixed wireless/home internet: T-Mobile Home Internet is available to roughly one‑third to one‑half of households (strongest along I‑69 and in towns); Verizon 5G Home is limited to select pockets; multiple WISPs cover outlying tracts. Cable/DSL availability is uneven outside town centers, reinforcing mobile-only behavior.
• Public safety and coverage quality: FirstNet (AT&T Band 14) presence improves emergency coverage near major corridors and towns, but valleys, forested areas (e.g., near Greene‑Sullivan State Forest), and White River bottoms still experience signal holes.

How Greene County differs from Indiana overall

• Slightly lower smartphone presence at the household level (−3 to −4 percentage points) driven by older age mix and income.
• Higher smartphone-only internet reliance (≈15–18% vs 11–12% statewide), indicating a more pronounced mobile‑only digital pathway.
• Higher prepaid/MVNO penetration (35–40% vs ~28–32%), reflecting cost sensitivity and coverage‑driven carrier switching.
• Slower 5G densification away from the I‑69 corridor; mid‑band 5G availability is materially less pervasive than in Indiana’s metro counties.
• Lower median mobile speeds and more frequent dead zones in rural tracts; performance aligns with state norms only in towns and along I‑69.
• Device upgrade cycles are longer, which dampens realized 5G benefits relative to state averages even where mid‑band is available.

Implications

• Mobile is a primary on‑ramp to the internet for a larger share of Greene County households than statewide, especially for lower‑income and older residents.
• Investments that expand mid‑band 5G and fiber backhaul beyond the I‑69 corridor, plus targeted coverage infill in western/southern tracts, would close the remaining gap with Indiana’s state‑level experience.
• With the wind‑down of federal affordability subsidies, prepaid and MVNO adoption is likely to rise further, and smartphone‑only households may continue to increase unless fixed options improve on price and reach.

Greene County, Indiana — social media usage snapshot (modeled 2024 benchmarks)

User stats

• Population: 30,803 (2020 Census). Adults (18+): roughly 24,000.
• Estimated adult social media users: about 17,000 (applying Pew’s share of U.S. adults who use at least one social platform).
• Urban/rural context: Predominantly rural, which typically means heavier Facebook reliance, strong YouTube consumption, and slower uptake of niche or professional networks versus metro areas.

Most‑used platforms (benchmarks used for Greene County adults)

• YouTube: 83% of U.S. adults
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• TikTok: 33%
• Snapchat: 27%
• Pinterest: 35%
• LinkedIn: 31%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• Reddit: 22%
• WhatsApp: 21% Note: In rural counties like Greene, Facebook and YouTube typically meet or exceed national usage, while Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Reddit tend to run a few points lower. Ordering of platform popularity locally is YouTube ≈ Facebook, then Instagram ≈ Pinterest ≈ TikTok, followed by Snapchat, LinkedIn, X, Reddit, and WhatsApp.

Age groups (local pattern aligned with rural Indiana)

• Teens (13–17): YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat dominate; minimal Facebook posting.
• 18–29: Heavy Instagram/TikTok, daily YouTube; Snapchat for messaging; Facebook mainly for events/groups.
• 30–49: Facebook + Messenger are primary; Instagram secondary; frequent YouTube; active in local buy/sell and school/sports groups.
• 50–64: Facebook first, YouTube second; Pinterest strong among women; increasing Instagram/Reels viewing.
• 65+: Facebook for family/news/community; YouTube for news/how‑to and local meetings; limited use of newer apps.

Gender breakdown

• Adult population is roughly half female, half male (Census profile). Usage skews slightly female on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest; slightly male on Reddit and X. TikTok and YouTube are broadly balanced, with YouTube marginally male‑leaning.

Behavioral trends observed in rural Midwest counties (applicable to Greene County)

• Groups > feeds: High engagement in Facebook Groups (schools, youth sports, churches, county offices, yard sales, severe weather/emergency updates).
• Marketplace‑centric commerce: Facebook Marketplace is the default for local buying/selling; posts with price, pickup location, and multiple photos convert best.
• Video consumption over creation: Strong passive viewing on YouTube, Facebook Reels, and TikTok; relatively few creators. Short, captioned videos perform best.
• Messaging first: Facebook Messenger and SMS for coordination; Snapchat among under‑30s. Quick reply expectations within a few hours for local businesses.
• Event discovery: Facebook Events is the primary calendar for festivals, fairs, school activities, and charity drives; RSVPs and shares drive attendance.
• Trust and news: High interaction with posts from local government, public safety, schools, and nearby media. Severe weather and road closure posts see outsized reach.
• Timing: Evenings (6–9 p.m.) and weekends yield the highest engagement; weekday lunch hour is a secondary peak.
• Creative that works: Practical information, local faces, community pride, and deals. Giveaways and “tag a friend” mechanics spread fastest in local networks.
• Ads: Tight geo‑targeting (15–25 miles), event‑based boosts, and lead ads for services outperform broad awareness buys.

How to read the numbers

• Counts are derived from Census population and Pew Research Center’s 2024 platform‑usage rates for U.S. adults, calibrated by known rural usage patterns. In practice, Greene County’s platform ranking matches the list above; Facebook and YouTube slightly over‑index versus national averages, while Instagram/TikTok/LinkedIn/Reddit run slightly under.

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census and ACS demographic profiles (population and age structure).
• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (platform adoption by U.S. adults) and prior rural/urban breakouts for directional rural adjustments.