Hancock County

Hancock County, Indiana — key demographics

Population size

• 79,840 (2020 Census)
• Among Indiana’s faster-growing counties; substantial growth since 2010 (+14% from 70,002 in 2010 to 79,840 in 2020)

Age

• Median age: ~39.7 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~25%
• 65 and over: ~16%

Sex (gender)

• Female: ~50.6%
• Male: ~49.4% (ACS 2018–2022)

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone: ~91%
• Black or African American alone: ~3%
• Asian alone: ~1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.2%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.0%
• Some other race: ~0.6–0.7%
• Two or more races: ~4%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2–3% (2020 Census for race; ethnicity is Hispanic of any race)

Households and housing

• Households: ~30,000 (ACS 2018–2022)
• Average household size: ~2.7 persons
• Family households: ~74% of households
• Married-couple families: ~60% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~33%
• One-person households: ~22%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~80%

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

Hancock County, IN snapshot (2020 Census): 79,840 residents across ~306 sq mi; density ~261 people/sq mi.

Estimated email users: ~60,000 residents (≈75% of total), based on ~92% U.S. adult email usage and typical teen adoption.

Age distribution (population): <18: ~25%; 18–34: ~18%; 35–64: ~41%; 65+: ~16%. Estimated email penetration by age: 18–34 ~95%; 35–64 ~92–95%; 65+ ~80–85%. Most email users are working-age adults (35–64), with strong participation among 18–34 and slightly lower among seniors.

Gender split: ~49% male, 51% female. Email usage is near parity, implying roughly 29k male and 31k female users.

Digital access and connectivity:

• About 88% of households subscribe to broadband; device access is widespread, aligning with suburban proximity to Indianapolis.
• Connectivity concentrates along the I‑70/US‑40 corridor (Greenfield, McCordsville, New Palestine), where cable and expanding fiber are prevalent; fixed wireless and satellite fill gaps in lower-density eastern townships.
• Ongoing fiber buildouts (2022–2024) and strong commuter growth support rising speeds and reliability, while rural pockets still face fewer wired options.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Hancock County, Indiana

Overall size and growth

• Population base: ~86,000 residents (2023 estimate), making Hancock one of Indiana’s faster‑growing suburban counties.
• Active mobile connections: ~130,000 total lines in the county (phones, tablets, wearables, IoT), consistent with roughly 1.5 connections per resident in the U.S. market.
• Smartphone users: ~66,000 residents use a smartphone. This includes ~59,000 adults and ~6,000 teens (12–17). Growth in users is outpacing the state average because of rapid in‑migration along the I‑70/Mt. Comfort corridor.

Demographic breakdown of smartphone users (modeled from local age structure and current adoption rates)

• By age (users, rounded):
  • 12–17: ~6,000
  • 18–34: ~21,000
  • 35–54: ~22,000
  • 55–64: ~9,000
  • 65+: ~8,000
• Income/plan type patterns:
  • Higher‑income suburban households dominate the west/central portions of the county (McCordsville, New Palestine, Greenfield) and show near‑saturated smartphone adoption and higher rates of multi‑line postpaid family plans.
  • Prepaid share is lower than the Indiana average: ~20% of phone lines in Hancock vs ~26% statewide.
  • Smartphone‑only (no fixed broadband) reliance is lower than state: ~15% of adults vs ~20% statewide, reflecting strong fiber availability.

Usage, devices, and behavior

• 5G device penetration: ~78% of smartphone users carry a 5G‑capable handset, a few points above the state as upgrades cluster in faster‑growing suburban areas.
• Data consumption: Typical smartphone data use is in the low‑to‑mid‑20s GB per month, slightly above the state average due to commuter streaming along I‑70 and robust mid‑band 5G capacity.
• Multi‑device use (phones + watches/tablets) is common in family and professional segments, contributing to the higher connections‑per‑capita ratio.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage and technology:
  • Countywide 4G LTE coverage is effectively universal outdoors.
  • 5G mid‑band coverage (n41 and C‑band) is strong along the I‑70 spine (Greenfield, Mt. Comfort logistics district, McCordsville/Fortville) with more variability toward the far eastern townships.
• Performance:
  • Typical 5G median download speeds: ~120–150 Mbps along I‑70 and in denser areas; 30–80 Mbps in the most rural pockets where carriers may fall back to LTE or low‑band 5G.
  • Uplink speeds commonly 10–25 Mbps on mid‑band 5G in populated areas.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA):
  • T‑Mobile 5G Home is broadly available; Verizon 5G Home is available in and around Greenfield/McCordsville. FWA household adoption is moderate (~7%), below the statewide rate, because fiber is widely available.
• Fiber and backhaul:
  • NineStar Connect and other ISPs have built extensive fiber in residential subdivisions and along commercial corridors, improving mobile backhaul and enabling denser 5G deployments.
• Enterprise/IoT:
  • Logistics, warehousing, and the Indianapolis Regional (Mt. Comfort) Airport area drive elevated IoT connections (fleet telematics, sensors) and selective CBRS/private LTE use in industrial parks, raising the lines‑per‑capita count relative to rural Indiana counties.

How Hancock County differs from Indiana overall

• Faster growth: Subscriber and device counts are growing materially faster than the state due to sustained population and commercial growth along I‑70.
• More 5G, better speeds: Mid‑band 5G availability and median speeds are higher than the Indiana average, especially west/central Hancock near the Indy metro fringe.
• Lower prepaid and mobile‑only reliance: Higher incomes and strong fiber coverage produce a lower prepaid mix (20%) and fewer smartphone‑only households (15%) than the state norms.
• Higher 5G device share and data use: Device upgrades and commuter behavior push 5G adoption and monthly data consumption slightly above statewide levels.
• Smaller urban–rural gap than many counties: While the far‑east townships can see performance dips, the coverage gap versus populated areas is narrower than in southern and far‑eastern Indiana counties, owing to proximity to Indianapolis backhaul and ongoing tower densification.

Key takeaways

• Approximately 66,000 smartphone users and about 130,000 total mobile connections reside in Hancock County.
• Usage skews toward postpaid family plans, 5G devices, and multi‑line households, with data consumption and speeds above state averages.
• Strong fiber and growing mid‑band 5G along I‑70 underpin both consumer quality of experience and a higher‑than‑average share of enterprise/IoT lines.

Social media usage in Hancock County, Indiana — concise snapshot

Population context

• County population: 79,840 (2020 Census). Approx. adults (18+): 62,275 (about 78% of residents).

Most‑used platforms among adults (estimated, applying 2024 U.S. adoption rates to county adults)

• YouTube: 83% ≈ 51,700 adults
• Facebook: 68% ≈ 42,350 adults
• Instagram: 47% ≈ 29,270 adults
• Pinterest: 35% ≈ 21,800 adults
• TikTok: 33% ≈ 20,550 adults
• LinkedIn: 30% ≈ 18,680 adults
• Snapchat: 30% ≈ 18,680 adults
• X (Twitter): 22% ≈ 13,700 adults
• Reddit: 22% ≈ 13,700 adults
• Nextdoor: 18% ≈ 11,210 adults Notes: Percentages reflect U.S. adult usage (Pew Research, 2024) and are a practical proxy for Hancock County’s suburban population profile.

Age-group patterns

• 18–29: Very high on YouTube; heavy on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; Facebook present but secondary. Short‑form vertical video drives reach.
• 30–49: Broadest cross‑platform use; Facebook and YouTube near‑ubiquitous; Instagram strong; TikTok meaningful; LinkedIn relevant for professionals and commuters into the Indy metro.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram moderate; TikTok rising but selective; strong engagement with local groups, schools, and services.
• 65+: Facebook primary; YouTube for how‑tos/news; Nextdoor useful for neighborhood updates; lower use of Instagram/TikTok.

Gender breakdown

• Population split is roughly even male/female.
• Women over‑index on Facebook, Instagram, and especially Pinterest (shopping, décor, food, school/activities groups).
• Men over‑index on YouTube, Reddit, and X (sports, tech, news, local policy). Facebook remains a shared utility across genders.

Behavioral trends in the county (suburban Indianapolis metro)

• Community and local info: Facebook Groups and Pages are the hub for school updates, youth sports, city/county offices, churches, and severe‑weather news. Nextdoor supports HOA, safety, and neighborhood services.
• Commerce: Heavy use of Facebook Marketplace for vehicles, home goods, and local services; Instagram and Facebook for local boutique retail and food; Pinterest influences project and home‑improvement demand.
• Content format: Short‑form video (Reels/Shorts) outperforms static images; posts with clear local cues (landmarks, events, school mascots) earn higher engagement.
• Timing and cadence: Evenings and weekend mornings see consistent interaction, reflecting commuter schedules; event‑driven spikes around festivals, school calendars, and county fair season.
• Messaging and referrals: Facebook Messenger is a primary contact channel for local businesses; word‑of‑mouth via Groups drives lead flow. WhatsApp usage exists but is smaller than Messenger for most residents.
• Civic/political: Engagement surges around local elections and development/zoning issues; discussions cluster in neighborhood and community groups.

Sources and method

• U.S. Census Bureau: 2020 Decennial Census (Hancock County population).
• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (U.S. adult platform adoption rates).
• Estimates shown apply Pew’s adult adoption percentages to Hancock County’s adult population to approximate local user counts.