Harrison County

Harrison County, Indiana — key demographics (latest Census/ACS)

Population size

• Total population: 40,335 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: 42.2 years
• Under 18: 23.0%
• 18 to 64: 58.1%
• 65 and over: 18.9%

Gender

• Female: 50.1%
• Male: 49.9%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS “alone or in combination”; Hispanic can be any race)

• White: 95.4%
• Black or African American: 1.0%
• American Indian & Alaska Native: 0.3%
• Asian: 0.4%
• Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander: ~0.0%
• Two or more races: 2.8%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 2.0%

Households and housing

• Households: 15,700
• Family households: 10,900 (≈69% of households)
• Average household size: 2.56
• Average family size: 3.03
• Married-couple households: ≈60% of households
• Nonfamily households: ≈31%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: 81%
• Median household income (in 2022 dollars): $67,500

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

Harrison County, IN (2025 est.)

• Population: ~40,000; land area ~486 sq mi; density ~82 people/sq mi. Part of the Louisville metro, with service strongest along the I-64/Corydon corridor.

Email users

• Estimated users: ~32,500 (about 81% of total population; high among age 18–64, lower for 65+).

Age distribution of email users (est.)

• 13–17: ~2,200 (7%)
• 18–34: ~8,600 (27%)
• 35–49: ~7,400 (23%)
• 50–64: ~8,000 (25%)
• 65+: ~6,300 (19%)

Gender split (est.)

• Female ~50% | Male ~50% of email users, mirroring county demographics.

Digital access and trends

• Home broadband subscription: ~79–82% of households; computer access in home: ~90–92%.
• Smartphone-only internet households: ~14% (rural reliance on mobile data elevates email use via phones).
• Email penetration is near-universal among adults under 65 (>95%); seniors show strong but lower adoption (~85–90%).
• Continued expansion of wired broadband and 5G has reduced access gaps, but the most rural tracts still exhibit lower fixed-broadband adoption, making mobile email a critical access path.

Notes: Figures are county-level estimates derived from recent ACS/FCC/industry penetration norms applied to Harrison County’s demographic profile.

Mobile phone usage in Harrison County, Indiana — summary with county-specific estimates, demographic context, and infrastructure notes (emphasizing how the county differs from the state)

Topline user and adoption estimates

• Estimated adult smartphone users: about 28,000–29,000 residents (roughly 88–90% of adults), out of an adult population of ~32,000. This aligns county household device data with national rural adoption rates and Indiana’s overall profile.
• Household smartphone ownership: approximately 88–90% of households in Harrison County have at least one smartphone (Indiana: ~90–92%).
• Cellular-data-only internet at home: about 12–14% of Harrison County households rely on mobile/cellular data as their primary home internet, higher than the statewide share (~9–11%).
• Households with no internet subscription: roughly 13–15% in the county, modestly above the state (about 11–13%).

Demographic patterns that shape mobile usage (vs. Indiana)

• Older age structure: Harrison County’s median age is several years higher than the Indiana median, which correlates with slightly lower smartphone adoption among residents 65+. Practical effect: the county’s overall smartphone penetration is a point or two below the state, with a visible gap in the 65+ bracket (county mid–high 70s percent; Indiana often near 80%+ in the same group).
• Income mix and device portfolio: A larger share of lower-to-moderate income households rely on smartphones as their primary or only internet device. Compared to the state, Harrison shows:
  • Slightly fewer households with a desktop/laptop,
  • Slightly more households that are smartphone-only for everyday connectivity.
• Rural/suburban composition: As a mostly rural–exurban county in the Louisville metro orbit, mobile dependency is higher for homeworkers and households beyond cable/fiber footprints. This pushes cellular-only subscriptions above the state average and increases the importance of robust 4G/5G coverage for daily needs (banking, schoolwork, telehealth).

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carrier presence: AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile provide countywide service; 5G is present primarily via low-band (all carriers) and mid-band (notably T-Mobile, with AT&T expanding), with limited or no mmWave deployment typical of rural Indiana.
• 5G availability: At least one carrier reports 5G in most populated parts of the county (Corydon/Lanesville areas and along main corridors), with coverage thinning in forested and hilly southern and western tracts.
• Capacity and performance profile:
  • Mid-band 5G zones around population centers and major routes typically deliver strong everyday performance and better indoor coverage than legacy LTE.
  • Outside those zones, users frequently fall back to LTE, where speeds and latency vary widely by terrain and tower load; this variability is more pronounced than the statewide average due to sparser site density.
• Backhaul and fiber footprint: Fiber to the home/business is less prevalent than in many Indiana suburban counties. Where fiber or high-quality cable is not present, households are more likely to lean on mobile hotspots or smartphone tethering, raising cellular data-only use above the state norm.

How Harrison County differs from the Indiana average — key takeaways

• More mobile-reliant households: Cellular-data-only home internet is several points higher than the state average, reflecting patchier fixed broadband options in parts of the county.
• Slightly lower overall smartphone penetration: Driven by an older age mix and fewer multi-device households, overall smartphone presence per household is a bit below state average, with the gap concentrated among seniors.
• Fewer secondary devices: Desktop/laptop ownership trails the state, increasing dependence on smartphones for core tasks and making mobile network quality more consequential for digital equity.
• Coverage quality varies more by terrain: Compared with the state as a whole, signal reliability and speeds swing more sharply between town centers/corridors and wooded or hilly areas, due to lower tower density and line-of-sight challenges.

Data notes and sources

• Estimates are synthesized from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 2018–2022 5-year tables on device ownership and internet subscriptions (notably S2801) and from FCC National Broadband Map filings (2024) for cellular and 5G availability, plus statewide/rural adoption benchmarks from reputable national surveys. These collectively indicate that Harrison County’s smartphone household share is just under the state’s, with a higher rate of cellular-only home internet and more pronounced rural coverage variability.

Harrison County, IN — social media snapshot

What the numbers represent

• Population baseline: 40,335 (U.S. Census, 2020). Approx. adult population (18+): ~31,000.
• Because platform-by-platform county-level usage isn’t publicly reported, the counts below model local users by applying current U.S. adult usage rates (Pew Research Center, 2024) to Harrison County’s adult population. They are planning estimates, not platform-reported audience reach.

Most-used platforms (U.S. adult usage; modeled local users)

• YouTube: ~83% of adults; ~25,700 adults locally
• Facebook: ~68%; ~21,100
• Instagram: ~47%; ~14,600
• Pinterest: ~35%; ~10,900
• TikTok: ~33%; ~10,200
• Snapchat: ~30%; ~9,300
• LinkedIn: ~30%; ~9,300
• X (Twitter): ~22%; ~6,800
• Reddit: ~22%; ~6,800
• WhatsApp: ~21%; ~6,500

Age-group patterns (local behavior aligned to national use)

• Teens (13–17): Very high on YouTube; TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat dominate day-to-day sharing; Facebook is secondary and event/parent-group driven.
• 18–29: Heavy daily use of Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat; YouTube for how‑tos, entertainment, and music; Facebook used for groups, events, and Marketplace rather than posting.
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube are primary; Instagram grows for creators/reels, local dining, and family content; TikTok consumption rising.
• 50–64: Facebook remains the hub for news, local groups, school/sports updates, churches, and Marketplace; YouTube for product reviews and DIY.
• 65+: Facebook for community and family; YouTube for tutorials and local government/live streams.

Gender breakdown (directional insights)

• Overall usage is near 50/50 by gender in the county’s population; women over-index on Facebook and Pinterest and are highly active in local buy/sell/trade and school/parent groups; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X, and on hobbyist niches (hunting, fishing, automotive, farming).
• Instagram and TikTok skew slightly female in posting; male viewing is strong on reels/shorts for sports, outdoors, and news commentary.

Behavioral trends observed in similar rural/edge-metro counties and applicable locally

• Facebook is the community backbone: civic alerts, school closings, youth sports, church events, festivals, county services, and volunteer drives concentrate in Groups. Marketplace activity is strong for farm/outdoor gear, vehicles, furniture, and home improvement.
• Video-first consumption: Short-form video (Reels/Shorts/TikTok) outperforms static posts for local businesses, tourism, and event promotion; how‑to and behind‑the‑scenes content does well on YouTube and Facebook.
• “Local trust” effect: Posts from recognizable local people, teams, churches, and businesses materially outperform generic creative; user-generated content and staff cameos boost engagement.
• Timing: Engagement peaks evenings (6–9 pm) and weekends; weather events and school announcements drive real-time spikes.
• Cross-border influence: As part of the Louisville media orbit, county residents frequently see metro-Louisville ads; local advertisers benefit from tight geo-targeting (10–20 mile radius) and “nearby city” interest targeting.
• Messaging for service: Facebook Messenger and Instagram DMs handle bookings and customer support for local restaurants, salons, trades, and youth activities.
• Civic and public safety: County government, EMS, highway, and sheriff pages see strong reach for closures, detours, and emergencies; posts with maps/video briefings get the most shares.
• Seasonal swings: Tourism/history (Corydon), river/outdoors, fall festivals, and holiday markets lead to predictable spikes; high school sports seasons drive regular engagement surges.

Key takeaways

• Expect Facebook and YouTube to reach the broadest adult audience in Harrison County, with Instagram third and TikTok/Snapchat concentrated in under‑40 cohorts.
• For reach and action: pair Facebook Groups/Marketplace with short-form video; use YouTube for durable discovery and how‑to content; lean on Instagram for visuals and events targeting 18–44; reserve Reddit/X for niche or news-driven campaigns.