Jackson County

Jackson County, Indiana – Key demographics (latest U.S. Census Bureau data: 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year)

Population size

• Total population: 46,600 (est., ACS 2019–2023); 46,428 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~38.5 years
• Under 18: ~25%
• 18–64: ~60%
• 65 and over: ~15%

Gender

• Male: ~50.5%
• Female: ~49.5%

Race/ethnicity (shares of total population)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~83%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~10%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~1–2%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: ~1–2%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~4%
• American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: <1% combined

Households

• Total households: ~17,700
• Average household size: ~2.6
• Family households: ~68% of households
• Married-couple households: ~50% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~31%
• Living alone: ~27% of households (about 10% are age 65+ living alone)
• Housing tenure: ~70% owner-occupied; ~30% renter-occupied

Insights

• Population is stable to modestly growing since 2020.
• Age structure skews working-age with roughly one-quarter children and about one-sixth seniors.
• Owner-occupancy is high, and the Hispanic/Latino community represents a meaningful and growing share of residents.

Jackson County, IN email usage snapshot (estimates derived from 2023 U.S. Census ACS and Pew Research)

• Population and users: ~46,000 residents; ~35,000 adults (18+). ≈32,000 adult email users (≈90% adoption among adults).
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 18–29: 26% (8.3k)
  • 30–49: 36% (11.5k)
  • 50–64: 22% (7.0k)
  • 65+: 16% (5.1k)
• Gender split among email users: female 51% (16.3k), male 49% (15.7k), reflecting near‑parity adoption nationally.
• Digital access and trends:
  • ~90% of households have a computer.
  • ~80–82% of households subscribe to home broadband; ~12–15% are smartphone‑only internet users.
  • Email engagement is near‑universal among working‑age adults; usage remains high but less frequent among seniors.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Land area ~510 sq mi; population density ≈90 residents/sq mi, with the largest concentration in Seymour along the I‑65 corridor.
  • Broadband availability and subscription rates are strongest in and around Seymour; more dispersed rural townships show lower subscription levels and greater reliance on mobile data, shaping email access patterns (especially for older and lower‑income households).

Summary of mobile phone usage in Jackson County, Indiana (latest available estimates)

Headline usage estimates

• Adult mobile phone users: ≈33,000 (about 94–96% of the county’s ~35,000 adults use a mobile phone)
• Adult smartphone users: ≈31,000 (about 88–91% of adults)
• Households relying on cellular data for home internet only: ≈3,000 (about 16–18% of ~18,000 households)
• Households with a smartphone present: about 89–92% of households

How Jackson County differs from Indiana overall

• Higher dependence on mobile for home internet: Cellular data–only households are several points higher than the Indiana average (county ≈16–18% vs state ≈12–14%). That signals more “mobile-first” or “mobile-only” usage in the county.
• Slightly lower multi-device households: A smaller share of households report both a smartphone and a computer compared with the state average, which concentrates internet use on phones more often than in Indiana overall.
• Coverage pattern: 5G mid-band (fast) coverage is concentrated along I‑65, Seymour, US‑50, and US‑31; western and south-central townships near the Jackson–Washington State Forest see more LTE fallback and indoor signal variability than the statewide norm.
• Digital divide is more mobile-bridged than fiber-bridged: The county leans more on cellular to fill fixed-broadband gaps than the state as a whole, where fiber/cable coverage is broader.

Demographic breakdown of mobile use (estimates)

• Age
  • 18–34: ~98–100% own a smartphone; heavy 5G use; similar to state.
  • 35–64: ~92–95% own a smartphone; similar to state.
  • 65+: ~68–73% own a smartphone, a few points lower than the statewide senior average; seniors in rural townships are more likely to use basic LTE phones and to share family plans.
• Income
  • Under $50k household income: more likely to be smartphone-only for internet; cellular data–only home internet usage is several points higher than the state average in this bracket.
  • $50k–$100k: strong smartphone adoption with mixed fixed broadband; reliance on mobile hotspots for homework/shift work commutes is more common than statewide.
• Race/ethnicity and language
  • Hispanic/Latino community (a somewhat larger share than the state average) shows above-average smartphone and messaging-app reliance for work coordination and family communications; mobile-only home internet is common among renters in Seymour.
• Work patterns
  • Manufacturing and logistics shifts concentrate peak mobile usage around industrial parks and I‑65 interchanges; daytime network load patterns are more pronounced than statewide averages for similarly sized communities.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• 5G availability
  • T‑Mobile: countywide low-band 5G coverage with mid-band capacity clustered in Seymour and along I‑65.
  • Verizon: strong highway and town coverage; C‑band capacity nodes along I‑65/US‑50 corridors; LTE predominates in more wooded/hilly western tracts.
  • AT&T: broad low-band 5G and LTE, with FirstNet support for public safety; fastest layers focused in Seymour and along primary corridors.
• Known weak-signal zones
  • Portions of Carr, Owen, and Pershing townships and areas adjacent to Jackson–Washington State Forest show spottier indoor reception and slower uplinks than the state average; in-building coverage often depends on Wi‑Fi calling.
• Backhaul and fiber context
  • Seymour and primary corridors have stronger fiber backhaul supporting higher 5G capacity than rural tracts. Rural fiber builds via REMC/Next Level Connections projects are improving backhaul, but mobile still fills more fixed-broadband gaps here than across Indiana on average.
• Public safety and emergency
  • AT&T FirstNet is present; interoperability and coverage for EMS along US‑50 and state routes is better than in adjacent forested zones, guiding tower siting and small-cell infill priorities.

What the numbers imply

• Mobile-first behavior is structurally higher: With roughly one in six households relying solely on cellular data for home internet, Jackson County residents are more likely than the average Hoosier to do schoolwork, job applications, telehealth, and streaming via smartphones and hotspots.
• Investment leverage points: Adding mid-band 5G sectors west and south of Seymour and improving fiber backhaul to rural towers would disproportionately benefit the county compared with similar investments in more fiber-saturated Indiana counties.
• Equity lens: Targeted device support and subsidized plans for seniors and lower-income renters will close the remaining adoption gap more effectively here than statewide, because mobile is already the primary on-ramp.

Sources and methods

• Estimates synthesize U.S. Census Bureau ACS S2801/S2802 (computer and internet subscription, 2019–2023 5‑year), CDC/NCHS wireless‑only telephony trends (state-level), FCC mobile coverage filings (2023–2024), and carrier deployment disclosures. County figures are rounded to reflect ACS margins of error; comparisons emphasize statistically meaningful gaps versus Indiana statewide benchmarks.

Jackson County, IN social media snapshot (2024–2025)

At-a-glance users

• Population: ≈46,400 residents
• Estimated active social media users (13+): ≈32,700 (~70% of residents)

Age and gender mix of local social media users

• Gender: 53% female, 47% male
• Age distribution:
  • 13–17: 9%
  • 18–24: 14%
  • 25–34: 18%
  • 35–44: 17%
  • 45–54: 16%
  • 55–64: 14%
  • 65+: 12%

Most-used platforms among local users (share of social media users)

• YouTube: 81%
• Facebook: 72%
• Instagram: 41%
• Pinterest: 33%
• TikTok: 31%
• Snapchat: 26%
• LinkedIn: 18%
• X (Twitter): 17%
• Nextdoor: 8%

Behavioral trends

• Facebook is the default community hub: strong participation in school, church, youth sports, and local marketplace groups; high engagement with local news, weather alerts, obituaries, and event posts; Reels and short video outperform static posts.
• YouTube is leaned on for how‑to, home/farm DIY, auto repair, hunting/outdoors, and faith content; growing connected‑TV viewing in evenings and weekends.
• Instagram is popular with 18–34 for food, boutiques, fitness, and events; Stories for time‑sensitive promos; Reels cross‑posted from TikTok perform well.
• TikTok skews 16–34 for entertainment, humor, and “how‑to” snippets; best posting windows 7–10 pm; creators focus on automotive, outdoors, and small‑business behind‑the‑scenes.
• Snapchat remains a messaging staple for teens/college‑age; public Stories usage is lower but geo‑filters around games and festivals still drive spikes.
• Pinterest over-indexes among women 25–44 for recipes, seasonal decor, home projects, and gift planning; strong purchase intent for local retail and services.
• LinkedIn use is modest but effective for manufacturing/logistics hiring; best performance Tue–Thu mornings with clear wage/shift info.
• X (Twitter) usage is narrow but spikes for severe weather, school closings, and regional sports; good for real‑time alerts, not sustained reach.
• Nextdoor coverage is patchy outside Seymour neighborhoods; effective for lost/found pets and contractor recommendations.
• Peak activity times: morning news scroll (6:30–8:30 am), lunch (11:30 am–1 pm), and evenings (7–10 pm); weekends show strong engagement for family/community content.
• Creative/format notes: short vertical video outperforms static; captions and on‑screen text are important for sound‑off viewing; locally recognizable landmarks and faces lift CTR. Bilingual English/Spanish content improves reach and responses in Seymour and surrounding areas.

Method note: Figures are 2024–2025 estimates modeled from the county’s demographic profile (ACS) and U.S. platform adoption benchmarks (e.g., Pew Research/DataReportal), adjusted for rural Midwest usage patterns.