Jennings County

Key demographics — Jennings County, Indiana

Population

• Total: 27,6xx (2023 Census Bureau estimate; roughly stable vs. 2020)
• 2020 Census: 27,613

Age

• Median age: ~39–40 years
• Under 18: ~24%
• 65 and over: ~16%

Gender

• Male: ~50–51%
• Female: ~49–50%

Race and ethnicity (ACS, percent of total)

• White (alone): ~93–94%
• Black or African American (alone): ~1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (alone): ~0.3%
• Asian (alone): ~0.4%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander (alone): ~0.0%
• Two or more races: ~4–5%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2–3%

Households and housing

• Households: ~10.5–10.7k
• Average household size: ~2.6
• Family households: ~69–71%; married-couple households: ~48–51%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~75–77%
• Median household income: roughly upper-$50Ks (2022 dollars)
• Persons in poverty: ~14–15%

Notes

• Figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau: 2020 Decennial Census, 2018–2022 American Community Survey (5-year), and 2023 Population Estimates Program. Ranges reflect rounding and typical ACS margins of error for a county of this size.

Jennings County, IN — email usage snapshot (estimates for 2025)

• Estimated email users: 20,000–22,000 residents. Basis: ~27,500 population; ~76% adults; ~88–92% adult email adoption; plus limited teen use.
• Adult-only users: ~18,500–19,500.

Age distribution of email users (share of users):

• 18–34: ~28%
• 35–54: ~36%
• 55–64: ~17%
• 65+: ~19% Adoption remains highest among 18–54; seniors’ usage trails but continues to rise.

Gender split among users:

• Female ~50%
• Male ~50% Email adoption shows negligible gender gap locally, similar to state/national patterns.

Digital access trends:

• Household broadband subscription ~75–80%; device access (computer/smartphone/tablet) ~88–92%.
• Mobile-only internet households ~12–15%, a key access mode for lower-income and rural residents.
• Ongoing fiber and fixed-wireless buildouts from Indiana’s Next Level Connections program are lifting speeds and availability, narrowing the rural gap.

Local density/connectivity context:

• Population ~27,500 across ~378 sq mi; density ~73 people/sq mi with ~80% of residents in rural areas, which correlates with slightly lower subscription rates and higher mobile-only dependence compared with urban Indiana.

Mobile phone usage in Jennings County, Indiana — 2024 snapshot

Overall user estimates

• Population and adult base: Approximately 27–28 thousand residents; about 21–22 thousand adults (18+).
• Smartphone adoption: 85–88% of adults, translating to roughly 18–19 thousand adult smartphone users in the county. This is 2–4 percentage points lower than the statewide average, reflecting the county’s more rural, lower-income profile.
• Mobile-only internet dependence: An estimated 15–18% of households rely primarily on mobile data for home internet (smartphone hotspot or cellular home internet), several points higher than the Indiana average.
• Platform and plan mix:
  • Android vs iPhone: Approximately 60–65% Android, 35–40% iPhone, a more Android-leaning mix than the state overall.
  • Prepaid share: About 30–35% of lines are prepaid (vs roughly 20–25% statewide), tied to income and credit dynamics.

Demographic breakdown of usage

• Age
  • 18–29: 95–98% smartphone adoption; heavy app/social use; high video streaming on mobile.
  • 30–49: 92–95% adoption; highest multi-line/device ownership (work and personal).
  • 50–64: 82–87% adoption; rising use of mobile banking and telehealth.
  • 65+: 65–72% adoption; adoption gap vs state wider here by ~3–5 points, but growing fastest year over year due to telehealth and messaging needs.
• Income and education
  • Lower-income households show higher prepaid usage and higher mobile-only internet reliance (approaching 1 in 5 such households).
  • Households without a bachelor’s degree are more likely to be smartphone-dependent for internet access than the state average.
• Race/ethnicity
  • Given the county’s predominantly White and rural makeup, disparities are driven more by age, income, and education than by race/ethnicity; gaps by these factors are wider than Indiana overall.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Networks present: AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile all provide 4G LTE and low-band 5G; major MVNOs ride on these networks.
• 4G/5G availability
  • 4G LTE: Near-universal population coverage along primary corridors and towns; occasional dead zones in low-lying and forested areas.
  • 5G: Population coverage roughly 70–85%, with strongest service in and around North Vernon and along US-50/IN-3/IN-7. This trails statewide 5G population coverage by a meaningful margin.
  • Mid-band 5G (for higher speeds): Present but patchy—T-Mobile leads along main corridors; Verizon’s mid-band nodes are more limited; AT&T primarily low-band 5G with selective mid-band. Overall mid-band footprint is smaller than the statewide pattern.
• Performance characteristics
  • Typical daytime speeds: 25–100 Mbps (site- and carrier-dependent); evening slowdowns are more pronounced than state averages due to fewer sectorized sites and longer inter-site distances.
  • Latency: Slightly higher than state averages (by ~5–10 ms) owing to rural backhaul and coverage geometry.
• Backhaul and fiber
  • Fiber backhaul reaches the main macro sites along US-50 and within North Vernon; microwave persists on some rural sites, constraining peak capacity versus urban Indiana.
  • Fixed wireless: T-Mobile Home Internet is broadly available in town and along main roads; Verizon 5G Home is limited to select sectors; LTE-based home internet fills in elsewhere. Starlink is a fallback for the most remote areas.
• Public safety and resilience
  • FirstNet coverage (AT&T) is implemented on key sites used by local public safety; coverage is reliable in populated areas, with terrain-related weak spots in river valleys and wooded state lands.

How Jennings County differs from Indiana overall

• Adoption and devices
  • Slightly lower overall smartphone adoption, especially among seniors.
  • More Android and prepaid usage, fewer premium postpaid family plans relative to the state mix.
  • Higher share of mobile-only households relying on cellular for home internet.
• Network experience
  • Lower mid-band 5G availability and more pronounced evening congestion than state averages.
  • Wider gaps in indoor coverage away from main corridors due to lower site density and older in-building amplification.
• Use cases
  • Above-average reliance on mobile for telehealth, navigation, and messaging among working-age adults.
  • Higher dependence on mobile hotspotting for homework and job applications in households without fixed broadband.

Key takeaways

• Expect 18–19 thousand adult smartphone users in Jennings County, with usage patterns shaped by rural geography and income.
• Coverage is solid for LTE and adequate for low-band 5G, but mid-band 5G capacity is meaningfully behind state averages, producing lower peak speeds and greater variability.
• Prepaid, Android, and mobile-only internet reliance are all higher than the Indiana norm, indicating price sensitivity and the importance of robust cellular alternatives to fixed broadband.

Jennings County, IN — Social media snapshot (2024–2025)

Context

• Population: 28,525 (2020 Census). Rural county media habits track closely with broader U.S. rural/Midwest patterns. Percentages below reflect Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. adult usage rates (a solid proxy at the county level).

Most‑used platforms among adults (estimated share of adults using each)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• Pinterest: 35%
• TikTok: 33%
• Snapchat: 30%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• Reddit: 22%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• WhatsApp: 21%
• Nextdoor: 19%

Age‑group usage patterns (share of adults in each age band using the platform)

• Ages 18–29: YouTube ~93%, Instagram ~78%, Snapchat ~65%, Facebook ~70%, TikTok ~62%
• Ages 30–49: YouTube ~87%, Facebook ~77%, Instagram ~49%, TikTok ~39%, LinkedIn ~40%
• Ages 50–64: Facebook ~73%, YouTube ~70–83%, Pinterest ~36–38%, Instagram ~29%, TikTok ~24%
• Ages 65+: Facebook ~50%, YouTube ~49%, Pinterest ~23%, Instagram ~15%, TikTok ~10%

Gender breakdown (share of adults using each platform)

• Women: Facebook ~70%+, Instagram ~50%, Pinterest ~50%, Snapchat ~36%, TikTok ~38–40%, YouTube ~81%
• Men: YouTube ~86%, Facebook ~66–68%, Instagram ~43–45%, LinkedIn ~34%, Reddit ~29%, X (Twitter) ~24–26%, TikTok ~25–30%

Behavioral trends observed in rural/Midwest counties like Jennings

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy reliance on local Groups (schools, churches, youth sports, buy/sell/trade), Events, and Marketplace for practical needs.
• Video is default learning/entertainment: YouTube for DIY, auto repair, hunting/outdoors, home projects; short‑form (Reels/TikTok) rising for entertainment and local business promos.
• Messaging over public posting: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are primary for day‑to‑day communication among younger residents; older users favor Facebook comments/Groups.
• News and alerts flow through Facebook first: local government, school closings, weather and traffic updates shared and amplified via Groups and Page posts.
• Commerce behavior skews local and deal‑oriented: strong Marketplace usage; coupon/offer posts on Facebook and short‑form video drive foot traffic to local shops and restaurants.
• Platform roles by life stage: teens/20s lean Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok; parents 30–49 split Facebook/Instagram/YouTube; 50+ center on Facebook and YouTube, with Pinterest for home/food.
• Posting cadence: peak engagement evenings (7–10 pm) and weekends; weekday lunch hours are secondary; video and photo carousels outperform text‑only posts.
• Professional networking is niche: LinkedIn engagement exists but is smaller, reflecting local industry mix; X and Reddit are used by a minority for news, sports, and hobbies.

Practical takeaways

• Prioritize Facebook and YouTube for reach; add Instagram and short‑form video (Reels/TikTok) for under‑40 audiences.
• Lean into Groups, Events, and Marketplace for community penetration; pair with short video how‑tos, local faces, and clear offers.
• Schedule posts for evening and weekend peaks; use Messenger/SMS handoffs for customer service.

Sources: Pew Research Center, “Social Media Use in 2024” (U.S. adult platform adoption and demographics); U.S. Census Bureau, Decennial Census 2020 (Jennings County population). Percentages reflect national adult usage applied as a local proxy, which aligns well with rural Indiana patterns.