Randolph County Local Demographic Profile
Randolph County, Indiana — key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau: 2020 Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates)
Population size
- Total population: ~24.4K (2023 estimate); 24,5K (2020 Census)
Age
- Median age: ~43 years
- Under 5 years: ~5%
- Under 18 years: ~22%
- 65 years and over: ~21%
Gender
- Female: ~50–51%
- Male: ~49–50%
Race and ethnicity
- White alone: ~95%
- Black or African American alone: ~1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~0–1%
- Asian alone: ~0–1%
- Two or more races: ~3–4%
- Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2–3%
- White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~93%
Households
- Number of households: ~9.8K–10.0K
- Average household size: ~2.4 persons
- Family households: ~63%
- Married-couple households: ~48–50%
- Nonfamily households: ~37%
- Living alone: ~31%
- 65+ living alone: ~13–14%
- Households with children under 18: ~27%
- Owner-occupied housing rate: ~74–76%
Insights
- Aging profile with about one in five residents 65+ and a median age near 43.
- Predominantly non-Hispanic White population with small but present multiracial and Hispanic/Latino communities.
- Household structure leans toward married-couple families, but over one-third are nonfamily households and about one-third of households are people living alone.
Email Usage in Randolph County
Randolph County, IN snapshot: 2020 population 24,502; land area 452.3 sq mi; density ~54 people/sq mi.
Estimated email users: ≈17,400 adults. Method: ~18,900 adults (≈77% of residents) × 92% U.S. adult email adoption (Pew), aligned with local connectivity.
Age profile of email users (estimated from county age mix and age-specific adoption): 18–34 ≈22%, 35–64 ≈52%, 65+ ≈26%. Youth (13–17) likely add ~1,700 users via school-linked access.
Gender split among users mirrors residents: ≈51% female, 49% male.
Digital access and trends:
- Connectivity: Roughly four in five households subscribe to broadband and nearly nine in ten have a computer (ACS 2019–2023).
- Access mode: A meaningful minority are mobile-only, indicating smartphone reliance for email among lower-income and remote households.
- Trendline: Fiber builds and 5G expansions since 2020 (Indiana’s Next Level Connections) have improved speeds along major corridors and in population centers (e.g., Winchester, Union City), with thinner coverage in sparsely populated townships.
Insights: Email is mature and near-universal among working-age adults; gaps persist primarily among the oldest and least-connected residents, where infrastructure upgrades materially raise reliability and usage.
Mobile Phone Usage in Randolph County
Mobile phone usage in Randolph County, Indiana — 2025 snapshot
Headline takeaways
- Mobile adoption is high but a notch below Indiana’s statewide average, driven by an older age profile and lower household incomes.
- A larger share of households rely on smartphones as their primary or only internet connection compared with the state.
- 5G is present but patchier than in Indiana’s metros; users report greater dependence on carrier selection for coverage rather than price/features.
User estimates (adults and households)
- Population and base: About 24,500 residents; roughly 19,000 adults (18+); about 9,700–10,000 households.
- Adults with any mobile phone: ~92–94% (≈17,500–17,900 adults). Indiana statewide is closer to 95–97%.
- Adult smartphone users: ~84–87% (≈16,000–16,600 adults). The state average is a few points higher.
- Households with at least one smartphone: ~86–88% of households; statewide is roughly ~89–91%.
- Smartphone-only internet households (cellular data but no home wired broadband): ~12–16% of households; statewide ~9–11%.
- Households with no internet subscription at all: ~16–20%; statewide ~12–15%.
Demographic contours that shape usage
- Older population share: Randolph’s 65+ share is several points higher than the state, dampening overall smartphone penetration and increasing basic-phone usage among seniors.
- Income and affordability: Median household income is below the Indiana median, correlating with higher prepaid plan uptake, more MVNO use, and greater likelihood of smartphone-only home internet.
- Education and digital skills: A lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than the state average aligns with a higher rate of mobile-only access for everyday tasks (social, banking, school communication) and less multi-device ownership per household.
Digital infrastructure and performance
- Network availability: All three national carriers operate in the county. 4G LTE coverage is widespread along main corridors and in town centers; 5G coverage is present but more discontinuous outside Winchester, Union City, and other population nodes.
- Performance profile: Typical outdoor mobile download speeds fall below the state’s urban median; signal quality is notably better along highways and town cores than in low-density areas, with more frequent indoor coverage gaps in older structures. Users commonly rely on Wi‑Fi calling at home.
- Fixed broadband context: Fiber and cable are available in town centers, with DSL and fixed wireless prevalent in rural stretches. This patchwork contributes to above-average smartphone-only households and to heavier tethering for schoolwork and gig-economy tasks.
- Public access points: Libraries, schools, and municipal buildings function as anchor connectivity hubs; public Wi‑Fi is a meaningful supplement for residents with limited home broadband.
How Randolph County differs from Indiana statewide
- Adoption: High, but 2–3 points lower for smartphone penetration than the state average due to an older age structure and affordability constraints.
- Access pattern: More smartphone-only households and a higher share of homes without any internet subscription than the state, reflecting uneven fixed broadband availability.
- Usage behavior: Greater reliance on prepaid/MVNO plans, more frequent plan switching based on coverage in specific locales, and heavier use of SMS/voice and hotspotting relative to data-intensive streaming on mobile networks.
- Network experience: 5G availability and median speeds trail Indiana’s metro counties; performance varies more by micro‑location, especially indoors and at the rural fringes.
Implications
- Service design: Plans with strong rural coverage, robust Wi‑Fi calling, generous hotspot allowances, and competitive prepaid/MVNO pricing align best with local needs.
- Outreach: Digital literacy and senior-focused training can convert basic‑phone users and help smartphone owners make fuller use of devices.
- Infrastructure priorities: Continued fiber buildouts and targeted small‑cell/sector densification near population clusters and along commuter corridors would narrow the county–state performance gap and reduce smartphone-only dependency.
Social Media Trends in Randolph County
Social media in Randolph County, IN — 2025 snapshot (modeled from U.S. Census 2023 ACS demographics and 2024 Pew platform adoption, calibrated for rural Indiana)
Topline user stats
- Population: ≈24,400
- Adults (18+): ≈18,800
- Adults using at least one major social/video platform monthly: ≈81% (≈15,200 people)
- Teens (13–17): ≈1,600; social use ≈95% (≈1,500)
- Total residents 13+ using social monthly: ≈16,700 (≈69% of the population)
Most‑used platforms (adults, monthly; modeled % of 18+)
- YouTube: 79%
- Facebook: 72%
- Instagram: 40%
- Pinterest: 33%
- TikTok: 30%
- Snapchat: 24%
- LinkedIn: 19%
- X (Twitter): 18%
- WhatsApp: 17%
- Nextdoor: 8%
Age breakdown (share of adult social users; leading platforms per group)
- 18–29: ≈18% of adult users; heavy on YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok; Facebook used but secondary
- 30–49: ≈36%; Facebook and YouTube dominate, Instagram solid; TikTok moderate
- 50–64: ≈29%; Facebook strongest, YouTube high; Pinterest notable; Instagram/TikTok lighter
- 65+: ≈17%; Facebook primary; YouTube moderate; minimal Instagram/TikTok
Gender breakdown (adults)
- Female: ≈54% of adult social users; over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; solid Instagram use
- Male: ≈46% of adult social users; over-index on YouTube, Reddit/X, LinkedIn
Behavioral trends observed locally (rural east‑central Indiana pattern)
- Facebook is the community hub: local news, school athletics, churches, county events, yard‑sale/Marketplace activity, and public‑safety/weather updates drive consistent engagement. Groups and Marketplace are key utilities.
- Video is mainstream: short vertical video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) outperforms static posts for reach; live video is used for events and local sports.
- Messaging is bifurcated: Facebook Messenger for most adults; Snapchat is dominant among teens/young adults for daily communication.
- Buying behavior: Facebook/Instagram drive local retail, service inquiries, and event attendance; clear offers, local faces, and price transparency outperform generic creatives.
- Time-of-day: Evenings and weekend mornings see the highest engagement; midday weekday spikes among 30–49 are common.
- Platform overlap: Adults typically maintain 3 platforms; Facebook + YouTube is the most common pairing, with Instagram or Pinterest as a third.
- Content that travels: school updates, youth sports highlights, severe weather, local history, restaurant openings, and volunteer/benefit events.
Notes on figures
- Estimates apply national platform adoption rates to Randolph County’s age mix, with rural adjustments (slightly higher Facebook, slightly lower Instagram/LinkedIn/WhatsApp; Nextdoor limited). Figures reflect monthly use and are rounded for clarity.
Table of Contents
Other Counties in Indiana
- Adams
- Allen
- Bartholomew
- Benton
- Blackford
- Boone
- Brown
- Carroll
- Cass
- Clark
- Clay
- Clinton
- Crawford
- Daviess
- De Kalb
- Dearborn
- Decatur
- Delaware
- Dubois
- Elkhart
- Fayette
- Floyd
- Fountain
- Franklin
- Fulton
- Gibson
- Grant
- Greene
- Hamilton
- Hancock
- Harrison
- Hendricks
- Henry
- Howard
- Huntington
- Jackson
- Jasper
- Jay
- Jefferson
- Jennings
- Johnson
- Knox
- Kosciusko
- La Porte
- Lagrange
- Lake
- Lawrence
- Madison
- Marion
- Marshall
- Martin
- Miami
- Monroe
- Montgomery
- Morgan
- Newton
- Noble
- Ohio
- Orange
- Owen
- Parke
- Perry
- Pike
- Porter
- Posey
- Pulaski
- Putnam
- Ripley
- Rush
- Scott
- Shelby
- Spencer
- St Joseph
- Starke
- Steuben
- Sullivan
- Switzerland
- Tippecanoe
- Tipton
- Union
- Vanderburgh
- Vermillion
- Vigo
- Wabash
- Warren
- Warrick
- Washington
- Wayne
- Wells
- White
- Whitley