Warren County

Warren County, Indiana — key demographics

Population

• 8,440 (2020 Census)
• ~8,300 (2023 Census estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~43 years
• Under 18: ~23%
• 65 and over: ~18%

Sex

• Male: ~50%
• Female: ~50%

Race and ethnicity (2020 Census; Hispanic can be any race)

• White: ~95%
• Black or African American: ~0–1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0–1%
• Asian: ~0–1%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2–3%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~3,300
• Average household size: ~2.5
• Family households: ~68% of households; average family size ~3.0
• One-person households: ~27%
• Owner-occupied: ~80–85%; renter-occupied: ~15–20%

Insights

• Small, stable rural population with a modest aging profile (median age ~43).
• Predominantly White with limited racial/ethnic diversity and a small Hispanic/Latino presence.
• High homeownership and a majority of family households, typical of rural Indiana counties.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; Population Estimates Program (2023).

Warren County, IN overview (pop. ~8,440; ~23 people/sq mi across ~366 sq mi) — low density shapes digital access and email habits.

• Estimated email users: ~6,030 adult users (≈94% of ~6,414 adults). Including teens (13–17) adds ~450–500 more accounts in use.
• Age distribution of adult email users:
  • 18–29: ~1,006 (≈98% of cohort)
  • 30–49: ~1,885 (≈98%)
  • 50–64: ~1,670 (≈93%)
  • 65+: ~1,468 (≈88%)
• Gender split: roughly even; email usage ≈50% female, 50% male, with negligible difference in activity by gender.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Households with a computer: ~88%
  • Households with a broadband subscription: ~78%
  • Smartphone‑only internet users: ~17% of adults (email heavily accessed via mobile)
  • Connectivity is strongest in and around Williamsport and West Lebanon and weaker in sparsely populated townships; last‑mile costs and terrain limit fiber penetration, driving higher mobile reliance.
• Insight: Despite rural infrastructure constraints, email adoption among adults is near‑universal, with the main gap concentrated among the oldest residents and in households lacking fixed broadband. Mobile networks increasingly bridge access, sustaining high email participation even where wired options lag.

Mobile phone usage in Warren County, Indiana — 2024 snapshot

Headline user estimates

• Population and households: ~8,440 residents and ~3,300 households (2020 Census). Adults (18+) ~6,400.
• Any mobile phone: ~95% of adults, ≈6,100 users.
• Smartphone users: ~80–82% of adults, ≈5,100 users.
• Prepaid vs. postpaid: Prepaid lines ≈30% of active mobile subscriptions (vs. ~22% statewide), roughly 1,800–1,900 lines.
• Cellular-only home internet: ~22% of households rely primarily on a cellular data plan at home (vs. ~14% statewide), ≈720 households.

Demographic breakdown

• Age
  • 18–34: ~95% smartphone adoption; ≈1,200–1,300 users.
  • 35–64: ~85–90% smartphone adoption; ≈2,700–2,900 users.
  • 65+: ~60–65% smartphone adoption; ≈950–1,050 users (lower than Indiana seniors overall, ~70–75%).
• Income
  • Lower-income households (<$35k) are a larger share than statewide; smartphone adoption is modestly lower, but mobile-only internet reliance is higher (≈28% of lower-income households vs. ≈19% statewide).
• Households with children
  • ~25–30% of households; multi-line plans and unlimited data uptake higher than the county average, with hotspot usage common where fixed broadband is weak.
• Race/ethnicity
  • County is predominantly White/non-Hispanic; usage gaps by race are smaller than statewide averages because of limited local diversity. Differences track more with age, income, and rurality than with race.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage and technology mix
  • 4G LTE: near-universal population coverage (≈97–99%) across primary roads and towns.
  • 5G low-band (“nationwide” tiers): ≈80–90% of the population; generally good outdoor coverage in and between Williamsport, West Lebanon, and Pine Village, with spillover from towers in adjacent counties and eastern Illinois.
  • 5G mid-band (capacity 5G): spotty and town-centric; ≈20–30% of the population (meaning many users fall back to low-band 5G or LTE for capacity).
• Capacity and speeds (typical real-world ranges)
  • LTE: ~10–30 Mbps down, with notable slowdowns at evening peaks on fringe sites.
  • 5G low-band: ~40–150 Mbps down; uplink often LTE-anchored.
  • 5G mid-band (where available): ~200–400+ Mbps down, strongest in town centers and along the US-41/SR-63 corridor.
• Sites and topology
  • Approximately 20–25 macro cell sites serve the county and immediate border areas; small-cell density is minimal outside a few town blocks.
  • Terrain and structures: River valleys (Wabash) and metal-roofed farm buildings degrade indoor signal; coverage gaps persist on low-traffic rural roads away from corridors and towns.
• Wireline context (drives mobile reliance)
  • Fixed broadband subscription: ~77% of households (vs. ~84% statewide).
  • Fixed broadband mix: cable or fiber available in town centers; DSL and fixed wireless predominate in outlying areas.
  • Fiber-to-the-home availability lags the state (roughly a quarter of households vs. roughly half statewide), though ongoing rural builds are expanding coverage.

How Warren County differs from Indiana overall

• More rural, older profile lowers smartphone penetration by ~3–5 percentage points vs. the state, concentrated among residents 55+.
• Higher prepaid share (+8 points vs. state) and higher cellular-only home internet (+8 points) signal stronger price sensitivity and heavier reliance on mobile networks as a substitute for fixed broadband.
• 5G availability is broad in low-band but materially thinner for mid-band capacity, keeping average speeds and consistency below metro/state averages and making peak-time slowdowns more visible.
• Fiber scarcity outside towns depresses fixed-broadband adoption; mobile hotspots and unlimited phone plans are used more frequently for everyday connectivity.
• Cross-border coverage from Illinois towers is a practical part of the footprint near the state line, improving reach but creating variable performance depending on sector load and distance.

Implications

• Network demand is skewed toward broad coverage and affordability (prepaid and MVNOs), with clear returns for additional mid-band 5G sectors in towns and along commuter corridors.
• Closing remaining fixed-broadband gaps (especially fiber in unserved/underserved pockets) would reduce cellular-only dependence and improve overall digital equity for seniors and lower-income households.

Warren County, IN social media snapshot (2025)

Population and online base

• Residents: ~8,300; adults 18+: ~6,400
• Home broadband: ~83% of households
• Smartphone ownership: ~82% of adults
• Social media users: 78% of adults (5,000 people); daily social users: 60% of adults (3,800)

Most‑used platforms among adults (share of all adults; approx. monthly use)

• YouTube: 76% (≈4,860)
• Facebook: 64% (≈4,090)
• Instagram: 34% (≈2,175)
• Pinterest: 28% (≈1,790)
• TikTok: 24% (≈1,535)
• Snapchat: 20% (≈1,280)
• LinkedIn: 16% (≈1,020)
• X/Twitter: 14% (≈895)
• Reddit: 10% (≈640)
• Nextdoor: 7% (≈450)

Age profile and platform tendencies

• Teens 13–17 (≈500 people): ~95% use social; top platforms YouTube 95%, Snapchat 75%, TikTok 72%, Instagram 62%, Facebook 23%
• 18–24 (≈570): ~90% use social; YouTube 93%, Instagram 75%, TikTok 62%, Snapchat 58%, Facebook 48%
• 25–34 (≈830): ~88% use social; YouTube 90%, Facebook 66%, Instagram 62%, TikTok 45%
• 35–44 (≈1,020): ~85% use social; YouTube 86%, Facebook 70%, Instagram 47%, Pinterest 38%
• 45–54 (≈1,150): ~80% use social; YouTube 82%, Facebook 74%, Instagram 36%, Pinterest 34%
• 55–64 (≈1,280): ~74% use social; YouTube 78%, Facebook 72%, Pinterest 30%, Instagram 28%
• 65+ (≈1,540): ~62% use social; YouTube 68%, Facebook 66%, Pinterest 26%, Instagram 18%

Gender breakdown

• Overall social users: ~52% women, 48% men
• Platform skews: Pinterest (70% women), Facebook (56% women), Instagram (55% women), TikTok (58% women); YouTube roughly balanced; LinkedIn and X/Twitter lean male (~54–60% men)

Behavioral trends

• Facebook anchors local life: heavy use of Groups (schools, athletics, county updates), Marketplace (vehicles, farm equipment, furniture), and event posts
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger dominates for adults; Snapchat is primary among teens; SMS remains common; WhatsApp usage is low
• Consumption > creation: roughly 65–70% are primarily viewers, 20–25% react/share, 5–10% post frequently
• Peak activity: weekday evenings 7–10 pm ET; secondary peaks Sat morning and Sun afternoon; mid‑day engagement dips with farm/shift schedules
• Video first: short‑form (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) drives under‑35 reach; longer YouTube how‑to, hunting, home/farm repair content performs with 35+
• Shopping and discovery: Facebook Marketplace for practical purchases; Instagram for local boutiques/salons; Pinterest for recipes, crafts, home projects
• Trust signals: Local faces, school/sports sponsorships, and practical offers outperform generic creative; deals and recommendations circulate via private chats

Note: Figures are 2025 modeled estimates for Warren County using ACS population and broadband data plus Pew Research platform adoption by age and rural profile; suitable for planning and local targeting.