Barren County

Here are current, high-level demographics for Barren County, Kentucky.

Population size

• Total population: about 45,400 (2024 Census Population Estimates). 2020 Census count: 44,485.

Age (ACS 2019–2023, 5-year)

• Median age: ~41.8 years
• Under 18: ~23%
• 18 to 64: ~58%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Gender (ACS 2019–2023)

• Female: ~50.7%
• Male: ~49.3%

Race/ethnicity (ACS 2019–2023)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~88–89%
• Black or African American: ~4%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~4%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Asian: ~0.5–1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.3%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

• Total households: ~18,000–18,500
• Average household size: ~2.4–2.5
• Family households: ~66%
• Married-couple families: ~48–50%
• Households with children under 18: ~27–28%
• Nonfamily households: ~34%
• One-person households: ~29–31%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~70–72%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (2024) and American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates (tables DP05, S0101, DP02, DP04). Figures are estimates and rounded.

Barren County, KY: email usage snapshot (estimates)

• Estimated adult email users: ~26–27k. Based on ~45.6k residents, ~78% adults, ~80% online, and ~93% of online adults using email.
• Age distribution (approx. share of adult email users):
  • 18–29: ~17%
  • 30–49: ~34%
  • 50–64: ~26%
  • 65+: ~24%
• Gender split: roughly even (~49% men, ~51% women).

Digital access trends:

• ~80% of households have a broadband subscription; 85–90% have a computer/smartphone; 12–18% are smartphone‑only users.
• Fiber/cable strongest in and around Glasgow; fixed wireless and satellite fill rural gaps. Adoption trending upward with ongoing Kentucky BEAD‑funded builds (2024–2025).

Local density/connectivity facts:

• Population ~45.6k; density ~90–95 people/sq. mi.
• FCC maps indicate a large share of addresses have ≥100/20 Mbps service available, with some rural pockets still below that.
• Libraries and schools provide public Wi‑Fi access points.

Sources/method: U.S. Census ACS 2023 (population, device and broadband subscription), Pew Research 2023–2024 (near‑universal email use among online adults, minimal gender differences), FCC National Broadband Map 2024 (service availability). Estimates; local conditions vary.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Barren County, Kentucky

Context

• Population: roughly 45,000; one small city (Glasgow) plus smaller towns (Cave City, Park City) and large rural areas. Older and lower-income profile than Kentucky overall, with more agricultural and manufacturing employment and fewer urban commuters.

User estimates (order-of-magnitude, method below)

• Adult mobile users: 31,000–33,000 adults use a mobile phone of some kind (about 88–94% of adults).
• Adult smartphone users: 28,000–31,000 (about 80–88% of adults).
• Teens (13–17) with phones: roughly 3,000–3,500.
• Total unique mobile users (all ages): 32,000–36,000 (about 70–78% of total residents), with many children under 13 not yet using a phone.
• Smartphone-only internet households: noticeably above the Kentucky average (low-to-mid teens percentage of households locally vs low-teens statewide), reflecting patchy fixed broadband in some rural tracts and tighter household budgets.

Demographic patterns (how Barren differs from statewide)

• Age: Larger share of residents 65+, where smartphone ownership and data-plan spending are lower. Voice/SMS-only or basic smartphones remain more common than in Kentucky’s urban counties.
• Income and plan type: Higher reliance on prepaid/MVNO plans (e.g., Straight Talk, Cricket, Metro) and single-line plans than the state average; more price sensitivity and device longevity (slower upgrade cycles).
• Platform mix: Android likely a larger share than in Kentucky’s metro counties; iPhone share lower outside Glasgow/Cave City.
• Work and school use: More mobile use for field-based work (agriculture, trades, logistics) and hotspotting for homework in pockets without reliable fixed broadband.
• ACP wind-down impact: The end of Affordable Connectivity Program funding in 2024 disproportionately affects Barren’s low-income households; expect downgrades to smaller data buckets and increased prepaid churn relative to the state overall.

Digital infrastructure (coverage and capacity)

• Coverage pattern: Strongest around Glasgow, along the Cumberland Parkway and I-65 near Cave City/Park City, and on main corridors (US‑31E, KY‑90). Rural hollows and ridge/valley areas east and northeast of Glasgow still have LTE-only pockets and occasional dead zones. Corridor-centric 5G is more pronounced here than the state average.
• 5G availability: Mid-band/sub-6 5G is generally available in and around Glasgow and along the interstates/parkways; many outer rural areas remain LTE-first. Compared to statewide, the off-highway 5G footprint is thinner and more fragmented.
• Carrier balance: AT&T and Verizon tend to have the most consistent rural reach; T‑Mobile coverage has improved along highways and in town but remains spottier on back roads. MVNO users can see speed deprioritization during busy times, making performance gaps more noticeable than in Kentucky’s larger cities.
• Tower/backhaul: Fewer macro sites per square mile than state urban areas, with several co-located towers near Glasgow/Cave City. Local fiber from providers such as Glasgow EPB and regional cooperatives supports backhaul upgrades on major sites, but small-cell density is limited outside Glasgow.
• Fixed alternatives shaping mobile use: Fiber and cable are available in and near towns; some rural tracts still depend on legacy DSL or satellite. Fixed wireless access (5G Home/4G LTE Home) is emerging around town edges but is less consistently available deeper rural than in Kentucky’s larger metros, sustaining higher mobile hotspot use.

Key trends versus Kentucky statewide

• Adoption: Slightly lower adult smartphone adoption than the state average, driven by older age structure and lower incomes; any-mobile-phone ownership remains high.
• Dependence: Higher reliance on mobile data as a primary home connection in rural tracts; more hotspotting for school/work than the state average.
• Network experience: More LTE-only areas and greater speed variability off major corridors; median speeds trail the state’s urban counties, especially for MVNO users at peak times.
• Plans and devices: Higher prepaid share, longer device replacement cycles, and a tilt toward Android versus Kentucky’s metro areas.
• Affordability shock: ACP’s lapse has a larger local effect, likely increasing plan downgrades and switching behavior more than statewide averages.

Outlook (12–24 months)

• Gradual 5G expansion from corridor/town centers outward as carriers continue mid-band upgrades and fiber backhaul improves.
• Fixed wireless access growth around Glasgow/Cave City may reduce hotspotting near town but deep-rural improvements will be incremental.
• Price sensitivity will keep prepaid and budget-friendly plans central to the market.

Method notes

• Estimates combine 2020–2023 population figures for Barren County with national/rural smartphone ownership rates (Pew and industry reports) adjusted downward for age/income relative to Kentucky averages. Where precise county-level mobile metrics aren’t published, figures are presented as ranges and qualitative comparisons grounded in rural Kentucky patterns and local geography/infrastructure.

Barren County, KY social media snapshot

Baseline

• Population: ~45K residents; ~35K adults (18+).
• Estimated adult social media users: 24K–27K (roughly 70–75% of adults). Including teens would add several thousand high-use users.

Age groups (share using any social platform; local estimates from national + rural adjustments)

• 13–17: 90–95% (Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram dominant).
• 18–29: 90–95% (heavy multi-platform use).
• 30–49: 80–90% (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram; growing TikTok/Reels).
• 50–64: 65–80% (Facebook, YouTube; some Pinterest).
• 65+: 45–60% (primarily Facebook; YouTube for tutorials/news).

Gender breakdown (of social media users; approximate)

• Women: ~52–55% (over-index on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram).
• Men: ~45–48% (over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X).

Most-used platforms by adults in Barren County (estimated share of adults who use each)

• YouTube: 75–85%
• Facebook: 60–70%
• Instagram: 30–40%
• TikTok: 25–35%
• Snapchat: 20–30% (skews under 30)
• Pinterest: 25–35% (skews female, home/recipes/DIY)
• X (Twitter): 10–15% (sports/news followers)
• LinkedIn: 10–15% (smaller professional cohort)
• Reddit: 10–15%
• Nextdoor: 5–10% (limited footprint outside denser neighborhoods)

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first on Facebook: Heavy use of Groups (schools, churches, youth sports, civic clubs), local news/weather, lost-and-found pets, and Marketplace (vehicles, farm/outdoor gear, furniture).
• Short-form video growth: TikTok and Instagram Reels used for local events, boutiques in Glasgow/Cave City, outdoors content, high school sports highlights.
• How-to and sports on YouTube: DIY, automotive, hunting/fishing, tech fixes; regional and high school sports replays.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is the default; Snapchat messaging prevalent among teens/college-age. WhatsApp usage modest.
• Shopping and discovery: Deals, giveaways, and “shop local” posts drive engagement; women 25–54 engage strongly with boutique, home, and food content; men engage with tools, trucks, outdoor, and sports.
• Timing: Evenings and weekends see the highest local engagement; weather events and school/athletics announcements spike activity.
• Tourism tie-ins: Cave City/Mammoth Cave traffic and Barren River Lake content perform on Instagram/TikTok during peak seasons.

Notes and method

• County-level platform statistics aren’t directly published. Figures above are reasoned estimates using Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. social media adoption rates, rural vs. urban deltas, and Barren County’s age/gender profile from recent ACS population estimates. Use ranges for planning rather than precise measurement.