Bell County

Bell County, Kentucky — key demographics

Population

• 24,097 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age

• Median age: ~41.5 years
• Under 18: ~21%
• 18–64: ~58%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Female: ~51.5%
• Male: ~48.5%

Race/ethnicity (ACS estimates; percentages rounded)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~93%
• Black or African American: ~3–4%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~1.5–2%
• Asian: <1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: <1%

Households and housing

• Households: ~9,900
• Average household size: ~2.4
• Family households: ~64%
• Married-couple families: ~44%
• Households with children under 18: ~28%
• Owner-occupied: ~66%; Renter-occupied: ~34%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates.

Bell County, KY — email usage snapshot

• Population: ~24,000 residents.
• Estimated email users: ~15,000–18,000 (≈65–75% of residents), based on local internet adoption and national email use norms.
• Age pattern (share using email):
  • 18–29: ~95%
  • 30–49: ~90%
  • 50–64: ~80–85%
  • 65+: ~70–80%
• Gender split: roughly even; no meaningful gap in overall email adoption, though daily use may skew slightly higher among women in some surveys.
• Digital access trends (ACS-style profiles for similar rural KY counties):
  • ~70–75% of households have a broadband subscription.
  • ~15–20% are smartphone‑only at home.
  • ~20–25% report no home internet subscription.
  • Public libraries/schools in Middlesboro and Pineville provide important free Wi‑Fi access.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Low rural density (~65 people per square mile) with population concentrated in Middlesboro/Pineville.
  • Mountainous terrain leads to pockets of limited fixed‑line broadband; coverage is generally stronger in town centers and along major corridors, with weaker service in remote hollows.

Notes: Estimates synthesize U.S. Census/ACS internet-access rates for Bell County and Pew Research findings on email adoption. Actual counts will vary by neighborhood and provider availability.

Bell County, KY: Mobile phone usage summary (with county-specific trends vs. Kentucky overall)

Quick snapshot

• Population baseline: Roughly 24,000 residents, ~9,500–10,000 households, with an older and lower‑income profile than the state average and largely rural/mountainous terrain (Middlesboro–Pineville corridor with dispersed hollows elsewhere).
• Big picture difference from Kentucky: Higher dependence on mobile phones for primary internet access, more prepaid and budget Android usage, and more pronounced coverage variability due to topography.

User estimates

• Individual smartphone users: Approximately 14,500–16,500 residents use smartphones (most adults plus the majority of teens). This is somewhat lower as a share of the population than statewide, but still the dominant device.
• Households with a cellular data plan: On the order of 5,900–6,400 households have a mobile data plan tied to a smartphone or hotspot. That share is below the statewide average.
• Smartphone‑only households (no fixed home broadband): Likely around 22–28% of households—meaning roughly 2,200–2,700 households rely primarily on mobile data. This is notably higher than the Kentucky average.
• Plan mix: Prepaid and discount MVNOs (e.g., Cricket, Straight Talk, Boost) are more common than in metro Kentucky, driven by income sensitivity and credit constraints.
• Device mix: Android share is higher than the state average; iPhone penetration is lower outside the main towns.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age: A larger 55+ and 65+ population than the state average lowers overall smartphone adoption rates and reduces uptake of feature‑rich plans; however, working‑age adults and teens have adoption rates closer to statewide norms.
• Income and education: Higher poverty and lower educational attainment correlate with:
  • Above‑average smartphone‑only internet reliance
  • Heavier use of prepaid plans and data‑capped tiers
  • More hotspotting to support homework/work tasks where home broadband is absent
• Families with children: K‑12 households show high smartphone penetration and hotspot usage, but device sharing is more common than statewide.
• Race/ethnicity and language: The county is less diverse than Kentucky overall; limited‑English populations are smaller, so language‑driven device or plan differentiation is less pronounced than in urban counties.

Digital infrastructure and coverage (county specifics)

• Terrain and dead zones: Steep ridges and narrow valleys produce spotty signal beyond the US‑25E corridor and town centers. Indoor coverage issues are more frequent than the statewide average in outlying areas.
• 5G footprint: Low‑band 5G is present along major corridors and in Middlesboro/Pineville, but mid‑band capacity sites are fewer than in Kentucky’s urban and suburban counties. Users frequently fall back to LTE in hollows and side roads.
• Carrier performance:
  • Verizon and AT&T generally provide the most consistent rural coverage; T‑Mobile is improving but remains more variable off‑corridor.
  • FirstNet (AT&T) coverage tracks the main highways and public‑safety points, but terrain still limits deep‑valley reliability.
• Backhaul: Fiber backhaul is concentrated in and between the towns; microwave backhaul appears more common on hilltop sites serving rural areas. This constrains peak capacity compared with larger Kentucky metros.
• Wireline competition: Cable broadband is available in town centers (e.g., Middlesboro), but fiber‑to‑the‑home is limited in rural tracts. Many rural addresses have only DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite options—driving mobile‑only reliance above the state norm.
• Public and anchor connectivity: Libraries, schools, and county facilities are comparatively important access points. KentuckyWired/middle‑mile and recent state/federal funds are improving backhaul, but last‑mile buildouts lag urban Kentucky.
• Resilience: Power outages and limited battery backup at smaller sites can disrupt service during storms more than in urban counties.

How Bell County differs from Kentucky overall (key trends)

• Higher smartphone‑only internet dependence and lower home broadband subscription rates.
• Lower average plan spend and higher prepaid/MVNO share; more users on data‑capped plans.
• Greater coverage variability and more dead zones due to mountainous terrain; weaker indoor signal outside towns.
• Slower rollout of capacity‑focused 5G (mid‑band) and fewer fiber‑fed cell sites than urban/suburban Kentucky.
• Digital equity gap is wider: older population and higher poverty dampen overall smartphone adoption and app/service usage intensity.
• Public Wi‑Fi and school/library connectivity play a larger role as “safety valves” for heavy data tasks than in most Kentucky counties.

Notes on uncertainty and data sources

• Estimates synthesize county demographics, ACS computer/internet subscription indicators, FCC coverage patterns, and known Appalachian rural trends. Exact current figures vary by neighborhood and carrier.

Below is a concise, county-level snapshot using modeled estimates for rural Kentucky/Appalachia and platform benchmarks. Exact, published Bell County–only figures are scarce, so treat percentages as directional ranges.

Overall penetration

• Residents using at least one social platform weekly: ~70–80% of teens/adults
• Daily users among social users: ~60–70%
• Primary access: mobile (Android-heavy), with frequent use of Facebook Messenger/SMS for communication

Most-used platforms (share of online adults in Bell County; estimated ranges)

• Facebook: 65–75% (dominant; Groups and Marketplace drive usage)
• YouTube: 70–80% (how‑tos, music, local sports highlights)
• Instagram: 30–40% (younger skew; cross-posts from Facebook common)
• TikTok: 25–35% (fast growth among under 35; entertainment and local humor)
• Snapchat: 20–30% (teens/20s; private messaging/stories)
• Pinterest: 25–35% (strong among women 25–54; DIY, recipes, crafts)
• X (Twitter): 10–15% (niche; weather, sports, news)
• LinkedIn: 8–12% (small; job search for healthcare/education/government)
• Nextdoor/Reddit: low single digits

Age patterns

• Teens (13–17): Snapchat and TikTok daily; YouTube constant; minimal Facebook except for school/sports updates via parents
• 18–24: TikTok/Instagram/Snapchat heavy; YouTube daily; Facebook mainly for events, groups, and marketplace
• 25–34: Facebook + Instagram core; TikTok growing; YouTube for tutorials/parenting/home projects
• 35–54: Facebook is hub (Groups, Marketplace, school/church/sports); YouTube; Pinterest strong among women
• 55+: Facebook and YouTube dominate; limited Instagram/TikTok adoption but increasing

Gender skew (directional)

• Facebook: slight female tilt; higher engagement in Groups and Marketplace
• Pinterest: heavily female
• YouTube: slight male tilt overall; how‑to, automotive, outdoors
• TikTok/Instagram: more balanced; TikTok tilts female among 25–44
• X/Reddit: male‑leaning and niche

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first: High engagement with local news, school sports, churches, youth activities, festivals, weather alerts, and road conditions. Facebook Groups are the heartbeat (city/county groups, buy/sell/trade, yard sales).
• Marketplace matters: Strong reliance on Facebook Marketplace for resale, vehicles, tools, and rentals.
• Private sharing > public posting: Many prefer Messenger, Snapchat, and private Groups over public feeds.
• Short-form video surge: TikTok and Reels consumption rising; repurposed Facebook Reels perform well when locally relevant.
• Timing: Evenings (6–10 pm) and weekends peak; midday bumps around lunch. Severe weather and major local games trigger spikes.
• Content that works: Local faces, family-friendly events, giveaways, sports highlights, before/after home projects, hunting/fishing/outdoors, congrats posts (graduates, teams, new businesses).
• Trust signals: Word-of-mouth via Groups; recommendations from known locals outperform generic ads.
• Jobs and services: Facebook posts/Groups and local pages trump LinkedIn for most roles; healthcare, education, public sector postings gain traction on Facebook.
• Bandwidth realities: Mobile-first video (under 30–45 seconds, captions on) and lightweight images load best for spotty connections.

Notes for planning/targeting

• Hyperlocal targeting around Middlesboro and Pineville performs best; avoid creative fatigue with small audiences by rotating assets and capping frequency.
• Use Facebook Events + cross-posting to Groups; pair with short Reels/TikToks.
• For teens/college-age, prioritize Snapchat/TikTok; for parents and homeowners, Facebook/Pinterest; for how‑to and product demos, YouTube.