Breathitt County

Breathitt County, Kentucky — key demographics

Population

• Total: 13,718 (2020 Census). 2023 estimate: about 13.2k.

Age

• Median age: ~43 years
• Under 18: ~21–22%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Female: ~50.5–51%
• Male: ~49–49.5%

Race and Hispanic origin (shares; may not sum to 100 due to rounding; Hispanic is an ethnicity)

• White alone: ~95–96%
• Black or African American alone: ~1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.3%
• Asian alone: ~0.3%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~1%

Households (ACS 5-year, 2018–2022)

• Number of households: ~5,100
• Persons per household (avg): ~2.3
• Family households: ~65–67% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~24–26%
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: ~75–76%

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

Breathitt County, KY is a small, rural county (population roughly 13–14k; ~27 people per sq. mile), which shapes digital and email use.

Estimated email users

• 7,500–9,000 residents use email at least monthly. Basis: adult share of population (75–80%), rural internet adoption (80–85%), and email use among internet users (~90%+).

Age distribution and email adoption (approx.)

• Under 18 (~22–24% of residents): 50–70% use email (often school-related).
• 18–34 (~20–25%): ~95% use email.
• 35–64 (~38–42%): 85–95%.
• 65+ (~18–22%): 60–75%, rising with telehealth and government services.

Gender split

• Population is near 50/50 with a slight female majority; email adoption is essentially parity by gender.

Digital access and trends

• Home internet adoption is below U.S. average; smartphone‑only access is common (~20–25% of connected adults).
• Connectivity is densest in and around Jackson (cable/fiber available); outlying hollows rely more on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite. Terrain (hills/valleys) dampens speed and reliability.
• Public Wi‑Fi (library, schools, municipal buildings) remains an important access point.
• Gradual fiber buildouts are improving speeds, but affordability pressures increased after the federal ACP subsidy lapsed, potentially reducing consistent home email access.

Mobile phone usage in Breathitt County, Kentucky — summary with county-specific differences from statewide patterns

Context snapshot

• Rural Appalachian county (county seat: Jackson), population roughly 12–14k with lower income and higher poverty than Kentucky overall. Terrain is mountainous with many hollows, which complicates radio coverage and backhaul.

User estimates

• Adult smartphone users: approximately 7,500–9,000 residents (about 70–80% of adults), lower than Kentucky’s adult smartphone adoption, which is closer to the low-to-mid 80s percent.
• Households with at least one smartphone: about 82–86% of households (Kentucky ~89–91%).
• Households primarily relying on cellular data for home internet (smartphone-only or mobile hotspots as main connection): about 28–35% of households in the county, versus ~18–20% statewide.
• Fixed home internet subscription (any): roughly 62–68% of households, versus ~79–81% statewide. This gap is a major driver of heavier mobile dependence.

Demographic patterns

• Age:
  • 18–34: very high smartphone adoption (≈95%+), similar to state.
  • 35–64: high adoption (≈85–90%), slightly below state averages.
  • 65+: materially lower adoption (≈55–65%) compared with Kentucky seniors (~70%+). Seniors are less likely to use data-heavy apps and more likely to keep basic/older devices.
• Income and education:
  • Under $25k income and households with a high school diploma or less show the highest smartphone-only reliance (≈35–45% vs ≈20–30% statewide). These groups are more likely to use prepaid plans and to forgo fixed broadband.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • The county is predominantly White non-Hispanic; sample sizes for other groups are small, so gaps by race are less discernible than at the state level.

Usage behaviors that diverge from state trends

• Greater mobile substitution: A significantly larger share of households uses mobile service as their primary or only internet connection, leading to data-conserving behavior (lower-resolution streaming, heavy use of Facebook/Messenger, TikTok, YouTube, and Wi‑Fi offload at schools/libraries).
• More prepaid/MVNO and regional-carrier usage: Price sensitivity and credit constraints drive higher prepaid adoption and meaningful share for Appalachian Wireless compared with the rest of Kentucky.
• Older devices and slower upgrade cycles: A higher share of Android and budget models; slower uptake of 5G-capable phones than the state average.
• Lower senior adoption: The 65+ gap is wider than Kentucky overall, which depresses countywide averages for app-based services (banking, telehealth video) and text/video calling.

Digital infrastructure notes (mobile and backhaul)

• Carriers present: Appalachian Wireless (regional), AT&T (including FirstNet for public safety), and Verizon have the most practical coverage; T‑Mobile service is spottier than state average.
• Coverage:
  • 4G LTE: Strongest in/around Jackson and along major corridors (e.g., KY‑15), with persistent dead zones in hollows and ridge-shadowed areas.
  • 5G: Limited low‑band 5G near population centers; mid‑band depth is thin compared with larger Kentucky metros; no mmWave. Effective 5G availability lags state averages.
• Capacity and performance: Lower median speeds and more congestion during peak times than Kentucky averages due to fewer sectors per site, challenging terrain, and constrained backhaul in outlying areas.
• Backhaul and fiber:
  • Middle‑mile fiber from statewide initiatives (e.g., KentuckyWired) and incremental fiber-to-the-home builds by regional providers are improving resilience and backhaul, but last‑mile fixed broadband remains patchy outside town centers—one reason mobile remains a lifeline connection.
• Resilience: Flooding and severe weather (notably the 2022 floods) highlight vulnerabilities—power backups vary by site, and fiber routes are exposed in narrow valleys—contributing to service interruptions that are less frequent in much of the state.

What’s most different from the Kentucky statewide picture

1. A notably higher share of smartphone-only/mobile-reliant households.
2. Lower fixed broadband adoption, reinforcing mobile dependence.
3. Larger senior adoption gap.
4. Higher prevalence of prepaid and regional carrier subscriptions; weaker T‑Mobile footprint.
5. Narrower and more fragmented 5G coverage with lower typical mobile speeds.
6. Older handsets and slower device replacement.
7. Greater use of public Wi‑Fi offload and community anchor institutions to supplement mobile service.

Method and uncertainty notes

• Estimates synthesize recent ACS 5‑year county data on device and internet subscriptions, statewide Kentucky benchmarks, FCC mobile coverage filings, and rural adoption research. Small-county samples and terrain-driven coverage variability introduce uncertainty, so figures are presented as ranges and directional differences rather than exact counts.

Below is a concise, county-specific snapshot built from 2020 Census/ACS demographics plus recent Pew Research social media patterns, adjusted for rural Kentucky broadband and age mix. Treat figures as modeled estimates, not official counts.

Quick snapshot

• Population: ~13,700 (Breathitt County)
• Internet access: lower-than-average broadband; many mobile-only users
• Estimated social media users (age 13+): ~8,500–9,200 people (≈62–67% of total population; ≈75–80% of adults with internet access)
• Primary access device: smartphone-first

Age mix of social media users (share of all local social users)

• 13–17: ~8–10% (very active; Snapchat/TikTok heavy, little posting on Facebook)
• 18–29: ~18–22% (multi-platform; Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat + YouTube; Facebook for community)
• 30–49: ~32–36% (Facebook and Messenger core; Instagram secondary; YouTube common)
• 50–64: ~19–23% (Facebook and YouTube dominant; some Pinterest)
• 65+: ~16–19% (Facebook primary; YouTube for news/how‑to; lower use of newer apps)

Gender breakdown (among local social users)

• Female: ~51–53%
• Male: ~47–49%
• Pattern notes: Women over-index on Facebook groups/Marketplace and Pinterest; men slightly over-index on YouTube and Reddit. Nonbinary users are present but not well captured in available surveys.

Most-used platforms in Breathitt County (share of local social media users; ranges reflect uncertainty)

• Facebook: ~75–85% (most daily; strongest in 30+ and for local news/groups)
• YouTube: ~75–85% (ubiquitous across ages; how‑to, music, sports highlights)
• Facebook Messenger: ~60–70% (default local messaging and event coordination)
• Instagram: ~30–40% (younger adults; cross-posts from Facebook common)
• TikTok: ~28–36% (teens/younger adults; local creators, trends, weather/emergency clips)
• Snapchat: ~18–25% overall, but ~60–75% of teens/early 20s
• Pinterest: ~18–25% (women 25–54; recipes, crafts, home)
• X/Twitter: ~8–12% (sports, state politics, weather)
• Reddit: ~5–8% (younger males; niche interests)
• LinkedIn: ~7–12% (teachers, healthcare, public sector; job search)

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first use: School closings, high‑school sports, church events, obituaries, fundraisers, local government and emergency management updates (flooding/roads) see the highest engagement.
• Groups > pages: Buy/sell/trade, yard sales, lost & found, hunting/fishing, youth sports, and neighborhood watch groups drive daily traffic. Marketplace is heavily used for micro‑commerce and “porch pickup.”
• Evenings and storms spike activity: Peak posting/engagement 7–10 pm; weather events and school decisions produce rapid surges. Live video (Facebook Live) is common during emergencies and games.
• Trust is local: Content from known admins (school district, county EM, sheriff, coaches, pastors) travels fast; rumor control posts perform well when specific and timely.
• Messaging is the backbone: FB Messenger group chats coordinate teams, rides, and events; teens use Snapchat groups; older adults rely on SMS if broadband is spotty.
• Content formats: Short vertical video (TikTok/Reels) for entertainment and announcements; YouTube for how‑to/repair; photo albums for sports and community events. Text/image posts still perform well in Facebook groups.
• Younger users are present but quieter: Teens/20‑somethings consume locally relevant content but avoid public commenting; they share privately or via Stories/Snaps.
• Ads and targeting: Small businesses “boost” Facebook posts to tight radii (25–50 miles); promos tied to paydays, school seasons, sports, or weather perform best.
• Access constraints matter: Patchy broadband pushes mobile-first strategies, smaller video sizes, and offline-friendly info (e.g., images with key details).

Notes on method

• Estimates combine county population/age structure with rural-Kentucky-adjusted platform penetration from recent national surveys. Ranges reflect uncertainty and access variability within the county.