Calloway County

Here are concise, rounded demographics for Calloway County, Kentucky. Figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; ACS 2018–2022 5-year estimates).

• Population: ~39,000–40,000 (≈39k in 2020; ≈39.4k ACS estimate)
• Age:
  • Median age: ~32 years
  • Under 18: ~17%
  • 18–24: ~20% (college presence)
  • 25–44: ~27%
  • 45–64: ~21%
  • 65+: ~15%
• Gender: ~49% male, ~51% female
• Race/ethnicity (any race for Hispanic):
  • White: ~86%
  • Black/African American: ~6–7%
  • Asian: ~2–3%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: <1%
  • Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: <0.1%
  • Two or more races: ~3–4%
  • Hispanic/Latino (of any race): ~3–4%
• Households:
  • Number of households: ~16,500
  • Average household size: ~2.3
  • Family households: ~56% (married-couple ~40%)
  • Nonfamily households: ~44%
  • One-person households: ~33–35%
  • Housing tenure: ~60% owner-occupied, ~40% renter-occupied

Calloway County, KY email usage (estimates)

• Population ~39,000; ~31,000 adults.
• Estimated adult email users: 22,000–27,000 (about 70–85% of adults), highest in Murray/campus areas.

Age pattern (share of each age group using email)

• 18–29: 95–99%
• 30–49: 93–97%
• 50–64: 85–92%
• 65+: 70–85%

Gender split

• Roughly even among users; men and women both near-universal adoption where connected.

Digital access trends

• Home internet subscription roughly in the low- to mid‑80% of households (in line with Kentucky averages); 10–15% are smartphone‑only internet users.
• Fiber/cable widely available in the city of Murray; rural parts rely more on DSL and fixed‑wireless, with some satellite use.
• Strong on‑campus and public Wi‑Fi (Murray State University, libraries) supports access for students and lower‑income residents.

Local density/connectivity facts

• Predominantly rural county anchored by Murray; university presence boosts connectivity and email reliance among younger adults.
• Connectivity is denser in town; outlying areas have fewer wired options and greater dependence on mobile and fixed‑wireless.

Notes: Figures are inferred from Kentucky and U.S. adoption patterns applied to Calloway’s population profile.

Overview Calloway County (pop. roughly 39–41k; county seat Murray, home to Murray State University) skews younger than Kentucky overall and is more urbanized than many western Kentucky counties. That university presence meaningfully lifts smartphone adoption, data use, and reliance on wireless-only service compared with the statewide pattern.

User estimates (orders of magnitude; rounded)

• Adult population (18+): ~30–32k.
• Estimated smartphone users: ~27–30k adults (driven by near-universal ownership among college-age residents; slightly above Kentucky’s average).
• Total mobile users including teens and secondary lines/tablets: ~34–38k unique users.
• Wireless-only (no landline) adults: likely ~78–82% in Calloway vs ~74–76% statewide, reflecting the county’s younger/renter/student mix.
• Prepaid/MVNO share: estimated 30–40% of lines (higher than the state average) due to student budgets and month-to-month flexibility.

Demographic patterns and usage

• Age:
  • 18–24: Larger share than state average because of the university; smartphone adoption ~95%+ and heavy app/video/social use, higher eSIM uptake, and more BYOD on family plans with out-of-county billing addresses.
  • 25–44: High adoption and multi-line family plans; common mobile hotspot use for backup connectivity.
  • 65+: Adoption is growing but remains below younger cohorts; more voice/SMS reliance and budget devices; some coverage sensitivity in rural fringes.
• Income/affordability:
  • Median household income is near or slightly below the statewide median; price sensitivity is notable.
  • The end of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program (mid-2024) likely nudged some households toward lower-cost prepaid or wireless-only broadband alternatives.
• Urban vs rural within the county:
  • Murray city and corridors along US‑641/KY‑80 show stronger signal and higher 5G availability; outlying communities (e.g., Almo, New Concord, Dexter, Kirksey) see more variability and occasional dead spots, especially in low-lying/wooded areas near Kentucky Lake.
• Student/international mix:
  • Above-average usage of Wi‑Fi calling and over-the-top apps (WhatsApp, FaceTime, Messenger) and more frequent device upgrades than the state overall.

Digital infrastructure and coverage (high level)

• Cellular networks:
  • 4G LTE is broadly available along primary corridors; 5G is present in and around Murray and major roads. Public carrier maps as of 2024 show low-band 5G from AT&T and Verizon and mid-band 5G from T‑Mobile focused on the city and highways, with patchier 5G off the main routes.
  • Capacity can be strained during campus events and game days; temporary congestion is more noticeable than in similarly sized non-university counties.
  • FirstNet Band 14 coverage is present on key corridors, improving public safety reliability versus older rural baselines.
• Backhaul and fiber:
  • Middle‑mile capacity benefits from KentuckyWired and regional fiber routes. Local last‑mile options include incumbent cable in Murray and cooperative fiber builds (e.g., WK&T and other regional providers) extending into rural areas; this has reduced reliance on mobile hotspots in some formerly unserved pockets.
• Fixed wireless/home internet:
  • 5G fixed wireless (T‑Mobile, Verizon) is available in and near Murray and along major roads; availability tapers in the outer parts of the county.
• Towers and siting:
  • Macro sites follow US‑641 and KY‑80 and encircle Murray; rural spacing leads to edge‑of‑cell performance variability. Terrain is gentler than eastern Kentucky, so coverage is generally more uniform than in Appalachian counties but still weaker near lakeshore/wooded zones.

How Calloway differs from Kentucky overall

• Higher smartphone adoption and wireless‑only prevalence due to the university’s young adult population and renter density.
• Heavier data consumption per user and greater reliance on app‑based messaging; more eSIM and prepaid/MVNO usage than the state average.
• Better baseline coverage than many rural eastern counties (flatter terrain, denser tower grid near the city), but sharper capacity spikes tied to campus events.
• Faster uptake of 5G fixed wireless and Wi‑Fi offload in town; rural fringes still rely on LTE with incremental 5G expansion.
• Ongoing fiber co‑op builds mean a quicker shift away from mobile‑hotspot‑as‑primary in certain rural pockets than seen in some other western KY counties.

Notes on methodology

• Estimates synthesize recent Census/ACS population structure, typical age‑by‑ownership rates from national survey research (e.g., Pew), state rural/urban adoption gaps, and carrier/FCC public coverage information as of 2024. Figures are intended as planning ranges rather than precise counts.

Below is a concise, estimation-based snapshot for Calloway County, KY (home to Murray State University). Figures are directional, blending Pew Research 2024 U.S. social media adoption with local age mix and a college-town adjustment. Treat as ±5–10 percentage points unless noted.

Topline user stats

• Population: ~39,000; adults 18+: ~30–32k
• Social media users: ~24–28k residents (roughly 75–80% of 13+; 70–78% of adults)
• Access backdrop: Broadband adoption likely ~80–85% of households; smartphone ownership ~85–90%

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

• 13–17: 7–9%
• 18–24: 22–26% (elevated due to Murray State)
• 25–34: 16–20%
• 35–49: 19–23%
• 50–64: 15–19%
• 65+: 10–13%

Gender breakdown

• Overall social media users: ~53% women, 47% men
• Platform skews: Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok trend female; Reddit and X (Twitter) trend male; Facebook roughly balanced but older-skewing

Most-used platforms (estimated share of local adults using monthly)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 70–75%
• Instagram: 50–55% overall; 18–24: ~80–90%
• Snapchat: 40–45% overall; 18–24: ~70–80%
• TikTok: 40–45% overall; 18–24: ~65–75%
• Facebook Messenger: 55–60%
• Pinterest: 30–35% (mostly women)
• LinkedIn: 25–30% (boosted by students/faculty/staff)
• X/Twitter: 18–22% (sports/news; strong around Murray State athletics)
• WhatsApp: 15–20% (international students)
• Reddit: 18–22% (tech, gaming, campus communities)

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the community hub: local groups, churches, city updates, Marketplace; best for reaching 30+ and families.
• Students coordinate on Snapchat and Instagram DMs; Stories/Reels are high-consumption formats for campus orgs and local eateries.
• TikTok drives discovery (restaurants, events, rentals, thrifting); short, place-tagged video performs best.
• YouTube is universal for how-to/DIY, music, and Racers athletics highlights; effective for mid-length educational content.
• Messaging split: Snapchat/Discord for student group chats; Messenger for community and buy/sell; WhatsApp clusters among international students.
• Commerce: Heavy Facebook Marketplace use; IG Shops limited but growing; peer-to-peer payments (Cash App/Venmo) common among students.
• Timing: Engagement peaks evenings (7–11 pm); students spike midday between classes; weekend lifts around athletics and downtown events.

Notes on method

• Derived from Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. platform usage, adjusted to Calloway County’s college-town profile and ACS demographics. Validate and fine-tune with your own Page Insights and ad-platform audience estimates.