Estill County

Key demographics — Estill County, Kentucky

Population

• 14,163 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~42 years
• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50%

Race/ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022, 5-year estimates)

• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~96–97%
• Black or African American alone: ~0–1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0–1%
• Asian alone: <1%
• Two or more races: ~1–2%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~1–2%

Households (ACS 2018–2022, 5-year estimates)

• ~5,700 households
• Average household size: ~2.4
• Family households: ~66%
• Owner-occupied housing units: ~73–75%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates (DP05, DP02, DP04). Estimates have margins of error.

Estill County, KY (pop. ~14.2k; ~56 people/sq. mi).

Estimated email users: 8.5–9.2k adults (about 75–82% of adults; ~60–65% of all residents), based on local internet access rates and typical email use among internet users.

Age distribution of email users (approx.):

• 18–34: ~27%
• 35–64: ~52%
• 65+: ~21% Seniors participate at lower rates than mid‑life adults.

Gender split: roughly even, ~51% women and ~49% men among users.

Digital access and trends:

• Around 70% of households have a broadband subscription and ~85% have a computer or smartphone (ACS S2801, 2018–2022).
• About 1 in 5 adults are likely smartphone‑only users, which can constrain email-heavy tasks (Pew national patterns; rural rates trend higher).
• Broadband options are densest in and around Irvine and Ravenna; many outlying areas have fewer wired choices and rely on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite.
• Public Wi‑Fi from schools and libraries supplements access.
• Gradual gains in home broadband and smartphones continue, but terrain and low density leave pockets with slower or less reliable connectivity, impacting older and lower‑income residents most.

Below is a concise, county-specific picture built from public data patterns (Census/ACS, Pew/NTIA adoption trends, FCC coverage maps) and rural Appalachian market behavior. Figures are estimates with ranges to reflect uncertainty and recent changes such as the lapse of ACP subsidies in 2024.

Headline estimate (users)

• Population baseline: ~14–15k residents (Estill County). Adults (18+): ~11–12k.
• Mobile phone users (any mobile): ~11–13k people.
• Smartphone users: ~8.5–10k people.
• Feature-phone/limited-data users: ~1–2k people.
• Households primarily relying on mobile data for home internet: roughly 15–22% of ~5–6k households (≈800–1,200 households).

Demographic breakdown (how usage skews)

• Age
  • 65+ share is higher than Kentucky’s average. Smartphone adoption among seniors trails the state by several points; more flip/feature phone retention and voice/text-first behavior.
  • Teens have high smartphone adoption, but data-plan constraints are more common; Wi‑Fi dependence at school/library is notable.
• Income/education
  • Lower median income and higher poverty rates than the state average correlate with:
    • Greater use of prepaid/MVNO plans and hotspotting instead of fixed broadband.
    • Longer device replacement cycles (often 3–4 years) and more used/refurbished devices.
    • Higher smartphone-only internet reliance (mobile as primary/only connection).
• Race/ethnicity
  • County is predominantly White; differences in usage are driven more by income, terrain, and age than by race/ethnicity compared with Kentucky overall.

Digital infrastructure (coverage and capacity)

• Radio access
  • 4G LTE is the workhorse countywide. 5G is present mainly in/near Irvine–Ravenna and along primary corridors; valleys/hollows still see LTE only or weak signals.
  • Low-band 5G (e.g., 600/700/850 MHz) improves reach but performance swings with terrain; mid-band 5G capacity is limited outside town centers.
• Carriers and plans
  • AT&T and Verizon generally provide the most reliable rural coverage; T‑Mobile has improved with low-band spectrum but still shows indoor gaps in some valleys.
  • Prepaid and MVNO usage is higher than the state average; Lifeline usage is meaningful. The end of ACP funding in 2024 likely pushed more households toward mobile-only solutions or plan downgrades.
• Backhaul and sites
  • Macro towers cluster along KY-52/KY-89, town centers, and river/rail corridors; ridge-and-hollow topography creates dead zones off the main routes.
  • Backhaul is a mix of fiber and microwave; capacity constraints are more common on busy evening hours than in metro Kentucky.
• Fixed broadband interplay
  • Cable is largely town-limited; legacy DSL remains in outlying areas with uneven speeds; pockets of fiber and fixed wireless exist, with additional builds expected from recent state/federal programs.
  • Where fixed options are weak, households lean on unlimited (or “soft cap”) mobile plans and hotspot devices.

How Estill County differs from Kentucky overall

• Adoption level: Overall mobile ownership is high but smartphone penetration is a bit lower than the state average due to an older population and affordability barriers.
• Plan mix: Significantly higher share of prepaid/MVNO and Lifeline participation; more price-sensitive plan selection and data rationing.
• Network experience: More LTE-only areas and variable indoor coverage; 5G availability and mid-band capacity trail state metro areas by a wider margin.
• Internet reliance: Higher rate of mobile-only home internet and hotspot use versus the state average, amplified by patchy fixed broadband.
• Upgrade cadence: Slower device refresh and more refurbished/secondhand devices; accessory repair shops and mail-in repairs play a larger role than carrier stores.
• Usage patterns: Heavier reliance on voice/SMS for older adults; younger users offload to public Wi‑Fi (schools, libraries) more than peers in better-connected Kentucky metros.

Notes on method

• Population from 2020 Census/ACS; device adoption and smartphone reliance calibrated from rural/Appalachian patterns in Pew/NTIA, adjusted for Estill’s age/income profile; coverage and infrastructure from FCC maps, carrier buildouts, and Appalachian terrain effects. Ranges reflect local variability and 2024 program/funding shifts.

Below is a concise, county‑level snapshot built from Estill County’s population profile and recent U.S./rural social‑media benchmarks (Pew Research Center and similar). Figures are estimates, not direct local measurements.

Baseline and user count

• Population: ~14.2k residents (2020 Census order of magnitude)
• Residents 13+: ~86% ≈ 12.2k
• Active social media users (13+): ~9.0k–9.5k (≈75% of 13+)

Age mix of active users (share of the ~9–9.5k users)

• 13–17: ~9%
• 18–29: ~20%
• 30–49: ~37%
• 50–64: ~22%
• 65+: ~12% Pattern: Very high adoption under 30; strong but platform‑selective use 50–64; about half of 65+ on at least one platform.

Gender

• County population is roughly balanced; active social users skew slightly female.
• Estimated among active users: ~52% female, ~48% male.
• Platform skews: Pinterest and TikTok lean female; Reddit and YouTube lean male; Facebook fairly balanced.

Most‑used platforms in Estill County (share of social media users; approximate)

• YouTube: ~80% (≈7.3–7.6k users)
• Facebook: ~72–75% (≈6.6–7.1k) — Groups/Marketplace dominate local usage
• Instagram: ~30–35% (≈2.7–3.3k)
• TikTok: ~25–30% (≈2.3–2.8k)
• Pinterest: ~22–26% (≈2.0–2.4k; mostly women, lifestyle/DIY)
• Snapchat: ~20–24% (≈1.8–2.2k; teens/young adults)
• X (Twitter): ~12–15% (≈1.1–1.4k; niche)
• Reddit: ~10–13% (≈0.9–1.2k; younger/male skew)
• LinkedIn: ~8–12% (≈0.7–1.1k; professionals)
• WhatsApp: ~8–12% (lower than national average; family/intl ties)

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the local hub: Heavy reliance on Groups for school updates, weather alerts, obituaries, yard sales, church events, high‑school sports, and public‑safety posts. Marketplace is a key buy/sell channel.
• Video first: Short‑form clips (Facebook Reels/TikTok) and YouTube “how‑to”/outdoors content perform well; Facebook Live is used for local happenings and church services.
• Community trust dynamics: Posts from recognizable local admins, agencies, and schools earn outsized engagement; word‑of‑mouth sharing drives reach for fundraisers and missing‑pet notices.
• Younger users: Prefer TikTok/Snapchat/Instagram; sports highlights, music, local eateries, and meme content travel fastest. Many also consume YouTube daily.
• Older users: Concentrated on Facebook and YouTube; fewer platforms, higher engagement per post, especially with local news, health, and civic topics.
• Timing: Evenings and weekends see the most activity; storm days and school‑calendar milestones spike engagement.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is the default DM channel; limited WhatsApp use.
• Ads and promotions: Giveaways, coupons, and event reminders on Facebook achieve cost‑efficient local reach; short, vertical video outperforms static posts.

Method note

• Estimates combine county population structure with recent U.S./rural platform adoption rates; small, rural counties vary, so treat figures as directional ranges rather than precise counts.