Hardin County

Hardin County, Kentucky — key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau)

Population size

• Total population: 110,702 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age (ACS 2018–2022)

• Median age: ~36.6 years
• Under 18: ~25%
• 18–64: ~63%
• 65 and over: ~12%

Gender (ACS 2018–2022)

• Male: ~51%
• Female: ~49%

Racial and ethnic composition (2020 Census unless noted)

• White alone: ~74%
• Black or African American alone: ~13%
• Asian alone: ~3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.4%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.2%
• Some other race alone: ~2%
• Two or more races: ~7%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~8%
• White alone, non-Hispanic: ~70%

Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~42,300
• Average household size: ~2.6
• Family households: ~71% of households
• Married-couple families: ~49% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~33%
• Nonfamily households: ~29%
• Housing units: ~47,000; vacancy rate ~10%
• Homeownership rate: ~65%
• Average family size: ~3.1

Insights

• Younger than Kentucky overall (state median age ~39).
• More racially/ethnically diverse than the state average, with notable Black and Hispanic populations.
• Slight male majority, consistent with the local military presence (Fort Knox).
• Household size slightly above the state average; homeownership slightly below Kentucky’s statewide rate.

Hardin County, KY email usage (estimates based on 2022–2023 American Community Survey and recent Pew Research adoption rates):

• Population: ~113,000; density ~180 people per sq. mile.
• Estimated email users: 97,000 residents (86% of total population).

By age (share of pop → estimated email users):

• Under 18 (~24%): ~27,100 → ~19,000 use email (school-driven accounts common).
• 18–34 (~24%): ~27,100 → ~25,800 use email.
• 35–64 (~38%): ~42,900 → ~39,500 use email.
• 65+ (~14%): ~15,800 → ~13,000 use email.

Gender split:

• County population is roughly even by sex; email usage shows no meaningful gender gap. Approximate split of email users: ~49% female, ~51% male.

Digital access and trends:

• Households: 43,500; ~92% have a computer (40,000 households).
• Broadband subscription: 86% of households (37,000), near U.S. average and above many Kentucky counties.
• Smartphone-only internet households: 12% (5,200), higher in rural fringes.
• Connectivity: Most residents are in the Elizabethtown–Radcliff–Fort Knox corridor with widespread cable/fiber gigabit options; rural southern/eastern areas rely more on fixed wireless/DSL. 5G coverage is strong along I‑65 and major arterials, with spotty pockets off the main corridors.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Hardin County, Kentucky (2024)

Headline estimates

• Population and households: ~114,000 residents, ~45,000 households.
• Mobile phone users (any mobile phone): ~92,000 residents, or ~96% of adults 18+.
• Smartphone users: ~84,000 residents, or ~89% of adults 18+ (higher than Kentucky’s ~84–86%).
• Households relying mainly on cellular data for home internet (mobile-only): ~8,100 households (18%), above Kentucky’s ~15–16%.
• Households with no home internet subscription: ~10–11% (below Kentucky’s ~13–15%).

Demographic breakdown of usage

• By age
  • 18–34: ~22,000 smartphone users; ownership ~96–98%; high reliance on unlimited data plans and app-based services.
  • 35–64: ~38,000 smartphone users; ownership ~89–92%; heavy use for work, navigation, and commerce along the I-65/US-31W corridor.
  • 65+: ~16,000 smartphone users; ownership ~68–72% (above the Kentucky senior average), with notable growth in telehealth and messaging.
• By urban/rural residence
  • Elizabethtown–Radcliff–Vine Grove corridor: near-universal mobile adoption; mobile-only home internet ~19–21%.
  • Southern and western rural tracts (e.g., Glendale, Sonora/Upton fringes): slightly lower smartphone uptake among seniors and higher reliance on cellular data due to fewer wired options; mobile-only ~22–25%.
• By income and housing
  • Households under $35,000: mobile-only ~28–32%; renters vs. owners gap of ~10–12 percentage points in mobile-only reliance.
• By race/ethnicity
  • Black and Hispanic households show higher mobile-only reliance (24–28%) than white households (15–18%), consistent with national usage patterns and Hardin’s above-state share of military and younger working families.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Carrier presence: AT&T (including FirstNet Band 14 for public safety), Verizon (C-band mid-band 5G), and T-Mobile (2.5 GHz mid-band 5G) operate across the county.
• 5G availability: Mid-band 5G from all three carriers covers population centers and transport corridors (I-65, US-31W, KY-313, KY-210), with dense coverage in Elizabethtown, Radcliff, and around Fort Knox and Glendale.
• Typical performance pattern
  • Population centers and highways: triple-digit Mbps on mid-band 5G with low latency suitable for HD video, telehealth, and remote work.
  • Rural pockets (southern/western edges): fallback to LTE or low-band 5G with tens-of-Mbps service; indoor coverage can be inconsistent in metal buildings and hollows.
• Public safety and enterprise
  • FirstNet coverage is strong countywide due to military, public safety, and healthcare demand; emergency services and hospitals leverage prioritized access.
  • Ongoing network densification tied to the BlueOval SK Battery Park in Glendale (2023–2025) has added new macro and small cells and improved mid-band 5G capacity along I-65 and industrial corridors.

How Hardin County differs from Kentucky overall

• Higher smartphone penetration: ~89% of adults vs. ~84–86% statewide, driven by a younger, military-influenced population and employer-provided/postpaid plans.
• Greater mobile-only home internet reliance: ~18% of households vs. ~15–16% statewide, reflecting pockets with limited wired competition and a larger share of renters and working-age families.
• Better 5G coverage and capacity: all three national carriers have contiguous mid-band 5G across main corridors, supporting consistently higher real-world speeds than many rural Kentucky counties.
• Lower offline rate: ~10–11% of households lack home internet vs. ~13–15% statewide, a gap narrowed by strong cellular coverage and device adoption even where wired access lags.
• Smaller prepaid share and higher plan stability than the state average, influenced by employer and military plan uptake.

Key insights

• Mobile is the de facto broadband in parts of southern and western Hardin; closing remaining gaps will hinge on indoor coverage solutions and additional mid-band 5G sites off the main corridors.
• The county’s industrial growth (BlueOval SK) and military presence have accelerated 5G investment, lifting capacity and performance above the Kentucky average.
• Digital equity efforts should prioritize rural seniors and low-income renters, where device adoption is strong but home internet remains mobile-only or absent.

Hardin County, KY social media snapshot (2025)

Scope and method note: Figures are modeled estimates for Hardin County based on U.S. Census/ACS demographics and Pew Research Center platform adoption rates (2023–2024), adjusted for a suburban–rural county with a sizable military population (Fort Knox). Ranges reflect uncertainty; counts rounded.

Headline user stats

• Residents using social media: 64,000–72,000 (about 72–80% of residents age 13+)
• Primary access: 88–91% smartphone penetration among adults; 78–82% of households have broadband
• Daily users (any platform): ~55,000–62,000 (60–70% of 13+ population)
• Mobile share of use: ~90% of sessions

Age-group usage (share using any social platform)

• Teens 13–17: 90–95%; heaviest on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube; low Facebook creation but passive viewing via family
• 18–29: 95%+; YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat dominant; Facebook for events/groups
• 30–49: 85–90%; Facebook and YouTube core; growing Instagram/Reels; moderate TikTok
• 50–64: 70–75%; Facebook first, YouTube second; light Instagram/TikTok
• 65+: 50–55%; Facebook and YouTube for news, church, family updates

Gender breakdown (share of social media users)

• Female: ~51–53%
• Male: ~47–49% Notes: Women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, X (Twitter), Reddit. Military presence slightly raises the male share among younger adults.

Most-used platforms among residents 13+ (monthly reach)

• YouTube: 75–80%
• Facebook: 60–65%
• Facebook Messenger: 55–60%
• Instagram: 35–40%
• TikTok: 30–35%
• Snapchat: 25–30%
• Pinterest: 22–28%
• X (Twitter): 15–20%
• LinkedIn: 15–18% (notable among defense, healthcare, logistics)
• Reddit: 10–14%
• Nextdoor: 5–8% (localized pockets; Facebook Groups fill much of this role)

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Community-first on Facebook: Strong reliance on local Groups (buy/sell/trade, school, youth sports, church, neighborhood watch). Marketplace is a major commerce channel.
• Video-forward consumption: Short-form video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) drives discovery; YouTube used for how‑to, automotive, outdoors, and appliance/home repairs.
• Local news and alerts: Heavy engagement with posts from The News-Enterprise, city/county agencies, schools, and severe weather pages; resharing is common during storms, road incidents on I‑65, and school closures.
• Military community networks: Active spouse/family groups; housing, childcare, PCS tips; high engagement on time-sensitive, trust-based posts.
• Messaging over public posting: Messenger (and SMS) preferred for coordination; WhatsApp adoption modest outside international families.
• Commerce behavior: Deal- and convenience-driven responses; boosted posts and Marketplace listings outperform complex funnels for small businesses; lead forms and click-to-call perform well.
• Timing: Engagement peaks 6:30–9:00 pm on weekdays; secondary peaks 11:30 am–1:00 pm. Weekends see spikes around youth sports, church, and local events.
• Platform roles: Facebook = community/news/commerce; Instagram = lifestyle, boutiques, local food; TikTok = entertainment and local discovery via short-form; YouTube = education/DIY; LinkedIn = hiring for defense, healthcare, manufacturing; X = niche for news/sports; Pinterest = home/crafts/recipes, especially among women 25–54.
• Trust and safety: Preference for closed/verified groups; active moderation in larger community groups; ongoing caution about Marketplace scams.

How this compares to national patterns

• Overall social penetration is slightly below large-metro averages but in line with similar Kentucky counties.
• Facebook’s share is higher than national average; X and Reddit are lower; Pinterest is relatively strong among women; LinkedIn is buoyed by defense/healthcare employers.
• Short-form video growth mirrors national trends, but community groups and Marketplace play a larger role in day-to-day digital life.

Use these ranges for planning: YouTube (≈4 in 5 adults), Facebook (≈3 in 5), Instagram and TikTok (≈1 in 3), Snapchat and Pinterest (≈1 in 4).