Harrison County

Harrison County, Kentucky — key demographics

Population size

• 18,692 (2020 Census; official count)
• 18,8xx (2023 Census estimate; essentially flat since 2020)

Age

• Median age: ~41 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~24%
• 18 to 64: ~58%
• 65 and over: ~18%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone: ~94%
• Black or African American alone: ~2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.3%
• Asian alone: ~0.2%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2.5%–3%
• White alone, not Hispanic: ~92%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~7.3k
• Persons per household (avg): ~2.5
• Family households: ~69% of households
• Married-couple families: ~51% of households
• Households with own children under 18: ~27%–28%
• One-person households: ~26%; living alone age 65+: ~12%
• Homeownership rate: ~73%

Insights

• Population is stable with minimal net change since 2020.
• Age structure skews middle-aged/older; roughly 1 in 5 residents is 65+.
• The county is predominantly non-Hispanic White, with small Black and Hispanic communities.
• Household structure is family- and owner-occupancy–oriented with modest household size.

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

Harrison County, KY (2025 est.) email landscape

• Estimated email users: ≈13,600 adults. Basis: 2020 population 18,692; ~78% adults; ~93% of adults use email.
• Age distribution (adoption among adults; local rates closely track national patterns):
  • 18–29: ~98–99%
  • 30–49: ~99%
  • 50–64: ~95–97%
  • 65+: ~85–90% Result: users are well distributed across ages, with slight underrepresentation of 65+.
• Gender split among email users: ≈51% female, 49% male, reflecting the county’s slight female-majority population.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Internet subscription: roughly 80–85% of households; 15–20% are mobile-only users.
  • Broadband mix: cable/DSL in and around Cynthiana; fixed wireless and 5G fill rural gaps; fiber footprint is expanding but remains spotty outside the population center.
  • Affordability risk: the 2024 wind-down of the Affordable Connectivity Program likely reduced or imperiled some low-income subscriptions, marginally lowering email access.
• Local density/connectivity context: Population density ≈61 people per square mile (low rural density). Service quality and choice are highest in Cynthiana; dispersed housing increases last‑mile costs, keeping some pockets reliant on slower plans or wireless solutions.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Harrison County, Kentucky

Bottom line

• Mobile phone use is near-universal, but Harrison County remains more smartphone-dependent for home internet and has patchier 5G coverage than Kentucky overall. Cost sensitivity and older demographics dampen high-end device uptake compared with urban parts of the state.

User estimates (2024–2025 best-available estimates using ACS S2801, FCC mobile coverage filings, and Pew Research adoption rates)

• Total mobile phone users (all ages): approximately 14,500–15,500 residents, out of a population just under 19,000.
• Adult smartphone users (18+): approximately 12,500–13,500. Adult smartphone adoption in the county is roughly 2–4 percentage points lower than the statewide rate.
• Households with at least one smartphone: about 6,800–7,100 households (≈88–93% of households).
• Smartphone-only internet households (cellular data plan but no fixed home broadband): about 1,400–1,700 households (≈18–22%), measurably higher than Kentucky overall (≈15–18%).

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age:
  • 18–34: near-saturation smartphone adoption (≈95%+), heavy use of mid-band 5G where available, high video/social usage; above state average for smartphone-only internet reliance.
  • 35–64: high adoption (≈90%±), mixed postpaid/prepaid; notable share of households using phones as primary hotspot for homework and streaming; slightly above state average for hotspot use due to fixed broadband gaps.
  • 65+: adoption materially lower than state average (county ≈65–75% vs state ≈70–80%), with a higher share of LTE-only devices and basic plans; more voice/SMS-centric usage.
• Income:
  • Low-income households show the highest smartphone-only dependence; the 2024 lapse of ACP subsidies increased plan downgrades and disconnections locally more than in urban Kentucky, widening the county’s phone-only gap versus the state.
• Device mix:
  • Android share is higher than the state average; iPhone share lower, reflecting price sensitivity.
  • Device replacement cycles are longer than in metro Kentucky; more users keep devices >3 years and run LTE-only or low-band 5G.
• Plan types:
  • Prepaid and value MVNOs (Tracfone, Straight Talk, Cricket, Metro) have a larger footprint in the county’s retail mix than in urban counties, supporting a higher prepaid share than the state average.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage:
  • All three national operators (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile) report county coverage on FCC mobile Broadband Data Collection maps.
  • 4G LTE is effectively countywide along primary corridors (US‑27, US‑62, KY‑36) and around Cynthiana; fringe and low-lying areas still see LTE signal variability and indoor coverage challenges.
  • 5G:
    • Low-band 5G covers most populated areas; mid-band 5G (higher-capacity) is concentrated near Cynthiana and major road corridors and is materially less continuous than statewide urban coverage.
    • Net effect: Harrison County’s 5G availability and quality lag state averages, with more frequent LTE fallback.
• Speeds and reliability (crowdsourced test aggregates and carrier claims triangulated):
  • Typical LTE downloads: 25–60 Mbps; uploads: 4–12 Mbps.
  • Typical mid-band 5G downloads where present: 100–250 Mbps; uploads: 10–25 Mbps.
  • Median county speeds trend 15–30% lower than Kentucky’s statewide median due to sparser mid-band 5G and greater distance from macro sites.
• Sites and backhaul:
  • Macro towers cluster around Cynthiana and along US‑27/US‑62; rural spacing is wider than in urban Kentucky, contributing to variable indoor coverage.
  • Microwave backhaul segments remain in use on some rural links; fiber-fed sites are increasing but not yet at urban density levels.
• Public safety and priority service:
  • FirstNet (AT&T) presence supports county public safety; commercial spillover benefits include better low-band coverage near emergency corridors, but capacity is still below urban benchmarks.
• Fixed–mobile substitution:
  • Because DSL and cable plant are patchy outside Cynthiana, phone-based hotspots and unlimited smartphone plans substitute for home internet at above-state-average rates.

How Harrison County differs from Kentucky overall

• Higher smartphone-only dependence: about 2–5 percentage points above the state share of households relying solely on cellular data for home internet.
• Slightly lower adult smartphone adoption: roughly 2–4 percentage points below statewide, driven by older age structure and income mix.
• Lower 5G capacity coverage and lower typical speeds: fewer continuous mid-band 5G zones than state urban counties; median speeds trail statewide by roughly a quarter.
• Higher prepaid/MVNO usage: retail availability and budget constraints tilt the county toward prepaid plans more than the state average.
• Longer device lifecycles and more LTE-only usage: a bigger tail of older handsets compared with the statewide mix.

Implications

• Network investments that densify mid-band 5G (additional sectors, small cells, fiber backhaul) would disproportionately improve user experience vs the state baseline.
• Programs replacing ACP (local affordability initiatives, carrier discounts) will have outsized impact, given above-average smartphone-only reliance.
• Indoor coverage solutions (C-band/2.5 GHz infill, repeaters) are likely to yield meaningful gains for older housing stock and metal-roof structures common in the county.

Notes on sources and methodology

• Estimates synthesize: US Census/ACS 2018–2022 S2801 (smartphones and internet subscriptions by household), FCC Broadband Data Collection mobile coverage filings (2024), and Pew Research Center smartphone adoption trends (2023–2024), with localized adjustments for rural counties of similar size and infrastructure in Kentucky. Where precise county microdata are limited, ranges are provided to remain conservative while still decision-useful.

Harrison County, KY — social media usage snapshot (2024)

Scope and method: Modeled estimates combining U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019–2023 (population/age/sex) and Pew Research Center 2023–2024 platform adoption by age, adjusted for rural usage. Percentages refer to adult residents (18+). Small-area margin of error ≈ ±3–5 percentage points.

Population baseline

• Total population: ~18,700
• Adults (18+): ~14,200

How many use social platforms

• Any major platform (incl. YouTube): ~81% of adults ≈ 11,600 users
• Social networks excluding YouTube: ~72% of adults ≈ 10,200 users

Age mix of social media users (share of user base)

• 18–24: ~12%
• 25–34: ~18%
• 35–44: ~19%
• 45–54: ~16%
• 55–64: ~16%
• 65+: ~18%

Gender breakdown of social media users

• Female: 52% (6,000 users)
• Male: 48% (5,600 users)

Most-used platforms among adults (share of adult residents; approx. users)

• YouTube: 80% (11,400)
• Facebook: 66% (9,400)
• Instagram: 42% (6,000)
• Pinterest: 30% (4,300)
• TikTok: 28% (4,000)
• Snapchat: 21% (3,000)
• X (Twitter): 20% (2,800)
• LinkedIn: 13% (1,800)
• Reddit: 12% (1,700)

Platform skews and notes

• Facebook: Skews 30+, ~56% female. Heavy reliance on Groups and Marketplace; top hub for local news, school/sports updates, church/community events, and buy/sell activity.
• YouTube: Broadest reach; slight male skew (~55%). High consumption of how‑to/DIY, home/auto repair, agriculture/outdoors, local government and church streams.
• Instagram: Concentrated in 18–34; Reels driving most growth; slight female lean (~53%). Local businesses and boutiques over-index on Stories/Reels.
• TikTok: Strong in 18–29 with spillover to 30–39; slight female lean (~57%). Short-form discovery for local food, events, and small-business promos.
• Snapchat: Primarily teens/young adults (13–24); used as a messaging layer; event and sports-day spikes.
• Pinterest: Heavily female (~70–75% of users); recipes, crafts, home decor, seasonal/holiday planning.
• X (Twitter): Niche; used by local media, high school/college sports, and emergency/weather updates.

Behavioral trends

• Mobile-first: >90% of use is on smartphones; vertical video dominates engagement.
• Prime engagement windows: mornings (7–9 a.m.), lunch (12–1 p.m.), evenings (7–10 p.m.); weekend late-morning is strong for Facebook/Instagram.
• Local-first content outperforms: youth sports highlights, weather/road conditions, obituaries/announcements, school closings, and event photos.
• Community commerce: Facebook Marketplace and local buy/sell/trade groups are major drivers of peer-to-peer sales; “free/ISO” posts and farm/outdoor gear perform well.
• Cross-posted short video: Reels/TikTok clips repurposed across platforms see the highest reach; captions with location tags and faces drive completion rates.
• Word-of-mouth moves online: Recommendations in Facebook Groups materially influence small-business discovery and service provider selection.
• Advertising implications: Facebook/Instagram deliver the broadest paid reach; YouTube pre-roll captures older male DIY/auto/farm interests; TikTok/IG Reels best for under-35 reach and event buzz. Lookalike audiences are effective but constrained by small local seed pools; geo-radius targeting around Cynthiana and commuting corridors performs well.

Notes on certainty: Figures are modeled for a small rural county using the latest available ACS demographics and Pew platform-by-age adoption; treat platform percentages as directional within a ±3–5 pp band.