Henderson County

Henderson County, Kentucky — key demographics (latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates; ACS 2019–2023 5-year unless noted)

• Population
  • Total: ~44,500 (2023 population estimate; 2020 Census: 44,793)
• Age
  • Median age: ~40.5 years
  • Under 18: ~23%
  • 18–64: ~59%
  • 65 and over: ~18%
• Sex
  • Female: ~51%
  • Male: ~49%
• Race and ethnicity
  • White, non-Hispanic: ~85%
  • Black or African American: ~9%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3%
  • Two or more races: ~3–4%
  • Asian: ~0.5%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native and other: ~0.5%
• Households and housing
  • Households: ~18,300
  • Average household size: ~2.45
  • Family households: ~66%
  • Owner-occupied housing rate: ~67%
  • Median household income: ~$56–58k

Insights

• Stable, modestly aging population with roughly half female and a predominantly non-Hispanic White racial composition.
• Household structure is family-oriented with typical household size near 2.5 and homeownership around two-thirds.

Henderson County, KY – email usage snapshot

• Estimated email users: ~31,000 adults. Basis: ~44,800 residents; ~77% adults; ~90% of adults use email (Pew Research, U.S. averages applied locally).
• Age distribution (of adult email users): 18–29: 23% (7,100); 30–49: 35% (10,900); 50–64: 22% (6,800); 65+: 20% (6,200).
• Gender split: Near parity; ~51% female and ~49% male among users, mirroring the county’s population mix.
• Digital access trends:
  • Broadband at home: ~84% of households subscribe to broadband (ACS 2018–2022).
  • No home internet: ~12–14% of households.
  • Smartphone-only internet: ~15% of households, indicating some reliance on mobile connections.
  • Computer access: Roughly 9 in 10 households have a computer/device.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population density ≈102 people per square mile (about 44,800 residents over ~437 sq mi).
  • The City of Henderson holds ~60% of the county’s population, supporting stronger cable/fiber availability; more rural areas exhibit higher smartphone-only use and lower fixed-broadband adoption, shaping email access patterns.

Sources: U.S. Census/ACS (population, broadband, device ownership); Pew Research Center (email adoption by adults).

Mobile phone usage in Henderson County, Kentucky — 2025 snapshot

Headline numbers (best-available estimates; rounded)

• Population and households: ~44,900 residents; ~18,200 households (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2019–2023 5-year).
• Adult base: ~35,000 residents aged 18+.
• Adult smartphone users: ~31,500 (≈90% of adults), plus ~2,600 teen users (ages 13–17), yielding ~34,000 total mobile users in the county.
• Wireless-only voice: ~13,300 households (≈73%) rely on mobile service with no landline (CDC NHIS state benchmarks applied locally).
• Cellular data as primary home internet: ~1,600–2,000 households (≈9–11%), below Kentucky’s typical 12–15% range (ACS S2801 Internet Subscription indicators).

Demographic breakdown of mobile adoption (modeled from ACS age mix and Pew/CDC adoption rates; rounded)

• Age
  • 18–34: ~7,700 adults; smartphone adoption ~96% ⇒ ~7,400 users.
  • 35–64: ~14,000 adults; adoption ~92% ⇒ ~12,900 users.
  • 65+: ~6,700 adults; adoption ~78% ⇒ ~5,200 users.
  • Teens (13–17): ~2,750; phone adoption ~95% ⇒ ~2,600 users.
• Income
  • < $35k households: adoption ~85–90%, heavier prepaid use and higher likelihood of cellular-only internet.
  • $35k–$75k: adoption ~90–94%, mixed prepaid/postpaid.

  • $75k: adoption ~95%+, higher multi-line and 5G device penetration.

• Race/ethnicity (county composition is majority White with small Black and Hispanic communities)
  • Adoption rates are high across groups (typically 88–92%+ for adults), with minimal gaps compared to state-level patterns once income is controlled.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Network operators: AT&T (including FirstNet), Verizon, and T‑Mobile all operate countywide LTE, with 5G service concentrated in the City of Henderson and along primary corridors (US‑41, KY‑425, and the Henderson–Evansville commuter routes).
• 5G profile: Mid‑band 5G (T‑Mobile 2.5 GHz; Verizon C‑band; AT&T mid‑band/C‑band/3.45 GHz) is deployed in and around Henderson and across the river in the Evansville metro, improving capacity and median speeds in town and along highways; LTE remains the fallback in fringe rural pockets.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA): Verizon and T‑Mobile 5G Home Internet are broadly marketed in populated ZIP codes, providing an alternative to cable/DSL and reducing cellular‑only reliance for some households.
• Wireline competition: Spectrum (cable) covers the city and nearby suburbs; AT&T serves legacy copper/DSL with spot fiber; Kenergy/Conexon’s “Kenergy Connect” fiber buildout is underway across portions of Henderson and adjacent counties, expanding gigabit options and reducing dependence on cellular-only home internet.
• Public/anchor connectivity: Schools, Henderson County Public Library, municipal buildings, and healthcare anchors provide free Wi‑Fi and serve as network demand hubs; FirstNet enhances public-safety coverage and resiliency.

How Henderson County differs from the Kentucky state picture

• Higher 5G availability in population centers: Proximity to the Evansville, IN–KY metro has accelerated mid‑band 5G deployment around Henderson relative to many rural Kentucky counties, yielding more consistent 5G service on primary travel corridors.
• Slightly lower cellular‑only home internet dependence: The presence of Spectrum cable and active fiber expansion lowers the share of households using a cellular data plan as their only home internet compared with Kentucky’s statewide share.
• Senior adoption modestly higher than rural‑county peers: Ties to a metro labor and healthcare market correlate with somewhat higher 65+ smartphone adoption than in many rural Kentucky counties, narrowing age‑based gaps.
• Daytime usage pattern is more “metro‑like”: Cross‑river commuting into the Evansville employment core concentrates mobile data demand during workdays and drives stronger in‑building coverage requirements in commercial areas—less typical of Kentucky’s rural counties.

Implications

• Mobile reach is effectively universal for working‑age adults; SMS and app-based engagement will perform strongly across the county.
• Video and mid‑band 5G use cases (FWA, hotspotting, rich media) are well supported in and around Henderson city; LTE-only pockets remain candidates for targeted upgrades or FWA CPE placement.
• As Kenergy/Spectrum fiber expands, expect continued migration from cellular-only home internet to wired or FWA, further improving in-home experiences while stabilizing peak mobile sector load.

Sources and methods

• U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2019–2023 5‑year (population, households, age mix; S2801 Internet Subscription indicators).
• CDC National Health Interview Survey (wireless‑only household benchmarks).
• Pew Research Center (smartphone adoption by age and income).
• FCC Broadband Data Collection (provider presence/technology) and carrier public deployment disclosures for 5G/FWA.

Social media usage in Henderson County, KY (2025 snapshot)

How these figures are built: Henderson County’s adult population (18+) is approximately 35,000. Platform reach below uses current U.S. adult adoption rates (Pew Research, 2024) applied to that local base to provide modeled local estimates.

Overall user stats and most‑used platforms (adults)

• YouTube: 83% of adults (~29,000 users)
• Facebook: 68% (~23,800)
• Instagram: 47% (~16,450)
• Pinterest: 35% (~12,250)
• TikTok: 33% (~11,550)
• Snapchat: 30% (~10,500)
• LinkedIn: 30% (~10,500)
• Reddit: 23% (~8,050)
• X (Twitter): 22% (~7,700)
• WhatsApp: 21% (~7,350)
• Nextdoor: 18% (~6,300)

Age-group patterns (who uses what)

• Teens (13–17): Heavy on YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat; Instagram is also strong. Facebook is used but less central to daily sharing.
• Young adults (18–29): YouTube is near-universal; Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok are core. Facebook is used, mostly for groups/events and family.
• Adults (30–49): Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram is mainstream; TikTok growing; LinkedIn relevant for career networking.
• Adults (50–64): Facebook is primary for news, groups, and Marketplace; YouTube for how‑to and local content; Instagram/TikTok used but secondary.
• Seniors (65+): Facebook and YouTube lead; others are niche.

Gender breakdown (platform skews observed nationally and reflected locally)

• More female‑skewed: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest (Pinterest has the strongest female skew).
• More male‑skewed: YouTube, Reddit, X (Twitter), LinkedIn.
• Mixed/close to even: TikTok, Snapchat, WhatsApp (slight female tilt for TikTok/Snapchat).

Behavioral trends in Henderson County

• Facebook as the community hub: Local news, school athletics, church and civic events, buy/sell on Marketplace, and county/city service updates largely flow through Facebook Pages and Groups.
• Video-first consumption: Short-form video (Reels, TikTok) outperforms static posts for restaurants, boutiques, real estate, and events; YouTube is the go‑to for tutorials, product research, and local organization channels.
• Private sharing is rising: Messenger, Instagram DMs, and Snapchat stories drive a large share of link and deal sharing versus public posts.
• Event-driven spikes: Weather alerts, school closings, festivals, and sports results trigger surges in local engagement, especially evenings and weekend mornings.
• Peak activity windows: 7–9 a.m. and 6–9 p.m. see the highest local engagement; weekday lunch hours work for quick reels and stories.
• Ads and local commerce: Boosted Facebook/Instagram posts with tight geo‑targets (10–15 miles) and interest overlays perform best; video and carousel formats outperform single-image posts for conversions.
• Trust in familiar voices: High engagement for posts from schools, churches, first responders, and well-known local personalities; micro‑influencers with 2–10K followers deliver strong local reach.