Jessamine County

Jessamine County, Kentucky — key demographics

Population size

• 52,991 (2020 Census)
• 48,586 (2010) ⇒ +9.1% over 2010

Age

• Under 18: ~24%
• 18 to 64: ~61%
• 65 and over: ~16%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census)

• White alone: ~87%
• Black or African American alone: ~5%
• Asian alone: ~1–2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0–1%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0%
• Two or more races: ~5%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~5%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~83%

Households and housing

• Households: ~19,900
• Persons per household: ~2.6
• Family households: ~67%
• Housing units: ~21,000
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~69%

Insights

• The county grew about 9% from 2010 to 2020, outpacing Kentucky’s overall growth.
• Age structure skews moderately toward working-age adults, with a modest but growing 65+ share.
• Population remains predominantly White, with gradual diversification driven by multiracial and Hispanic growth.
• Household size and owner-occupancy are close to statewide norms, indicating a stable, family-oriented housing market.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; QuickFacts)

Jessamine County, KY email usage (2025 est.):

• Estimated email users (age 13+): 42,600 of ~46,800 (≈91%).
• By age (share using email; local counts): 13–17: 80% (3,100 users); 18–34: 97% (12,300); 35–64: 95% (21,400); 65+: 82% (5,900).
• Gender split: 51% female, 49% male; email users mirror this (21,700 female, ~20,900 male).

Digital access and trends:

• Household internet subscription: ~88%; computer access: ~92% of households; smartphone‑only homes: ~13%.
• Connectivity profile: Cable (Spectrum) and fiber (Kinetic/AT&T) cover most of Nicholasville and Wilmore; DSL, fixed wireless, and satellite serve outlying rural areas. 5G from major carriers is established along the US‑27 corridor and town centers.
• Local density/connectivity facts: Population ~55,000; density ≈320 per sq. mile. About two‑thirds of residents live in the Nicholasville–Wilmore corridor, concentrating high‑speed options there and leaving southern rural tracts with lower fixed‑broadband availability.

Insights: Email reaches virtually all working‑age adults; highest marginal gains come from improving access and digital literacy for 65+ and rural residents, and pairing email with SMS for smartphone‑only households.

Mobile phone usage in Jessamine County, Kentucky — 2025 snapshot

Overview

• Jessamine County is a fast-growing, suburban county in the Lexington metro anchored by Nicholasville and Wilmore. Mobile adoption is high, 5G coverage is broad in populated corridors, and reliance on cellular for home internet is present but lower than Kentucky’s rural average.

User estimates

• Population base: ~55,000 residents (2024 estimate).
• People with any mobile phone: ~47,000–50,000 (86–91% of residents), above Kentucky’s ~83–86%.
• Smartphone users: ~40,000–42,000 residents (roughly 72–76% of total residents; 85–88% of adults).
• Active mobile lines/devices: commonly exceeds the population because many residents carry more than one line (primary phone + watch/tablet/hotspot). A practical planning ratio of 1.1–1.3 lines per resident fits suburban counties like Jessamine.

Demographic breakdown (ownership/usage patterns)

• Age
  • 18–29: near-universal smartphone ownership (≈95–98%), driven by Asbury University and young families.
  • 30–49: ≈92–96% smartphone ownership.
  • 50–64: ≈80–85%.
  • 65+: ≈60–65% (higher than the Kentucky average for seniors, reflecting better device affordability and support).
• Income and education
  • Median household income is higher than the Kentucky average, supporting a larger share of postpaid family plans and iPhone adoption, plus more multi-device bundles (phone + watch/tablet).
  • Higher education share in Wilmore/Nicholasville correlates with higher smartphone and mobile app use for banking, health, and streaming.
• Race/ethnicity
  • Minority and immigrant households in Nicholasville show very high mobile reliance for messaging and payments, but a lower rate of fixed broadband compared with county averages—consistent with statewide patterns yet moderated by better cable/fiber availability locally.
• Household internet mix (approximate)
  • Households with a cellular data plan: ~80–85% in Jessamine vs ~75–80% Kentucky-wide.
  • Cellular-only home internet (no fixed broadband): ~9–12% in Jessamine vs ~14–17% statewide.
  • No home internet of any kind: ~7–9% in Jessamine vs ~12–14% statewide.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• 5G mobile coverage
  • All three national carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile) provide 5G across the Nicholasville–Wilmore corridor and along US‑27, with mid-band 5G (fast, wider-capacity) from T-Mobile and Verizon in most populated areas; AT&T 5G/5G+ is prevalent with strong FirstNet public-safety support.
  • Pockets of weaker coverage persist in low-lying and wooded areas near the Kentucky River Palisades and outer rural southwest—typical terrain-related dead zones.
• Fixed broadband
  • Cable (Spectrum) widely covers Nicholasville and Wilmore; fiber (AT&T and other providers) present in growing footprints, especially new subdivisions and business corridors.
  • 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) from T‑Mobile and Verizon covers much of the suburban footprint and is increasingly chosen by renters and new movers.
  • Starlink and other satellite options are available countywide and fill rural gaps.
• Capacity and performance
  • Mid-band 5G routinely delivers triple‑digit Mbps in town centers and along US‑27; LTE fallback is common at the fringes.
  • Congestion peaks on commuter corridors toward Lexington and around school/event times; carriers have added small cells and sector splits along commercial corridors to mitigate.

How Jessamine differs from Kentucky overall

• Higher smartphone penetration and a larger share of postpaid, multi-line plans due to higher household incomes and suburban demographics.
• Greater 5G mid-band availability and adoption than much of rural Kentucky, supported by proximity to Lexington’s core networks and fiber backhaul.
• Lower rate of cellular-only home internet than the state average because cable/fiber is broadly available in populated areas; FWA adoption is rising but functions more as a competitive alternative than a last resort.
• Older adults in Jessamine have higher smartphone uptake than Kentucky’s senior average, aided by family plan bundling and local retail support.
• Network gaps are more about terrain shadows at the edges than large contiguous dead zones common in Appalachian counties.

Key takeaways

• Expect continued growth in 5G usage, FWA competition for home broadband, and strong demand for high-capacity sectors along US‑27 and school/campus areas.
• Marketing and service strategies that perform well in Jessamine emphasize postpaid family bundles, iPhone-centric ecosystems, and FWA as a primary alternative to cable—distinct from strategies targeting rural Kentucky counties where prepaid and cellular‑only home internet play a larger role.

Sources underpinning the estimates include the U.S. Census Bureau/ACS (population, income, education; 2022–2023), Pew Research Center mobile adoption benchmarks (2023–2024), FCC Broadband Data Collection coverage filings (2024), and carrier public coverage disclosures for the Lexington–Fayette metro.

Jessamine County, KY — Social Media Snapshot (2024)

Topline usage

• Population: ~55,000 residents (2023 ACS estimate)
• Active social media users (age 13+): ~40,000 (≈85% of residents age 13+; ≈73% of total population)

Age mix of social media users (share of users)

• 13–17: 8%
• 18–24: 12%
• 25–34: 22%
• 35–44: 20%
• 45–54: 15%
• 55–64: 13%
• 65+: 10% Insight: Younger adults are overrepresented among active users; 35–54 remains a large, highly engaged block for community/news and shopping content.

Gender breakdown of users

• Female: ~53%
• Male: ~46%
• Non-binary/other: ~1% Insight: Women are more concentrated on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest; men index higher on YouTube and Reddit.

Most-used platforms in the county (share of social media users using each at least monthly)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 66%
• Instagram: 50%
• TikTok: 40%
• Snapchat: 31%
• Pinterest: 29%
• X (Twitter): 20%
• LinkedIn: 19%
• Reddit: 16%
• Nextdoor: 9% Insight: Facebook remains the daily utility for local news, school updates, church/sports, and Marketplace; YouTube dominates time spent; TikTok and Instagram are the growth engines under 35.

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Community hubs: Facebook Groups (city/community updates, buy/sell/trade, youth sports, school and church notices) drive the most comments and shares.
• Video-first consumption: YouTube for how‑to, product research, sermons, and local sports; short-form (Reels/TikTok) for quick local highlights and small‑business promotion.
• Messaging layer: Facebook Messenger is the default for customer service; Snapchat is the primary channel for teens/college‑age; WhatsApp has niche use.
• Commerce: Facebook Marketplace is widely used for vehicles, furniture, and farm/outdoor gear; Instagram Shops and TikTok Shop are growing but secondary.
• Peak engagement windows: Evenings 7–9 pm ET and weekend mornings; weather events, school closures, roadwork, and local development posts spike engagement.
• Demographic split: 35–54 relies on Facebook for news and community coordination; under‑30 shifts attention to TikTok/Snapchat for entertainment and peer communication; 55+ is steady on Facebook, lighter elsewhere.
• Content that works: Local faces, school/athletics highlights, faith/community service, before‑and‑after home projects, and short vertical video outperform brand‑first creative.

Notes on method and sources

• Figures are localized estimates derived from U.S. Census Bureau ACS (county population/age/sex) and Pew Research Center 2023–2024 U.S. platform usage and age/gender adoption, adjusted to suburban Kentucky patterns. Percentages reflect share of county social media users unless otherwise noted.