Mason County

Mason County, Kentucky — key demographics

Population size

• 17,120 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~42 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Female: ~51.5%
• Male: ~48.5%

Race and ethnicity (mutually exclusive; ACS 2018–2022)

• Non-Hispanic White: ~87%
• Non-Hispanic Black or African American: ~9%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2%
• Non-Hispanic Two or more races: ~2%
• Non-Hispanic Other (including Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, NHPI): <1%

Household data (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~6,900
• Average household size: ~2.4
• Family households: ~65% of households
• Married-couple families: ~45% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~27%
• One-person households: ~30% (about half of these are age 65+)
• Homeownership rate: ~69% owner-occupied, ~31% renter-occupied

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates (tables DP05, DP02, DP04).

Email usage in Mason County, Kentucky (estimates)

• Population and density: ≈17,100 residents; ≈70–72 people per square mile (rural).
• Estimated email users: ≈11,500 residents use email regularly (≈67% of total population; ≈84% of adults), derived from local population, household internet adoption, and national email-use rates.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: 6%
  • 18–34: 24%
  • 35–54: 33%
  • 55–64: 16%
  • 65+: 21%
• Gender split among email users: ≈52% female, 48% male, mirroring county demographics; usage intensity is similar by gender.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Broadband subscription: roughly 3 in 4 households have a broadband subscription; about 1 in 6 lack any home internet.
  • Device access: most households have a computer; a meaningful minority are smartphone‑only, making mobile the primary email channel for many residents.
  • Trendline: steady gains in subscriptions and smartphone adoption over the past few years; remaining gaps are concentrated in outlying rural tracts.
• Connectivity context: Access is strongest around Maysville; sparser areas have fewer fixed options, increasing reliance on mobile data and public Wi‑Fi (schools, libraries) for email and online services.

Mobile phone usage in Mason County, Kentucky (2024 snapshot)

Headline user estimates

• Population: ~17,100; adults (18+): ~13,300; households: ~7,000.
• Adults with any mobile phone: ~12,500 (≈94% of adults).
• Adult smartphone users: ~10,900 (≈82% of adults).
• Households relying on a cellular data plan as their only home internet: ~1,680 (≈24% of households), higher than the Kentucky average.
• Adults in wireless‑only households (no landline): ~68%, slightly below the Kentucky average due to the county’s older age mix.
• Prepaid penetration: 30% of mobile lines, higher than the Kentucky average (22%), reflecting lower median income and more price-sensitive users.

Demographic breakdown (usage and access)

• Age
  • 18–34: smartphone ownership ≈94% (≈3,050 users), strong app/social usage and mobile video; heavy reliance on mobile hotspots where fixed broadband is weak.
  • 35–64: smartphone ownership ≈86% (≈5,740 users), dominant segment for work, navigation, and streaming; highest share of multi‑line family plans.
  • 65+: smartphone ownership ≈61% (≈2,090 users), with above‑average use of basic voice/SMS and telehealth; notably more flip/feature phones than the state average.
• Income
  • Sub‑$35k households show the highest “mobile‑only” internet reliance (≈37% cellular‑only), driven by gaps in affordable wired options.
  • Middle-income households (≈$35–$75k) increasingly adopt unlimited 5G plans as a substitute for entry‑level cable/DSL, especially outside Maysville.
• Race/ethnicity
  • Mason County is majority White with small Black and Hispanic populations; smartphone adoption is broadly similar across groups when controlling for income, with slightly higher mobile‑only internet reliance in lower‑income tracts irrespective of race.

Usage patterns that differ from Kentucky overall

• Slightly lower smartphone penetration: Mason ~82% of adults vs Kentucky ~85–87%, attributable to an older population share and more feature‑phone retention among seniors.
• Higher cellular‑only home internet: Mason ~24% of households vs Kentucky ~16–18%, reflecting patchier wired broadband outside the Maysville core.
• More prepaid and budget plans: ~30% locally vs ~22% statewide, with stronger adoption of MVNOs and pay‑as‑you‑go in rural precincts.
• Lower median mobile speeds and capacity constraints:
  • In‑town Maysville: typical 35–60 Mbps down / 5–10 Mbps up.
  • Outlying areas: typical 5–20 Mbps down / 2–5 Mbps up, with occasional sub‑5 Mbps pockets.
  • Kentucky statewide mobile median generally runs higher (≈75–95 Mbps down), aided by denser mid‑band 5G in urban counties.
• 5G footprint skewed to low‑band: Mason relies primarily on low‑band 5G for coverage (long range, lower capacity), with limited mid‑band (C‑band/n41) capacity compared to Louisville/Lexington corridors.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Macro coverage
  • All three national carriers (AT&T/FirstNet, Verizon, T‑Mobile) cover the county, with strongest signals along KY 9 (AA Highway), US‑62/US‑68, KY‑11, and the Maysville urban core.
  • River valleys and hilly terrain west/south of Maysville exhibit weaker indoor penetration and occasional dead zones, particularly off main corridors.
• 5G specifics
  • Low‑band 5G (AT&T n5, T‑Mobile n71, Verizon DSS) is common; mid‑band capacity (T‑Mobile n41, Verizon C‑band n77) is limited to a few sectors near higher‑traffic nodes in/around Maysville.
  • Small‑cell density is low; most service rides macro sites, which constrains peak speeds during busy hours.
• Backhaul and fiber
  • KentuckyWired’s middle‑mile presence reaches the county seat area, improving anchor‑institution connectivity and enabling some carrier backhaul upgrades.
  • Cable HFC (Spectrum) provides the primary wired backbone in Maysville; DSL-to-fiber transitions (Windstream Kinetic and smaller builds) remain uneven in outlying census blocks.
  • 2022–2025 ARPA/BEAD‑aligned projects target unserved/underserved tracts south and west of Maysville; until those complete, cellular data remains the fall‑back for many households.
• Public safety and resilience
  • FirstNet coverage is strong along highways and key facilities; in‑building coverage in older brick structures can still require boosters.
  • Power backup on select macro sites supports continuity, but longer outages can degrade rural sectors faster than urban Kentucky peers.

Implications and actionable insights

• Mobile‑only dependence is materially higher than the state average, so carrier capacity upgrades (mid‑band 5G sectors, additional backhaul) will disproportionately improve everyday broadband access for Mason residents.
• Senior‑focused device and training programs can close the remaining smartphone gap and increase telehealth effectiveness.
• Targeted in‑fill sites or repeaters along river valleys would reduce the county’s most persistent dead zones more efficiently than broad coverage expansions.
• Coordinating last‑mile fiber builds with carrier backhaul upgrades will raise both wired and mobile performance, narrowing the county‑to‑state speed gap.

Note on methodology: Figures are 2024 estimates derived by combining recent ACS population/household structure, Kentucky wireless‑only and device‑ownership patterns from national surveys, and observed rural Kentucky mobile performance and 5G deployment norms, adjusted to Mason County’s age and income profile.

Below is a concise, county-level snapshot built from Mason County’s population profile and the latest U.S. social media adoption benchmarks (Pew Research Center, 2024). Figures are modeled estimates for Mason County adults (18+) and rounded for clarity.

Population and user stats

• Adult population (18+): ~13,300 (of ~17,100 total residents)
• Internet users: 11,700 adults (88%)
• Social media users (any platform): 10,800 adults (81%)

Most-used platforms among adults in Mason County (estimated reach)

• YouTube: 80% (~10,600 adults)
• Facebook: 68% (~9,000)
• Instagram: 42% (~5,600)
• Pinterest: 32% (~4,300)
• TikTok: 29% (~3,900)
• Snapchat: 23% (~3,100)
• X (Twitter): 18% (~2,400)
• LinkedIn: 18% (~2,400)
• WhatsApp: 17% (~2,300)
• Reddit: 16% (~2,100)
• Nextdoor: 11% (~1,500)

Age group patterns (share of adults in each group using platforms)

• 18–29: ~95% use social media; top platforms: YouTube ~95%, Instagram ~78%, Snapchat ~67%, TikTok ~62%, Facebook ~38%
• 30–49: ~88% use social media; top platforms: Facebook ~78%, YouTube ~90%, Instagram ~59%, TikTok ~40%, Snapchat ~29%
• 50–64: ~72% use social media; top platforms: Facebook ~69%, YouTube ~78%, Pinterest ~36%, Instagram ~33%, TikTok ~20%
• 65+: ~58% use social media; top platforms: Facebook ~58%, YouTube ~67%, Pinterest ~28%, Instagram ~15%, TikTok ~10%

Gender breakdown (share of adult men/women using each)

• Women: Facebook ~72%, Instagram ~44%, Pinterest ~49%, TikTok ~31%, YouTube ~77%
• Men: YouTube ~82%, Facebook ~63%, TikTok ~27%, X (Twitter) ~20%, Reddit ~22%, Instagram ~39%

Behavioral trends observed in rural Kentucky counties like Mason (applicable locally)

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of local groups (schools, churches, youth/high-school sports, buy–sell–trade, yard sales). Marketplace is a major commerce channel.
• Video dominates attention: Short-form (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) drives reach; Facebook video remains strong with 30+ audiences; YouTube for how‑to, repairs, farming/outdoors, product research.
• Discovery and shopping: Instagram and TikTok influence local dining, boutiques, events; Pinterest drives DIY, home, recipe planning among women 30–64.
• Messaging behavior: Facebook Messenger is the default for adults; Snapchat is prevalent for day‑to‑day coordination among teens/20s.
• News and alerts: High engagement with local weather, school announcements, road closures, and community safety posts; X usage is narrower, skewed to sports, news, and weather watchers.
• Timing: Engagement peaks before work (7–9 a.m.) and evenings (7–10 p.m.); weekends show strong activity for events, sports, and commerce posts; weather events drive spikes across platforms.
• Trust and content style: Local photos, familiar faces, and community outcomes outperform polished corporate creative; calls-to-action tied to school, sports, church, agriculture, and outdoors resonate.

Notes on methodology

• Estimates apply 2024 U.S. platform adoption rates to Mason County’s adult population, with light adjustments for a rural/older age mix. Use as planning baselines for audience sizing and content strategy.