Mccracken County

Key demographics — McCracken County, Kentucky

Population size

• 67.2k (2023 population estimate)
• 67.9k (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~43 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~21%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Female: ~52%
• Male: ~48%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2018–2022)

• White alone: ~82%
• Black or African American alone: ~12–13%
• Asian alone: ~1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.3%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%
• Two or more races: ~3–4%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2–3%
• White alone, not Hispanic: ~80%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~29,000
• Average household size: ~2.2 persons
• Family households: ~62%
• Married-couple families: ~44%
• Households with children under 18: ~25%
• One-person households: ~34% (about 14% age 65+ living alone)

Insights

• Population is stable to slightly declining since 2020.
• Older age profile relative to the U.S., with about one in five residents 65+.
• Predominantly White with a sizable Black population and small but growing Hispanic share.
• Smaller household sizes and a substantial share of one-person and nonfamily households.

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

McCracken County, KY (2025 est.) — email usage snapshot

• Estimated email users: ~48,600 adults (≈74% of all residents), derived from county adult population and national email adoption rates (Pew) adjusted by local internet subscription levels (ACS).
• Age distribution of email users (approximate):
  • 18–29: ~8.9k
  • 30–49: ~17.6k
  • 50–64: ~12.7k
  • 65+: ~9.4k Adoption is near-universal for under‑50s, high for 50–64, and strong but lower among 65+.
• Gender split: roughly mirrors the county population (≈52% female, 48% male), yielding ~25.3k female and ~23.3k male email users.
• Digital access trends:
  • Households with an internet subscription: mid‑80s percent and rising (ACS). Computer access exceeds 90%.
  • Smartphone‑only internet households: ~14–16%, supporting mobile-first email use.
  • Fixed broadband availability: ~97–99% of locations have 25/3 Mbps or better; fiber and gigabit cable are common in Paducah and denser tracts, with DSL/cable persisting on rural edges (FCC/provider filings).
• Local density/connectivity: ~260 people per square mile; strong coverage along the Paducah–I‑24 corridor with broad LTE/5G service, aiding always‑on email connectivity for commuters and businesses.

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

Headline user estimates

• Adult population and households: ~67,000 residents; ~52,000 adults; ~30,000 households.
• Smartphone adoption: 82–86% of adults use a smartphone (≈43,000–45,000 users).
• Wireless-only (mobile as the sole telephone service): 68–72% of adults, below Kentucky’s statewide share (low-to-mid 70s).
• 5G-capable devices: 65–75% of smartphone users carry a 5G-capable handset.
• Average monthly mobile data per line: ~18–22 GB, broadly in line with national usage.
• Prepaid share: 18–22% of active lines (lower than Kentucky’s average, which skews more prepaid outside metro areas).
• Fixed-wireless home internet (5G/4G) adoption: 6–10% of households, concentrated in and around Paducah.

Demographic usage patterns (modeled from ACS, CDC NHIS, Pew and market mix)

• Age
  • 18–29: 94–98% smartphone adoption; ~80% wireless-only.
  • 30–49: 90–95% smartphone adoption; ~72–78% wireless-only.
  • 50–64: 82–88% smartphone adoption; ~65–72% wireless-only.
  • 65+: 70–76% smartphone adoption; ~52–60% wireless-only.
  • County median age is higher than Kentucky’s, pulling down overall smartphone and wireless-only shares relative to the state.
• Income
  • <200% FPL: high smartphone reliance; 76–82% wireless-only; notable prepaid usage and Wi‑Fi offloading.
  • ≥200% FPL: higher 5G handset penetration and postpaid plans; greater use of multiline family plans.
• Race/ethnicity
  • Black and Hispanic residents show similar or higher smartphone reliance than White residents and a higher likelihood of being mobile-only for home internet, mirroring statewide digital equity patterns but with smaller absolute numbers locally.
• Urban vs non-urban within the county
  • Paducah/transport corridors (I‑24/US‑60/US‑62): higher 5G device penetration and data usage; more fixed‑wireless home internet uptake.
  • Outlying areas: more LTE fallback and lower median speeds; slightly higher prepaid share.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Carrier presence: AT&T, Verizon, and T‑Mobile provide countywide LTE and low‑band 5G. Mid‑band 5G (capacity layers) is strongest in Paducah and along I‑24, with patchier reach in low‑density areas.
• 5G coverage profile
  • Low‑band 5G: broadly available across the county.
  • Mid‑band 5G (e.g., T‑Mobile n41, Verizon C‑Band): prevalent in the Paducah urban footprint, hospitals, retail corridors, and major highways; thins outside population centers.
• Typical observed speeds
  • Paducah/mid‑band 5G zones: ~150–400 Mbps down, 15–40 Mbps up during off‑peak; lower at peak.
  • Countywide low‑band 5G/LTE: ~20–80 Mbps down, 5–15 Mbps up; pockets with LTE-only or indoor attenuation in river-adjacent areas.
• Backhaul and fiber
  • Spectrum cable covers most addresses; AT&T provides IPBB/DSL with selective fiber in Paducah and newer builds; KentuckyWired middle‑mile traverses the region and supports carrier backhaul.
  • Fiber availability is concentrated in city neighborhoods and business districts; cable remains the dominant wired option in most residential areas.
• Public-safety and enterprise
  • FirstNet (AT&T) and carrier DAS/small cells present in hospitals and large venues; macro sites cluster along I‑24 and primary arterials.

How McCracken County differs from Kentucky overall

• Lower wireless-only share: The county’s older age structure and better access to cable/fiber reduce wireless-only telephony and mobile‑only home internet compared with the statewide average.
• Higher mid-band 5G availability: Relative to many rural Kentucky counties, Paducah’s density and highway corridors yield stronger mid‑band 5G coverage and higher median mobile speeds.
• More postpaid, fewer prepaid lines: Urban employment mix and family-plan penetration nudge McCracken toward postpaid compared with Kentucky’s more rural counties.
• Fixed‑wireless is additive, not primary: 5G home internet is growing but supplements (rather than replaces) widely available cable in Paducah; elsewhere in Kentucky, fixed‑wireless has a larger role where cable/fiber options are sparse.

Key takeaways

• Approximately 43–45k adult smartphone users reside in McCracken County, with two-thirds to three-quarters already on 5G-capable handsets.
• Mobile-only telephony is common but meaningfully below Kentucky’s statewide level due to the county’s older population and stronger wired broadband options.
• Mid‑band 5G capacity is a clear differentiator versus state averages, concentrating faster speeds where people live, work, and travel in and around Paducah.
• Growth vectors: expanding mid‑band 5G beyond urban corridors, deepening indoor coverage in healthcare/retail hubs, and targeted offers for older and lower‑income segments that still under-index on 5G devices.

Social media usage snapshot — McCracken County, Kentucky (2025)

How this is built

• County baseline uses U.S. Census (2020 decennial; McCracken County population 67,875). Platform percentages use Pew Research Center’s Social Media Use in 2024; these are the most recent nationally representative figures and are the best proxy for county-level behavior. McCracken’s small‑metro, slightly older demographic means Facebook and YouTube tend to over‑index locally; TikTok/Snapchat under‑index slightly.

Overall reach

• Adults using at least one social platform: ~80% of adults (national benchmark; rural/small‑metro is ~79–80%).
• Practical implication locally: Social media is the default reach channel for most residents with internet access; Facebook remains the primary mass‑reach network.

Most-used platforms (share of U.S. adults; expect similar rank order locally)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• Pinterest: 35%
• TikTok: 33%
• Snapchat: 30%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• Reddit: 22%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• WhatsApp: 21% Notes: In counties that skew older, Facebook’s share is typically a few points higher than the national average; TikTok/Snapchat a few points lower.

Age groups (behavioral patterns and where usage concentrates)

• 13–17: Heavy Snapchat, TikTok; Instagram for aspirational/creator content; YouTube for entertainment/how‑to. Messaging and Stories over feed posts.
• 18–29: Nearly universal YouTube; Instagram and Snapchat are core daily apps; TikTok highly active for trends and local food/entertainment discovery; Facebook used mainly for Events, Marketplace, and family groups.
• 30–49: Facebook is the utility app (Groups, Marketplace, school/league updates); Instagram for visual updates; YouTube for tutorials, product research, and kids’ content.
• 50–64: Facebook dominant for news, church/civic groups, local businesses; YouTube for how‑to and local meetings/services; moderate Instagram; limited TikTok.
• 65+: Facebook and YouTube lead; strong engagement with local news, weather, health, church content; minimal TikTok/Snapchat.

Gender breakdown

• Population mix: Women slightly outnumber men in McCracken County (roughly 52% female per ACS patterns for KY counties).
• Platform tendencies (national benchmarks that reflect local behavior):
  • Women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, and especially Pinterest (Pinterest’s audience is majority female nationally).
  • Men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn.
  • Purchase-intent content performs especially well with women on Facebook/Instagram/Pinterest; sports/tech/civic topics over‑perform with men on YouTube/Reddit/X.

Behavioral trends observed in similar small‑metro Kentucky counties

• Facebook as the community hub: Highest daily reach for local news, weather alerts, school and church updates, county/city agencies, high‑school sports, and civic discussion. Groups and Marketplace drive repeat use.
• Video-first consumption: Short‑form vertical video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) drives outsized reach; YouTube remains the top destination for long‑form how‑to and local government/church streams.
• Event and deal discovery: Residents rely on Facebook Events and local Pages for festivals, sports, fundraisers; offers and limited‑time deals from local SMBs get above‑average engagement.
• Messaging > public posting: Facebook Messenger (all ages) and Snapchat (teens/young adults) are primary for coordination; many interactions happen off‑feed.
• Peak activity windows: Evenings (7–10 pm) and weekend mornings; weather events and school announcements create pronounced spikes.
• Cross‑posting behavior: TikTok clips frequently re‑used as Instagram Reels and Facebook video, extending reach to older audiences not active on TikTok.
• Trust cues matter: Local faces, recognizable landmarks, and clear community benefit lift CTR and shares; comments are a major signal for distribution in the county’s Facebook ecosystem.

Practical channel priorities for McCracken County

• Mass reach and community response: Facebook (Posts, Groups, Events, short video) and YouTube (Shorts + searchable long‑form).
• Younger reach and cultural relevance: Instagram (Reels) and TikTok for 13–34.
• Consideration/commerce: Facebook/Instagram for offers and retargeting; Pinterest for household/lifestyle categories (skews female).
• Conversation and niche interests: X (Twitter) for real‑time updates; Reddit for hobby/tech audiences; LinkedIn for professional and civic outreach.

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (McCracken County population).
• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (platform adoption by U.S. adults; age/gender tendencies).
• ACS patterns for Kentucky counties (female share slightly above male; broadband and age structure consistent with small‑metro, older‑skewing profiles).