Mercer County

Key demographics for Mercer County, Kentucky (U.S. Census/ACS)

Population size

• Total population: 22,244 (2020 Census)
• Households: ~8,900 (ACS 2019–2023)

Age

• Median age: ~44 years
• Under 18: ~21%
• 18 to 64: ~58%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White (non-Hispanic): ~88–89%
• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~4–5%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3–4%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~2–3%
• Asian: ~0.5%
• American Indian/Alaska Native and other: <1%

Household data

• Average household size: ~2.4–2.5
• Family households: ~63–65% of households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~74%
• Median household income: low-$60,000s (in 2023 dollars)

Insights

• Aging profile with roughly one in five residents 65+
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White with small but growing Hispanic population
• High owner-occupancy and smaller household sizes typical of rural/small-metro Kentucky counties

• Scope: Mercer County, Kentucky (population ≈22,200; land area ≈250 sq mi; density ≈89 people/sq mi; county seat: Harrodsburg).

• Estimated email users: ≈15,800 adults (≈91% of adults online; ≈71% of total population).

  • By age (share of adult email users; approx. counts):
    • 18–29: 16% (≈2,600)
    • 30–49: 33% (≈5,150)
    • 50–64: 31% (≈4,950)
    • 65+: 20% (≈3,100)
  • Gender split: Female ≈51% (≈8,100), Male ≈49% (≈7,700). Usage rates are effectively equal by gender.

• Digital access and trends:

  • Households ≈8,800; broadband subscription ≈85% (≈7,500 households). About 10% (≈900) have no home internet; a small share are smartphone‑only.
  • Computer access ≈90% of households; email is near‑universal among internet users, with slightly lower adoption among 65+.
  • Connectivity is concentrated along the US‑127/Harrodsburg corridor; rural edges face higher last‑mile costs consistent with the county’s low density.
  • Broadband adoption has risen in recent ACS cycles, aided by expanding cable/fiber footprints and strong 4G/LTE coverage, though pockets of slower service persist.

• Insights: Email reach in Mercer County is mature and mirrors national patterns—very high among working‑age adults, strong but somewhat lower among seniors—with overall penetration primarily constrained by remaining household broadband gaps in rural areas.

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

Headline figures

• Population: ~23,000; adults (18+): ~18,000; households: ~9,200
• Adults with any mobile phone: ~17,300 (≈96% of adults)
• Adult smartphone users: ~15,400 (≈86% of adults)
• Wireless-only households (no landline): ~6,200 (≈67% of households)
• Households primarily relying on mobile data/hotspots for home internet: ~1,100 (≈12%)

Demographic breakdown of smartphone adoption and user counts (estimates)

• By age
  • 18–29: ~98% adoption; ~3,200 users
  • 30–49: ~97% adoption; ~5,600 users
  • 50–64: ~88% adoption; ~3,600 users
  • 65+: ~70% adoption; ~3,500 users
• By income
  • Under $35k: ~80% adoption; ~4,300 users
  • $35k–$75k: ~90% adoption; ~7,000 users
  • Over $75k: ~94% adoption; ~4,200 users
• By race/ethnicity (reflecting local composition and age mix)
  • White (majority): ~13,500 smartphone users
  • Black: ~800 smartphone users
  • Hispanic/Latino: ~500 smartphone users
  • Other/multiracial: ~600 smartphone users

Usage patterns and behavior

• Messaging and app usage are near-universal among residents under 50; seniors show higher reliance on voice/SMS with selective app adoption (banking, telehealth, Facebook).
• Mobile-only communication is mainstream: two-thirds of households have no landline, and about one in eight households treat mobile service as their primary home internet via hotspots.
• Device mix is smartphone-dominant with a small but notable feature-phone cohort among older adults; tablet and hotspot lines add several thousand additional active cellular connections beyond the adult user count.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carriers and network layers: AT&T, Verizon, and T‑Mobile all operate countywide. Low‑band 5G covers the population core, with 4G LTE fallback in fringe areas. FirstNet (AT&T Band 14) is present for public-safety coverage.
• Mid‑band 5G availability: concentrated in Harrodsburg, Burgin, and along US‑127; population coverage ~60%, leaving rural areas more dependent on low‑band 5G/LTE.
• Typical performance
  • Mid‑band 5G areas: 200–400 Mbps down, single‑digit to teens ms latency
  • Low‑band 5G/LTE areas: 10–60 Mbps down, 30–60 ms latency
• Site density: roughly 15–20 macro cell sites countywide plus a small number of rooftop/small cells in Harrodsburg; coverage gaps persist in low‑lying and lakeside terrain (e.g., around Herrington Lake/Shaker Village rim roads) and along some secondary rural routes.
• Backhaul and fixed broadband context: fiber-to-the-home is available in town centers and along main corridors but remains uneven in outer areas. This patchwork backhaul limits mid‑band 5G expansion outside population centers and contributes to higher household hotspot reliance.

How Mercer County differs from Kentucky overall

• Older age structure: Mercer’s higher share of residents 65+ pulls smartphone adoption down 1–3 percentage points vs. statewide averages, and maintains a small feature‑phone base.
• Wireless-only voice is common but slightly below the state rate: ~67% of Mercer households vs. roughly 70–72% statewide, reflecting the county’s older demographic that retains some landlines.
• Mobile as primary home internet is more common: ~12% of households vs. ~9–10% statewide, tied to uneven fixed fiber coverage outside Harrodsburg/Burgin.
• 5G quality mix skews toward coverage over capacity: low‑band population coverage is on par with the state, but Mercer has less mid‑band (capacity) coverage than metro/Interstate corridors, leading to lower peak speeds and more LTE fallback in rural zones.
• Carrier balance: T‑Mobile’s mid‑band footprint is relatively strong in Harrodsburg compared with AT&T/Verizon in some residential pockets, while AT&T’s FirstNet layer enhances public-safety reliability; the overall effect is slightly more variability by neighborhood than in urban Kentucky counties.

Key takeaways

• Near-universal mobile adoption with roughly 15,000+ adult smartphone users; seniors remain the primary adoption gap.
• Two-thirds of homes are wireless‑only for voice; hotspot‑based home internet usage is materially higher than state norms due to patchy last‑mile fiber.
• Mid‑band 5G capacity is concentrated in town and along US‑127; expanding fiber backhaul and additional macro infill would close remaining rural performance gaps.

Social media usage in Mercer County, Kentucky (2025 snapshot)

Headline user stats

• Monthly social media users: ~15,500 residents (about 70% of the county’s population)
• Daily users: ~11,000 (roughly 70% of social users log in daily)
• Average platforms per user: 3–4
• Device mix: Predominantly mobile; short-form video dominates attention

Most-used platforms in Mercer County (share of residents, monthly; rounded)

• YouTube: 80%
• Facebook: 68%
• Facebook Messenger: 60%
• Instagram: 40%
• TikTok: 33%
• Pinterest: 28%
• Snapchat: 25%
• LinkedIn: 20%
• X (Twitter): 18%
• Reddit: 11%
• Nextdoor: 7%

Age-group usage patterns (local rates aligned to rural KY demographics)

• Teens 13–17
  • On social: ~95%
  • Top platforms: YouTube ~93%, TikTok ~63%, Snapchat ~60%, Instagram ~59%, Facebook ~33%
  • Behavior: Heavy short-form video; school/athletics groups; Snapchat for daily messaging
• Adults 18–29
  • On social: ~95%
  • Platform mix: YouTube ~95%, Instagram ~78%, Snapchat ~65%, Facebook ~67%, TikTok ~50%
  • Behavior: Reels/TikTok for entertainment, Instagram for discovery; Messenger/Snapchat for coordination
• Adults 30–49
  • On social: ~88–90%
  • Platform mix: YouTube ~90%, Facebook ~77%, Instagram ~49%, TikTok ~31%, Snapchat ~23%
  • Behavior: Facebook Groups/Marketplace for local needs; how‑to and product research on YouTube
• Adults 50–64
  • On social: ~80–83%
  • Platform mix: Facebook ~73%, YouTube ~83%, Instagram ~29%, TikTok ~15% (Pinterest higher among women)
  • Behavior: Community, church, and local news; practical video content; events sharing
• Adults 65+
  • On social: ~60–65%
  • Platform mix: Facebook ~58%, YouTube ~60%, Instagram ~15%, TikTok ~8%
  • Behavior: Family updates, local public-service info; lower posting, higher scrolling

Gender breakdown (share of social users and platform skews)

• Overall users: ~54% women, ~46% men
• Platform skews
  • More women: Facebook (56% women), Instagram (58% women), TikTok (60% women), Pinterest (75% women)
  • More men: Reddit (70% men), X/Twitter (60% men), YouTube slightly male-leaning

Local behavioral trends to know

• Facebook as the community hub: High participation in local Groups (buy/sell/trade, yard sales, school sports, churches) and Marketplace; event-driven spikes around school calendars, festivals, and holidays
• Video-first consumption: YouTube for how‑to/news/sports highlights; Facebook Reels and TikTok for entertainment and local creators
• Messaging over posting: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are the default for coordination; WhatsApp usage remains niche
• Local news reliance: Residents track county government, schools, closures, and weather alerts via Facebook Pages/Groups; trust is higher for recognizable local entities
• Value orientation: Coupons, giveaways, and limited-time offers from local businesses perform strongly; photo/video featuring familiar places or people increases engagement
• Time-of-day peaks: Early morning (6–8 a.m.), lunch (noon), and evening (7–9 p.m.); Sunday evening engagement is notably strong for community updates

Notes on methodology

• Figures are 2025 estimates for Mercer County derived from U.S. Census population structure and leading U.S. social media adoption studies (Pew Research Center 2023–2024; Edison Research “Infinite Dial” 2024; DataReportal 2024), adjusted for a rural Kentucky age mix. Percentages are rounded and intended as locally calibrated, evidence-based estimates.