Pike County

Pike County, Kentucky – key demographics (latest Census/ACS)

Population size

• 58,669 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~43 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~20%
• 18 to 64: ~59%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Female: ~50.8%
• Male: ~49.2%

Race and ethnicity

• White alone: ~95%
• Black or African American alone: ~1%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~0.3%
• Asian alone: ~0.5%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~1–2%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~94%

Households

• Households: ~24,000 (ACS 2019–2023)
• Average household size: ~2.4
• Family households: ~65%
• Nonfamily households: ~35%
• Householder living alone: ~31%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~75%

Insights

• Population is aging and predominantly White, with small household sizes and high homeownership relative to national averages.

• Estimated email users: ~44,000 residents in Pike County (about 75% of the population), reflecting ~92% usage among online adults.
• Age distribution of email users (count; share):
  • 13–17: ~2,800 (6%)
  • 18–29: ~7,200 (16%)
  • 30–49: ~13,900 (32%)
  • 50–64: ~12,200 (28%)
  • 65+: ~8,000 (18%)
• Gender split among email users: ~51% female, 49% male, mirroring local population and showing near‑parity engagement.
• Digital access and usage:
  • ~74% of households subscribe to home broadband; roughly 10–12% are smartphone‑only users; about 14–16% lack home internet.
  • Email is accessed primarily on smartphones, with desktop use concentrated among working‑age adults.
  • Seniors and low‑income households show lower adoption and less frequent use; digital literacy programs correlate with higher uptake.
• Connectivity and density context:
  • Population 58,700 across ~787 sq mi (75 residents per sq mi), the largest county by land area in Kentucky.
  • Fiber/cable availability is strongest in Pikeville and along the US‑23 corridor; mountainous terrain and dispersed hollows raise last‑mile costs, leaving pockets with sub‑25 Mbps service.
  • Ongoing 5G and fiber buildouts are gradually raising speeds and reliability, supporting steady growth in email use.

Mobile phone usage in Pike County, Kentucky — 2025 snapshot

Headline estimates (modeled using 2022–2024 ACS demographics, Pew rural adoption rates, and FCC coverage data)

• Population baseline: ~57,500 residents, ~23,500 households, ~44,000 adults (18+).
• Smartphone users: 36,000–38,000 adults (about 82–85% of adults).
• Any mobile phone users: ~41,000 adults (about 92% of adults).
• Households with at least one smartphone: ~20,000–21,000 (85–90% of households).
• Mobile-only internet households (no fixed broadband at home; rely on cellular data): ~5,500–6,000 (roughly 23–26% of households).
• Prepaid share of phone lines: high, about 30–40% of consumer lines.
• 5G-capable device users: ~18,000–20,000 (about half of smartphone users), with many still operating mostly on LTE due to coverage patterns.

Demographic breakdown (how Pike County differs from Kentucky overall)

• Age
  • 18–34: very high smartphone adoption (~92–96%), broadly similar to state levels.
  • 35–64: high adoption (~85–90%), 1–3 points lower than state.
  • 65+: materially lower adoption (~65–72%) than Kentucky’s senior average, reflecting an older age structure and cost constraints; seniors more likely to keep voice/text-centric plans or share devices within households.
• Income and affordability
  • Higher poverty rates than state average translate into more prepaid plans, more device sharing, and higher mobile-only internet reliance. Pike’s mobile-only rate is roughly 8–12 points higher than the statewide average.
  • The sunset of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program in 2024 has a larger local impact than statewide averages, increasing the risk of fixed-broadband churn and pushing more households to rely on phones for home internet.
• Education and work patterns
  • Lower bachelor’s attainment and more shift-based or field work (transportation, energy, construction, services) correlate with heavier reliance on mobile for day-to-day connectivity and messaging-first usage.

Digital infrastructure and coverage (local realities that diverge from statewide conditions)

• Carrier landscape
  • Appalachian Wireless (East Kentucky Network) maintains a significant local share alongside AT&T and Verizon; T‑Mobile presence has improved with low-band and mid-band additions but remains less consistent in remote hollows. The strong role of a regional carrier contrasts with the Big Three dominance typical of statewide metrics.
• Coverage profile
  • 4G LTE is broadly available along main corridors (e.g., US‑23, Pikeville area) with persistent dead zones in steep hollows and ridge-shadowed areas; in-building coverage in valleys depends heavily on low-band spectrum.
  • 5G is present primarily in and around Pikeville and along major routes; away from corridors, service falls back to LTE more often than Kentucky’s urban counties. As a result, 5G device ownership outpaces consistent 5G service availability.
• Spectrum and public safety
  • Low-band holdings (700/850 MHz, including AT&T’s Band 14/FirstNet) are important for reach; regional deployments by Appalachian Wireless on low-band and PCS/AWS support coverage where mid-band is constrained by terrain.
• Backhaul and middle mile
  • The KentuckyWired middle-mile backbone and recent fiber builds in Eastern Kentucky improve backhaul resiliency at key sites, but many towers still rely on microwave or constrained backhaul, limiting peak mobile speeds versus Kentucky’s urban counties.
• Resiliency
  • Post-2022 flood hardening improved battery backup and portable cell capabilities, but long valleys and single-feed backhaul to some sites keep outage risks higher than the state average during severe weather.

Usage patterns and behaviors

• Higher prevalence of “phone-as-primary internet” usage for banking, school portals, and social platforms (notably Facebook and Messenger), with more conservative video streaming habits driven by data caps and capacity constraints.
• Text and OTT messaging dominate; voice remains important in areas with marginal data throughput.

Key ways Pike County trends differ from Kentucky overall

• Smartphone penetration is a bit lower (by roughly 3–5 points), concentrated among seniors and very low-income households.
• Mobile-only internet reliance is substantially higher (by ~8–12 points), reflecting fixed-broadband gaps and affordability.
• Prepaid adoption is markedly higher (by ~10–15 points), and a regional carrier (Appalachian Wireless) holds a meaningful share of local subscriptions.
• 5G device ownership is rising, but consistent 5G coverage and median mobile speeds lag urban Kentucky, keeping many users on LTE much of the time.
• Terrain-driven dead zones and in-building coverage challenges are more pronounced than in most of the state, reinforcing the importance of low-band spectrum and network densification.

Outlook through 2027

• Expect incremental 5G expansion along major corridors and selective infill sites; BEAD-funded fiber builds will strengthen backhaul and indirectly improve mobile capacity and reliability.
• Without a stable long-term broadband affordability subsidy, mobile-only dependence is likely to remain elevated, sustaining strong prepaid demand and emphasizing coverage quality and data value over top-end speeds.

Sources and methods

• U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2018–2022 5‑year (population, households, income, education)
• Pew Research Center (2023–2024) mobile and smartphone ownership, rural vs. urban differentials
• FCC Broadband Data Collection (2023–2024) coverage and availability; FirstNet/AT&T public safety disclosures
• Kentucky Office of Broadband (BEAD program materials) and KentuckyWired middle‑mile documentation
• CTIA annual wireless reports (for national prepaid/penetration context) Figures marked as estimates are modeled to Pike County using the above datasets and regional adjustments common to Central Appalachia.

Pike County, KY social media snapshot (2025 modeled)

Baseline

• Population: ≈58,000 (2023 ACS estimate)
• Adults (18+): ≈45,000
• Adults using at least one social platform: ≈82% → ~37,000

Most-used platforms among adults (modeled reach; counts overlap)

• YouTube: 80% (~36.2k)
• Facebook: 72% (~32.6k)
• Instagram: 36% (~16.3k)
• TikTok: 31% (~14.0k)
• Pinterest: 32% (~14.5k)
• Snapchat: 26% (~11.8k)
• X (Twitter): 20% (~9.0k)
• LinkedIn: 14% (~6.3k)
• Reddit: 14% (~6.3k)
• Nextdoor: 7% (~3.2k)

Age groups (usage pattern highlights)

• 18–29: Heavy on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; YouTube near-universal; Facebook used but not primary.
• 30–49: Daily Facebook and Instagram; YouTube very high; TikTok moderate.
• 50–64: Facebook is the hub; YouTube strong; Instagram modest; TikTok limited.
• 65+: Facebook dominates; YouTube moderate; minimal TikTok/Instagram.

Gender breakdown (county is ~51% female, 49% male; platform skews)

• Skew female: Facebook (~55% female), Instagram (slight female majority), Pinterest (strongly female).
• Skew male: YouTube, Reddit, X (Twitter), LinkedIn.
• Snapchat and TikTok: near parity with a slight female tilt.

Behavioral trends observed in similar rural/Appalachian counties and expected locally

• Facebook first: Groups and Pages for local news, schools, churches, youth and high‑school sports; Facebook Marketplace is a key buy/sell channel.
• Video-forward: Short-form video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) outperforms static posts; YouTube used for how‑to, hunting/outdoors, automotive, and local events.
• Mobile-heavy usage: Messaging (Messenger/Snapchat/IG DMs) is a primary response path; click-to-call and message objectives convert better than web forms.
• Trust local: Content from local officials, schools, clinics, churches, and recognizable community figures outperforms national/influencer content.
• Dayparting: Engagement peaks early morning and 6–9 pm ET; weekend mid‑mornings strong for Marketplace and local events.
• Commerce: Service categories (healthcare, automotive, home services), local retail, and events see the strongest response; coupon and limited‑time offers drive saves/shares.
• Cross-posting works: Facebook + Instagram pairing covers most adults under 50; add YouTube for broad reach and TikTok for under‑40 growth.

Notes on methodology

• Figures are 2025 modeled estimates for Pike County adults, derived from 2023 ACS population and 2024 Pew Research platform usage rates for U.S. rural adults; platform counts overlap because users maintain multiple accounts.