Robertson County

Robertson County, Kentucky — key demographics

Population

• 2,193 (2020 Census; smallest county by population in Kentucky)
• ~2,160 (2023 Census Bureau estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~43 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Sex

• Female: ~49–50%
• Male: ~50–51%

Race and ethnicity (2020 Census; race alone unless noted)

• White: ~95%
• Black or African American: ~1–2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Some other race: each ~0–1%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~1–2%

Households and housing (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: ~870
• Average household size: ~2.5
• Family households: ~64%; married-couple families: ~50%
• Nonfamily households: ~36%
• Housing units: ~1,000
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~80%

Insights

• Very small, rural county with slow population decline since 2010.
• Older age structure than the nation overall.
• Housing is predominantly owner-occupied, with small household sizes.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey (ACS) 2019–2023 5-year estimates; Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2023). Figures are rounded; ACS values are estimates with sampling error.

• Population and density: Robertson County has 2,193 residents (2020 Census) across 100 sq mi (22 people per sq mi), the least-populous county in Kentucky.
• Estimated email users (adults): ~1,480 adult residents use email regularly. Method: applied rural U.S. internet/email adoption rates to the county’s adult population.
• Age distribution of adult email users (est.): 18–29: ~330 (22%); 30–49: ~550 (37%); 50–64: ~410 (28%); 65+: ~190 (13%). Higher adoption among under-65 adults; materially lower among seniors drives the smaller 65+ share.
• Gender split (est.): 50% female (740) and 50% male (740); gender gaps in email use are minimal in national surveys.
• Digital access and trends: As a very rural, low-density county, email use is constrained by broadband adoption and mobile-only reliance. Rural Kentucky shows lower fixed-broadband subscription and higher smartphone-only access than urban areas, but both are improving as fiber and 5G expand. Expect steady growth in senior adoption and mobile-first email usage.
• Connectivity facts: Sparse density elevates last-mile costs and slows fiber buildout relative to urban Kentucky; residents are more likely to depend on cellular data for everyday email than the state’s metro counties.

Robertson County, Kentucky — mobile phone usage snapshot (2025)

Context

• Population and density: ≈2,100 residents, spread across ~100 square miles (≈21 residents per square mile), making it Kentucky’s least-populous county. The settlement pattern is rural and dispersed, with Mount Olivet as the primary hub.

Estimated user base

• Active mobile phone users: ≈1,550 residents use a mobile phone regularly (about 73% of the total population, reflecting high adult ownership but lower youth penetration than urban areas).
• Smartphone users: ≈1,350 residents (about 63% of the population; roughly 87–90% of adult phone owners use smartphones).
• Device mix: Android ≈68%, iOS ≈31%, other ≈1%. The mix skews more Android than Kentucky’s urban centers, consistent with lower-cost handset preferences.
• Service plan mix: Prepaid ≈45% of lines, postpaid ≈55%. Prepaid adoption is materially higher than the Kentucky average due to income, credit, and coverage variability factors.

Demographic breakdown of usage

• Age: Seniors (65+) are a larger share locally than statewide, and they adopt smartphones at lower rates. Approximate smartphone adoption by age in-county: 18–34 ≈96%, 35–64 ≈90%, 65+ ≈70%. This pulls down overall smartphone penetration versus the state.
• Income and affordability: A higher share of cost-sensitive users opt for prepaid and MVNOs, older Android models, and data-light plans. Replacement cycles are longer than state averages.
• Household connectivity: A noticeably higher proportion of “mobile-only” homes (households that rely on cellular data for home internet) compared with the state overall, driven by limited, uneven fixed broadband options outside Mount Olivet and key road corridors.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carriers present: AT&T, Verizon, and T‑Mobile provide county service; coverage is strongest along KY‑165, KY‑19, US‑62, and around Mount Olivet. MVNOs riding these networks are common.
• 5G footprint: Predominantly low‑band 5G (wide‑area coverage, modest speeds). Mid‑band 5G (faster) is scarce or confined to spillover from neighboring‑county towers; most indoor experiences still fall back to LTE in outlying areas.
• LTE baseline: Outdoor LTE coverage is broad, but indoor signal can be weak in valleys and behind older construction. Wi‑Fi calling is widely used to compensate for indoor dead zones.
• Performance characteristics: Typical rural performance applies—low‑band 5G often in the ~20–100 Mbps range when available; LTE frequently in the ~5–25 Mbps range, with higher variability at cell edges and during evening peaks.
• Backhaul and sites: A small number of macro towers cover the county alongside out‑of‑county sites that project signal into Robertson. Backhaul is a mix of fiber where available and microwave elsewhere, contributing to variable capacity.
• Fixed broadband interplay: Cable/fiber options are limited outside the county seat and a few routes. Fixed wireless and satellite are common fallbacks, which in turn increases reliance on mobile data for day‑to‑day connectivity.

How Robertson County differs from Kentucky overall

• Higher reliance on mobile for home internet: A larger share of households are mobile‑only compared with the state average due to sparse, uneven wireline availability.
• Slower 5G upgrade profile: Low‑band 5G is present, but mid‑band 5G coverage and capacity are well behind the statewide footprint concentrated around cities and larger towns.
• More cost‑conscious plans and devices: Prepaid penetration and Android share are both higher than the Kentucky average; iPhone share is lower, and device replacement cycles are longer.
• Older user base effect: A higher proportion of seniors dampens overall smartphone penetration and app‑heavy usage relative to the state.
• Retail access: Fewer in‑county carrier retail options; many residents activate/upgrade in neighboring towns or through big‑box/MVNO channels, shaping plan selection and support patterns.

Key takeaways

• Expect reliable voice/SMS and workable LTE/low‑band 5G along main corridors; plan for signal management (Wi‑Fi calling, external antennas/hotspots) in hollows and at the edges.
• Demand patterns lean toward affordability and practicality: prepaid plans, Android devices, and mobile‑only home setups are all more common than statewide.
• The main constraint relative to Kentucky overall is capacity (mid‑band 5G scarcity and mixed backhaul), not outright lack of coverage; improvements will track new backhaul and mid‑band upgrades on a small number of key sites.

Notes on figures

• Population and density reflect recent Census/ACS estimates; user counts and device/plan shares are 2025 estimates derived from ACS household device access, statewide mobile adoption benchmarks, rural age mix, and observed carrier footprints in similar rural Kentucky counties.

Robertson County, KY social media snapshot (modeled, 2024)

Population baseline (U.S. Census Bureau)

• Total population: ~2,200 (2020 Census; smallest county in Kentucky)
• Gender: ~49% female, ~51% male (Census QuickFacts pattern for the county)
• Age mix (ACS 2018–2022 5-year estimates, rounded): Under 18 ~22%; 18–24 ~8%; 25–44 ~24%; 45–64 ~26%; 65+ ~20%

How many residents use social media

• Adults (18+): ~78% of population ≈ 1,700
• Adults using at least one social platform: ~80% of adults ≈ 1,350 (Pew Research Center national usage rate applied to the county’s adult population and age mix)

Most-used platforms among adults (share of adults who use each; estimates derived from Pew Research Center 2024 national adoption rates, adjusted slightly for the county’s older/rural profile)

• YouTube: ~80%
• Facebook: ~65–70%
• Instagram: ~30–35%
• TikTok: ~20–25%
• Snapchat: ~15–20%
• Pinterest: ~25–30%
• X (Twitter): ~15–18%
• Reddit: ~10–12%
• WhatsApp: ~12–18%
• LinkedIn: ~10–12%

Age-group usage patterns (what’s driving the estimates)

• Teens/young adults (under 25): Highest on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram; active YouTube viewers; Facebook mainly for family/church/school groups.
• 25–44: Facebook + Messenger are default; YouTube for how‑to and local interests; Instagram for family updates and small-business promotion; moderate TikTok.
• 45–64: Facebook is dominant (Groups, Marketplace, local news); YouTube high; Pinterest for crafts/home; limited Instagram/TikTok.
• 65+: Facebook and YouTube lead; lower adoption of other platforms.

Gender-tilted behaviors

• Women: Higher likelihood of Pinterest and Facebook Groups participation (community, schools, churches, buy/sell).
• Men: Higher YouTube use (DIY, agriculture, equipment, sports); slightly higher Reddit/X among younger men.

Local behavioral trends to expect

• Facebook is the community hub: county and school announcements, high‑school sports, churches, events, and Marketplace. Group and Page content outperforms brand-new standalone accounts.
• Video first: YouTube for long‑form how‑to, farming, and local sports; short‑form Reels/TikTok gaining traction among under‑35s.
• Messaging layer: Facebook Messenger is the primary DM channel; WhatsApp usage is present but not mainstream.
• Commerce: Facebook Marketplace is the go‑to for local buying/selling; Instagram used by small retailers and makers for visual catalogs and stories.
• Timing: Evenings (7–9 pm) and weekends see the highest engagement; midday spikes align with school and sports updates.
• Trust and voice: Content featuring recognizable local people, schools, churches, and farms earns higher engagement than polished, generic creative.

Notes on methodology

• Exact, platform-by-platform counts are not published at the county level. Figures above combine U.S. Census Bureau population and age structure for Robertson County with Pew Research Center’s 2024 social media adoption rates, adjusted for an older, rural user base. This yields realistic, decision-ready local estimates.