Simpson County

Simpson County, Kentucky — key demographics

Population

• 19,361 (2020 Census)
• ~20,200 (2023 population estimate; +4–5% since 2020)

Age

• Median age: ~39 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~24%
• 65 and over: ~17%

Sex

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022)

• White alone: ~86%
• Black or African American alone: ~8–9%
• Asian alone: ~0.6%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.2%
• Two or more races: ~4%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~5%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~82%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~7,300
• Persons per household: ~2.6
• Family households: ~64% (married-couple majority)
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: ~69%

Insights

• Modest, steady growth since 2020
• Age structure near the Kentucky average with roughly one-quarter under 18 and one-sixth 65+
• Majority White population with notable Black and growing Hispanic communities

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates (QuickFacts)

Simpson County, KY snapshot

• Population ≈19,600; land ≈235 sq mi; density ≈83 persons/sq mi (2020 Census).
• Adults (18+) ≈15,200.

Email usage (estimated from U.S. adult adoption rates)

• Adult email users ≈14,000 (≈92% of adults).
• By age (users): 18–29 ≈2,600; 30–49 ≈5,050; 50–64 ≈3,390; 65+ ≈2,970.
• Gender split among users: ≈50.7% female (7,100) and 49.3% male (6,900).

Digital access and connectivity

• Households ≈7,400; with a computer ≈89%; with a broadband subscription ≈81% (ACS 2018–2022).
• Smartphone-only internet households ≈12–15%, indicating a meaningful mobile‑first audience.
• Connectivity is strongest in Franklin and along the I‑65 corridor, where cable/fiber and 5G from major carriers are widely available; outlying rural areas have spottier fixed high‑speed options, affecting older and lower‑income users most.

Insights

• Email reach is broad countywide; the 30–49 segment is the largest and most reliably reached.
• Seniors (65+) represent a sizable email audience but with slightly lower adoption, reflecting rural last‑mile gaps.
• High household broadband plus notable smartphone‑only access supports both traditional and mobile‑optimized email campaigns.

Mobile phone usage in Simpson County, Kentucky — 2024 snapshot

Headline numbers

• Population base: 19,746 residents (ACS 2018–2022 5‑year). Roughly 7,700 households.
• Estimated smartphone users (age 13+): about 14,100 residents.
• Adult smartphone adoption: roughly 86–87% of adults, about 2 percentage points below the Kentucky average (driven by a more rural/older mix than the state overall).
• Wireless‑only households (no landline): about 5,700–5,900 households, or ~74–77% (in line with, or slightly above, Kentucky’s already high wireless‑only rate).
• Mobile‑only home internet (smartphone data plan but no fixed home broadband): approximately 17–19% of households in Simpson County versus ~14–16% statewide; this indicates heavier reliance on mobile data at home than the state average.

Demographic breakdown of smartphone users (estimates modeled from ACS population structure, Pew Research 2023 adoption rates, and rural adjustment)

• By age (share of county population; estimated smartphone adoption; estimated users):
  • 13–17 (≈7%): ~91% adoption → ~1,260 teen smartphone users.
  • 18–34 (≈21%): ~95% adoption → ~3,940 users.
  • 35–64 (≈38%): ~92% adoption → ~6,900 users.
  • 65+ (≈17%): ~61% adoption → ~2,050 users.
  • Net effect vs state: Simpson has a slightly larger 65+ share and a more rural profile than Kentucky overall, depressing the county’s adult smartphone adoption by roughly 1–3 percentage points relative to the state.
• By income/education (directional):
  • Median household income in Simpson is modestly below or near the state median; coupled with a lower bachelor’s‑degree share, this correlates with a higher share of prepaid plans and mobile‑only internet use than in the state’s urban counties.
  • Among lower‑income households, smartphone ownership remains high (>80%), but fixed broadband take‑up is lower than the state average, reinforcing mobile dependence.
• By race/ethnicity (ACS composition: majority White non‑Hispanic, with meaningful Black and Hispanic communities):
  • Smartphone ownership is broadly high across groups; differences by race/ethnicity are smaller than differences by age/income in this county. The larger driver of variation is rural residency and age.

Digital infrastructure and availability (mobile and fixed)

• Coverage and 5G:
  • All three national carriers report 4G LTE coverage across nearly all populated areas of Simpson County.
  • 5G is reported by at least one carrier across most populated corridors (notably I‑65, Franklin, and the US‑31W spine). Reported 5G population coverage is slightly lower in outlying tracts than Kentucky’s urban counties, leaving some pockets functionally LTE‑only.
  • Practical impact vs state: Simpson’s median mobile speeds and 5G availability away from the I‑65/Franklin core are below big‑city Kentucky levels (Louisville/Lexington/Northern KY), contributing to higher mobile‑only internet reliance but with lower performance headroom than state urban averages.
• Tower siting and density:
  • The radio network is anchored by macro towers concentrated along I‑65, Franklin, and major state routes, with thinner spacing in farmland areas. Site density is typical for a small, largely rural county; infill is more limited than in urban Kentucky counties.
• Backhaul/fixed plant context (affecting mobile quality):
  • Cable and fiber options are strongest in/near Franklin; outside the city limits, residents are more likely to face DSL or fixed‑wireless options. This fixed‑plant pattern correlates with a higher share of households relying primarily on smartphones for home access than state average.
• Public and anchor connectivity:
  • Schools, libraries, and municipal buildings in Franklin act as anchor connectivity points; outside the city, fewer public Wi‑Fi nodes exist relative to population, increasing the practical importance of reliable mobile coverage for homeworkers and students compared with urban Kentucky.

Trends that differ from Kentucky statewide

• Slightly lower adult smartphone adoption rate (by roughly 1–3 percentage points) than the state average due to a higher rural and 65+ share.
• Noticeably higher mobile‑only home internet reliance (≈17–19% of households in Simpson vs ≈14–16% statewide), reflecting more limited fixed broadband options outside Franklin.
• Heavier prepaid participation and budget plans than in urban Kentucky, tied to income/education mix; this aligns with higher wireless‑only household rates and lower fixed broadband take‑up.
• 5G availability concentrated along I‑65 and Franklin, with LTE persistence in outer tracts; Kentucky’s metro counties show broader 5G penetration and faster median speeds.
• Daytime/through‑traffic on I‑65 drives capacity needs and coverage along the corridor more than in non‑interstate counties, shaping tower placement and upgrades.

Method and sources

• Population and household structure: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2018–2022 5‑year estimates.
• Smartphone/wireless‑only benchmarks: Pew Research Center 2023 (U.S. adult smartphone ownership; rural vs non‑rural differentials) and National Health Interview Survey wireless‑only household benchmarks for Kentucky.
• Fixed broadband subscription benchmarks: ACS Computer and Internet Use (2018–2022) and FCC National Broadband Map (2023–2024) patterns for county vs state.
• Estimates apply these benchmarks to Simpson County’s demographic mix to produce county‑level user counts and adoption rates.

Simpson County, KY social media snapshot (2025)

Scope and basis

• Figures are best-available 2025 estimates modeled from recent U.S. and rural benchmarks (Pew Research 2023–2024) applied to Simpson County’s age/sex profile; residents 13+ unless noted.

User stats

• Residents 13+: ~16,500; adults 18+: ~15,200
• Social media penetration
  • 13+: 74% (~12,200 users)
  • 18+: 71% (~10,800 users)

Most-used platforms (adults 18+; share who use each)

• YouTube: 80%
• Facebook: 72%
• Instagram: 41%
• Pinterest: 32%
• TikTok: 29%
• Snapchat: 25%
• X (Twitter): 18%
• LinkedIn: 19%
• Reddit: 16%
• WhatsApp: 15%
• Nextdoor: 7%

Age breakdown (share using at least one platform; indicative platform skews)

• 13–17: 95% use; TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube dominate; most sharing is private (DMs/Stories)
• 18–29: 92% use; YouTube ~95%, Instagram ~78%, Snapchat ~71%, TikTok ~68%, Facebook ~60%
• 30–49: 83% use; Facebook ~78%, YouTube ~88%, Instagram ~52%, Pinterest ~38%, TikTok ~37%
• 50–64: 68% use; Facebook ~74%, YouTube ~76%, Pinterest ~34%, Instagram ~28%, TikTok ~18%
• 65+: 47% use; Facebook ~55%, YouTube ~58%, Pinterest ~20%, Instagram ~15%, TikTok ~9%

Gender breakdown (adults 18+)

• Female: ~74% use social; higher on Facebook and Pinterest (Pinterest ~49%, Instagram ~45%, TikTok ~31%)
• Male: ~68% use social; higher on YouTube, Reddit, X (YouTube ~83%, Reddit ~22%, X ~21%, Instagram ~37%)

Behavioral trends in-county

• Facebook is the community hub: school and sports updates, churches, civic and neighborhood groups, buy/sell/trade, and Facebook Marketplace activity are heavy
• Video-first consumption is surging: short-form video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) outperforms static posts for local businesses and events
• Private sharing > public posting among teens and younger adults: Messenger, Snapchat, and Instagram DMs drive coordination and word-of-mouth
• Event- and season-driven spikes: high school sports, festivals, severe weather, and public safety updates reliably lift engagement
• Discovery-to-purchase path is local: residents often discover on Facebook/Instagram or via YouTube reviews, then convert via Messenger, Marketplace, or in-store
• Time-of-day peaks: evening usage (roughly 7–10 pm CT) with a midday bump around lunch; weekends skew to community events and Marketplace
• Platform consolidation among older cohorts: many 50+ primarily use Facebook and YouTube, reducing multi-app usage over time