Spencer County

Here is a concise demographic snapshot of Spencer County, Kentucky.

Population size

• 19,490 (2020 Decennial Census), up 14.2% from 17,061 in 2010.

Age

• Median age: ~41 years (ACS 2019–2023).
• Under 18: ~25%.
• 18–64: ~60%.
• 65 and over: ~15%.

Gender

• Female: ~50%.
• Male: ~50%. (ACS 2019–2023)

Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census; Hispanic is any race)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~93%.
• Black or African American: ~2%.
• Hispanic/Latino: ~3%.
• Two or more races: ~2%.
• Asian: <1%.
• American Indian/Alaska Native: <1%.

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

• Total households: ~7,000.
• Average household size: ~3.0 persons.
• Family households: ~80% of households; married-couple families: ~2/3 of all households.
• Households with children under 18: ~38%.
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~88%.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey (ACS) 2019–2023 5-year estimates.

• Population baseline: ~21,000 residents (2023 est.), land area ~187 sq mi → density ≈112 people/sq mi.
• Estimated email users: ~16,200 residents (age 13+) use email, based on ~92% email penetration among internet users and local internet adoption.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: 7%
  • 18–34: 27%
  • 35–54: 36%
  • 55–64: 14%
  • 65+: 16%
• Gender split among email users: ~50% female, ~50% male (county sex ratio is near even and email adoption shows no material gender gap).
• Digital access and trends:
  • ~89% of households have a broadband subscription; ~92% have a computer.
  • ~12% are smartphone‑only for home internet.
  • Home broadband adoption has risen roughly 4–6 percentage points since 2019, with the largest gains among ages 55+.
  • Email engagement is highest in the 35–54 cohort (work and school accounts), with steady growth among 65+ as device ownership and telehealth rise.
• Local connectivity facts:
  • Fast‑growing Louisville commuter county; coverage strongest in and around Taylorsville and along KY‑44/KY‑55 corridors.
  • Rural hollows have fewer fixed‑line options; fixed wireless and 5G fill gaps, supporting near‑universal basic email access.

Mobile phone usage in Spencer County, Kentucky — 2024 snapshot

Core user estimates (derived from 2020 Census population 19,490 and contemporary U.S. ownership rates; rounded)

• Adults with any mobile phone: ~14,400 (≈96% of an estimated 15,000 adults)
• Adult smartphone users: ~13,100–13,600 (≈88–90% of adults; midpoint ≈13,300)
• Teen smartphone users (ages 13–17): ~1,200 (≈95% of ~1,270 teens)
• Total smartphone users age 13+: ≈14,500
• Growth context: Population rose from ~17,100 (2010) to 19,490 (2020), a faster pace than Kentucky overall; device ownership has tracked that growth, with particularly strong adoption among working-age households

Demographic breakdown (estimates; rounded)

• By age
  • 18–29: ~2,400–2,500 smartphone users (ownership ~95%+; highest app and video usage intensity)
  • 30–49: ~5,100–5,300 users (near-universal ownership; heavy mobile work, navigation, and family coordination use)
  • 50–64: ~3,500–3,700 users (ownership ~80–85%; rising use of telehealth and commerce)
  • 65+: ~2,000–2,400 users (ownership ~60–75%; strong growth vs. 2019–2021)
  • 13–17: ~1,200 users (≈95% ownership; dominant platforms are messaging/social/video)
• By household context and income
  • Exurban, commuter households concentrated near Taylorsville/Elk Creek show near-universal smartphone ownership and higher 5G device mix than the state average
  • Lower-density southern and eastern parts of the county show slightly lower ownership and more LTE-only devices, driven by coverage and income differences
• Usage patterns
  • Mobile-only or mobile-first internet reliance is elevated relative to Kentucky’s overall mix, due to patchier wireline options outside Taylorsville and along rural corridors
  • Daytime demand spikes align with commuter flows to/from the Louisville metro and seasonal peaks around Taylorsville Lake

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Networks present: AT&T (including FirstNet), Verizon, and T-Mobile provide countywide service; DISH has selective 5G presence via roaming/partners. All three national carriers advertise 5G in and around Taylorsville and along KY-44/KY-55 corridors
• 5G availability
  • Low-band 5G covers most populated corridors and the Taylorsville area
  • Mid-band 5G (capacity 5G) is strongest near town centers, major road corridors, and higher-traffic sectors; coverage thins in wooded hollows and lake-adjacent terrain
• Fixed Wireless Access (FWA)
  • 5G FWA (Verizon, T-Mobile) is widely marketed in the county and sees above-average uptake in neighborhoods lacking cable or fiber, notably outside Taylorsville
• Wireline baseline
  • Cable broadband is concentrated in and immediately around Taylorsville; fiber-to-the-home is present in limited pockets and expanding gradually
  • Many outlying households still rely on legacy DSL or mobile/FWA as the primary broadband option
• Terrain impacts
  • Rolling topography and lakeside bluffs create localized dead zones and indoor attenuation, especially in low-lying areas and around Taylorsville Lake; external antennas or carrier aggregation-capable devices materially improve performance in these spots

How Spencer County differs from Kentucky overall

• Higher device adoption among working-age adults driven by exurban growth, commuting ties to Louisville, and higher household incomes than the state median
• Earlier and denser 5G presence along main corridors than in many rural Kentucky counties, translating to better median speeds in population centers
• Greater reliance on mobile and 5G FWA for home internet in rural tracts due to sparse cable/fiber buildout, while Kentucky’s urban counties are still predominantly cable/fiber-first
• More pronounced peak-hour congestion patterns tied to commuter flows and seasonal recreation traffic near Taylorsville Lake, which is less evident in many non-metro Kentucky counties without strong tourism corridors

Key takeaways

• Roughly three in four residents age 13+ in Spencer County use a smartphone, and nearly all adults have some form of mobile phone
• 5G is the default experience in and around Taylorsville and along major roads; LTE remains the fallback in wooded and lake-adjacent terrain
• Mobile/FWA plays an outsized role in home connectivity compared with the Kentucky average, and demographic factors point to continued growth in 5G device penetration and data consumption through 2026

Social media snapshot: Spencer County, Kentucky (2025)

Baseline and user stats

• Population baseline: ≈21,000 residents; ≈16,000 adults (18+). Gender split ≈50% female, 50% male (U.S. Census Bureau 2023).
• Internet access: High household broadband adoption for this exurban county (ACS 2018–2022 indicates above-state-average connectivity for similar high‑income KY counties).
• Modeled monthly social media reach (adults 18+, estimated for Spencer County using Pew Research Center 2023 national adoption rates, adjusted to the county’s older, family‑heavy age mix):
  • YouTube: 84% of adults ≈13,400
  • Facebook: 72% ≈11,500
  • Instagram: 43% ≈6,900
  • Pinterest: 32% ≈5,100
  • TikTok: 30% ≈4,800
  • Snapchat: 26% ≈4,200
  • LinkedIn: 24% ≈3,800
  • X (Twitter): 20% ≈3,200
  • Reddit: 18% ≈2,900
  • Nextdoor: 8% ≈1,300
• Teens (13–17, ≈1,600 residents; Pew Teens 2022 applied locally):
  • YouTube: 95% ≈1,520
  • TikTok: 67% ≈1,070
  • Instagram: 62% ≈1,000
  • Snapchat: 59% ≈940
  • Facebook: 32% ≈510

Age-group profile (adult usage, monthly; county-adjusted estimates)

• 18–24: YouTube 93%, Instagram 70%, Snapchat 65%, TikTok 62%, Facebook 50%
• 25–34: YouTube 90%, Instagram 61%, TikTok 42%, Snapchat 38%, Facebook 64%
• 35–54: Facebook 78%, YouTube 86%, Instagram 42%, TikTok 27%, Pinterest 36%
• 55+: Facebook 70%, YouTube 74%, Pinterest 41%, Instagram 23%, TikTok 15%

Gender breakdown (share of each platform’s users in-county, reflecting national skews)

• More female: Pinterest ~77%, Instagram ~60%, Facebook ~58%, TikTok ~56%, Snapchat ~55%
• More male: Reddit ~70%, X ~64%, YouTube ~56%, LinkedIn ~54%
• Overall social media user base ≈ balanced with county population (~50/50)

Most-used platforms (Spencer County adults, ranked by reach)

1. YouTube (84%)
2. Facebook (72%)
3. Instagram (43%)
4. Pinterest (32%)
5. TikTok (30%)
6. Snapchat (26%)
7. LinkedIn (24%)
8. X/Twitter (20%)
9. Reddit (18%)
10. Nextdoor (8%)

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Facebook anchors local life: High engagement with community groups (schools, youth sports, churches, county government, buy/sell/Marketplace). Events, closures, and weather drive spikes. Messenger is a default for one-to-one contact.
• Video-first consumption: Short-form (Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts) sees rapid growth; many residents watch YouTube on connected TVs for DIY, home improvement, hunting/fishing, ag and equipment content, and church streams.
• Commerce and classifieds: Facebook Marketplace outperforms specialized local classifieds; Instagram Shops and Amazon/Walmart links convert via short-form video.
• Youth usage: Teens and college‑age lean Snapchat for messaging and TikTok for entertainment; Instagram is core for social identity and school activities. Facebook usage among teens is mainly for groups/events.
• Professional spillover from Louisville: Notable LinkedIn usage among commuters; Instagram and Facebook remain primary for small business marketing; paid promotion increasingly required on Facebook to maintain reach.
• When people are active: Morning commute (6–9 a.m.), lunch (11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.), and evening prime time (7–10 p.m.) show consistent engagement lifts.

Method and sources

• Figures are county-specific estimates derived by applying Pew Research Center platform adoption rates (U.S. adults, 2023; U.S. teens, 2022) to Spencer County’s population size and age/gender mix (U.S. Census Bureau 2023 population estimates; ACS 2018–2022). Platform gender skews reflect Pew’s reported usage patterns.