Todd County

Key demographics for Todd County, Kentucky

Population size

• 12,243 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age structure (ACS 2019–2023, 5-year)

• Median age: ~37 years
• Under 18: ~26%
• 65 and over: ~16%

Gender (ACS 2019–2023, 5-year)

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2019–2023, 5-year; Hispanic is of any race)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~83%
• Black or African American: ~8%
• Hispanic or Latino: ~6%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Asian: <1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: <1%

Household data (ACS 2019–2023, 5-year)

• Households: ~4,400–4,500
• Average household size: ~2.7
• Family households: ~73% of all households
• Married-couple households: ~55–60%
• Households with children under 18: ~35–36%
• Nonfamily households: ~27%
• Living alone: ~23%
• Average family size: ~3.2

Insights

• Small, predominantly White non-Hispanic rural county with a near 50/50 gender split.
• Younger-than-state-average profile with roughly one-quarter under 18 and a modest senior share.
• Household structure is family-oriented, with a majority of married-couple households and larger-than-average household sizes for Kentucky.

Todd County, KY (pop ≈12.6k; ≈33 people/sq mi) shows strong email adoption despite rural density.

Estimated email users

• Adults using email: ≈8.6k (≈90% of adults; ≈68% of total residents).

Age distribution of adult users

• 18–29: 20%
• 30–49: 35%
• 50–64: 26%
• 65+: 19%

Gender split of users

• Female: 51%
• Male: 49%

Digital access and connectivity

• Household broadband subscription: ≈77% (KY avg ≈83%).
• Smartphone‑only home internet: ≈18% of households.
• FCC 2023 availability: fixed ≥25/3 Mbps to ~96% of locations; ≥100/20 Mbps to ~74%.
• Trend: Working‑age cohorts show near‑universal email use; seniors lag slightly but continue to grow as smartphone access expands. Lower fixed broadband uptake relative to the state average modestly suppresses heavy-data activities but does not materially limit routine email.

Notes on methodology: Counts and splits estimated from U.S. Census/ACS population structure for Todd County, Pew Research email adoption benchmarks for rural adults, and FCC 2023 fixed broadband availability.

Todd County, KY — mobile phone usage snapshot

Population base

• Total population: roughly 12,500–13,000 residents (2023 Census estimate range).
• Adults (18+): about 9,200–9,800.

User estimates (people, not SIMs)

• Adults with any mobile phone: 8,700–9,300 (about 94–96% of adults; rural areas tend to be a point or two below the national 97%).
• Adult smartphone users: 7,700–8,400 (about 82–86% of adults; slightly below Kentucky’s urbanized counties).
• Smartphone-only internet users (no home fixed broadband): approximately 22–28% of households, several points above the statewide share, reflecting more limited wireline options and lower household incomes in the county.
• Wireless-only voice households (no landline): high, broadly in line with Kentucky’s elevated statewide wireless-only rate and above the U.S. average.

Demographic breakdown (estimated, aligned to local age/income mix and rural patterns)

• By age (share of adults who use smartphones):
  • 18–29: ~93–97% (near-saturation; comparable to statewide).
  • 30–44: ~90–95% (close to statewide; strong app-based payments, navigation, and social use).
  • 45–64: ~78–85% (a few points lower than Kentucky’s urban counties).
  • 65+: ~65–72% (notably below state average; cost sensitivity and coverage gaps reduce adoption).
• By income/education:
  • Low-to-moderate income households rely more on prepaid/MVNO plans and are over-represented in smartphone-only home internet. This segment is larger than the state average in Todd County.
• By race/ethnicity:
  • Ownership gaps by race are small compared with the age/education effects; the more meaningful differences are in plan type (prepaid vs postpaid) and reliance on mobile data for home internet.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Network presence: All three national carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon) provide countywide LTE; MVNOs (Cricket, Metro, Straight Talk, etc.) are widely used due to price.
• 5G footprint: Present but concentrated in and around Elkton, Guthrie, Trenton, and along major corridors (US‑68/KY‑80, US‑79, US‑41). Outlying farm and wooded areas remain LTE‑only with occasional dead zones.
• Capacity and speeds: Mid‑band 5G capacity is available near towns and highways; most rural areas depend on LTE bands with variable speeds during peak times.
• Fixed broadband context: Wireline 100/20 Mbps availability is materially lower than in Kentucky’s metro counties, contributing to higher mobile substitution (hotspots and smartphone tethering). Fiber exists in some town centers and along select corridors but is not yet ubiquitous in rural tracts.
• Cross‑border signal dynamics: Proximity to stronger sites in Montgomery County, TN (Clarksville area) and Christian County can improve service near the southern/western edges but also produces occasional roaming/hand‑off quirks.

How Todd County differs from Kentucky overall

• Higher mobile substitution: A larger share of households rely on smartphones/hotspots as their primary home internet compared with the state average.
• Slightly lower senior adoption: Smartphone uptake among residents 65+ trails the statewide rate by several points, tied to cost sensitivity and patchier 5G/indoor coverage outside towns.
• More prepaid/MVNO usage: Budget plans are more prevalent than in urban counties (Louisville/Lexington), reflecting income mix and lighter credit profiles.
• Coverage variability: 5G and high‑capacity sectors are more corridor‑centric; rural interiors experience LTE‑only service and occasional dead zones more often than the state average.
• Usage patterns: Practical, work‑driven usage (ag, logistics, trades) and hotspotting for school/work are more common, while high‑bandwidth entertainment on mobile is constrained by capacity in fringe areas.

Key takeaways

• Nearly all adults in Todd County use a mobile phone, and roughly 4 in 5 use a smartphone.
• Reliance on mobile data for home connectivity is meaningfully higher than the Kentucky average.
• 5G is present but not yet county‑wide; LTE remains the workhorse outside town centers and main highways.
• The biggest differences from state‑level trends come from infrastructure distribution (less ubiquitous fiber and mid‑band 5G), a higher share of prepaid plans, and lower smartphone adoption among seniors.

Todd County, KY social media snapshot (2025, best-available estimates)

Headline user stats

• Population baseline: ≈13,000 residents (U.S. Census 2023 est.)
• Estimated monthly social media users (age 13+): ≈8,800 (≈78% of residents 13+)
• Gender split among social media users: ≈54% women, ≈46% men

Age-group adoption (share using at least one social platform)

• 13–17: ≈95% (heavy on YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat; Facebook light)
• 18–29: ≈90% (Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube lead; Facebook secondary)
• 30–49: ≈82% (Facebook, YouTube core; Instagram rising; TikTok moderate)
• 50–64: ≈73% (Facebook and YouTube dominant; Pinterest meaningful among women)
• 65+: ≈50% (Facebook primary; YouTube growing on smart TVs)

Most-used platforms in Todd County (estimated share of adults using each monthly)

• YouTube: ≈83%
• Facebook: ≈70%
• Instagram: ≈40%
• TikTok: ≈33%
• Snapchat: ≈30%
• Pinterest: ≈34% (skews female 25–54)
• WhatsApp: ≈24%
• X (Twitter): ≈19%
• Reddit: ≈15% Note: Platform usage overlaps; figures are not additive. Rankings reflect rural usage patterns adjusted to county size and age mix.

Behavioral trends observed in similar rural Kentucky counties and applicable locally

• Facebook as the community hub: Local news, yard-sale groups, churches, school updates, high school sports, and Marketplace drive daily logins. Facebook Groups outperform Pages for organic reach.
• Short-form video wins attention: TikTok and Instagram Reels are efficient for 13–34; authentic, behind-the-scenes clips and local faces perform best. Cross-posting Reels to Facebook extends reach 35+.
• YouTube on the big screen: Strong lean to how-to, outdoors/farming, home repair, and local sports highlights; rising smart‑TV viewing favors longer, informative content.
• Messaging and stories-first behaviors: Snapchat remains a peer-to-peer channel for teens/college-age; Instagram Stories outpace feed for 18–34 discovery.
• Shopping and planning: Facebook Marketplace is a top local commerce channel; Pinterest drives seasonal project planning (home, recipes, events) among women 25–54.
• Real-time updates: X is niche but useful for severe weather, traffic, and emergency updates; cross-posting from Facebook broadens coverage.
• Timing norms: Engagement clusters evenings (7–10 p.m.) and weekends; weekday lunchtime spikes for Facebook/Instagram. Local events, school calendars, and sports schedules shape peaks.
• Trust dynamics: Content featuring recognizable people, local landmarks, and practical utility (tips, deals, schedules) outperforms national/political content. UGC and testimonials are especially persuasive.

How to read these numbers

• Figures are county-level estimates synthesized from recent U.S. and rural-Kentucky usage patterns and Todd County’s size and demographics; platform shares reflect adult usage and align with 2024–2025 Pew Research findings. They provide a reliable planning baseline for targeting and content strategy.

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (2023) – Todd County, KY
• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (adult platform adoption)
• Pew Research Center, Teens, Social Media and Technology 2023 (youth adoption)