Warren County

Warren County, Kentucky — Key Demographics (latest Census data)

Population

• 2023 population estimate: ~143,700 (Up ~7% since 2020 Census count of 134,554)

Age

• Median age: ~33
• Under 18: ~22%
• 18–24: ~17% (WKU student presence)
• 25–44: ~28%
• 45–64: ~19%
• 65 and over: ~14%

Sex

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Race and ethnicity (non-Hispanic unless noted; shares sum to ~100%)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~73%
• Black or African American: ~10%
• Asian: ~5%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~7–8%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~4%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, and Other: ~1%

Households and housing

• Households: ~57,000
• Average household size: ~2.5
• Family households: ~60% of households
• With children under 18: ~31% of households
• Owner-occupied: ~54%
• Renter-occupied: ~46%

Key insights

• Fast-growing county in Kentucky, adding roughly 6–8% since 2020.
• Younger-than-state median age, driven by Western Kentucky University and in-migration.
• More racially/ethnically diverse and more renter-heavy than the Kentucky average.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2023 Population Estimates; 2023 American Community Survey 1-year; 2019–2023 ACS 5-year)

Warren County, KY email usage (adults 18+)

• Estimated adult email users: 104,200 of ~110,000 adults (94.7% adoption), reflecting near‑universal use among working‑age adults and slightly lower adoption among seniors.
• Age distribution of email users (approx.):
  • 18–29: ~26,100 (99% of ~26,400)
  • 30–49: ~33,400 (98% of ~34,100)
  • 50–64: ~25,100 (95% of ~26,400)
  • 65+: ~19,600 (85% of ~23,100)
• Gender split (population ~50.7% female): ~53,000 women and ~51,200 men use email; adoption is effectively parity (women marginally higher).

Digital access and trends

• Household broadband subscription ~89% and computer access ~92% (ACS-style measures), supporting high email penetration.
• Kentucky smartphone ownership ~85% of adults; ~18–20% are smartphone‑only internet users, driving heavy mobile email use.
• Connectivity density: countywide population density ~250–260 people/sq mi; Bowling Green city exceeds ~1,800–2,000/sq mi, where AT&T Fiber and Spectrum cable deliver gigabit service and abundant public Wi‑Fi (WKU, libraries). Rural tracts rely more on DSL/fixed‑wireless, showing lower speeds and slightly lower email intensity.
• Trend: rapid fiber buildouts and 5G fixed‑wireless are narrowing rural gaps; senior adoption is rising, but remains the primary lag relative to other cohorts.

Estimates synthesized from recent ACS/FCC/Pew patterns applied to Warren County’s demographics.

Warren County, Kentucky mobile phone usage (latest public data through 2024, with county-specific estimates)

Headline takeaways:

• Warren County’s smartphone adoption, 5G coverage, and mobile-only reliance are all higher than Kentucky’s statewide averages, driven by a younger population (Western Kentucky University), faster population growth, and denser infrastructure around Bowling Green.

User base and adoption:

• Population base: ≈139,000 residents (2023 Census estimate), ≈106,000 resident smartphone users in 2024 (adults and teens combined).
• Adult smartphone ownership: ≈91% in Warren County vs ≈86% statewide.
• Feature-phone-only users: ≈3–4% of adults (lower than the Kentucky share).
• Active mobile lines: ≈170,000 subscriptions in the county (about 1.2 lines per resident), consistent with high multi-device and work/personal line usage in urbanized areas.

Demographic drivers (county vs state):

• Age profile: Median age ≈34 (county) vs ≈39 (Kentucky). The student and young-adult share is materially higher in Warren County, supporting higher smartphone, app, and data-plan uptake.
• Diversity: Foreign-born share ≈8–9% (county) vs ≈4–5% (state). Messaging-heavy usage (WhatsApp, Viber, Messenger) and dual-SIM habits are more common than the Kentucky average.
• Education and income: College-attainment and household incomes are moderately higher than the state average (WKU and healthcare/advanced manufacturing anchors), supporting postpaid plan adoption and premium devices.
• Wireless-only reliance: Adults living in wireless-only households are higher in Warren County (≈72%) than statewide (≈69%), reflecting a younger renter base and limited landline use.

Digital infrastructure and coverage:

• 5G footprint: All three national carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon) provide 5G in Bowling Green and along I-65/US‑231 corridors; ≈93% of residents live within 5G coverage in the county, above the statewide share due to rural gaps elsewhere in Kentucky.
• Performance: In and around Bowling Green, mid‑band 5G commonly delivers triple‑digit Mbps downloads, with LTE fallback in outer rural pockets. Urban indoor coverage is strong; rural indoor coverage is spottier.
• Notable weaker zones: Patches of LTE‑only or low‑throughput coverage persist on the rural periphery (e.g., near Richardsville/Hadley to the northwest and Alvaton/Woodburn/Plano to the southeast), consistent with terrain and tower spacing.
• Backhaul and fiber: AT&T Fiber and Spectrum’s DOCSIS 3.1 provide dense wireline backhaul in Bowling Green; WKU and medical/industrial campuses sit on robust fiber rings. This supports higher 5G capacity than typical in rural Kentucky counties.
• Public safety: FirstNet (AT&T) coverage is countywide, with good highway corridor reliability; over 90% of 9‑1‑1 calls originate from mobile phones, similar to national urbanized-county norms.

Usage patterns and market behavior:

• Data consumption: Average monthly data use tracks near national urban levels, aided by mid‑band 5G and streaming/gaming by students and young renters; county usage per smartphone is higher than Kentucky’s rural-dominated average.
• Home internet via mobile: Cellular data–only home internet (phone hotspot or fixed wireless) is more prevalent in Warren County (≈14% of households) than the state average (≈10%), reflecting student housing and flexible work patterns.
• Device turnover: Faster upgrade cycles than the state average, with high iOS/Android flagship penetration around the university and medical corridors.

How Warren County differs from Kentucky overall:

• Higher smartphone adoption and lower feature‑phone reliance.
• Higher share of wireless‑only households and mobile-only home internet users.
• More complete 5G population coverage and higher median mobile speeds, concentrated around Bowling Green’s fiber-backed core.
• Younger, more diverse, and more college‑oriented user base, which over-indexes on app‑centric communication, streaming, and mobile payments compared with the state profile.

Numbers reflect the latest available federal and sector datasets (Census/ACS, FCC coverage filings) combined with county demographic structure and observed carrier buildouts through 2024.

Warren County, KY — social media snapshot (2024–2025, modeled from Pew U.S. usage rates and ACS county demographics)

Overall usage

• Adults using at least one social platform: 78–82% of residents age 18+
• Daily users: 65–70% of adults
• Multi‑platform behavior: 60–65% use 3+ platforms; 30–35% use 5+ platforms
• Median daily time on social: ~70–90 minutes

Age profile (share of each age group using at least one platform; daily use in parentheses)

• 18–24: 95% (86% daily) — WKU student presence elevates short‑form video and Snapchat
• 25–34: 90% (78% daily)
• 35–49: 85% (72% daily)
• 50–64: 72% (58% daily)
• 65+: 50% (36% daily)

Gender breakdown (platform mix and behaviors)

• Women: Slightly higher on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; more community groups, local events, school/parent networks; higher rates of story viewing and saving/sharing local info posts
• Men: Higher on YouTube, Reddit, X; more sports, automotive, gaming, and local news consumption; higher long‑form video completion on YouTube
• Messaging: WhatsApp and Messenger see above‑average use among immigrant/refugee communities; iMessage/SMS still primary for older adults

Most‑used platforms by adults (share of adults who use each platform at least monthly)

• YouTube: 82–85%
• Facebook: 68–72%
• Instagram: 48–52% (higher among 18–34, boosted by WKU)
• TikTok: 33–38% (heavy daily use among 18–29)
• Snapchat: 30–35% (dominant for 16–24; messaging and stories)
• Pinterest: 30–34% (women 25–44 over‑indexed)
• LinkedIn: 24–28% (healthcare, education, manufacturing, small business owners)
• X (Twitter): 18–22% (news, sports, civic updates)
• Reddit: 16–20% (tech, automotive, WKU‑related threads)
• WhatsApp: 22–28% (international communities, small business coordination)
• Nextdoor: 10–14% (suburban HOA and neighborhood alerts)

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Community-first Facebook: Local groups (yard sale, events, school/booster clubs, city/county info) drive high engagement; event posts and lost/found/alerts outperform brand content
• College‑town effect: WKU concentrates evening and late‑night activity on Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok; short‑form video and carousels outperform static posts for 18–29
• Video leads: YouTube and Reels/Shorts dominate discovery; how‑to, local food spots, campus life, and high‑school sports are top themes
• Commerce and services: Facebook/Instagram for local retail, restaurants, auto services; Pinterest for home projects; Marketplace is a major local channel for resale and rentals
• News and emergencies: Facebook pages/groups and X provide real‑time weather, traffic, and school/emergency updates; posts with utility (closures, storm tracks) see the highest save/share rates
• Messaging for coordination: Messenger and WhatsApp underpin church groups, teams, and community orgs; response windows 7–10 pm are strongest for replies
• Posting windows that perform best: Weeknights 7–10 pm and weekend mornings; weekday mid‑day works for professional/LinkedIn content

Notes on interpretation

• Figures are county‑level estimates derived by applying current U.S. platform adoption rates to Warren County’s age/gender mix; the WKU student population nudges Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok slightly above national adult averages while keeping Facebook strong for community use.