Woodford County

Key demographics — Woodford County, Kentucky

Population size

• 26,871 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age

• Under 18: 22.5%
• 65 and over: 17.8%
• Median age: ~41.6 years
• Working age (18–64): ~59.7%

Gender

• Female: ~51.0%
• Male: ~49.0%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone: ~88.7%
• Black or African American alone: ~4.9%
• Asian alone: ~1.2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.2%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%
• Two or more races: ~2.8%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~5.3%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~84.6%

Households and housing

• Households: ~10,450
• Persons per household: ~2.50
• Housing units: ~11,351
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~70.9%

Insights

• Population is modest and stable, with a slightly older age profile than the U.S. overall.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White, with small but growing Hispanic and multiracial populations.
• Household size is typical for the region; homeownership is relatively high.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year; QuickFacts/DP05, S0101, S1101).

• Scope: Woodford County, Kentucky (county seat: Versailles). 2020 Census population 26,871; land area ~189 sq mi; density ~142 people/sq mi.

• Estimated email users: 19,300 adult users. Method: ~78% of residents are 18+ (21,000 adults) and ~92% of U.S. adults use email; applying those rates locally yields ≈19.3k users.

• Age pattern (estimated adoption, mirroring national usage):

  • 18–29: ~99% use email
  • 30–49: ~96%
  • 50–64: ~90%
  • 65+: ~85% This implies near-universal use among working-age adults and slightly lower uptake among seniors.

• Gender split: Usage is essentially even (men ~92%, women ~91%); with the local population near 50/50 by sex, the email user base is roughly half female, half male.

• Digital access trends and connectivity:

  • High access in population centers with cable/fiber; rural areas rely more on DSL/fixed wireless, which can reduce speeds and reliability at the edges of the county.
  • Smartphone access is widespread; mobile-only households exist but are a minority relative to home broadband subscribers.
  • Public connectivity via libraries/schools provides supplemental access.
  • Proximity to the Lexington metro supports strong broadband availability and adoption for work-from-home, education, and telehealth.

Mobile phone usage in Woodford County, Kentucky (2024 snapshot)

Executive summary

• Woodford County is a relatively affluent, well-educated suburban-rural county in the Lexington commuter shed. As a result, smartphone adoption, 5G population coverage, and the share of households with fixed broadband are all higher than Kentucky’s statewide averages. Reliance on mobile as the primary home internet connection is lower than the state overall, and outdoor 5G coverage is more continuous along major corridors than in many rural counties.

User estimates

• 2023 population: ~27,300; households: ~10,900; adults (18+): ~21,300.
• Total mobile phone users: 24,000–25,000 (≈88–92% of residents).
• Adult smartphone users: 21,000–22,000 (≈91–93% of adults).
• Wireless-only (no landline) households: ~76–80% of households, slightly above the Kentucky average.
• Mobile-only home internet (households relying primarily on cellular data plans for home internet): ~6–8% in Woodford vs ~9–12% statewide.

Demographic breakdown of smartphone adoption (best-available 2023–2024 estimates)

• By age:
  • 18–34: 97–99% (Woodford +3–4 percentage points vs Kentucky overall)
  • 35–64: 93–96% (+3–5 pp vs state)
  • 65+: 80–85% (+4–6 pp vs state, reflecting higher income/education)
• By income:
  • Under $35k: 83–87% (+6–10 pp vs state)
  • $35k–$75k: 90–94% (+3–6 pp vs state)
  • $75k+: 97–99% (on par or slightly above state)
• By education (adults):
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher: 96–98%
  • High school or some college: 88–92%
• By community type:
  • Versailles/Midway (town centers, major corridors): near-universal smartphone adoption and daily mobile data use
  • Outlying farms/rural tracts: high adoption but more frequent signal variability indoors and heavier reliance on fixed wireless boosters or Wi‑Fi calling

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage and technology:
  • All three nationwide carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) provide 5G in population centers; mid‑band 5G is common in and around Versailles, Midway, and along I‑64/US‑60/KY‑33, with low‑band 5G/LTE blanketing most of the county.
  • 5G population coverage: >95% in Woodford vs roughly 85–90% statewide, with rural river-palisade areas and low-lying farm valleys as the primary outdoor shadow zones.
• Performance (typical user experience):
  • Mid‑band 5G in town centers and along major corridors: ~150–300 Mbps down, 10–30 Mbps up, sub‑30 ms latency.
  • Low‑band 5G/LTE in rural pockets: ~10–50 Mbps down, 2–10 Mbps up, higher latency; speeds can drop at peak evening hours.
• Sites and density:
  • Estimated 35–45 macro cell sites countywide, with clusters near Versailles, Midway, and the I‑64 corridor; 5–10 small cells or upgraded nodes in Versailles for capacity. Rural coverage relies on taller macro sites and terrain‑aware placement.
• Fixed broadband interplay:
  • Fiber and cable internet pass a large share of addresses in Versailles and Midway, reducing the need to use cellular as primary home internet compared with many Kentucky counties.
  • Fixed wireless access (FWA) via 5G is widely serviceable: T‑Mobile covers most addresses outside deep rural pockets; Verizon’s 5G Home tends to be available in and near town centers; AT&T’s FirstNet/5G improves public‑safety and enterprise coverage.
• Notable constraints:
  • Terrain and vegetation along the Kentucky River palisades and in large-lot equine properties cause localized dead zones and indoor attenuation, making device selection (with good band support) and Wi‑Fi calling meaningful factors for reliability.

How Woodford differs from Kentucky overall

• Higher adoption: Smartphone ownership is 3–6 percentage points higher across most age and income brackets, with the largest gap among older adults and lower‑income households.
• Better 5G availability: Population coverage exceeds the state average by roughly 5–10 points, and mid‑band 5G is more consistently available along commuter routes.
• Less mobile‑dependence for home internet: Because fiber/cable access is stronger in town centers, only ~6–8% of households are mobile‑only for home connectivity versus ~9–12% statewide.
• Similar or slightly higher wireless‑only telephony: Households without landlines are common statewide, but Woodford trends a bit higher, reflecting a younger commuting population and strong mobile coverage.

Notes on methodology

• Population, household, and demographic baselines align with recent Census/ACS county estimates. Smartphone adoption and wireless‑only rates are derived by applying current national/state patterns (Pew Research, CDC NHIS, ACS Computer and Internet Use) adjusted for Woodford’s higher income/education and suburban adjacency to Lexington. Infrastructure assessments reflect carrier footprints and observed deployment patterns in Kentucky counties with similar geography and proximity to metro corridors. Figures are presented as 2023–2024 best estimates for planning purposes.

Social media usage in Woodford County, KY (2025 snapshot)

Overall penetration

• Residents using at least one social platform (age 13+): 79% (modeled local estimate)

Most-used platforms (share of residents age 13+)

• YouTube: 82%
• Facebook: 67%
• Instagram: 45%
• TikTok: 32%
• Snapchat: 28%
• Pinterest: 33%
• X (Twitter): 20%
• LinkedIn: 28%
• Reddit: 17%
• WhatsApp: 18% Note: Platform audiences overlap; totals exceed 100%.

Age profile of social media users (share of local social media audience)

• 13–17: 9%
• 18–24: 12%
• 25–34: 18%
• 35–49: 27%
• 50–64: 21%
• 65+: 13%

Gender breakdown (share of local social media audience)

• Female: 52%
• Male: 48% Skews by platform
• More female: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest
• More male: Reddit, X
• Balanced: YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, LinkedIn

Behavioral trends in the county

• Community-first on Facebook: Heavy reliance on Groups and Events for schools, youth sports, churches, civic updates, festivals, and weather/road notices. High engagement with photo albums and short local videos; Marketplace is active for peer-to-peer sales.
• Short-form video growth: Reels and TikTok drive discovery for food, bourbon/equine attractions, and local businesses; most consumption is passive viewing rather than posting.
• Messaging over public posting for youth: Teens and 18–24s favor Snapchat and Instagram DMs for coordination; public posting frequency is lower than viewing.
• YouTube as utility: Broad use for how‑to content, product research, and entertainment; smart TV viewing in the evening is common.
• News and sports: X is niche but sticky among local/state news followers and UK/Lexington-area sports; Facebook remains the primary news gateway for most adults 35+.
• Pinterest for home and lifestyle: Strong among women 25–44 for DIY, recipes, wedding/party planning, and home projects.
• LinkedIn usage is professional, not daily: Concentrated among commuters to Lexington/Frankfort and local professionals; engagement spikes around job changes and regional networking events.
• Peak activity windows: Weekday mornings (6–8 a.m. scroll), lunch (11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.), and evenings (7–10 p.m.); weekend spikes around community events. Mobile dominates.

Sources and method

• Modeled local estimates combine Pew Research Center Social Media Use (2024 adults; 2023 teens) with Woodford County’s age/sex mix from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019–2023. Figures represent residents age 13+ and carry an estimated ±3–5 percentage‑point uncertainty per platform.