Caddo County

Caddo Parish (Caddo County), Louisiana – key demographics

Population

• 2020 Census: ~237,800
• 2023 estimate: ~234,000

Age

• Under 18: ~24%
• 18–64: ~60%
• 65 and over: ~16%
• Median age: ~37–38

Gender

• Female: ~52%
• Male: ~48%

Race/ethnicity

• Black or African American: ~49%
• White: ~44%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~4%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Asian: ~1–2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native and other: ~1%

Households

• Total households: ~94,000–95,000
• Average household size: ~2.5 persons

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; 2023 population estimates).

Caddo Parish (Shreveport area), LA – email usage snapshot

• Estimated email users: 170,000–190,000 residents. Method: ~235k population, ~77% adults, with 92–95% of adults using email; teens add modestly.
• Age mix of email users (approx.):
  • 13–24: 15–20% (heavy mobile use; nearly universal school-related email)
  • 25–44: 30–35% (work-centric)
  • 45–64: 28–32% (high adoption)
  • 65+: 18–22% (growing but below peak)
• Gender split: roughly mirrors population (~52% female, 48% male); usage rates are similar by gender.
• Digital access trends:
  • About 80–85% of households subscribe to internet; 10–15% are smartphone‑only. Computer/smartphone ownership is near 90%+.
  • Fiber and 5G coverage are expanding in urban/suburban areas; speeds and subscriptions are rising gradually.
  • Affordability and rural last‑mile gaps remain the main barriers; smartphone‑only users rely more on webmail apps.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population density ~250 people per square mile overall, with connectivity strongest in Shreveport/inner suburbs and patchier in outlying communities.
  • Public access: Shreve Memorial Library branches provide free Wi‑Fi and computers, supporting residents without home broadband.

Notes: Estimates combine recent ACS device/subscription data with national email adoption benchmarks.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Caddo County (Caddo Parish), Louisiana

Context and user estimate

• Population base: ≈234,000 residents (2023 Census estimate). Adults ≈175,000–180,000; teens (13–17) ≈14,000.
• Estimated mobile phone users: 180,000–190,000 people use a mobile phone regularly.
• Estimated smartphone users: 160,000–170,000. Method: apply current U.S. adoption (≈97% cellphone, ≈85% smartphone among adults; ≈95% smartphone among teens), modestly adjusted for local income and urban coverage.

Demographic patterns

• Age
  • Teens: very high smartphone uptake (≈90–95%); heavy app/social/video use and mobile-first access.
  • Adults 18–64: smartphone adoption near national norms (low- to mid-80s percent).
  • Seniors 65+: lower adoption (roughly 60–70%), with a noticeable feature-phone segment and higher reliance on voice/text.
• Income and affordability
  • Caddo has higher poverty and lower median household income than the Louisiana average. Expect a larger “mobile-only internet” segment (households relying on a cellular data plan without fixed broadband) and higher sensitivity to prepaid plans, handset financing, and carrier promotions.
• Race/ethnicity
  • Caddo’s population is roughly half Black and a smaller Hispanic share than the state overall. Research shows similar smartphone ownership across racial groups but higher mobile-only reliance where incomes are lower; expect mobile-first patterns to be more common in Caddo than the Louisiana average.
• Urban/rural split within the parish
  • Shreveport and inner-ring areas: high device penetration, multiple-carrier 5G, and heavier video/gaming usage.
  • Rural fringes (northwest/west and around lakes/forest): more mixed signal quality and a higher share of cellular-only internet users.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• 5G availability: All three national carriers advertise 5G in and around Shreveport; mid-band 5G (C-band/2.5 GHz) is concentrated in the urban core and along transport corridors (I-20, I-49), with low-band 5G/LTE covering rural edges.
• Capacity and backhaul: Dense macro sites and some small cells in downtown, hospital/university zones, retail corridors, and near Shreveport Regional Airport; fiber backhaul follows interstate/US highway rights-of-way, improving urban capacity and peak speeds.
• Public safety and enterprise: FirstNet (AT&T) presence and carrier network hardening around hospitals, government, and logistics hubs.
• Gaps to watch: Pockets outside the urban core can see reduced indoor coverage and lower median speeds, especially where terrain/vegetation or lake/river edges limit line of sight and fiber reach.

How Caddo differs from Louisiana overall

• More urban network footprint than many parishes: better mid-band 5G availability and typically higher mobile speeds in the Shreveport core than the statewide average, though still with rural edge variability.
• Higher mobile-only dependence: Because Caddo’s poverty rate is above the state average and fixed-broadband subscription is comparatively lower in some neighborhoods, a larger share of households rely on a cellular data plan as their primary internet connection.
• Language/marketing mix: With a smaller Hispanic share than Louisiana overall, there’s relatively less demand for Spanish-language mobile offerings compared with parishes in south Louisiana.
• Device/plan mix: A slightly larger prepaid and budget-device footprint than the statewide average, driven by affordability dynamics, even as postpaid 5G adoption in the urban core is robust.

Notes and data sources to validate or refine figures

• Population and demographics: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 Vintage estimates; ACS 2019–2023 5-year.
• Device and connectivity: ACS S2801 (Computer and Internet Use) for “smartphone in household,” “cellular data plan,” and fixed-broadband subscription by geography.
• Network/coverage: FCC National Broadband Map (mobile), carrier 5G coverage disclosures, and independent speed/coverage aggregators (e.g., Ookla, Opensignal) for Shreveport/Caddo.
• National adoption benchmarks: Pew Research Center (cellphone/smartphone ownership), CTIA (wireless trends).

Here’s a concise, local-first snapshot for Caddo Parish (Shreveport area), Louisiana. Figures are estimates derived from U.S. Census ACS demographics and Pew Research Center’s 2024 social media adoption rates, adjusted for the parish’s urban/rural mix.

Overall user stats

• Population baseline: ~235–240k residents; adults (18+) ~180–185k.
• Active social media users (all ages): ~150k–170k monthly.
• Adult penetration: ~78–82% of 18+ residents.

Age mix of local social users (share of users, est.)

• 13–17: ~9%
• 18–29: ~25%
• 30–44: ~31%
• 45–64: ~23%
• 65+: ~12%

Gender breakdown (share of users, est.)

• Women: ~54%
• Men: ~46% Notes: Women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X.

Most-used platforms among adults in Caddo (estimated penetration)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 68–72%
• Instagram: 42–48%
• TikTok: 32–38% (60%+ among 18–29)
• Snapchat: 24–30% (high among teens/under-30)
• Pinterest: 30–34% (skews female, home/DIY/recipes)
• WhatsApp: 20–24% (niche communities, international ties)
• X (Twitter): 18–22% (news/sports/weather)
• LinkedIn: 18–22% (professional, healthcare/energy/admin roles)
• Reddit: 12–16% (skews male, tech/gaming)
• Nextdoor: 8–12% (neighborhood clusters; safety, services)

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of Groups (neighborhoods, churches, schools), local news (KSLA/KTBS), and Marketplace (autos, furniture, yard/estate sales).
• Short-form video wins: TikTok and Instagram Reels for local food spots, events, music, and “things to do in Shreveport–Bossier”; cross-posting between TikTok and IG is common.
• Youth patterns: Snapchat for daily comms, Stories, and school/college social life; TikTok for entertainment and local creators; YouTube for how-tos and gaming.
• Events discovery: Facebook Events and IG dominate for festivals (e.g., Red River Revel, Mudbug Madness) and live music; RSVPs and last-minute plans happen on Facebook.
• Sports and weather: X usage spikes around LSU/Saints, high school sports, severe weather, and traffic; engagement is bursty rather than daily.
• Faith and community livestreams: Many churches and civic orgs push sermons, announcements, and meetings on Facebook Live and YouTube.
• Neighborhood chatter: Nextdoor appears in suburban pockets for lost pets, contractor recs, and crime/safety alerts; older homeowners over-index.
• Messaging ecosystems: Facebook Messenger is near-universal among Facebook users; WhatsApp is smaller but important for cross-border families and some workgroups.

Notes and caveats

• True county/parish-level platform metrics aren’t publicly released; figures shown are model-based estimates using national platform adoption by age/gender mapped to Caddo’s demographics and urbanicity. For campaign planning, validate with platform ad-reach tools and local page/group insights.