Catahoula County

Do you mean Catahoula Parish, Louisiana (Louisiana uses parishes, not counties)?

I can provide the latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year) for:

• Total population
• Age distribution (median age; % under 18, 18–64, 65+)
• Sex (male/female share)
• Race/ethnicity (Hispanic/Latino, Non-Hispanic White, Black, etc.)
• Households (number of households, average household size, family vs. nonfamily, housing occupancy/tenure)

Would you like me to pull the 2019–2023 ACS 5-year figures, or use 2020 Decennial Census counts?

Summary for Catahoula Parish (county), Louisiana

• Context: Population ≈8,900 (2020); very rural (~12 people/sq mi). About 3,500–3,700 households.
• Estimated email users: 4,200–4,800 adults (roughly 60–70% of residents). Based on local internet subscription levels typical for rural LA (≈65–75%) and high email adoption among connected adults (≈85–95%).
• Age pattern (share of adults using email):
  • 18–34: ~90–95%
  • 35–49: ~90–93%
  • 50–64: ~85–90%
  • 65+: ~75–85% Older adults participate less, especially where home broadband is absent; many rely on smartphones.
• Gender split: Roughly even (about 49–51% each).
• Digital access and trends:
  • Household internet subscription likely ~65–75%; a notable minority is smartphone‑only (≈10–15%).
  • Coverage is patchy outside towns; FCC maps (2023) show pockets still unserved/underserved, reflecting low density and long loop distances.
  • Fiber and fixed‑wireless expansions (state GUMBO/BEAD programs) are improving availability along main corridors; adoption lags where affordability and device access are barriers.
  • Public/library Wi‑Fi and mobile hotspots remain important access points.

Note: Figures are best‑estimate ranges synthesized from ACS/FCC/Pew patterns applied to Catahoula’s rural profile.

Note: Louisiana uses parishes; the area you’re asking about is Catahoula Parish.

High-level picture

• Population and setting: About 8,800–9,000 residents, highly rural with small towns (e.g., Jonesville, Sicily Island) separated by timber, river bottoms, and Wildlife Management Areas. Terrain and very low population density shape both usage patterns and network design.

User estimates (adults)

• Adults (18+): roughly 6,600–7,000.
• Mobile phone users (any mobile): about 6,200–6,600 adults (≈90–95%).
• Smartphone users: about 5,500–6,100 adults (≈82–88% of adults). This is a few points lower than Louisiana’s urban-focused average due to older age structure and lower incomes.
• Mobile-only internet households: approximately 15–20% of households rely primarily on cellular service for home internet (vs ≈10–12% statewide). This includes smartphone tethering and fixed-wireless subscriptions.

Demographic factors shaping usage

• Age: Older than the state overall; the 65+ share is several points higher than Louisiana’s average. This correlates with slightly lower smartphone adoption and more basic or feature-phone use among seniors.
• Income: Median household income is well below the state median. Lower income increases price sensitivity, raising reliance on prepaid plans and mobile-only internet instead of wired broadband.
• Race/ethnicity: Majority White with a sizable Black community; overall smartphone adoption differences appear driven more by income and age than by race in this parish.
• Housing and spread: High share of dispersed, owner-occupied rural housing increases the odds of weak indoor coverage and greater dependence on external antennas or signal boosters.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carriers present: AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile all operate macro sites in the parish.
• 4G LTE: Broad outdoor coverage along towns and state highways; indoor coverage can be inconsistent in low-lying or heavily forested areas.
• 5G reality:
  • Low-band 5G (AT&T/T-Mobile, Verizon DSS) is the dominant layer, prioritizing coverage over speed.
  • Mid-band 5G (e.g., Verizon C-band, T-Mobile n41) appears spotty and concentrated near towns or along primary corridors; many areas still perform like good LTE or low-band 5G.
• Tower density: Sparse compared with metro Louisiana; macro sites are typically co-located and spaced widely, which creates dead zones in river bottoms and around large water bodies (e.g., near Catahoula and Larto lakes) and in the Sicily Island Hills WMA.
• Backhaul and fiber:
  • Fiber backhaul follows key corridors; cable broadband is limited to town centers; legacy DSL persists in the countryside.
  • Rural electric cooperative fiber buildouts and state/federal programs (e.g., GUMBO/BEAD-era projects) are expanding middle-mile and last-mile options, but construction is phased and multi-year.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA): T-Mobile 5G Home and LTE-based fixed wireless are marketed in/near towns and some rural pockets; Verizon 5G Home availability is more limited; AT&T offers FirstNet and some fixed-wireless options where wireline is weak.
• First responders: AT&T FirstNet Band 14 helps bolster rural coverage for public safety, indirectly benefiting general users where sites are shared.

How Catahoula differs from Louisiana statewide

• Adoption mix: Slightly lower smartphone penetration and higher share of basic phones among seniors than the state average.
• Mobile-as-primary internet: Meaningfully higher reliance on mobile-only internet and fixed wireless due to limited cable/fiber footprints and cost sensitivity.
• 5G experience: More low-band 5G and LTE, less mid-band 5G; typical speeds are lower and less consistent than in Louisiana metros where C-band/n41 is dense.
• Coverage gaps: More frequent dead zones indoors and between towns; residents more likely to use signal boosters, external antennas, or Wi‑Fi calling.
• Price sensitivity: Higher use of prepaid/value plans and data-capped offerings; careful data management is more common.

What this means for planning and service

• Network improvements that matter most locally: adding sites or sectors on existing towers, expanding mid-band 5G along US/state highways and around schools/clinics, and accelerating fiber backhaul to rural towers.
• Adoption levers: Senior-focused device support, affordable plans, and hotspot lending via libraries/schools tend to have outsized impact here versus urban parishes.

Method note: Figures above combine 2020 Census/ACS population baselines for Catahoula Parish with recent national rural smartphone ownership benchmarks and Louisiana’s urban–rural adoption gap. Exact mobile-user counts are estimates; coverage and infrastructure patterns reflect publicly available carrier maps, FCC data tendencies for rural Louisiana, and observed rural network design norms.

The following reflects Catahoula Parish, LA. Hyperlocal, platform-verified numbers aren’t published; figures below are best-available estimates based on rural U.S./Louisiana usage patterns and 2020 Census demographics for a ~9k population parish.

Headline numbers

• Estimated social media users: 4,500–6,000 residents use at least one platform (roughly 70–75% of adults).
• Age mix of social users (est.): 13–17: 10% | 18–24: 12% | 25–34: 18% | 35–54: 38% | 55+: 22%.
• Gender split of social users: roughly balanced, slight female majority overall; platform skews vary (Facebook/Pinterest more female; Reddit/X more male).

Most-used platforms among local social users (share of users; estimates)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook (incl. Groups): 70–80% (Groups alone: 60–70%)
• Facebook Messenger: 60–70%
• Instagram: 30–40% (heavier under 35)
• TikTok: 30–40% (strong with teens/20s; growing 30–44)
• Snapchat: 25–35% (mostly under 30)
• Pinterest: 25–35% (primarily women 25–54)
• WhatsApp: 10–15%
• X/Twitter: 10–15% (news/sports followers)
• Reddit: 10–15% (younger males)
• LinkedIn: 10–15% (professionals; low local density)
• Nextdoor: <5% (rare in rural areas)

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first on Facebook: Local Groups (buy/sell/trade, school and sports, churches, weather/outages) drive the bulk of organic reach. Marketplace is a go-to for commerce.
• Video dominates: Short-form (Reels/TikTok) featuring high school sports, hunting/fishing, trucks/ATV, local events, farming, and quick how-tos performs best. Keep clips short and captioned for low-data viewers.
• Mobile and time-of-day: Nearly all consumption is mobile. Peak engagement: early morning (6–8a), lunch (12–1p), evenings (7–9p), Sunday afternoons.
• Word-of-mouth dynamics: Trust is local; shares from known community members and admins matter more than brand pages.
• Connectivity constraints: Patchy broadband shapes behavior—Wi‑Fi use at home, school, church, library; users avoid very long or high‑bitrate video.
• Messaging is infrastructure: Facebook Messenger is the default for inquiries and customer service; SMS handoff is common.
• Sports and seasons: High engagement around school athletics, hunting/fishing seasons, festivals, storm prep/recovery, and local government notices.

How to validate locally

• Check platform ad tools for real-time reach in Catahoula Parish (Meta, TikTok, Snapchat).
• Scan membership/engagement in top Facebook Groups and school/team pages.
• Compare post performance during known peak times and around local events.