Grant County

Note: Louisiana uses parishes, not counties. The figures below refer to Grant Parish, LA.

Population

• Total population: 22,169 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: about 39 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~24%
• 18 to 64: ~60%
• 65 and over: ~16%

Gender

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Race and Hispanic origin (ACS 2019–2023)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~75%
• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~20%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3%
• Other/Multiracial (non-Hispanic): ~2%

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

• Total households: ~8,300
• Average household size: ~2.6
• Family households: ~67% of households
• Married-couple households: ~49% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~31%
• Homeownership rate: ~78%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census and 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Grant Parish (often called Grant County), Louisiana

• Population and density: 22,169 residents (2020 Census) across ~665 sq mi; ~33 residents per sq mi.
• Estimated email users: ~15,500–16,500 residents. Basis: ~17,000 adults (18+) with roughly 90–95% using email, consistent with national adoption among online adults.
• Age distribution of email users (est.): 18–34: ~28–30%; 35–54: ~33–36%; 55–64: ~16–18%; 65+: ~18–22% (slightly lower usage among seniors reduces their share).
• Gender split among likely email users: approximately even (about 49–51% male/female), as email adoption is similar by gender.

Digital access and trends

• Household broadband: In line with rural Louisiana, Grant Parish sits in the low‑70% range for households with a broadband subscription and has ticked up several points since 2019; a notable minority (~1 in 5) are smartphone‑only internet users.
• Connectivity patterns: Best fixed‑broadband options cluster in towns and along major corridors; remote areas more often rely on DSL, satellite, or fixed wireless. LTE/5G coverage is widespread along highways, sustaining mobile email use.
• Context: Low population density raises last‑mile costs and keeps adoption below the state average. Ongoing Louisiana GUMBO and federal BEAD investments are actively expanding fiber reach and speeds.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Grant Parish (often called Grant County), Louisiana

Scope and basis

• Timeframe: 2023–2024.
• Figures are small-area estimates synthesized from U.S. Census ACS device/Internet indicators, Pew smartphone adoption research, and FCC mobile coverage patterns for rural Louisiana. They reflect Grant Parish’s rural profile and differ from statewide averages accordingly.

User estimates

• Population and households: ~22,000 residents; ~7,600–7,900 households.
• Mobile users (any mobile phone): 19,000–20,000 residents use a mobile phone.
• Smartphone users: 16,000–18,000 residents carry a smartphone.
• Wireless-only voice households (no landline): 78–82% (Louisiana overall ~72–76%).
• Smartphone-only Internet households (cellular data plan and no home broadband): 24–30% (Louisiana overall ~18–21%).
• Households with no Internet subscription of any kind: 20–24% (Louisiana overall ~14–18%).
• Typical plan mix: Higher reliance on prepaid plans than the state average; family plan penetration somewhat lower than in metro areas.

Demographic breakdown of usage and access

• Age
  • 18–34: 96–98% smartphone adoption; heavy app-based communication and video consumption; high reliance on tethering where home broadband is weak.
  • 35–64: 90–94% smartphone adoption; strongest multi-line family plan uptake.
  • 65+: 68–75% smartphone adoption; materially higher basic-phone share and larger share without home Internet; telehealth usage growing but constrained by coverage and speed variability.
• Income
  • Under $35k: 35–45% are smartphone-only for Internet; device replacement cycles longer; prepaid dominant.
  • $35k–$75k: 22–30% smartphone-only; mix of prepaid and value postpaid; hotspot use common.
  • $75k+: 10–15% smartphone-only; higher device diversity (smartphone + laptop/tablet) and greater home broadband adoption.
• Race and ethnicity
  • In line with statewide digital divide patterns, Black and lower-income households in Grant Parish exhibit higher smartphone-only rates and lower home broadband adoption than White households, but smartphone ownership itself is high across groups (generally 85%+ for adults).
• Disability and seniors
  • Adults with disabilities and seniors are overrepresented among the 20–24% of households lacking any Internet subscription; accessibility and affordability programs have outsized impact locally.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage
  • LTE is broadly available across towns and along major road corridors; 5G low-band covers most populated areas.
  • Mid-band 5G (capacity 5G) is present primarily near town centers and along main travel corridors; coverage thins in heavily forested and sparsely populated zones.
  • Terrain and tree cover create dead zones and variable in-building performance outside town cores.
• Capacity and speeds (typical, not peak)
  • LTE/low-band 5G: ~10–60 Mbps down, 2–15 Mbps up in most settled areas.
  • Mid-band 5G where available: ~100–300 Mbps down, 10–40 Mbps up near sites; falls back rapidly with distance/obstructions.
• Reliability
  • More call drops and data slowdowns at cell edges than in metro Louisiana; storm-related outages have longer restoration times in some rural pockets due to sparser backhaul and power redundancy.
• Backhaul and towers
  • Sparser tower grid than state average; new sites and sector upgrades focus on corridors and town centers. Microwave backhaul still in use at some rural sites, constraining capacity compared with fiber-fed sites.
• Home broadband context (drives smartphone dependence)
  • Cable or fiber available in parts of Colfax, Dry Prong, Pollock, Montgomery, and Georgetown; outside these areas, options skew to DSL, fixed wireless, and satellite.
  • Fixed wireless (CBRS and licensed LTE) and LEO satellite fill gaps but have variable latency/capacity and higher effective costs, reinforcing smartphone-only behavior.
  • State GUMBO/BEAD-funded builds are expanding fiber along main routes; benefits concentrate first in and between towns before reaching dispersed addresses.

Trends distinct from the Louisiana statewide picture

• Higher smartphone-only Internet reliance: Grant Parish sits notably above the state average, reflecting patchier fixed broadband and lower median incomes.
• Greater prepaid share and longer device lifecycles: Affordability drives plan and device choices more than in metro parishes.
• Lower mid-band 5G availability and more variable speeds: Capacity 5G coverage is spottier, keeping everyday speeds below Louisiana’s urban/suburban medians.
• Higher household Internet unconnected rate: A larger slice of households lack any subscription, making mobile the primary or only connection channel for communication, schoolwork, and telehealth.
• Larger rural performance gap: Signal quality and in-building penetration fall off more sharply outside town centers than is typical statewide, creating a wider on-road/off-road usability divide.

Implications

• Mobile networks are the primary Internet on-ramp for a sizable share of residents; zero-rating, ACP-like discounts, and hotspot allowances materially affect digital inclusion.
• Expanding mid-band 5G coverage and adding fiber-fed backhaul to rural sites would yield outsized benefits relative to cost by lifting both capacity and reliability.
• Coordinating BEAD/GUMBO fiber builds with carrier backhaul upgrades and public-safety coverage objectives can narrow the parish–state digital gap fastest.

Grant County, LA (formally Grant Parish) — Social media usage snapshot (2024–2025)

Population baseline

• Residents: ~22,000; adults (18+): ~17,000

Overall usage

• Adults using any social platform weekly: 78–82% (~13,500–14,000 people)
• Daily social users: 60–65% of adults (~10,200–11,000)
• Teens (13–17): ~95% use social at least weekly

Most-used platforms among adults (weekly use)

• YouTube: 78–83%
• Facebook: 65–70%
• Instagram: 35–40%
• TikTok: 25–30% (50–60% among under-30s)
• Snapchat: 20–25% (55–65% among ages 13–24)
• Pinterest: 22–28% (female‑skewed)
• X (Twitter): 15–20% (male‑skewed)
• LinkedIn: 10–15% (lowest among college/nonprofits; limited in trades)
• Reddit: 9–12% (male‑skewed, younger)

Age profile (share using any social weekly)

• 13–17: ~95% (Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube dominant)
• 18–29: ~95% (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube; Snapchat for messaging)
• 30–49: 88–90% (Facebook + Instagram; YouTube for how‑to/news)
• 50–64: 70–75% (Facebook first; YouTube rising)
• 65+: 55–60% (Facebook primary; YouTube for sermons/local content)

Gender breakdown

• User mix mirrors population: ~49% male, ~51% female
• Platform skews:
  • Facebook: 53–58% female
  • Instagram: 52–55% female
  • Pinterest: 70–75% female
  • TikTok: near parity, slight female tilt
  • YouTube: near parity
  • X (Twitter): 55–60% male
  • Reddit: 60–65% male
  • Snapchat: female‑leaning in younger cohorts

Behavioral trends

• Facebook is the community backbone: parish government, schools, churches, booster clubs, and buy/sell groups drive daily check‑ins; Marketplace is a top channel for local commerce.
• Video first consumption: short‑form (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) accelerates discovery; longer YouTube for DIY, repairs, outdoors, and local events.
• Private sharing dominates: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are primary for coordination; many residents “lurk” more than they post.
• Trust is local: people engage most with posts from known individuals, local businesses, and official parish/school pages; giveaways, sports highlights, and event reminders perform best.
• Timing: peak activity on weeknights 7–9 pm and weekend mornings; local sports and school announcements spike engagement.
• Ad responsiveness: strong results from geographically tight targeting, clear offers, and creative featuring recognizable places/people; boosted posts on Facebook/Instagram outperform standalone TikTok ads for older audiences.
• Cross‑posting behavior: small businesses reuse video across TikTok, Reels, and Shorts; younger users split entertainment to TikTok/YouTube and community updates to Facebook.

Notes on figures

• Percentages reflect best‑available estimates by applying recent Pew Research social platform adoption rates to Grant Parish’s age/gender mix and rural usage patterns. Ranges indicate realistic local variation.