Saint Martin County

Note: Louisiana uses parishes; “Saint Martin County” corresponds to St. Martin Parish, LA (county-equivalent).

Population

• 51,200 (2023 estimate). 2020 Census: 51,767 (≈−1% since 2020)

Age

• Median age: ~37.8 years
• Under 18: ~24.6%
• 65 and over: ~16.0%

Gender

• Female: ~50.8%
• Male: ~49.2%

Race and ethnicity

• White alone: ~66%
• Black or African American alone: ~28–29%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.7%
• Asian alone: ~0.7%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~3.7%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~63%

Households and housing

• Households: ~19,200 (2018–2022 ACS)
• Average household size: ~2.67
• Family households: ~69% (married-couple ~47%)
• Nonfamily households: ~31% (1-person households ~25%)
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~77% (renter ~23%)

Key takeaways

• Stable population with slight recent decline
• Balanced age structure with modest aging
• Predominantly White and Black; small but present Hispanic community
• High homeownership and moderately larger household sizes than the U.S. average

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year; 2023 Population Estimates/QuickFacts)

Scope: St. Martin Parish, Louisiana (often called Saint Martin County).

• Population and density: 51,767 residents (2020 Census); ~70 people per square mile.
• Connectivity baseline (ACS 2018–2022): ~82% of households have an internet subscription; ~89% have a computer. Connectivity is strongest along the I‑10 corridor (Breaux Bridge–Henderson); Lower St. Martin across the Atchafalaya Basin is more sparsely served, reflecting rural last‑mile challenges.
• Estimated email users: ~33,000 residents (≈64% of the population), derived by applying near‑universal email uptake among connected adults to local internet subscription levels.
• Age distribution of email users: approximately 34% under 35, 38% age 35–54, and 28% age 55+, mirroring the parish’s adult age mix with slightly lower adoption at older ages.
• Gender split among email users: roughly 51% female, 49% male, tracking the parish’s overall sex ratio.
• Digital access trends: Household internet and device penetration continue to rise, with expanding fiber and fixed‑wireless coverage driven by state and federal broadband initiatives; mobile access and public Wi‑Fi (schools/libraries) are important complements for rural residents.

These figures indicate a mature email market concentrated in the parish’s denser I‑10 communities, with remaining adoption gaps tied primarily to rural geography and last‑mile infrastructure.

Mobile phone usage summary for Saint Martin County, LA (St. Martin Parish)

Scope and timing

• Reference period: 2023–2024 using the latest available public indicators (Census/ACS computer-and-internet-use, Pew Research mobile adoption, FCC mobile coverage maps) combined with rural-Louisiana benchmarks to produce parish-level estimates.

Population context

• Residents: approximately 52–54 thousand
• Adults (18+): approximately 40–42 thousand

User estimates

• Adult smartphone users: 32–35 thousand (roughly 80–85% of adults). Parish adoption trails the statewide adult average by an estimated 2–4 percentage points due to rural coverage gaps and income mix.
• Households with an active cellular data plan (for a smartphone or other mobile device): approximately 72–76% in the parish vs about 78–81% statewide.
• Smartphone-dependent adults (use a smartphone as their primary or only way to access the internet): approximately 23–26% in the parish vs about 19–21% statewide.
• Households relying on cellular-only internet (no fixed broadband at home): approximately 14–17% in the parish vs about 11–13% statewide.
• Prepaid share of mobile lines: higher than the Louisiana average by an estimated 3–6 percentage points, reflecting price sensitivity and coverage-driven carrier switching in rural areas.

Demographic breakdown (parish-level patterns)

• Age
  • 18–34: very high smartphone adoption (~92–96%); highest rates of smartphone-only internet use.
  • 35–64: high adoption (~85–90%); growing use of mobile hotspots for home connectivity in areas with limited wired options.
  • 65+: lower adoption (~60–68%); text/voice-centric usage persists where 5G performance is inconsistent.
• Income
  • Under $35k household income: significantly higher prepaid usage and smartphone dependence; cellular-only internet households concentrated here.
  • $35–75k: mixed plans with growing use of fixed wireless (5G home internet) where available.
  • $75k+: near-universal smartphone ownership; lower mobile-only reliance due to better access to cable/fiber in town centers.
• Race/ethnicity
  • Black residents show higher rates of smartphone dependence than White residents, consistent with statewide patterns, but overall parish smartphone ownership is slightly lower than urban Louisiana because of signal and device-cost constraints.
• Urban–rural split inside the parish
  • Breaux Bridge, St. Martinville, Cecilia: higher 5G availability and faster median speeds; more postpaid and device-financing plans.
  • Atchafalaya Basin and other low-density areas: coverage gaps and lower throughput; higher use of signal boosters and prepaid plans.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Networks
  • 4G LTE: effectively universal across populated areas; performance weakens in the Basin and sparsely populated eastern tracts.
  • 5G: strong along I-10 (Breaux Bridge–Henderson corridor) and in/around St. Martinville; mid-band 5G availability drops quickly outside highway and town footprints.
• Carriers
  • AT&T and Verizon provide the broadest rural LTE footprints; AT&T often strongest along waterways and timberland routes, Verizon competitive on interstate-adjacent sectors.
  • T-Mobile offers robust mid-band 5G in town centers and along I-10; coverage thins more noticeably in remote tracts, which affects consistency for 5G Home Internet.
• Fixed wireless and home internet interplay
  • 5G Home Internet (FWA) is available in parts of Breaux Bridge, St. Martinville, and near I-10; capacity-limited signups are common. FWA is a key driver of mobile data offload at home and reduces smartphone-only reliance where it’s offered.
  • In areas lacking cable/fiber, households lean on unlimited phone plans, hotspots, and MVNOs for home connectivity.
• Public access points and resilience
  • Libraries and schools in Breaux Bridge and St. Martinville serve as important Wi‑Fi hubs.
  • During storms and river-flood events, highway-adjacent sites recover fastest; Basin-adjacent sites experience longer outages and congestion, reinforcing the higher share of mobile-only and prepaid users who rotate carriers for coverage.

How St. Martin differs from statewide Louisiana trends

• Higher mobile-only reliance: Both the share of smartphone-dependent adults and cellular-only households run several points above the state average because of rural last-mile gaps.
• Slightly lower overall adoption but wider dependence: Overall smartphone ownership is a bit lower than Louisiana’s urban parishes, yet reliance on phones for core internet tasks is higher.
• More prepaid and MVNO usage: Price sensitivity and variable signal quality increase churn and favor prepaid/MVNO plans more than the state average.
• Coverage asymmetry: Performance is corridor-centric (I-10, town centers) with steeper drop-offs into wetlands and timber areas than typical for the state, which has more uniform coverage around major metros.

Implications

• Demand remains strong for carrier-agnostic solutions (dual-SIM, signal boosters) and fixed wireless expansion.
• Closing last-mile gaps (fiber or higher-capacity FWA) would reduce smartphone-only dependence and improve digital equity for older and lower-income residents.

Social media usage — St. Martin Parish, Louisiana (2024 snapshot)

Note: Louisiana uses parishes (St. Martin Parish), not counties. Parish-level platform-by-platform counts are not published; percentages below reflect best-available benchmarks (Pew Research Center, 2024) that closely track usage in rural/suburban Louisiana, including St. Martin.

User stats and demographics

• Adoption and access: Social media use is widespread and smartphone‑centric, with usage patterns typical of the rural South (heavy Facebook and YouTube, growing short‑form video).
• Age mix (behavioral profile):
  • Teens/young adults (13–29): Heavy on Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok; messaging and short video dominate.
  • Adults 30–49: Mixed stack; Facebook for community/news, Instagram/TikTok for entertainment and shopping discovery, YouTube for how‑to.
  • Adults 50–64: Primarily Facebook and YouTube; growing Instagram usage via Reels.
  • 65+: Facebook first; YouTube second; lower adoption of TikTok/Snapchat.
• Gender skew (consistent with national patterns):
  • Women: Over‑index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; higher participation in local groups, schools, churches, events, and Marketplace.
  • Men: Over‑index on YouTube, X (Twitter), Reddit; strong interest in sports, outdoors, DIY, and local news.

Most‑used platforms (share of U.S. adults who use the platform; local usage generally aligns and Facebook typically over-indexes in rural Louisiana)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• TikTok: 33%
• Snapchat: 30%
• Pinterest: 35%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• WhatsApp: 29%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• Reddit: 22% Interpretation for St. Martin: Expect Facebook and YouTube to be the top two by a wide margin; Instagram and TikTok are the growth channels, especially under 35. Snapchat is strong among teens/college‑age. LinkedIn usage is concentrated among Lafayette‑area professionals and commuters.

Age‑group usage highlights (national benchmarks that mirror local patterns)

• 18–29: Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok lead; Facebook is supplemental for family and local happenings.
• 30–49: Facebook remains standard; Instagram and TikTok used for short‑form video and shopping discovery; YouTube ubiquitous.
• 50–64 and 65+: Facebook is dominant for community, schools, churches, and parish updates; YouTube used for DIY, news, and sports.

Behavioral trends in St. Martin Parish

• Community‑first Facebook: High engagement in local groups (schools, churches, youth sports, festivals, emergency/weather updates). Marketplace is a primary local classifieds channel.
• Video everywhere: Short‑form video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) drives discovery for local restaurants, events, boutiques, and service providers. YouTube anchors how‑to, outdoors (fishing/hunting/boating), repairs, and local sports.
• Messaging over feed: Snapchat (younger users), Messenger and WhatsApp (families, small business) are key for coordination and customer service.
• Shopping and recommendations: Instagram and Facebook power local retail discovery; Pinterest usage is strong among women for recipes, crafts, home projects.
• News and alerts: Facebook pages/groups and YouTube live streams carry most local news reach; X is niche and more regional/national.
• Timing and device: Predominantly mobile. Engagement peaks evenings and weekends; weather events and school calendars reliably spike local reach.

What this means for outreach in St. Martin

• Use Facebook as the backbone (pages + groups + Marketplace for promotions), supported by short‑form video on Instagram/TikTok for under‑35 reach.
• Invest in YouTube for evergreen how‑to and community content; clip to Reels/Shorts for distribution.
• Lean into Messenger/WhatsApp for customer service; use Stories for day‑of promotions.
• Target women‑led household decisions via Facebook/Instagram/Pinterest; reach outdoors/sports/DIY audiences on YouTube and Facebook groups.