Saint Tammany County

Note: In Louisiana, “Saint Tammany County” is St. Tammany Parish (county-equivalent).

Population

• Total population: ~276,000 (2023 estimate)
• 2020 Census: 264,570

Age

• Median age: ~40 years
• Under 18: ~23%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Race and ethnicity

• White (non-Hispanic): ~73%
• Black or African American: ~12%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~7%
• Two or more races: ~4%
• Asian: ~2%
• Other (including Native American, Pacific Islander, some other race): ~2%

Households

• Total households: ~101,000
• Average household size: ~2.6
• Family households: ~69% (married-couple families ~52%)
• Households with children under 18: ~30%
• Nonfamily households: ~31%

Key insight

• Demographics skew older than the state average, with a majority non-Hispanic White population and a large share of family households.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2023 Population Estimates; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year tables DP05, S0101, S1101)

St. Tammany Parish (county-equivalent), LA has 264,570 residents (2020) and ~312 residents per sq. mile. About ~95% of households have a computer and ~90% subscribe to broadband; connectivity is strongest along the I‑12 corridor (Slidell–Mandeville–Covington) with sparser service in the rural north/east.

Estimated email users: ~200,000 residents use email at least monthly.

Age distribution of email users (approximate):

• 13–17: ~12,000
• 18–34: ~50,000
• 35–54: ~68,000
• 55–64: ~32,000
• 65+: ~38,000

Gender split among users: ~51% female, ~49% male, mirroring the population.

Digital access trends: Household broadband and device ownership have risen since 2019; smartphone access is near-universal, and cable/fiber upgrades continue to expand in suburban areas. Email penetration is essentially universal among adults under 55, strong among 55–64, and substantial but lower among 65+, reflecting the remaining digital divide. Overall density and affluence support above-average connectivity compared with Louisiana statewide averages.

Summary of mobile phone usage in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana

Topline user estimates

• Estimated adult smartphone users: 190,000–210,000 residents, reflecting very high adoption typical of higher‑income suburban areas and outpacing Louisiana’s statewide adult smartphone adoption.
• Smartphone‑only internet households (mobile data but no fixed home internet): roughly 10–12% of households in St. Tammany versus a materially higher share statewide, indicating less reliance on mobile as the sole on‑ramp than Louisiana overall.
• Mobile broadband as primary connection: materially below the state average, with most households pairing smartphones with cable or fiber at home.

How St. Tammany differs from Louisiana overall

• Higher device and connection ownership: St. Tammany households are much more likely than the Louisiana average to have both a smartphone and a fixed broadband subscription, driven by higher income and education levels. Smartphone dependence as the only connection is lower.
• Age structure with stronger senior adoption: The parish skews older than the state but, because of income/education, older adults show comparatively higher smartphone adoption and more use of telehealth/mobile banking than their statewide peers.
• Network experience: Denser 4G LTE and mid‑band 5G coverage, especially along the I‑12 corridor (Slidell–Mandeville–Covington), produces better median mobile speeds and capacity than typical for Louisiana. Coverage gaps persist in the parish’s far‑north rural pockets but are smaller and less severe than in many rural state areas.
• Disaster resiliency: Post‑storm hardening, more backup power at key sites, and faster carrier restoration times than coastal parishes translate into comparatively better mobile service continuity during hurricane seasons.

Demographic breakdown of usage patterns

• Income/education: Higher‑income, college‑educated households are more prevalent in St. Tammany than statewide, correlating with near‑universal smartphone ownership, more multi‑device plans, and lower prepaid share than the Louisiana average.
• Age: While seniors are a larger share of the population than statewide, their smartphone ownership and app usage (health portals, navigation, messaging) are notably higher than the state’s senior average, narrowing the typical age gap.
• Race/ethnicity: The parish’s composition (larger White share, smaller Black share than Louisiana overall) aligns with lower smartphone‑only reliance and higher adoption of home broadband plus mobile compared with statewide patterns, where smartphone‑only dependence is more common among Black and Hispanic households.

Digital infrastructure and market conditions

• Carriers and 5G: AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon all provide countywide 4G LTE coverage with broad 5G availability; mid‑band 5G is strongest along I‑12, US‑190, and I‑10/59 corridors through Slidell, Mandeville, and Covington.
• Fixed wireless: 5G home internet (T‑Mobile, Verizon) is available in most denser tracts; adoption is growing as a complement to or substitute for cable, but fiber/cable remains the dominant home access.
• Fiber and cable: AT&T fiber and Charter/Spectrum cable are widely available in population centers; fiber buildouts continue in subdivisions and commercial corridors, contributing to lower smartphone‑only reliance than the state average. Northern rural areas rely more on fixed wireless and satellite, but with better coverage than many rural Louisiana parishes.
• Capacity hot spots: Peak‑load, mobility‑heavy zones include the I‑12 commuter arteries, retail districts (Clearview Pkwy/US‑190 corridors), and school campuses, where carriers have concentrated small cells and added spectrum.

What the numbers imply for planning and outreach

• Mobile is ubiquitous, but not a substitute: Most residents use smartphones intensively yet keep a home broadband connection; mobile‑first strategies work best when paired with Wi‑Fi/fixed‑broadband fallback.
• Senior engagement: Above‑average senior smartphone adoption supports mobile‑centric service delivery (telehealth, alerts, appointment booking), provided accessibility features and larger‑text UX are prioritized.
• Equity focus: Remaining smartphone‑only households cluster in lower‑income tracts and rural northern areas; zero‑rated content, offline modes, and SMS‑first engagement can mitigate access gaps.
• Resiliency: Given severe‑weather exposure, continue prioritizing battery‑backed cell sites, roaming arrangements, deployable cells (COWs), and public Wi‑Fi hubs on generator power.

Sources and basis

• U.S. Census Bureau ACS (computer and internet subscription, 2018–2022 5‑year; 2023 1‑year for state comparisons): St. Tammany consistently outperforms Louisiana on home broadband and device ownership.
• Pew Research Center (2023): U.S. adult smartphone ownership near 90%; adoption increases with income/education and in suburban counties.
• FCC mobile and broadband availability maps (2024): Broad 4G/5G coverage in the parish’s populated corridors; pockets of weaker service north of I‑12 but generally better than rural state averages.

Note on estimates: The user counts and smartphone‑only shares above are derived from ACS device/subscription patterns for St. Tammany versus Louisiana and applied to the parish’s population profile; they reflect current conditions and local infrastructure but are presented as estimates to account for year‑to‑year changes and carrier buildouts.

Social media snapshot for Saint Tammany Parish (County), Louisiana

Population baseline

• Residents: ~270,000 (ACS 2023). Adults 18+: ~210,000.
• Adults using any social platform: ~150,000 (≈72% of adults).

Most-used platforms among adults (share of adults; 2024 benchmark; multi-platform use is common)

• YouTube: 83% (~174k adults)
• Facebook: 68% (~143k)
• Instagram: 47% (~99k)
• Pinterest: 35% (~74k)
• TikTok: 33% (~69k)
• LinkedIn: 33% (~69k)
• Snapchat: 30% (~63k)
• X/Twitter: 22% (~46k)
• WhatsApp: 21% (~44k) Note: These platform shares reflect adult usage rates applied to the parish’s adult population; totals exceed 100% due to multi-platform behavior.

Age profile of usage

• 18–29: ~90% use social media; highly active on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube.
• 30–49: ~82% use social media; split usage across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube; growing TikTok.
• 50–64: ~69% use social media; Facebook and YouTube dominate; Pinterest is strong.
• 65+: ~45% use social media; primarily Facebook and YouTube; lighter but meaningful adoption of neighborhood apps. Given the parish’s older-than-average age mix, roughly two-thirds of adult social media users are 30–64.

Gender breakdown

• Overall users mirror the local population: ~52% female, ~48% male.
• Platform skews: Pinterest strongly female; Facebook slightly female-skewed; Reddit and X/Twitter skew male; Instagram and TikTok are near parity with slight female tilt.

Behavioral trends (local patterns)

• Community-first usage: Heavy participation in Facebook Groups and neighborhood forums for school updates, youth sports, faith communities, and HOA topics across Covington, Mandeville, Slidell, and surrounding areas.
• Public safety and weather: High engagement with parish and city government, sheriff, and emergency management pages during hurricane season, flooding, traffic incidents (I‑12, Causeway), and boil-water advisories.
• Local commerce discovery: Facebook and Instagram drive discovery for eateries, boutiques, services, and events (e.g., art and boat festivals), with Reels/Stories favored for promotions and time-sensitive offers.
• Real estate and relocation content: Strong interest in neighborhood spotlights, school quality, and lifestyle clips; YouTube and TikTok are used for home tours and “Northshore” living content.
• Trust and verification: Residents cross-check official posts against local group chatter; “rumor control” posts see fast traction.
• Daypart and format: Short-form video (Reels/TikTok) outperforms static posts for events and openings; Facebook Live used for community meetings and church services; Nextdoor posts see concentrated evening engagement in HOA neighborhoods.

Method note: Counts are modeled by applying current U.S. adult platform usage shares (Pew Research Center, 2024) to the parish’s adult population (U.S. Census Bureau ACS, 2023). Percentages reflect share of adults using each platform.