Washington County

Note: In Louisiana, “counties” are called parishes. The area you’re asking about is Washington Parish (county-equivalent), Louisiana.

Population

• Total: 45,463 (2020 Census)
• Trend: ~44,9k (2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimate), indicating a slight decline since 2020

Age

• Median age: ~41 years
• Under 18: ~23%
• 18–64: ~58%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Gender

• Female: ~51–52%
• Male: ~48–49%

Race and ethnicity (share of total population)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~62%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~33%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~3%
• All other races, non-Hispanic (including Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, Two+): ~2%

Households and housing

• Households: ~17.5–18.0k
• Average household size: ~2.5
• Family households: ~66%
• Married-couple families: ~43–45%
• Female householder, no spouse present: ~17–19%
• Households with children under 18: ~28%
• Homeownership rate: ~70–73%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates.

Washington County, LA (Washington Parish, county‑equivalent) — email usage snapshot

• Estimated email users: ~30,600 residents. Basis: ~45,000 population, adult share ~77%, rural internet/email adoption rates from Pew applied to local age mix.
• Age distribution of email users: 18–34: 28%; 35–54: 37%; 55–64: 17%; 65+: 18%. Skews toward working‑age adults; seniors participate but at lower rates.
• Gender split among email users: ~52% female, 48% male, mirroring the local population.
• Digital access:
  • ~84% of households have a computer.
  • ~72% of households subscribe to broadband at home; ~20% report no home internet subscription (ACS S2801).
  • Mobile access is important in rural tracts; public institutions (schools/libraries) help fill gaps.
• Local density/connectivity context:
  • Population density ≈67 people per square mile across ~675 sq mi—well below the state average—contributing to uneven fixed‑line coverage.
  • FCC mapping and Louisiana BEAD investments target remaining unserved/underserved locations in the parish.

Insights: Email reach is strong for employment‑age residents; engagement with 65+ improves when paired with mobile‑friendly formats and offline touchpoints in areas lacking reliable home broadband.

Sources: U.S. Census/ACS (Computer & Internet Use, S2801, 2019–2023), Pew Research Center (2023–2024), FCC National Broadband Map (2024).

Mobile phone usage summary for Washington Parish, Louisiana (2025)

Scope and method

• Baseline population: ~46,000 residents; ~35,000 adults (18+); ~17,000 households. Figures are derived from the 2020 Census/ACS trend and regional adoption benchmarks; numbers are rounded estimates.

User estimates

• Adult smartphone users: ~28,000 (≈80% of adults), below Louisiana’s statewide ~86%.
• Total smartphone users including teens: ~30,500–31,000 (adding ~2,300–2,500 teen users, 13–17).
• Mobile-only internet households: ~4,100 (≈24% of households), higher than Louisiana’s ~17–19%.
• Plan type: ~48% prepaid, ~52% postpaid (statewide: ~38–42% prepaid).
• Device mix: ~68% Android, ~32% iOS (statewide skew is closer to 60/40).

Demographic breakdown (ownership and reliance)

• By age
  • 18–34: ~95% smartphone ownership; heavy app/social/video usage; higher 5G adoption where available.
  • 35–64: ~82% ownership; mixed work/personal use; growing use of mobile hotspotting for home needs.
  • 65+: ~58% ownership (state ~65%); highest basic/flip phone share; more voice/SMS-centric use.
• By race/ethnicity (ownership; smartphone-only reliance)
  • Black residents (~36% of population): ~82% ownership; ~30–35% smartphone-only internet reliance.
  • White residents (~60%): ~78% ownership; ~18–22% smartphone-only reliance.
  • Hispanic and other groups (small but growing share): ~90–95% ownership; high smartphone-only reliance driven by cost and housing mobility.
• By income/education
  • Households below 200% of FPL show markedly higher prepaid usage and smartphone-only reliance (≥30%).
  • ACP sunset in 2024–2025 increased shifts to prepaid and to carrier fixed-wireless substitutes for home internet.

Usage patterns

• Dependence on phones for core internet access is materially higher than the state average, particularly for schoolwork, job search, telehealth, and government services.
• Messaging (SMS/WhatsApp/Messenger) and short‑form video dominate engagement; traditional voice remains important for older adults and during outages.
• Hotspotting from phones for household connectivity is common, especially in areas lacking reliable cable/fiber.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage: Countywide 4G/LTE from AT&T and Verizon along primary corridors (LA‑10, LA‑21, US‑190) with patchy coverage in forested/riparian areas near the Bogue Chitto and wildlife tracts. T‑Mobile low‑band 5G reaches key towns (notably Bogalusa and Franklinton) and some stretches of LA‑10/LA‑21; 5G elsewhere is intermittent.
• 5G quality: Predominantly low‑band (coverage‑first) 5G in populated places; limited mid‑band capacity compared with Louisiana’s metros. Practical user speeds:
  • 4G/LTE: often 5–20 Mbps in rural zones; 20–50 Mbps in towns.
  • 5G low‑band: typically 50–150 Mbps near sites; falls back to LTE at edges. These ranges trail statewide urban 5G (often 150–300+ Mbps mid‑band).
• Backhaul: Several sites still rely on microwave backhaul; fiber‑fed macro sites are concentrated near towns, constraining peak capacity in outlying sectors.
• Resilience: Tower sites commonly have backup generation, but storm‑related outages and backhaul cuts produce temporary dead zones; text and low‑band coverage remain more reliable than high‑throughput data during weather events.
• Community access: Public Wi‑Fi at parish libraries and schools provides supplemental connectivity and offloading in towns.
• Fixed wireless: 5G home internet (T‑Mobile/Verizon) adoption is rising where cable/fiber is absent, indirectly boosting mobile spectrum load at peak times.

How Washington Parish differs from Louisiana overall

• Lower overall smartphone adoption, driven by a larger 65+ share and lower incomes.
• Significantly higher smartphone‑only (mobile‑only) internet reliance by households.
• Higher prepaid share and higher Android share, reflecting cost sensitivity.
• Sparser 5G footprint and less mid‑band capacity; lower median mobile speeds and more frequent coverage gaps outside town centers.
• Greater use of phone hotspotting to fill home broadband gaps.
• More pronounced weather‑related performance volatility and a heavier tilt toward voice/SMS for reliability during disruptions.

Implications

• Network investments with the biggest payoff: additional macro coverage in river/forest shadow zones; fiber backhaul to existing sites; targeted mid‑band 5G sectors in Bogalusa, Franklinton, and along LA‑10/LA‑21.
• Affordability measures (post‑ACP) and device upgrade support would meaningfully affect digital inclusion.

Social media usage in Washington Parish, Louisiana (2025 snapshot)

Scope note: Louisiana uses parishes; this refers to Washington Parish (often colloquially called Washington County). Parish-level platform stats are not officially published; figures below are best-available modeled estimates derived from U.S. Census/ACS demographics (latest available), Pew/GWI U.S. platform adoption, and rural-Louisiana adjustments.

Population and internet access

• Residents: ≈45,300; adults (18+): ≈35,100
• Households with broadband: ≈70–75% (rural parish range)
• Adult internet users: ≈85% of adults (≈29,800)

Social media user stats (13+)

• Total social media users: ≈28,000 (≈62% of total population; ≈90% of internet users)
• Adult social media users (18+): ≈25,300 (≈72% of adults)
• Typical activity: majority are daily users; video is the dominant format (short-form and YouTube)

Most-used platforms (adults, monthly use, estimated)

• YouTube: ≈80%
• Facebook: ≈66%
• Instagram: ≈36%
• TikTok: ≈30%
• Snapchat: ≈24%
• Pinterest: ≈23%
• WhatsApp: ≈18%
• X (Twitter): ≈16%
• Reddit: ≈14%
• LinkedIn: ≈12%
• Nextdoor: ≈6%

Age breakdown of social media users (share of local social users)

• 13–17: ≈9%
• 18–24: ≈13%
• 25–34: ≈20%
• 35–44: ≈21%
• 45–54: ≈19%
• 55–64: ≈12%
• 65+: ≈6%

Gender breakdown of social media users

• Female: ≈54%
• Male: ≈46%

Behavioral trends

• Facebook as the community hub: Heavy reliance on Groups (schools, churches, sports, local news) and Marketplace for buy/sell; Messenger is a default for local communication and customer service.
• Video-first consumption: Facebook Reels, TikTok, and YouTube/Shorts drive the most reach and shares; live streams for church services, sports, and events perform well.
• Practical content wins: “What’s happening” updates, alerts (weather, road, school), classifieds, and how-to/DIY, hunting/fishing, auto repair, and gospel/music content over-index.
• Younger cohorts split attention: Teens and 18–24s center on Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube; Instagram is strong in 18–34 for boutiques, food trucks, and sports highlights.
• Older cohorts stay on Facebook/YouTube: 45+ lean into Groups, local pages, and long-form/how-to on YouTube; Instagram/TikTok usage drops with age.
• Peak times: Early morning (6–8 a.m.), lunch (11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.), and evenings (7–10 p.m.), with weekend late-morning spikes.
• Trust via word-of-mouth: Recommendations in Facebook Groups and comment threads shape purchase decisions more than brand posts; UGC and local faces outperform polished creative.
• Ads that perform locally: Geo-fenced Facebook/Instagram campaigns, boosted event posts, short-form video with captions, and promotions tied to local events or schools.

Note on certainty: Platform percentages are modeled estimates for Washington Parish based on state/national adoption patterns and rural adjustments; population and access figures draw from recent Census/ACS baselines.