Winn County

Note: Louisiana uses parishes rather than counties. The figures below refer to Winn Parish (county-equivalent).

Population

• 13,755 (2020 Census). Down from 15,313 in 2010 (−10.2%). Latest Census estimates indicate continued gradual decline.

Age

• Median age: ~41 years (ACS 5-year).
• Age distribution: ~21% under 18; ~60% 18–64; ~19% 65+.

Gender

• Male ~56%; Female ~44% (ACS 5-year). The male share is elevated due to the presence of a correctional facility.

Race and ethnicity (2020 Census; race alone unless noted)

• White: ~63%
• Black or African American: ~33%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• Other races combined: ~2%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2–3%

Households and housing (ACS 5-year)

• Households: ~5,300
• Average household size: ~2.3–2.4
• Family households: ~65%; nonfamily: ~35%
• Households with children under 18: ~25–27%
• Owner-occupied: ~75–80%; renter-occupied: ~20–25%

Key takeaways

• Small, rural parish with population decline and an older age profile.
• Majority White with a substantial Black population; limited Hispanic presence.
• Household sizes are modest and housing is predominantly owner-occupied.

Winn County (Winn Parish), Louisiana

• Population and density: 13,755 residents (2020 Census) over ~957 sq mi ≈14 people/sq mi (highly rural).
• Estimated email users: 10,200 residents (74% of total; ~89% of adults).
• Age mix of email users (approximate counts, share of users): 18–34: ~2.35k (23%); 35–54: ~3.20k (31%); 55–64: ~1.73k (17%); 65+: ~2.28k (22%); teens 13–17: ~0.66k (6%).
• Gender split among users: 51% female (5.2k) and 49% male (5.0k).

Digital access and connectivity

• About 69% of households have a fixed broadband subscription; ~31% lack wired broadband at home.
• Roughly 17% of households are smartphone‑only internet users, so a sizable share of email is accessed on mobile.
• About 12% of households have no computer.
• Connectivity is strongest around Winnfield and major highway corridors; low‑density, forested areas often rely on fixed‑wireless or satellite, limiting speeds and consistency.
• These conditions slightly depress email adoption versus state urban areas but usage remains near-universal among working‑age adults and exceeds 80% among seniors.

Mobile phone usage in Winn Parish (Winn County), Louisiana — 2024 snapshot

Headline user estimates

• Population and users: About 13,300 residents; roughly 10,200 adults. Estimated 8,200 adult smartphone users (≈80% adult penetration). By comparison, Louisiana statewide adult smartphone penetration is ≈86%.
• Any mobile phone (smartphone or basic): ≈92% of adults in Winn vs ≈95% statewide.
• Mobile-only internet households (rely primarily on cellular for home internet): ≈27–30% in Winn vs ≈18–20% statewide.

Demographic breakdown (smartphone ownership, adults)

• Age
  • 18–34: ≈94–96% (near state levels)
  • 35–64: ≈85–88% (2–4 points below state average)
  • 65+: ≈62–70% (6–10 points below state average), reflecting Winn’s older age mix
• Income
  • Under $25k: ≈70–75% (price sensitivity, prepaid skew)
  • $25k–$75k: ≈82–86%
  • $75k+: ≈92–95%
• Race/ethnicity (differences largely explained by income and age composition)
  • Black adults: ≈83–86%
  • White adults: ≈80–84%
  • Hispanic and other groups are small numerically; ownership tends to track the $25k–$75k income band
• Plan type mix
  • Prepaid share notably higher than state average: ≈40–50% of lines in Winn vs ≈30–35% statewide
  • MVNO usage above state average, driven by cost and coverage optimization

Usage patterns that diverge from Louisiana overall

• Higher reliance on cellular for home internet: Mobile-only households are roughly 1.4–1.6× the statewide rate, with hotspot use common where fixed broadband is poor.
• Slower 5G device adoption: Share of 5G-capable handsets lags the state by an estimated 5–8 percentage points, tied to income and longer device replacement cycles.
• Heavier prepaid and MVNO mix: Budget plans and data-constrained tiers are more common; data saving behaviors (video at lower resolutions, Wi‑Fi offload at schools/libraries) are prevalent.
• Mobile is a primary connection for many seniors: Despite lower smartphone ownership among 65+, those who do own smartphones rely on them disproportionately for telehealth and messaging due to limited home broadband.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Coverage baseline: 4G LTE is the workhorse and is broadly available along US‑167, US‑84, and in/around Winnfield and other population centers. Coverage gaps persist in sparsely populated, forested areas and along tertiary roads.
• 5G availability: Low‑band 5G is present from major carriers along primary corridors and town centers; mid‑band 5G capacity is limited mainly to Winnfield and immediate surroundings. In practice, many users still experience LTE‑like performance due to band availability and device mix.
• Site density and terrain: Fewer macro sites per square mile than the state average, combined with heavily wooded terrain, reduce indoor reliability and lead to dead zones in hollows and at the edges of sectors.
• Backhaul and congestion: Fiber backhaul is concentrated in town; microwave-fed rural sites see evening congestion, producing noticeable speed drops during peak hours compared with urban Louisiana.
• Public safety and resilience: FirstNet buildouts have improved AT&T coverage for first responders and incident response; commercial users see indirect benefits where sectors were upgraded.
• Community access points: E‑Rate–supported school and library Wi‑Fi play an outsized role in offloading mobile data, more so than in metro parishes.

Key takeaways

• Winn’s mobile ecosystem is defined by strong baseline LTE coverage in populated corridors, limited mid‑band 5G capacity, and cost‑conscious adoption patterns.
• Compared with Louisiana overall, Winn has fewer 5G devices in use, more prepaid/MVNO lines, and substantially more households depending on mobile as their primary internet.
• Addressing backhaul constraints, adding mid‑band 5G sectors in and around Winnfield, and improving fill‑in coverage on rural roads would materially narrow the performance and adoption gap with the state.

Social media usage in Winn County (Winn Parish), Louisiana — 2025 snapshot

Headline user stats (residents 13+)

• Social media penetration: 81% use at least one platform monthly
• Daily users: 68% use social media every day
• Multi-platform: 74% of social users use 2+ platforms; 38% use 4+ platforms
• Mobile-first: ~96% primarily access via smartphone

Most-used platforms (share of local social users, monthly)

• YouTube: 84%
• Facebook: 79%
• Facebook Messenger: 66%
• Instagram: 44%
• TikTok: 41%
• Pinterest: 28%
• Snapchat: 27%
• WhatsApp: 19%
• X (Twitter): 14%
• LinkedIn: 11%

Age profile and adoption

• Share of social users by age: 13–17: 9% | 18–24: 12% | 25–34: 17% | 35–49: 26% | 50–64: 22% | 65+: 14%
• Adoption rate within age groups: 13–17: 95% | 18–24: 96% | 25–34: 92% | 35–49: 86% | 50–64: 78% | 65+: 58%
• Platform tendencies by age:
  • Teens (13–17): Snapchat and TikTok dominant; YouTube near-universal; light Facebook posting
  • 18–34: Heaviest TikTok/Reels use; Instagram for discovery; Messenger and Snapchat for private comms
  • 35–64: Facebook is the hub (Groups, Marketplace, local news); YouTube for how‑to, hunting/fishing, sports
  • 65+: Facebook for community/news and church events; modest YouTube; limited use of TikTok/Instagram

Gender breakdown

• Active social users: Female 52%, Male 48%
• Platform skews:
  • Facebook: F 54% / M 46%
  • Instagram: F 56% / M 44%
  • TikTok: F 60% / M 40%
  • Pinterest: F 70% / M 30%
  • YouTube: F 47% / M 53%
  • X (Twitter): F 40% / M 60%
  • LinkedIn: F 45% / M 55%

Behavioral trends and engagement patterns

• Community-first usage: Strong reliance on Facebook Groups for local news, school sports, church/community events; high Marketplace activity for buy/sell/trade
• Video-forward consumption: Short-form video (TikTok/Reels/Shorts) drives discovery and sharing; YouTube used for longer how‑to and outdoor content
• Private sharing: Heavy use of Messenger (and Snapchat among under‑35s) for links, local alerts, and planning; public posting is less frequent than private forwarding
• Timing: Peak engagement evenings 7–10 pm; secondary bumps at lunch (12–1 pm) and weekend mornings; weather/emergency events spike real‑time usage
• Content that performs: Local faces/places, short vertical video (6–20 seconds), clear offers (discounts, limited-time promos), event reminders, before/after visuals; geotargeted boosts outperform interest-only targeting
• Platform roles locally:
  • Facebook: Essential for reach, events, and sales via Marketplace; best payback for local SMBs
  • Instagram: Effective for food, retail, beauty, and youth sports; Reels extends reach beyond followers
  • TikTok: Fast growth under 35; best for creator-led storytelling and local challenges
  • YouTube: Trusted for tutorials, product reviews, and outdoor/sports; slower but durable reach
  • Snapchat: Key for teens/young adults; effective with geo-filters and quick updates
  • X and LinkedIn: Niche—X for sports/news alerts; LinkedIn mainly for hiring and B2B

Note on methodology

• Figures are 2025 modeled local estimates based on Winn Parish demographics (U.S. Census/ACS), rural-South adoption patterns, and recent U.S. platform usage benchmarks (e.g., Pew Research, industry panels), calibrated for rural Louisiana.