Allegany County

Here are key, recent demographics for Allegany County, Maryland (U.S. Census Bureau; 2020 Decennial Census and 2018–2022 ACS 5-year estimates; population estimate Vintage 2023):

• Population size: 68,106 (2020 Census); about 67,000–68,000 in 2023 estimates.
• Age: Median age ~42.5 years. Under 18 ~17%; 18–24 ~11–12%; 25–44 ~23–24%; 45–64 ~26%; 65+ ~21–22%.
• Gender: Male ~52–53%; Female ~47–48% (male share elevated due to correctional institutions).
• Race/ethnicity:
  • White, non-Hispanic ~84–85%
  • Black or African American ~8–9%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race) ~2–3%
  • Two or more races ~3–4%
  • Asian ~1% (all other groups each <1%)
• Households: About 28,500–29,500 households; average household size ~2.2 persons.
  • Family households ~58–60%; nonfamily ~40–42%
  • One-person households ~34–36%; ~15–16% are 65+ living alone

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 (5-year); Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2023).

Allegany County, MD overview (estimates; ACS 2022 population ~67k; Pew U.S. email adoption applied locally):

• Estimated email users: ~53–55k residents (≈80–82% of total; ≈90%+ of adults with internet).
• Age distribution of email users (approx. counts; share of users):
  • 13–17: ~3.6k (7%)
  • 18–34: ~13.0k (24%)
  • 35–54: ~15.4k (29%)
  • 55–64: ~8.6k (16%)
  • 65+: ~12.9k (24%)
• Gender split: ~51% female, 49% male among users (email adoption is nearly even by gender nationally).
• Digital access trends:
  • Home broadband subscription about 78–81% of households (below Maryland average), leaving ~1 in 5 without home broadband.
  • Smartphone‑only internet: roughly 10–15% of households; public/library Wi‑Fi and mobile data fill gaps.
  • Urbanized corridor (Cumberland–LaVale–Frostburg) has cable/fiber options and higher speeds; mountainous rural areas rely more on DSL/fixed wireless and face dead zones.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population density ≈158 people/sq. mi. (dispersed outside the I‑68 corridor), which raises last‑mile costs and contributes to patchy coverage.

Notes: Figures are modeled from ACS demographics and national email adoption by age; local infrastructure conditions reflect Western MD terrain and provider footprints.

Below is a county-focused snapshot built from public benchmarks (ACS/Pew/FCC/MD broadband plans) and localized characteristics; figures are estimates with ranges where hard local counts are not published.

Quick snapshot (Allegany vs Maryland)

• Population baseline: ~67,000 residents (Allegany County). Older, lower-income, and more rural than the Maryland average; includes a university hub (Frostburg State) and small city core (Cumberland).
• Estimated mobile users
  • Any mobile phone: ~49,000–53,000 people (about 90–94% of residents vs Maryland typically mid–90s).
  • Smartphone users: ~42,000–46,000 (about 78–85% locally vs Maryland closer to ~88–92%).
  • “Smartphone-only” internet (no home broadband): likely 20–28% of adults locally vs ~12–18% typical in Maryland, reflecting more cost and access constraints.
• Network experience: 4G is broadly available in populated corridors; 5G exists but is more corridor-focused with bigger rural gaps than the state average; median speeds and indoor reliability trail Maryland’s metro areas.

What’s different from state-level trends

• Adoption and plans
  • Lower smartphone adoption and slightly higher basic/feature-phone retention among seniors.
  • Higher share of prepaid lines and budget MVNOs than the statewide mix (income-driven).
  • Higher smartphone-only internet reliance due to affordability and last-mile gaps.
• Carrier mix and performance
  • Stronger tilt to carriers with better rural macro coverage (often Verizon; AT&T solid near corridors; T‑Mobile improving but still more variable off-corridor) than in Maryland’s metro-dominated markets.
  • 5G coverage is present along I‑68/Cumberland–LaVale–Frostburg but drops faster outside population centers; mid-band 5G capacity is less ubiquitous than in central Maryland.
• Usage patterns
  • Two distinct clusters: students/younger workers around Frostburg (heavy data/video, 5G-capable devices) and older/rural residents (voice/text-first, lower data, more basic handsets).
  • More mobile hotspot use where wired broadband is poor; Starlink and WISP adoption are visibly higher than in suburban Maryland, slightly reducing but not eliminating hotspot dependence.

Demographic breakdown (mobility-related)

• Age (older profile than Maryland)
  • 18–24 (university influence): very high smartphone adoption (~95%+), heavy app/video use.
  • 25–44: high adoption (~90%); family plans common.
  • 45–64: moderate–high adoption (~80–85%); more price sensitivity, some prepaid.
  • 65+: markedly lower smartphone adoption (~60–70%); more voice/SMS-centric; larger share of basic phones than state average.
• Income and affordability
  • Median household income well below statewide; poverty rates higher. That correlates with:
    • More prepaid/MVNO adoption and BYOD.
    • Higher smartphone-only internet and shared-data behavior.
    • Greater sensitivity to device financing and promo cycles.
  • The lapse of the federal ACP subsidy in 2024 likely had outsized local impact on both mobile and fixed adoption compared with the state overall.
• Race/ethnicity and language
  • Less diverse than Maryland overall; fewer international-calling needs and fewer multilingual plan add-ons than in DC–Baltimore suburbs.

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• Cellular footprint
  • 4G LTE: solid along I‑68 and town centers (Cumberland, LaVale, Frostburg, Cresaptown). Terrain creates dead zones in valleys (e.g., Georges Creek, Savage River areas) and in state forests.
  • 5G: available from major carriers in and around Cumberland–Frostburg; strongest along the I‑68 spine and high-traffic corridors. Mid-band 5G capacity is spottier off-corridor than in central MD.
  • Indoor coverage: challenging in older stone/brick buildings and in low-lying terrain; Wi‑Fi calling is important.
  • Public safety: FirstNet (AT&T Band 14) and Verizon Frontline presence; coverage improved but still contends with mountainous terrain.
• Backhaul and middle‑mile
  • Western Maryland benefits from the state’s middle‑mile fiber (e.g., One Maryland Broadband Network/Maryland Broadband Cooperative) along the I‑68 corridor, linking schools, libraries, and municipal sites. Last‑mile gaps persist in rural stretches.
• Last‑mile and complements
  • Cable broadband in town centers; legacy DSL and fixed wireless in rural areas; higher Starlink/WISP uptake than state average. These conditions raise the relative role of mobile data and hotspots where wired quality is weak.
• Infrastructure siting
  • Macro towers are ridge- and corridor-based; fewer small cells than in metro Maryland. Terrain, protected lands, and zoning slow infill, leaving more variability than the state average.

Size-of-market estimate and method

• Adults ~80–82% of population ≈ 53–55k people.
• Applying smartphone adoption of ~78–85% locally (below MD average) yields ~42–46k smartphone users.
• Any mobile phone (including basic): ~90–94% yields ~49–53k users.
• Smartphone-only internet share is estimated higher than state averages based on rural/low-income patterns and observed service gaps.

Implications

• Carriers: prioritize mid-band 5G infill beyond the I‑68 spine, highway and valley coverage, and indoor solutions; prepaid/MVNO positioning will over-index.
• Public sector: target affordability programs and device literacy for seniors; leverage middle‑mile to extend last‑mile fixed options to reduce smartphone-only dependence.
• Enterprises/anchors: design for variable mobile performance (offline-first apps, SMS failover) and promote Wi‑Fi calling indoors.

Sources and methods (high level)

• Population/demographics: U.S. Census/ACS (county profiles).
• Adoption benchmarks: Pew Research Center smartphone adoption; NTIA/ACS computer and internet use tables; state digital equity plans.
• Coverage/performance: FCC Broadband/5G maps, MD Office of Statewide Broadband materials, third-party testing summaries (e.g., OpenSignal/RootMetrics/PCMag) for rural vs metro patterns.
• Local context: county geography, university presence (Frostburg State), and Western MD middle‑mile initiatives.

Below is a concise, county-specific snapshot based on Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. social media benchmarks, adjusted for Allegany County’s demographics (older-than-average population with a notable Frostburg State University student bump). Figures are estimates for residents ages 13+.

Headline user stats

• Estimated social media users: ~46,000–49,000 (about 78–82% of residents 13+)
• Skew: “barbell” effect—large 55+ cohort plus a sizable 18–24 student cohort

Age mix of users (share of total social users)

• 13–17: 8–10%
• 18–24: 15–18% (boosted by FSU)
• 25–34: 14–16%
• 35–54: 28–32%
• 55–64: 13–15%
• 65+: 14–17%

Gender breakdown

• Overall users: ~52–55% women, ~45–48% men
• Platform tendencies:
  • More women on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest
  • More men on YouTube, Reddit, X (Twitter)
  • TikTok and Snapchat lean slightly female in use and posting

Most-used platforms (share of residents 13+; county-adjusted estimates)

• YouTube: 75–80%
• Facebook: 60–65%
• Instagram: 35–42%
• TikTok: 30–36% (60%+ among 18–24)
• Snapchat: 24–30% (50–60% among teens/college-age)
• Pinterest: 22–28% (mostly women 25–54)
• WhatsApp: 10–15%
• Reddit: 12–16% (younger/tech-leaning men)
• X (Twitter): 12–18%
• LinkedIn: 12–18% (professionals, students preparing for jobs)
• Nextdoor: 4–7% (pockets in Cumberland/LaVale neighborhoods)

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the local hub:
  • Heavy use of community Groups (yard sale/buy-sell-trade, school closures, local politics, fire/EMS scanner pages)
  • Local news, weather, road conditions, and event info spread quickly via shares
  • Older users engage via comments; discussions can be long and civic-focused
• Video-first discovery:
  • Short vertical video (Reels/TikTok) performs well for events, food, outdoors, and “behind-the-scenes” business content; cross-posting to Facebook boosts reach
  • YouTube is a staple across ages for how-tos, local history, and music
• Youth patterns (teens/college):
  • Snapchat for daily communication and coordination; low public posting, high DM/group chat use
  • TikTok for trends, local eats, and event discovery; Instagram for highlights and messaging
• Local culture content that travels:
  • Outdoors (Appalachian trails, fishing, hunting), Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, C&O Canal, historic architecture, high school and FSU sports, festivals (e.g., DelFest)
• Timing and engagement:
  • Peaks around 7–9am, lunch (12–1pm), and 7–10pm; snow days and severe weather drive surges
  • Photo carousels and short videos outperform text-only posts; posts with local faces/logos get more trust
• Commerce and service discovery:
  • Restaurants, contractors, salons, auto repair rely on Facebook/Instagram for specials, before/after work, and Messenger booking
  • Marketplace and yard-sale Groups are high-traffic for resale and local deals

Notes on confidence

• County-level platform percentages are modeled estimates, not platform-reported counts. They reflect national usage patterns adjusted for Allegany County’s older age structure and the presence of a university population.