Prince Georges County

Prince George’s County, Maryland — key demographics (latest available Census/ACS; figures rounded)

Population

• Total population: ~967,000

Age

• Median age: ~37.5 years
• Under 18: ~22%
• 18–64: ~64%
• 65 and over: ~14%

Sex

• Female: ~52.5%
• Male: ~47.5%

Race and ethnicity

• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~56%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~21–22%
• White (non-Hispanic): ~12%
• Asian (non-Hispanic): ~5%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~3%
• Other groups (incl. American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, some other race): ~2–3%

Households and housing

• Households (occupied housing units): ~345,000
• Average household size: ~2.9 persons
• Family households: ~69% of households
• Homeownership rate: ~62%
• Median household income (inflation-adjusted): ~$100,000–$105,000
• Poverty rate: ~8–9%

Insights

• One of the largest majority-Black counties in the U.S., with a fast-growing Hispanic population.
• Younger age structure than the Maryland average, with relatively high homeownership and household incomes for a large urban/suburban county.

Primary source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (2019–2023 5-year and 2023 1-year).

Prince George’s County, MD — email usage snapshot

• Estimated users: ≈695,000 adult email users out of ≈755,000 adults (county population ≈970,000). Basis: Pew U.S. adult email adoption applied to the county’s age mix.
• Age distribution (penetration): 18–29 ≈98%; 30–49 ≈97%; 50–64 ≈94%; 65+ ≈88%. Email is near‑universal below age 65; seniors show the only meaningful gap.
• Gender split: Essentially even (women ≈93%, men ≈92%), implying no material gender-based difference in email adoption.
• Digital access trends: About 95% of households have a computer and ≈90% subscribe to home broadband (ACS 2022), both up versus mid‑2010s. Smartphone‑only home internet is in the mid‑teens percent, skewing younger and lower‑income; this segment still uses email heavily but more via mobile.
• Local density/connectivity: Population density is roughly 2,000 residents per square mile. The county is extensively covered by fiber/coax from major ISPs; the University of Maryland and 19 public library branches provide free Wi‑Fi and device‑lending that expand access. Connectivity is strongest in the inner‑Beltway, campus, and transit corridors; lagging pockets in some southern/eastern tracts continue to narrow as subscriptions rise.

Sources informing estimates: U.S. Census/ACS (population, devices, broadband) and Pew Research (email adoption by age/gender).

Prince George’s County, Maryland — mobile phone usage summary

User estimates

• Population and households: ~967,000 residents and ~338,000 households (U.S. Census, recent ACS period).
• Estimated total mobile phone users: ~770,000 individuals regularly using a mobile phone in the county.
• Estimated smartphone users: ~720,000–730,000, based on age-adjusted adoption (very high among 18–64, lower among 65+, very high among teens).
• Mobile-only home internet: estimated 16–20% of households rely primarily on cellular data for home internet (~55,000–68,000 households), measurably higher than the Maryland statewide share, which is closer to the low-to-mid teens.

Demographic breakdown and how usage differs from the state

• Race/ethnicity: Prince George’s County is majority Black/African American and has a large Hispanic/Latino community, with smaller White and Asian shares compared with the Maryland average. This mix correlates with:
  • Higher reliance on smartphones as the primary or only internet device in some neighborhoods.
  • Above-average use of mobile hotspots and tethering for school and work in multilingual and renter-heavy areas (e.g., Langley Park, Hyattsville, Suitland, Capitol Heights, Bladensburg).
• Age: A relatively large working-age population and substantial commuter base drive heavy weekday daytime mobile data usage, distinct from Maryland’s more suburban/rural counties where peaks are more evening/weekend.
• Income and affordability: Despite a relatively high county median income, pockets of cost burden and prepaid usage are higher than the statewide profile. The county has had among the highest participation rates in federal affordability programs in Maryland; the Affordable Connectivity Program wind-down in 2024 is amplifying mobile-only reliance more in Prince George’s than in wealthier Maryland counties.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage: 4G LTE is effectively ubiquitous across populated areas; AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon all provide 5G across most of the county’s populated footprint. Mid-band 5G (e.g., C‑band/2.5 GHz) is widely deployed along primary corridors and town centers, yielding markedly better capacity than many rural parts of Maryland.
• Capacity hotspots and densification:
  • Dense small-cell and macro upgrades along I‑495/Capital Beltway, US‑50, MD‑5/Branch Ave, US‑301, the US‑1/College Park–Hyattsville corridor, and around WMATA stations (Green/Orange lines).
  • High-capacity venues with robust DAS/5G: University of Maryland–College Park, FedExField, MGM National Harbor, UM Capital Region Medical Center, large multi-dwelling units, and retail centers.
  • mmWave or venue-grade 5G appears in select high-traffic areas (stadiums, entertainment districts) for event capacity rather than broad coverage.
• Edge and indoor gaps: Southern/watershed edges (e.g., near Accokeek, along the Patuxent) and older masonry multi-dwelling buildings see more indoor coverage variability; carriers offset with small cells and in‑building systems. These gaps are less prevalent than in Maryland’s rural counties but more pronounced than in the state’s newest suburban builds.
• Public/anchor connectivity: The county participates in regional fiber backbones linking schools, libraries, and public safety sites; K‑12 hotspot programs and library device lending materially augment mobile access, a larger factor here than statewide averages.

Trends that diverge from Maryland statewide patterns

• Higher mobile dependence: A larger share of households rely on smartphones and cellular plans as their primary internet connection than the Maryland average, influenced by renter density, language diversity, and affordability constraints.
• Urbanized traffic profile: Peak network load patterns align with DC-bound commuting and large events, driving more aggressive 5G mid-band densification than many Maryland counties outside the Baltimore–DC corridors.
• Faster 5G maturity in populated zones: The county’s major corridors and institutions generally see earlier and deeper 5G upgrades (mid-band and venue solutions) than suburban/rural state areas; conversely, indoor coverage in certain older buildings remains a friction point.
• Affordability program impact: The ACP wind-down is producing a sharper shift toward mobile-only and prepaid optimization in Prince George’s than in higher-income Maryland counties, sustaining mobile usage growth even as some fixed broadband subscriptions churn.

Key takeaways

• Mobile penetration is effectively universal among working-age residents; total mobile users are on the order of three-quarters of a million countywide.
• Smartphone-centric and mobile-only home internet usage are both higher than the statewide average, reflecting demographic and housing differences.
• Infrastructure investment is concentrated along commuter and venue corridors, making performance in these zones stronger than much of the state, while indoor coverage and affordability remain the primary local constraints.

Prince George’s County, MD — social media usage snapshot (2025)

How this was built: County population and adult counts from the U.S. Census Bureau (2023 ACS) combined with platform adoption rates by age/gender from Pew Research Center’s 2024 Social Media Use study to produce county-level estimates. All percentages below refer to adults (18+).

Headline user stats

• Population: ~967,000 residents; adults (18+): ~745,000
• Adults using at least one social platform: ~72% → ~535,000 adult users

Most-used platforms (share of adult residents who use each)

• YouTube: 83% (618k adults)
• Facebook: 68% (507k)
• Instagram: 47% (350k)
• Pinterest: 31% (231k)
• Snapchat: 30% (224k)
• LinkedIn: 30% (224k)
• TikTok: 33% (246k)
• WhatsApp: 23% (171k)
• X (Twitter): 22% (164k)
• Reddit: 22% (164k)
• Nextdoor: 20% (149k) Note: Shares reflect platform adoption among adults; many users are active on multiple platforms.

Age-group profile (adult uptake of “any” social media)

• 18–29: ~84–90% use social; heaviest on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat
• 30–49: ~80–85%; strong on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram; rising TikTok, LinkedIn
• 50–64: ~70–75%; Facebook and YouTube dominate; moderate Pinterest/LinkedIn
• 65+: ~45–50%; Facebook and YouTube lead; limited Instagram/TikTok

Gender breakdown

• County population: ~52% female, ~48% male (ACS)
• Platform skews (Pew pattern applied locally):
  • More female than male: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat
  • More male than female: YouTube, Reddit, X (Twitter), LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp usage is fairly balanced

Behavioral trends observed in the county (and the DC metro context)

• Video-first consumption: YouTube is the universal reach channel; TikTok and Instagram Reels drive short-form discovery for local food, events, and small businesses.
• Community and civic engagement: High reliance on Facebook Groups and Nextdoor for neighborhood updates, schools, HOA/condo news, public safety, and county alerts; county agencies see reliable engagement on Facebook and X.
• Marketplace and local commerce: Facebook Marketplace is a major local trading hub; Instagram Shops and boosted posts convert for service SMBs; Pinterest helps drive consideration (home, events, education).
• Professional audience: Elevated LinkedIn presence relative to many counties due to the federal workforce and contractors; effective for recruiting, training, and B2B outreach.
• Messaging and diaspora ties: WhatsApp is a key channel among Hispanic, African, and Caribbean communities for churches, family networks, and microbusinesses; cross-posting with SMS/email lists is common.
• Mobile, commute-shaped habits: Peaks before work (7–9am), lunch (12–2pm), and evenings (7–10pm); weekend spikes for events and recreation content.
• Language and accessibility: English-first with meaningful Spanish demand; simple captions/subtitles improve reach across platforms.

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 American Community Survey (Prince George’s County, MD)
• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (platform adoption by age/gender)