Wicomico County

Wicomico County, Maryland — key demographics

Population size

• 106,000 (2023 Census Bureau estimate)
• 2020 Census: 103,588

Age

• Median age: ~37 years
• Age distribution: under 18 (22%), 18–24 (13%), 25–44 (26%), 45–64 (23%), 65+ (16%)

Gender

• Female: ~52%
• Male: ~48%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White (non-Hispanic): ~57%
• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~29%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~7%
• Asian (non-Hispanic): ~3%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~3%
• Other races: ~1%

Households

• Total households: ~39,800
• Average household size: ~2.55
• Family households: ~62% of households
• Married-couple households: ~42% of households
• Homeownership rate: ~61% (owner-occupied); renters: ~39%

Insights

• Population has grown modestly since 2020.
• Younger profile than many Maryland counties due to the sizable 18–24 cohort (Salisbury University influence).
• Racial/ethnic diversity is notable, with nearly three in ten residents identifying as Black and a growing Hispanic population.

• Population and penetration: Wicomico County has 105,000 residents; about 82,000 are 18+. Applying current U.S. adult email adoption (92%) yields ~75,000 adult email users locally.

• Age distribution of users (estimated from county age mix and national adoption): 18–29: ~22% of users; 30–49: ~31%; 50–64: ~25%; 65+: ~22%. Adoption is near-universal among 18–49 and remains high among 65+.

• Gender split: Email users mirror the county’s demographics at roughly 52% female and 48% male.

• Digital access and devices: ACS 2018–2022 indicates ~84% of households have a broadband subscription and ~92% have a computer. Smartphone ownership is ~90% of adults nationally, with an estimated 12–15% of local households relying smartphone-only, reinforcing mobile-first email use.

• Connectivity and density context: Overall density is ~260 people/sq mi, with Salisbury’s urban core far denser and better served than rural western/northern tracts. The student presence around Salisbury boosts campus and public Wi‑Fi usage and elevates email adoption among young adults, while lower fixed-broadband availability in outlying areas can suppress engagement or shift it to mobile networks.

Overall, email is a near-ubiquitous channel locally, with strong mobile usage and slightly lower engagement expected in rural pockets.

Mobile phone usage in Wicomico County, Maryland — 2024 snapshot with county-specific estimates, demographics, and infrastructure, emphasizing how the county differs from statewide patterns.

Headline estimates

• Population baseline (U.S. Census 2023 est.): 105,500 residents; adults 18+ ≈ 77–78% (81,500).
• Adult mobile phone users (any cellphone): ~78,400 (≈96% of adults).
• Adult smartphone users: ~73,500 (≈90% of adults).
• Teen smartphone users (13–17): ~6,300 (≈95% of teens).
• Total smartphone users (13+): ≈ 79,800 (≈76% of total population).
• Total mobile phone users (13+; smartphones + basic phones): ≈ 84,700–85,000 (≈80–81% of total population).

Method notes (for transparency): Counts apply national adoption rates (Pew Research, 2023–2024) to Wicomico’s population and age structure from recent ACS/Census. Figures are rounded to reflect survey-based estimation.

Demographic breakdown (usage patterns)

• By age (users ≈ count; rounded)
  • 13–17: ~6,300 smartphone users (≈95% adoption).
  • 18–29: ~17,500–18,500 smartphone users (≈96% adoption; Salisbury University student presence lifts this segment above the county average).
  • 30–49: ~23,500–25,000 smartphone users (≈96–97% adoption).
  • 50–64: ~16,000–17,000 smartphone users (≈80–85% adoption; some basic-phone retention).
  • 65+: ~11,000–12,000 smartphone users (≈60–65% adoption; highest basic-phone share).
• By income (adult households; adoption likelihood)
  • <$35k: smartphone adoption ~75–80%; mobile-only internet reliance is notably higher than county average.
  • $35k–$75k: ~88–92%.

  • $75k: ~94–96%.

  • County median household income trails Maryland by ~25–30%, contributing to more prepaid plans and higher mobile-only internet use locally than statewide.
• By race/ethnicity (adoption tendency; applying Pew’s adult rates to Wicomico’s mix)
  • Black (≈27% of population): very high smartphone adoption (~95–97% of adults), similar to or above White adults.
  • Hispanic (≈6%): ~93–96%.
  • White (≈60%): ~90–93%.
  • Differences by race are smaller than differences by income or age; income and rurality drive most variance in the county.

Digital infrastructure and service quality

• Coverage
  • 4G LTE: near-universal population and road coverage across the county.
  • 5G: strong along the US-13/US-50 corridors and in/around Salisbury (mid-band from T-Mobile; expanding C-band/mid-band from Verizon and AT&T). Coverage thins toward low-density western and southwestern areas (Nanticoke/Wetipquin/Quantico), where low-band 5G/4G predominates.
• Capacity and speeds
  • Salisbury’s urban core benefits from denser macro sites and small cells; typical mid-band 5G users see triple-digit Mbps downlink at peak, with lower and more variable speeds in fringe and agricultural areas where low-band 5G/4G is the primary layer.
• Backhaul and fiber
  • Fiber backbones track major routes (US-13/US-50) and institutional anchors (university, hospital, government complex), supporting denser 5G deployments in and near Salisbury.
• Carriers
  • All three nationwide postpaid networks (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon) operate countywide; regional and MVNO prepaid brands are prevalent and important for price-sensitive users.
• Reliability
  • Weather and foliage around tidal rivers and lowlands can affect performance in pockets; overall reliability is strong on primary corridors, with noticeable variability on rural secondaries.

How Wicomico differs from Maryland statewide

• Higher reliance on mobile-only internet
  • Households with a cellular data plan but no wired broadband (ACS S2801 proxies): Wicomico ≈ 16–20% vs Maryland ≈ 10–12%. The county’s share of cost-sensitive and rural households drives more “phone-as-primary” connectivity than in metro-heavy Maryland.
• Slightly lower overall wired broadband take-up
  • Wicomico has fewer fiber/cable passings in outlying tracts than urban Maryland, nudging more residents to depend on mobile data and hotspots, especially in rental and lower-income households.
• 5G footprint and capacity are more uneven
  • Maryland’s big metros (Baltimore–DC corridor) enjoy dense mid-/high-band 5G; Wicomico’s advanced 5G is concentrated around Salisbury and arterial corridors, with low-band 5G/4G covering rural zones. This creates a larger urban–rural performance gap locally than the state average.
• Demographic tilt that shapes usage
  • The combination of a large student population (boosting ultra-high smartphone adoption among 18–24s) and a sizable 50+ and lower-income cohort (elevated basic-phone retention and mobile-only internet) produces a bimodal pattern not as pronounced statewide.
• Plan mix
  • Prepaid/MVNO penetration is materially higher than Maryland’s average due to income and rurality. Postpaid premium family plans are more dominant in Maryland’s affluent suburban counties.

Actionable implications

• Network planning: Mid-band 5G densification outside Salisbury (especially Wicomico’s western and southwestern census tracts) will close the largest performance gaps vs the state.
• Digital equity: Subsidized device/plan programs and fixed-wireless home internet using mid-band 5G can most effectively reduce the local wired broadband shortfall.
• Service packaging: Prepaid and value MVNO plans with generous hotspot allotments address Wicomico’s above-average mobile-only segment better than Maryland’s metro-centric offers.

Data sources and basis

• Population and household counts: U.S. Census Bureau/ACS 2022–2023.
• Adoption rates: Pew Research Center (2023–2024) for adult smartphone and cellphone ownership; teen smartphone adoption from national teen surveys.
• Coverage and infrastructure patterns: FCC mobile coverage filings (2023), carrier public maps, and regional deployment disclosures aligned to US-13/US-50 corridors.

All figures are latest-available estimates synthesized from the above sources and adjusted to Wicomico County’s population and geography.

Social media usage in Wicomico County, MD (2025 snapshot)

How the numbers are derived

• Public, county-level platform stats are not published. Figures below use the latest Pew Research Center U.S. benchmarks (2023–2024) as the most reliable proxy and are aligned to Wicomico’s age profile (younger than Maryland overall due to Salisbury University and Wor-Wic). This yields defensible local insights without overstating precision.

Overall reach

• Adults: 72% of U.S. adults use at least one social media platform; Wicomico’s adult usage is expected to be in this same range.
• Teens (13–17): Social media/video use is near-universal, led by YouTube (Pew teen survey).

Most‑used platforms (adults; U.S. usage rates used as local proxy)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47% (higher locally among under‑30s)
• TikTok: 33%
• Pinterest: 35% (strong female skew)
• LinkedIn: 30% (concentrated among professionals; smaller share overall)
• Snapchat: 27% (concentrated among high school/college)
• WhatsApp: 29% (family/immigrant and international ties)
• X (Twitter): 22%
• Reddit: 22%
• Nextdoor: ~1 in 5 adults nationally; used locally where neighborhoods are onboard

Age patterns (what’s most used by each bracket)

• Teens 13–17: YouTube ~93%, Instagram ~62%, TikTok ~63%, Snapchat ~60%; Facebook is much lower among teens.
• 18–29: Very heavy on YouTube (9 in 10), Instagram (3 in 4), Snapchat (2 in 3), TikTok (3 in 5); Facebook used by a majority but secondary.
• 30–49: YouTube (9 in 10) and Facebook (3 in 4) dominate; Instagram (~3 in 5) grows; TikTok approaches ~4 in 10; LinkedIn relevant for professionals.
• 50–64: Facebook (7 in 10) and YouTube (8 in 10) lead; Instagram/TikTok are minority platforms.
• 65+: Facebook (1 in 2) and YouTube (1 in 2) are the primary services.

Gender breakdown (platform skews you should expect locally)

• Women: Higher use of Facebook, Instagram, and especially Pinterest (women ~50% vs men ~20% nationally). Slightly higher Snapchat and TikTok participation.
• Men: Higher use of YouTube, Reddit, and X; slightly higher LinkedIn. Gaming-adjacent platforms (e.g., Discord, Twitch) skew male among younger users.

Behavioral trends in Wicomico County

• Facebook as the community hub: Neighborhood and school groups, local buy/sell/trade, events, and county/city service updates. Marketplace is a key local commerce channel.
• Video-first growth: Short-form video (Reels, TikTok, Shorts) drives discovery for food, events, campus life, and local businesses; cross-posting boosts reach.
• Youth/college effect: Salisbury University and area high schools push strong Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok usage (stories, group chats, campus highlights).
• News and alerts: Local outlets and public agencies get disproportionate engagement on Facebook and X during weather events, road closures, and school updates.
• Messaging over posting: Many residents “lurk” on feeds but engage via DMs (Messenger, Instagram) and group chats (Snapchat), especially under 30.
• Timing: Peaks around early morning commutes, lunch, and 7–10 p.m. evenings; weekend spikes around events and sports.
• Content that performs: Event flyers, school sports, youth activities, new openings, and hyper-local “what’s happening now” posts; for 35+, photo albums and community service updates outperform trend content.

Implications for outreach in Wicomico

• For reach 30+: Lead with Facebook; add YouTube for evergreen video and event recaps.
• For under‑30: Prioritize Instagram + TikTok + Snapchat stories; use short-form video.
• Use Facebook Groups and Marketplace for community and commerce; layer geotargeted ads around Salisbury and high-traffic corridors for efficient spend.

Sources: Pew Research Center national social media adoption studies (2023–2024) applied to Wicomico’s demographic context.