Amite County

Amite County, Mississippi — key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau)

• Population

  • 2020 Census: about 12,700
  • 2023 estimate: about 12,300

• Age

  • Median age: ~44 years
  • Under 18: ~22%
  • 65 and over: ~20%

• Gender

  • Female: ~50%
  • Male: ~50%

• Race/ethnicity

  • White alone: ~55–57%
  • Black or African American alone: ~40–42%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~1–2%
  • Two or more races/Other (incl. Asian, AIAN, NHPI): ~1–2% Note: “Hispanic” overlaps with race categories.

• Households (ACS 5-year)

  • Total households: ~5,000
  • Average household size: ~2.4 persons
  • Family households: ~65–70% of households
  • One-person households: ~25–30%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey (5-year); Population Estimates Program. Figures rounded.

Amite County, MS (pop. ~12.3–12.7k) — estimated email usage:

• Estimated users: ~8.8k–9.6k people (≈70–75% of residents; ≈85–92% of adults).
• Age distribution among users (approx.):
  • 13–17: 7–9%
  • 18–29: 15–18%
  • 30–49: 34–38%
  • 50–64: 20–24%
  • 65+: 14–18%
• Gender split: ~49% male / ~51% female; usage is effectively parity.
• Digital access trends:
  • ~60–70% of households likely have a home broadband subscription; 10–20% are mobile-only.
  • Fixed wireless and satellite help cover rural gaps; fiber availability is expanding via state/federal rural broadband initiatives.
  • Smartphone reliance for email is high outside town centers; weekday daytime use skews higher for working-age adults.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Low population density (~17 people per square mile) and dispersed housing increase last‑mile costs and limit wired options.
  • Service is strongest in/near town centers (e.g., Liberty) with patchier fixed broadband in outlying areas; FCC broadband maps show numerous underserved addresses.

Notes: Figures are informed estimates based on recent Census/ACS demographics, rural Mississippi connectivity patterns, and national email adoption benchmarks (Pew and similar).

Below is a concise, county-focused snapshot. Figures are estimates derived from 2020–2024 public benchmarks (Census/ACS, Pew, FCC/NHIS) scaled to Amite County’s size and rural profile; use for planning, not regulatory reporting.

Overview

• Amite County is small and very rural (~12.3–12.7k residents, ~4.7–5.1k households). Mobile phones are the primary way most residents get online, with patchier coverage and lower speeds than Mississippi overall.

User estimates

• Adult mobile users: ~8.5k–9.2k (roughly 88–92% of ~9.6–10k adults have a mobile phone).
• Adult smartphone users: ~7.5k–8.5k (about 78–85% of adults).
• Teen users (13–17): ~600–800 with phones (about 70–85%).
• Mobile-only or mobile-first internet households: ~1.5k–2.0k (about 30–40% of households rely mostly/entirely on cellular for home internet; higher than the state average).
• Plan mix: prepaid share is high (roughly 40–55% of lines), reflecting income sensitivity and carrier promotions in rural markets.
• Device refresh cycles: slower than state urban areas (typical 3–4+ years between upgrades).

Demographic patterns that shape usage

• Race/ethnicity: Amite has a higher share of Black residents than Mississippi overall (county about half Black vs. state ~38%). Black and lower-income households are more likely to be smartphone-dependent for internet access than wired-broadband users.
• Age: Older than the state average. Seniors (65+) have lower smartphone adoption (around 50–55%), but those who do adopt are more likely to be mobile-only for telehealth and messaging due to limited wired options.
• Income and poverty: Below state median income; this elevates prepaid adoption, shared family plans, hotspot use for homework, and reliance on lower-cost Android devices.

Digital infrastructure points

• Coverage and carriers:
  • AT&T and Verizon provide the broadest LTE coverage; AT&T also operates FirstNet for public safety. T-Mobile is present but more corridor-focused. C Spire has pockets of competitive coverage.
  • Reliable service concentrates around Liberty (county seat), Gloster, and the Centreville area; signal quality drops in low-density, heavily wooded tracts and along some farm-to-market roads.
• 5G:
  • Low-band 5G from AT&T/T-Mobile covers main corridors; mid-band 5G (faster) is spotty and largely town-centered. Verizon’s 5G Nationwide is present in pockets; ultra-wideband is rare.
• Capacity and speeds:
  • Typical daytime speeds: ~10–30 Mbps in many rural blocks; 5G mid-band pockets can exceed 100 Mbps but are not widespread. This lags Mississippi’s statewide mobile median.
• Backhaul and fiber:
  • Fiber backhaul follows primary highways and into towns; outside those areas, sites rely more on longer fiber laterals or microwave backhaul, constraining capacity.
• Public-safety and resilience:
  • FirstNet sites and county E‑911 towers improve coverage for responders. Storms/hurricanes can create multi-hour outages; carriers have historically staged COWs/COLTs along main corridors to restore service.
• Community access points:
  • Schools, libraries, and municipal buildings provide critical Wi‑Fi offload; school-issued hotspots are common during outages or for homework in no‑cable areas.

How Amite County differs from Mississippi overall

• Higher mobile dependence: A materially larger share of households are smartphone- or cellular-only for home internet, driven by limited wired options and lower incomes.
• Patchier 5G and lower median speeds: Coverage gaps and constrained backhaul yield more variability and lower typical speeds than the statewide median (which is pulled up by metro Jackson, Gulf Coast, and college towns).
• Carrier mix: Market share tilts more heavily to AT&T (coverage + FirstNet) and legacy regional players; T-Mobile uptake is slower than its statewide growth due to rural RF constraints, though improving along corridors.
• Older population effect: Overall smartphone penetration is slightly lower than state averages, but practical reliance among working-age and student groups is higher (hotspots, tethering, app-based services).
• Cross-border usage: Proximity to Louisiana corridors (e.g., Centreville area) creates spillover roaming behaviors and influences where carriers prioritize upgrades.
• Upgrade cadence and ARPU: Longer device refresh cycles and higher prepaid share push average revenue per user below state averages seen in urban counties.

Implications for planning

• The biggest gains will come from adding/modernizing a handful of macro sites, upgrading rural sectors to mid-band 5G with solid fiber backhaul, and expanding FirstNet-capable coverage.
• Community Wi‑Fi and school hotspot programs remain essential bridges while BEAD/ARPA-funded fiber builds progress.
• Retail and support strategies that emphasize prepaid, financing flexibility, and device trade-in credits will outperform in this market.

Social media usage snapshot: Amite County, MS (short, modeled)

Population and access

• Residents: ≈12,000 (2023 est.). Adults (18+): ≈9,000–9,500.
• Broadband/smartphone context: Rural Mississippi counties typically show lower home broadband but high smartphone dependence. Expect many “mobile‑only” users and data‑savvy habits (short video, compressed images).

Estimated user base

• Adults using at least one social platform: ≈6,000–7,000 (about 65–75% of adults). This reflects national usage adjusted slightly downward for rural/older demographics.

Most‑used platforms (share of adults; modeled from Pew national rates, adjusted for local age mix)

• YouTube: 70–75%
• Facebook: 60–65%
• Instagram: 25–35%
• TikTok: 22–30%
• Pinterest: 20–28% (notably strong among women 25–54)
• Snapchat: 12–18% (mainly teens/younger adults)
• WhatsApp: 10–15% (pockets tied to work/family networks)
• X (Twitter): 8–12% (sports, weather, state news)
• Reddit: 6–10%
• LinkedIn: 8–12% (professional niches; smaller base)

Age mix among users (approximate share of the county’s social users)

• 13–17: 8–10% (Snapchat/TikTok heavy; Instagram secondary)
• 18–29: 15–20% (Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat; YouTube universal)
• 30–49: 25–30% (Facebook, YouTube; Instagram rising)
• 50–64: 25–30% (Facebook, YouTube; Pinterest for projects/recipes)
• 65+: 20–25% (Facebook for community/church; YouTube for sermons, DIY)

Gender patterns

• County population skews slightly female (~51%). Engagement typically skews:
  • Facebook and Pinterest: more female.
  • YouTube, Reddit, X: more male.
• Household accounts are common among older couples (shared Facebook login), affecting “gender” signals.

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first Facebook: Local groups dominate (county news, churches, school sports, obituaries, yard sales, lost & found). Boosted posts and event flyers perform well.
• Weather and sports spike traffic: Severe-weather alerts and high school/SEC sports drive quick jumps on Facebook and X; many reshares via Messenger.
• Video is king but must be light: Short, captioned clips (30–90s) outperform; long‑form YouTube still strong for sermons, hunting/fishing, automotive and home repair.
• Trust = local voice: Posts from recognizable local people, churches, schools, and county offices get more comments and shares than brand pages.
• Messaging > comments for asks: People often DM pages (Facebook Messenger) to ask hours, prices, or availability instead of commenting publicly.
• Timing: Evenings (6–9 pm) and Sunday afternoons are peak; midday bumps around lunch. School-year schedules shape engagement.
• Commerce: Facebook Marketplace and local buy/sell groups are key discovery channels; “in‑stock today,” giveaways, and photos with local faces increase conversions.

Notes on method and uncertainty

• These are modeled estimates for Amite County derived from Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. platform adoption rates, adjusted for a rural/older demographic profile and Mississippi’s lower broadband adoption (U.S. Census/ACS). Exact county‑level platform shares aren’t directly reported; treat figures as directional ranges.