Choctaw County

Key demographics – Choctaw County, Mississippi

Source/timeframe: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates). Small-area margins of error apply.

• Population

  • Total: 8,246 (2020 Census)
  • Latest ACS estimate: ~8.2k (2019–2023)

• Age

  • Median age: ~43 years (ACS)
  • Under 18: ~23%
  • 18–64: ~57%
  • 65 and over: ~20%

• Sex

  • Female: ~51%
  • Male: ~49%

• Race and ethnicity (2020 Census)

  • White alone (non-Hispanic): ~63%
  • Black or African American alone: ~34%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~1–2%
  • Two or more races and other: ~1–2% combined

• Households (ACS)

  • Total households: ~3.2k
  • Average household size: ~2.45
  • Family households: ~66% of households
  • Married-couple households: ~45–50%
  • Nonfamily households: ~34%
  • Households with children under 18: ~25–27%
  • 1-person households: ~30% (about half of these 65+ living alone)
  • Housing tenure: ~75–80% owner-occupied; ~20–25% renter-occupied

Summary for Choctaw County, Mississippi (estimates based on 2020 Census population ≈8.2k and national/state adoption patterns):

• Estimated email users: 5,800–6,300 residents (about 85–92% of those age 13+).
• Age distribution of email users (approx. share of users):
  • 13–17: 6–8%
  • 18–34: 20–24%
  • 35–54: 30–34%
  • 55–64: 14–16%
  • 65+: 22–26% (slightly lower adoption than younger groups, but still high)
• Gender split among users: roughly 51% female, 49% male (mirroring local population).
• Digital access trends:
  • Home broadband subscription is moderate for rural MS: roughly 65–75% of households; about 15–25% lack home internet.
  • Notable reliance on smartphones/hotspots; an estimated 10–15% of households are smartphone‑only for internet.
  • Public access points (schools, libraries) and mobile networks help bridge gaps; fiber and fixed‑wireless buildouts are expanding under recent state/federal programs.
• Local density/connectivity context:
  • Largely rural: ~8.2k residents across ~419 sq. miles (≈20 people per sq. mile).
  • Connectivity generally stronger in/near towns (e.g., Ackerman, Weir) and spottier in outlying areas; some pockets remain under‑served for high‑speed fixed broadband.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Choctaw County, Mississippi

Headline estimates

• Population baseline: ~8,200–8,500 residents (2020–2023 range). Adults ~6,300–6,700.
• Mobile phone users (any mobile, adults + teens): ~6,300–6,800 people.
• Smartphone users: ~5,200–5,700 people.
• Households relying on mobile-only internet (no home wired broadband): roughly 30–40% of households, or ~950–1,300 homes.

How Choctaw County differs from Mississippi statewide

• Higher mobile-only reliance: A notably larger share of households use smartphones/hotspots as primary home internet compared with the statewide average (Mississippi already ranks high; Choctaw is higher still due to sparse wired options).
• Slightly lower smartphone penetration: Overall mobile ownership is high, but smartphone adoption is a few points lower than the state average because of an older age profile and lower incomes.
• Slower 5G experience: 5G coverage is more “low-band” and corridor/town-centered; mid-band 5G (needed for big speed gains) is limited compared with metro MS. Typical speeds are lower and more variable.
• Carrier mix: AT&T and C Spire tend to be more dependable; Verizon is moderate; T-Mobile coverage is improving but less consistent off main roads than the statewide picture.
• More workarounds: Higher use of Wi‑Fi calling, vehicle hotspots, and signal boosters/repeaters to cope with indoor and forested-area dead zones.

Demographic breakdown of usage (directional)

• Age
  • Teens: High smartphone adoption (85–90%); heavy use of social video and school hotspot programs.
  • Working-age adults: High smartphone and mobile data use, with above-average hotspot tethering for homework, telehealth, and gig work.
  • Seniors: Lower smartphone adoption than state average; more basic phones and shared family plans; growing use of telehealth drives gradual smartphone uptake.
• Income
  • Lower-income households show higher dependence on prepaid plans, data-limited offerings, and smartphone-only internet, exceeding statewide rates.
• Race/ethnicity
  • Black households in the county are more likely than White households to be smartphone-only for home internet access, reflecting income and infrastructure gaps (a stronger pattern here than statewide).
• Device turnover
  • Slower upgrade cycles than state average; more refurbished and budget Android devices; iPhone share still strong among younger users but lags metro areas.

Digital infrastructure notes

• Coverage pattern
  • 4G LTE is the backbone; coverage is solid along highways and in/near towns (Ackerman, Weir) but drops in forested tracts and low-lying rural roads. Indoor coverage is spotty in metal-roof homes.
  • 5G availability is mostly low-band near towns/arterials; mid-band 5G capacity sites are sparse, so real-world 5G speeds often resemble strong LTE.
• Towers and backhaul
  • Sparse macro-tower grid typical of a lightly populated, heavily forested county. Several sites rely on microwave backhaul; fiber-fed sites are fewer than in metro MS, which constrains peak speeds.
• Carriers
  • AT&T (including FirstNet) and C Spire generally provide the most dependable rural signal. Verizon is present but variable by micro‑area. T-Mobile has expanded low-band 5G but still has rural gaps compared with its statewide map.
• Public connectivity
  • Schools, libraries, and municipal buildings are important Wi‑Fi anchors. Many residents enable Wi‑Fi calling at home due to weak indoor cellular signal.
• Fixed broadband context
  • Legacy DSL remains in pockets; small cable footprints exist in town; fiber builds are expanding but not yet universal. Until fiber is ubiquitous, mobile networks shoulder a larger share of home internet use than the state average.

What this means for planning

• Expect heavier mobile network load during after-school evening hours and around school/sports facilities.
• Messaging, Facebook, YouTube/shorts, and hotspot tethering dominate traffic; plan for upload-sensitive use cases (homework, telehealth) despite modest uplink capacity.
• Programs that bundle affordable devices, generous hotspot data, and Wi‑Fi calling education will outperform metro-style 5G marketing in near term.
• For coverage improvement, prioritize tower infill or small cells near schools, health clinics, and along key rural corridors; fiber backhaul to a few anchor sites will yield outsized speed gains.

Notes on method

• Estimates combine county population and age structure with rural Mississippi adoption patterns from national surveys (e.g., Pew/NTIA) and FCC/MS rural coverage norms. Ranges are given where precise local counts aren’t published.

Below is a concise, planning-grade snapshot. Because there is no official, public county-level social media survey for Choctaw County, these figures are modeled from 2023–2024 Pew Research Center data, rural-US patterns, and Mississippi demographics. Treat them as estimates (ranges shown where helpful).

Population base

• Total residents: ≈8,200
• Adults (18+): ≈6,200–6,400
• Teens (13–17): ≈500–550
• Connectivity pattern (typical rural MS): high smartphone dependence; home broadband below U.S. average. Practical takeaway: mobile-first content performs best.

Overall social media reach (adults)

• Adults using at least one social platform: ≈4,700–5,100 (about 74–81% of adults)

Most-used platforms among adult social media users in the county (modeled share; approximate user counts in parentheses, based on ≈4,900 adult users)

• YouTube: ~75–80% (≈3,600–3,900)
• Facebook: ~68–74% (≈3,300–3,600)
• Instagram: ~35–42% (≈1,700–2,050)
• TikTok: ~27–33% (≈1,300–1,600)
• Pinterest: ~26–32% (≈1,300–1,550; skew female)
• Snapchat: ~20–25% (≈1,000–1,225; skew younger)
• X (Twitter): ~17–22% (≈830–1,080; skew male/news-focused)
• Reddit: ~12–18% (≈600–880; skew male/younger)
• LinkedIn: ~14–18% (≈690–880; skew college/white-collar) Note: Facebook Groups and Marketplace are disproportionately important in rural MS; “Facebook use” understates real engagement.

Age-group patterns (adults)

• 18–29: YouTube 90%+, Instagram/TikTok 60–70%, Snapchat 50–60%, Facebook ~45–55%
• 30–49: Facebook 70–80%, YouTube 80%+, Instagram 45–55%, TikTok ~30–40%
• 50–64: Facebook 70–75%, YouTube 70–80%, Instagram 25–35%, TikTok ~15–25%
• 65+: Facebook 60–70%, YouTube 55–65%, others low single digits to teens

Teens (13–17) in the county

• YouTube ~95% (≈475–520)
• TikTok ~65–70% (≈325–385)
• Snapchat ~55–65% (≈275–360)
• Instagram ~55–60% (≈275–330)
• Facebook ≤30% (≤150–165) Behavior: Snapchat for messaging; TikTok/YouTube for entertainment and trends; Instagram for peers and sports highlights.

Gender breakdown (tendencies among adult social media users)

• Women: Higher use of Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; strong participation in local groups, school/church pages, buy–sell–trade.
• Men: Higher use of YouTube, Reddit, X; strong interest in sports, outdoor/DIY, equipment repair content. Approximate platform skews:
• Women: Facebook ~75–80%, Instagram ~40–50%, Pinterest ~35–45%, TikTok ~30–35%
• Men: YouTube ~80–85%, Facebook ~60–70%, X ~20–25%, Reddit ~18–22%, TikTok ~25–30%

Behavioral trends and local nuances

• Community hub behavior: Facebook Groups/Messenger are the default for local info (schools/athletics, churches, weather/road closures, county notices, yard sales, obituaries). Marketplace is highly active.
• Video-first: Short vertical video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) is rising; YouTube remains dominant for how-to, sermons, hunting/fishing, and small-engine/equipment repair.
• Trust and voice: Posts from recognizable local figures, churches, schools, and county agencies outperform generic sources. Live streams for sports, ceremonies, and weather briefings draw strong engagement.
• Access realities: More smartphone-only users than average; keep files small, captions on, links minimal, and calls-to-action simple (tap-to-call or message).
• Timing: Evenings (6–9 pm) and Sunday afternoons see reliable engagement; weather events spike usage across platforms.
• Ads and outreach: Geo-targeted Facebook/Instagram deliver the best reach-per-dollar for 25+; TikTok/Instagram Stories for under-35 awareness; YouTube pre-roll for broad, countywide reach. Use Facebook Events for local turn-out.

Sources and method note

• Based on Pew Research Center Social Media Use (2023–2024), rural-vs-urban differentials, and ACS population estimates; figures adjusted to a rural Mississippi context. For mission-critical decisions, validate with a quick local poll (e.g., school email list, church bulletins, or a Facebook Group survey).