Copiah County

Do you prefer 2020 Decennial Census counts or the latest estimates (ACS 2019–2023)? I can provide both; the figures differ slightly.

Copiah County, MS snapshot (estimates)

• Population: ~27–28k across ~780 sq. mi (≈35–36 people/sq. mi).
• Adult email users: ≈18k (about 86–90% of ~21k adults use email; adoption slightly below national average due to rural access).
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 18–34: ~28–30% (near-universal email use for school/work).
  • 35–64: ~52–56% (high daily use for work, services).
  • 65+: ~16–20% (growing; still lower adoption than younger groups).
• Gender split among users: roughly even, ~51% female / 49% male (mirrors population).
• Digital access and trends:
  • ~70–78% of households subscribe to broadband; ~85–90% have a computer/smartphone.
  • Smartphone-only internet households are common (roughly mid-teens percent), supporting email via mobile.
  • Broadband availability is strongest along the I‑55 corridor (Hazlehurst–Crystal Springs); fixed high-speed options thin out in rural areas, leading to slower speeds and higher reliance on mobile data.
  • Connectivity and subscription rates have risen since 2018, especially among older adults, but affordability and rural last‑mile coverage remain constraints.

Overall: Email is widespread among adults, with usage highest in working-age groups, near gender parity, and shaped by uneven rural connectivity.

Below is a pragmatic, county-first picture of mobile phone usage in Copiah County, Mississippi, with estimated user counts, who is using what, and how the local network footprint differs from Mississippi overall.

Headline takeaways unique to Copiah County

• Heavier smartphone reliance for home internet than the state average, driven by patchy fixed broadband outside the I-55 towns.
• Strong highway-and-town 5G, but quicker falloff to LTE and occasional dead zones in the rural interior compared with more continuous 5G in Mississippi’s bigger metros.
• Higher share of prepaid/MVNO plans and multi-user family plans than the state average, reflecting income mix and rural travel patterns.

Estimated users and penetration

• Population base: roughly 28,000 residents; about three-quarters are adults.
• Adult smartphone users: 17,000–19,000 (estimate). Assumes rural-leaning smartphone ownership in the low-80% range among adults, slightly below metro Mississippi but above historical rural averages due to smartphone-as-primary-internet use.
• Teen smartphone users (13–17): ~1,400–1,700 (most teens own smartphones).
• Total smartphone users (adults + teens): about 18,500–21,000.
• Smartphone-only internet households: likely above the Mississippi average. Mississippi already has one of the nation’s higher “smartphone but no home broadband” rates; Copiah’s rural profile suggests a higher local share, plausibly in the high teens to low 20s percent of households.
• Plan mix: above-average reliance on prepaid and MVNOs (e.g., Cricket, Metro by T-Mobile, Visible, Straight Talk), plus family plans that cover multiple lines for cost sharing.

Demographic patterns that shape usage

• Race/ethnicity: Copiah County has a higher share of Black residents than the Mississippi average. Black adults nationally report higher rates of smartphone dependence for internet access; locally this correlates with the county’s higher smartphone-only household share.
• Age: A relatively balanced age distribution with a notable working-age share commuting along I-55 (Hazlehurst–Crystal Springs). Daytime demand concentrates along the corridor; older adults off the corridor often report weaker indoor coverage and conservative data use.
• Income: Household incomes tend to be modest compared with the state’s metro counties. That tilts adoption toward prepaid/MVNO and Wi‑Fi-first behaviors, with hotspot use common where home broadband is lacking.

Digital infrastructure and coverage (what’s on the ground)

• Coverage pattern:
  • 5G is strongest along I-55 and in/around Hazlehurst, Crystal Springs, and Wesson. Expect mid-band 5G primarily from T-Mobile in these zones; AT&T and Verizon lean more on low-band/DSS 5G with LTE fallback.
  • Outside the highway/town cores, service often drops to LTE; terrain and timberland create pockets with weak indoor signal. This falloff is sharper than in Mississippi’s larger urban counties.
• Carriers:
  • All three national MNOs (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile) serve the county; C Spire also operates in central Mississippi and is a meaningful option for locals.
  • FirstNet (AT&T) coverage is comparatively reliable on the interstate and near public-safety sites; benefits spill over to consumer AT&T users on shared infrastructure.
• Towers and sites:
  • “Dozens” of registered macro towers and co-locations, clustered near I-55, towns, and highway junctions; relatively sparse new macro builds deep in the rural interior.
  • Limited small-cell density compared with Mississippi metros (Jackson area, Gulf Coast). This limits 5G capacity off-corridor and contributes to lower median speeds.
• Speeds and reliability:
  • Peak speeds along I-55 (especially near town centers) can be solid on mid-band 5G; median speeds away from the corridor trail the statewide median.
  • Uplink performance and indoor coverage can be pain points in dispersed, wooded areas—voice calls and SMS are generally reliable outdoors, but app performance varies.
• Fixed-wireless home internet:
  • T-Mobile 5G Home Internet shows decent availability along the I-55 spine and in town limits; Verizon 5G Home is more limited to pockets.
  • Outside those pockets, households often use smartphone tethering or LTE hotspots—another reason smartphone-only internet is comparatively high.

How Copiah differs from Mississippi overall

• Coverage continuity: Mississippi’s urbanized counties see broader, more contiguous mid-band 5G. Copiah’s coverage is “corridor-centric,” with faster drop-offs to LTE and more indoor signal complaints in rural stretches.
• Access patterns: Higher share of smartphone-only internet households and hotspot use than the state average, reflecting gaps in fixed broadband and a larger rural footprint.
• Plan economics: Greater skew toward prepaid and MVNOs; in metro counties, postpaid penetration and premium 5G device adoption are higher.
• Speed profile: Peak speeds in town/corridor are competitive, but countywide median speeds are likely below the statewide median due to fewer sites per square mile and less small-cell densification.

Data notes and confidence

• Population and household counts align with recent ACS/Census estimates; smartphone ownership and teen adoption are inferred from Pew and rural-versus-urban patterns applied to Copiah’s demographics.
• Carrier deployment patterns reflect FCC coverage filings, state broadband maps, carrier public maps, and observed Mississippi build-out trends through 2024.
• Figures are presented as ranges to reflect the inherent uncertainty at small geographies and the rapidly changing 5G build-out.

Here’s a concise, locally tuned snapshot for Copiah County, MS. Figures are estimates based on U.S. Census/ACS demographics and Pew Research Center’s 2024 social media adoption rates, adjusted for rural Mississippi patterns.

Overview

• Population: ~28,000; residents 13+: ~24,000.
• Estimated social media users (13+): 18,000–21,000 (roughly 75–88% of 13+).

Age profile (share using any platform)

• 13–17: 90–95% (TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube; rising Instagram).
• 18–29: 95%+ (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok; Snapchat common; Facebook for events/groups).
• 30–49: 85–90% (Facebook and YouTube dominant; Instagram moderate; TikTok ~30–40%).
• 50–64: 70–75% (Facebook and YouTube; Pinterest notable among women).
• 65+: 45–55% (Facebook and YouTube; lower posting frequency).

Gender breakdown (of users)

• Roughly mirrors population: ~52% female, ~48% male.
• Platform skews: Pinterest female-heavy; Facebook slightly female-leaning; Reddit/X slightly male-leaning; LinkedIn modest male tilt.

Most-used platforms (monthly, share of local social media users)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 65–75%
• Instagram: 35–45%
• TikTok: 30–40%
• Snapchat: 25–35% (concentrated under 25)
• Pinterest: 30–35% (women 25–54)
• WhatsApp: 20–25% (FB Messenger ~65–75%)
• LinkedIn: 15–25%
• X (Twitter): 15–20%
• Nextdoor: <10% (patchy coverage in rural areas)

Behavioral trends to know

• Community and commerce: Facebook Groups and Marketplace are the hub for buy/sell/trade, school/church updates, local sports, severe weather, and city/county notices.
• Messaging over posting: Heavy reliance on Messenger and Snapchat DMs for coordination; many “viewers” vs posters.
• Video-first: Short, vertical video with recognizable local faces/places outperforms static posts; YouTube for “how-to,” church services, sports highlights.
• Timing: Engagement peaks evenings (7–10 pm) and lunch (12–1 pm); spikes around high school sports, weather events, and Sunday church activities.
• Access realities: More mobile-only users than national average; lighter, captioned video and fewer off-platform links perform better.
• Trust/localism: Highest response to content from local individuals, churches, schools, and small businesses; comments and shares drive action more than link clicks.
• Youth split: Teens/20s favor TikTok/Snapchat for daily use; Instagram for highlights; Facebook mainly for community logistics.
• Business usage: Boosted Facebook posts with a 15–25 mile radius around Hazlehurst, Crystal Springs, and Wesson work well; giveaways, event flyers, and short reels drive turnout.

Notes

• Use these as directional estimates; county-level platform data isn’t directly reported. Sources include ACS population/age structure and Pew’s 2024 social media use by platform and age, adjusted for rural Mississippi adoption.