Lauderdale County

Lauderdale County, Mississippi — key demographics (latest Census Bureau data)

Population

• Total population: ~72,600 (2023 estimate)
• 2020 Census count: ~73,000

Age

• Under 5 years: ~6%
• Under 18 years: ~24%
• 65 years and over: ~19%
• Median age: ~39 years

Gender

• Female: ~52.5%
• Male: ~47.5%

Race and ethnicity

• White alone (non-Hispanic): ~48–50%
• Black or African American alone: ~45–47%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2–3%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• Asian alone: ~1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.3–0.5%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%

Households

• Total households: ~28,500
• Average household size: ~2.4 persons
• Family households: ~63–65% of households
• Married-couple families: ~40% of households
• One-person households: ~30–32% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~27–29%

Notes and sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey (5-year); Population Estimates Program (2023). Figures rounded to reflect estimate precision. Overall, the county has a near balance of White and Black residents, a slightly older age profile than the U.S. overall, and smaller-than-average household sizes with a sizable share of single-person and nonfamily households.

• Population and density: Lauderdale County has about 72,000 residents across ~704 square miles (≈102 people per sq. mile).
• Estimated email users (18+): ≈52,000 adult users (about 95% of adults).
• Users by age (18+):
  • 18–29: ≈9.9k
  • 30–49: ≈19.6k
  • 50–64: ≈12.9k
  • 65+: ≈10.1k
• Gender split among adult users: ≈52% female (≈27k), ≈48% male (≈25k); usage parity by gender.
• Digital access and usage:
  • ≈78% of households have a broadband subscription; ≈88% have a computer.
  • ≈13% of households are smartphone-only for internet access.
  • Among email users, ≈85% check email daily, with slightly lower daily use among 65+.
• Local connectivity context:
  • Meridian’s urban core benefits from cable and some fiber, driving higher adoption and speeds.
  • Rural tracts show more DSL/fixed‑wireless reliance and lower home‑broadband take‑up than the U.S. average (~90% of households), shaping email access habits.
  • Interstate 20/59 corridor concentration of service options improves availability compared with outlying areas.

Overall: email is near-universal among adults, skewing highest in working ages; access gaps align with urban–rural broadband differences rather than gender.

Lauderdale County, Mississippi — mobile phone usage snapshot (2024–2025)

Baseline and population context

• Population: 72,984 (2020 Census); roughly 72,000 in 2023 Census estimates. About half the county’s residents live in or adjacent to Meridian, creating a denser wireless demand center than the Mississippi average, which is more rural.

User estimates (counts and mix)

• Mobile phone users: Approximately 56,000–59,000 residents use a mobile phone (adults plus teens). This is derived from local age structure and state-appropriate ownership rates that trail the national average slightly but exceed most rural MS counties because of Meridian’s urban core.
• Smartphone users: Roughly 48,000–51,000 residents use smartphones.
• Prepaid vs. postpaid: Prepaid penetration is elevated for the state, at an estimated 32–36% of active smartphone lines (driven by lower incomes and strong Cricket/Metro/C Spire retail presence). Postpaid remains the majority, particularly among suburban households around Meridian and along the I‑20/I‑59 corridors.
• Mobile-only internet reliance: A notably high share of adults live in wireless‑only (no landline voice) households, broadly in line with or slightly above Mississippi’s already high level. However, in Lauderdale the growth of fiber has begun to curb cellular‑only home internet reliance faster than in many rural MS counties.

Demographic patterns shaping usage

• Age: Younger cohorts (13–34) show near‑saturation smartphone adoption; adults 65+ lag by a visible margin, contributing to lower smartphone penetration in the county than in comparably urban Southern counties but higher than most rural Mississippi counties.
• Race and ethnicity: The county’s sizable Black population (above the state’s average share in many tracts of Meridian proper) correlates with higher smartphone‑centric internet use. This raises mobile data dependence in the urban core compared with much of the state.
• Income: Median household income is below the U.S. average; budget sensitivity sustains higher‑than‑average prepaid use, multi‑line discount seeking, and BYOD activity. That profile differs from affluent suburban MS counties where iOS/postpaid skew higher.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• 5G footprint and capacity: All three national MNOs (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) and regional C Spire operate countywide, with 5G covering Meridian, the I‑20/I‑59 interchange, US‑45, and other primary corridors. Mid‑band 5G capacity is strongest in and around Meridian relative to much of Mississippi, with low‑band 5G/LTE serving exurban and lake/forest areas.
• Backhaul and fiber: Tower backhaul has improved since 2021–2023 via multiple providers:
  • C Spire and AT&T operate metro and long‑haul fiber through Meridian.
  • Sparklight (Cable One) and AT&T provide dense urban/suburban fixed access that supports Wi‑Fi offload.
  • East Mississippi Connect (the broadband arm of East Mississippi Electric Power Association) has expanded FTTH in rural Lauderdale and adjacent counties, materially improving rural backhaul and reducing pressure on macro LTE sectors compared to earlier years.
• Site density: Macro‑site density is higher along I‑20/I‑59 and within Meridian than the statewide average; rural western and northeastern fringes rely on broader‑footprint sectors with more variable indoor coverage.
• Public safety and resilience: FirstNet (AT&T) is present; fiber diversification plus interstate power infrastructure yields better restoration times than many rural MS counties after severe weather, supporting quicker normalization of mobile capacity.

How Lauderdale County differs from Mississippi overall

• More urbanized demand center: Meridian concentrates users, raising 5G densification and capacity above much of Mississippi, where coverage is broader but thinner.
• Faster fixed‑fiber gains: FTTH expansion (East Mississippi Connect, C Spire/AT&T builds) has progressed more quickly than in many rural MS counties, slightly reducing cellular‑only home internet dependence despite still‑high mobile reliance.
• Elevated prepaid, but strong postpaid corridors: Prepaid share is above the state’s suburban average, yet major travel corridors and employer clusters sustain robust postpaid and device financing uptake.
• Higher smartphone‑centric internet among Black residents in Meridian: This lifts mobile data reliance in the core city above the Mississippi average for peer urban tracts.

Key takeaways

• Expect 56,000–59,000 mobile users in the county, with 48,000–51,000 on smartphones.
• Coverage is broadly good, with notably stronger 5G capacity in and around Meridian than typical for Mississippi; rural edges remain LTE/low‑band‑heavy with spottier indoor performance.
• Fiber backhaul and FTTH growth are beginning to shift some traffic off cellular in homes, a divergence from many rural Mississippi counties where cellular remains a primary access path.
• The market skews more budget‑conscious than national norms, sustaining a higher prepaid share while still supporting dense 5G capacity where most people live and travel.

Social media usage in Lauderdale County, Mississippi (2025 snapshot)

What the numbers look like

• Population base: 72,984 residents (2020 Census). Roughly 61,000 are age 13+, ~56,000 are 18+.
• Active users: 70–75% of residents 13+ use social media monthly, or about 43,000–46,000 people; 55–60% use it daily.
• Age mix of social users (share of total social users):
  • 13–17: 8–10%
  • 18–29: 22–24%
  • 30–49: 36–38%
  • 50–64: 20–22%
  • 65+: 12–14%
• Gender among social users: Female 55–58%; Male 42–45% (female skew is strongest on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; male skew on YouTube, X, Reddit).

Most-used platforms locally (monthly reach among residents 13+)

• YouTube: 75–80%
• Facebook: 65–70%
• Instagram: 35–40%
• TikTok: 32–36%
• Snapchat: 26–30%
• Pinterest: 24–28% (predominantly women 25–54)
• X (Twitter): 15–19%
• LinkedIn: 10–14%

Behavioral trends

• Facebook is the community hub
  • Heavy use of Groups and Marketplace for local news, school and church updates, buy/sell/trade, and event coordination.
  • High engagement on posts about weather alerts, high school sports, road conditions, and local businesses.
• Short‑form video has surged
  • TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts drive discovery for restaurants, festivals, youth sports highlights, DIY and trades content, and behind‑the‑scenes clips from local businesses.
• Messaging is a service channel
  • Facebook Messenger, Instagram DMs, and Snapchat are commonly used for inquiries, hours/availability, and quick customer service.
• Usage patterns
  • Peak engagement windows: evenings 7–10 pm; secondary spikes around lunch (12–1 pm). Weekend activity is strong for events, sports, and shopping.
  • Most residents actively use 2–3 platforms; Facebook + YouTube is the most common pairing, with Instagram or TikTok as the third.
• Commerce and calls‑to‑action
  • Facebook Marketplace and local buy/sell groups are influential; deal posts, limited‑time offers, and community‑oriented promotions outperform generic brand ads.
  • Trust is local: posts featuring recognizable local faces, schools, churches, first responders, and locally focused creators tend to see higher click‑through and share rates.
• Platform nuances
  • Facebook: Broadest reach (especially 30–64); Groups and events central; Marketplace is a major driver of local transactions.
  • Instagram: Strong with women 18–34 and local lifestyle content; Stories and Reels dominate attention.
  • TikTok: Fast growth with 16–34; local food, music, and how‑to content perform well; cross‑posting to Reels extends reach.
  • Snapchat: Concentrated among teens and college‑age; used daily for private communication; good for timely promotions tied to school calendars and sports nights.
  • YouTube: Ubiquitous for how‑to, faith services, sports highlights, and cord‑cutting TV replacements; skews slightly male and to homeowners/trades.
  • X (Twitter): Niche; used for breaking news and sports chatter; lower overall penetration but high frequency among its users.
  • LinkedIn: Smaller but useful for healthcare, education, public sector, and manufacturing hiring.

Notes on methodology

• Figures are the best available county‑level estimates as of 2024–2025, synthesized from U.S. Census/ACS population structure, Pew Research Center’s social platform usage benchmarks, and platform self‑serve ad reach tools (Meta, Google/YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Pinterest, LinkedIn). Percentages reflect monthly reach among residents age 13+ and align with observed patterns in similar Mississippi counties and the Meridian market.