Lincoln County

Lincoln County, Mississippi — key demographics

Population size

• 2020 Census: 34,907
• 2023 estimate: ~34.5k (slow decline since 2010)

Age

• Under 5 years: ~6%
• Under 18 years: ~24%
• 65 years and over: ~18%
• Median age: ~40 years

Gender

• Female: ~51–52%
• Male: ~48–49%

Racial/ethnic composition (share of total population)

• White alone: ~63%
• Black or African American alone: ~35%
• Asian alone: ~0.4%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.2%
• Two or more races: ~1–2%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2%
• White alone, not Hispanic: ~61–62%

Households

• Number of households: ~13,100
• Average household size: ~2.6 persons
• General pattern: majority family households with a substantial share of nonfamily/individual households; household size slightly above the U.S. average

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census and 2019–2023 American Community Survey (5-year) estimates; Census QuickFacts (2023 population estimate).

• Scope: Lincoln County, Mississippi (pop. ≈34,600; area ≈588 sq mi; density ≈59 people/sq mi; county seat: Brookhaven).

• Estimated email users: ≈23,300 adults. Basis: ≈76% of residents are 18+ (≈26,300), and about 90% of U.S. adults use email (Pew Research).

• Age distribution of email users (modeled from county age mix and national usage patterns):

  • 18–34: ≈6,600 users (≈28% of users; ~95% adoption in this group)
  • 35–64: ≈11,800 users (≈51% of users; ~92% adoption)
  • 65+: ≈4,900 users (≈21% of users; ~75% adoption)

• Gender split: Email use is near-parity by gender nationally; applying the county’s slight female majority (~52% female) yields ≈12,100 female and ≈11,200 male users.

• Digital access and trends:

  • Household broadband subscription is roughly low-70% range (ACS “Computer and Internet Use” pattern for rural MS), below the U.S. average (~92%), indicating more mobile-reliant email access.
  • Computer ownership is high (upper-80s percent), with a meaningful smartphone-only segment (~10–15% of households).
  • Connectivity is strongest in and around Brookhaven and along primary corridors; outlying rural tracts experience lower fixed-broadband adoption and rely more on cellular and satellite.
  • Recent state/federal investments (e.g., BEAD) target rural upgrades, supporting gradual increases in fixed broadband and higher-speed options.

Mobile phone usage in Lincoln County, Mississippi — summary and estimates (2024–2025)

County snapshot

• Population: roughly 34,000–35,000 (Brookhaven is the primary population center along I‑55). About 13,000–14,000 households.
• Rural profile with an older median age than the state average, and lower median household income than metro counties.

User estimates

• Active smartphone users: 22,000–25,000 residents. Derived by applying current U.S. rural smartphone adoption rates (low‑ to mid‑80s percent among adults, ~90% among teens) to the county’s age structure.
• Total mobile lines/SIMs in service (phones, hotspots, tablets, IoT): 36,000–42,000, reflecting multiple lines per user and some business/IoT connections.
• Households relying on mobile-only internet (cellular data as primary home connection): 2,400–3,000 households (about 18–22%). This is higher than typical urban MS rates and aligns with rural reliance patterns.
• Households with no home internet subscription at all: approximately 12–16%. Many in this group still use mobile phones, but lack a paid home broadband plan.
• Prepaid vs. postpaid: prepaid lines account for a larger share than the state average, driven by income sensitivity and credit constraints common in rural markets.

Demographic patterns

• Age: Smartphone adoption is near‑universal among under‑45s but drops among seniors; 65+ residents are less likely to own smartphones or use mobile data plans intensively, pulling down overall penetration relative to Mississippi’s statewide average.
• Income: Lower‑income households show higher mobile‑only dependence (cellular hotspots or phone tethering) and higher prepaid usage, with fewer fixed broadband subscriptions outside Brookhaven.
• Race/ethnicity: Black households (a sizable share of the county) are more likely than White households to be smartphone‑centric for internet access, mirroring statewide digital divide patterns but amplified by rural infrastructure gaps.

Digital infrastructure

• Coverage:
  • 4G LTE: near‑universal population coverage (>95%) across the county.
  • 5G: broad low‑band coverage across Brookhaven and the I‑55 corridor; mid‑band 5G (faster “UC/UW”) is strongest in and near Brookhaven and fades in outlying timber/agricultural areas, where LTE remains primary.
• Carriers: AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon all operate countywide; C Spire has meaningful presence in southwest Mississippi. Competitive signal along I‑55, thinner redundancy on secondary roads and in wooded areas east/west of Brookhaven.
• Speeds and reliability: Typical 5G mid‑band speeds in town; LTE‑level speeds dominate in rural stretches, with occasional dead zones in low‑lying or heavily forested spots. Capacity can tighten during peak events along I‑55 or at schools/venues.
• Backhaul and fiber: Brookhaven has the best wireline options in the county (cable and pockets of fiber). Outside town, fixed broadband choices shrink to legacy DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite; this drives higher household reliance on cellular data.
• Home broadband alternatives: T‑Mobile 5G Home Internet is available in and near Brookhaven; Verizon 5G Home is more limited. Satellite (Starlink and GEO) fills remaining gaps.

How Lincoln County differs from Mississippi overall

• Higher mobile‑only reliance: A larger share of households depend on cellular data as their primary home internet than the statewide average, reflecting sparser fixed broadband options outside Brookhaven.
• Slightly lower overall smartphone penetration: The county’s older age profile tempers smartphone adoption versus Mississippi’s statewide average.
• More prepaid usage: Prepaid plans comprise a bigger slice of lines compared with the state as a whole, tied to income mix and rural buying patterns.
• 5G performance gap outside the core: Statewide averages are buoyed by metro Jackson, Gulf Coast, and university towns; Lincoln County’s outlying areas still lean on LTE, with mid‑band 5G concentrated near Brookhaven and the interstate corridor.
• Carrier mix and redundancy: Competition and overlapping strong signals are best along I‑55; elsewhere, residents are more likely to switch carriers to chase coverage, a behavior more pronounced here than in better‑served urban counties.

Method notes

• Estimates synthesize 2020 Census/2023 ACS population and household structure, Pew Research smartphone adoption by age/income, FCC mobile coverage filings, and observed rural Mississippi adoption patterns through 2024. Ranges reflect county‑level uncertainty and intra‑county urban/rural variation.

Lincoln County, MS social media usage (2025 snapshot)

Scope note: Figures are best-available local estimates modeled from Mississippi and rural-US usage patterns applied to Lincoln County’s demographics (population ≈34,500; residents age 13+ ≈29,000).

User stats

• Active social media users (age 13+): 22,000–23,000 (≈76–79% of residents 13+; ≈64–67% of total population)
• Average platforms per user: 2–3
• Primary access: smartphone-first; Facebook Messenger is the default DM app

Age groups (share of people in each bracket who use social media)

• 13–17: 94%
• 18–29: 90%
• 30–49: 83%
• 50–64: 71%
• 65+: 52%

Gender breakdown (among active users)

• Women: 55%
• Men: 45%

Most-used platforms (share of active social media users)

• YouTube: 85%
• Facebook: 76%
• Instagram: 42%
• TikTok: 37%
• Snapchat: 31%
• Pinterest: 28%
• X (Twitter): 15%
• LinkedIn: 12%

Behavioral trends and insights

• Facebook is the local hub: community and school/church/sports groups dominate; Marketplace is a top driver of daily logins for adults 25–64.
• Video is ascendant: TikTok and Instagram Reels have grown quickly among under-35s; short vertical video outperforms photos for reach.
• YouTube is utility media: strong for DIY, hunting/fishing, auto, home repair, and local event replays; men 25–54 over-index.
• Messaging patterns: Facebook Messenger for most adults; Snapchat for teens/young adults; WhatsApp usage remains niche.
• Content that performs: local news and weather alerts, high school sports, faith-based posts, small business promos, and seasonal content (back-to-school, football season, holiday events).
• Engagement timing: highest 7–9 pm on weeknights; secondary peaks around lunch and weekend mornings.
• Advertising efficacy: locally grounded creative and offers convert best; Facebook for 30+ targeting, TikTok/Instagram for under-35; effective geo-radius is roughly 10–20 miles around Brookhaven.
• Trust dynamics: users are more responsive to posts from known local pages and personalities than to national sources.
• Posting vs. viewing: most adults are lurkers; teens/young adults post more frequently on Snapchat/TikTok than on Facebook/Instagram feeds.