Lowndes County

Lowndes County, Mississippi – key demographics

Population size

• 2020 Census: 58,879
• 2023 population estimate: ~58,000 (U.S. Census Bureau estimate)

Age (ACS 2019–2023, 5‑year)

• Median age: ~38
• Under 18: ~24%
• 18–64: ~61%
• 65 and over: ~15%

Gender (ACS 2019–2023)

• Female: ~52%
• Male: ~48%

Racial/ethnic composition (Census/ACS; Hispanic is any race)

• Non-Hispanic White: ~50%
• Non-Hispanic Black or African American: ~44%
• Hispanic or Latino: ~3%
• Asian: ~1%
• Two or more races and other: ~2%

Households and housing (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: ~23,000–24,000
• Average household size: ~2.5
• Family households: ~63%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~65–67%
• Renter-occupied: ~33–35%
• Total housing units: ~26,000

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census and 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Lowndes County, MS has about 58,600 residents (density ~116/sq mi). Adults (18+) ≈44,500.

Estimated email users: ~40,000 adults (≈90% of adults).

Age distribution of email users

• 18–29: ~8,000
• 30–49: ~13,500
• 50–64: ~10,600
• 65+: ~8,000

Gender

• Population 52% female, 48% male; email users split ≈51% female (20,400) and 49% male (~19,600), reflecting near-parity in usage.

Digital access and trends

• Households ≈23,000.
• Any internet subscription: 79% (18,000 households), up ~5 percentage points since 2019.
• Computer in home: 88% (20,200 households).
• Smartphone‑only internet: 16% (3,700 households), higher in rural tracts.
• Connectivity is strongest in and around Columbus (Golden Triangle urban core); adoption lags in outlying areas despite wide nominal broadband availability.

Insights

• Email is near-universal among working‑age adults, especially 30–49.
• Seniors show substantial but lower adoption, aligning with device and subscription gaps.
• The sizable smartphone‑only segment primarily accesses email via mobile, affecting send timing and mobile‑first design.

Notes: Figures are county‑level estimates derived from recent ACS demographics and household internet metrics combined with current national email‑adoption rates; values are rounded.

Mobile phone usage snapshot: Lowndes County, Mississippi (2023–2024)

Bottom line

• Lowndes County is more mobile-connected than Mississippi overall. It has higher home broadband take-up, lower smartphone-only dependence, and broader mid-band 5G availability around population centers (Columbus/Golden Triangle) than the statewide average.

User estimates

• Population: ~58,600 residents; ~23,300 households (U.S. Census Bureau 2023 estimates).
• Mobile connections: ~78,000 active SIMs/devices in the county (≈1.3–1.4 connections per resident, consistent with CTIA state-level per-capita connection density).
• Smartphone users: ~42,000–45,000 residents use a smartphone (adult ownership in the mid-to-high 80% range; plus most teens), aligning with Pew Research statewide patterns and ACS household smartphone penetration.

Household device and subscription profile (ACS 2018–2022, S2801; county vs state)

• Households with a smartphone: Lowndes ~92%; Mississippi ~90%.
• Households with any broadband subscription (cable, fiber, DSL, fixed wireless, cellular data plan, or satellite): Lowndes ~80%; Mississippi ~75%.
• Smartphone/cellular data plan only (no other home broadband): Lowndes ~18%; Mississippi ~23%.
• No internet subscription: Lowndes ~15%; Mississippi ~21%.
• Computer access in the home (any type): Lowndes ~89%; Mississippi ~84%. What’s different from the state: Lowndes relies less on smartphone-only internet and has meaningfully higher home broadband adoption, indicating better fixed-access alternatives and lower mobile-only dependence than Mississippi overall.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age: Adults under 35 in Lowndes mirror national near-universal smartphone ownership and above-average mobile data reliance; 65+ adoption is lower but rising, with more mixed cellular + fixed broadband usage than the state’s older cohorts (benefiting from better local fixed options).
• Income: Households under $25k are the most likely to be smartphone-only; the county’s higher fixed broadband availability moderates—but does not eliminate—this gap versus statewide patterns.
• Race/ethnicity: Black households (a large share of the Lowndes population) show higher smartphone-only reliance than White households, consistent with statewide trends; however, countywide smartphone-only reliance remains below the Mississippi average because fixed broadband is more attainable in and around Columbus.
• Tenure: Renters in Columbus ZIPs cluster into mobile-first usage; owner-occupied households have higher multi-modal access (mobile + cable/fiber).

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Mobile networks: AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and C Spire all serve Lowndes. Mid-band 5G is broadly available in and around Columbus and along US‑82/US‑45 corridors; rural edges see more LTE fallback. This yields higher typical 5G capacity in population centers than the statewide rural norm.
• Fixed broadband competition:
  • Cable: Sparklight covers most of Columbus with DOCSIS cable internet.
  • Fiber: C Spire Fiber serves parts of Columbus; 4‑County Fiber (the electric cooperative affiliate) has expanded gigabit fiber into rural Lowndes, reducing smartphone-only necessity.
  • Telco: AT&T offers a mix of fiber and copper-based service; T‑Mobile and Verizon offer fixed wireless access where signal quality allows.
• Anchors and demand drivers: Mississippi University for Women, Columbus Air Force Base, the Golden Triangle industrial base, and healthcare facilities concentrate demand and backhaul, supporting denser 5G deployments than typical in many Mississippi counties.

Usage implications and trends vs Mississippi

• More dual-connection households: Higher overlap of mobile + fixed broadband in Lowndes reduces the share of residents relying exclusively on smartphones compared to the state.
• Better 5G experience where people live and work: Denser sites and mid-band 5G in Columbus/Golden Triangle yield faster, more consistent mobile data than typical statewide rural counties.
• Remaining gaps are rural: East/south rural tracts still see LTE/low-band 5G with lower capacity; recent co-op fiber builds and carrier fixed‑wireless help close these gaps, pushing smartphone-only reliance down over time.

Key statistics (most recent available)

• ~92% of households have a smartphone.
• ~80% have some form of broadband subscription.
• ~18% are smartphone/cellular-only (no other home broadband).
• ~15% have no internet subscription at home.
• ~78,000 active mobile connections; ~42,000–45,000 smartphone users.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2018–2022, table S2801), U.S. Census 2023 county estimates, CTIA state-level connection density (2023), FCC Broadband Data Collection (2023), and national/state usage benchmarks from Pew Research (2023).

Social media in Lowndes County, MS (2025 snapshot)

How this was built: Modeled from the county’s latest Census/ACS demographics and 2023–2024 Pew Research platform-use rates, producing locally scaled estimates. Figures are rounded.

Population and user base

• Population: ~57,000 residents
• Adults (18+): ~43,000
• Estimated social media users (13+): ~34,000 (≈60% of all residents; ≈72% of adults)

Gender breakdown (users)

• Female ~53%
• Male ~47%

Age usage (share who use at least one social platform)

• Teens (13–17): ~95%
• 18–29: ~95%
• 30–49: ~83%
• 50–64: ~73%
• 65+: ~45%

Most‑used platforms (adults, any use)

• YouTube: ~83%
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~47%
• Pinterest: ~35%
• TikTok: ~33%
• LinkedIn: ~30%
• Snapchat: ~30%
• X (Twitter): ~22%
• Reddit: ~22%
• WhatsApp: ~21%
• Nextdoor: low single digits (limited local penetration)

Most‑used platforms (teens 13–17)

• YouTube ~95%, TikTok ~67%, Instagram ~62%, Snapchat ~60%, Facebook ~32%

Behavioral trends locally

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of Groups (schools, churches, youth sports) and Marketplace for buy/sell/trade; local news posts drive spikes in comments and shares.
• Short‑form video leads: Instagram Reels and TikTok outperform static posts for restaurants, retail, events, and high school/college athletics highlights.
• Messaging is default: Facebook Messenger dominates for coordination; WhatsApp is niche (family/work contacts); Snapchat is central to teen/college social ties.
• Timing: Mobile‑first usage with engagement peaks 7–9 pm; secondary morning check‑ins 6–8 am; weekends lift for sports and events.
• Trust flows through local voices: UGC and word‑of‑mouth in Facebook Groups and Reels/TikToks from recognizable locals influence decisions on dining, home services, and used goods.
• Commerce behavior: Facebook Marketplace is the primary local classifieds channel; Instagram Shops clicks occur but conversions improve when paired with in‑person pickup or “DM to order.”
• Content that works: Brief, captioned vertical video (15–30s), before/after visuals for services, limited‑time offers, and posts featuring staff/owners; posts with clear location and hours outperform generic creative.
• Platform roles: Facebook for reach and community action; YouTube for how‑to, local sports, and church content; Instagram/TikTok for discovery and aesthetics; LinkedIn for manufacturing, healthcare, education, and Columbus AFB‑adjacent professional networking; X for real‑time weather, outages, and sports chatter.

Key takeaways

• Expect broad reach on Facebook and YouTube; growth and younger engagement on Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat.
• Plan evening‑heavy posting, prioritize short vertical video, and activate local groups/creators to move engagement and conversion.