Marion County

Marion County, Mississippi — key demographics (latest available, U.S. Census Bureau, 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates unless noted)

Population

• Total population: ~24,100
• 2020 decennial census count: 24,441

Age

• Median age: ~41 years
• Under 18: ~23%
• 18–64: ~59%
• 65 and over: ~18%

Sex

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Race/ethnicity (mutually exclusive)

• Non-Hispanic White: ~62%
• Non-Hispanic Black or African American: ~33%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2.5%
• Two or more races (Non-Hispanic): ~1.7%
• Asian (Non-Hispanic): ~0.4%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic): ~0.4%

Households

• Total households: ~9,700
• Average household size: ~2.5
• Average family size: ~3.0
• Family households: ~66%
• Households with children under 18: ~28%
• One-person households: ~28%
• Homeownership rate (occupied units): ~74%

Notes: Figures are survey estimates and may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates; 2020 Census (population count).

Marion County, Mississippi snapshot (2024):

• Population and density: 24,441 residents (2020 Census); ~45 people per square mile across ~540 sq mi, with the City of Columbia the primary connectivity hub.
• Estimated email users: ~17,000 adults use email (applying Pew’s ~92% U.S. adult email adoption to the county’s ~18.5k adults).
• Age distribution of email users (modeled from county age mix and Pew adoption by age):
  • 18–29: ~3.1k (18%)
  • 30–49: ~5.4k (32%)
  • 50–64: ~4.6k (27%)
  • 65+: ~3.9k (23%)
• Gender split: ~52% female, ~48% male among email users, mirroring the county’s slight female-majority population.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Household broadband subscription is roughly 70–75% (ACS 2018–2022 patterns for similar rural Mississippi counties), up notably from the mid‑2010s.
  • Computer access is in the mid‑80% of households; smartphone‑only internet reliance is common (roughly 15–20% of households in rural MS), sustaining email use even where wired service lags.
  • Connectivity is strongest in and around Columbia (cable/fiber footprints) and weaker in outlying unincorporated areas that depend on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite, reflecting the county’s low density.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Census; ACS 2018–2022), Pew Research Center (email adoption). Estimates are modeled from these datasets.

Mobile phone usage in Marion County, Mississippi — 2025 snapshot (modeled from ACS 2018–2022, Census 2023 population estimates, Pew Research smartphone adoption by age/income, FCC mobile coverage data, and 2024 speed-test aggregates)

Executive summary

• Marion County is a rural, lower-income county whose residents lean on smartphones and cellular data more than the Mississippi average. Coverage is broad outdoors, but mid-band 5G capacity is concentrated around Columbia and primary corridors. Usage patterns skew toward prepaid plans and smartphone-only internet access.

Population baseline

• Population: ≈24,300 (2023 Census estimate)
• Households: ≈9,500

User estimates (people and households)

• Total smartphone users (residents 12+): 16,500–18,200
  • Adult (18+) smartphone adoption: 82–85% in Marion County (vs ~86–88% statewide)
  • Teen (12–17) smartphone adoption: ~90–95%
• Smartphone-dependent adults (no home broadband, rely on mobile data): 4,800–5,600 (≈26–30% of adults), higher than the Mississippi average (~20–23%)
• Households with a cellular data plan (any smartphone/tablet plan): 6,900–7,400 (≈72–78% of households), slightly above the Mississippi average (~68–72%)
• Prepaid share of mobile lines: 55–60% (vs ~48–52% statewide), reflecting tighter budgets and credit constraints

Demographic breakdown (usage patterns)

• By age
  • 18–34: very high adoption (≈94–96%); ≈4,900–5,100 users
  • 35–64: high adoption (≈85–90%); ≈7,900–8,300 users
  • 65+: moderate adoption (≈62–68%); ≈2,800–3,100 users
  • Seniors show faster year-over-year growth in smartphone uptake than the state average, narrowing (but not eliminating) the local age gap
• By income
  • Low-income households (<$35k) exhibit markedly higher smartphone-only rates (≈40–45%) than the state average (~33–40%), driven by affordability and gaps in fixed broadband availability
• By geography
  • Columbia (town center/US‑98 corridor): higher 5G availability, better median speeds, more postpaid family plans
  • Outlying rural tracts: higher smartphone-only reliance, more prepaid use, more frequent signal/speed variability indoors and in wooded or low-lying areas

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage
  • 4G LTE: near-universal outdoors in populated areas across all three national operators (AT&T, Verizon, T‑Mobile)
  • 5G (low-band “extended range”): broad outdoor coverage; T‑Mobile covers most populated areas, AT&T/Verizon present in and around Columbia and along major routes
  • 5G (mid-band “capacity”): concentrated in Columbia and along US‑98; sparse elsewhere
• Capacity and speeds
  • Typical county median mobile download: 35–70 Mbps (urban pockets >150 Mbps on mid-band), below Mississippi’s statewide median (80–100 Mbps)
  • Upload: ~5–15 Mbps countywide, improving to ~20–30 Mbps on mid-band 5G in-town
  • Variability is higher than the state average, with notable slowdowns at peak times off the US‑98 corridor
• Sites/backhaul (county-level characteristics)
  • Macro tower density: approximately 6–8 macro sites per 100 square miles (≈30–45 sites across the county), with small-cell presence limited to high-traffic spots in Columbia
  • Backhaul: fiber follows primary transport (US‑98 and municipal footprints); microwave backhaul remains common on rural sites, constraining capacity away from the corridor
  • Terrain and vegetation: signal challenges in Pearl River bottomlands and heavily forested areas; indoor coverage can vary in metal-roof structures common in rural parcels
• Public safety/priority
  • FirstNet (AT&T) presence supports prioritized coverage for emergency services; Verizon Frontline also used by some agencies

How Marion County differs from Mississippi overall

• Higher reliance on mobile for primary internet
  • Smartphone-dependent adults are several points higher than the state average (≈26–30% vs ~20–23%)
  • Fixed-wireless (LTE/5G home internet) adoption is notably higher, often substituting for cable/DSL where options are limited
• More prepaid, cost-sensitive usage
  • Prepaid line share is materially higher than statewide, with heavier use of MVNOs and budget plans
• Older device mix and slower turnover
  • A larger share of LTE-only or low-band‑only 5G handsets, which underutilize available mid-band capacity and depress average speeds vs state urban centers
• Coverage quality vs footprint
  • Outdoor coverage breadth is comparable to the state, but mid-band 5G depth is thinner off-corridor, producing lower median speeds and greater variability than Mississippi’s statewide benchmarks
• Post‑ACP affordability effects are more visible
  • The end of ACP support in 2024 has a sharper local impact, nudging additional households into smartphone-only connectivity and prepaid plans relative to statewide trends

Implications and actionable insights

• Capacity, not just coverage, is the binding constraint outside Columbia; investments in mid-band 5G and fiber backhaul to rural towers would yield the largest performance gains
• Programs targeting device upgrades for seniors and low-income users could quickly lift effective 5G utilization and reliability
• Fixed wireless is a practical bridge for home connectivity in outlying tracts; expect continued uptake until fiber expansion reaches more rural road miles
• For service design and outreach, prioritize prepaid-friendly offerings, robust offline/low-bandwidth app modes, and SMS-based support channels to match local usage realities

Notes on methodology

• Figures are modeled from: Census/ACS population and household counts; ACS S2801 (device and internet subscription) patterns; Pew Research smartphone adoption by age/income; FCC mobile coverage maps; and 2024 speed-test aggregates for rural Mississippi. Ranges reflect county rurality and income adjustments relative to statewide values.

Marion County, MS social media snapshot (2025)

Topline size

• Population: ~24,300 (2023 Census est.); adults 18+: ~18,500
• Active social media users (any platform): ~14,100 adults (≈76% of adults; ≈58% of total population)

Age mix of adult social users

• 18–29: 19% (2.7k users)
• 30–49: 35% (5.0k)
• 50–64: 30% (4.2k)
• 65+: 16% (2.3k)

Gender breakdown of adult social users

• Women: 52% (7.3k)
• Men: 48% (6.8k)

Most-used platforms among adults (overlapping; share of adult residents)

• YouTube: 76% (14.1k adults)
• Facebook: 62% (11.5k)
• Instagram: 43% (8.0k)
• Pinterest: 32% (5.9k)
• TikTok: 30% (5.6k)
• Snapchat: 27% (5.1k)

Behavioral trends observed locally and in similar rural MS markets

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of local groups (buy/sell, schools, churches, civic updates) and events; strongest daily reach for 30+.
• Video-first consumption: short vertical video performs best across Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok; YouTube drives how-to, sports highlights, church services.
• Messaging-centric interactions: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are primary response channels for local businesses and peer communication.
• Locality drives trust and engagement: posts featuring recognizable people, high school sports, churches, and county events outperform brand-only content.
• Commerce and services: Facebook and Instagram power small business discovery (food, home services, boutiques); Pinterest over-indexes among women for recipes, crafts, and home projects.
• Time-of-day patterns: engagement typically clusters before work, lunch, and early evening; Sunday afternoons often see elevated local community content.
• Cross-posting works: the 30–49 cohort is multi-platform (FB + IG + YouTube), while 18–29 skews TikTok/Snapchat/IG and uses Facebook mainly for events/groups.

Notes on method

• Population and adult share from U.S. Census Bureau estimates; platform penetration calibrated from Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adult usage rates adjusted to rural Mississippi adoption levels. Figures are rounded and represent best-available local estimates.

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 county population estimates; ACS age/sex composition
• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (platform adoption by U.S. adults)