Noxubee County

Key demographics for Noxubee County, Mississippi (U.S. Census Bureau: 2020 Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates)

Population

• Total population: ~10,000 (2023 estimate; down from about 10,300 in 2020)

Age

• Median age: ~38–39 years
• Under 18: ~23%
• 18 to 64: ~60%
• 65 and over: ~17%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Race and ethnicity (Hispanic can be of any race)

• Black or African American: ~70–72%
• White: ~25–27%
• Hispanic/Latino: ~1–2%
• Two or more races: ~1–2%
• Other races (including Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander): each <1%

Households and housing

• Households: ~3,800
• Average household size: ~2.6 persons
• Family households: ~65–70% of households
• Married-couple households: ~35%
• Female householder, no spouse present: ~20–25%
• Nonfamily households: ~30–35%
• Living alone: ~30–32% of households; ~12–14% with someone 65+ living alone
• Housing tenure: ~70% owner-occupied, ~30% renter-occupied

Insights

• Majority Black county with a small, declining population
• Age structure is balanced with a modestly higher share of older adults than children
• Household size near the Mississippi average, with a high owner-occupancy typical of rural counties

• Snapshot: Noxubee County’s 2020 population was 10,285 over ~695 sq mi (density ~14.8 people/sq mi).
• Digital access: ACS 2018–2022 indicates about 84% of households have a computer; ~78% have an internet subscription; ~63% have fixed broadband (cable/DSL/fiber/satellite); ~22% have no internet subscription; ~14% rely on smartphone-only access. Connectivity lags urban Mississippi, reflecting very low population density and rural infrastructure gaps.
• Estimated email users: ~7,570 residents ages 13+ (about 73% of total population, ~90% of those 13+ who are online) use email.
• Age distribution of email users (estimated, applying national adoption rates to local age mix):
  • 13–17: ~7.5%
  • 18–34: ~23%
  • 35–64: ~51%
  • 65+: ~18%
• Gender split among users: roughly 52% female, 48% male, mirroring county demographics.
• Trend insights:
  • Email is near-universal among working-age adults and a primary channel for services, banking, and government notices.
  • Older adults participate substantially but less intensely than younger groups, constrained by cost, device access, and lower-speed service in some areas.
  • Smartphone dependence is material, so many residents access email primarily via mobile networks rather than fixed broadband.

Mobile phone usage in Noxubee County, Mississippi — summary with county-specific estimates, demographics, infrastructure, and how it differs from statewide patterns

Context and population baseline

• Population: 10,285 (2020 Census). Land area ~695 square miles; county seat: Macon.
• Demographics (2020): approximately 70–74% Black/African American, 24–28% White, ~2% other races/ethnicities; Hispanic/Latino ~1–2%.
• Age structure: roughly 24% under 18, 58–60% 18–64, 16–18% 65+.
• Socioeconomics: poverty rate ~30–34% (vs Mississippi ~19–20%); median household income roughly in the low-to-mid $30,000s.

Estimated mobile phone users (individuals) and household connectivity

• Adults (18+): about 7,700–7,900 residents.
• Mobile phone (any type) users: 7,000–7,400 adults (estimated 90–94% adult cellphone ownership, reflecting rural/low-income adjustments from national ~97%).
• Smartphone users: 6,200–6,700 adults (estimated 80–85% adult smartphone ownership, below state urban centers due to age, income, and rurality).
• Smartphone-only internet reliance: 950–1,300 households that primarily access the internet via smartphones (estimated 25–35% of ~3,700–3,900 households), notably higher than typical Mississippi urban/suburban rates.
• Home broadband subscription: materially below the Mississippi statewide average; many households without fixed broadband rely on cellular data plans for primary connectivity.

Demographic patterns in usage (what stands out locally)

• Race and income: The county’s majority-Black and higher-poverty profile aligns with higher smartphone-only internet reliance and higher use of prepaid plans compared with statewide averages.
• Age: A relatively larger 65+ share depresses overall smartphone penetration and app adoption vs. state averages; conversely, teens/young adults show high smartphone dependence for schooling, work seeking, and social media.
• Device access: Multi-device households (smartphone + laptop/tablet + fixed broadband) are less common than in Mississippi’s metros; handset is the primary screen for a sizable share of adults.

Digital infrastructure and coverage realities

• Macro coverage: AT&T and Verizon provide broad LTE and low-band 5G across populated corridors (Macon, US-45, MS-14/21). T-Mobile coverage is strongest in/near Macon and along major roads, with patchier service in sparsely populated tracts.
• Performance: Low-band 5G is prevalent; mid-band 5G (capacity/speed) is concentrated near the town center and main highways. Outside those areas, users frequently fall back to LTE with variable speeds during peak hours.
• Terrain and land use: Forested areas, bottomlands, and long distances between towers create dead spots and lower indoor signal quality; booster use is common in homes and small businesses.
• Fixed broadband footprint: Cable and fiber are limited outside Macon and a few community anchors (schools, clinics, government). This constraint pushes higher reliance on cellular data and hotspotting for homework, telehealth, streaming, and gig work.
• Cross-border dynamics: Proximity to Alabama can introduce edge-of-cell conditions and occasional roaming near the state line in low-signal areas.
• Affordability programs: The 2024 wind-down of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program tightened budgets; Lifeline remains but does not fully offset device/data costs, reinforcing prepaid and lower-cost plan uptake.

How Noxubee County differs from Mississippi overall

• Higher smartphone-only dependence: County share of households relying primarily on smartphones is clearly above the statewide average, driven by lower fixed broadband availability and income constraints.
• More prepaid and budget plans: Prepaid penetration and plan downgrades are more common than in metro Mississippi, reflecting cost sensitivity post-ACP.
• Lower median mobile speeds off-corridor: Speeds and consistency trail state urban corridors due to fewer mid-band 5G sectors and wider tower spacing.
• Larger indoor coverage challenges: Housing stock and distance to sites contribute to weaker indoor signal relative to urban counties.
• Digital equity gap is wider: Compared with statewide norms, a larger slice of households has no fixed broadband, leans on shared data plans, or rotates SIMs/promos, affecting reliability for remote work and education.

Operational insights for stakeholders

• Network planning: Additional mid-band 5G sectors and infill sites (or small cells in Macon) would materially improve capacity; targeted coverage along school bus routes and clinic catchments would yield outsized community benefit.
• Demand profile: Expect heavy mobile video, hotspot use, and telehealth traffic; plans with larger deprioritization thresholds and robust rural roaming perform better.
• Programmatic focus: Device subsidies, digital literacy, and fixed-wireless/fiber buildouts near clusters (schools, churches, apartments) can quickly reduce smartphone-only dependency and improve outcomes.

Social media usage in Noxubee County, MS (2025 snapshot)

Overall penetration and activity

• Adults using at least one social platform: 72% of adults
• Daily social media users (among users): ~70%
• Smartphone‑only internet users: ~23% of adults (drives mobile‑first behavior and short‑video consumption)

Most‑used platforms (share of adult social media users; users often use multiple)

• YouTube: 80%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 42%
• TikTok: 33%
• Pinterest: 30%
• Snapchat: 28%
• X (Twitter): 20%
• LinkedIn: 18%
• Reddit: 15%
• Nextdoor: 5%

Age‑group usage (share using any social media)

• Teens (13–17): 95%
• 18–29: 88%
• 30–49: 82%
• 50–64: 69%
• 65+: 45%

Gender breakdown (among social media users)

• Women: ~54%; Men: ~46%
• Platform skews:
  • Facebook: ~56% women, 44% men
  • Instagram: ~58% women, 42% men
  • Pinterest: ~75% women, 25% men
  • YouTube: ~45% women, 55% men
  • X/Reddit: ~40% women, 60% men

Behavioral trends and content patterns

• Facebook is the community hub: local news, churches, schools/athletics, civic updates, buy‑sell‑trade groups, and event promotion. Facebook Groups and Messenger drive most local coordination.
• Video‑first consumption: YouTube for long‑form (church services, music, how‑tos, school events); TikTok and Reels for short‑form entertainment and local clips.
• Youth split: Teens and 18–29s lean TikTok/Snapchat/Instagram for creation and messaging; cross‑posting to Reels is common.
• Timing: Engagement peaks evenings (6–9 pm) and weekends; local sports nights and Sunday post‑service windows see noticeable spikes.
• Trust and conversion: Posts featuring recognizable local people/institutions outperform generic creative. Clear, phone‑first calls‑to‑action and map pins outperform long links due to mobile and bandwidth constraints.
• Ads and outreach: Best ROI via Facebook/Instagram geo‑targeting around Macon and school zones; short vertical video (6–15s), boosted community posts, and event reminders convert better than static brand ads.
• Customer service: Residents expect quick responses via Facebook Messenger; SMS fallback is common. WhatsApp penetration remains comparatively low.

Method note

• Figures are modeled for Noxubee County using U.S. Census/ACS county demographics and 2023–2024 Pew Research Center platform usage benchmarks, adjusted for rural Mississippi adoption patterns.