Pontotoc County

Pontotoc County, Mississippi — key demographics

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates)

Population size

• Total population: 31,184 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~37 years
• Under 18: ~25–26%
• 65 and over: ~15–16%

Gender

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50%

Race and ethnicity (percent of total population)

• White (alone, not Hispanic): ~70–73%
• Black or African American (alone): ~16–18%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~6–8%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• American Indian and Alaska Native (alone): ~0.5%
• Asian (alone): ~0.3–0.5%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (alone): ~0.1%

Households and housing

• Total households: ~11,000–11,300
• Average household size: ~2.7–2.9 persons
• Family households: ~70–75% of households
• Average family size: ~3.2–3.3 persons
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~75–80%
• Households with children under 18: ~33–36%
• Householders 65+ living alone: ~9–11%

Notes: ACS figures are multi-year estimates and may not sum perfectly due to rounding and overlapping race/ethnicity categories.

Pontotoc County, MS email usage snapshot

• Population and density: 31,500 residents across ~500 sq mi (63 people/sq mi).
• Estimated email users: ~21,000 adult users (≈67% of total population; ≈88–90% of online adults).
• Age distribution of email users (modeled from local age mix and U.S. adoption by age):
  • 18–29: 19%
  • 30–49: 36%
  • 50–64: 26%
  • 65+: 19%
• Gender split among email users: ~51% female, ~49% male (mirrors local population).
• Digital access and connectivity:
  • ~75% of households maintain a broadband subscription; ~10–12% report no home internet.
  • ~12% are smartphone‑only for internet access.
  • Fixed broadband typically 100–300 Mbps in town centers; service quality drops in rural pockets.
  • Countywide connectivity is improving via ongoing rural fiber buildouts by regional electric cooperatives and recent state/federal broadband programs; 5G coverage is present along primary corridors (e.g., US‑278/MS‑15). Insights: Email is effectively standard for working‑age residents and increasingly common among seniors as fiber and 5G expand. Adoption gaps persist in the most rural and lower‑income areas, where smartphone‑only access constrains regular inbox use. These trends support steady growth in email reach, especially outside town centers, as new fiber passes come online.

Mobile phone usage in Pontotoc County, Mississippi — 2025 snapshot

Topline user estimates

• Residents using any mobile phone: ~29,500 people (about 92% of the county’s ~32,200 population).
• Smartphone users: ~26,600 people (about 83% of the total population; roughly 85% of adults).
• Wireless-only (no landline) adults: ~80% of adults, slightly above the Mississippi average.
• Households with at least one smartphone: ~10,700 of ~11,900 households (about 90%).
• Households relying on a cellular data plan as their only home internet (smartphone hotspot or mobile broadband only): ~21% in Pontotoc vs ~17% statewide.

How Pontotoc differs from Mississippi overall

• Greater cellular-only reliance: A higher share of households rely solely on mobile data for home internet (about 4 percentage points above the state average), reflecting coverage gaps and price sensitivity.
• Lower fixed-broadband subscription: About 61% of households maintain a paid fixed broadband plan (cable/DSL/fiber) versus roughly 67% statewide.
• Slightly lower senior smartphone adoption: Among residents 65+, smartphone use is a few points lower than the state (≈74% in Pontotoc vs ≈78% statewide).
• More prepaid usage: Prepaid and month-to-month plans are used more frequently than the statewide mix, consistent with rural cost-containment patterns.
• Higher smartphone-only dependence among lower-income and minority households: Smartphone-only internet use is 8–10 points higher among Black and Hispanic households than White households and is notably higher among households under $25k income, exceeding statewide gaps.

Demographic breakdown (modeled)

• By age
  • 13–34: near-saturation smartphone use (≈95–97%).
  • 35–64: high adoption (≈88–91%).
  • 65+: lower but growing (≈72–76%).
• By income
  • Under $25k: smartphone ownership ~79–82%; smartphone-only internet ~32–36%.
  • $25k–$74k: smartphone ownership ~88–92%; smartphone-only internet ~18–22%.
  • $75k+: smartphone ownership ~94–96%; smartphone-only internet ~7–11%.
• By education
  • No bachelor’s degree: smartphone-only internet ~22–24%.
  • Bachelor’s+ degree: smartphone-only internet ~8–11%.
• By race/ethnicity
  • Black and Hispanic households show higher smartphone-only internet reliance (≈25–30%) than White households (≈17–20%), with overall smartphone ownership high across all groups.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Carrier presence: AT&T (including FirstNet for public safety), T-Mobile, Verizon, and C Spire all serve the county.
• 5G availability: 5G covers the main population centers (Pontotoc, Ecru) and the MS-6/US-278 corridor, with low-band 5G or strong LTE in most remaining areas; interior wooded and low-lying western/southern pockets still experience weaker signal and capacity.
• Tower and spectrum mix: Coverage is anchored by low-band spectrum for reach; mid-band 5G (where available) boosts capacity in town centers and along major routes; mmWave is minimal.
• Fixed broadband interplay: Fiber passings have expanded since 2020 (notably from electric co-op builds and regional providers), but total fiber/cable coverage still trails the state average, sustaining above-average cellular-only home internet use.
• Public anchors: Schools, libraries, and municipal sites provide Wi‑Fi offload that complements mobile usage; FirstNet improvements have strengthened emergency coverage.

Usage patterns and implications

• Peak-time mobile data demand is concentrated around schools, industrial employers, and the MS‑6 corridor; in-town sectors see mid-band 5G capacity benefits, while rural edges lean on LTE/low-band 5G.
• Higher dependence on smartphones for core online tasks (banking, job search, streaming, telehealth) than statewide, especially among lower-income and senior households lacking affordable fixed broadband.
• As fiber projects continue through 2025–2027, the cellular-only share should gradually decline, but mobile will remain the primary on-ramp to the internet for many households.

Notes on method

• Figures are rounded estimates derived from the most recent publicly available county-level patterns (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2018–2022 5-year Computer and Internet Use, CDC NHIS wireless substitution, and FCC broadband/5G availability summaries) scaled to Pontotoc County’s current population and household counts. Where direct county statistics are not published, values are modeled by applying state-level differentials to the county’s demographic structure to reflect local conditions.

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

Population baseline

• Residents: ~32,000 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 estimate).
• Estimated social media users: ~23,500 (≈73% of total population), based on U.S. penetration rates that reliably track in rural Mississippi counties.

Most-used platforms (adult usage; expected local rates aligned to Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. figures)

• YouTube: ~83% of adults
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~47%
• Pinterest: ~35%
• TikTok: ~33%
• Snapchat: ~30%
• LinkedIn: ~30%
• X (Twitter): ~22%
• Reddit: ~22%
• WhatsApp: ~21%

Age groups (share using at least one social platform; Pew-referenced ranges applied locally)

• 18–29: ~90–95%
• 30–49: ~80–85%
• 50–64: ~70–75%
• 65+: ~40–45%

Gender breakdown (platform skews seen in comparable U.S. rural markets)

• Facebook: near-parity, with women slightly higher usage than men.
• Instagram and TikTok: slight female skew; strongest in younger cohorts.
• Pinterest: heavily female.
• Reddit and X: skew male.
• Snapchat: younger and marginally female-skewed.

Behavioral trends in Pontotoc County

• Facebook is the community hub: high activity in local groups (buy/sell/trade, school, church, sports) and Marketplace; events and civic updates drive spikes.
• Video-first consumption: YouTube is ubiquitous for how-tos, local sports highlights, and regional news; short-form video (Facebook Reels/Instagram Reels/TikTok) is rising fastest for discovery.
• Messaging for coordination: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are primary for quick communication; small businesses increasingly handle inquiries via Messenger.
• Trust and engagement patterns: Locally rooted pages and personalities (schools, churches, high school athletics, local officials, small businesses) earn the highest engagement; promotions tied to in-person events and limited-time offers perform best.
• Multi-platform presence: Small businesses commonly maintain Facebook + Instagram; younger creators cross-post TikTok to Reels to reach older audiences.

Notes on methodology and sources

• Population: U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts (Pontotoc County, MS, 2023 est.).
• Platform adoption and age/gender patterns: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (U.S. adults).
• Overall penetration (users as a share of population): DataReportal/Kepios, Digital 2024: USA.
• County-specific figures are modeled from these sources; rural Mississippi usage closely mirrors these benchmarks, with Facebook slightly over-indexing due to age profile.