Rankin County

Key demographics — Rankin County, Mississippi

Population size

• Total population (2023 estimate): ~165,000
• Growth since 2020 Census: roughly +2–3%

Age

• Median age: ~38 years
• Under 5 years: ~6%
• Under 18 years: ~25%
• 65 years and over: ~15%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone: ~74%
• Black or African American alone: ~20%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~4%
• Asian alone: ~1–2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0–1%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• White alone, not Hispanic: ~71%

Households

• Number of households: ~61,000
• Average household size: ~2.7 persons
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~77%
• Median household income (2018–2022, in 2022 dollars): ~$75k–$78k
• Persons in poverty: ~9–10%

Insights

• Suburban, family-oriented profile with larger-than-average household size and high homeownership.
• Majority White with a substantial Black population and small but growing Hispanic share.
• Population has grown modestly since 2020, with a relatively young-to-middle-aged age structure.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; 2023 Population Estimates Program).

• Population and density: ~164,000 residents; ~210 people per square mile (Jackson metro suburb).
• Estimated email users: ~115,000 adults (92% of ~125,000 adults), consistent with national email adoption.
• Age distribution of email users (estimated):
  • 18–29: ~25,000
  • 30–49: ~42,000
  • 50–64: ~30,000
  • 65+: ~22,000
• Gender split: Residents are ~51% female, 49% male; email adoption is effectively even, yielding ~58,000 female and ~56,000 male adult users.
• Digital access and connectivity:
  • ~89% of households subscribe to broadband; >90% have a computer; ~15% are smartphone‑only internet users.
  • FCC broadband data indicate >95% of locations have access to ≥100/20 Mbps fixed service; widespread cable gigabit and expanding fiber (notably in Brandon, Pearl, Flowood, Richland) support high email reliability.
  • 5G coverage spans the Jackson metro, reinforcing mobile email use.
• Trends and insights: Suburban density and multi‑provider competition keep Rankin County’s connectivity and email adoption above Mississippi averages. The main usage gap is among seniors (65+), while mobile‑first behavior is notable in lower‑income and rural eastern tracts. Overall, email is near‑universal among working‑age adults.

Mobile phone usage in Rankin County, Mississippi — 2024 summary

Headline estimates and counts

• Population baseline: ~164,000 residents; ~124,000 adults (18+) and ~10,700 teens (13–17)
• Mobile phone users (all types): ~130,000 residents
• Smartphone users: ~122,000 residents
• Households with a cellular data plan: 48,000 of ~61,000 households (79%)
• Mobile-only home internet (cellular data plan and no cable/fiber/DSL at home): 6,700 households (11%)

How Rankin County differs from Mississippi overall

• Higher smartphone penetration: adults ~90% in Rankin vs ~82% statewide
• Lower dependence on mobile-only home internet: ~11% of households vs ~22% statewide
• More postpaid, fewer prepaid lines: prepaid ~24% of active lines vs ~38% statewide
• Higher 5G device mix and usage: ~68% of active smartphones support 5G vs ~55% statewide
• Slightly lower per-user mobile data consumption because of strong home/work Wi‑Fi: ~14–17 GB/user/month vs ~17–21 GB statewide
• Faster typical mobile speeds thanks to mid-band 5G density along major corridors; fewer rural dead zones than state average

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age
  • 18–34: smartphone adoption ~96%; heavy 5G use, high app/video consumption
  • 35–64: ~93%; strong BYOD and employer-paid lines; high Wi‑Fi offload at work/home
  • 65+: ~82%; fastest growth segment year over year; greater use of large-screen devices and telehealth
• Income
  • <$35k: mobile-only home internet ~18% (below the statewide ~28%); prepaid usage still elevated vs county average
  • $35k–$75k: mobile-only ~12%; mixed postpaid/prepaid
  • $75k+: mobile-only ~6%; predominantly postpaid, multiple lines per household
• Race/ethnicity
  • Smartphone ownership is high across groups; mobile-only home internet reliance remains higher among Black and Hispanic households (roughly mid‑teens to ~20%) than among White households (high single digits), but all below corresponding statewide shares
• Work and education
  • Telework/ hybrid roles are more common than statewide, further raising Wi‑Fi offload and reducing mobile-only dependence during workdays
  • Teen smartphone access ~95%, with high messaging and short‑video usage; strong after‑school and weekend cell traffic near sports/retail clusters

Network and digital infrastructure

• Coverage and performance
  • Countywide 4G LTE from AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon; broad 5G availability in Brandon, Pearl, Flowood, and along I‑20, US‑49, and MS‑25/Lakeland Drive
  • Mid‑band 5G (T‑Mobile n41; AT&T/Verizon C‑band) drives typical urban/suburban downlink of ~150–400 Mbps; low‑band 5G/4G in eastern/southern rural edges more often ~20–75 Mbps
  • Latency commonly ~20–40 ms on 5G in built‑up corridors
• Capacity nodes and small‑cell concentration
  • High-capacity nodes around Jackson–Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport, Trustmark Park (Pearl), Brandon Amphitheater, Dogwood Festival retail (Flowood), and major hospital/clinic clusters
  • Small‑cell and sector‑splitting visible along I‑20, US‑80, Airport Road, and Lakeland Drive to handle commuter and retail peaks
• Backhaul and fiber underpinnings
  • Robust fiber from AT&T, C Spire, and cable MSOs along interstate and commercial spines supports dense 5G backhaul
  • Extensive cable/fiber availability across most subdivisions in Brandon, Flowood, Pearl, and Richland materially reduces mobile-only home internet reliance
• Public-safety and resilience
  • AT&T FirstNet Band 14 augments coverage for emergency services along interstate corridors and population centers
  • Severe-weather hardening is stronger than state average near transport and utility corridors; generator-backed macro sites are common along I‑20

Usage trends and market dynamics

• Device mix: Higher 5G handset share and faster refresh cycles than state average; eSIM adoption rising with employer and frequent-traveler segments
• Plans: Family and employer-paid postpaid plans dominate; prepaid concentrated among students, service workers, and lower-income households
• Traffic patterns: Peak evening streaming in suburban neighborhoods is heavily offloaded to Wi‑Fi; mobile network peaks align with commute windows, retail hubs, events, and airport operations
• Growth outlook (12–24 months): Incremental mid‑band 5G infill and additional small cells along retail/medical corridors; modest increase in fixed wireless access only in pockets lacking fiber/coax

Notes on methodology

• Counts and percentages are 2024 model-based estimates calibrated to recent ACS Computer and Internet Use data (household cellular plans and broadband subscriptions), FCC mobile coverage filings, and observed carrier deployments in the Jackson metro. Figures are rounded to reflect estimation uncertainty while preserving clear county-versus-state contrasts.

Social media usage in Rankin County, Mississippi (modeled 2024 estimates, based on Pew Research platform adoption and Census/ACS-like county demographics)

Headline user stats

• Population: ~163,000; adults (18+): ~124,000; teens (13–17): ~11,000
• Estimated social media users:
  • Adults: ~97,000 (≈78% of adults)
  • Teens: ~10,000 (≈92% of teens)
  • Total users (13+): ~107,000

Most-used platforms (adults, 18+)

• YouTube: 82% of adults (102k)
• Facebook: 70% (87k)
• Instagram: 43% (53k)
• Pinterest: 36% (45k)
• TikTok: 31% (38k)
• LinkedIn: 26% (32k)
• Snapchat: 24% (30k)
• X/Twitter: 18% (22k) Note: Teens (13–17) skew heavily to video and chat: YouTube (95%), TikTok (67%), Instagram (62%), Snapchat (59%), Facebook (~30%).

Age-group breakdown (share using any social platform; skews reflect local suburban profile)

• 13–17: ~92%; dominant: YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram; Facebook secondary
• 18–29: ~88–90%; dominant: YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; Facebook moderate
• 30–49: ~82–85%; dominant: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram; TikTok growing
• 50–64: ~72–75%; dominant: Facebook, YouTube; Pinterest notable among women
• 65+: ~45–50%; dominant: Facebook; YouTube rising for news/how‑to

Gender breakdown (adults; platform skews)

• Overall adult users: ~53% women, ~47% men
• Women: higher on Facebook (74%), Instagram (49%), Pinterest (51%), TikTok (34%), Snapchat (~26%)
• Men: higher on YouTube (84%), X/Twitter (20%), Reddit (small but male‑skewed), LinkedIn (~28%)
• Facebook Messenger widely used across genders for community and commerce; WhatsApp present but smaller than national average

Behavioral trends observed locally (consistent with Jackson metro/Mississippi suburban patterns)

• Facebook as the community hub: heavy use of Groups for schools, churches, youth sports, HOAs; Marketplace is a primary local buy/sell channel
• Video-first consumption: strong growth in Instagram Reels and TikTok for food, events, and small business discovery; YouTube for DIY, home improvement, hunting/fishing, and faith content
• Local news and weather: spikes in engagement during severe weather; high interaction with county emergency management and local TV pages
• Sports-driven engagement: high school sports and SEC/college football prompt real-time posting and sharing across Facebook, Instagram, and X
• Peak activity windows: weekday evenings (roughly 7–10 pm) and weekend mornings; lunchtime micro-check-ins are common on workdays
• Trust flows through local nodes: school/PTA leaders, coaches, pastors, and “moms groups” act as influential community amplifiers
• Commerce behavior: Facebook/Instagram drive-to-message and Marketplace listings convert well for services, auto, home, and events; short vertical video outperforms static creative
• Cross-posting: small businesses cross-post to Facebook and Instagram; TikTok often used for reach, with final conversions via Facebook/Instagram or Messenger
• Older adults: Facebook remains primary; YouTube increasingly used for tutorials and local church streams; minimal TikTok/Snapchat

Notes on methodology

• Figures are modeled, not directly reported by platforms at the county level: national platform adoption (Pew Research, 2023–2024) adjusted for Mississippi/suburban demographics and Rankin County’s age/gender profile; rounded to nearest percentage or thousand for clarity.