Smith County

Key demographics for Smith County, Mississippi (U.S. Census Bureau)

Population

• Total population: 14,209 (2020 Census)
• 2023 estimate: approximately 14,000 (Census Population Estimates Program)

Age

• Median age: about 41 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~24%
• 65 and over: ~18–19%

Gender

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50% (ACS 2019–2023)

Race and ethnicity

• White alone: ~75%
• Black or African American alone: ~22%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: <1%
• Asian alone: <1%
• Two or more races: ~1–2%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2–3% (ACS 2019–2023; Hispanic may overlap with race)

Households

• Households: ~5,400–5,600
• Average household size: ~2.5–2.6
• Family households: ~68–72% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~27–30%
• One-person households: ~25–28% (ACS 2019–2023)

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates; Population Estimates Program (2023).

• Scope: Smith County, Mississippi (pop. ≈14,200; land area ≈636 sq mi; density ≈22 people/sq mi).
• Adults (18+): ≈10,900.

Email usage (estimated):

• Adult email users: ≈9,100 (≈83% of adults).
• By age (share using email): 18–29: 91%; 30–49: 92%; 50–64: 85%; 65+: 70%.
• By gender (share using email): women 84%; men 82% (≈4,660 women users; ≈4,390 men users).

Digital access and trends:

• Broadband subscription: ≈65–70% of households (ACS-style rural profile), implying roughly 1 in 3 lacks a home broadband plan.
• Home computer access: ≈75–80% of households; smartphone-only internet dependence ≈15–20%, supporting email use even without fixed broadband.
• Connectivity pattern: Highest fixed-broadband availability in and around Raleigh, Taylorsville, and Mize; access thins in sparse, forested areas where low density raises deployment costs. Mobile coverage underpins much of everyday email access outside town centers.

Insights:

• Email is near-universal among working-age adults; seniors’ lower adoption is tied to device and broadband gaps.
• Gender differences are minimal; women slightly higher.
• The county’s low density and rural topology constrain fixed broadband, so mobile and public access points play an outsized role in sustaining email usage.

Smith County, Mississippi: Mobile Phone Usage Summary (2025)

Headline findings that differ from Mississippi statewide

• Mobile is the default connection in more homes: A higher share of Smith County households rely primarily on mobile data for home internet than the Mississippi average, reflecting sparse cable/fiber availability and lower incomes.
• Smartphone adoption is slightly lower overall but more age-skewed: Countywide smartphone take-up trails the state by a few points, with a bigger gap among seniors; younger adults are effectively at parity with state-level adoption.
• 5G is present but mostly low-band: County coverage is broad but weighted to low-band 5G and LTE; mid-band 5G capacity is concentrated in and around Raleigh and Taylorsville, so typical mobile speeds are lower than the statewide median.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA) is filling gaps: T‑Mobile and Verizon 5G Home offerings cover more of the county than cable/fiber, so FWA is growing faster locally than statewide.

User estimates

• Population baseline: 14,209 residents (2020 Census). Adults (18+) ≈ 10,700.
• Adults with a mobile phone (any cellphone): ≈ 10,000–10,300 (about 93–96% of adults), in line with rural-U.S. norms.
• Adult smartphone users: ≈ 9,000 (about 84% of adults). This is a few points below Mississippi’s overall adult smartphone rate, primarily due to the county’s older age mix and income profile.
• Mobile-dependent home internet: Approximately 25–30% of households use mobile data (phone hotspot or mobile plan) as their primary or only home internet, versus roughly one-fifth statewide. Fixed wireless (5G Home) is a notable contributor to this reliance.

Demographic breakdown (usage patterns)

• By age:
  • 18–49: Very high smartphone ownership (≈ 95–97%), similar to statewide.
  • 50–64: High adoption (≈ 85–88%) but a bit below the state average.
  • 65+: Noticeably lower adoption (≈ 65–70%); this is where the county’s gap with the state is most pronounced.
• By income:
  • Households below the county median income are markedly more likely to be smartphone-only for home connectivity and to use prepaid plans, a stronger tilt than the statewide pattern due to fewer fixed-broadband options in outlying areas.
• By geography within the county:
  • Town centers (Raleigh, Taylorsville, Mize) show higher 5G-capable device usage and more consistent 5G service; outlying and forested tracts rely more on LTE and show higher mobile-only home internet use.

Digital infrastructure points

• Networks present: All three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) provide countywide 4G LTE coverage; 5G is available from each, with low-band layers covering most populated areas.
• 5G capacity: Mid-band 5G capacity (e.g., n41/n77) is concentrated in/near Raleigh and Taylorsville and along primary corridors (MS‑28, MS‑35). Outside these areas, users predominantly experience low-band 5G or LTE, limiting peak and median speeds compared to state urban corridors.
• Typical performance: County median mobile speeds are below Mississippi’s statewide median, reflecting lower mid-band density and terrain/vegetation effects. Reliability of voice/SMS is strong on major routes; performance degrades more quickly off-corridor than in the state’s metro counties.
• Fixed broadband context: Cable and fiber plant are present but limited to town footprints and select subdivisions. Large swaths of the county remain on legacy DSL or unserved for wired broadband, which elevates dependence on mobile data and fixed wireless. FirstNet (AT&T) public-safety coverage is available and generally tracks AT&T’s LTE footprint.
• Emerging access: 5G fixed wireless (T‑Mobile, Verizon) is widely marketable in the county and is expanding faster than cable/fiber builds, making it a key driver of new household broadband connections locally.

Interpretive insights

• Smith County’s slightly lower overall smartphone penetration is driven by its higher share of older adults and tighter household budgets, not by lack of device availability among younger cohorts.
• Because wired options thin out quickly outside town limits, residents lean more on mobile data—for both personal use and as a home internet substitute—than the average Mississippi household. This pattern is reinforced by competitive FWA pricing and eligibility where cable/fiber are absent.
• The county’s 5G experience is more about coverage than capacity: users generally see a 5G icon in populated areas, but the absence of dense mid-band sites keeps real-world speeds and multi-user performance below state averages, especially during peak hours.
• For planners and providers, the highest-impact improvements locally are additional mid-band 5G sectors on existing sites outside town centers and targeted fiber or fixed-wireless expansions to clusters now on DSL or mobile-only service.

Sources and methods

• Population and age structure: U.S. Census Bureau (2020) and ACS multi-year estimates for small-area age mix.
• Smartphone adoption benchmarks: Pew Research Center (latest national by age), adjusted for rural profiles and applied to the county’s age mix.
• Infrastructure characterization: FCC Broadband Data Collection maps (2024), carrier public coverage disclosures, and rural network deployment patterns in Mississippi.
• Mobile-only home internet share: Derived from ACS internet subscription categories and FCC service availability, with rural-county adjustments reflecting limited wired plant coverage.

Smith County, MS social media snapshot (best-available estimates using U.S. Census ACS demographics, Mississippi broadband adoption, and Pew Research Center 2023–2024 platform-usage rates applied to a rural county profile)

Headline numbers

• Adult internet access: 85–90% of adults are online; smartphone-only access is common (25–30% of adults)
• Social media penetration: ~75–80% of adults use at least one social platform; ~65–70% use social daily
• Gender mix among social users: roughly even overall (≈51% female, 49% male), with platform-specific skews noted below

Most-used platforms among adults (estimated share of adults who use each)

• YouTube: 72–78%
• Facebook: 65–72%
• Instagram: 28–35%
• TikTok: 25–33%
• Pinterest: 22–28% (skews female)
• Snapchat: 18–24% (skews under 35)
• WhatsApp: 10–15%
• X (Twitter): 8–12%
• LinkedIn: 8–12%
• Reddit: 8–12%
• Nextdoor: <5%

Age-group usage patterns (share of adults in each band using any social; platform highlights)

• 18–29: 90–95% on social; heavy on YouTube (90%+), Instagram (65–75%), Snapchat (65–75%), TikTok (60–70%); Facebook still common (~60–70%)
• 30–49: 85–90% on social; Facebook (75–85%) + YouTube (85–90%) core; Instagram (45–55%), TikTok (30–40%), Snapchat (~25–35%)
• 50–64: 70–80% on social; Facebook (65–75%), YouTube (70–80%); Instagram (25–35%), TikTok (15–25%)
• 65+: 55–65% on social; Facebook (50–60%), YouTube (55–65%); lighter on Instagram (<20%) and TikTok (<15%)

Gender breakdown by platform (share of each platform’s local users)

• More female: Pinterest (70% F), Instagram (55% F), Facebook (~55% F)
• More male: YouTube (55–60% M), Reddit (65% M), X/Twitter (~60% M)
• Roughly even: TikTok, Snapchat, WhatsApp

Behavioral trends observed in rural Mississippi counties like Smith

• Facebook is the default local network: Groups for churches, schools, youth sports, civic clubs; Marketplace is heavily used for buy/sell/trade
• Video-first consumption: YouTube for how‑to, equipment repair, hunting/fishing, music; Facebook Reels and TikTok for short local clips and school sports highlights
• Messaging over feeds: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are primary for day-to-day communication; WhatsApp mainly for family with out-of-area ties
• Community information flows through Facebook pages/groups (county offices, utilities, schools); local radio/newspaper stories are amplified via Facebook
• Engagement peaks evenings and weekends; mobile-first usage dominates, so vertical video and concise captions perform best
• Lower presence on LinkedIn and X/Twitter; Pinterest strong among women 25–54 for recipes, home, weddings, and crafts
• Trust and safety: Word-of-mouth via groups drives rapid sharing; clear source labeling and prompt moderation reduce rumor spread

Notes on methodology

• County-level platform stats are not directly published by platforms or federal agencies; figures above are modeled from Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. platform adoption by age and community type, Mississippi’s rural broadband/adoption patterns, and Smith County’s demographic profile from the U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Use as planning benchmarks rather than exact counts.