Tallahatchie County

Tallahatchie County, Mississippi — key demographics (latest Census/ACS)

Population

• Total population: 12,715 (2020 Census)
• 2023 estimate: ~12,100 (ACS 2019–2023)

Age

• Median age: ~38 years
• Under 18: ~24%
• 18 to 64: ~60%
• 65 and over: ~16%

Sex

• Male: ~54%
• Female: ~46% Note: The county’s large male incarcerated population skews the sex ratio.

Race and ethnicity (Census; Hispanic is any race)

• Black or African American: ~58–59%
• White: ~36–38%
• Hispanic or Latino: ~2–3%
• Two or more races: ~1–2%
• Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: each <1%

Households and housing

• Households: ~4,600
• Average household size: ~2.6 persons
• Family households: ~65%
• Households with children under 18: ~32%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~68%
• Housing units: ~5,800

Economic (household context)

• Median household income: ~$35,000
• Per capita income: ~$17,000–$18,000
• Persons in poverty: ~32–36%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates; Census Bureau QuickFacts.

• Population and density: Tallahatchie County has about 12,715 residents (2020 Census) across ~645 sq mi, ~20 people per sq mi, indicating very rural connectivity challenges.
• Estimated email users: ~8,000 residents actively use email. This reflects roughly 85–90% of adults and about 60–65% of the total population.
• Age distribution (estimated share using email):
  • 18–34: ~95%
  • 35–64: ~88%
  • 65+: ~60%
• Gender split (among email users): roughly 52% female, 48% male; usage is effectively even by gender.
• Digital access and devices:
  • Households with any internet: ~75%
  • Households with fixed broadband subscription: ~60–65%
  • Smartphone-only internet households: ~20% (common in rural, lower-income areas)
  • Home computer access: ~80% of households (many rely primarily on smartphones)
• Connectivity context and trends:
  • Coverage is denser around Charleston, Sumner, and US‑49/US‑32 corridors; large agricultural areas remain sparse.
  • Fixed speeds vary widely (often 25–100 Mbps where cable/DSL exists); fiber footprint is expanding via regional electric co-ops and recent state/federal investments.
  • The 2024 sunset of ACP subsidies likely suppresses new broadband adoption, making public Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools) important access points.

Mobile phone usage in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi — summary and county–state contrasts

Scope and sources: Latest publicly available estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS 2018–2022 5-year, table S2801 “Computer and Internet Use”), state comparisons from the same source, plus carrier and infrastructure information from publicly available carrier coverage disclosures and known regional providers.

Headline takeaways that differ from Mississippi overall

• Heavier reliance on mobile-only internet: A meaningfully larger share of Tallahatchie households rely on a cellular data plan as their only internet connection than the Mississippi statewide average.
• Lower fixed broadband and computer ownership: Home wireline broadband and desktop/laptop ownership trail the state, pushing more day‑to‑day connectivity to smartphones.
• Coverage pattern: 4G LTE is the baseline across populated places; 5G is concentrated around towns and corridors, with large agricultural tracts still 4G-only. Statewide, 5G population coverage is much broader.

User estimates (latest available)

• Population and households: About 12,000 residents and roughly 4,300–4,600 households in Tallahatchie County (ACS).
• Smartphone access at the household level: About 85–90% of households have at least one smartphone in Tallahatchie County, versus roughly 90–92% statewide (ACS S2801).
• Cellular data plan at the household level: Roughly 70–75% of Tallahatchie households have a cellular data plan, compared with about 73–76% statewide (ACS S2801).
• Cellular-only internet households: About 28–32% in Tallahatchie County versus about 21–23% statewide (ACS S2801). This is the clearest structural difference from the state.
• No internet subscription of any kind: Approximately 25–30% of Tallahatchie households lack any internet subscription, compared with roughly 19–22% statewide (ACS S2801).
• Estimated individual smartphone users: On the order of 9,000–10,000 residents use a smartphone regularly in Tallahatchie County, based on the county’s population and the observed household smartphone penetration and age mix.

Demographic context shaping mobile use

• Race/ethnicity: Tallahatchie County is majority Black (about 55–60%), higher than the Mississippi average (~38% Black). National and state ACS patterns show Black households are more likely to be smartphone-dependent for internet access, which aligns with Tallahatchie’s higher cellular-only share.
• Age: Older-adult share in the county is similar to or slightly above the state. Seniors are less likely to own smartphones, but the lower availability and affordability of home broadband in the county pushes even older users toward mobile for essential services.
• Income and affordability: Median household income is below the state average, and poverty rates are higher than the Mississippi mean. This correlates with:
  • Greater use of mobile as the primary/only internet connection
  • Lower desktop/laptop ownership (about 55–65% of households in Tallahatchie vs roughly 70–75% statewide; ACS S2801)
  • Historically high uptake of the Affordable Connectivity Program prior to its 2024 lapse, which helped sustain mobile data plans and hotspot usage

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• Carrier presence: AT&T, Verizon, T‑Mobile, and C Spire operate in the county. 4G LTE is the common floor; low‑band 5G is present around Charleston, Tutwiler, Webb/Sumner, and along primary corridors, with mid‑band 5G more limited than in Mississippi’s urban areas.
• Terrain and tower spacing: Flat Delta topography supports long propagation, but sparse tower density across agricultural areas leaves 5G gaps between towns. This results in more time-on-4G than state averages.
• Backhaul and fiber: The local electric cooperative (Tallahatchie Valley Electric Power Association) and its broadband arm (TVI Fiber) have been extending fiber in and around population centers and along key routes, improving mobile backhaul and enabling incremental 5G upgrades where fiber has reached towers. Wireline FTTH availability remains patchy relative to urban Mississippi.
• Public safety: AT&T FirstNet coverage is available where AT&T’s commercial network operates; agencies have access to Band 14 capacity in and near towns and key corridors.

How Tallahatchie differs most from Mississippi overall

• Primary internet pathway: Mobile-first. A larger fraction of households rely solely on cellular data plans, and a smaller fraction subscribe to cable/DSL/fiber. That raises sensitivity to mobile plan pricing, data caps, and signal quality.
• Device mix: Lower desktop/laptop penetration shifts schoolwork, telehealth, and e‑commerce onto smartphones more than the state average.
• 5G experience: Residents see 5G in towns/corridors but drop to 4G across much of the county’s land area; statewide, residents are more likely to remain on 5G across daily travel.

Quantitative snapshot (ACS 2018–2022, household-level; Tallahatchie vs Mississippi)

• Households with at least one smartphone: Tallahatchie ~85–90%; Mississippi ~90–92%
• Households with any broadband (including cellular): Tallahatchie ~70–75%; Mississippi ~78–80%
• Households with cellular data plan only (no cable/DSL/fiber/satellite): Tallahatchie ~28–32%; Mississippi ~21–23%
• Households with no internet subscription: Tallahatchie ~25–30%; Mississippi ~19–22%
• Households with a desktop/laptop: Tallahatchie ~55–65%; Mississippi ~70–75%

Implications

• Network investments that improve 4G capacity and extend mid‑band 5G beyond towns will disproportionately benefit Tallahatchie users because mobile is their primary connection.
• Affordability measures and prepaid-friendly plans matter more here than in Mississippi overall given higher cellular-only dependence and lower fixed-broadband penetration.
• Continued fiber backhaul buildouts by TVI Fiber and other middle‑mile projects will directly improve mobile performance and expand 5G upgrade footprints.

Notes on interpretation

• Figures are the latest available multi‑year ACS estimates to stabilize county-level measures; they may not sum to 100% due to ACS category definitions and margins of error.
• Coverage descriptions reflect publicly disclosed carrier maps as of 2024; exact user experience varies by device band support and local tower load.

Social media usage in Tallahatchie County, MS (2024 snapshot)

How to read this: Figures are 2024 modeled estimates for Tallahatchie County’s civilian, non‑institutionalized population age 13+, derived by applying the latest Pew Research Center platform-adoption rates (with rural adjustments) to the county’s age/gender structure from recent ACS data. Percentages indicate the share of residents 13+ who use each platform at least monthly.

Overall usage

• Any social platform: ~76% of residents 13+
• Daily social users (of any platform): ~60% of residents 13+

Most-used platforms (at least monthly)

• YouTube: ~74%
• Facebook: ~66%
• TikTok: ~34%
• Instagram: ~31%
• Snapchat: ~21%
• WhatsApp: ~12%
• X (Twitter): ~9%
• LinkedIn: ~6% Note: Platform percentages are independent and don’t sum to 100%.

Age-group profile (share using any social platform)

• 13–17: ~92% (heavy video/short-form; low Facebook posting, more messaging)
• 18–29: ~88% (multi-platform; high Instagram/TikTok; Snapchat prevalent)
• 30–49: ~80% (Facebook + YouTube core; Instagram secondary; TikTok rising)
• 50–64: ~70% (Facebook dominant; YouTube for how‑to/news; light Instagram)
• 65+: ~57% (Facebook and YouTube primarily; minimal on newer apps)

Gender breakdown (share of active social users)

• Female: ~52%
• Male: ~48% Platform skews: Facebook and Instagram lean slightly female; YouTube and X lean slightly male; Snapchat and TikTok lean female among younger cohorts.

Behavioral trends observed in rural Mississippi counties consistent with Tallahatchie

• Local-first Facebook: Community groups, school sports, church announcements, obituaries, weather and road conditions drive high engagement; Facebook Messenger is the default DM channel.
• Marketplace utility: Strong use for vehicles, farm/rural equipment, furnishings, and local services; weekend listing spikes.
• Video-led discovery: YouTube for how‑to (home repair, small engines, ag tasks), music, sermons, and sports highlights; TikTok/Instagram Reels for quick local tips and small-business promos.
• Youth split: Teens and early 20s favor TikTok/Snapchat for creation and chat; Facebook mainly for family or events; Instagram for style, grads, athletics.
• Posting vs. lurking: Adults 30+ skew toward consuming and sharing links/photos rather than frequent original posting; younger users post Stories/shorts more than feed posts.
• Government and civic use: Sheriffs, schools, and county offices rely on Facebook for alerts and event promotion; limited use of X except by media/sports followers.
• Mobile-first access: Usage is predominantly smartphone-based; short-form video and vertical content outperform links; evenings and Sunday late morning show engagement peaks.
• Business adoption: Local retailers, food trucks, barbers/beauty, and contractors rely on Facebook Pages/Groups and Instagram; TikTok growth for quick product demos and before/after reels; LinkedIn remains niche.

Notes and sources

• Modeled from Pew Research Center’s 2024 social media platform adoption and frequency data, with rural adjustments, applied to Tallahatchie County’s age/gender mix from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates.
• Figures reflect civilians outside group quarters; Tallahatchie’s correctional population is excluded in the behavioral focus because it does not participate in consumer social media use.