Washington County

Washington County, Mississippi — Key Demographics

Population

• 2020 Census (count): 44,922
• 2023 estimate (PEP): ~42,600

Age (ACS 2019–2023)

• Median age: ~38.8 years
• Under 18: ~24.8%
• 18–64: ~58.5%
• 65 and over: ~16.7%

Sex (ACS 2019–2023)

• Female: ~53.8%
• Male: ~46.2%

Race and Hispanic origin (2020 Census; race alone unless noted)

• Black or African American: ~71–72%
• White: ~24–25%
• Asian: ~0.4–0.6%
• American Indian and Alaska Native: ~0.2%
• Two or more races: ~1–2%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2–3%

Households and housing (ACS 2019–2023)

• Total households: ~17,000–17,500
• Average household size: ~2.5–2.6
• Family households: ~65%
• Households with children under 18: ~31–32%
• Married-couple families: ~27–30%
• Female householder, no spouse present: ~28–30%
• Nonfamily households: ~34–35%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~58–60%

Insights

• Predominantly Black county (roughly seven in ten residents).
• More females than males.
• Population has continued to decline since 2020.
• Household sizes are modest and ownership rates are below the state average but near the national average.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Decennial Census (DHC/PL 94-171), 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, and 2023 Population Estimates Program.

Washington County, MS — email usage snapshot (2024 estimates)

• Estimated users: ≈27,000 adult email users (≈78% of ≈34,500 adults), ≈29,000 including teens.
• Age distribution among email users: 18–29 ≈23% (6.3k); 30–49 ≈36% (9.7k); 50–64 ≈24% (6.5k); 65+ ≈17% (4.5k).
• Gender split: ≈54% female, ≈46% male—mirroring county demographics; usage rates are effectively equal by gender.
• Digital access: ≈85% of households have a computer or smartphone; ≈68% have home broadband; ≈12–15% are smartphone‑only; ≈20–22% lack home internet and rely on mobile data, libraries, or public Wi‑Fi.
• Trends: Broadband adoption has inched up since 2019, but affordability and last‑mile gaps sustain high smartphone‑only dependence; email remains a core, near‑universal service among connected adults for work, school, and services.
• Local density/connectivity: Population ≈44,000 spread over ≈725 land sq mi (≈61 persons/sq mi). Connectivity concentrates in Greenville and along US‑82 corridors; outlying areas rely more on DSL or fixed wireless than cable/fiber, leading to slower speeds and less reliable access.

Sources informing estimates: U.S. Census/ACS (population, S2801), Pew Research (internet/email by age), FCC deployment summaries.

Washington County, Mississippi: mobile phone usage snapshot (with county–state contrasts)

Scope and source notes

• Statistics are the latest available from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 2018–2022 5-year estimates, Table S2801 (Types of Computers and Internet Subscriptions) and related county demographic tables, plus FCC broadband/coverage filings and operator coverage disclosures current through 2024.
• Figures are household-based where applicable; “broadband” is ACS’s “broadband of any type” (cable, fiber, DSL, fixed wireless, or cellular data plan).

User base and adoption

• Households with a smartphone
  • Washington County: ~92%
  • Mississippi: ~91%
  • Insight: Overall smartphone availability is on par with the state, indicating near-saturation access to a mobile device across households.
• Cellular data plan subscription (any household member)
  • Washington County: ~78%
  • Mississippi: ~74%
  • Insight: Cellular data use is higher in Washington County, signaling greater reliance on mobile networks for internet access than the state average.
• Broadband subscription (any type)
  • Washington County: ~74%
  • Mississippi: ~79%
  • Insight: Despite similar smartphone access, the county trails the state in overall broadband subscriptions, reflecting weaker fixed-line uptake and heavier mobile dependence.
• No internet subscription at home
  • Washington County: ~21%
  • Mississippi: ~16%
  • Insight: The share of households offline at home is materially higher in Washington County; mobile devices are bridging some, but not all, of this gap.
• Smartphone-only households (has a smartphone but no other computing device)
  • Washington County: ~20–21%
  • Mississippi: ~17–19%
  • Insight: A larger slice of Washington County households rely on smartphones as their sole computing device, reinforcing a mobile-centric usage pattern above the state norm.

Demographic context that shapes mobile usage

• Population and composition (2020–2022 profile)
  • Population ≈ 42–44k; household count ≈ 16–17k
  • Race/ethnicity: ~70–72% Black, ~25–27% White, ~2–3% Hispanic/Latino, small shares other groups
  • Median age: mid- to late-30s
  • Poverty rate: roughly 30% (vs Mississippi ~20%)
  • Educational attainment (BA+): mid-teens percent (vs Mississippi ~22%)
• Implications
  • Higher poverty and lower college-attainment correlate with fewer PCs/laptops and lower wireline broadband adoption, pushing up smartphone-only and cellular-data reliance.
  • A majority-Black county with well-documented national patterns of higher mobile-centric internet use translates into above-state smartphone-only rates locally.
  • Net result: more day-to-day tasks (banking, school portals, telehealth) are executed via phones, with data-plan budgeting and signal quality materially affecting digital participation.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Mobile network footprint (2024)
  • All three national carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon) provide LTE countywide and 5G in and around Greenville and the US‑82 corridor (Greenville–Leland), with patchier 5G outside the urban core.
  • Mid-band 5G (n41 for T‑Mobile; n77 C‑band for AT&T/Verizon) is present in Greenville, boosting capacity and speeds; many rural blocks remain LTE‑only.
  • FirstNet (AT&T) public-safety coverage overlays the same footprint as consumer LTE/5G, supporting priority access for emergency services.
• Fixed and complementary access
  • Cable broadband (e.g., Sparklight/Cable One) and legacy DSL are concentrated in Greenville; fiber-to-the-home remains limited compared with Mississippi’s fiber growth corridors.
  • 5G/4G fixed wireless access (T‑Mobile Home Internet; Verizon 5G/LTE Home) is available to parts of Greenville and select nearby census blocks, offering a substitute where cable/fiber are absent.
  • Public/anchor connectivity: K‑12 campuses, libraries, and the Delta Regional Medical Center area provide higher-quality backhaul nodes; public Wi‑Fi is clustered in civic sites within Greenville.
• Coverage gaps vs state pattern
  • Mississippi overall has expanded rural fiber and mid-band 5G along major corridors; Washington County’s upgrades are more localized to Greenville, with river levee and agricultural tracts experiencing weaker indoor coverage and more frequent LTE congestion during peak hours.

Trends that differ from Mississippi statewide

• Heavier mobile reliance: Higher cellular data-plan take-up and smartphone-only households than the state average, paired with lower wireline broadband subscription.
• Larger offline share: A meaningfully higher “no internet at home” rate than the state, despite similar smartphone availability, underscores affordability and infrastructure constraints.
• Urban–rural split: Performance and 5G availability are strong in Greenville relative to the county’s rural periphery, creating a sharper intra-county disparity than in many Mississippi counties benefitting from recent fiber builds.
• Demographic drivers: Higher poverty and majority-Black composition magnify mobile-centric usage and smartphone dependence more than seen statewide.

Key takeaways for planning and service design

• Optimize for mobile-first: County residents disproportionately access services via smartphones; ensure low-bandwidth, mobile-friendly portals and apps.
• Support affordability: Data-plan and device affordability programs (ACP successor offerings, Lifeline) and flexible prepaid options have outsized impact locally.
• Expand fixed alternatives where feasible: Targeted fiber or fixed wireless build-outs beyond Greenville would reduce the large “no internet at home” gap and alleviate mobile network load.
• Leverage anchors: Partnerships with schools, libraries, and healthcare facilities in Greenville can extend community Wi‑Fi and digital skills programs into underserved tracts.

Source summary: ACS 2018–2022 5-year (S2801 and county demographics), FCC broadband/coverage filings, and operator-disclosed coverage footprints current through 2024.

Social media snapshot: Washington County, Mississippi (2024–2025)

Population baseline

• Total population: ~43,600
• Adults (18+): ~33,600; teens (13–17): ~2,800

Overall social media users

• Total users: ~26,300 residents use at least one social platform
• Adults: ~23,700 users; Teens (13–17): ~2,600 users

User mix

• Gender: 54% female (14,200) | 46% male (12,100)
• By age among all users:
  • 13–17: 10% (~2,630)
  • 18–29: 18% (~4,730)
  • 30–49: 33% (~8,680)
  • 50–64: 26% (~6,840)
  • 65+: 13% (~3,420)

Most-used platforms among local users (share of all social media users; multi-platform use is common)

• YouTube: 79% (~20,800)
• Facebook: 76% (~20,000)
• Instagram: 43% (~11,300)
• TikTok: 31% (~8,200)
• Pinterest: 29% (~7,600)
• Snapchat: 24% (~6,300)
• X (Twitter): 17% (~4,500)
• LinkedIn: 13% (~3,400)
• Reddit: 11% (~2,900)

Behavioral trends and usage patterns

• Community-first on Facebook: High engagement in local Groups (churches, schools, neighborhood safety, city updates). Facebook remains the daily “utility” network for adults 30+.
• Marketplace as the classifieds: Heavy use of Facebook Marketplace for furniture, appliances, auto parts, and local services; most transactions occur within short driving distance.
• Video-led consumption: YouTube for sermons, DIY, hunting/fishing, local news recaps; Facebook Live and short Reels/TikToks perform well for events and small-business promos.
• Event-driven spikes: Noticeable activity around severe weather, river/levee updates, school sports, and Greenville festivals (e.g., Delta Hot Tamale Festival).
• Messaging habits: Facebook Messenger is default for community coordination; Instagram DMs prevalent among under-35; WhatsApp use remains niche.
• Age-specific behavior:
  • Teens (13–17): Daily Snapchat and TikTok; Instagram Stories over feed; minimal Facebook posting.
  • 18–29: Instagram + TikTok for entertainment and creators; maintain Facebook for family/community touchpoints.
  • 30–49: Facebook Groups for schools/teams and Marketplace; growing use of Reels and TikTok for quick how-tos and local business discovery.
  • 50–64 and 65+: Facebook dominates; YouTube for longer-form and church content; lower posting frequency but consistent scrolling and sharing.
• Content that travels locally: Posts featuring recognizable community faces, churches, schools, or local causes outperform brand-heavy creative; plain-language captions and vertical video help reach.

Notes on methodology

• Figures synthesize 2023 ACS population structure and Pew Research 2023–2024 U.S. platform adoption, adjusted for Washington County’s age mix, rural broadband adoption, and Southern usage patterns; rounded to reflect local scale.