Webster County

Webster County, Mississippi — key demographics (latest available)

Population size

• Total population: ~9,700–9,800 (2023 estimate)
• 2020 Census: 9,926

Age

• Median age: ~42 years
• Under 18: ~22%
• 18–64: ~59%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Gender

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White (non-Hispanic): ~74–76%
• Black or African American: ~20–23%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~1–2%
• Two or more races: ~1–2%
• Asian: ~0–1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0–1%

Household data

• Households: ~3,700–3,900
• Average household size: ~2.5
• Family households: ~65–70% of households
• Married-couple families: ~45–50% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~25–30%
• Nonfamily households: ~30–35%
• Individuals living alone: ~28–32% (about 10–12% age 65+ living alone)

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; 2023 Population Estimates Program). Figures are ACS estimates and include sampling error; use for planning and analysis.

Webster County, MS (2020 pop. 10,253; ~423 sq mi; ~24 people/mi²) is rural, with residents concentrated along the US‑82 corridor (Eupora/Mathiston) and sparser connectivity in outlying areas.

Estimated email users: ~7,000 residents. Basis: adult population share in rural MS and typical rural internet/email adoption.

Age distribution of email users (approximate counts):

• 18–34: ~1,800 (26%)
• 35–64: ~3,600 (51%)
• 65+: ~1,600 (23%)

Gender split among email users: 51% female (3,570) and 49% male (3,430), mirroring the county’s population.

Digital access trends:

• Computer access: ~80–85% of households have a computer.
• Broadband subscription: ~65–70% of households subscribe (fixed or mobile broadband), with higher uptake in towns and lower in remote areas.
• Smartphone‑only reliance: ~15–20% of households, reflecting limited fixed options for some residents.
• Fixed broadband performance is strongest where cable/fiber is present (Eupora/Mathiston); many rural areas rely on older DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite. Mobile LTE/5G covers most populated corridors, supplementing home access.

Insights: Email penetration is high among connected adults, but overall usage is capped by lower broadband adoption in low‑density areas; improving last‑mile fixed access would expand email usage, especially among older and remote households.

Mobile phone usage in Webster County, Mississippi (2024 snapshot)

Overall adoption and user estimates

• Population: ≈9,700; adults (18+): ≈7,500.
• Adult smartphone users: ≈6,300–6,700 (≈84–89% of adults). This trails Mississippi’s statewide adult smartphone adoption by roughly 1–3 percentage points.
• Households: ≈3,800.
• Households with at least one smartphone: ≈3,300 (≈85–90%).
• Households relying primarily on cellular data for home internet (smartphone-only or mobile hotspot as the main connection): ≈900–1,050 (≈24–28% of households), several points higher than the statewide share (roughly high-teens to ~20%).

Demographic patterns and how they differ from the state

• Older age profile: Webster County’s median age is several years higher than Mississippi overall, which nudges total smartphone adoption slightly lower than the state average. However, smartphone dependence among lower-income and older residents (using phones as their primary internet device) runs higher than the state average because of limited wireline options.
• Race/ethnicity: A larger White and smaller Hispanic share than the state. Smartphone adoption is high across groups, but smartphone dependence (phone as the main or only internet device) is concentrated among younger adults and lower-income households; in Webster this effect is amplified by infrastructure constraints rather than language or immigration factors.
• Income and education: Median household income and bachelor’s attainment rates are lower than state averages, which correlate with:
  • Greater “mobile-only” internet use (cellular in lieu of home broadband).
  • Higher prevalence of prepaid/MVNO plans and budget Android devices.
  • Lower multi-device ownership (fewer households with both smartphones and laptops/tablets) than the statewide pattern.

Usage and access characteristics

• Wireless-only telephone households (no landline): roughly three-quarters of households, modestly above the statewide rate, reflecting both consumer preference and limited landline availability.
• Data usage: Heavier reliance on mobile data for everyday tasks (banking, school portals, telehealth) than Mississippi overall, with more hotspot use for homework and streaming in households without cable/fiber.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage: 4G LTE is broadly available across populated areas; 5G is present in and around Eupora, Mathiston, and along the US‑82 corridor, with patchier coverage in more forested or hilly tracts. Population coverage for 5G is high, but continuous road coverage is less complete than Mississippi’s urban counties.
• Carriers: AT&T (including FirstNet for public safety), Verizon, and T‑Mobile all serve the county. Low‑band 5G (AT&T/Verizon) provides reach; mid‑band 5G (primarily T‑Mobile) is concentrated near town centers and highways.
• Speeds: Typical experienced mobile downloads in populated parts of Webster County run lower than the statewide median. Expect roughly 30–60 Mbps where signal is strong (higher on mid‑band 5G segments), versus higher statewide medians in metro areas; performance falls at edges between sites and in dense pine/rolling terrain.
• Capacity/backhaul: Fiber backhaul is strongest along US‑82 and in/near Eupora and Mathiston; several rural sites rely on longer microwave backhaul links, which are more capacity‑constrained and weather‑sensitive. Small‑cell density is minimal; coverage is driven by macro towers.
• Public/anchor connectivity: Schools and libraries in Eupora/Mathiston act as key digital anchors with Wi‑Fi, partially offsetting limited residential broadband. Public safety coverage has been upgraded via FirstNet, improving reliability for emergency communications countywide.

Trends that differ from Mississippi overall

• Slightly lower overall smartphone adoption, but notably higher smartphone dependence for home internet.
• More prepaid/MVNO plan utilization and tighter data budgets than the statewide mix.
• Lower median mobile speeds and fewer mid‑band 5G zones than urban counties, despite nominal 5G availability on coverage maps.
• Infrastructure constraints (tower spacing, terrain, backhaul) play a larger role in user experience than they do in much of the state, leading to greater variability in speeds and indoor coverage, especially away from US‑82 and town centers.

Bottom line Webster County is highly mobile-reliant, with near‑universal smartphone presence at the household level and above-average dependence on cellular for home internet. Compared with Mississippi overall, adoption is fractionally lower but reliance is higher, speeds are more variable, and infrastructure is sparser and more topology‑constrained—producing a distinctly “mobile-first” usage pattern that is more about necessity than preference.

Webster County, MS social media usage (2024)

Population baseline

• Residents: 9,926 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census)
• Rural county; usage patterns align with rural U.S. benchmarks from Pew Research Center

Overall usage

• Adults using at least one social media platform: ~72% of adults (Pew Research Center, U.S. adults)

Most-used platforms among adults (share of adults who use each platform; Pew Research Center 2024, U.S. adults)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• TikTok: 33%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• Snapchat: 27%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• Pinterest: ~30%

Age groups (behavioral profile)

• 13–17: Near-universal platform use; heavy on YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat; Instagram important; Facebook used mainly for groups/events via parents (Pew teen data)
• 18–29: Multi-platform and video-first; Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok lead; YouTube ubiquitous; Facebook used but less central than for older adults
• 30–49: Broadest mix; Facebook + Messenger are core; Instagram and YouTube widely used; TikTok/Reels growing for entertainment and local businesses
• 50–64: Facebook dominant for community news, churches, schools, Marketplace; YouTube for how‑to and local content; lighter on TikTok/Instagram
• 65+: Facebook Groups and Pages for local updates and events; YouTube for tutorials and news clips; minimal use of newer platforms

Gender breakdown (directional, per Pew Research Center)

• Women: More likely to use Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest; higher engagement with community groups, schools, churches, and local events
• Men: More likely to use YouTube, Reddit, and X; higher engagement with sports, outdoors, local government, and breaking news

Behavioral trends observed in rural counties like Webster

• Facebook Groups/Pages anchor local information flows (schools, churches, youth sports, weather alerts, local government); Facebook Marketplace widely used
• Video consumption is bifurcated: YouTube for long‑form/how‑to; short‑form video (Reels/TikTok) gaining among under‑40s
• Messaging revolves around Facebook Messenger; Snapchat prevalent among teens and early 20s
• Local news discovery is concentrated on Facebook and YouTube, with cross‑posting from local TV/radio outlets
• Participation skews toward “lurking” and sharing; original content creation concentrated in younger cohorts and small business pages

Notes on methodology

• Platform percentages are from Pew Research Center’s 2024 (and recent) U.S. adult surveys and reflect typical rural usage patterns; they are applied to Webster County as the best available benchmark in the absence of county‑specific surveys
• Population figure is from the U.S. Census Bureau (2020)

Sources

• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (and prior waves for teens and rural splits)
• U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (Webster County, MS population)