Carroll County

Key demographics for Carroll County, New Hampshire (U.S. Census Bureau)

Population size

• 2020 Census: 50,107
• 2023 estimate (PEP): ≈51,000

Age

• Median age: ≈52 years
• Under 18: ≈17%
• 65 and over: ≈28%

Gender

• Female: ≈51%
• Male: ≈49%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2019–2023, rounded)

• White alone: ≈95%
• Black or African American alone: ≈1%
• Asian alone: ≈1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ≈0.5%
• Two or more races: ≈3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ≈3%

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: ≈23,000
• Average household size: ≈2.2
• Family households: ≈60% of households
• Married-couple households: ≈50% of households
• Households with children under 18: ≈20–25%
• Nonfamily households: ≈40%; living alone ≈30–35% (≈15% age 65+ living alone)

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates (tables DP05, S0101, S1101); Population Estimates Program (2023). Figures rounded; ACS values are estimates.

Carroll County, NH snapshot (estimates)

• Users: ~38–42k residents use email regularly (driven by high adult internet adoption; county is older than the NH average).
• Age distribution using email: 13–17: 70–80% occasional; 18–29: ~95%+; 30–49: ~95–98%; 50–64: ~90–94%; 65+: ~80–85%. Older age mix pulls the overall rate slightly below statewide levels.
• Gender split: Roughly even (about 50/50; slight female tilt consistent with local demographics).
• Digital access trends: Growing cable/fiber in larger towns and along main corridors; DSL and fixed wireless remain common in outlying areas. Smartphone-only access is more prevalent in remote parts; libraries, schools, and town facilities provide public Wi‑Fi. Home broadband subscriptions likely in the low-to-mid 80% of households, rising gradually.
• Local density/connectivity facts: Population 50k; low density (45–50 residents per sq. mile) and mountainous terrain produce patchy service outside town centers. 4G LTE is widespread along Route 16/302; coverage gaps persist in White Mountain areas; 5G is spotty. Seasonal tourism increases demand in Conway/Mount Washington Valley and lake communities, while some rural roads have limited last‑mile options.

Notes: Figures synthesized from state/national adoption benchmarks applied to a rural, older NH county profile.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Carroll County, NH (with emphasis on how it differs from statewide patterns)

County profile

• Rural, tourism-driven county anchored by Conway/North Conway, Wolfeboro, Ossipee, and the Lakes/White Mountains gateway towns. Population is small and older than the state average, with many seasonal homes.

User estimates (residents)

• Population baseline: roughly 50–55k residents.
• Mobile phone users (any mobile): 45k–50k residents carry a mobile phone, with adult adoption near statewide levels but slightly lower among seniors.
• Smartphone users: 38k–44k residents use smartphones; a modestly higher share of feature‑phone users remains than in the southern NH metros.
• Seasonal/visitor load: Summer and winter weekends can double daytime population in resort corridors (e.g., North Conway, Wolfeboro), driving 2–3x spikes in network demand relative to weekday baselines.

Demographic patterns that shape usage

• Older population: Carroll County’s median age is notably higher than NH overall. Smartphone adoption among 65+ lags the state average, with more voice/text‑centric use and slower upgrade cycles.
• Income mix: Median household income trails the state average; prepaid and value plans are more common, and device replacement cycles run longer (frequent 3–5‑year holds). Android share tends to be higher than in the Manchester–Nashua corridor.
• Work and mobility: Tourism, retail, health care, trades, and construction dominate. Mobile usage clusters by shifts and weekends; fewer large campuses or office parks than elsewhere in NH.
• Home internet substitution: In pockets lacking reliable wired broadband, households rely on smartphone hotspots or fixed‑wireless plans at higher rates than the state average.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• 4G/LTE: Strong along primary corridors and town centers (US‑302, NH‑16, NH‑25, NH‑28; Conway/North Conway, Wolfeboro, Ossipee, Moultonborough). Coverage thins quickly on back roads and in valleys.
• 5G: Present but patchy. Low‑band 5G reaches larger villages and major highways; mid‑band capacity is limited and mostly along the busiest corridors. Ultra‑dense 5G seen in southern NH metros is largely absent.
• Terrain constraints: Mountain shadowing (notches, valleys, lake basins) creates dead zones and indoor penetration issues. Residents commonly rely on Wi‑Fi calling and, in some cases, signal boosters.
• Backhaul: Fiber is available along main routes and in several town centers (with ongoing buildouts), but many remote sites still depend on microwave backhaul, limiting capacity during peak tourist periods.
• Public safety and resilience: First-responder network coverage has improved on key corridors, but spotty signal persists on recreational byways and at trailheads; power/backhaul redundancy is less robust than in southern metros.
• Small cells: Limited use, concentrated in village cores and resort/commercial districts; far less dense than in the state’s urban corridor.

How Carroll County differs from New Hampshire overall

• Adoption mix: Overall mobile adoption is similar, but smartphone penetration is a few points lower due to the county’s older age profile; feature‑phone and basic plans remain more common.
• Network experience: More LTE‑only areas and larger 5G gaps than the state’s urban/suburban south; speeds and capacity swing widely between town centers and rural stretches.
• Peak loads: Visitor‑driven demand surges are more extreme and predictable (weekends/holidays), causing congestion that is less typical statewide outside of beach and ski areas.
• Connectivity strategy: Higher reliance on Wi‑Fi calling, mobile hotspots, and fixed wireless to compensate for weaker indoor signal and limited wired broadband in outlying roads.
• Investment pattern: Fewer tower sites and slower mid‑band 5G densification than the I‑93/I‑95 corridors; permitting, terrain, and backhaul economics make incremental upgrades more common than large builds.

Implications for planning and service

• Prioritize mid‑band 5G and additional sectors along NH‑16/302 and village cores (Conway/North Conway, Wolfeboro) to absorb seasonal surges.
• Expand fiber backhaul to remote tower sites and pursue co‑location/small cells in resort districts.
• Promote Wi‑Fi calling literacy and public Wi‑Fi in town centers; target senior adoption support and affordable plan/device programs.
• Improve coverage and resiliency on recreation corridors and at trailheads where safety demand is high but signal is inconsistent.

Here’s a concise, county-specific snapshot. Figures are estimates derived from 2020–2023 Census/ACS demographics plus U.S. platform usage patterns, adjusted for Carroll County’s older, rural profile.

Overall user stats

• Population: ~50,000
• Social media users: ~34,000–39,000 (about 68–77% of residents; ~80–88% of adults)
• Devices: Predominantly mobile; low public-transit time means evening, at-home usage dominates

Most-used platforms (share of adults using the platform monthly, estimated)

• YouTube: 75–80%
• Facebook: 65–70% (very high Groups and Marketplace use)
• Instagram: 35–40%
• Pinterest: 28–32% (notably higher among women 35+)
• TikTok: 25–30% (heavy among under-35; lower in 55+)
• Snapchat: 22–27% (concentrated in teens/20s)
• LinkedIn: 18–22% (mainly professionals in healthcare, education, real estate)
• X/Twitter: 15–18% (news, weather, sports)
• Reddit: 12–15% (younger males, hobby communities)
• Nextdoor: 8–12% (coverage varies by town/neighborhood)

Age breakdown of local social media users (estimated share of users)

• 13–17: 8–10% (Snapchat/TikTok-first; light Facebook use)
• 18–24: 9–11% (TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat; YouTube universal)
• 25–34: 14–16% (Instagram, YouTube; TikTok rising; Facebook for events/groups)
• 35–54: 30–34% (Facebook and YouTube core; Instagram secondary)
• 55–64: 17–19% (Facebook, YouTube; some Pinterest)
• 65+: 18–21% (Facebook primary; YouTube for how‑tos/news)

Gender breakdown (estimated)

• Overall user mix: ~52% women, 48% men (mirrors local population)
• Platform skews:
  • More women on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest
  • More men on YouTube, Reddit, X
  • TikTok and Snapchat skew slightly female locally

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Facebook Groups are the hub: town info, school closings, road/weather updates, yard sale and buy/sell/trade, lost & found, civic issues
• Strong seasonality: engagement spikes around ski season, foliage, summer tourism; posts about trail conditions, lake/river access, events, dining specials perform best
• Events discovery: heavy reliance on Facebook Events; Instagram Stories for daily specials and live music
• Visuals drive reach: scenic photos/reels (mountains, lakes, foliage, snow days) and short vertical video outperform text-only posts
• Commerce: Facebook Marketplace widely used; local service providers book via Messenger/DMs
• Posting/engagement timing: peaks 7–10 pm; secondary bumps 7–9 am; storm days drive real-time spikes
• Community tone: high “lurker” share among 45+ (consume more than they post); younger users create on TikTok/Snapchat but coordinate plans in Instagram DMs
• Influencers: micro-creators (local photographers, outdoor guides, hospitality staff) have outsized sway; effective for tourism and dining
• Ads that work: hyperlocal radius (10–25 miles), clear offers, time-sensitive promos, user-generated content reposts; video and carousel outperform static images

Notes

• Percentages are directional estimates; Carroll County’s older age structure pushes Facebook/YouTube up and TikTok/Snapchat slightly down vs. U.S. averages.
• Nextdoor presence varies by neighborhood; some towns rely almost entirely on Facebook Groups instead.