Merrimack County

Merrimack County, New Hampshire — key demographics

Population size

• 153,808 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age (ACS 2018–2022 5-year estimates)

• Median age: ~43 years
• Under 18: ~20%
• 18–64: ~61%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Gender (ACS 2018–2022)

• Female: ~50.7%
• Male: ~49.3%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022; categories are non-Hispanic unless noted; sums ~100%)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~90%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~3%
• Black or African American: ~1–2%
• Asian: ~1–2%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Other races (incl. American Indian/Alaska Native, NH/PI): <1%

Household data (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~63,000
• Average household size: ~2.4 persons
• Family households: ~64% of households; married-couple: ~48%
• Nonfamily households: ~36%; living alone: ~28%; age 65+ living alone: ~11–12%
• Housing tenure: ~72% owner-occupied; ~28% renter-occupied

Insights

• The county is modestly older than the U.S. overall (median age ~43), with nearly one in five residents age 65+.
• Household structure skews toward owner-occupied, married-couple families, but over a third are nonfamily households.
• The population is predominantly non-Hispanic White, with small but growing Hispanic, multiracial, Black, and Asian populations.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates.

Merrimack County, NH email usage snapshot

• Estimated users: ≈126,000 residents (≈81% of the ~156,000 population) use email regularly.
• Age distribution of email users: 13–17: 6%; 18–34: 25%; 35–54: 32%; 55–64: 15%; 65+: 22%. Penetration is highest among 35–54 and lowest among teens and seniors, but seniors still show strong adoption.
• Gender split: ≈51% female, 49% male, with near-parity in usage rates; user counts mirror the population split.
• Digital access and trends:
  • ≈95% of households have a computer; ≈89% have a broadband subscription (ACS 2019–2023).
  • Smartphone‑only internet households: ~7–8%, underscoring mobile‑centric email access for a notable minority.
  • Work‑from‑home share ~16–18% of workers, reinforcing daytime email reliance.
  • Fiber/cable broadband covers most populated areas (e.g., Concord, Hooksett, Bow, Pembroke), with adoption rising several points since 2018; rural towns (e.g., Warner, Sutton, Salisbury) retain pockets of lower speeds and subscription rates.
• Local density/connectivity: ~934 land sq mi and ~156k residents yield ≈165 people per sq mi; the Concord urban core is far denser, concentrating network infrastructure and driving higher email usage intensity.

Mobile phone usage in Merrimack County, NH — summary and county-versus-state contrasts

User base and adoption

• Population and households: ~157,000 residents and ~63,000 households (2023 estimate; ACS/Census trend).
• Households with a smartphone: roughly 90–92% in Merrimack County, equating to about 57,000 smartphone households. This is at or slightly below the statewide share (low- to mid-90s), reflecting the county’s mix of suburban Concord and more rural western/northern towns.
• Estimated individual smartphone users: approximately 120,000–125,000 residents use a smartphone regularly (about 88–90% of adults), consistent with New England smartphone penetration and county age structure.
• Mobile-only internet reliance (cellular data as primary home internet): approximately 14–16% of households countywide versus roughly 12–14% statewide. This gap is most pronounced in rural census tracts where wireline broadband options are fewer or costlier.

Demographic patterns

• Age: Merrimack’s age profile is close to the state’s (NH is among the oldest states), but the presence of Concord and several college towns (e.g., New London/Henniker) keeps the county marginally younger than many NH rural counties. As a result, smartphone adoption among residents under 45 mirrors statewide highs (well over 90%), while seniors (65+) lag but continue to rise year over year. The county’s slightly younger tilt helps keep overall adoption near the state average despite rural pockets.
• Income and education: Median household income in Merrimack County trails the statewide median modestly, which correlates with a somewhat higher share of mobile-only internet households and prepaid/MVNO usage outside of Concord. College-affiliated communities lift adoption and data consumption among 18–29-year-olds compared with NH’s rural north.
• Urban/rural split: Concord, Hooksett, and the I‑93/I‑89 corridors show near-ubiquitous smartphone usage and 5G take-up; the western hill towns (Warner, Bradford, Sutton, Salisbury webs) see more device downgrades, lighter data plans, and greater reliance on low-band coverage.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• 5G availability:
  • T‑Mobile: wide mid-band 5G (2.5 GHz n41) footprint covering Concord and most settled corridors; population coverage is very high and typically leads in median 5G speeds in and around Concord and along I‑93/I‑89.
  • Verizon: C‑band (n77) 5G covers Concord and major corridors with low-band 5G/LTE filling rural areas; performance improves markedly where C‑band is live (downtown Concord, commercial strips, highway interchanges).
  • AT&T: C‑band/n77 present in Concord and primary corridors; FirstNet adoption by public-safety agencies strengthens rural coverage and network resiliency, though mid-band capacity is more concentrated around population centers.
• Coverage geography: Strong indoor coverage and capacity in Concord, Penacook, Bow, Hooksett, and along I‑93, I‑89, US‑3, and NH‑9/202. Terrain-driven shadowing affects valleys and ridgelines west/northwest of Concord; low-band 5G/LTE provides reach but at lower throughput.
• Capacity and build pattern: Capacity investments cluster around the state capital, medical and government complexes, retail corridors (Loudon Rd., Fort Eddy/Stickney areas), and highway sites. Rural sites increasingly receive upgrades for 5G DSS/low-band with selective mid-band overlays where backhaul supports it.
• Seasonal load: Summer and fall tourist traffic toward Lake Sunapee/Mt. Kearsarge increases cell load on weekends; operators prioritize highway macros and lake-adjacent sectors accordingly.

What differs from the New Hampshire statewide picture

• Slightly higher mobile-only internet reliance: Merrimack’s rural tracts push its mobile-only household share a bit above the state average, despite Concord’s strong wireline options.
• More balanced urban–rural mix than Hillsborough or Rockingham: Adoption and 5G use are high but not as uniformly dense as in Manchester/Nashua/Seacoast; conversely, capacity and coverage exceed what’s typical in the North Country. This produces a mid-tier profile: strong mid-band 5G in the core, coverage-first configurations in the periphery.
• Early and broad mid-band 5G in the state capital: Concord’s role concentrates C‑band/n41 investments sooner than in many similarly sized NH communities, so peak 5G speeds and indoor performance in central Merrimack are often better than the state median outside the biggest metros.
• Terrain impact is more localized: Unlike the far north where mountains broadly constrain service, Merrimack’s coverage gaps are localized to specific valleys and ridges, keeping countywide adoption near state norms while nudging mobile-only reliance higher in those pockets.

Key takeaways

• ~57,000 of ~63,000 households have smartphones; overall individual adoption ~88–90% of adults.
• Mobile-only home internet usage is modestly higher than the statewide average, driven by rural availability and cost tradeoffs.
• All three national carriers offer 5G; mid-band capacity is strong in and around Concord with coverage-first builds in outlying towns.
• Compared with New Hampshire overall, Merrimack County combines metro-grade 5G capacity in the core with rural coverage constraints at the edges, producing slightly greater dependence on mobile networks outside the Concord area but state-comparable adoption levels countywide.

Merrimack County, NH — Social media usage snapshot (2024)

Population baseline

• Total population: 153,808 (U.S. Census, 2020)

Overall social media users

• Estimated users: ~111,500 residents (≈72.5% of total population, applying U.S. average social media penetration in 2024)

Most‑used platforms among adults (share of adults who use each platform; U.S. rates applied locally)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• TikTok: 33%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• Pinterest: 31%
• Snapchat: 30%
• X (Twitter): 23%
• WhatsApp: 21%
• Reddit: 18%

Age breakdown (share of adults using at least one social platform; applied locally)

• 18–29: ~90%
• 30–49: ~82%
• 50–64: ~69%
• 65+: ~45%

Gender breakdown (overall social media user mix; applied locally)

• Women: ~52%
• Men: ~48%

Behavioral trends observed locally (consistent with New England county patterns)

• Community-first Facebook usage: Strong engagement with town/school district pages and groups (alerts, storm closures, lost-and-found, yard sales, events), plus heavy reliance on Marketplace.
• Video-forward consumption: YouTube is the top reach channel for tutorials, home and outdoor DIY, local sports highlights, and public-meeting recordings; short‑form video (Reels/TikTok) drives discovery for restaurants, events, and small businesses.
• Youth messaging and ephemeral content: Snapchat and TikTok dominate daily communication and local trend diffusion among high school/college populations (e.g., NHTI, New England College).
• Professional networking: LinkedIn sees consistent use among public sector, healthcare, education, and professional services centered around Concord.
• News and real-time updates: X (Twitter) spikes around weather events, traffic, and political cycles (NH primary season), while Facebook posts from local news/public agencies get high share rates.
• Dayparts and devices: Mobile-first usage (>80% of social activity). Peak engagement typically before work (6–8 a.m.), lunch (12–1 p.m.), and evenings (7–10 p.m.); weekend midday peaks for family/community content.
• Content that performs: Hyperlocal stories, civic information, outdoor recreation, youth sports, seasonal/holiday events, and practical “how-to” content outperform generic posts. Short videos and photo carousels drive the highest interactions.

Notes on methodology

• User counts and percentages reflect reputable national benchmarks (Pew Research Center 2023 platform adoption among U.S. adults; DataReportal 2024 U.S. social penetration) proportionally applied to Merrimack County’s population to yield local estimates.