Rockingham County

Rockingham County, New Hampshire — key demographics (most recent Census Bureau estimates; year noted where relevant)

Population size

• 2023 population estimate: about 323,000
• 2020 Census: 314,176
• 2020–2023 change: roughly +3%

Age

• Median age: ~45 years (ACS 2023)
• Under 18: ~20–21%
• 65 and over: ~19–20%

Gender

• Female: ~50.7%
• Male: ~49.3%

Racial/ethnic composition (shares of total population)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~86–87%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~4–4.5%
• Asian: ~3–3.5%
• Black or African American: ~1–1.5%
• Two or more races: ~3–4%
• Other races: ~0.5%

Households

• Households: about 123,000 (ACS 2019–2023)
• Average household size: ~2.5–2.6
• Family households: ~69%
• Married-couple families: ~53–54%
• Households with children under 18: ~28–30%
• One-person households: ~24%

Insights

• Modest population growth since 2020.
• Older-than-national age profile (median age ~45).
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White, with small but growing Hispanic and Asian populations.
• Household sizes are moderate; majority are family households with a slight majority of married-couple families.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 Population Estimates; 2023 American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year (DP05, S0101); 2019–2023 ACS 5-year (DP02); 2020 Decennial Census.

• Scope: Rockingham County, NH (≈320,000 residents; ≈450 people per square mile), a suburban-Boston commuter county with among the highest connectivity rates in New Hampshire.
• Estimated email users: ≈270,000 residents (≈85% of the population) use email.
• Age distribution of email users (est.): 13–34: 31%; 35–54: 36%; 55–64: 18%; 65+: 15%. Younger and prime‑working‑age adults are near‑universal users; adoption among seniors is high but modestly lower.
• Gender split (est.): Female 51%, Male 49% (tracks the county’s population mix; email adoption is effectively parity by gender).
• Digital access and usage:
  • ≈93% of households have a home broadband subscription; ≈97% have a computer/smartphone.
  • Fixed broadband access is widespread (100/20 Mbps-class service available to the vast majority of addresses), with dense cable/fiber along the I‑95/I‑93 corridors and Seacoast communities.
  • Smartphone‑only internet users ≈11%; multi‑device access dominates, supporting heavy email use for work, school, and services.
  • Remote/hybrid work and high educational attainment sustain daily email reliance, with increasing adoption among 55+ residents.
• Insight: High population density for NH, strong commuter economy, and near‑universal connectivity make email a default communication channel countywide, with only small pockets of limited fixed access covered by mobile broadband.

Rockingham County, NH — mobile phone usage snapshot (2023–2024)

User estimates

• Population baseline: ~320,000 residents; ~262,000 adults (18+).
• Unique mobile users: ~270,000 residents use a mobile phone of any type.
• Smartphone users: ~255,000 residents (about 91% of adults, plus most teens 13–17).
• Mobile subscriptions: ~370,000 active cellular lines (about 115 per 100 residents, reflecting multi‑line and device add‑ons).
• Households: ~127,000 total; ~119,000 households (≈94%) have at least one smartphone; ~8,000–9,000 households (≈6–7%) are smartphone‑only for home internet.

Demographic breakdown (share using a smartphone, Rockingham County)

• By age:
  • 13–17: ~95%
  • 18–34: ~97%
  • 35–54: ~95%
  • 55–64: ~89%
  • 65+: ~78%
• By income:
  • Under $35k: ~88%
  • $35k–$75k: ~93%
  • $75k+: ~97%
• By geography within the county: Highest adoption and 5G use along the I‑93/Route 3 corridor (Salem, Derry, Londonderry) and the Seacoast (Portsmouth, Hampton); slightly lower among inland rural tracts.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage: Virtually universal 4G LTE across populated areas; 5G covers ~95% of the county’s population, with dense mid‑band 5G (C‑Band and 2.5 GHz) in major towns and commuter corridors.
• Capacity drivers: Proximity to Greater Boston backhaul and spectrum buildouts yields above‑average sector density and mid‑band availability compared with most of NH.
• Carriers and spectrum in market: Verizon, AT&T, and T‑Mobile operate low‑band (600/700 MHz) for reach, mid‑band (AWS/PCS, 2.5 GHz, C‑Band) for capacity, and millimeter‑wave hot spots in select commercial areas.
• Reliability: Highway corridors (I‑93, Route 101, I‑95) and retail/industrial zones have the strongest signal redundancy; remaining weak spots are limited to pockets in low‑density inland areas and certain coastal dead zones during peak seasonal load.

How Rockingham differs from the New Hampshire state picture

• Higher smartphone penetration: ~91% of adults in Rockingham vs ~88–89% statewide, driven by higher incomes, education, and strong commuter tech usage.
• Fewer smartphone‑only households: ~6–7% in Rockingham vs ~10–11% statewide, reflecting better fixed broadband and fiber availability that reduces mobile‑only reliance.
• More lines per resident: ~115 mobile subscriptions per 100 residents in Rockingham vs ~110 statewide, tied to multi‑line families, wearables, tablets, and work lines.
• Better 5G coverage and capacity: ~95% population coverage in Rockingham vs ~85–88% statewide; more mid‑band 5G sectors translate to higher median speeds and lower congestion in peak periods.
• Smaller senior gap: Smartphone adoption among residents 65+ is several points higher than the state average, narrowing the digital divide relative to rural northern counties.
• Commuter‑driven traffic pattern: Weekday daytime loads and enterprise device densities are higher than the state average due to cross‑border commuting into the Boston metro, which has led operators to prioritize capacity upgrades locally.

Notes on methodology

• Figures synthesize the latest available county population and household counts (U.S. Census/ACS), national device ownership benchmarks (Pew Research), industry subscription intensity (CTIA), and carrier deployment patterns/FCC filings, calibrated to Rockingham’s income, age mix, and infrastructure profile. Estimates are rounded to reflect practical planning precision.

Rockingham County, NH social media snapshot (2025)

Topline user stats

• Population base: ~320,000 residents; ~255,000 adults (18+).
• Adults using at least one major platform: ~83% of adults ≈ 212,000 people (benchmarked to Pew’s U.S. rates, applied locally).
• Daily use: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat users skew toward daily checking; LinkedIn and Pinterest more weekly.

Most-used platforms among adults (estimated local reach; Pew U.S. adoption rates applied to Rockingham’s adult base)

• YouTube: 83% ≈ 212,000
• Facebook: 68% ≈ 173,000
• Instagram: 47% ≈ 120,000
• Pinterest: 35% ≈ 89,000
• TikTok: 33% ≈ 84,000
• LinkedIn: 30% ≈ 77,000
• Snapchat: 27% ≈ 69,000
• X (Twitter): 22% ≈ 56,000
• Reddit: 22% ≈ 56,000
• Nextdoor: 20% ≈ 51,000
• WhatsApp: 21% ≈ 54,000

Age-group usage patterns (local behavior mirrors national suburban patterns; percentages are U.S. adoption shares applied locally)

• Teens 13–17: YouTube ~95%, TikTok ~67%, Snapchat ~60%, Instagram ~59%; Facebook comparatively low. Heavy short‑form video and messaging streaks; strong school/activities group reliance on Snapchat and Instagram.
• 18–29: YouTube ~95%; Instagram ~78%; Snapchat ~65%; TikTok ~62%; Facebook ~70%. High multi‑platform use; discovery via Instagram/TikTok; messaging via Snapchat/Instagram DMs.
• 30–49: YouTube ~92%; Facebook ~79%; Instagram ~53%; TikTok ~39%; LinkedIn ~40%; Pinterest ~41%. Mix of family/community updates (Facebook), professional networking (LinkedIn), and how‑to/DIY (YouTube, Pinterest).
• 50–64: YouTube ~83%; Facebook ~73%; Instagram ~29%; Pinterest ~33%; LinkedIn ~28%; TikTok ~24%. News, local groups, home projects; rising but selective TikTok use.
• 65+: YouTube ~60%; Facebook ~50%; Instagram ~15%; Pinterest ~18%; LinkedIn ~11%; TikTok ~10%. Heaviest on Facebook for community updates and local news; YouTube for tutorials and local meetings.

Gender breakdown (strongest, well-documented skews; U.S. percentages applied locally)

• Pinterest: women ~50% vs men ~20% (largest female skew; recipes, home, crafts, design).
• Reddit: men ~29% vs women ~17% (tech, finance, regional subs).
• YouTube: men ~86% vs women ~81% (both high; men modestly higher).
• Directionally: women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and neighborhood apps; men over-index on Reddit, X, and YouTube.

Behavioral trends in Rockingham County

• Community and local info: Facebook Groups and Nextdoor are central for town notices (snow emergencies, school updates, road work), local buy/sell, and event coordination (Hampton/Seabrook beaches, Exeter/Portsmouth arts).
• Commerce and discovery: Instagram and Facebook drive restaurant, brewery, boutique retail, and real‑estate discovery; Stories/Reels and Marketplace perform well for hyperlocal reach.
• Short‑form video growth: TikTok and Instagram Reels are primary for 18–34 discovery of local eateries, trails, and coastal activities; creators repurpose to YouTube Shorts.
• Professional footprint: LinkedIn usage is elevated for a suburban, Boston‑commuter workforce; recruiting, local tech/biotech networking, and alumni groups are active.
• News and civics: Facebook remains the default for local news outlets and town politics; YouTube carries livestreams/recordings of meetings, candidate forums, and issue explainers.
• Messaging ecosystems: Facebook Messenger and Instagram DMs dominate adult messaging; younger users lean Snapchat for daily communication streaks.
• Seasonality and timing: Peaks around summer tourism (beach towns), school-year cycles, and storm events; evening and early‑morning scroll windows dominate.

Sources and method

• Platform adoption and age/gender skews: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024; Teens, Social Media and Technology 2023.
• Population base: U.S. Census Bureau, Rockingham County 2023 estimates.
• Local figures are derived by applying Pew’s U.S. adoption rates to Rockingham’s adult population; overlaps across platforms are expected.