Burlington County

Burlington County, New Jersey — key demographics

Population

• Total population: ~464,000 (2023 population estimate, U.S. Census Bureau)

Age

• Median age: ~41–42 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~18%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49% (ACS 2019–2023)

Race/ethnicity (shares sum to ~100)

• Non-Hispanic White: ~65%
• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~16–17%
• Asian (non-Hispanic): ~6%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~9%
• Two or more races and other (non-Hispanic): ~3–4% (ACS 2019–2023)

Households

• Number of households: ~172,000
• Persons per household (average): ~2.60
• Family households: ~67% of households
• Married-couple households: ~49% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~30%
• One-person households: ~27% (ACS 2019–2023)

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates (2023) and American Community Survey (ACS) 2019–2023 5-year estimates.

Burlington County, NJ – email usage snapshot

• Estimated users: 360,000–400,000 (about 78–86% of ~462,000 residents), applying U.S. adult/teen email adoption rates (Pew) to local population.
• Age penetration (estimated, based on U.S. patterns):
  • 13–17: ~80–90%
  • 18–29: ~98–100%
  • 30–49: ~95–98%
  • 50–64: ~90–95%
  • 65+: ~80–90%
• Gender split: Approximately even; differences by gender are minimal in U.S. email use, so local split is near 50/50.
• Digital access trends: New Jersey posts high home-broadband subscription (~90%+ of households, ACS). Burlington’s suburban corridor (US‑130/I‑295/NJ Turnpike) typically has cable/fiber coverage; southern Pinelands townships see more DSL/fixed‑wireless reliance. Smartphone-only internet access is rising, supporting on‑the‑go email use.
• Local density/connectivity context: Population density is roughly 580 people per square mile; Burlington is NJ’s largest county by land area, with a mix of dense suburbs and rural tracts. Proximity to the Philadelphia labor market and anchors like Joint Base McGuire‑Dix‑Lakehurst help sustain high connectivity demand.

Mobile phone usage in Burlington County, NJ — 2025 snapshot

Quick take

• Very high smartphone adoption overall, with pockets of lower coverage and heavier mobile-dependence than the state average due to the county’s unique mix of dense suburbs, a large rural Pinelands area, and the Joint Base McGuire–Dix–Lakehurst (JBMDL).
• Mid-band 5G is strong in the western/suburban corridor but falls back to LTE in the southeastern Pinelands—more variability than most New Jersey counties.

User estimates (order-of-magnitude, method noted)

• Population base: ~465,000 residents (2020–2023 range).
• Adult smartphone users: ~330,000–350,000 (assumes roughly 90–93% adult adoption, consistent with Pew/state patterns).
• Teen users (13–17): ~24,000–27,000 (very high adoption).
• Total resident smartphone users: ~355,000–375,000.
• Active lines/SIMs: ~510,000–600,000 (roughly 1.1–1.3 lines per resident when including wearables, tablets, hotspots, business/IoT; elevated by logistics firms and the military base).
• Mobile-only home internet households: estimated 11–13% in Burlington vs roughly 8–10% statewide (ACS/Pew-aligned inference), driven by renters, lower-income tracts, and rural addresses.

Demographic patterns (directional, relative to NJ)

• Age: Nearly universal adoption among 18–49; strong but lower among 65+. Burlington skews slightly older than the state overall, which weighs adoption down a bit; JBMDL increases the share of younger, heavy mobile users in base-adjacent tracts.
• Income/education: Higher-income suburbs (e.g., Moorestown, Mount Laurel, Evesham) show faster turnover to 5G-capable devices and postpaid family plans; lower-income areas (e.g., Burlington City, Willingboro, parts of Pemberton) rely more on prepaid/MVNO and mobile-only internet.
• Race/ethnicity: As seen nationally, Black and Hispanic residents exhibit higher smartphone dependence for internet access. Burlington’s concentrations along the western corridor contribute to a slightly above-state mobile-only share.
• Housing tenure: Renters (including military and seasonal workers) are more likely to be mobile-only and to churn carriers more often.
• Work patterns: Logistics/warehouse and service jobs along I-295/NJ Turnpike correlate with heavier on-shift mobile data, more business-issued devices, and IoT lines (fleet, telematics).

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage pattern:
  • 4G LTE is broadly available in populated zones.
  • 5G low-band is widespread; mid-band 5G capacity is strong along I-295, the NJ Turnpike, US-130, and Routes 38/70/73, and in Moorestown–Mount Laurel–Marlton commercial corridors.
  • The southeastern Pinelands (e.g., Woodland, Bass River, around Chatsworth) has sparser tower spacing and more LTE/limited-5G pockets than the NJ average.
• Capacity and densification:
  • Rush-hour and weekend load is highest on Turnpike/I-295 corridors and big retail nodes (e.g., Moorestown Mall/Centerton Square area), where small cells and additional sectors are common.
  • Indoors, schools, hospitals, and larger venues use DAS; on-base facilities at JBMDL typically have enhanced indoor coverage.
• Siting and build constraints:
  • Environmental protections and Pinelands regulations tend to lengthen macro-tower permitting, so carriers favor colocation and targeted small cells in town centers and along utility corridors.
• Public/private assets and offload:
  • Antennas frequently colocated on water towers, municipal buildings, and stadium lights.
  • County libraries and downtowns provide Wi‑Fi offload; large employers and logistics sites often deploy private Wi‑Fi for handhelds/scan guns.
• Public safety:
  • FirstNet (AT&T) and Verizon Frontline serve first responders; military presence drives additional prioritization and backup power at select sites.

How Burlington differs from New Jersey overall

• More heterogeneous coverage: Larger rural area than most NJ counties means more dead zones and LTE fallback than the statewide experience, which is anchored by dense North Jersey corridors.
• Higher mobile-only reliance: By 1–3 percentage points vs state, reflecting renters, military households, and rural addresses where wired options can be limited or pricier.
• Device and plan mix: Slightly higher prepaid/MVNO share and Android mix than in affluent North Jersey counties; iPhone share remains high but a bit below the state average.
• 5G performance profile: Suburban west/central Burlington can match or exceed state mid-band 5G speeds; the Pinelands pulls down countywide consistency relative to the state.
• Business/IoT weighting: Warehousing, last-mile delivery, and the base add more non-handset lines per capita than typical NJ counties.
• Mobility patterns: Less heavy-rail/underground infrastructure than North Jersey, so fewer transit DAS builds and more roadside/small-cell solutions.

Notes on method and data

• Estimates triangulate 2020 Census/ACS county population and household counts with Pew smartphone adoption and ACS device/Internet-use patterns; infrastructure patterns align with FCC mobile coverage maps and carrier mid-band 5G rollouts through 2024.
• Exact block-level adoption and tower counts vary by carrier and are subject to change with ongoing upgrades and permitting.

Below is a concise, best-available snapshot for Burlington County, NJ. Where county-specific data aren’t publicly broken out, percentages are localized estimates based on Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. social media usage patterns, New Jersey suburban benchmarks, and Burlington County’s population profile.

At-a-glance user stats

• Population: ~460,000; adults (18+): ~355,000
• Adults using at least one social platform (incl. YouTube): ~280,000–305,000 (≈80–86% of adults)
• Daily social users: ~60–65% of adults (≈215,000–230,000)
• Smartphone penetration: ~90% of adults; home broadband ~88–92%

Most-used platforms (adult share; county-level estimates)

• YouTube: 80–85% of adults (~285k–300k)
• Facebook: 65–70% (~230k–250k)
• Instagram: 45–50% (~160k–180k)
• TikTok: 30–35% (~105k–125k)
• Snapchat: 28–32% (~100k–115k)
• Pinterest: 32–38% (~115k–135k)
• LinkedIn: 28–32% (~100k–115k)
• WhatsApp: 20–25% (~70k–90k)
• X (Twitter): 22–27% (~80k–95k)
• Nextdoor: 15–25% (~55k–90k; strong in suburban neighborhoods)

Age-group patterns (adult usage; localized from national benchmarks)

• Teens (13–17): YouTube 90%+; TikTok 60–65%; Snapchat 60–65%; Instagram 55–60%; Facebook 30–35%
• 18–29: YouTube 90–95%; Instagram 75–80%; Snapchat 65–70%; TikTok 60–65%; Facebook 50–60%
• 30–49: YouTube ~90%; Facebook 70–80%; Instagram 50–60%; TikTok 35–45%; LinkedIn 35–40%
• 50–64: YouTube 75–85%; Facebook 65–70%; Instagram 30–40%; TikTok 18–25%
• 65+: YouTube 55–65%; Facebook 50–55%; Instagram 12–18%; TikTok 8–12%

Gender breakdown

• Overall social media users roughly mirror county population: ≈52% female, ≈48% male
• Platform skews:
  • Female-leaning: Pinterest (~70% F), Facebook (slight F tilt), Instagram (slight F tilt)
  • Male-leaning: YouTube (55% M), Reddit (65% M), X/Twitter (~60% M)
  • More balanced: TikTok, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook Groups

Behavioral trends in Burlington County

• Community-first usage: Heavy reliance on Facebook Groups and Nextdoor for school/PTA, youth sports, township updates, yard sales, and hyperlocal news.
• Marketplace and local shopping: Facebook Marketplace is widely used for furniture, kids’ gear, autos; Instagram Shops gaining traction for boutiques and food businesses.
• Video consumption: Short-form video (Reels, TikTok, Shorts) is the fastest-growing content type; YouTube remains the default for how-to, reviews, and local event recaps.
• Commuter rhythm: Peaks before work (7–8 a.m.), lunch (12–1 p.m.), and evenings (7–10 p.m.); weekend spikes for community content and events.
• Military community influence: Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst drives active Facebook/WhatsApp groups; frequent posts about housing, childcare, local services.
• Civic and public safety: Municipal offices, libraries, and OEMs post primarily on Facebook (and some X) for alerts, meetings, and weather; residents follow 6ABC/NJ outlets via FB/YouTube.
• Discovery and dining: Instagram/TikTok for local eateries, breweries, farm stands, and recreation; “Where to go this weekend” posts perform well.
• Customer service shifts: Growing use of DMs for local businesses; responsiveness strongly affects reviews and group recommendations.

Notes and method

• Figures are estimates extrapolated from Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. social media usage and ACS population data for Burlington County, adjusted for suburban NJ behavior.
• For precise, platform-specific reach in Burlington County, check ad platform audience tools (Meta, TikTok, YouTube, Nextdoor) or commission a local survey.