Camden County

Camden County, New Jersey — key demographics (latest U.S. Census Bureau data: 2020 Census and 2019–2023 ACS)

• Population size: 523,485 (2020 Census). Recent ACS estimates place it around 530,000.
• Age:
  • Median age: about 39 years
  • Under 18: ~22%
  • 18–64: ~62%
  • 65 and over: ~16–17%
• Gender:
  • Female: ~52%
  • Male: ~48%
• Race and ethnicity:
  • White alone: ~60–62%
  • Black or African American alone: ~19–20%
  • Asian alone: ~7–8%
  • Two or more races: ~4–5%
  • Other races: ~2–3%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~17–19%
  • Note: Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity and overlaps with race categories.
• Households and housing:
  • Households: ~190,000–200,000
  • Average household size: ~2.6–2.7
  • Family households: ~65%
  • Households with children under 18: ~30%
  • Married-couple households: ~45%
  • Owner-occupied housing: ~65–70% (remainder renter-occupied)

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey (2019–2023).

Camden County, NJ email usage (estimates based on 2020 Census ≈523k residents, ACS internet metrics, and Pew email adoption)

• Estimated users: ~415k (range 400–430k), about 80% of residents. Email is near-universal among adults; usage drops mainly for children under 13.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: ~7%
  • 18–34: ~27%
  • 35–54: ~32%
  • 55–64: ~14%
  • 65+: ~20%
• Gender split: ≈52% female, 48% male, mirroring county demographics.
• Digital access trends:
  • Household broadband subscriptions: roughly 89–91% countywide; lower in Camden city (around low-70s), higher in suburbs like Cherry Hill/Voorhees (>90%).
  • Smartphone-only internet households: ~10–15%, indicating a mobile-first segment that still relies on email.
  • Libraries and municipal sites offer free Wi‑Fi/computers; subsidy programs during the pandemic helped close gaps, though a city–suburb divide persists.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • ≈523k residents over 222 sq mi (2,350 people/sq mi).
  • Cable broadband is widely available; fiber exists in parts of the county.
  • All major carriers provide 5G coverage, supporting high mobile email access.

Mobile phone usage in Camden County, New Jersey — 2025 snapshot (with differences vs statewide)

Headline differences vs New Jersey

• Higher “mobile-only” internet reliance: A larger share of Camden County residents use a smartphone as their primary/only way online compared with the NJ average, driven by affordability gaps and lower wireline broadband adoption in parts of Camden City and several inner‑ring suburbs.
• More prepaid/MVNO use: Cost sensitivity raises the share of prepaid and MVNO plans (e.g., Metro, Cricket, Boost) relative to the statewide mix.
• Faster uptake of 5G fixed wireless home internet (FWA): T-Mobile and Verizon 5G Home are filling affordability and availability gaps in neighborhoods with limited fiber coverage, outpacing typical NJ adoption.
• Coverage is generally strong but with suburban–rural edge pockets: Southeastern townships bordering the Pinelands (e.g., parts of Winslow/Waterford) have thinner macro grids and more indoor weak spots than the state’s denser North Jersey counties.

User estimates (orders of magnitude; based on 2020–2023 ACS/Pew patterns, county pop ~530k)

• Residents who use a mobile phone (of any kind): roughly 450,000–490,000 (about 85–92% of all residents).
• Residents who use a smartphone: roughly 410,000–460,000 (about 77–87% of all residents).
• Adults who are “mobile-only” for home internet (no wired subscription): countywide on the order of 18–22% vs roughly 11–14% statewide; within Camden City, mobile‑only reliance is substantially higher than the county average.

Demographic patterns shaping usage (and how Camden differs)

• Income and affordability: County median household income trails the NJ median, and poverty is concentrated in Camden City and a few inner suburbs. This drives:
  • Higher mobile‑only internet use.
  • Greater prepaid/MVNO share.
  • Higher sensitivity to the end of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), with some households shifting from cable/fiber to FWA or downsizing plans.
• Age mix: A bimodal pattern—urban core skews younger (high smartphone dependence), while several suburbs skew older (slightly lower smartphone adoption, more voice‑first usage). Net effect is more variability than the statewide profile.
• Race/ethnicity and language: Larger Black population share than NJ overall and sizable Hispanic/Latino communities, especially in Camden City. Consistent with national trends, these groups show higher smartphone‑only rates and strong use of messaging apps (e.g., WhatsApp) for communication and commerce.
• Education and employment: More hourly and shift‑based work in health care, logistics, and retail correlates with heavy off‑Wi‑Fi data use and demand for reliable coverage along commuting corridors and job centers.

Usage pattern notes

• Data consumption: Above‑average mobile data per user in neighborhoods with limited or costly home broadband; strong use of hotspot features and unlimited or high‑allowance plans.
• Device and plan mix: Higher prevalence of older and mid‑tier Android devices and BYOD on MVNOs than the statewide average; installment financing is common.
• App ecosystem: High engagement with mobile banking/payments, government benefit portals, telehealth, and language/translation apps; video streaming over cellular is more frequent where home Wi‑Fi is weak or absent.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• 5G status:
  • T-Mobile mid‑band (n41) is broadly available across the county and typically leads in average 5G speeds in the Philadelphia–Camden market.
  • Verizon and AT&T C‑band 5G have expanded since 2022 along major corridors and population centers; dense suburban areas see strong performance.
  • mmWave nodes are limited to high‑traffic venues and specific commercial clusters (e.g., waterfront/entertainment areas and some shopping corridors); most users rely on mid‑band/sub‑6 5G.
• Macro/small‑cell grid:
  • Dense along I‑295, the NJ Turnpike, US‑130/30, and Routes 70/73/38; infill small cells in retail corridors and near schools/medical campuses.
  • Coverage challenges: Larger lots, tree cover, and low tower density at the county’s southeastern edge (near Wharton State Forest) create pockets of weaker indoor LTE/5G and slower uplink.
• Transit and venues:
  • Networks are tuned for load along PATCO, River LINE, and bridge approaches into Philadelphia; event surges (waterfront venues, malls) can cause short‑term congestion.
• Backhaul and wireline context:
  • Cable DOCSIS is widely available; fiber‑to‑the‑premises is more prevalent in suburbs than in portions of Camden City. Where fiber options are limited or costly, 5G FWA adoption is noticeably higher than the NJ average.
• Public safety and resiliency:
  • FirstNet (AT&T Band 14) and carrier hardening around hospitals, bridges, and emergency corridors are evident, but older masonry housing stock still creates indoor coverage variability; Wi‑Fi calling and femtocells are common workarounds in those pockets.

How Camden County differs most from the NJ average

• Adoption: Overall smartphone ownership is high but a few points lower than the statewide average because of a larger low‑income and older‑adult share.
• Access: A markedly higher share of mobile‑only adults and stronger reliance on prepaid/MVNO plans.
• Infrastructure use: Higher utilization of 5G FWA as a substitute for wireline; more noticeable performance gradients between urban/suburban cores and rural‑edge neighborhoods.
• Equity: Digital divide is more pronounced within a short geographic span—city blocks with low home broadband next to suburbs with gigabit fiber—leading to heavier dependence on mobile for essential services.

Notes on method and sources

• Estimates synthesize county population and demographics (Census/ACS), national device/adoption rates (Pew Research, Common Sense Media for youth), and carrier/network trends in the Philadelphia–Camden market as of 2023–2024. Exact figures vary by neighborhood; ranges are provided to avoid false precision.

Below is a concise, county-focused snapshot. County-level social metrics aren’t publicly reported, so figures are estimated by applying recent U.S./NJ benchmarks to Camden County’s population.

Topline user stats

• Population: ~533,000 (ACS 2023 est.). Adults (18+): ~410,000.
• Social media users (any platform): ~380,000–400,000 (≈70–75% penetration).
• Typical daily users: ~60–65% of social users active daily, skewing younger.

Age profile (share using at least one social platform; applies to county adults)

• 18–29: ~85–90%
• 30–49: ~80–85%
• 50–64: ~70–75%
• 65+: ~45–50% Implication: Near-universal use among <50; solid majority 50–64; about half of seniors.

Gender breakdown

• Overall user base roughly mirrors county demographics and U.S. patterns: ~52–55% women, ~45–48% men.
• Platform skews: more women on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok; more men on Reddit and X (Twitter); YouTube is near-even; LinkedIn slightly male-leaning.

Most-used platforms in Camden County (estimated using Pew 2024 U.S. adult usage applied to ~410k adults)

• YouTube ~83% of adults → ~340k users
• Facebook ~68% → ~280k
• Instagram ~47% → ~190k
• Pinterest ~35% → ~140k
• TikTok ~33% → ~135k
• LinkedIn ~30% → ~120k
• Snapchat ~27% → ~110k
• WhatsApp ~26% → ~105k
• X (Twitter) ~22% → ~90k
• Reddit ~22% → ~90k Notes: Nextdoor has meaningful neighborhood penetration but smaller reach; usage is concentrated among homeowners and parents.

Behavioral trends observed locally

• Community-first engagement: Heavy use of Facebook Groups and neighborhood apps for school updates, town services, public safety, yard sales, and youth sports (strong in Cherry Hill, Haddonfield, Collingswood, Voorhees).
• Short-form video leads: Instagram Reels and TikTok drive discovery for local eateries, events, and small businesses; Snapchat popular with teens.
• Philly sports culture: Spikes in X/Instagram/TikTok engagement around Eagles, Phillies, Sixers, and regional events.
• Real-time transit and weather: Commuters (PATCO/NJ Transit) follow X/Reddit for alerts; storm coverage and school closings trend in local FB Groups.
• Messaging layers: Facebook Messenger is ubiquitous; WhatsApp is notable among Hispanic and immigrant communities for family and community coordination.
• Shopping behavior: Facebook Marketplace and local buy/sell groups are active; Instagram discovery → in-store visits common for boutiques and restaurants.
• Timing: Peaks before work (7–9 a.m.), lunch (11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.), and early evening (5–8 p.m.); Sunday evenings are strong for planning and local discussions.

Sources and method

• U.S. Census/ACS (population base); Pew Research Center 2024 Social Media Use (platform adoption by U.S. adults); DataReportal/Kepios 2024 (U.S. social penetration). Figures are county estimates derived by applying U.S./state benchmarks to Camden County’s adult population.