Monmouth County

Monmouth County, New Jersey — key demographics

Population size

• 643,615 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: 43.0 years
• Under 18: 21.0%
• 18 to 64: 60.5%
• 65 and over: 18.5%

Gender

• Female: 51.5%
• Male: 48.5%

Racial/ethnic composition (mutually exclusive; Hispanic is any race)

• Non-Hispanic White: 72%
• Black or African American (NH): 7%
• Asian (NH): 6–7%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): 10–11%
• Two or more races (NH): ~4%
• Other (NH, including American Indian/Alaska Native, NHPI, some other race): <1%

Household data

• Total households: ~240,000
• Average household size: ~2.6
• Family households: ~64% of households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~75%
• Median household income: roughly $115,000–$120,000

Insights

• Aging profile (median age ~43; nearly 1 in 5 residents are 65+)
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White with meaningful Hispanic and Asian communities
• High homeownership and above-average household incomes relative to national figures

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates). Figures are the latest widely used Census/ACS statistics for county-level demographics.

Monmouth County, NJ (pop. ≈643,000; density ≈1,350/sq mi) has high digital connectivity and near‑universal email use among adults.

Estimated email users

• Adults (18+): ≈510,000 (about 79% of residents)
• Email adoption (benchmarked to Pew national rates and NJ’s high connectivity): ≈94% of adults
• Estimated adult email users: ≈480,000

Age distribution of email users

• 18–64: ≈78% of users (adoption ≈96% within this group)
• 65+: ≈22% of users (adoption ≈90% within this group) This reflects Monmouth’s older-than-U.S.-average profile (65+ roughly 18–19% of residents) with slightly lower, but still strong, email use among seniors.

Gender split

• County population is ≈51% female, 49% male; email usage tracks this closely
• Estimated email users: ≈245k female, ≈235k male

Digital access and connectivity trends

• Broadband subscription is very high (ACS indicates low‑90s percent of households with broadband)
• Computer access is widespread (mid‑90s% of households), and smartphone ownership is in the high‑80s% of adults, supporting frequent mobile email use
• Fixed broadband (cable/fiber) and 4G/5G mobile coverage are widespread across suburban and shore communities, enabling consistent email access and high daily engagement.

Mobile phone usage in Monmouth County, NJ — 2024 snapshot

Scale and user estimates

• Residents: ~642,000 (2023 Census estimate). Households: ~242,000.
• Households with a smartphone: 95% in Monmouth County (ACS S2801, 2018–2022 5-year), slightly above the New Jersey average (93–94%).
• Any home internet subscription: 94% of Monmouth households (ACS S2801), modestly above the state average (93%).
• Cellular data plan as the only home internet (“cellular-only”): ~7–8% of Monmouth households versus ~9–10% statewide (ACS S2801). This indicates greater reliance on fixed broadband in Monmouth than in New Jersey overall.
• Estimated resident smartphone users (age 13+): ~525,000 (county population x age structure x adoption derived from ACS and Pew smartphone ownership levels).

Demographic patterns that shape usage (and how they differ from state-level)

• Older population share: Adults 65+ are roughly one-fifth of Monmouth’s population, a higher share than the statewide average. Despite seniors’ historically lower smartphone adoption, higher incomes and education levels in Monmouth drive overall adoption above the New Jersey average.
• Income effect: Monmouth’s median household income is materially higher than the state median. Higher income correlates with newer devices, mid-band 5G adoption, and multi-line family plans, which helps push smartphone and 5G usage above state norms.
• Commuter and coastal dynamics: Heavy weekday commuting along the Garden State Parkway/US‑9 and NJ Transit’s North Jersey Coast Line, plus pronounced summer tourism along the Shore (Long Branch, Asbury Park, Belmar, Manasquan), produce sharper peak mobile traffic swings than the statewide pattern.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage: 4G LTE is effectively universal in populated areas; 5G population coverage from at least one national operator exceeds 99% across the county (FCC and operator rollouts through 2023–2024).
• 5G spectrum mix: All three national carriers operate low-band and mid-band 5G in the county. C‑band (Verizon/AT&T) and 2.5 GHz n41 (T‑Mobile) are widely deployed, with localized millimeter-wave capacity in dense Shore downtowns and retail corridors.
• Capacity focus areas: Densification via small cells and sector adds is concentrated along NJ‑35/36 retail corridors, downtown Red Bank/Long Branch/Asbury Park, Freehold/Howell commercial zones, college campuses, and near Parkway interchanges—patterns more intensive than average statewide due to Monmouth’s commuter-and-coast topology.
• Seasonal load: Active device counts and mobile data consumption in Shore municipalities typically surge 2–3x on peak summer weekends versus winter baselines, driving carrier capacity augments (temporary COWs/COLTs and added carriers) that are less pronounced inland or statewide.
• Speeds: Typical mid-band 5G delivers triple-digit Mbps countywide. Field-test medians in Monmouth generally run 10–20% higher than the New Jersey statewide median, reflecting earlier/more-complete mid-band 5G buildouts and dense backhaul along coastal/suburban corridors.

Key takeaways vs New Jersey overall

• Slightly higher smartphone household penetration (≈+1–2 percentage points).
• Lower reliance on cellular-only home internet (≈−2 percentage points), indicating stronger fixed-broadband substitution and more “dual-connected” households.
• Earlier and denser mid-band 5G deployment and small-cell buildout, yielding faster typical speeds and better rush-hour/seasonal resilience than the statewide average.
• More pronounced temporal demand swings (weekday commuter peaks and summer Shore surges) shape network engineering and investment in ways that differ from the state’s overall usage profile.

Primary data anchors: U.S. Census Bureau ACS S2801 (2018–2022 5-year) for household smartphone and internet subscription metrics; FCC coverage filings and 2023–2024 carrier deployment disclosures for 5G availability and spectrum mix; industry field testing for relative performance patterns.

Social media usage in Monmouth County, NJ (2024 snapshot)

Most‑used platforms among adults (best-available local estimates, based on Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adult adoption rates; Monmouth County tracks closely with national usage)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• TikTok: 33%
• Snapchat: 30%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• Pinterest: 35%
• WhatsApp: 29%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• Reddit: 22%
• Nextdoor: 19%

Age-group usage patterns (local patterns mirror Pew 2024 U.S. adult benchmarks)

• Ages 18–29: Very high on YouTube (95%), Instagram (75–80%), Snapchat (60–70%), TikTok (60–65%); Facebook usage is moderate-to-high (~60–70%).
• Ages 30–49: Broadest mix; YouTube (90%), Facebook (70–75%), Instagram (55–60%); TikTok (35–40%), Snapchat (20–25%), LinkedIn (35–40%).
• Ages 50–64: YouTube (80+%) and Facebook (65–70%) dominate; Instagram (30–35%), TikTok (20–25%), Pinterest (~30%).
• Ages 65+: Facebook (55–60%) and YouTube (55–60%) lead; Instagram (15–20%), TikTok (10–12%); Nextdoor is comparatively strongest here (~20%).

Gender breakdown

• County demographic mix: approximately 51% female, 49% male (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
• Platform skew (Pew 2024 U.S. patterns reflected locally):
  • Women over-index on Pinterest (roughly 2–3x men) and modestly on Instagram and Snapchat.
  • Men over-index on Reddit and X (Twitter), and modestly on LinkedIn.
  • Facebook and YouTube are broadly balanced by gender.

Behavioral trends observed locally

• Community and civic information: Facebook Groups and Pages (municipal, schools/PTA, youth sports, shore-town updates) are primary info channels; Nextdoor is used for neighborhood alerts, lost/found, and hyperlocal recommendations.
• Seasonal content spikes: Instagram and TikTok activity rises notably in summer (June–September) around shore destinations (e.g., Asbury Park, Long Branch), with heavy use of Reels/TikTok for dining, nightlife, and events.
• Local commerce: Strong use of Facebook Marketplace and buy/sell/trade groups; Instagram drives discovery for restaurants, boutiques, fitness, and services; WhatsApp supports group coordination for teams and community organizations.
• Professional networking: Above-average LinkedIn engagement relative to many suburban counties, reflecting commuter and professional populations in finance, tech, healthcare, and pharma.
• Creator/short-video habits: Reels and TikTok are the default for under-35 discovery and recommendations; YouTube remains the go-to for how-to, home improvement, and product research across ages.

Notes and sources

• Percentages reflect Pew Research Center, “Social Media Use in 2024” (U.S. adult adoption by platform), applied to Monmouth County as best-available local estimates; county demographic shares from U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (2023).