Sussex County

Sussex County, New Jersey — key demographics

Population size

• Total population: 144,221 (2020 Decennial Census)
• Latest estimate: ~146,000 (ACS 2019–2023)

Age

• Median age: ~44.7 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~20%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Gender

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50%

Racial/ethnic composition (mutually exclusive; ACS/Census)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~83–84%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~10–11%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~2–3%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: ~2%
• Other or multiracial, non-Hispanic: ~2–3%

Household data (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: ~55,000
• Average household size: ~2.6–2.7
• Family households: ~70% of households
• Owner-occupied housing: ~80–83% of occupied units

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (DP tables) and American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates (DP02/DP04/DP05).

• Population and density: 144,221 residents (2020 Census) across ~519 sq mi; ~278 people per sq mi, making Sussex one of New Jersey’s least-dense counties.
• Gender split: ~50.6% female, ~49.4% male (Census).
• Age distribution (Census-based): Under 18 ~20%; 18–34 ~18%; 35–64 ~42%; 65+ ~20%.
• Estimated email users: ~118,000 residents. Method: adult population ~114,000 with >90% email adoption, plus substantial teen usage; aligns with near-universal email use among internet users.
• Email by age (est., applying national adoption patterns to local ages): 18–34 ~95%+, 35–64 ~95%+, 65+ ~85–90%, teens ~80–90%. This yields the bulk of users in the 35–64 cohort, reflecting local age structure.
• Digital access and devices (ACS-style indicators for similarly situated NJ counties): roughly 9 in 10 households maintain a broadband subscription and ~9.4 in 10 have a computer; a single-digit share are smartphone‑only.
• Connectivity patterns: Lower population density and hilly terrain produce more variable fixed-broadband quality outside town centers; coverage is strongest along major corridors and in denser places (e.g., Newton, Sparta, Vernon), with patchier service in sparsely populated tracts.
• Trend insight: Email remains ubiquitous across working-age adults and is strong among older adults; improvements in fixed and mobile coverage continue to narrow rural gaps but pockets of slower service persist.

Sussex County, NJ — Mobile phone usage summary (2024–2025)

Overview

• Population: ≈146,000 residents (2023 est.), roughly 55,000 households
• Profile: Older, more rural/exurban than New Jersey overall, with substantial state parkland and hilly terrain (Kittatinny/High Point/Stokes) influencing coverage and build-out

User estimates

• Smartphone users: ≈110,000 residents
  • Method: County age mix applied to recent U.S./NJ adoption rates (higher among under-65, lower among 65+)
• Adult smartphone users (18+): ≈101,000–103,000
• Mobile-dependent households:
  • Cellular-only internet households: ≈11,000 (about 20% of households), higher than the NJ average (~15%)
  • Smartphone-only internet (no home broadband plan other than a phone): ≈5,500 households (≈10%), above the NJ average (~7%)
• Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) for home internet (Verizon/T-Mobile 5G Home/LTE Home): ≈8% of households (≈4,400), vs. ≈5% statewide

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• By age (estimated adoption, Sussex vs. NJ):
  • 13–17: ≈95% (in line with NJ); strong multi-line family plans drive usage
  • 18–34: ≈95–97% (slightly below NJ’s top tier but effectively near-saturation)
  • 35–64: ≈90–93% (small gap vs. NJ)
  • 65+: ≈70–75% in Sussex vs. ≈77–80% statewide; the county’s older age profile pulls down overall adoption
• Rural/exurban tilt:
  • Higher share of households substituting mobile data for fixed broadband due to cable/fiber gaps outside town centers
  • Heavier FWA adoption than the state average as residents seek alternatives to legacy DSL or costly cable in outlying areas
• Seasonality:
  • Noticeable weekend/holiday and summer spikes in voice/data traffic around Vernon/Mountain Creek, Sparta/Lake Mohawk, High Point, and state forest recreation areas—seasonality is more pronounced than in urban NJ counties

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• 5G availability:
  • All three national carriers cover major population centers (Newton, Sparta, Vernon, Hopatcong, Franklin/Hamburg), with mid-band 5G (C-band for Verizon/AT&T; 2.5 GHz n41 for T-Mobile) concentrated along primary corridors (NJ-15, US-206, NJ-23) and town cores
  • Geographic coverage remains uneven in valleys and heavily wooded or protected areas; pop-weighted 5G availability is broadly good, but geographic 5G continuity lags denser NJ counties
• Terrain constraints:
  • Ridge-and-valley topography and protected lands limit tower siting, producing more dead zones and indoor coverage challenges than the statewide norm
• Backhaul and capacity:
  • A higher share of microwave backhaul persists on remote sites; capacity and peak speeds are typically 25–40% lower than the NJ metro-county median during busy hours
• Fiber and cable:
  • Cable DOCSIS 3.1 serves most town centers; fiber-to-the-home is expanding but remains patchy outside cores
  • Local and regional ISPs have been adding targeted fiber builds in and around population clusters; many outlying roads still lean on older copper (DSL) or shift to FWA
• Public safety and reliability:
  • Evolving 5G build-outs have improved corridor coverage for commuters; coverage inside large-lot homes and older construction often depends on Wi‑Fi calling or indoor signal solutions more than in urban NJ

How Sussex differs from New Jersey overall

• Slightly lower smartphone adoption driven by a larger 65+ share
• Higher reliance on mobile data for home connectivity:
  • Cellular-only internet households ≈20% vs. ≈15% NJ
  • Smartphone-only home internet ≈10% vs. ≈7% NJ
  • FWA uptake ≈8% vs. ≈5% NJ
• More pronounced seasonal traffic peaks tied to recreation and second homes
• Less consistent geographic 5G coverage and lower peak median speeds due to terrain, tower spacing, and backhaul mix
• Faster recent growth in FWA and targeted fiber builds than the statewide pace, reflecting catch-up investment in previously under-served pockets

Key takeaways

• About three in four Sussex residents use a smartphone, totaling roughly 110,000 users; adoption is near-saturated below age 65 but tapers among seniors
• One in five households relies primarily on cellular for home internet—substantially higher than the state level
• Network improvements prioritize highways and town centers; capacity and indoor coverage still trail urban NJ, reinforcing the county’s above-average shift to FWA and smartphone-only connectivity

Social media in Sussex County, NJ — key stats and trends

Population baseline

• Residents: 144,221 (2020 Census). Adults (18+): roughly 80% of residents, reflecting an older-than-state-average profile (median age low-40s).

User stats (estimates derived from Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. adult usage applied to the county’s adult population and age mix)

• Overall user base skews slightly older than New Jersey’s urban counties due to local demographics.
• Age mix among local social media users (estimated share of users, not residents):
  • 18–29: ~19%
  • 30–49: ~36%
  • 50–64: ~31%
  • 65+: ~13%
• Gender breakdown of users (overall): ~52% female, ~48% male.

Most-used platforms among adults (share of adults using each platform; Pew 2024 rates applied locally)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• Pinterest: 35%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• TikTok: 33%
• Snapchat: 27%
• WhatsApp: 26%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• Reddit: 22%
• Nextdoor: 20%

Behavioral trends observed for Sussex County’s suburban–rural context

• Facebook-centric community life: Town and county agencies, school districts, youth sports, volunteer groups, local businesses, and buy/sell/trade groups anchor engagement. Events at venues like the county fairgrounds drive spikes in group activity.
• Video-first discovery: YouTube is the universal reach platform; short-form video (Instagram Reels/TikTok) is the primary discovery surface for 18–34, including local dining, outdoor recreation (e.g., Appalachian Trail, lakes), and seasonal attractions (e.g., Mountain Creek).
• Visual localism on Instagram: Restaurants, real estate, weddings, home services, and outdoor lifestyle accounts perform well with 25–44 adults; Stories and Reels outperform feed posts for reach.
• Neighborhood chatter on Nextdoor and Facebook Groups: Lost/found pets, contractor recommendations, public safety notices, and hyperlocal service referrals. Nextdoor adoption is meaningful in HOA/subdivision areas.
• Messaging habits: Facebook Messenger is ubiquitous; WhatsApp usage is moderate and concentrated within family/community networks.
• Participation pattern: Most residents consume more than they post; comments and shares in groups drive the bulk of visible engagement. Posting is concentrated among admins, local businesses, and a small cohort of power users.
• Platform skews by cohort:
  • 18–29: Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat-heavy; limited Facebook posting, but present for events/groups.
  • 30–49: Uses Facebook for community/parent networks; Instagram for local businesses and family content; YouTube for how-to and product research.
  • 50–64: Strong on Facebook and YouTube; Pinterest common for home/garden projects; LinkedIn used for professional networking.
  • 65+: Primarily Facebook (groups and news), YouTube for tutorials and entertainment.
• Content themes that perform: Local news and weather alerts, school/sports updates, seasonal events, hiking/fishing/outdoor content, small-business promos with offers, and photo-driven posts highlighting scenery or nostalgia.

Notes on methodology

• Platform percentages are from Pew Research Center’s 2024 Social Media Use findings for U.S. adults, applied to Sussex County’s adult population to localize prevalence.
• Age mix of users is estimated by weighting county age structure (Census/ACS) by nationally observed adoption rates by age, yielding the user distribution shown.