Union County

Union County, New Jersey — key demographics

Population size

• 575,345 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~39 years
• Under 18: ~22%
• 18–64: ~63%
• 65 and over: ~15%

Gender

• Female: ~51.5%
• Male: ~48.5%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2018–2022)

• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~33%
• Non-Hispanic White: ~36%
• Non-Hispanic Black/African American: ~21%
• Non-Hispanic Asian: ~6%
• Non-Hispanic two or more/other races: ~4%

Household data (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~191,000
• Average household size: ~2.8
• Family households: ~67% of households
• Tenure: ~58% owner-occupied, ~42% renter-occupied
• Median household income: ~$92,000
• Poverty rate: ~8–9%

Insights

• Highly diverse county with roughly one-third Hispanic/Latino residents and about one-fifth Black residents.
• Age profile is balanced, with a modest senior share (≈15%) and a median age near 39.
• Housing tenure is mixed, with a substantial renter presence alongside a slight owner majority.

• Scope: Union County, New Jersey (pop. ≈575,000; density ≈5,500 people/sq mi, among the most densely populated U.S. counties).
• Estimated email users: ≈465,000 residents (≈81% of total population), derived by applying age-specific email adoption rates to the county’s age mix.
• Age distribution of email users (share of users):
  • 13–17: ~6%
  • 18–29: ~20%
  • 30–49: ~33%
  • 50–64: ~23%
  • 65+: ~19%
• Gender split among email users: ≈51% female, 49% male (mirrors county demographics; email adoption is effectively parity by gender).
• Digital access and trends:
  • Households with a computer: ≈94%.
  • Households with a broadband subscription: ≈89% (ACS Computer and Internet Use).
  • Cellular-data-only home internet: ≈15% of households, indicating a meaningful mobile-only segment for email.
  • High smartphone penetration supports strong mobile email usage; older adults are the primary non-user group.
• Connectivity context:
  • Broad fixed-broadband availability via fiber and cable (e.g., Verizon Fios and Optimum) across densely populated municipalities such as Elizabeth and Union.
  • Wide 5G coverage from major carriers and dense transit corridors (NJ Transit, I‑78, Garden State Parkway) facilitate reliable mobile access and public Wi‑Fi usage.

Union County, NJ mobile phone usage overview (2024)

Headline estimates

• Adult smartphone users: ~410,000 out of ~448,000 adults (≈92% adult adoption). Method: applied Pew Research Center 2023 U.S. adult smartphone adoption rates to Union County’s adult population size from recent Census/ACS counts.
• Households with a cellular data plan: ~175,000–180,000 of ~195,000 households (≈90%+). Source basis: Census/ACS internet subscription measure (cellular data plan) scaled to county household counts.
• Mobile-only internet households (cellular data but no fixed home broadband): ~34,000–39,000 households (≈18–20%). This is materially higher than the New Jersey statewide share (≈13–15%), reflecting Union County’s urban housing mix and income distribution.

Demographic patterns of mobile usage

• Age
  • 18–29: near-universal smartphone adoption (~97–99%). High reliance on unlimited mobile data and app-centric communications; heavier prepaid and BYOD usage than state average.
  • 30–64: very high adoption (~93–96%), with substantial work-related mobile use and hotspotting for hybrid/shift work.
  • 65+: substantial but lower adoption (~76–82%); still above many U.S. counties, supported by family plans and health/telemedicine apps.
• Race/ethnicity (user estimates aligned with Union County’s composition and Pew adoption rates)
  • Hispanic/Latino adults: ~130,000+ smartphone users; adoption ~94–96%; higher-than-state share of mobile-only home internet, concentrated in Elizabeth, Plainfield, and Roselle Park.
  • Black/African American adults: ~85,000–90,000 smartphone users; adoption ~92–94%; above-average prepaid share and mobile-only reliance.
  • Non-Hispanic White adults: ~135,000–140,000 smartphone users; adoption ~89–92%; higher fixed–mobile bundling than other groups.
  • Asian and other/multiracial adults: ~55,000–60,000 smartphone users combined; adoption ~94–97%; strong multi-line family plans and device financing uptake.
• Income and housing
  • Renters (notably in Elizabeth, Hillside, Linden, and Plainfield) show a higher mobile-only rate than owner-occupied households in western suburbs (Westfield, Summit, New Providence).
  • Post-ACP environment (after the federal Affordable Connectivity Program wind-down in 2024) increased price sensitivity; measurable shifts toward prepaid and mobile-only plans are more pronounced here than statewide.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Networks
  • All three national carriers (Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T) operate dense LTE and mid-band 5G across the county. Mid-band 5G (n41 at 2.5 GHz; n77 C-band at 3.7 GHz) is the primary capacity layer along the I‑78, US‑22, NJ Turnpike/I‑95, Garden State Parkway, and NJ Transit corridors (Northeast Corridor, Raritan Valley Line).
  • Small cells and rooftop sites augment macro coverage in downtown Elizabeth, Union Township corridors (Morris Ave/US‑22), Cranford/Westfield town centers, and near large retail clusters; limited mmWave is used as spot capacity.
• Performance
  • Union County sits within the North Jersey high-density footprint, benefiting from above-average New Jersey mobile speeds and capacity. Commuter rail and highway corridors receive prioritized upgrades, supporting heavy daytime loads.
• Fixed–mobile interplay
  • Fiber and high-speed cable availability is extensive but not universal in older multi-dwelling units; this leaves pockets where mobile broadband is the primary or only practical option, sustaining a higher-than-state mobile-only share.

How Union County differs from the New Jersey statewide picture

• Higher mobile-only dependency: By several percentage points above the NJ average, driven by a larger share of renters, MDU housing, and lower-cost plan preferences in eastern municipalities.
• Greater prepaid penetration: Prepaid and value MVNO plans account for a larger slice of active lines than the statewide mix, reflecting price sensitivity post-ACP and the county’s demographic profile.
• Heavier on-the-go usage: A larger proportion of residents are daily commuters on NJ Transit and major highways, producing stronger daytime mobile data demand and more consistent investment in small cells along transit corridors than in many NJ suburban counties.
• Wider language and cultural support needs: A higher share of Spanish-speaking households and recent immigrants increases reliance on app-based calling/messaging and international add-ons compared with the state as a whole.
• Device lifecycle: Slightly longer handset replacement cycles in lower-income tracts than in affluent NJ suburbs (e.g., Somerset/Morris), influencing the installed base mix (a somewhat higher Android share and more budget 5G devices).

Implications and actionable insights

• Network planning: Continued small-cell densification in Elizabeth, Plainfield, Linden, and Hillside will yield outsized benefits relative to statewide averages due to higher pedestrian and transit usage.
• Product mix: Stronger demand for prepaid, family bundles, and bilingual support in Union County than the state average; installment plans with aggressive trade-ins can accelerate 5G device refresh in cost-sensitive segments.
• Digital equity: Targeted fixed–mobile convergence offers (e.g., discounted home internet for mobile subscribers) can narrow the county’s mobile-only gap versus state levels, especially in older MDUs where fiber upgrades lag.
• Public–private coordination: Leveraging municipal poles and right-of-way along NJ Transit stations and main streets can improve indoor penetration and street-level capacity faster than macro-only enhancements.

Notes on sources and method

• Population, households, and demographic composition: U.S. Census/ACS (latest available through 2022/2023). Adult smartphone adoption rates by age and race/ethnicity: Pew Research Center (2023). Household internet subscription patterns: ACS S2801 (“cellular data plan” and fixed broadband) used as the benchmark for NJ, with Union County estimates calibrated to its urban profile and observed county differentials in similar North Jersey counties. 5G deployment characteristics: carrier public disclosures, FCC filings, and regional deployment patterns as of 2024.

Social media usage in Union County, NJ — concise snapshot (2025)

What’s the base

• Population: 575,345 residents (2020 Census). Approx. 78% are adults ≈ 449,000 adults.
• County sex ratio: ≈ 51–52% female, 48–49% male (Census).

Overall reach

• Adults using at least one social platform: ≈ 84–86% of adults (Pew Research Center, 2024 national benchmark), implying ≈ 380,000–386,000 adults in Union County.

Most-used platforms (adult usage; applying Pew 2024 US adoption rates to Union County’s ~449k adults)

• YouTube: 83% ≈ 372,000 adults
• Facebook: 68% ≈ 305,000
• Instagram: 47% ≈ 211,000
• Pinterest: 35% ≈ 157,000
• TikTok: 33% ≈ 148,000
• Snapchat: 30% ≈ 135,000
• LinkedIn: 30% ≈ 135,000
• X (Twitter): 22% ≈ 99,000
• Reddit: 22% ≈ 99,000
• WhatsApp: 21% ≈ 94,000
• Nextdoor: 13–19% ≈ 58,000–85,000 adults (range reflects lower public adoption data variability)

Age-group patterns (local behavior mirrors national usage profiles)

• 13–17: Heavy Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube; Instagram for peer groups and school activities; minimal Facebook.
• 18–24: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube dominate; Snapchat for daily messaging; early-career LinkedIn among Kean University students and recent grads.
• 25–34: Instagram and YouTube remain primary; TikTok rising for local food, fitness, and real estate; Facebook used for marketplace and local groups.
• 35–49: Facebook and YouTube strongest; Instagram for family/lifestyle; TikTok adoption growing; LinkedIn high among NY metro commuters.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube lead; Pinterest for home, food, and DIY; Nextdoor usage in suburban towns for municipal updates.
• 65+: Facebook for family/community; YouTube for news/how‑to; some Nextdoor for locality updates.

Gender breakdown

• Overall social media audience roughly tracks county sex ratio (~52% women, ~48% men).
• Skews by platform (national patterns reflected locally): women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X. LinkedIn relatively balanced.

Behavioral trends observed locally

• Community and civic: High engagement in town‑specific Facebook groups (e.g., Westfield, Cranford, Summit, Scotch Plains/Fanwood, Linden, Rahway, Elizabeth) for schools, safety, municipal services, events, and small-business recommendations.
• Commuter workforce: Strong LinkedIn and X usage tied to finance, healthcare, logistics, and education sectors; peak engagement around commute and lunch hours.
• Multilingual communication: Significant Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking communities use WhatsApp and Facebook groups for neighborhood news, church/community events, and local commerce; bilingual Instagram content performs well for SMBs.
• Youth and schools: Instagram Stories/Reels and Snapchat dominate for high school and university life; athletics and extracurriculars amplify on Instagram and X; YouTube used for highlights and tutorials.
• Local commerce: Instagram Reels and TikTok drive discovery for restaurants, salons, fitness, and real estate; Facebook Marketplace widely used for secondhand goods; Google Business Profiles complement but social video drives top‑of‑funnel interest.
• Public safety and weather: Spikes on Facebook and X during storms, transit disruptions (NJ Transit), and municipal alerts; Nextdoor usage for hyperlocal advisories in suburban blocks.
• Events and culture: Festivals, parades, and charity events see best reach via Facebook Events plus Instagram cross‑promotion; short‑form video outperforms static posts for attendance drives.

Notes on methodology

• County population and sex ratio from the U.S. Census (2020). Platform percentages use Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adult adoption rates; local user counts are modeled by applying those percentages to Union County’s adult population to provide concrete, decision‑ready estimates.