Bronx County

Bronx County, NY – key demographics (latest Census/ACS)

Population size

• 1,472,654 (2020 Census)
• ~1.46 million (2023 ACS estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~34
• Under 18: ~25%
• 65 and over: ~14%

Sex

• Female: ~53%
• Male: ~47%

Race/ethnicity (mutually exclusive; Hispanic is of any race)

• Hispanic/Latino: ~56%
• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~29%
• White (non-Hispanic): ~9%
• Asian (non-Hispanic): ~4%
• Other/Multiracial (non-Hispanic): ~2%

Households

• ~520,000 households
• Average household size: ~2.8
• Family households: ~66%
• Households with children under 18: ~33%
• Tenure: ~80% renter-occupied, ~20% owner-occupied

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2023 American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year, tables DP05, S1101, DP04.

Bronx County, NY – email usage snapshot (estimates)

• Estimated users: 1.05–1.15 million residents use email (roughly 70–78% of total population), based on ACS population (1.47M) and national email adoption among adults and teens (Pew).
• Age distribution of users (approx.): 13–17: 6%; 18–29: 24%; 30–49: 37%; 50–64: 22%; 65+: 11%. Usage is near‑universal among 18–64, lower but rising among 65+.
• Gender split: roughly mirrors population (~52% female, 48% male) with negligible usage gap by gender.
• Digital access trends: Home broadband subscription rates are in the low‑80% range—lowest among NYC boroughs—so affordability, not availability, is the main barrier. Smartphone‑only internet reliance is common (~15–20% of households). The sunsetting of the Affordable Connectivity Program in 2024 likely pressures adoption. Public connectivity via LinkNYC kiosks, library/NYCHA Wi‑Fi, and expanding fiber/cable plant partially offsets gaps.
• Local density/connectivity facts: Population density ≈34–35k per sq. mile, among the highest in the U.S.; multi‑dwelling buildings have strong cable/fiber coverage, but subscription uptake lags city averages, particularly in lower‑income neighborhoods.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Bronx County, NY (with emphasis on how it differs from New York State)

Executive snapshot

• Users: Roughly 1.07–1.15 million Bronx residents use a mobile phone, including about 0.98–1.05 million adult smartphone users. This reflects high adoption but with more mobile-only dependence than the state.
• Mode of access: A notably larger share of Bronx households rely on smartphones as their primary or only internet connection compared with the New York State average.
• Infrastructure: Dense 4G/5G coverage from national carriers, extensive rooftop and pole-mounted sites, subway/station connectivity buildout, LinkNYC public Wi‑Fi, and NYCHA-focused programs. Building penetration and affordability remain limiting factors.

Where the Bronx differs most from state-level trends

• Higher smartphone-only internet reliance: Roughly one-quarter of Bronx households appear to rely on a cellular data plan without a fixed home broadband subscription—materially higher than the statewide share.
• Lower home broadband adoption: Household broadband subscription in the Bronx is about 8–12 percentage points lower than the New York State average, despite improvements since 2020.
• More prepaid/MVNO use: Cost sensitivity and credit constraints push a higher share of Bronx users to prepaid and MVNO plans—likely approaching half of consumer lines vs roughly a third statewide.
• Stronger reliance on public/third-place connectivity: Greater use of libraries, schools, LinkNYC kiosks, and employer/NYCHA community Wi‑Fi than typical statewide.
• Bigger ACP impact: The Bronx had among the highest Affordable Connectivity Program uptake in NYS; the 2024 ACP funding lapse disproportionately increased risk of service downgrades, plan churn, and smartphone-only substitution.
• Language- and app-driven behavior: Higher Spanish-speaking and immigrant shares correlate with heavier WhatsApp, Facebook, and YouTube usage and international calling/messaging needs—patterns less pronounced statewide.

User estimates (order-of-magnitude, 2024–2025)

• Population and households: About 1.45–1.50 million residents; roughly 520k households.
• Adult smartphone users (18+): 0.98–1.05 million (approx. 88–92% of adults).
• Total mobile phone users (including teens): 1.07–1.15 million.
• Smartphone-only internet households: About 115k–155k (≈22–30% of households), vs a lower statewide share.
• Home broadband subscribers: About 78–84% of households (Bronx) vs roughly 88–92% statewide.
• Plan mix: Prepaid/MVNO materially higher than the state; family plans common, with multi-line cost sharing.

Demographic patterns tied to usage

• Income: The Bronx’s higher share of low-income households drives greater smartphone-only reliance, prepaid plan use, and data capping behavior (offloading to Wi‑Fi when available).
• Age: Younger median age than the NYS average means near-saturation smartphone adoption among 18–34; older adults (65+) lag the state in smartphone adoption and home broadband, increasing mobile-only but also digital skills support needs.
• Race/ethnicity: Higher Black and Hispanic population shares—groups that, controlling for income, are more likely to be mobile-only users—help explain the Bronx/state gap.
• Language: Large LEP and immigrant populations amplify mobile-first communication (WhatsApp, video calling) and create demand for international-friendly plans and Wi‑Fi access points.

Digital infrastructure notes

• Cellular networks: Countywide 4G LTE and broad 5G coverage from major carriers, with substantial mid-band 5G along major corridors. Dense site deployment (rooftops, utility poles) is typical of the Bronx’s building stock; indoor performance varies, especially in older masonry buildings and high-rise public housing without DAS or in-building solutions.
• Public connectivity: LinkNYC kiosks (including newer 5G-enabled structures) provide free Wi‑Fi and device charging along key avenues; libraries, schools, and community centers are important offload locations.
• Transit connectivity: Ongoing expansion of cellular and Wi‑Fi coverage in subway stations, tunnels, and platforms supports heavy commuter mobile use; the Bronx continues to see phased upgrades following Manhattan/Queens rollouts.
• Fixed networks: Cable/HFC is widely available; fiber-to-the-home availability is improving but uneven by neighborhood and building. NYCHA-focused programs (e.g., Big Apple Connect) materially boost fixed connectivity where implemented, reducing mobile-only reliance in those developments.
• Coverage pain points: Signal attenuation in prewar buildings, elevators/basements, and some park/industrial edges; peak-time congestion around schools, commercial strips, and transit hubs remains a planning focus.

Implications and near-term trends to watch

• Post-ACP affordability gap: Expect more line churn toward lower-cost prepaid/MVNOs, plan downgrades, and smartphone-only substitution unless state/city subsidies fill the gap.
• Capacity and indoor coverage: Mid-band 5G densification and in-building solutions will matter more in the Bronx than statewide because of higher dwelling density and mobile-first behavior.
• Public Wi‑Fi and community bandwidth: Libraries, NYCHA centers, schools, and LinkNYC remain critical to equitable access; usage growth here outpaces state averages.
• Digital skills and device programs: Older adults and LEP communities benefit from targeted training and device support; these interventions have outsized impact in the Bronx versus statewide norms.

Notes on method and sources

• Estimates triangulate from recent ACS/1‑year tables on internet and device access (S2801/S2802), NYC connectivity reports (Mayor’s Office of Technology & Innovation; Internet Master Plan updates), Pew Research on smartphone adoption, FCC/BDCs for infrastructure context, and city program data (LinkNYC, Big Apple Connect). Ranges are used where the latest borough-level microdata or carrier disclosures are not public.

Here’s a concise, Bronx County–focused snapshot. Figures are directional estimates drawn from recent US social media benchmarks (Pew Research 2023–2024), NYC urban usage patterns, platform ad‑reach norms, and Bronx demographics; use for planning, not compliance reporting.

Population baseline

• Total population: ~1.4–1.5M; adults (18+): ~1.1–1.2M
• Active social media users (any platform): 80–85% of adults (0.9–1.0M)
• Smartphone-first, bilingual audience (English/Spanish), high youth share

Most-used platforms (adults, % of adults using each at least monthly)

• YouTube: 80–85% (all ages; go-to for music, tutorials, local news)
• Facebook: 60–70% (strong with 30+; community groups, city services, buy/sell)
• Instagram: 50–60% (very strong 18–34; Reels)
• WhatsApp: 35–45% (elevated vs US avg due to large Hispanic/Caribbean/African communities; family, school, faith groups)
• TikTok: 35–45% (dominant under 30; local creators, food, music, humor)
• Snapchat: 25–35% (teens/young adults; messaging + Stories)
• X (Twitter): 18–25% (news, transit, sports, civic convo)
• LinkedIn: 20–30% (commuters/professionals)
• Pinterest: 25–35% (women 25–44; home, fashion, recipes)
• Reddit: 15–20% (younger men; gaming, tech, finance)

Age profile (share using at least one social platform)

• 13–17: ~95%+ (TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat; IG strong)
• 18–29: ~95% (IG 80%+, TikTok 60–70%, YouTube ~95%)
• 30–49: ~85–90% (YouTube, Facebook, IG; WhatsApp heavy among parents)
• 50–64: ~70–80% (Facebook, YouTube; WhatsApp rising)
• 65+: ~55–60% (Facebook, YouTube; some WhatsApp)

Gender tendencies (directional)

• Women: higher Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok engagement; more community groups and shopping content
• Men: higher YouTube, Reddit, X; more sports, news, gaming/tech
• Messaging: WhatsApp usage strong across genders; iMessage/Messenger secondary

Behavioral trends to know

• Bilingual, community-centric: English/Spanish posts perform best; code-switching accepted. WhatsApp groups widely used for schools, churches, mutual aid, and small business.
• Video-first attention: Short-form (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) dominates; music, comedy, food, neighborhood spotlights, and hyperlocal news drive high completion.
• Local trust: Micro-influencers, barbershops/salons, youth orgs, and neighborhood pages outperform generic brand voices. UGC and “ask the community” prompts get strong comments.
• Utility content wins: Transit updates, housing resources, health/benefits, jobs, discounts/free events are highly shared in Facebook Groups and WhatsApp lists.
• Timing: Peaks after school/work (3–6 pm, 7–10 pm), weekends (Sat late morning; Sun afternoon). Weather events and public safety alerts spike real-time usage on X/FB.
• Conversion paths: Click-to-WhatsApp and IG DM outperform email/phone for appointments and service inquiries; Spanish captions/subtitles lift response rates.
• Youth privacy/messaging: Teens prefer Snapchat/TikTok DMs over public comments; ephemeral stories for peer comms.

Quick planning implications

• Use short bilingual video with on-screen captions; lead with neighborhood relevance.
• Pair IG/TikTok for reach with FB Groups/WhatsApp for action and community uptake.
• Activate local creators and community orgs; measure saves/shares, not just likes.
• Offer DM/WhatsApp as primary CTA; post around commute/evening windows.

Note on data: Borough-level, platform-verified user counts fluctuate. For precise targeting numbers, pull current reach estimates from each platform’s ad tools filtered to Bronx County ZIPs and layer a short local survey/poll to validate age/gender splits.