Cayuga County

Here are key demographics for Cayuga County, New York (latest available Census/ACS estimates):

Population

• Total: about 74,000 (2023 estimate; 2020 Census count: 76,248)

Age

• Median age: ~43–44
• Under 18: ~20%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Female: ~50–51% of population

Race/ethnicity (mutually exclusive where noted)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~86%
• Black or African American: ~5%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~4%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Asian: ~1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.5%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander/Other: ~0.1%

Households

• Total households: ~30,000
• Average household size: ~2.3 persons
• Family households: ~61% of households (married-couple ~45%)
• Households with children under 18: ~27%
• Single-person households: ~30%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2019–2023 American Community Survey (5-year) tables DP02/DP05; U.S. Census Bureau 2023 Population Estimates; 2020 Decennial Census.

Cayuga County, NY snapshot (estimates)

• Population: ~76,000 residents. Email users: ~58,000–65,000 (driven by near‑universal usage among online adults).
• Age distribution of email use:
  • Teens (13–17): ~70–80% have/regularly use email (often for school, accounts).
  • 18–34: ~96–99%.
  • 35–64: ~93–97%.
  • 65+: ~78–85% (usage growing as telehealth/banking move online).
• Gender split: Approximately even; no strong, persistent gap in email adoption.
• Digital access trends:
  • Broadband subscription: roughly 80–85% of households (ACS-style metrics for similar upstate counties), with steady year‑over‑year gains.
  • Mobile‑only internet users: ~10–15% of households.
  • Access quality: Cable/fiber concentrated in Auburn and larger villages; many rural areas rely on DSL or fixed wireless, with pockets of limited high‑speed availability. Public libraries and schools supplement access with Wi‑Fi and devices.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • The county is largely rural, anchored by the City of Auburn (home to roughly a third of residents), resulting in lower population density than the NYS average and higher last‑mile build costs.
  • Connectivity is strongest in population centers and along major corridors near the NY Thruway; coverage and speeds drop in outlying townships.

Here’s a concise, county-specific view of mobile phone usage in Cayuga County, NY, with emphasis on how it differs from statewide patterns. Figures are rounded estimates based on recent ACS “Computer and Internet Use” data, FCC mobile coverage/broadband filings, and national adoption benchmarks adjusted for Cayuga’s older, more rural profile.

User estimates (order-of-magnitude)

• Adults using any mobile phone: ~54,000–56,000 (about 88–92% of ~60,000 adults).
• Adults using smartphones: ~48,000–52,000 (about 80–86% of adults).
• Households with a smartphone: ~25,500–27,000 (about 85–90% of ~30,000 households).
• Households that rely on cellular data as their primary/only internet (mobile-only): roughly 3,000–4,500 (about 10–15% of households), higher than the statewide share.

Demographic breakdown (drivers of adoption/usage)

• Age: A larger 65+ population than NYS depresses overall smartphone penetration; seniors here are less likely to own smartphones and more likely to keep feature phones or limited-data plans. Younger adults mirror state levels (very high smartphone ownership).
• Income: Lower median incomes vs NYS raise price sensitivity. That correlates with higher use of prepaid plans, older handsets, and data-capped plans; also a higher likelihood of mobile-only internet for cost reasons.
• Education: Lower bachelor’s attainment than NYS aligns with slightly lower smartphone adoption and lower take-up of premium 5G plans.
• Race/ethnicity/urban-rural mix: With a more rural, less dense population centered on Auburn and many outlying towns, reliance on mobile varies sharply by location: Auburn users resemble the state average; rural townships show lower adoption and more signal constraints.

Digital infrastructure points

• Coverage baseline: 4G LTE covers most populated corridors (Auburn, Weedsport/Thruway vicinity, US‑20/NY‑34/NY‑38), but there are persistent weak/spotty areas in hillier southern and western townships and along some lakeshore/valley pockets. Indoor coverage can lag in older buildings outside Auburn.
• 5G footprint and quality: Low‑band 5G is present broadly but offers modest performance gains; mid‑band/capacity 5G is more limited outside Auburn/major routes, so many users still rely on LTE for consistent performance.
• Carrier mix: Verizon, AT&T (including FirstNet for public safety), and T‑Mobile all serve the county; tower density and backhaul capacity are notably lower than in downstate metros, which can constrain peak-hour speeds in small towns and around seasonal recreation areas.
• Backhaul and spectrum: Capacity depends heavily on a handful of macro sites and microwave/fiber backhaul. Where fiber is sparse, throughput drops at peak times.
• Public investment context: State initiatives (e.g., ConnectALL) and federal funds (BEAD, mobility-focused programs) are improving middle‑mile and fixed access; indirect benefits to mobile appear where carriers can upgrade backhaul or add small cells in Auburn and along primary corridors.

How Cayuga County differs from statewide trends

• Adoption level: Overall smartphone adoption is a bit lower than the NYS average due to a larger senior share and rural composition; the gap is most pronounced among 65+ residents.
• Access pattern: A meaningfully higher share of “mobile‑only” households than the state average, reflecting both affordability and fixed-broadband gaps in rural areas.
• Network experience: More reliance on LTE and lower mid‑band 5G availability than downstate; more dead zones and indoor coverage challenges than typical NYS urban/suburban counties.
• Plan/handset mix: Higher prevalence of prepaid and older devices; slower device turnover than in NYC/Long Island/Westchester.
• Seasonality: Noticeable summer traffic spikes around Finger Lakes recreation areas can strain limited-capacity sites—an effect less visible in year‑round urban markets downstate.

Notes on method and uncertainty

• County-level mobile adoption is inferred from ACS household smartphone and cellular-data indicators, adjusted with national adult adoption rates and Cayuga’s demographic profile; FCC and carrier coverage data inform infrastructure points. Exact figures vary by census tract and carrier, but the directional differences versus statewide are consistent with rural Upstate patterns. If you need precise tract-level or carrier-specific maps, say the word and I can outline a data pull.

Cayuga County, NY social media snapshot (estimates, 2025)

Notes on method: Local, platform-level data isn’t published at the county level. Figures below apply Pew Research Center’s recent U.S. usage rates to Cayuga County’s population and older/rural profile to give directional estimates.

Users at a glance

• Population: ~76,000; adults (18+): ~59,000
• Social media users (any platform): ~45,000–50,000 total (adults + teens)
• Daily users: ~35,000–40,000
• Device: Predominantly mobile; Facebook Messenger and SMS drive most link sharing

Most-used platforms (adults, estimated share of residents using each)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 70–75%
• Instagram: 40–45%
• Pinterest: 30–35% (skews female)
• TikTok: 25–30% (lower than U.S. average due to older age mix)
• Snapchat: 20–25% (primarily under 30)
• LinkedIn: 25–30% (professionals in healthcare, education, gov’t, manufacturing)
• WhatsApp: 15–20% (smaller but steady; family/intl ties)
• X/Twitter: 15–20% (news/sports niche)
• Reddit: 15–20% (younger male skew; hobby/DIY)
• Nextdoor: 5–10% (patchy neighborhood coverage; Facebook Groups fill the gap)

Age groups (estimated penetration within each group)

• Teens 13–17: 90–95% use social; YouTube ~95%, TikTok/Snapchat/Instagram dominant; Facebook limited
• 18–29: 95%+ any social; Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok strongest; YouTube universal; Facebook still common
• 30–49: 80–85% any social; Facebook and YouTube core; Instagram growing; TikTok mid-level
• 50–64: 70–75% any social; Facebook and YouTube lead; Instagram moderate; TikTok lower
• 65+: 50–60% any social; Facebook and YouTube mainly; light on Instagram/TikTok

Gender breakdown (directional)

• Overall users: slight female majority (~51–53%)
• Platform skews: Pinterest and Snapchat skew female; Instagram slight female tilt; Reddit and X skew male; YouTube near-even to slight male; Facebook close to even/slight female

Behavioral trends

• Community-first on Facebook: Heavy use of local Groups/Pages for school closings, weather/road alerts, high school sports, volunteer fire/EMS, town/village updates; Facebook Events widely used
• Marketplace matters: Strong buy/sell/trade behavior; local services and seasonal goods perform well
• Video for how-to and local interest: YouTube for DIY, home/auto repair, outdoor/recreation, ag equipment; short-form (Reels/TikTok) used by small businesses for promos and behind-the-scenes
• Trust and sharing: Posts from known local entities (schools, county/town gov’t, local media) get higher engagement; word-of-mouth via shares and Messenger drives reach more than ads alone
• News and sports: X/Twitter used by a minority for real-time updates (weather, traffic, SU/HS sports); most residents still get local updates through Facebook and TV sites
• Timing: Peaks around early morning (commute), lunch, and 7–9 pm; weekends see strong community/event engagement
• Advertising notes: Geo-targeting around Auburn plus 10–20 miles works; creative with clear local cues, faces, and utility (e.g., hours, pricing, RSVP) outperforms generic brand pieces

Use these figures as directional planning inputs; for campaigns, validate with platform audience tools (geo-target to Cayuga County or Auburn + radius) and local page/group insights. Sources: Pew Research Center U.S. social platform usage (2023–2024), U.S. Census county demographics; adjusted for Cayuga’s older/rural profile.