Chemung County

Chemung County, NY — key demographics (latest Census/ACS)

• Population:

  • 84,148 (2020 Decennial Census)
  • ~81,600 (2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimate)

• Age:

  • Median age: ~42 years
  • Under 18: ~20%
  • 65 and over: ~19%

• Sex:

  • Female: ~51%
  • Male: ~49%

• Race/ethnicity (Hispanic is any race):

  • White, non-Hispanic: ~83%
  • Black or African American: ~7%
  • Hispanic/Latino: ~4%
  • Two or more races: ~5%
  • Asian: ~1–2%
  • Other (incl. AIAN, NHPI): <1%

• Households:

  • ~35,000 total households
  • Average household size: ~2.3
  • Family households: ~59%
  • Households with children under 18: ~26%
  • Households with someone 65+: ~31%
  • Owner-occupied housing: ~69%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census and 2019–2023 American Community Survey (5-year). Figures rounded.

Chemung County has about 84,000 residents (≈66–68k adults). Using U.S. email adoption (≈88–92% of adults), an estimated 59,000–62,000 county adults use email.

Age profile (applying Pew U.S. rates to Chemung’s older-leaning mix):

• 18–29: ~95–98% use email
• 30–49: ~95–97%
• 50–64: ~90–95%
• 65+: ~85–90% Given ~19% of residents are 65+, Chemung’s overall email use is a point or two below the national average.

Gender split: Near parity; men and women both around 90%+ email usage.

Digital access (ACS-style indicators, recent years):

• ~90–92% of households have a computer/device
• ~83–86% have a home broadband subscription
• ~10–15% are smartphone-only (cell data, no wired broadband)
• ~8–12% report no internet subscription Trends: steady gains in broadband subscriptions and fiber availability since 2019, but affordability and rural gaps persist.

Local density/connectivity:

• Population density ~200 people per sq. mile, concentrated along the Elmira–Horseheads–Big Flats/I‑86 corridor (strongest fixed broadband options).
• Rural towns (e.g., Erin, Van Etten, Chemung) see more limited wireline choices.
• The Southern Tier Network (regional middle‑mile fiber) traverses the county, underpinning ISP expansion and institutional connectivity.

Chemung County, NY — mobile phone usage snapshot (with county–state contrasts)

User estimates

• Total residents: roughly 83–85k.
• Mobile phone users (any mobile): about 60–65k people, or ~70–78% of residents. This is a bit lower than statewide, reflecting an older age profile and more rural geography.
• Smartphone users: about 52–60k people (~62–72% of residents). Adult smartphone ownership is high, but a few points below the New York State average; seniors and very rural households drive most of the gap.
• Households relying on cellular data for home internet: notably higher share than the state average, especially outside Elmira/Horseheads, where cable/fiber choices thin out. Many households use mobile hotspots as a substitute or backup to fixed broadband.

Demographic patterns shaping usage

• Age: Chemung skews older than New York State overall. Seniors (65+) have lower smartphone adoption and are more likely to keep basic phones or older smartphones, contributing to slower upgrade cycles.
• Income: Median incomes are below the state average. That correlates with:
  • Higher prepaid and value-plan usage, more bring‑your‑own‑device, and longer device lifespans.
  • Heavier sensitivity to plan pricing and promotions.
• Education/employment: Healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, and service work means shift workers depend on mobile for scheduling, messaging, and navigation. Mobile access is a primary on‑ramp for job search and training in lower‑income households.
• Language/ethnicity: The county is less linguistically diverse than state averages, so language barriers are a smaller driver of the digital divide here; affordability and coverage are bigger factors.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Networks present: All three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) operate in the county; MVNOs ride on these networks.
• 5G footprint:
  • Strongest around Elmira, Horseheads, Big Flats, and along I‑86 (Southern Tier Expressway), with mid‑band 5G from T‑Mobile and C‑band deployments from Verizon/AT&T near population centers.
  • Outside these corridors, coverage leans on low‑band 5G or LTE, with speeds closer to 4G.
  • Compared with statewide (especially NYC/Long Island), Chemung has far fewer small cells and less dense mid‑band 5G, so performance varies more by location.
• Terrain effects: River valleys and hilly areas create dead zones and indoor signal challenges in rural pockets—an issue far less pronounced in downstate metros.
• Backhaul and redundancy: Fiber backbones follow major corridors; outside them, sites can have less redundant backhaul and be more susceptible to weather‑related outages than urban downstate networks.
• Public/anchor connectivity: Libraries, schools, and municipal buildings act as key Wi‑Fi anchors. Post‑ACP funding lapse, these sites have seen higher demand as households look for no‑cost internet access.

How Chemung differs from New York State trends

• Adoption level: High, but a few points lower than statewide due to older age structure and rural pockets.
• Plan mix: Greater reliance on prepaid/value plans and BYOD; slower device refresh cycles than the state average.
• Mobile‑only internet: Higher share of households using cellular as primary or fallback home internet, versus more fixed‑broadband reliance statewide.
• Coverage quality: More variability in speeds and indoor coverage; mid‑band 5G is concentrated in towns and along I‑86, unlike the denser, more uniform 5G found in NYC/metro areas.
• Affordability pressures: The end of ACP subsidies had outsized local impact relative to the state overall, increasing churn to lower‑cost plans and raising demand for public Wi‑Fi.
• Network densification: Fewer small cells and less fiber redundancy than downstate, making performance and resiliency more sensitive to terrain and power/backhaul disruptions.

Notes on data and confidence

• These are 2023–2025 directional estimates synthesized from ACS “Computer and Internet Use” patterns, Pew mobile adoption research, FCC coverage data trends, and typical rural–urban differentials in New York. Exact county figures vary by dataset and year.

Chemung County, NY social media snapshot (short)

Method note: County-level platform data isn’t published directly. The figures below apply recent U.S. adult usage rates (Pew Research Center, 2024) to Chemung’s adult population to give reasonable, order-of-magnitude local estimates. Overlaps among platforms are expected.

Topline user stats

• Population: ~84,000; adults (18+): ~66,000 (ACS).
• Adults using at least one social platform: roughly 80–85% → about 53–56k people.

Most-used platforms (share of adults; rough Chemung counts)

• YouTube: ~83% → ~55k
• Facebook: ~68% → ~45k
• Instagram: ~50% → ~33k
• Pinterest: ~35% → ~23k
• TikTok: ~33% → ~22k
• Snapchat: ~30% → ~20k
• LinkedIn: ~30% → ~20k
• X (Twitter): ~22% → ~15k
• Reddit: ~22% → ~15k
• WhatsApp: ~21% → ~14k Note: Counts are approximate and overlapping.

Age-group patterns

• Teens (13–17): Very high YouTube; Snapchat and TikTok lead daily social use; Instagram prominent; Facebook minimal.
• 18–29: Heavy on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; YouTube near-universal; Facebook used more for events/Marketplace than posting.
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram common; TikTok growing for entertainment and product discovery.
• 50–64: Facebook highest reach; YouTube strong; Pinterest above average; moderate Instagram; limited TikTok.
• 65+: Facebook first; YouTube second; lower use of Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat.

Gender tendencies

• Women: More likely to be on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; stronger participation in local groups, community updates, buy/sell and events.
• Men: More likely to be on YouTube, Reddit, X; higher engagement with sports, news, tech/gaming content; more long-form video on YouTube.

Behavioral trends to expect locally (small-metro Upstate NY pattern)

• Facebook as the community hub: Heavy use of Groups (schools, yard sales, local news), Events, and Marketplace; local gov, schools, and nonprofits post updates here.
• Video-first consumption: Short-form video (Reels, Shorts, TikTok) drives discovery and shares; cross-posting between TikTok and Instagram/Facebook common.
• YouTube for utility: “How-to,” DIY, home/auto repair, and local interest videos perform well; smart TV viewing growing.
• Messaging habits: Facebook Messenger is default; SMS still prevalent; WhatsApp used but niche (family/international ties).
• Social commerce: Marketplace outperforms formal “Shops” for local buying/selling; Instagram/Facebook drive inquiries via DMs.
• Timing: Peaks evenings and weekends; midday (lunch) secondary; weather and school closings spike local engagement.
• News and alerts: Residents rely more on Facebook Groups/pages than X for real-time local updates.
• LinkedIn is niche but useful for healthcare, education, manufacturing, public sector hiring.

Sources: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (platform penetration by U.S. adults and by age); U.S. Census Bureau, ACS (population/age structure). Estimates above adapt national rates to Chemung County’s adult population.