Erie County

Erie County, New York — key demographics (latest available Census/ACS data)

Population size

• About 950,000 residents (2023 estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~41
• Under 18: ~20%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Gender

• Female: ~51.7%
• Male: ~48.3%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone: ~73–74%
• Black or African American alone: ~14–15%
• Asian alone: ~4–5%
• Two or more races: ~4%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~6–7% Note: Hispanic is an ethnicity and overlaps with race categories.

Household data

• Households: roughly 400,000
• Average household size: ~2.3 persons
• Family households: ~55–60% of households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~66%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 2023 1-year; 2019–2023 ACS 5-year; 2020 Decennial Census/Population Estimates). Figures rounded for clarity.

Erie County, NY (approx. 950k residents) — email usage snapshot

• Estimated email users: 680k–710k adults. Method: ~79% of residents are 18+, and 90–95% of U.S. adults use email (Pew), applied to Erie’s adult population.
• Age pattern (usage rates, approximate): 18–29: 95–98%; 30–49: 96–98%; 50–64: 92–95%; 65+: 78–85%. Non‑use concentrates among older adults.
• Gender split: Essentially even; men and women both ~90%+ email use (differences typically within 1–2 percentage points in national surveys).
• Digital access (ACS/Pew-informed): 92–94% of households have a computer; 86–89% have home broadband. About 12–15% are smartphone‑only users. Buffalo city neighborhoods trail nearby suburbs by ~10–15 points in home broadband adoption, reflecting affordability and device gaps.
• Local density/connectivity: Population density ~900 per sq. mile. Fixed cable/fiber coverage is strongest in the Buffalo–Amherst–Cheektowaga corridor; rural “Southtowns” see more DSL/fixed‑wireless dependence and lower speeds. NYS broadband maps indicate >95% address‑level availability at ~100/20 Mbps, though subscription lags availability in lower‑income tracts.
• Trend: Email remains near‑universal among working‑age adults; incremental gains are driven by 65+ adoption as broadband and device access improve.

Here’s a concise, county-specific picture of mobile phone usage in Erie County, NY, with emphasis on how it diverges from statewide patterns.

User estimates

• Scale: With a population just under 1 million and an older-than-state-average age profile, an estimated 700,000–800,000 residents use smartphones. That implies overall adoption slightly below the New York State average (driven by lower adoption among seniors), but near national norms among working-age adults and teens.
• Multiple lines: As in most U.S. markets, active mobile lines likely exceed the population (100–120 subscriptions per 100 residents), reflecting work/personal lines and connected devices.
• Mobile-only households: The share of households relying primarily or exclusively on mobile for internet access is likely somewhat higher than the state average, concentrated in lower-income Buffalo neighborhoods and in southern/rural towns where wired broadband options are limited or costly.

Demographic breakdown (how Erie differs from statewide)

• Age: Erie County skews older than New York overall. Smartphone adoption among 65+ is notably lower than the state average, pulling down the countywide rate despite near-universal adoption among under-35s.
• Income: Median household income is below the state average; that correlates with higher use of prepaid plans and a greater incidence of mobile-only connectivity (especially where broadband or device costs are barriers). This pattern is more pronounced in parts of Buffalo’s East Side, Lackawanna, and Cheektowaga than in most downstate suburbs.
• Geography and race/ethnicity: Urban neighborhoods with historic underinvestment and several rural/southern towns show higher mobile dependence and more coverage/performance variability than the state’s dense downstate cores. Communities of color in Buffalo are more likely to rely on smartphones as a primary connection compared with the statewide average.
• Students: The large University at Buffalo and other colleges create an outsized cluster of heavy mobile users in Amherst/Tonawanda, with extensive offload to campus Wi‑Fi—unlike many rural upstate counties but still less dense than NYC campuses.

Digital infrastructure and coverage (local points vs state context)

• 5G footprint:
  • Mid-band 5G (T-Mobile 2.5 GHz; Verizon/AT&T C-band) is broadly available across Buffalo and first-ring suburbs, with solid corridor coverage along I‑90/I‑190/I‑290. Erie’s mid-band depth is better than many rural NY counties but less dense than NYC/Long Island, so peak speeds and indoor penetration trail the best downstate neighborhoods.
  • mmWave 5G is limited to high-traffic zones (downtown Buffalo, major venues) versus widespread dense-node deployments in NYC.
• Venues and DAS:
  • Highmark Stadium (Orchard Park) and KeyBank Center have upgraded DAS/5G for game-day loads—distinctive local hotspots that can outperform baseline neighborhood service.
  • Buffalo Niagara International Airport has carrier coverage and indoor systems typical of mid-size airports, but not the extensive multi-operator buildouts found at the major downstate airports.
• Rural edges: The southern towns (Boston, Sardinia, Collins, Brant, North Collins) still lean on LTE with fewer mid-band 5G sectors and some capacity gaps—more pronounced than in most downstate metros.
• Fixed Wireless Access (FWA): T-Mobile and Verizon FWA are widely marketed in suburbs and some city areas. Uptake is meaningful among cord-cutters and households priced out of wired plans—more visible than in fiber-rich downstate neighborhoods but less so where Spectrum offers competitive cable tiers.
• Backhaul and fiber: Cable (Spectrum) dominates; FiOS has a limited footprint; newer fiber builds (e.g., competitive overbuilders expanding in Buffalo-area suburbs) are improving backhaul for towers but are still far less pervasive than downstate. This constrains the density of small cells relative to NYC.
• Cross-border effects: Along the river/lakeshore, occasional Canadian signal bleed/roaming can occur, but it’s a smaller factor here than in Niagara County.

Usage and adoption trends to watch (county vs state)

• Post-ACP pressure: With the federal ACP subsidy winding down, Erie’s lower-income households are at higher risk of shifting to mobile-only plans or downgrading service, likely widening the mobile reliance gap with the state average.
• Prepaid mix: Prepaid share is likely higher than the statewide mix, reflecting Erie’s income profile—expect continued growth of value-focused plans and MVNOs.
• Network densification: Carriers will keep adding mid-band sectors where traffic grows (stadiums, campuses, malls). Erie will benefit, but the pace will remain slower than in NYC due to ROI density differences.
• Digital equity initiatives: Local and state programs (e.g., digital literacy, device assistance, new fiber builds) can narrow adoption gaps among seniors and low-income households—areas where Erie trails the state.

Bottom line Erie County’s mobile landscape is characterized by strong mid-band 5G in the core metro, thinner rural coverage to the south, higher mobile-only dependence in specific neighborhoods, and a larger senior population that moderates overall adoption. Compared with New York State overall—dominated by dense, high-income downstate markets—Erie shows more variability by neighborhood, a higher reliance on prepaid and FWA, and less ultra-dense 5G buildout, even as day-to-day smartphone use among working-age residents remains near statewide norms.

Here’s a concise, data-grounded snapshot of social media use in Erie County, NY. Where exact local figures aren’t published, percentages reflect U.S. adult usage rates applied to Erie County’s adult population to give reasonable local estimates.

Population base

• Residents: ≈950,000; adults (18+): ≈760,000.
• Estimated social users: 13+ users ≈660,000–710,000 (≈80–85% of adults; teens are ~95%+ on at least one platform).

Most-used platforms (adults; estimated local share ≈ U.S. rates)

• YouTube: ≈83% of adults (~630k)
• Facebook: ≈68% (~515k)
• Instagram: ≈47% (~360k)
• Pinterest: ≈35% (~265k)
• TikTok: ≈33% (~250k)
• LinkedIn: ≈30% (~230k)
• Snapchat: ≈27% (~205k; note teen use is higher)
• X/Twitter: ≈22% (~170k)

Age patterns (what’s most active)

• Teens (13–17): Very high YouTube; heavy TikTok and Snapchat; Instagram strong; Facebook minimal except for events/family.
• 18–29: Multi-platform, led by Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube; Facebook mostly for groups/events/Marketplace.
• 30–49: YouTube + Facebook core; Instagram rising; TikTok moderate; LinkedIn active among professionals.
• 50–64: Facebook + YouTube dominant; Pinterest common; some LinkedIn; limited TikTok/Instagram.
• 65+: Facebook for community/news and YouTube for how‑to/news; limited use of others; some Nextdoor/WhatsApp for neighborhood/family.

Gender tendencies

• Women: Higher likelihood to use Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; strong engagement with local small businesses, events, schools.
• Men: More likely on YouTube, Reddit, X; sports/news and tech content heavier.
• Facebook and YouTube are broadly cross‑gender; Pinterest skews female; Reddit/X skew male.

Behavioral trends specific to Erie County

• Sports-driven spikes: Bills and Sabres content (especially game days and playoffs) drives surges on X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok; strong #BillsMafia culture.
• Weather and community info: Lake‑effect snow and storm events push real‑time updates and high sharing in Facebook Groups, local news pages, Nextdoor; school closings and service alerts trend quickly.
• Facebook Groups and Marketplace: Very active for neighborhoods, buy/sell/trade, and local services; strong seasonal churn around college move‑ins.
• Local news consumption: High engagement with Buffalo‑area outlets on Facebook/YouTube; comments drive reach; breaking news and civic issues perform best.
• Food and events discovery: Instagram/TikTok used to find new restaurants, festivals (Taste of Buffalo, Allentown Art Festival, Erie County Fair), and “best wings” discourse; Reels/shorts perform well.
• Higher‑ed influence: UB, Buffalo State, Canisius, D’Youville populations boost Instagram/TikTok stories/reels; campus groups and Discords supplement.
• Professional networking: LinkedIn usage noticeable in banking (M&T), healthcare (Kaleida, Catholic Health), education (UB), and startups; event posts and job moves draw outsized engagement.
• Timing: Evenings (7–10 pm) and weekends see peak engagement; strong Sunday activity during NFL season; winter months generally higher screen time.

Notes on method

• Percentages reflect Pew Research Center’s most recent U.S. adult platform usage rates applied to Erie County’s adult population; teen patterns reflect national teen surveys. Local counts are estimates, not official tallies.