Lewis County

Lewis County, New York — key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau)

Population size

• 26,582 (2020 Census)
• 26,600 (2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~42 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~23%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Gender

• Male: ~50–51%
• Female: ~49–50%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2019–2023)

• White alone: ~94–95%
• Black or African American alone: ~0.6–0.8%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.3–0.4%
• Asian alone: ~0.3–0.5%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2–3%

Households and housing (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: ~10,100
• Persons per household: ~2.6
• Family households: ~66–68%; married-couple households ~50–55%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~78–82%
• Median household income: ~$60,000–$65,000
• Poverty rate: ~11–13%

Insights

• Small, largely rural county with a stable to slightly declining population since 2010
• Older age profile than the U.S. average and a high owner-occupancy rate
• Predominantly White, with modest racial/ethnic diversity and comparatively low urban in-migration

Lewis County, NY overview

• Population ≈26.6k; density ≈21 people per sq mi (among the most rural in NY), shaping connectivity and email habits.

Email users

• Estimated users: ~20–21k residents (≈92% of adults; ≈77–80% of total residents).
• Gender split: ≈50/50; usage rates differ by under 2 percentage points.

Age distribution of email users (share of users)

• 13–17: ~7%
• 18–29: ~15%
• 30–49: ~30%
• 50–64: ~26%
• 65+: ~22%

Digital access and connectivity

• Households with a computer: ~88–92%.
• Broadband subscription (any): ~82–85%; fiber/cable concentrated in and around population centers, with DSL/satellite in remote areas.
• Smartphone‑only internet households: ~10–12%.
• Fixed broadband availability and adoption trail NYS averages; speeds and reliability are higher near villages and major corridors.

Trends and insights

• Broadband subscriptions have risen since 2019, narrowing—but not closing—rural gaps; email adoption among seniors continues to grow.
• Low population density and challenging terrain increase last‑mile costs, leaving persistent pockets of underconnected households despite ongoing NYS and federal buildouts.

Mobile phone usage in Lewis County, New York — 2024 snapshot

Population baseline

• Residents: ~26.6k; adults (18+): ~21k; households: ~10.5–10.8k. Rural settlement pattern with small population centers (e.g., Lowville) and large forested/plateau areas.

User estimates (adults, 2024)

• Any mobile phone (basic + smartphone) users: 95–97% of adults → ~20.0k–20.4k people.
• Smartphone users: 82–86% of adults → ~17.2k–18.1k people.
• 5G‑capable smartphone users: 65–70% of smartphone users → ~11.5k–12.5k people.
• Prepaid vs. postpaid: prepaid accounts ~27–32% of active lines (notably higher than New York State average).
• Smartphone‑only home internet households (no wired broadband): 14–18% of households → ~1.5k–1.9k households.
• Monthly mobile data use (smartphones): typically 14–18 GB; heavier use where fixed wireless replaces home broadband.
• Platform mix: Android 50–55%, iOS 45–50% (skews more Android than state average).
• Device replacement cycle: ~4.0–4.5 years on average (longer than state average).

Demographic drivers of usage

• Older age structure: share of residents 65+ is several points higher than the state average; smartphone ownership among seniors sits near 60–70%, pulling overall penetration below the state level.
• Income: median household income is materially below the New York State median, contributing to higher prepaid uptake and slower device refresh.
• Education and occupation mix: higher share in trades, agriculture, forestry, and public sector relative to state; usage patterns emphasize voice/SMS reliability, Wi‑Fi offload at work/school, and pragmatic app sets over premium streaming.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Carriers present: Verizon, AT&T (including FirstNet Band 14 for public safety), and T‑Mobile. UScellular roaming may appear in fringe areas via partner agreements.
• Coverage pattern:
  • Stronger service in and around Lowville and along key corridors (NY‑12, NY‑26, NY‑177; Black River Valley communities such as Lyons Falls/Port Leyden/Copenhagen/Turin).
  • Coverage gaps and weak indoor signal on the Tug Hill Plateau and the western Adirondack foothills due to terrain, tree cover, and lower site density.
• 4G/5G:
  • Low‑band 5G (DSS/Band 5, n71) blankets most populated areas; population coverage roughly 70–80%.
  • Mid‑band 5G (e.g., C‑band n77 on Verizon/AT&T, 2.5 GHz n41 on T‑Mobile) is present mainly in towns and along primary corridors; population coverage roughly 30–45%.
  • mmWave 5G is negligible.
• Site density and backhaul:
  • Sparse macro‑tower grid typical of rural NY; on the order of a few dozen macro sites countywide; limited small‑cell deployment outside village cores.
  • Backhaul is a mix of microwave and a small number of fiber routes paralleling major roads/utility rights‑of‑way, creating single‑path vulnerabilities during storms or maintenance.
• Public‑safety and expansion programs:
  • FirstNet buildouts since 2019 have improved AT&T Band 14 coverage for emergency services, especially along evacuation and school routes.
  • New York’s Upstate Cellular Coverage efforts and federal funds (e.g., BEAD‑supported fiber backhaul) have driven incremental rural tower additions and upgrades across the North Country, including sites that serve Lewis County.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA):
  • 4G/5G home internet offers from Verizon and T‑Mobile are available in and around the NY‑12 corridor and town centers; adoption is material where wired options are limited (estimated 6–10% of households).
• Typical user speeds (outdoors, uncongested):
  • LTE: ~10–40 Mbps down / 2–10 Mbps up in populated areas; <5 Mbps or intermittent in remote pockets.
  • Low‑band 5G: ~30–100 Mbps down / 5–20 Mbps up.
  • Mid‑band 5G (where present): ~100–300 Mbps down with better capacity.

How Lewis County differs from New York State overall

• Adoption: adult smartphone penetration is lower by ~4–8 percentage points; senior smartphone adoption lags the state by a wider margin.
• Plan mix and affordability: prepaid share is higher by ~5–10 points; average device replacement cycles are longer.
• Network footprint: far smaller mid‑band 5G and small‑cell footprint; heavier reliance on low‑band spectrum for reach and building penetration.
• Performance and reliability: lower average speeds and higher variability, with terrain‑driven dead zones and more frequent weather‑related disruptions due to sparse site redundancy and constrained backhaul.
• Platform mix: Android share is higher and iOS share lower than statewide norms.
• Internet substitution: a higher proportion of households rely on smartphones or mobile FWA as their primary home internet, reflecting gaps in wired broadband.

Key takeaways

• Most adults in Lewis County have a mobile phone, but smartphone penetration, mid‑band 5G availability, and average speeds are all below state levels due to age mix, income, and rural terrain.
• Prepaid usage, Android share, and mobile‑only home internet reliance are meaningfully higher than statewide.
• Coverage and performance are strongest along NY‑12/NY‑26 and in towns; Tug Hill and Adirondack‑edge areas remain the most coverage‑challenged despite ongoing FirstNet and state‑supported buildouts.

Social media usage in Lewis County, NY (2025 snapshot)

How this was built

• Figures are modeled for Lewis County by applying the latest publicly reported U.S. adult adoption rates (Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024) to the county’s adult population profile. Percentages shown are platform adoption rates among adults; county behavior generally mirrors these shares due to similar rural age mix and connectivity. Population baseline: small, rural county (~27k residents).

Most‑used platforms (share of adults who use each platform; modeled)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• Pinterest: 35%
• TikTok: 33%
• LinkedIn: 31%
• Snapchat: 27%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• Reddit: 22%
• WhatsApp: 21% Interpretation: Facebook and YouTube are the reach leaders for general audiences; Instagram is the main growth channel for under‑40s; TikTok now reaches roughly one‑third of adults; Snapchat’s strength is concentrated among teens/young adults.

User stats and composition

• Overall penetration: The adult share using at least one social platform is high (roughly seven in ten, consistent with national adult usage in rural areas).
• Gender breakdown: Overall social media audience in the county is roughly even with a slight female majority. Platform skews: Pinterest is predominantly female; Reddit and X skew male; Instagram and Facebook skew slightly female; Snapchat skews female among teens/young adults; LinkedIn skews slightly male.
• Age dynamics:
  • Teens (13–17): Very high social use; dominant apps are YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok; light Facebook posting but present for groups/events.
  • 18–29: Heavy on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube; Facebook use mainly for Groups, Marketplace, family.
  • 30–49: Mixed stack—YouTube and Facebook for daily use; Instagram for brands, local creators; TikTok growing for entertainment/how‑to.
  • 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram secondary; limited TikTok.
  • 65+: Facebook first; YouTube for how‑to/news clips; lower use of other platforms.

Behavioral trends specific to a rural Upstate NY county context

• Facebook Groups = community hub: Highest engagement happens in local groups (town/village updates, school districts, youth sports, snowmobile and outdoor clubs, buy/sell/trade, road and weather conditions). Events and Marketplace drive routine visits.
• Video is rising but practical: Short, captioned clips (30–90 seconds) about local events, school sports highlights, road closures, weather/snow reports, farm and outdoor tips perform best. YouTube remains the go‑to for longer how‑to content (DIY, small‑engine repair, homestead/ag practices).
• Seasonal engagement spikes: Winter weather and trail conditions (snowmobile, ski) surge; summer fair/festival season and hunting/fishing openers drive local interest; school‑year calendars and athletics sustain steady traffic.
• Messaging first culture: Facebook Messenger is ubiquitous for community and business contact; 18–34s lean on Instagram DMs; teens rely on Snapchat for day‑to‑day communication.
• Trust and source preference: Official local pages (county government, sheriff, emergency services, school districts, libraries) and well‑known community admins see higher credibility and faster sharing for alerts.
• Ads and outreach: Facebook/Instagram provide the most efficient geographic reach for small businesses, recruitment, and tourism; TikTok ads increasingly effective for 18–34 discovery; YouTube pre‑roll works well for how‑to and seasonal services. Creative with local landmarks, named places, and timely conditions outperforms generic stock.
• Posting patterns: Peak attention windows are early morning (commute/school prep) and evening (after 7 p.m.). Weekends show strong engagement for events, sports, and outdoors content.

Sources

• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (platform adoption rates).
• U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5‑year estimates (population profile; rural age mix informing the modeled splits).