Monroe County

Monroe County, New York – key demographics (latest available)

Population size

• 2023 Census estimate: 752,000 (approx.); 2020 Census: 759,443
• Direction: slight decline since 2020

Age

• Median age: ~39
• Age distribution: under 18 ≈20%; 18–24 ≈11%; 25–44 ≈28%; 45–64 ≈25%; 65+ ≈16–17%

Gender

• Female ≈51.5–52%
• Male ≈48–48.5%

Race and ethnicity

• Non-Hispanic White ≈64%
• Black or African American ≈16–17%
• Asian ≈5–6%
• Two or more races ≈6%
• American Indian/Alaska Native ≈0.4–0.5%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander ≈0.03%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race) ≈10%

Households

• Total households: ~310,000–315,000
• Average household size: ~2.35
• Household type: ≈57% family households; ≈43% nonfamily
• Individuals living alone: ≈31–33% of all households (about 11–12% are age 65+ living alone)
• Households with children under 18: ≈26–28%

Notes

• Population size: U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (2023) and 2020 Decennial Census.
• Age, sex, race/ethnicity, and household metrics: American Community Survey (ACS), most recent 1-year/5-year estimates for Monroe County, NY.
• Hispanic is an ethnicity; other categories above are non-Hispanic (race alone) unless noted.

Monroe County, NY email landscape (2025):

• Estimated users: ≈540,000 adult email users. Basis: ≈590,000 adults (out of ≈752,000 total residents, 2023 Census est.) × ~92% email adoption (Pew).
• Age distribution (share using email): 18–29 ≈98–99%; 30–49 ≈99%; 50–64 ≈96%; 65+ ≈87%. This skews usage toward working-age adults but shows strong senior adoption.
• Gender split: Near parity; men ≈92%, women ≈93% use email, yielding an essentially 50/50 user base.
• Digital access trends (ACS/NTIA-aligned): About 95% of households have a computer; ~90% have a broadband subscription; roughly 11% are smartphone‑only (cellular data without wireline at home). Broadband subscription rates have risen steadily since the mid‑2010s, narrowing the access gap, though smartphone‑only reliance persists in lower‑income tracts.
• Local density/connectivity facts: Population density ≈1,140 people/sq mi (≈752,000 residents over ~657 land sq mi). The urban core (Rochester) is served by multiple gigabit providers (Spectrum cable; Greenlight Networks fiber; Frontier fiber in expanding footprints). Extensive public Wi‑Fi is available via the Monroe County Library System and municipal facilities. Regional institutions (University of Rochester, RIT, major healthcare systems) are on high‑capacity backbones (e.g., NYSERNet), supporting robust regional connectivity that correlates with high email utilization.

Mobile phone usage in Monroe County, NY — summary with county-specific estimates, demographics, and infrastructure, highlighting where local trends diverge from state-level

Topline user estimates

• Population and households: ~759,000 residents and ~311,000 households (Census/ACS).
• Household smartphone access: about 9 in 10 households have a smartphone; roughly 1 in 8 rely on a cellular data plan with no fixed home broadband (ACS S2801, 2018–2022 5-year).
• Resident smartphone users: ≈600,000–620,000 residents use a smartphone on a typical basis. Point estimate ≈610,000, derived by applying recent Pew Research U.S. adoption rates by age to Monroe County’s age structure (adult ownership ≈92% overall; very high among 18–49, lower among 65+).
• Internet subscription mix: ≈89% of households have broadband of any type; ≈10% report no internet subscription; ≈77% have a cellular data plan (ACS S2801).

How Monroe County differs from New York State

• Higher smartphone-only reliance: Monroe County’s share of households using a cellular data plan without fixed broadband is a few points higher than the statewide average (≈13% vs ≈10–11% statewide). This is driven by pockets in the City of Rochester where smartphone-only use is common.
• Slightly lower “no internet at home”: Countywide, the share of households with no internet subscription is slightly lower than the New York State average (≈10% vs ≈12% statewide), with suburban areas offsetting city gaps.
• Usage concentration around campuses and medical corridors: The University of Rochester/Strong Memorial, RIT, and downtown Rochester show above-average 5G capacity and small-cell density relative to typical upstate counties, reflecting heavy student/worker mobile data demand. This spatial pattern contrasts with state-level dynamics dominated by the NYC metro.
• Network performance and build focus: Monroe’s urban core sees mid-band 5G (2.5 GHz/C-band) capacity on all three national networks; outer-town areas show more LTE fallback and variable indoor coverage than statewide averages, again reflecting upstate/rural edges rather than NYC-like ubiquity.

Demographic breakdown (usage patterns and dependency)

• Age:
  • 18–49: near-saturation smartphone ownership; heavy app-centric usage for work, commuting, and campus life. This cohort accounts for the bulk of 5G traffic.
  • 65+: ownership is lower than younger groups but rising; telehealth use is a key driver in Monroe due to large health systems. Seniors are less likely to have fixed broadband than statewide averages in similar age brackets, increasing smartphone reliance among those without home internet.
• Income:
  • Lower-income households in the City of Rochester are more likely to be smartphone-only and less likely to have fixed broadband. County-level assistance programs and discounted plans mitigate but do not eliminate the gap. This elevates cellular-plan dependency above the state average.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Black and Hispanic households in city neighborhoods show higher smartphone-only reliance than white households, mirroring national patterns. The county’s aggregate rates therefore skew higher than the NYS average because Monroe includes a large urban core with concentrated digital-inequity tracts.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• 5G coverage and capacity:
  • All three national carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon) provide countywide 5G. Mid-band deployments (T-Mobile 2.5 GHz “UC,” Verizon/AT&T C-band) are focused on Rochester, university campuses, hospital districts, commercial corridors, and major suburbs; this is where users see the biggest speed and capacity gains.
  • Small-cell densification is visible downtown and on/near university and medical campuses, supporting high-capacity demand and indoor coverage.
• Backhaul and fiber:
  • Robust fiber backhaul from multiple providers (Spectrum, Frontier, and local FTTH builder Greenlight Networks) underpins 5G capacity in the urban/suburban core and along expressways. This density is stronger than in many upstate counties and supports higher median mobile speeds.
• Coverage challenges:
  • Fringe and semi-rural towns (e.g., parts of Hamlin, Mendon, Wheatland, Clarkson) can see weaker indoor signal and more LTE fallback compared with core suburbs. This urban–rural gradient is more pronounced locally than in NYS averages heavily influenced by the NYC region.
• Public safety and resilience:
  • FirstNet (AT&T) coverage overlays the county, including hospital/EMS corridors and the airport. Winter-weather resilience and redundancy planning around ROC Airport and the hospital district are prioritized nodes for mobile networks.

Key insights

• Monroe County’s mobile landscape is defined by very high smartphone penetration, above-average smartphone-only reliance, and strong 5G capacity where people work, study, and receive care.
• The county’s aggregate metrics mask a stark city–suburb split: urban tracts lift smartphone-only rates above the state average, while suburban broadband adoption lowers the county’s “no internet” share below the state average.
• Investment focus has shifted from blanket coverage to mid-band capacity and small cells in high-demand zones (downtown Rochester, universities, and hospitals), a pattern more akin to mid-sized metros than to rural upstate or NYC borough dynamics.

Sources and methods

• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2018–2022 5-year, Table S2801 (computer and internet use by household, including smartphone and cellular-plan metrics).
• Pew Research Center (2023) for age-specific smartphone adoption, applied to Monroe County’s population structure for user estimates.
• FCC Broadband Data Collection mobile coverage filings and carrier public coverage disclosures for 5G/C-band/mid-band deployment patterns.

Social media in Monroe County, NY — concise snapshot

Population and connectivity

• Total population: ~760,000; adults (18+): ~600,000 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2022)
• Broadband/internet access: ~90% of households have an internet subscription (ACS 2022)

How many social media users

• Adult social media users: ~430,000 (≈72% of adults), aligning Monroe County with national adult adoption (Pew Research Center, 2024)
• Note: Users often use multiple platforms; figures below are shares of all adults, not unique users

Most‑used platforms among adults (share of adults; approximate local users)

• YouTube: 83% (~498k)
• Facebook: 68% (~408k)
• Instagram: 50% (~300k)
• Pinterest: 35% (~210k)
• TikTok: 33% (~198k)
• Snapchat: 30% (~180k)
• LinkedIn: 30% (~180k)
• WhatsApp: 29% (~174k)
• X (Twitter): 22% (~132k)
• Reddit: 22% (~132k) Source for platform rates: Pew Research Center, 2024 U.S. adult usage; local counts apply those rates to Monroe County’s adult population

Age patterns (Pew 2024 U.S. usage rates; expect comparable local patterns)

• 18–29: YouTube ≈95%; Instagram ≈75–80%; Snapchat ≈65–70%; TikTok ≈60%+; Facebook ≈30%
• 30–49: YouTube ≈90%+; Facebook ≈75%; Instagram ≈50%+; TikTok ≈40%; Snapchat ≈25–30%
• 50–64: Facebook ≈70%; YouTube ≈80%+; Instagram ≈30%; TikTok ≈15%
• 65+: Facebook ≈55–60%; YouTube ≈50%; Instagram ≈15%; TikTok ≈8–10%

Gender breakdown (how usage skews)

• County adult population is roughly balanced by sex (≈51% women, 49% men; ACS)
• Platform skews (Pew 2024):
  • Pinterest skews strongly female (about half of women use Pinterest vs ~1 in 5 men)
  • Reddit and X (Twitter) skew male; YouTube also leans slightly male
  • Snapchat and TikTok skew slightly female
  • Facebook and Instagram have relatively small gender gaps overall

Behavioral trends observed locally (consistent with county demographics and U.S. patterns)

• Multi‑platform behavior is the norm: adults commonly maintain several active accounts (video + one or two social + one messaging app)
• Facebook remains the civic and community backbone: high engagement with neighborhood groups, schools, youth sports, local events, and county services; strong channel for local news and public safety updates
• Short‑form video is central for under‑35s: TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts drive discovery for restaurants, festivals, arts, and music around Rochester; heavy student influence from U of R, RIT, and area colleges
• Ephemeral and messaging‑centric use: Snapchat is a primary peer‑to‑peer channel for high‑school/college cohorts; WhatsApp is widely used in immigrant and multilingual communities for family, faith groups, and mutual aid
• Professional networking is above average for a metro with large healthcare, higher‑ed, and tech footprints: LinkedIn is an important recruitment and thought‑leadership channel for hospitals, universities, engineering, optics, and software
• Visual search and planning: Pinterest is strong among parents and homeowners (DIY, crafts, home projects), complementing YouTube’s how‑to content
• X (Twitter) and Reddit are niche but influential: used by local journalists, sports fans, and tech communities; spikes during breaking news, storms, and major civic events

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2022: population and internet access
• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024: platform adoption overall, by age and gender

Method note: Local counts are derived by applying Pew’s 2024 U.S. adult platform adoption rates to Monroe County’s estimated adult population from ACS 2022.