Orange County

Key demographics for Orange County, New York (U.S. Census Bureau: 2020 Census; 2018–2022 ACS 5-year unless noted)

Population size

• Total population (2020 Census): 401,310

Age

• Under 18: ~26.6%
• 65 and over: ~16.0%
• Median age: ~37.5 years

Gender

• Female: ~50.3%
• Male: ~49.7%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone: ~74–75%
• Black or African American alone: ~12–13%
• Asian alone: ~3–4%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~1%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.1%
• Two or more races: ~5–6%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~23–24%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~56–58%

Households

• Total households: ~131,000–132,000
• Persons per household (avg): ~3.0
• Family households: ~7 in 10 households
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: ~70%
• Median household income (2022 dollars): around $90,000–$95,000
• Median gross rent (monthly): around $1,400–$1,500

Insights

• Younger age profile and larger household sizes than the NYS average, influenced by communities with high fertility and large families.
• Significant and growing Hispanic/Latino population (about one-quarter of residents).
• Homeownership is relatively high for downstate NY, with median household income near the statewide median outside NYC.

• Population and density: Orange County, NY has roughly 404,000 residents (ACS 2018–2022) and about 495 people per square mile (≈401,000 residents over 812 sq mi of land).
• Estimated email users: ~320,000 residents age 13+ use email, based on county age mix and U.S. adoption rates.
• Age distribution of email users (share of users):
  • 13–17: 6%
  • 18–34: 28%
  • 35–54: 34%
  • 55–64: 15%
  • 65+: 17%
• Gender split among users: approximately 51% women, 49% men (mirroring county sex composition; email adoption is comparable by gender).
• Digital access and connectivity:
  • 94% of households have a computer and 90% have a broadband subscription (ACS 2018–2022).
  • Email reliance is reinforced by high smartphone and home broadband penetration; remaining gaps are concentrated among lower-income and rural households.
  • Connectivity is strongest along the Newburgh–Middletown–Monroe and I‑84/I‑87 corridors, with relatively lower fixed-broadband subscription in western rural towns.

Insights: With pervasive broadband and near-universal adult email adoption, email reaches the vast majority of Orange County residents, especially working-age adults (18–54) who account for about two-thirds of users, while older adults represent a meaningful and reachable segment.

Orange County, NY: mobile usage snapshot and how it differs from the New York State profile

Scale and user base

• Population base: ~404,000 (2023 estimate). Adults (18+): ~310,000.
• Adult smartphone users: ~270,000 (roughly 86–88% adult adoption). This is a few points below the statewide adult adoption rate (generally near 90%), reflecting Orange County’s mix of suburban and semi-rural communities compared with the NYC-heavy state average.

Device ownership and access (household-level, ACS-based estimates)

• Households with a smartphone: about 90–92% in Orange County vs ~92–94% statewide.
• Households with any broadband subscription (wireline or cellular): ~88–90% in Orange County vs ~90–92% statewide.
• Households with a cellular data plan (any mobile broadband): ~78–80% in Orange County vs ~80–82% statewide.
• Mobile-only internet households (cellular data plan but no wired subscription): 10–12% in Orange County, lower than the statewide share (14–16%) driven up by parts of NYC.
• Households with no home internet subscription: ~8–10% in Orange County vs ~6–8% statewide.

Demographic usage patterns

• Age: Near-saturation among 18–34; high 35–54 adoption; a larger drop-off in 65+ in Orange County than the state average. That gap explains much of the county’s slightly lower overall adoption vs statewide.
• Income: Mobile-only reliance climbs in lower-income tracts in the Cities of Newburgh and Middletown; rates are lower in higher-income suburban towns (Monroe, Warwick, Woodbury). This intra-county divergence is sharper than the state average outside NYC.
• Language/ethnicity: Hispanic and Black households in Orange County show higher-than-average mobile-only reliance relative to countywide figures, echoing state and national patterns, but absolute levels remain below analogous NYC boroughs.

Network and digital infrastructure

• 4G/5G coverage: All three national carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon) provide countywide LTE; 5G low-band covers most population centers. Mid-band 5G (capacity-oriented) is concentrated along the I‑84/I‑87 corridors and in/around Newburgh, Middletown, Monroe/Woodbury, and Warwick. Coverage and indoor performance taper in lower-density western and northern areas (e.g., near the Shawangunk Ridge, Sterling Forest).
• Capacity hot spots: Interchanges and retail nodes (I‑84/I‑87 junction, Woodbury Commons area, Route 17/6 corridor) and the Hudson River waterfront in Newburgh see peak-hour congestion; carriers have added small cells and upgraded sites in these zones.
• Backhaul and fiber: Charter Spectrum and Verizon Fios are the primary wired backbones supporting macro and small-cell sites; Optimum/Altice has a smaller footprint. Ongoing fiber builds have strengthened 5G backhaul on main corridors, but rural edges remain more dependent on microwave or longer fiber laterals, limiting mid-band densification relative to downstate metro areas.
• Tower and siting dynamics: Macro sites are sited along ridgelines and highways for coverage; the county has expanded small-cell nodes in denser town centers since 2021. Terrain shielding still creates indoor dead zones in pockets west and southwest of Middletown and near parklands.

How Orange County differs from the NYS pattern

• Slightly lower smartphone and broadband subscription percentages than the statewide average, largely due to semi-rural geography and a larger 65+ adoption gap.
• Lower share of mobile-only households than the state average because suburban wireline broadband is relatively prevalent compared with NYC’s mobile-reliant segments.
• More LTE-only experience and less mid-band 5G ubiquity than the state’s urban cores; performance is more corridor-based (I‑84/I‑87, Route 17) than neighborhood-saturated as in NYC.
• Greater geographic variability: Dense suburban towns resemble downstate benchmarks, while western/northern tracts align more with upstate rural performance.

Key takeaways

• Approximately 270,000 adult smartphone users in Orange County, with household smartphone access around 9 in 10 homes.
• Mobile-only internet reliance exists but is meaningfully lower than the statewide rate.
• The main constraint versus the statewide profile is infrastructure depth: mid-band 5G and fiber backhaul are strong on major corridors and in town centers, but the county’s terrain and lower-density areas keep average mobile performance and adoption a notch below the NYC-influenced state baseline.

Social media usage in Orange County, NY (short, data-backed snapshot)

County baseline

• Population: ~405,000 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 estimate)
• Adults (18+): ~305,000
• Gender: ~50.5% female, ~49.5% male (ACS 2023)

How many people use social media locally

• Estimated social media users (all ages): ~290,000–300,000 (about 72–75% of residents), applying the United States social media penetration rate of 72.5% to the county population (DataReportal, Jan 2024)
• Estimated adult social media users (18+): ~240,000–255,000 (consistent with Pew’s finding that roughly 8 in 10 U.S. adults use at least one social platform)

Most-used platforms among adults (modeled local reach) Percentages are U.S. adult adoption rates (Pew Research Center, 2024); user counts apply those rates to Orange County’s ~305k adults.

• YouTube: ~83% of adults ≈ 250k users
• Facebook: ~68% ≈ 205k
• Instagram: ~50% ≈ 150k
• Pinterest: ~35% ≈ 105k
• TikTok: ~33% ≈ 100k
• Snapchat: ~30% ≈ 90k
• LinkedIn: ~30% ≈ 90k
• WhatsApp: ~26% ≈ 80k
• X (Twitter): ~22% ≈ 67k
• Reddit: ~22% ≈ 67k

Age-group patterns (what people use)

• Teens and 18–29: Very heavy on YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok; Facebook is secondary in this cohort
• 30–49: YouTube and Facebook lead; Instagram is strong; TikTok adoption is meaningful but below 18–29
• 50–64: Facebook remains the default; YouTube significant; Instagram and Pinterest are mid-tier; TikTok modest
• 65+: Facebook leads; YouTube moderate; other platforms low Notes: These patterns mirror Pew’s 2024 age splits; Orange County’s suburban profile tends to track U.S. averages

Gender breakdown and platform skew

• County users are roughly half female, half male (reflecting population)
• Platform skews (Pew 2024, U.S. adults):
  • Women over-index on Facebook and Instagram; Pinterest is strongly female-skewed (roughly half of women vs about one-fifth of men use Pinterest)
  • Men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X (Twitter)
  • TikTok and WhatsApp are closer to gender-neutral overall

Behavioral trends observed in suburban counties like Orange County

• Community and local info: Facebook Groups/Pages and Nextdoor-style neighborhood forums are primary channels for local news, school updates, events, road closures, and weather impacts
• Events and recreation: Facebook Events and Instagram are key for weekend activities, fairs, farmers’ markets, parks, and town happenings (Warwick, Goshen, Newburgh, Middletown)
• Buy/sell and services: Facebook Marketplace dominates peer-to-peer sales; local service providers (home, auto, wellness) rely on Facebook/Instagram posts, ads, and recommendations in Groups
• Short-form video discovery: Instagram Reels and TikTok drive discovery for restaurants, breweries, trails, and small businesses; creators and local businesses post 15–60 second vertical video to reach younger audiences
• Messaging and community ties: Messenger and WhatsApp facilitate family and community communication, including bilingual households; businesses increasingly use WhatsApp for inquiries
• Professional networking: LinkedIn usage is material among commuters and white-collar workers; recruitment and local hiring posts are common
• Engagement cadence: Evenings and weekends see the highest local engagement; spikes occur during school announcements, storms, and election cycles; Facebook remains the most reliable channel for broad community reach

Method and sources

• Population and gender: U.S. Census Bureau/ACS 2023 (Orange County, NY)
• Social media penetration and time use: DataReportal (United States, Jan 2024)
• Platform adoption by U.S. adults and demographic skews: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024

Notes

• County-level platform measurements are not published; figures above model Orange County’s audience by applying the latest U.S. adoption rates to local Census demographics. Rankings and relative magnitudes are robust; exact local counts are directional estimates.