Putnam County

Putnam County, New York — key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates unless noted)

Population

• Total population: ~98,600
• Median age: ~44.0 years

Age distribution

• Under 18: ~21–22%
• 18 to 24: ~7%
• 25 to 44: ~23%
• 45 to 64: ~30%
• 65 and over: ~18%

Sex

• Female: ~50.5–50.8%
• Male: ~49.2–49.5%

Race and ethnicity (Hispanic is any race)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~74–75%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~16%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~2.5–3%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: ~2–3%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~3–4%
• Other (incl. American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander), non-Hispanic: <1%

Households and families

• Total households: ~34,500–35,000
• Average household size: ~2.7–2.8
• Family households: ~70–72% of households
• Married-couple family households: ~54%
• Households with children under 18: ~30–31%
• Nonfamily households: ~28–30%
• Individuals living alone: ~22–24% of households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~80–82% (renter-occupied ~18–20%)

Insights

• Small, suburban county just under 100k residents with an older-than-state median age.
• Predominantly White non-Hispanic with a sizable and growing Hispanic population.
• High homeownership and a majority of family/ married-couple households, with average household size near 2.7–2.8.

• Scope: Putnam County, NY (2020 population 97,668; land area ~231 sq mi; density ≈423 residents/sq mi).
• Estimated email users: ~74,000 residents (≈76% of total population), derived from county age structure and U.S. email adoption benchmarks.
• Age distribution of email users (approx. share of users):
  • 13–17: 4% (high school adoption high but not universal)
  • 18–34: 23%
  • 35–54: 38%
  • 55–64: 16%
  • 65+: 19%
• Adoption by age (benchmarks applied locally): 18–29 ≈96%, 30–49 ≈95%, 50–64 ≈90%, 65+ ≈85%.
• Gender split among users: ~50% female, ~50% male (email adoption shows negligible gender gap and mirrors county sex ratio).
• Digital access trends and connectivity:
  • Household broadband subscription ≈90%+; device ownership (computer/smartphone) ≈95%+ typical for downstate suburban NY.
  • Smartphone-only internet households ≈10–12%, supporting heavy mobile email use.
  • Strong fixed broadband in town centers and along main corridors; mobile coverage robust along I‑84/I‑684 and the Metro‑North Harlem Line, with weaker pockets in hilly, less‑dense areas.
• Insight: Email is near-universal for working-age residents and widely used by seniors; rising smartphone-only access is shifting a larger share of email engagement to mobile.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Putnam County, NY

Scope and sources: Figures below synthesize the latest publicly available county-level data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS 2019–2023, table S2801 and related) and the FCC’s Broadband Data Collection (2024), combined with regional carrier disclosures and local infrastructure records.

User estimates

• Population and households: Approximately 97,000–98,000 residents in ~35,000–36,000 households.
• Household smartphone penetration: About 92–94% of Putnam County households have at least one smartphone (slightly above the New York State average of roughly 90–92%).
• Cellular data plan in the household: Roughly 72–78% of households report a cellular data plan (close to, or a touch below, the state average due to stronger fixed-broadband uptake locally).
• Mobile-only internet households (cellular as the sole home internet): Approximately 9–12% in Putnam, well below the statewide share (typically in the mid-to-high teens), reflecting stronger fiber/cable adoption.
• Individual users: On the order of 75,000–80,000 residents use a mobile phone regularly, with adoption near-universal among working-age adults and teens.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age:
  • 18–64: Near-universal mobile adoption (≈97–99%), in line with state levels.
  • 65+: High but modestly lower adoption (≈80–88%), yet slightly higher than the state’s older-adult adoption rate, consistent with Putnam’s higher incomes and device affordability.
• Income:
  • Higher-income households (Putnam’s median household income is substantially above the state median) are more likely to maintain both a smartphone and fixed broadband, reducing dependence on cellular-only service compared with the statewide pattern.
• Housing and geography:
  • High owner-occupancy and a predominantly suburban/rural settlement pattern correlate with strong in-home Wi‑Fi use and lower reliance on mobile data for primary connectivity than in more urban NY counties.
• Work/commute behavior:
  • Vehicle-based commuting predominates. As a result, mobile usage peaks on road corridors (I‑84, I‑684, Taconic State Parkway, US‑9, NY‑6) and around Metro‑North stations (Harlem and Hudson Lines), rather than in dense transit hubs typical downstate.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• 5G availability:
  • All three national carriers (Verizon, AT&T, T‑Mobile) provide countywide 4G LTE with extensive 5G population coverage. Outdoor population coverage exceeds 95% for at least one carrier across inhabited areas, with multi-carrier 5G strongest along major highways, commercial corridors, and rail lines.
• Terrain-driven gaps:
  • The Hudson Highlands, Putnam Valley (e.g., around lakes and ridgelines), parts of Kent (near Nimham Mountain and other elevations), and interior wooded areas experience weaker indoor coverage and occasional dead zones due to topography and vegetation.
• Site density and deployments:
  • Dozens of macro sites ring the main corridors (I‑84/I‑684, Taconic, US‑9/9D, NY‑6/52/301), supplemented by smaller cells and repeaters in village centers (e.g., Cold Spring, Brewster/Carmel) and around shopping areas, schools, and public facilities.
• Backhaul and fixed broadband context:
  • Verizon Fios and cable broadband (Optimum/Cablevision and other incumbents depending on locality) are widely available in populated zones, yielding high fixed-broadband take‑up. This reduces the share of households relying on cellular as their only internet—distinct from many parts of NY where mobile-only is more common.
• Public safety and E911:
  • E911 location accuracy benefits from the county’s mix of macro sites along corridors; however, indoor accuracy can degrade in valleys or heavy foliage, reinforcing the importance of Wi‑Fi calling in specific pockets.

How Putnam differs from New York State overall

• Lower mobile-only dependence: Putnam households are notably less likely to rely solely on cellular for home internet than the statewide average, due to better fixed-broadband adoption and higher incomes.
• Older-adult adoption is relatively strong: Seniors in Putnam use smartphones at somewhat higher rates than the state average for that age group, narrowing the age gap in mobile adoption.
• Usage concentrated along roads rather than dense transit hubs: Traffic-driven mobile demand spikes align with highways and commuter rail nodes, contrasting with NYC boroughs where subway and dense urban usage patterns dominate.
• Carrier preference shaped by terrain: Verizon and AT&T traditionally show stronger perceived reliability in hilly, forested sections; T‑Mobile’s 5G capacity is competitive along major corridors but can be more variable indoors in valleys, a pattern less pronounced in flatter urban counties.
• Postpaid skew and lower prepaid share: Putnam’s income profile is associated with a higher share of postpaid plans and family bundles than the state overall, which has a larger prepaid segment concentrated in urban areas.

Key takeaways

• Mobile adoption in Putnam County is high and broadly comparable to New York State, but residents are less dependent on mobile as their only connection because fixed broadband is strong.
• Coverage and performance are best along transportation and commercial corridors; topography remains the main constraint in interior valleys and ridge-heavy areas.
• Demographics and commuting patterns drive distinct usage rhythms versus the state at large, with more car-based, corridor-centric demand and relatively strong uptake among older adults.

Putnam County, NY social media snapshot (2024)

County baseline

• Population: 97,668 (2020 Census); median age mid-40s; roughly 51% female, 49% male (ACS)
• Broadband at home: about 93% of households (ACS)
• Smartphone ownership (proxy, U.S. adults): ~90% (Pew)

Estimated social media user base

• Adults (18+): ~77,500
• Adults using at least one social platform: ~56,000 (applying Pew’s 72% U.S. adult social-media adoption)

Most-used platforms among adults (Share = Pew Research Center, 2024, U.S. adults; Local reach = share applied to Putnam’s ~77,500 adults; multi-platform use overlaps)

• YouTube: 83% share → ≈64,300 local adults
• Facebook: 68% → ≈52,700
• Instagram: 47% → ≈36,400
• Pinterest: 35% → ≈27,100
• TikTok: 33% → ≈25,600
• LinkedIn: 30% → ≈23,300
• Snapchat: 27% → ≈20,900
• X (Twitter): 22% → ≈17,100
• Reddit: 22% → ≈17,100
• WhatsApp: 21% → ≈16,300

Age and gender profile of use

• Age: County skews older than the U.S. average, so Facebook and YouTube deliver the broadest reach across 35+ and 65+ cohorts; Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok index highest among 18–34. YouTube is strong across all ages.
• Gender: Overall social-media use is roughly even by gender in aggregate; platform skews persist—Pinterest and Instagram lean female, Reddit and X lean male; Facebook and YouTube are balanced.

Behavioral trends observed in similar suburban, high-broadband NY counties and evident locally

• Community-first usage: Heavy reliance on Facebook Groups/Pages and Nextdoor-style neighborhood forums for town updates, schools, youth sports, parks, and storm/road conditions
• Local discovery: Instagram Reels and TikTok for restaurants, trails (Fahnestock/Hudson Highlands), seasonal events, and small-business storefronts; short, location-tagged video outperforms static posts
• Commuter rhythm: Peak engagement in early morning (commute), lunch, and 7–10 pm; weekends see planning/entertainment searches
• Trust and word-of-mouth: Recommendations in local groups drive service categories (home, health/fitness, pet care) more than brand ads alone
• Professional networking: Above-average LinkedIn utility given higher education/income and NYC-adjacent white-collar workforce
• Creative formats: Short-form vertical video, before/after visuals, and “what’s new in town” roundups perform best; posts with clear locality cues (place names, landmarks) boost reach
• Ads and targeting: Facebook/Instagram provide cost-effective reach; YouTube for top-of-funnel awareness; ZIP/geo-tight targeting performs better than broad radius buys

Notes on method

• County population and broadband figures: U.S. Census/ACS
• Platform percentages: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024
• Local reach counts are modeled estimates applying national adult usage rates to Putnam County’s adult population; totals are not unique due to multi-platform use