Ulster County

Ulster County, New York — key demographics

Population size

• 182,400 (2023 population estimate)
• 181,851 (2020 Census)
• Change since 2020: roughly +0.3%

Age

• Median age: about 45 years
• Under 18: ~18–19%
• 65 and over: ~21–22%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone: ~85%
• Black or African American alone: ~6–7%
• Asian alone: ~2–3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.5%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%
• Two or more races: ~5–6%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~10–11%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~75%

Household data

• Households: ~73,000–74,000
• Average household size: ~2.31
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~67–68%
• Median household income (in 2022 dollars): around $78,000–$79,000
• Persons in poverty: ~12%

Insights

• Stable population with an older-than-average age structure and small household size
• Predominantly White, with a growing Hispanic/Latino community and modest racial diversity
• Majority owner-occupied housing and mid-to-upper $70k median household income

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2023 Population Estimates Program; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year; QuickFacts)

Ulster County, NY email usage (adults 18+)

• Estimated users: 136,000 adult email users, derived by applying Pew Research Center’s adult email adoption (90%+) to ~152,000 adults in a ~182,000 population county.
• Age distribution of adult email users (estimated share of users):
  • 18–29: ~16–17%
  • 30–49: ~35%
  • 50–64: ~28%
  • 65+: ~21% Rationale: near‑universal use among under‑50s; lower but majority use among 65+.
• Gender split among users: ~51% female, ~49% male, mirroring county demographics; email adoption is essentially parity by gender.
• Digital access trends (ACS 2018–2022):
  • ~93% of households have a computer.
  • ~87% have a broadband subscription at home.
  • ~10% are smartphone‑only; ~13% lack fixed home internet, indicating remaining access gaps that suppress email use among some seniors and lower‑income households.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population density is roughly 160 people per square mile across ~1,100+ square miles of land, with denser Hudson River corridor communities better served by fixed broadband than more rural Catskills areas.
  • Email reliance is strongest where fixed broadband is common; areas with lower wireline availability show higher smartphone‑only dependence, influencing email access and consistency.

Ulster County, NY mobile usage snapshot (focus: differences vs. New York State)

Scope and sources

• Modeled user estimates combine 2023 Census population/household structure with Pew Research smartphone adoption by age and ACS S2801 patterns on device/subscription types. Infrastructure insights reflect FCC Broadband DATA Map patterns for upstate NY and carrier public 5G/LTE deployments along the I‑87/9W/209 corridors.

Headline estimates

• Population and households: ~182,000 residents; ~79,000 households.
• Adult smartphone users: ~130,000 (about 72% of total population, reflecting an older age mix than NY overall).
• Households with a smartphone: 68,000–72,000 (≈85–90% of households; a few points below the statewide share, which is closer to ~90%+ in downstate metros).
• Households with a cellular data plan (smartphone/tablet hotspot): 58,000–62,000 (≈73–78% of households; several points below statewide).
• Mobile-only internet households (cellular data plan but no wireline/fiber/cable): 8–12% of households, higher than the state average (≈6–9%) due to rural gaps and affordability tradeoffs.

Demographic drivers and usage patterns

• Older age structure: Ulster has a larger 65+ share than NY overall, pulling down top-line smartphone penetration and 5G plan uptake. Modeled adult smartphone adoption by age locally approximates: 18–29 ≈96%, 30–49 ≈95%, 50–64 ≈80–85%, 65+ ≈60–65% (Pew age gradients applied to Ulster’s age mix).
• Income and plan mix: Median income below downstate counties translates to higher prepaid share and price-sensitive plan selection; this is consistent with a larger mobile-only internet segment than the state average.
• Students and commuters: SUNY New Paltz and Thruway commuters push high penetration of app‑centric usage (messaging, navigation, video) in New Paltz, Kingston, and along I‑87; weekend tourism spikes drive short-term congestion in Woodstock, New Paltz, Shawangunks/Catskills trailheads.
• Racial/ethnic composition: A more suburban/rural, majority‑white population (vs. highly diverse downstate metros) aligns with slightly lower overall smartphone and mobile broadband uptake but similar adoption among younger cohorts.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage footprint: All three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) provide 4G LTE county‑wide and 5G in population centers and along major corridors: I‑87/Thruway, US‑9W, NY‑32, and US‑209 (Kingston, New Paltz, Saugerties, Highland, Ellenville). This yields strong corridor reliability compared with mountainous interior tracts.
• Terrain-driven gaps: The Catskills foothills and Shawangunk Ridge create dead zones and weaker in‑building service in valleys and hamlets (e.g., parts of Olive, Shandaken, Hardenburgh), contributing to a higher mobile‑only share in some areas but also more reliance on offline/Wi‑Fi in coverage shadows—both trends unlike downstate’s near‑ubiquitous service.
• 5G deployment mix: Mid‑band 5G (Verizon C‑band, T‑Mobile 2.5 GHz) is concentrated in towns and the Thruway corridor, delivering urban‑like speeds there, while rural areas rely more on LTE or low‑band 5G. This produces larger intra‑county speed variance than the state average.
• Fixed wireless availability: 5G Home/4G fixed wireless is offered in and around Kingston and New Paltz and spottily along major corridors; it is far less available in interior towns. That contrasts with downstate areas where 5G Home is broadly marketed and competes head‑to‑head with cable/fiber.
• Public connectivity: Libraries and municipalities in Kingston, New Paltz, Saugerties sustain public Wi‑Fi hubs that meaningfully supplement mobile data for lower‑income and coverage‑constrained users, a more pronounced role than in most downstate communities.

How Ulster differs from the New York State pattern

• Slightly lower smartphone and cellular‑plan household penetration due to older demographics and more rural terrain.
• Higher share of mobile‑only internet households (affordability plus patchy wireline/fiber availability), versus lower mobile‑only reliance downstate.
• Greater variability in signal quality and speeds inside the county (corridor towns vs. mountain valleys), whereas downstate is more uniformly strong.
• Noticeable seasonal and weekend congestion from tourism and trail use; this demand volatility is less characteristic of downstate counties with steadier commuter loads.
• Slower 5G densification outside major corridors; new mid‑band nodes tend to follow I‑87/9W first, leaving rural tracts on LTE/low‑band longer than the state’s metropolitan norm.

Key takeaways

• Expect robust, near‑urban 5G/LTE along the Thruway and in Kingston/New Paltz/Saugerties, with meaningful rural gaps and speed dips off‑corridor.
• Ulster’s older age mix and rural geography reduce headline smartphone and cellular subscription rates versus New York State, but younger cohorts locally mirror state‑level adoption.
• Mobile‑only internet reliance is materially higher than the statewide average, driven by a mix of affordability and infrastructure availability.

Ulster County, NY social media usage (2024–2025 snapshot)

How these figures were derived

• Where county-specific platform stats are not directly published, estimates apply Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adoption rates (and Pew’s 2023 teen data) to Ulster County’s age mix from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 2023). This yields realistic, decision-ready local estimates while keeping source statistics intact.

Population context (ACS 2023)

• Population: ~182,000; older-leaning compared with New York State overall (larger 65+ share), which sustains Facebook and YouTube usage and tempers TikTok/Snapchat penetration.
• Gender: roughly 51–52% female, 48–49% male.

Overall penetration

• Estimated share of Ulster County adults using at least one social media platform: ~72% (in line with national adult usage, adjusted for the county’s age profile).

Most-used platforms among adults in Ulster County (estimated reach of adults; single-platform usage overlaps)

• YouTube: 82%
• Facebook: 72%
• Instagram: 44%
• Pinterest: 33%
• TikTok: 28%
• LinkedIn: 28%
• WhatsApp: 27%
• Snapchat: 22%
• X (Twitter): 20%
• Reddit: 18%
• Nextdoor: 22% Insight: The county’s slightly older age structure lifts Facebook/Nextdoor and trims TikTok/Snapchat a few points vs national averages; YouTube remains the broadest-reach channel.

Age-group profile and platform tendencies

• Teens (13–17): Extremely high YouTube usage (95%); TikTok (67%), Instagram (62%), Snapchat (59%) are core daily apps; Facebook usage is comparatively low among teens.
• Adults 18–29: YouTube (93%) and Instagram (78%) dominate; Snapchat (65%) and TikTok (62%) are strong; Facebook remains widely used in this cohort.
• Adults 30–49: YouTube (92%) and Facebook (77%) anchor reach; Instagram (54%) and TikTok (39%) are meaningful; WhatsApp/LinkedIn/Pinterest each sit in the 30–40% range.
• Adults 50–64: Facebook (73%) and YouTube (83%) lead; Instagram (29%) and TikTok (15%) trail; Pinterest and Nextdoor see practical use for projects and neighborhood info.
• Adults 65+: Facebook (50%) and YouTube (60%) remain primary; other platforms are niche.

Gender breakdown highlights (adults)

• Overall users: slightly female-skewed (~52:48), consistent with county demographics.
• Platform skews:
  • More female: Pinterest (largest gender gap), Instagram, Facebook, Nextdoor.
  • More male: Reddit, X (Twitter), YouTube.
  • Near-parity: WhatsApp, LinkedIn (varies by occupation/education).

Behavioral trends specific to Ulster County

• Community-first usage: High engagement in Facebook Groups (local news, events, yard sales, storm/road updates, school alerts) and steady Nextdoor participation in suburban/hamlet areas.
• Local discovery and tourism: Instagram and TikTok are key for arts, food, outdoors (Catskills trails, farms, festivals); seasonal spikes around summer tourism and fall foliage.
• Short-form video growth: Reels/TikTok continue to gain share for event discovery, local attractions, and creator content; cross-posting to YouTube Shorts is common.
• Messaging as the engagement core: Interactions increasingly shift to DMs across Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp for business inquiries, reservations, and community organizing.
• Commerce and classifieds: Facebook Marketplace is the default for secondhand goods and local services; Instagram drives top-of-funnel awareness for boutiques, galleries, and hospitality; LinkedIn activity concentrates around healthcare, education, government, and remote professionals commuting to NYC metro.
• Time and cadence: Evening and weekend peaks for community updates and event content; weather events create sharp, short-lived surges in local group activity.

Key sources

• Pew Research Center: Social Media Use in 2024 (U.S. adults), Teens, Social Media and Technology 2023.
• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2023: Ulster County population and age/sex composition.

Notes on interpretation

• Percentages above are adult reach estimates for Ulster County using national adoption rates applied to local demographics; platform totals overlap because individuals use multiple services. Teens (13–17) are presented separately due to different usage patterns and data sources.