Warren County

Key demographics – Warren County, New York

• Population size

  • 65,737 (2020 Decennial Census)

• Age (ACS 2019–2023, 5-year estimates)

  • Median age: ~46 years
  • Under 18: ~18–19%
  • 65 and over: ~23%

• Gender (ACS 2019–2023)

  • Female: ~51%
  • Male: ~49%

• Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2019–2023)

  • White, non-Hispanic: ~90–91%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~3–4%
  • Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~3%
  • Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~1–2%
  • Asian, non-Hispanic: ~1%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: <1%
  • Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: ~0%

• Households and housing (ACS 2019–2023)

  • Households: ~28,000
  • Average household size: ~2.2 persons
  • Family households: ~60% of households
  • Married-couple households: ~46% of households
  • Households with children under 18: ~24%
  • Nonfamily households: ~40%; living alone ~33%
  • Owner-occupied: ~71%; renter-occupied: ~29%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey (ACS) 2019–2023 5-year estimates.

Warren County, NY snapshot

• Population ~65,700; land ~867 sq mi; density ~76 residents/sq mi. Most residents cluster in the Glens Falls–Queensbury corridor; northern/western towns are rural with sparser wired options.

Email usage (estimated)

• Total users: ≈50,000 residents (≈77% of all residents).
• Adults (18+): ≈47,000 users (≈89% of adults).

Age distribution of email users (share of users)

• 13–17: ~6%
• 18–34: ~22%
• 35–54: ~29%
• 55–64: ~17%
• 65+: ~26%

Gender split among users

• Female ~51%; Male ~49% (mirrors county demographics).

Digital access and connectivity

• Households with a computer: ≈90%.
• Households with a broadband subscription: ≈85%.
• Smartphone-only internet households: ≈10%.
• Fixed broadband ≥100/20 Mbps is widely available in the Glens Falls–Queensbury–Lake George area (roughly mid‑80s to near‑90% of addresses), with notable gaps in remote Adirondack hamlets.
• Mobile 4G/5G coverage is strong along I‑87 and population centers; it fills some last‑mile gaps where cable/fiber are limited.

Insights

• Email adoption is near-universal among working-age adults; the main limiting factor is rural last‑mile broadband, not user willingness. Increasing fiber builds and 5G are narrowing the rural access gap.

Warren County, NY mobile phone usage (2024 snapshot)

Overall user base

• Population base: ≈66,000 residents (2023 Census estimate). About 52,000 are adults.
• Active smartphone users: approximately 45,000–47,000 adults, reflecting local adoption in the mid-to-high 80% range.
• Household smartphone access: About 85% of households have a cellular data plan for a smartphone or other mobile device (ACS 2018–2022 5-year), a few points below the New York State average (upper 80s to ~90%).

Demographic patterns shaping usage

• Older age structure: Roughly 22% of residents are 65+, notably higher than the state average. This depresses overall smartphone and mobile internet adoption relative to statewide levels because adoption among older adults is lower.
• Income and education: Median household income is below the NY statewide median and the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree is lower than the state rate. These factors correlate with:
  • Slightly higher reliance on mobile phones as a primary connection among lower-income households, especially in rural townships.
  • Lower incidence of multi-line, multi-device plans compared with metro NY.
• Seasonal population swings: Lake George/Adirondack tourism creates pronounced summer peaks in device density and data consumption, a pattern much more pronounced than statewide.

How Warren County differs from New York State averages

• Adoption level: County smartphone and cellular-data-plan penetration is a few percentage points lower than the state, driven by an older population and more rural settlement patterns.
• Mobile-only internet: The share of households relying primarily on cellular data for home internet is modestly higher than the statewide share, reflecting more limited fixed-infrastructure choices outside Queensbury/Glens Falls.
• Seasonal capacity stress: Event-driven surges (e.g., Lake George summer festivals, major travel weekends on I‑87) cause congestion not typically seen in downstate metro areas; carriers periodically add temporary capacity for peak periods.
• Coverage texture: While New York State’s metro areas have dense mid-band 5G, Warren County still shows a sharper urban–rural split: strong 5G in population centers and corridors, with pockets of LTE or low-band 5G in hilly and lakeside areas.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carriers and 5G: Verizon, AT&T, and T‑Mobile provide countywide service.
  • Mid-band 5G is established in and around Queensbury/Glens Falls and along the I‑87 corridor; low-band 5G/LTE is more common in outlying hamlets and around lake valleys where terrain introduces shadow zones.
  • Coverage along I‑87 (Adirondack Northway), US‑9, and NY‑149 is comparatively strong; interior Adirondack-facing terrain can see variable performance.
• Backhaul and small cells: Population centers and tourist strips (e.g., Lake George village) employ denser site grids and small cells to manage seasonal loads. This density drops quickly outside town centers.
• Fixed alternatives: Spectrum cable serves most developed areas (Queensbury/Glens Falls/Lake George), reducing pure mobile substitution there; DSL, fixed wireless, and satellite remain important in rural tracts, sustaining above-average use of mobile hotspots and phone tethering compared with statewide urban norms.

Quantified takeaways

• Households with a cellular data plan: ≈85% (ACS 2018–2022), vs. high‑80s/≈90% statewide.
• Estimated adult smartphone users: ≈45,000–47,000 (mid‑to‑high‑80% adoption applied to the adult population).
• Mobile-only/home internet via cellular: modestly higher share than statewide (low- to mid-teens percent locally vs. high single digits to low teens statewide), concentrated in rural census tracts.

Implications

• Planning should account for seasonal spikes: capacity augments and temporary cells materially improve user experience during peak tourism.
• Equity focus: seniors and lower-income rural residents are the key cohorts for closing remaining mobile and digital-access gaps.
• Infrastructure mix: Continued mid-band 5G infill away from the I‑87/Queensbury–Glens Falls axis, plus improved backhaul in lake-valley and hilly terrain, would most directly narrow the county–state differential in mobile performance and adoption.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2018–2022 (S2801), 2020 Census/2023 population estimates; carrier public coverage disclosures (2023–2024); regional planning and tourism load patterns observed in the Lake George/Adirondack corridor.

Warren County, NY social media snapshot (2025)

Population base (for context)

• Total population: ≈65,600
• Adults (18+): ≈60,350
• Gender (population): ≈51% women, 49% men
• Age mix (approx.): 13–17: 7%; 18–29: 14%; 30–49: 25%; 50–64: 22%; 65+: 24%

Overall social media usage

• Users (13+): ≈49,000 residents (≈75% penetration of total population)
• Adult adoption: ≈75% of adults (≈45,000 adults 18+) use at least one social platform

Age-group usage (estimated users)

• 13–17: ≈4,360 users (≈95% of teens)
• 18–29: ≈8,730 users (≈95% of 18–29s)
• 30–49: ≈14,760 users (≈90% of 30–49s)
• 50–64: ≈11,260 users (≈78% of 50–64s)
• 65+: ≈10,230 users (≈65% of 65+)

Gender breakdown (social media users)

• Women: ≈52% (≈25,500 users)
• Men: ≈47% (≈23,100 users)
• Nonbinary/other: ≈1% (≈500 users) Note: Women are more represented on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X.

Most-used platforms among adults (18+) in Warren County (estimates; multiple platforms per person)

• YouTube: 78% of adults (≈47,100)
• Facebook: 66% (≈39,800)
• Instagram: 40% (≈24,100)
• TikTok: 25% (≈15,100)
• Snapchat: 22% (≈13,300)
• Pinterest: 28% (≈16,900)
• LinkedIn: 23% (≈13,900)
• WhatsApp: 20% (≈12,100)
• X (Twitter): 20% (≈12,100)
• Reddit: 18% (≈10,900)
• Nextdoor: 14% (≈8,450)

Behavioral trends and usage patterns

• Community-first Facebook: Local groups, events, school athletics, and municipal updates dominate; Facebook remains the default for residents 35+ and for local news sharing.
• Video growth: YouTube is ubiquitous across ages; connected-TV viewing is common among 45+. Short-form video (Reels/TikTok) drives discovery for restaurants, lake activities, and seasonal attractions.
• Seasonality: Summer spikes in posting and engagement around Lake George and events; winter upticks in indoor recreation, shopping, and school content.
• Visual platforms for tourism and small business: Instagram and TikTok are key for hospitality, outdoor recreation, and seasonal hiring; Reels outperforms static posts for reach.
• Youth communication: Teens rely on Snapchat for daily messaging and location features; TikTok and Instagram for entertainment and trends.
• Pinterest usage: Strong among women 25–54 for home projects, weddings/events, and Adirondack lifestyle planning.
• Professional niche: LinkedIn used for healthcare, education, and advanced manufacturing recruitment; engagement strongest midweek.
• Messaging reality: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are more common than standalone WhatsApp; WhatsApp use concentrates among service workers and cross-border family ties.
• Posting cadence: Evenings (approximately 6–9 pm local) and weekend mornings see above-average engagement; event-driven posts perform best when timed 24–72 hours before.

Method note

• Figures are best-available local estimates derived by weighting national/state benchmarks (e.g., Pew Research Center 2023–2024, DataReportal 2024, ACS/Census age structure) to Warren County’s older-than-average demographic profile. Percentages reflect adults unless noted; totals are rounded.