Burke County

Here are key demographics for Burke County, North Carolina. Figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year; 2023 Population Estimates Program).

Population size

• Total population: 87,570 (2020 Census)
• 2023 estimate: about 87,000–88,000

Age

• Median age: about 44 years
• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Female: ~49–50% of population

Race/ethnicity (of total population)

• White alone, not Hispanic/Latino: ~76–79%
• Black or African American alone: ~6–7%
• Asian alone: ~4–5%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.5–0.7%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.1%
• Two or more races: ~3–4%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~8–9%

Households

• Number of households: ~34,000–35,000
• Average household size: ~2.4
• Family households: ~65% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~25–27% Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates; 2023 Population Estimates Program.

Burke County, NC snapshot (estimates)

• Population: ~87,000. Adults: ~68,000.
• Email users: 58,000–65,000 adults (roughly 85–95% of adults online use email; Pew). Including teens, total residents using email likely ~60,000–70,000.
• Age distribution of email users (approx.):
  • 18–29: very high adoption (~95%); ~18–22% of users.
  • 30–49: ~95%; ~33–36% of users.
  • 50–64: ~88–92%; ~25–28% of users.
  • 65+: ~75–85%; ~18–22% of users.
• Gender split: roughly even (men ≈ women); differences are within a few percentage points.
• Digital access trends:
  • Broadband at home in roughly 75–85% of households (ACS-style county profiles).
  • 12–18% of adults are smartphone‑only internet users (Pew; higher in rural areas).
  • Public Wi‑Fi via libraries, schools, and municipal buildings supplements home access.
• Local density/connectivity:
  • Area ~507 sq mi; density ~170 people/sq mi.
  • Connectivity strongest along the I‑40 corridor (Morganton, Valdese, Hildebran); patchier in the South Mountains and remote western tracts.
  • Ongoing fiber builds via North Carolina GREAT/BEAD programs (2024–2028) target remaining underserved pockets.

Notes: Estimates synthesize Pew Research email/internet usage with ACS/FCC-style county access metrics.

Below is a planning-grade snapshot of mobile phone usage in Burke County, North Carolina, with conservative estimates and the key ways local patterns differ from statewide trends.

County context to anchor estimates

• Population: about 87,000–90,000; older and more rural than NC overall, with lower median household income.
• Settlement pattern: Town-centered along the I-40 corridor (Morganton, Valdese, Drexel) and sparsely populated, hilly terrain south and north (South Mountains State Park, Lake James/Jonas Ridge).

User estimates

• Total mobile connections (all SIM types): roughly 115,000–130,000 active lines in the county (about 1.3–1.45 lines per resident). This aligns with recent NC/US per-capita mobile connection ratios and typical rural IoT shares.
• Adult smartphone users: approximately 52,000–60,000 adults (about 82%–88% of the adult population). Slightly below NC’s urban counties due to an older age mix and income.
• Mobile-only internet households: estimated 18%–24% of households rely primarily or exclusively on cellular for home internet, higher than the NC average (roughly mid-teens). This reflects patchier fixed broadband in outlying areas and the lapse of ACP subsidies in 2024 pushing some homes back to mobile-only.
• Plan mix: prepaid likely 35%–45% of phone lines (notably higher than NC’s 25%–30%), driven by income and credit profiles; family plans remain common in town centers.

Demographic breakdown (drivers of usage patterns)

• Age: A larger 65+ share than NC overall reduces countywide smartphone penetration a few points; flip/basic-phone usage among seniors is a bit higher than the state average. Many seniors with smartphones still underutilize data-intensive apps.
• Income and education: Lower-income households are more likely to be mobile-primary, on prepaid plans, and to prioritize cost over peak performance. Android share is higher than in NC’s urban metros.
• Race/ethnicity and language: The county’s Hispanic and Hmong communities show high messaging and social app dependence and above-average use of Wi‑Fi where available; language support (Spanish/Hmong) matters for device setup and carrier retail.
• Youth: Teen smartphone adoption mirrors the state (very high), but after-school mobile data usage can be constrained outside town due to coverage/speed gaps.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage pattern:
  • Strong along I‑40 and in Morganton/Valdese/Drexel/Connelly Springs.
  • Noticeably weaker or inconsistent in the South Mountains, around Lake James, and in hollows north of US‑70; in-building signal can require Wi‑Fi calling or boosters.
• 5G footprint:
  • Low-band 5G is broadly available from all majors, similar to the state.
  • Mid-band 5G (capacity/speed layer) is concentrated along I‑40 and town centers; reach into rural areas is spottier than NC’s urban counties. Expect T‑Mobile mid-band where population is denser; AT&T and Verizon mid-band presence is improving but remains corridor-centric.
• Speed experience:
  • In towns/corridors: generally good 4G/5G with typical daytime median speeds adequate for HD streaming and telehealth.
  • Outside towns: speeds frequently dip to LTE-only; uplink can be the bottleneck for video calls, homework uploads, and telemedicine.
• Tower and backhaul:
  • Dozens of macro sites anchor coverage along ridgelines, highways, and near schools/public safety. Small-cell density is low compared with NC cities; mmWave is effectively absent.
  • Fiber backhaul follows the I‑40/US‑70 corridor; municipal CoMPAS in Morganton, Spectrum cable, and AT&T fiber/ethernet serve as key backhaul and Wi‑Fi offload anchors for campuses, clinics, and businesses.
• Public safety and resilience:
  • County agencies interoperate on NC’s VIPER P25 system; topography and storms make power and backhaul redundancy important. Prolonged outages have historically pushed residents to mix-and-match Wi‑Fi/cellular.

How Burke differs from North Carolina overall

• Coverage reliability varies more with terrain; more dead zones and indoor gaps than the statewide average, even where 5G shows on maps.
• Higher share of prepaid lines and mobile-primary households; greater price sensitivity and Android share than in Charlotte/Triangle/Triad metros.
• Slower rollout pace of mid-band 5G outside the I‑40 axis; fewer small cells and enterprise/private 5G sites than state hubs.
• Heavier reliance on Wi‑Fi calling and signal boosters in homes and small businesses in hollows; public library and school Wi‑Fi play a larger role in digital inclusion.
• Telehealth and remote learning face uplink constraints more often than in urban NC, raising demand for fixed wireless access (FWA) as an alternative where fiber/cable are absent.

Implications for planners and providers

• Prioritize mid-band 5G infill off the I‑40 spine, especially around schools, clinics, and workforce sites in rural tracts.
• Expand fiber/fixed wireless backhaul to reduce rural cell congestion and stabilize uplink.
• Maintain robust Wi‑Fi calling support and promote boosters/FWA where indoor coverage lags.
• Offer budget-friendly, multilingual prepaid options and device financing; community-based digital skills support for seniors can unlock more smartphone value.

Notes on method and confidence

• Estimates triangulate national/state adoption rates (Pew/CTIA), ACS household internet indicators, FCC broadband availability patterns, and rural NC usage norms, calibrated to Burke’s age/income/terrain profile. For precise planning, validate with: ACS table S2801 (Types of Computers and Internet Subscriptions), FCC Broadband Map layers, NC Broadband Infrastructure Office county profiles, CTIA state metrics, and carrier-specific 5G build disclosures.

Burke County, NC social media snapshot (modeled estimates, 2025)

User stats

• Population: ~87,000; adults 18+: ~68,000
• Active adult social media users: ~49,000–55,000 (≈72–81% of adults)
• Teen users (13–17): ~5,000–6,000, with 85–90% using at least one platform

Most-used platforms (adults; share of residents 18+ who use the platform)

• YouTube: 75–85%
• Facebook: 65–75%
• Instagram: 35–45%
• TikTok: 25–35%
• Snapchat: 25–35%
• Pinterest: 28–38%
• WhatsApp: 18–25%
• LinkedIn: 18–28%
• X (Twitter): 15–22%
• Reddit: 15–20%
• Nextdoor: 5–12% (coverage varies by neighborhood)

Age-group patterns (most-used, approximate)

• 13–17: YouTube >90%; Snapchat 70–80%; TikTok 70–75%; Instagram 60–70%; Facebook 20–30%
• 18–29: YouTube ~95%; Instagram 70–75%; Snapchat 70–75%; TikTok 60–70%; Facebook 50–60%
• 30–49: Facebook 70–80%; YouTube 85–90%; Instagram 45–55%; TikTok 35–45%; Pinterest 35–45%
• 50–64: Facebook 75–85%; YouTube 75–85%; Pinterest 30–40%; Instagram 25–35%; TikTok 15–25%
• 65+: Facebook 65–75%; YouTube 55–65%; Pinterest 20–25%; Instagram 15–20%; TikTok 5–10%

Gender breakdown (directional skews)

• Overall user base roughly even (≈49% male, 51% female)
• Female-skewed: Pinterest (strong), Facebook (slight), Instagram (slight), Snapchat (slight)
• Male-skewed: Reddit (strong), X/Twitter (moderate), YouTube (slight), LinkedIn (slight)
• WhatsApp varies by community; no strong gender skew overall

Behavioral trends observed in similar rural NC counties (likely in Burke)

• Facebook is the community hub: local news, school and church updates, buy/sell/trade groups, Marketplace
• Short-form video growth: TikTok and Instagram Reels drive discovery for local food, outdoor recreation, and high-school sports highlights
• Messaging first: Facebook Messenger is default for many adults; Snapchat dominates among teens/young adults; WhatsApp used within bilingual/immigrant networks
• Discovery and DIY: YouTube for how-tos; Facebook Groups/Instagram for local business discovery; Pinterest for crafts, home, and gardening
• Timing: Engagement peaks early mornings (6–8 a.m.) and evenings (7–10 p.m.); weekend afternoons strong for Marketplace
• Content that performs: hyper-local updates (weather, safety, school sports), community events, deals, and authentic posts featuring local faces

Note on method: Figures are modeled from Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. social media usage, rural vs. urban usage differences, and recent Census estimates for Burke County. Local percentages are estimates, not survey measurements.