Camden County

Key demographics – Camden County, North Carolina

Population

• Total population: about 11,100 (2023 estimate); 10,355 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~41.5 years
• Under 18: ~24%
• 65 and over: ~16%

Gender

• Female: ~49%
• Male: ~51%

Race/ethnicity (2020 Census; Hispanic can be of any race)

• Non-Hispanic White: ~80%
• Black or African American: ~12%
• Hispanic/Latino: ~5%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Asian: ~1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: <1%

Households (ACS 2018–2022 5-year)

• Total households: ~3,700
• Average household size: ~2.8
• Family households: ~77% (majority married-couple)
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~85–86%
• Households with children under 18: ~1 in 3

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

Camden County, NC email usage (estimates)

• Population and density: ~11,000 residents; roughly 40–45 people per square mile (rural, dispersed settlement).
• Estimated email users: 7,500–8,200 adult users (about 88–92% of adults), based on Pew U.S. email adoption applied to local age mix.
• Age pattern (share using email):
  • 18–29: ~95–99%
  • 30–49: ~96–98%
  • 50–64: ~88–94%
  • 65+: ~70–80% Older skew of rural counties means a slightly larger 50+ share of total users than in big cities.
• Gender split: Essentially even; women typically 1–2 percentage points higher email use than men.
• Digital access trends (connectivity context):
  • Households with broadband subscription: roughly 82–88%.
  • Smartphone‑only internet: ~10–15% of households.
  • No home internet: ~6–10%.
  • Service quality is best along main corridors; lower-density areas face more DSL/fixed‑wireless reliance and fewer fiber/cable options, contributing to uneven speeds and latency. Notes: Figures are modelled from ACS population, FCC/ACS broadband availability and subscription patterns for rural NC, and Pew email adoption by age. Local surveys or provider data will refine these estimates.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Camden County, NC (with county-vs-state highlights)

Population baseline

• Residents: roughly 10–11k; adults about 7.8–8.6k (ACS 2020–2023 range).
• Households: roughly 3.5–4.0k.

User estimates (modeled from ACS age mix, rural patterns, and Pew smartphone adoption)

• Adult smartphone users: about 6,500–7,200 (≈80–85% of adults).
• Teen smartphone users (13–17): roughly 800–1,000 (≈90%+ of teens).
• Total smartphone users: about 7,600–8,200, or ~70–75% of the population.
• Smartphone-only internet households: estimated 18–24% (higher than NC overall, which tends to be closer to mid-teens), reflecting patchy wired broadband.
• Carrier skew: Verizon strongest coverage countywide, AT&T strong on corridors; T-Mobile improving with low-band 5G but still spottier off main roads. This differs from statewide urban counties where T-Mobile mid-band 5G is often dominant for speed.

Demographic notes that shape usage (how Camden differs from NC overall)

• Age: Slightly older profile than the state average; 65+ share is higher. This pulls down overall adoption a few points vs statewide, but…
• Veterans/military households: Higher share than the state due to proximity to USCG/DoD employers. This group tends to have high smartphone adoption, multi-line plans, and early 5G uptake, offsetting some age effects.
• Race/ethnicity: More non-Hispanic White, smaller Black and Hispanic shares than NC average. Prepaid penetration is likely somewhat lower than the state average, with more postpaid family plans tied to coverage-driven carrier choices.

Usage patterns and behaviors different from state-level

• Higher reliance on mobile as primary internet: More smartphone-only and fixed-wireless/mobile hotspot dependence than statewide averages due to limited cable/fiber footprints.
• Coverage-driven carrier choice: Users prioritize Verizon/AT&T for reach and reliability over price, unlike many metro NC areas where competitive pricing or mid-band 5G speeds sway choices.
• Cross-border patterns: Notable commuting and commerce linkage to Elizabeth City (Pasquotank) and Hampton Roads, VA; users often traverse US-17 and US-158, leading to roaming/hand-off considerations and weekday peak loads on those corridors.
• Seasonal spikes: Boating and ICW traffic near South Mills and along waterways increase weekend/seasonal mobile traffic—less pronounced in most inland NC counties.
• Older-user gap: A wider gap in app-centric services (telehealth, banking) among 65+ compared with younger cohorts than you see in Raleigh–Charlotte metros; local programs that provide device help or hotspot lending move the needle.

Digital infrastructure snapshot

• Macro coverage
  • 4G LTE: Broad along US-17, US-158, NC-343, and population centers (Camden, South Mills, Shiloh). Pockets of weak signal persist in low-lying/marsh and forested areas near the Dismal Swamp Canal and scattered waterfront stretches.
  • 5G low-band (coverage layer): Present from all three national carriers along main corridors; helps indoor coverage but not a big speed lift.
  • 5G mid-band: T-Mobile n41 likely touches parts of the county from Elizabeth City and corridor sites; Verizon/AT&T C-band appears limited/spotty compared with urban NC—so median 5G speeds trail metro counties.
  • mmWave: Not present (typical for rural NC).
• Sites and backhaul
  • Towers cluster along US-17/US-158 and near schools/county facilities; spacing increases south and near wetlands, contributing to dead zones and capacity dips.
  • Backhaul is mixed; microwave links and limited fiber to some sites constrain peak throughput versus state urban norms.
• Home broadband interplay
  • Cable/fiber availability is limited relative to NC’s urban counties; legacy DSL remains in pockets.
  • Fixed wireless options: T-Mobile Home Internet is available in portions of the county; Verizon LTE/5G Home is more limited. Starlink is a viable fallback and has meaningful local uptake compared with metro NC.
  • Result: Higher share of households depending on mobile data plans/hotspots, especially for homework and telework.
• Public safety and resilience
  • NC NextGen 911 coverage and Wireless Emergency Alerts are in place; generator-backed sites exist on main corridors, but extended outages during hurricanes/nor’easters can still expose single-point dependencies more than in urban NC.

What this means

• Marketing and service mix: Plans that emphasize coverage/reliability, cross-border commuting, hotspot allowances, and multi-line military discounts resonate more than high-bandwidth urban 5G propositions.
• Digital equity: Outreach should focus on older adults and device/skills support; hotspot lending and ACP-like affordability programs can reduce the county’s higher-than-average smartphone-only dependency.
• Network planning: New mid-band 5G sectors and fiber-fed backhaul to corridor towers would deliver outsized benefit; small-cell investments make less sense outside schools and civic clusters.

Sources and method notes

• Estimates combine US Census/ACS county demographics, FCC/N.C. broadband program materials on rural availability, carrier public coverage maps, and Pew Research Center smartphone adoption benchmarks through 2023–2024. Figures are modeled ranges; validate local buildouts with NC Broadband Office updates and carrier engineering maps before final decisions.

Below is a concise, locally oriented snapshot. Note: Camden County–specific platform metrics aren’t published; figures use ACS population estimates (≈11–12k residents; ≈8.5–9.0k adults) and apply recent U.S. usage rates from major studies (e.g., Pew Research). Treat as directional ranges.

Estimated users

• Adults using major social platforms (any): roughly 6.0–7.0k
• Teens (13–17) using social platforms: roughly 0.6–0.9k
• Total social users (teens + adults): roughly 6.6–7.9k

Most‑used platforms (adults), estimated local reach

• YouTube: ~80–85% of adults ≈ 6.8–7.7k
• Facebook: ~63–70% ≈ 5.3–6.3k
• Instagram: ~45–52% ≈ 3.8–4.7k
• TikTok: ~30–36% ≈ 2.6–3.2k
• Snapchat: ~25–30% ≈ 2.1–2.7k
• Pinterest: ~30–38% ≈ 2.6–3.4k (skews female)
• LinkedIn: ~28–32% ≈ 2.4–2.9k
• X (Twitter): ~20–24% ≈ 1.7–2.2k (skews male)
• Reddit: ~18–24% ≈ 1.5–2.2k (skews male)
• WhatsApp: ~18–24% ≈ 1.5–2.2k
• Nextdoor: ~12–18% ≈ 1.0–1.6k (varies by neighborhood density)

Age patterns

• Teens (13–17): Very high on YouTube; heavy TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram; low Facebook.
• 18–29: Near‑universal YouTube; strong Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok; Facebook still sizable.
• 30–49: YouTube and Facebook anchor usage; Instagram moderate; TikTok growing.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; lighter Instagram/TikTok.
• 65+: Mostly Facebook; YouTube for news/how‑to; minimal on newer apps.

Gender tendencies

• Women: Higher on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok; Pinterest heavily female.
• Men: Higher on YouTube, Reddit, X; LinkedIn slightly male‑leaning.
• Snapchat is fairly balanced, slight female tilt.

Behavioral trends in Camden County

• Facebook groups are the community hub: schools, county updates, churches, youth sports, civic alerts, lost/found pets.
• Marketplace is very active for vehicles, farm/yard equipment, furniture; weekend spikes.
• Short‑form video (Reels/TikTok) performs best; local scenery, fishing/boating, hunting, DIY/how‑to, school/sports highlights draw engagement.
• Peak activity windows: morning commute (≈6:30–8:30 a.m.) and evenings (≈7–10 p.m.); Sundays strong for community and church content.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is primary; WhatsApp used by some family networks and work crews.
• Regional follow patterns: Many residents also track Elizabeth City/Pasquotank, Currituck, and Hampton Roads pages; geo‑targeting within a 25–40‑mile radius broadens reach.
• Nextdoor: Used in denser subdivisions for recommendations, HOA notices, contractor referrals.
• Connectivity reality: Mobile‑first usage common; keep videos short, captions on, fast‑loading creatives.
• Local businesses: Boosted posts and simple call‑to‑action offers outperform complex funnels; align promos to school calendar, hunting/fishing seasons, and summer travel to OBX.