Caswell County

Caswell County, NC – key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau: 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates; rounded)

• Population

  • Total: ~22,800 (ACS 2019–2023); 22,736 (2020 Census)

• Age

  • Median age: ~45–46
  • Under 18: ~20%
  • 18–64: ~59%
  • 65 and over: ~21%

• Gender

  • Female: ~51%
  • Male: ~49%

• Race/ethnicity (share of total population)

  • White (non-Hispanic): ~59–61%
  • Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~32–34%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~3–4%
  • Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~2–3%
  • Asian (non-Hispanic): ~0.3–0.5%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native (non-Hispanic): ~0.3–0.5%
  • Other races: ~1%

• Households and housing

  • Households: ~9,000–9,300
  • Average household size: ~2.4
  • Family households: ~64% of households
  • Married-couple households: ~45–47% of households
  • Owner-occupied housing: ~75–80%
  • Renter-occupied housing: ~20–25%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey (5-year). Figures are rounded.

Caswell County, NC (pop. ~23,000) is rural (≈53 people/sq mi), which shapes internet and email adoption.

Estimated email users

• 16,000–18,000 residents (about 70–80% of the population). Based on rural NC internet-use rates (~85–90% of adults online) and near‑universal email use among internet users.

Age distribution (share of each age group using email)

• 13–17: 80–90% (school-driven accounts; many are mobile-only).
• 18–34: 95%+.
• 35–64: 90–95%.
• 65+: 60–75% (growing as smartphone adoption rises).

Gender split

• Approximately even; any gap is small (typically within 1–3%), with women slightly more represented in the population.

Digital access and trends

• Broadband subscription in similar rural NC counties is ~70–80% of households; 15–25% report no home subscription, relying on mobile data or public access.
• Smartphone-only internet use is common among lower-income and older residents, supporting email use but limiting heavy attachments/video.
• Ongoing state/federal investments are expanding fiber in unserved pockets; adoption remains lower in sparsely populated tracts.

Local connectivity facts

• Low density and long driveway/road miles raise per‑premise build costs, contributing to uneven fixed-broadband availability; public libraries, schools, and county facilities serve as key access points.

Mobile phone usage in Caswell County, NC — summary focused on differences from the North Carolina average

Context snapshot

• Rural border county (county seat: Yanceyville) with about 23,000 residents and roughly 9,000–10,000 households. Older median age and lower median income than the state average.

User estimates (orders of magnitude; ranges reflect rural and income effects)

• Smartphone users: approximately 15,000–17,500 residents use a smartphone. This implies an adult ownership rate around 78–82% in Caswell versus roughly mid‑80s statewide.
• Mobile-only internet at home: about 1,400–2,400 households likely rely primarily on a cellular data plan or phone hotspot for home internet (roughly 15–25% of households), several points higher than state average.
• Wireless-only voice households (no landline): majority of households are wireless-only, broadly similar to state levels, but the share that is also broadband‑only via mobile is higher than average.
• Plan types: prepaid and single‑line plans are more common than statewide, and average data allowances per line are lower; multi‑line family plans are less prevalent.

Demographic patterns shaping usage

• Age: Caswell’s older age profile pulls overall smartphone adoption down a few points. Among adults 65+, ownership likely in the high‑50s to low‑60s percent locally versus mid‑60s to low‑70s percent statewide. Younger adults remain near-saturation.
• Income and affordability: Lower median income increases reliance on smartphones as the primary internet device and on prepaid plans. The lapse of ACP subsidies in 2024 disproportionately reduced affordability for low‑income households, increasing mobile‑only reliance and plan churn.
• Race and digital dependency: With a sizable Black population, and given statewide patterns where Black and Hispanic residents are more likely to be smartphone‑only for internet, Caswell likely has a higher share of mobile‑dependent users than the state average.
• Devices and platforms: Android share is likely higher than statewide due to price sensitivity; upgrade cycles tend to be longer.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage: All three national carriers serve the county. Coverage and signal quality are strongest in and around Yanceyville and along main corridors (e.g., NC‑86, US‑158), with more frequent dead zones in sparsely populated, forested, or hilly areas, especially away from corridors and near the VA border.
• 5G footprint: Low‑band 5G covers much of the traveled areas but behaves like enhanced LTE. Mid‑band 5G (e.g., 2.5 GHz, C‑band) is limited compared with metro NC; fastest 5G is typically reachable only near neighboring urban areas outside the county.
• Capacity and speeds: Typical real‑world speeds cluster in the LTE/low‑band 5G range, with noticeable slowdowns at peak times. Mid‑band 5G, where present, delivers much higher throughput but is spotty.
• Backhaul and tower density: Fewer sites per square mile than urban counties; some sites rely on microwave backhaul. This constrains capacity growth and contributes to variability by carrier.
• Public safety and anchors: FirstNet Band‑14 coverage and E‑Rate–connected schools and libraries help anchor coverage and provide public Wi‑Fi, but they don’t fully offset residential gaps.
• Cross‑border effect: Many residents commute or travel to Danville, Greensboro, or Burlington; usage and app performance often improve outside the county, which can mask local deficits in user surveys.

How Caswell differs from the state overall

• Higher mobile dependency: A meaningfully larger share of households rely on mobile data as their primary or fallback home connection due to limited fixed‑broadband availability and affordability.
• Slightly lower ownership, higher reliance: Overall smartphone ownership is a few points below the state, but dependence on the smartphone for critical online tasks (school portals, government services, telehealth) is higher.
• Slower 5G transition: Lower availability of mid‑band 5G and fewer capacity upgrades than in NC metros; more performance anchored to LTE/low‑band 5G.
• More prepaid and budget plans: Greater use of prepaid, MVNOs, and lower‑data plans than the NC average; higher sensitivity to promotions and data caps.
• Larger rural coverage gaps: More persistent dead zones and indoor coverage challenges, especially in low‑density areas and older buildings.

Notes on method and uncertainty

• Estimates synthesize American Community Survey patterns for rural NC counties, national smartphone adoption by age/income (Pew), and FCC/carrier coverage trends as of 2023–2024, adjusted to Caswell’s population, income, age, and rurality. For planning or program design, validate with: ACS Computer and Internet Use tables (county level), FCC National Broadband Map, NC Broadband Infrastructure Office maps, and current carrier coverage maps/drive tests.

Here’s a concise, county‑level snapshot built from Caswell County’s demographics (ACS 2023) and Pew Research Center’s 2024 social‑media adoption rates, adjusted for rural patterns. Figures are estimates.

Quick user stats (2025)

• Population: ~22.6k; adults (18+): ~18k
• People using at least one social platform (13+): ~15k (≈65% of total population; ≈78–80% of adults)
• Daily social users: ~10–11k (about 70% of users are daily)

Age mix of social users (share of user base)

• 13–17: ~8%
• 18–24: ~12%
• 25–34: ~15%
• 35–54: ~33%
• 55–64: ~14%
• 65+: ~18%

Gender breakdown

• Women ~54% of active users; men ~46% (women skew higher on Facebook/Pinterest; men skew higher on YouTube/Reddit)

Most‑used platforms among adults (estimated share of 18+ using monthly)

• YouTube: ~78%
• Facebook: ~70%
• Instagram: ~38%
• Pinterest: ~28% (majority women)
• TikTok: ~27%
• Snapchat: ~22% (heavily 13–29)
• X (Twitter): ~16%
• LinkedIn: ~14%
• WhatsApp: ~15%
• Reddit: ~12%

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the community hub: local groups, Marketplace, yard sales, school/sports updates, church and civic posts. High commenting and sharing on local news, weather, and closures.
• Video first, mobile first: short vertical video (Reels/Shorts) outperforms; many users are smartphone‑only or on slower connections, so sub‑45s clips with captions do best.
• Evenings/weekends peak: engagement clusters 7–10 pm and weekend mornings; weekday spikes around 6–8 am lunch, and 8–9 pm.
• Practical/local content wins: high interest in how‑to, home/auto repair, hunting/fishing, gardening, local sports highlights, event promos, and church services.
• Trust is local: posts featuring recognizable local people/places, UGC, and testimonials outperform polished “corporate” creative.
• Groups > Pages for reach: neighborhood and “buy/sell/trade” groups deliver faster reach than business pages without paid boost.
• Cross‑posting works: creators often post the same short video to TikTok, Instagram Reels, and Facebook Reels; Facebook still drives the most local comments/shares.
• Commerce behavior: more click‑to‑call/message and in‑person redemption than pure e‑commerce; simple offers and clear phone numbers drive response.
• Older users cluster on Facebook/YouTube; younger users split attention across Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok (often consuming, less posting).

Notes on method

• Estimates combine Caswell County’s age/gender structure (ACS) with Pew Research Center’s 2024 platform‑use rates; rural adjustments reflect slightly higher Facebook/lower TikTok/Instagram usage versus national averages. Percentages are approximate, not platform‑reported counts.