Cherokee County

Here are key demographics for Cherokee County, North Carolina (most recent U.S. Census Bureau estimates; primarily 2019–2023 ACS 5-year and 2023 Population Estimates Program):

• Population: ~30,200 (2023 estimate)
• Age:
  • Median age: ~51 years
  • Under 18: ~18%
  • 18–64: ~52%
  • 65 and over: ~30%
• Gender:
  • Female: ~50–51%
  • Male: ~49–50%
• Race and ethnicity (ACS categories):
  • White alone: ~92–94%
  • Black or African American alone: ~1%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~1.5–2%
  • Asian alone: ~0.5%
  • Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander alone: ~0.1%
  • Some other race: ~0.5–1%
  • Two or more races: ~3–4%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~3–4%
• Households:
  • Total households: ~13,000–13,500
  • Average household size: ~2.2 persons
  • Family households: ~65% of households
  • Married-couple households: ~50–55% of households
  • One-person households: ~27–30%
  • Households with children under 18: ~18–22%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates; Population Estimates Program (2023).

Cherokee County, NC snapshot (estimates; ACS/Pew/FCC 2023–2024):

• Population/density: 29,000 residents across ~467 sq mi (60 people/sq mi); ~12.5–13k households.
• Estimated email users: 17,000–21,000 residents use email at least monthly. Method: adult population x home/mobile internet adoption (≈75–85%) x email use among internet users (≈90%+).
• Age mix of email users:
  • 13–24: ~10–15%
  • 25–44: ~25–30%
  • 45–64: ~30–35%
  • 65+: ~25–30% (lower daily use than younger cohorts but substantial adoption)
• Gender split: near population parity (~49% male / ~51% female among users).
• Digital access trends:
  • Broadband subscription below the NC statewide average, with higher “smartphone‑only” access and notable pockets of no fixed broadband.
  • Fiber buildouts expanding via NC GREAT/CAB and federal BEAD funds; many remote hollows remain reliant on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite.
  • Public Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools, civic centers) and mobile hotspots are important for lower‑income and outlying areas.
• Connectivity facts:
  • Coverage and speeds strongest along US‑64/74 corridors and towns (Murphy, Andrews); weakest in mountainous terrain.
  • A meaningful share of locations still lack reliable 100/20 Mbps service, keeping average fixed speeds below urban NC norms.

Below is a county-focused snapshot built from statewide and national benchmarks, rural-Appalachian patterns, and Cherokee County’s demographics. Figures are directional estimates intended for planning, not regulatory reporting.

At-a-glance usage estimates (2025)

• Population: ~30,000; adults: ~24,000.
• Unique mobile users (any mobile phone): ~24,000–27,000 residents.
• Smartphone users: ~19,000–23,000 (roughly 80–85% of adults; lower than NC’s statewide ~85–90%).
• Active mobile lines: ~30,000–38,000 (multi-line households, wearables, hotspots).
• Wireless-only households (no landline): ~55–65% (below NC average, which is closer to the low-70s).

Demographic patterns shaping usage

• Older age profile. Cherokee County skews older (large 65+ share), which:
  • Pulls down overall smartphone penetration by ~3–5 points versus the state average.
  • Leaves a sizable basic/flip-phone segment among seniors (roughly 30–40% of 65+), versus much smaller statewide.
• Income and education. Lower median income and lower bachelor’s attainment than NC overall:
  • Higher reliance on prepaid/MVNO plans (e.g., Straight Talk, Visible, Cricket).
  • Slower device replacement cycles; more LTE-only and budget Android devices in use.
• Race/ethnicity. Predominantly non-Hispanic White, with small Hispanic/Latine and Native American populations:
  • Youth smartphone adoption is high across groups, but household device counts and unlimited data plan uptake trail urban NC.
• Post-ACP impacts. The lapse of the Affordable Connectivity Program (2024) disproportionately affects rural low-income users:
  • Increased bill pressure; some shift from postpaid to prepaid and from smartphone to basic plans among cost-sensitive households.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Terrain-limited radio environment. Mountain ridges and river valleys create shadow zones and variable in-building service, especially outside Murphy, Marble, and Andrews.
• Carrier pattern (directional):
  • Verizon: generally the most consistent outdoor coverage and LTE reliability across valleys and highway corridors; limited mid-band 5G outside towns.
  • AT&T: strong on main corridors and public-safety Band 14 (FirstNet) helps fill gaps; mid-band 5G is spotty beyond town centers.
  • T-Mobile: good 5G in/near Murphy and along primary routes; coverage drops faster off-corridor compared with Piedmont metros.
  • Legacy U.S. Cellular sites still matter for roaming; customers often see “extended” coverage in fringe areas.
• 5G reality. Predominantly low-band 5G for reach; mid-band (C-band/n41) is concentrated in town centers and along US-19/74/129/64. mmWave is effectively absent.
• Backhaul and fiber:
  • Fiber follows main transportation/power routes; co-op and regional builds (e.g., Blue Ridge Mountain EMC) and cable providers serve town centers.
  • Off-corridor addresses rely on fixed wireless, satellite, or cellular hotspots.
• Home internet via cellular. Above-state-average reliance on LTE/5G home internet where cable/fiber isn’t available; performance varies widely by location and time of day.
• Resident workarounds. Higher use of signal boosters, Wi‑Fi calling, and multi-carrier strategies (e.g., hotspot from one carrier, phone on another) than in urban NC.

How Cherokee County differs from North Carolina overall

• Adoption and device mix:
  • Slightly lower overall smartphone penetration due to age and income mix.
  • Larger basic/flip-phone segment and older handsets in circulation.
• Network experience:
  • More pronounced dead zones and indoor coverage challenges; residents undertake more “self-help” (boosters, Wi‑Fi calling).
  • Fewer mid-band 5G footprints than statewide; LTE remains the workhorse technology.
• Plan selection:
  • Higher prepaid/MVNO share and tighter data budgeting; more line consolidation since the ACP lapsed.
• Connectivity for home use:
  • Greater dependence on cellular as a primary home internet option outside town limits; stronger appetite for external antennas and routers.
• Carrier distribution:
  • Verizon and AT&T relatively stronger than T-Mobile compared with statewide market shares, especially off the main corridors.
• Seasonal and cross-border effects:
  • Tourist surges (lakes, trails) cause periodic congestion not seen in most NC metros.
  • Proximity to GA/TN leads to cross-border roaming and plan choices optimized for tri-state coverage.

Numbers to use for planning (reasonable working ranges)

• Adults with any mobile phone: ~95–97% → ~23,000–23,500.
• Adults with a smartphone: ~80–85% → ~19,000–20,500.
• Teens (13–17) with smartphones: ~90–95% → ~1,600–1,800.
• Households relying primarily on mobile or fixed wireless for home internet: ~20–30% countywide; >40% in the most remote tracts.

Data notes and assumptions

• Population and age structure reflect recent ACS/OSBM patterns: older than NC overall.
• Ownership/adoption benchmarks draw from Pew, CDC NHIS (wireless-only), and rural-Appalachian differentials applied to NC baselines.
• Coverage and 5G observations synthesize FCC maps, carrier buildouts, FirstNet activity in western NC, and typical mountain-terrain performance.
• Ranges are used to avoid false precision; on-the-ground RF measurements will vary at the road and parcel level.

Here’s a concise, county-specific snapshot based on the latest available U.S./North Carolina rural benchmarks and Cherokee County’s older age profile. Exact county-level platform stats aren’t published, so figures are best-fit estimates.

Overall user stats

• Population: ~30,000
• Estimated social media users: 17,000–20,000 residents (≈57–67% of total; lower than national average due to older median age and patchy rural broadband)

Age breakdown (share using social media)

• 13–17: 85–90%
• 18–29: 90–95%
• 30–49: 80–85%
• 50–64: 60–70%
• 65+: 35–45% Note: Because the county skews older, 50+ users make up an unusually large share of total local users.

Gender split (of local social media users)

• Women: ~54%
• Men: ~46% Rationale: Slightly female-skewed user base plus Facebook’s higher usage among women.

Most-used platforms among local social media users (est. penetration)

• Facebook: 75–80% (dominant hub for news, groups, Marketplace)
• YouTube: 72–80% (how-to, church services, music, local interests)
• Instagram: 38–45% (cross-posts from Facebook; younger adults)
• TikTok: 28–35% (teens/younger adults; local highlights and trades/DIY tips)
• Snapchat: 22–28% (under 25; private messaging)
• Pinterest: 22–30% (women 25–54; home, crafts, recipes)
• LinkedIn: 8–12% (professionals; lower density)
• X/Twitter: 6–10% (niche: sports, politics, emergencies)
• Nextdoor: 8–12% (pockets near denser neighborhoods; HOA/neighbor updates)

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook-first county: Local news, school updates, church events, yard sales, lost-and-found pets, and storm/road conditions flow through Groups; Marketplace is heavily used for resale and local services.
• Video grows, but practical: YouTube for repairs/DIY, hunting/fishing, sermons; TikTok/Reels for short local content and small-business promos.
• Messaging > public posting: Facebook Messenger is the default DM; Snapchat for youth. WhatsApp adoption is limited.
• Businesses prioritize Facebook: Many small businesses use FB Pages and boosted posts over standalone websites; events often coordinated via FB Events.
• Engagement spikes: Evenings (7–10 pm), lunch hours, and during weather events or school announcements.
• Content that works: Clear photos of products or people, short vertical video, localized offers, event reminders, and community-impact posts. For older audiences, straightforward copy with contact details performs better than trendy formats.

Method note

• Estimates blend Pew/industry platform usage, rural U.S./NC adoption patterns, ACS demographics (older median age), and typical rural broadband constraints. For pinpoint accuracy, a local survey or platform ad-planning reach data would be required.