Clay County

Key demographics for Clay County, North Carolina

• Population size:

  • Total population (2023 estimate): ~12,100
  • 2020 Census: 11,089

• Age:

  • Median age: ~53
  • Under 18: ~17%
  • 18–64: ~51%
  • 65 and over: ~32%

• Gender:

  • Female: ~50.8%
  • Male: ~49.2%

• Race/ethnicity (percent of population):

  • White, non-Hispanic: ~92–93%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~3–4%
  • Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~2–3%
  • Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~0.6–0.8%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~0.5–0.7%
  • Asian, non-Hispanic: ~0.3–0.5%

• Households (ACS 2018–2022):

  • Total households: ~5,100
  • Average household size: ~2.2
  • Family households: ~67%; married-couple families: ~56–58%
  • Nonfamily households: ~33%; living alone: ~28% (about ~15% age 65+)
  • Owner-occupied housing unit rate: ~82–84%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 Population Estimates; American Community Survey (ACS) 2018–2022 5-year estimates. Figures rounded for clarity.

Clay County, NC snapshot (rural, mountainous; ~11–12k residents over ~220 sq mi ≈ 50 people/sq mi)

Estimated email users

• 8,500–9,500 adults use email at least occasionally (applying high U.S. email adoption to local demographics).

Age distribution of email users (reflecting the county’s older profile)

• 18–34: ~15–20%
• 35–64: ~45–50%
• 65+: ~30–38% (email use among seniors is slightly lower than younger groups but still widespread).

Gender split

• Roughly even, with a slight female tilt (~51–53% female) due to the county’s older age structure.

Digital access and trends

• Broadband availability is improving but uneven; terrain and low density slow buildouts.
• About 70–80% of households report a home broadband subscription; fiber is present in pockets, not countywide.
• 10–15% of households are smartphone-only for internet, so a notable minority access email primarily via mobile.
• Mobile LTE/5G is solid near Hayesville and main corridors but patchier in valleys/hollows.
• Adoption is rising with new fiber expansions and affordability programs, yet cost and last‑mile gaps remain key barriers.

Connectivity fact

• Low population density and mountainous topography make last‑mile deployment costlier than state averages, contributing to adoption gaps despite near‑universal interest in email.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Clay County, North Carolina (focus on differences vs. statewide)

Baseline and user estimates

• Population and age structure: Small, rural county (~11–12k residents) with a much older profile than North Carolina overall (median age low-50s vs. NC ~39–40). This age structure is the single biggest driver of usage patterns that diverge from the state.
• Mobile phone users: Roughly 9,000–10,000 residents use a mobile phone (most adults and many teens; far fewer children).
• Smartphone users: Approximately 7,000–8,000 residents use smartphones. Smartphone adoption is a bit lower than the NC average because of the large 65+ share.
• Household phone setup: An estimated 50–60% of households are wireless-only (no landline), notably below the statewide share, reflecting older residents who retain landlines and patchy cellular indoor coverage in some valleys.
• Plan types: Prepaid/MVNO usage is higher than the state average (roughly 25–30% of lines) due to price sensitivity and simpler plan needs among retirees.

Demographic breakdown (and how it differs from NC)

• Age:
  • 65+: Lower smartphone adoption and slower upgrade cycles; higher reliance on voice/SMS and larger-font/basic smartphones. This pulls down overall smartphone penetration vs. NC.
  • Under 35: Adoption similar to state levels, but smaller cohort size limits its effect on countywide averages.
• Income and education:
  • Median household income is below the NC median; budget plans and refurbished devices are more common. Hotspotting and data-capped plans are used to manage costs.
  • A lower bachelor’s degree share correlates with slightly lower app-centric usage and e-government adoption compared to metro NC.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • County is predominantly White non-Hispanic with a small but growing Hispanic community. Hispanic users tend to have high smartphone reliance and are more likely to be mobile-first for internet, which partly offsets lower adoption among seniors.
• Work patterns and seasonality:
  • Tourism/second-home population around Lake Chatuge raises weekend/seasonal demand; temporary congestion is more noticeable than in most NC rural counties.
  • A larger retiree base means less commuter-time mobile data usage than NC’s urban/suburban corridors.

Usage behaviors that diverge from statewide trends

• Network preference: Higher share on Verizon and AT&T (and some UScellular) because of terrain-driven coverage; T-Mobile presence is improving but remains more corridor-focused than in NC metros.
• 5G adoption and performance: 5G is present but patchy and often low-band; practical user experience leans heavily on LTE. This lags the broad mid-band 5G availability common in major NC metros.
• Indoor coverage and Wi‑Fi calling: Above-average reliance on Wi‑Fi calling and signal boosters in homes and small businesses due to metal roofs/valley locations.
• Data consumption: Lower median monthly data use than statewide; more voice/SMS-heavy usage among older residents and heavier home Wi‑Fi offload.
• Device lifecycle: Longer replacement cycles; higher prevalence of budget and midrange Android devices vs. flagships.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage geography:
  • Macro sites cluster along US‑64, NC‑69, and around Hayesville; ridgelines host several key towers. Valleys and south-facing slopes create dead zones uncommon in flatter NC counties.
  • LTE coverage is widespread along primary roads; 5G is concentrated near Hayesville and main corridors and drops to LTE in outlying areas.
• Carriers:
  • Verizon and AT&T generally provide the most consistent rural coverage; UScellular fills some gaps. T‑Mobile’s low‑band 600 MHz reaches key corridors but is less consistent off‑road.
• Capacity and speeds:
  • Typical LTE speeds range from low double digits to ~30 Mbps, with slower spots in valleys or at busy lake/town nodes on summer weekends. Mid‑band 5G capacity common in NC metros is limited here.
• Backhaul:
  • Mixed fiber and microwave backhaul; microwave is more prevalent than in urban NC, contributing to variable capacity during peak times.
• Public safety and resilience:
  • AT&T FirstNet Band 14 is present on select sites; legacy VHF/UHF public-safety radio remains important given terrain. Power backup exists at key towers but extended outages can still impact coverage in remote pockets.
• Public access:
  • Public Wi‑Fi is available at the county library, schools, and a handful of civic buildings; fewer free hotspots than in urban counties.

What this means compared to North Carolina overall

• Lower overall smartphone penetration and 5G usage due to older population and terrain.
• Higher dependence on LTE, Wi‑Fi calling, and boosters; more carrier concentration on Verizon/AT&T/UScellular than in the Triangle/Triad/Charlotte metros where all three nationals perform strongly.
• More prepaid/MVNO and budget device usage; longer device lifecycles.
• Noticeable seasonal congestion around recreation areas, a pattern less pronounced in most NC counties.

Below is a concise, planning-ready snapshot. Because platform vendors don’t publish county-level usage, the percentages are estimates derived from Pew Research Center’s 2024 social-media adoption data for U.S. adults, adjusted for Clay County’s older age mix (ACS/Census). Treat them as directional ranges.

Quick context (user stats)

• Population: roughly 12,000; adults ≈ 9,000–10,000 (ACS estimate).
• Smartphone ownership: approximately 80–85% of adults (lower among 65+).
• Home broadband plus mobile: mixed; a meaningful share is mobile-first, which favors short video and Facebook/Instagram use.

Most-used platforms among adults in Clay County (estimated % of adults)

• YouTube: ~75–82%
• Facebook: ~65–72% (dominant local network)
• Instagram: ~30–40%
• TikTok: ~25–35%
• Pinterest: ~25–35% (skews female 25–64)
• Snapchat: ~15–25% (concentrated under 30)
• X/Twitter: ~10–15% (niche, news/politics/sports)
• LinkedIn: ~10–18% (below national average, given local job mix) Notes:
• Facebook Messenger use is widespread among Facebook users; WhatsApp use is smaller but present in multilingual/visitor segments.
• Nextdoor presence is modest in rural areas; local Facebook Groups substitute many of its functions.

Age-group patterns (what they use most)

• Teens (13–17): TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube; Instagram secondary; Facebook mainly for groups/events via parents/coaches.
• 18–29: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube; Snapchat strong; Facebook for groups/Marketplace and family.
• 30–49: Facebook (Groups, Marketplace), Instagram, YouTube; TikTok rising for short video.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Pinterest for projects/recipes; some Instagram.
• 65+: Facebook first (family, local info), YouTube second; limited Instagram/TikTok use.

Gender tendencies

• Women: higher Facebook and Pinterest participation; strong engagement in community groups, school/church pages, local shopping and events.
• Men: higher YouTube usage; comparatively more X/Reddit (small base overall); strong interest in outdoor/how-to content on YouTube and Facebook Groups.

Local behavioral trends to expect

• Facebook Groups as the community hub: buy/sell/trade, school athletics, church and civic groups, lost-and-found, road/weather alerts, sheriff/EMS updates.
• Marketplace is a top local utility (furniture, tools, vehicles, farm/outdoor gear).
• Video consumption keeps rising:
  • Short-form: Facebook Reels/Instagram Reels/TikTok for quick local updates, events, and product highlights.
  • Long-form: YouTube for how-to, home/land projects, outdoor recreation, and local government meeting replays.
• Small-business usage: restaurants, outfitters, real estate, home services rely on Facebook Pages + Instagram; event posts and photo carousels outperform text.
• Content that performs: local faces/places, timely weather/road info, youth sports, school milestones, church and festival promos, giveaways, and “what’s open/what’s new.”
• Timing: engagement peaks early morning and evening; retirees boost midday Facebook activity; weekend surges around events and sports.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is the default for coordinating meetups and customer inquiries; SMS still common; WhatsApp niche.

Method and sources

• Estimates synthesized from Pew Research Center (2024 Social Media Use) weighted toward Clay County’s older age profile (U.S. Census Bureau/ACS). Platform rankings align with rural U.S. usage patterns observed across the Southeast.
• For campaigns, validate with small test budgets in Meta Ads and YouTube (zip or county targeting) to read local reach/age-gender delivery before scaling.