Craven County

Craven County, North Carolina — key demographics

Population

• Total population: 100,720 (2020 Decennial Census)
• ACS 2018–2022 estimate: ~100.6k

Age (ACS 2018–2022)

• Median age: ~38.5 years
• Under 18: ~22%
• 18–64: ~61%
• 65 and over: ~17%

Sex (ACS 2018–2022)

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Race/ethnicity (2020 Census; Hispanic is any race)

• Non-Hispanic White: ~61%
• Non-Hispanic Black/African American: ~25%
• Hispanic/Latino: ~9%
• Two or more races (NH): ~3%
• Asian (NH): ~2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (NH): ~1%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander and other (NH): <1%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~40,000
• Average household size: ~2.45
• Family households: ~66% of households
• Married-couple families: ~47% of households
• One-person households: ~28%
• Owner-occupied housing: ~64–66%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Craven County, NC — email usage snapshot (estimates)

• Estimated email users: about 80,000 residents (≈78–82k). Based on a ~101k population and typical U.S. age-specific adoption.
• Age distribution of email users (users; adoption rate): • 13–17: ~5.3k (≈85%) • 18–24: ~8.0k (≈99%) • 25–44: ~25.7k (≈98%) • 45–64: ~24.9k (≈95%) • 65+: ~16.0k (≈88%)
• Gender split: Usage is nearly identical by gender; shares mirror the population (about 51% women, 49% men).
• Digital access trends: • Broadband adoption is roughly in the mid‑80s percent of households (American Community Survey patterns for similar NC counties). • Smartphone‑only internet access is meaningful, especially in lower‑density tracts. • Strongest fixed-broadband and fiber availability along the New Bern–Havelock/US‑70 corridor; fewer wired choices in outlying rural areas, where cellular data is often the fallback.
• Local density/connectivity context: Population density is roughly 140 people per square mile, with connectivity concentrated around New Bern, Havelock, and MCAS Cherry Point, and more gaps in northern and river-adjacent rural areas.

Notes: Figures are model-based estimates using national/NC adoption rates applied to local demographics.

Below is a county-focused view built from public benchmarks (ACS/Pew/NC state programs/FCC mapping trends) and local context.

Topline

• Population: about 100–105k residents.
• Estimated smartphone users: 70k–85k countywide, reflecting slightly lower-than-statewide adoption among seniors but very high adoption among military-age adults.

How Craven differs from North Carolina overall

• More mobile-only internet households: Craven likely sits several points above the statewide share, driven by rural pockets, lower fixed-broadband availability/affordability outside New Bern/Havelock, and a sizable prepaid segment. Expect roughly high-teens to low-20s percent of households relying primarily on cellular data vs low-to-mid teens statewide.
• More bifurcated adoption: Two strong poles—very high use among 18–34 (military and service sectors) and lower adoption among 65+ (retirees), yielding a wider age gap than the state average.
• Carrier mix and 5G profile: T-Mobile’s low-/mid-band 5G footprint is comparatively strong along the US-70/US-17 corridors; AT&T and Verizon 5G mid-band capacity is more uneven near MCAS Cherry Point due to airfield/radar/height limits, so mid-band performance gains seen in metros like Raleigh/Charlotte are less consistent here.
• Prepaid and MVNO share: Higher than state average, tied to income mix, military churn, and mobile-only households. Expect prepaid to over-index by 5–8 percentage points vs large NC metros.
• Android skew: Slightly higher Android share than urban NC, reflecting prepaid and value devices; iOS remains strong in the New Bern core but trails big-city NC.

User and usage estimates

• Adult smartphone adoption: Approximately low-to-mid 80s percent among adults (vs mid-to-high 80s statewide), pulled down by a larger 65+ share but buoyed by near-universal adoption in 18–34.
• Teens: Very high smartphone penetration among 13–17; mobile is the primary screen for social/video in this cohort.
• Mobile-only households: High-teens to low-20s percent, above the statewide average. These households typically use unlimited or high-cap prepaid plans; hotspotting is common.
• Plan types: Unlimited plans dominate among heavy streamers and military households; prepaid and MVNOs are prevalent among price-sensitive and rural users.
• Traffic patterns: Spikes around MCAS Cherry Point, New Bern employment centers, and along US-70/US-17 commute windows; seasonal surges with tourism and storm events.

Demographic patterns shaping usage

• Age: Craven’s older-than-state-average population slightly reduces overall smartphone penetration and lowers video bitrate consumption per user outside urban cores; the military base skews usage younger in Havelock with heavier gaming/streaming and faster device turnover.
• Income: Lower median incomes vs NC average correlate with higher prepaid adoption, mobile-only internet, and slower upgrade cycles for premium 5G devices outside the base and New Bern.
• Race/ethnicity: Black share is above the NC average; Hispanic/Latino share is below the NC average. Spanish-language plans/MVNO marketing are present but less prominent than in parts of the Triangle/Charlotte.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Macro sites: Coverage is anchored by towers along US-70 (I-42 corridor), US-17, and NC-55. River/wetland areas (Neuse/Trent Rivers) and Croatan National Forest introduce propagation challenges and pockets of weaker indoor coverage.
• 5G specifics:
  • Low-band 5G is broadly available countywide.
  • Mid-band 5G (e.g., 2.5 GHz for T-Mobile; C-band for AT&T/Verizon) is strongest along major corridors and within New Bern/Havelock. Airfield height restrictions and aviation protections near MCAS Cherry Point can limit tower placement and certain bands, tempering the consistent mid-band leap in capacity seen in big NC metros.
• Public safety: FirstNet (AT&T Band 14) coverage is deployed and important for coastal storm response; hardening and generator-backed sites are a visible priority due to hurricanes.
• Backhaul: Regional fiber from MCNC and commercial providers runs through New Bern/Havelock corridors, supporting 4G/5G capacity; backhaul is thinner in rural western/northern parts of the county, which constrains upgrade economics relative to urban NC markets.
• Small cells: Limited outside the densest New Bern blocks; unlike Raleigh/Charlotte, Craven remains predominantly macro-tower served.
• Redundancy and resilience: Carriers regularly stage COWs/COLTs during hurricane season; outage risks are higher than the NC urban average because of flooding, treefall, and long feeder lines to rural sites.

Performance and experience (directional)

• Speeds: Low-band 5G/LTE typically adequate for SD/HD streaming; mid-band 5G offers 100–300 Mbps+ where present, but that footprint is patchy compared with Triangle/Charlotte corridors that see more consistent 300 Mbps+ service.
• Indoor coverage: Strong in New Bern and Havelock; mixed in exurban/rural areas, particularly near forested and riverine zones. Wi‑Fi calling is an important supplement in fringe areas.

Programs, affordability, and policy context

• Affordable Connectivity Program sunset: Craven had above-average ACP uptake for the region; the wind-down increases the risk of households reverting to mobile-only plans or downgrading fixed service, further elevating mobile reliance relative to the state.
• State and federal builds: GREAT/BEAD investments will mostly target fixed broadband gaps; indirect benefits to mobile will come through added fiber backhaul to rural nodes, but these upgrades will arrive later than urban NC improvements.

Practical implications for stakeholders

• Carriers: Best return is along US‑70/US‑17 and New Bern/Havelock; targeted rural upgrades should prioritize fiber-fed macros and Band 14/low-band augmentation for resilience. Mid-band 5G expansion is most constrained near MCAS; optimize elsewhere first.
• Public sector: Maintain generator and microwave failover for critical towers; coordinate siting with base operations to balance coverage and airfield safety.
• Businesses and service providers: Expect higher rates of mobile-first engagement (SMS, apps, social) than the NC average outside major metros; design customer experiences assuming mobile data constraints in rural pockets.

Here’s a concise, county-level snapshot. Because platforms rarely publish verified county stats, figures are modeled by applying 2024 U.S. usage rates (Pew Research Center) to Craven County’s estimated adult population and rounded; use as directional, not exact.

Population and user base

• Total population: ~101,000; adults (18+): ~79,000
• Adults using at least one social platform: ~64,000–67,000 (≈80–85% of adults)
• Teens (13–17): ~6,000; most (≈90%+) use at least one platform

Most-used platforms among adults (share of adults; modeled)

• YouTube: 80–85% (63k–67k users)
• Facebook: 65–70% (51k–55k)
• Instagram: 45–50% (36k–40k)
• TikTok: 30–35% (24k–28k)
• Pinterest: 30–35% (24k–28k)
• LinkedIn: 28–33% (22k–26k)
• WhatsApp: 25–30% (20k–24k)
• Snapchat: 25–30% (20k–24k)
• X (Twitter): 20–25% (16k–20k)
• Reddit: 20–25% (16k–20k)
• Nextdoor: 15–20% (12k–16k; concentrated in New Bern/Havelock neighborhoods)

Age patterns

• 18–29: Very high on YouTube; heavy Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat. Facebook mostly for groups/marketplace, not posting.
• 30–49: YouTube and Facebook are core; Instagram growing; TikTok rising. Strong use of Facebook Groups for schools, youth sports, events.
• 50–64: Facebook dominant; YouTube for “how‑to” and news; Pinterest for DIY/recipes; some Nextdoor in HOA subdivisions.
• 65+: Facebook for family/civic updates; YouTube moderate; Nextdoor where available.

Gender tendencies

• Overall users skew slightly female (mirrors county demographics).
• Female-heavy: Pinterest (strong), Facebook Groups/Marketplace, Instagram and TikTok (slight).
• Male-heavy: Reddit (strong), X/Twitter and LinkedIn (slight).
• Snapchat usage leans female.

Local behavioral trends

• Groups over pages: Highest engagement in Facebook Groups (hurricane prep/alerts, Craven County Schools, high school sports, buy/sell/trade, neighborhood watches, church groups).
• Emergency comms: During storms, county/city/utility pages see sharp spikes; shares/resharing drive reach beyond follower counts.
• Marketplace/local commerce: Facebook Marketplace is the default for resale; Instagram Reels and TikTok used for restaurants, boutiques, events, fishing/boating content.
• Military influence: MCAS Cherry Point families cluster in private Facebook groups (housing, childcare, PCS swaps); off-hours activity due to shifts.
• Event/seasonality: Engagement peaks around MumFest, summer tourism/boating, and hurricane season; weekend evenings are the most active windows.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is standard; WhatsApp usage notable within Latino/international communities.

Method note

• Estimates apply national adult platform usage rates to Craven County’s adult population (U.S. Census/ACS). County-level platform disclosures are limited; treat figures as best-available approximations.