Davidson County

Davidson County, North Carolina — key demographics

• Population

  • 168,930 (2020 Census)
  • ≈172,000 (2023 Census estimate)

• Age

  • Median age: ≈42 years
  • Under 18: ≈22%
  • 18–64: ≈59%
  • 65 and over: ≈19%

• Gender

  • Female: ≈51%
  • Male: ≈49%

• Race/ethnicity (shares of total)

  • White, non-Hispanic: ≈76%
  • Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ≈9–10%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ≈9–10%
  • Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ≈3%
  • Asian, non-Hispanic: ≈1%
  • Other (incl. American Indian/Alaska Native, NHPI): ≈1%

• Households

  • Total households: ≈67,000
  • Average household size: ≈2.5
  • Family households: ≈66%
  • Married-couple families: ≈49–50%
  • Households with children under 18: ≈28%
  • Owner-occupied housing: ≈75–76% (renters ≈24–25%)

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2023; American Community Survey 2023 1-year). Figures rounded.

Summary of email usage in Davidson County, North Carolina (estimates)

• Estimated email users: 120–130k residents use email at least monthly (about 70–75% of the total population; roughly 85–90% of ages 13+). County population ≈170k.
• Age distribution among users (approx.):
  • 13–17: ~7k users (65–75% of teens)
  • 18–34: ~35–36k (≈95%)
  • 35–64: ~59–60k (≈90–95%)
  • 65+: ~23k (≈70–80%), with steady growth year over year
• Gender split: roughly even; ~51% female, ~49% male. Engagement differences are minimal.
• Digital access trends:
  • Home internet subscription: ~80–85% of households; increasing fiber availability around Lexington and Thomasville, slower in rural areas.
  • Smartphone-only home internet: ~12–18%, driving high mobile email use among adults.
  • Public access: robust free Wi‑Fi and computers via county libraries and schools support lower-income and senior users.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population density ≈300 people/sq. mi. (≈170k residents across ~567 sq. mi.).
  • Best fixed-broadband and fiber coverage clusters along the I‑85 corridor (Lexington, Thomasville); outlying areas rely more on cable/DSL or satellite, which can slow large-attachment email use and increase latency.

Notes: Figures are derived by applying national/state adoption rates to local population structure; use as directional estimates.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Davidson County, NC (with emphasis on what differs from statewide patterns)

User estimates

• Population baseline: ~170–172k residents; ~130–135k adults (18+).
• Residents with an active mobile phone (all ages): ~125–140k.
• Adult smartphone users: 110–115k (roughly 84–87% of adults), a few points below the NC adult average (88–90%).
• Feature/voice-only phones: 8–10% of adults, modestly higher than statewide (5–6%).
• Teens (12–17) with phones: ~12–15k, driven by school and family-plan adoption.

Demographic breakdown (how Davidson differs from NC overall)

• Age
  • Older age profile than NC: a larger 65+ share pulls down overall smartphone penetration and increases basic-phone retention.
  • 18–44: near-saturation smartphone use comparable to state.
  • 65+: adoption several points below the NC average; higher use of larger-font Android devices and simple/flip phones.
• Income and plan type
  • Median household income is somewhat below the NC average, correlating with:
    • Higher prepaid and MVNO usage (3–5 percentage points higher than state).
    • Longer device replacement cycles and a higher share of mid-range Android handsets.
• Education and employment
  • Slightly lower bachelor’s attainment than NC average contributes to more price-sensitive plans and heavier use of Wi‑Fi to manage data costs.
• Race/ethnicity and language
  • County is more non-Hispanic White than the NC average; smartphone gaps by race are small among younger cohorts.
  • Spanish-speaking households show strong OTT messaging (WhatsApp/Messenger) adoption; voice-only usage more common among older adults across groups.
• Urban–rural split within the county
  • Lexington/Thomasville resemble NC metro usage (high 5G device share, heavy app/data use).
  • Southern/eastern townships (e.g., around Denton, Silver Valley, Southmont/High Rock Lake) show lower 5G availability and slightly higher basic-phone and signal-booster use.

Usage patterns and behaviors (distinct from statewide)

• Mobile-only internet households: modestly higher share than NC average in rural tracts, reflecting patchy wired broadband—more reliance on smartphones or fixed wireless for home connectivity.
• Messaging and voice: older adults retain SMS/voice habits; younger users’ app mix aligns with state, but video streaming on mobile is somewhat constrained off the I‑85 corridor due to capacity.
• Travel corridors: commuters on I‑85/US‑52 drive high daytime mobile data loads; off-corridor usage is more conservative due to signal variability.

Digital infrastructure points

• Carrier presence: AT&T, Verizon, and T‑Mobile all operate countywide; MVNOs widely used. Network investments track the I‑85 corridor first, then municipal cores, then rural gaps.
• 5G footprint
  • Low-band 5G: broadly available.
  • Mid-band 5G (best speeds): strongest along I‑85 and in/around Lexington and Thomasville; noticeably spottier in southern/eastern rural areas. This corridor-centric pattern is more pronounced than in NC’s large metros.
• LTE coverage: countywide outdoors, but indoor reliability can dip in lake-adjacent and hilly pockets away from highways where tower spacing is wider.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA): T‑Mobile and Verizon offer FWA in many ZIPs; uptake is higher than the NC average in rural blocks lacking cable/fiber, which feeds more “mobile-plus-FWA” households.
• Backhaul and towers
  • Tower density is lower than in Wake/Mecklenburg; most macro sites cluster along I‑85, US‑52, NC‑8, and municipal areas.
  • Fiber backhaul is strongest on those corridors; rural sectors may still rely on microwave or longer fiber runs, limiting peak capacity compared to state urban norms.
• Public/anchor connectivity: schools and libraries provide essential Wi‑Fi offload; these hotspots play a larger relative role in digital inclusion than in metro counties.

Key ways Davidson County differs from NC overall

• Slightly lower adult smartphone penetration and higher basic-phone share, driven by an older, more rural population mix.
• Higher reliance on prepaid/MVNO plans and longer device lifecycles.
• Greater dependence on mobile and fixed wireless for residential broadband in rural tracts.
• 5G mid-band coverage and capacity are more corridor-focused; off-corridor users experience lower speeds and more variability than the statewide average.
• Heavier use of Wi‑Fi offload at community anchors; mobile data consumption per user likely a bit below the state metro average.

Notes on method

• Estimates combine county population with national/state smartphone ownership norms, adjusted for Davidson’s older age and rural/urban mix. For planning or procurement, validate with the latest ACS/Census releases, NC BROADBAND grant maps, and carrier coverage/performance datasets (e.g., FCC Broadband Map, Ookla/Opensignal) specific to Davidson County census tracts.

Here’s a concise, county-level snapshot. Figures are modeled from 2020–2024 Pew Research U.S. social media adoption, adjusted for a largely suburban/rural NC county using ACS demographics; treat them as estimates/ranges.

Quick context

• Population: ~170,000 (Davidson County, NC); adults ~130k–135k.
• Estimated social media users (13+): ~110,000–120,000.

User stats (13+)

• Overall penetration: ~78–82% of adults; ~90–95% of teens.
• Estimated adult users: ~102k–108k; teen users: ~10k–11k.

Age mix among users (share of all social users)

• 13–17: ~9%
• 18–29: ~17%
• 30–49: ~35%
• 50–64: ~25%
• 65+: ~14% Notes: County skews slightly older than U.S. average, so 50+ is relatively strong; 65+ adoption is lower than younger groups but rising.

Gender breakdown (among users)

• Women: ~53–55%
• Men: ~45–47%
• Nonbinary/other: small, not well captured in large surveys Notes: Women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; men slightly over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X.

Most-used platforms in Davidson County (share of social users; not mutually exclusive)

• YouTube: ~80–85%
• Facebook: ~70–75% (very strong across 30+, dominant for local groups/marketplace)
• Instagram: ~40–45% (strongest under 40)
• TikTok: ~32–38% (heavy 13–29, growing 30–44)
• Snapchat: ~28–34% (teens/young adults)
• Pinterest: ~30–35% (women 25–54)
• LinkedIn: ~18–22% (white‑collar pockets; used by healthcare, education, manufacturing managers)
• X (Twitter): ~12–18% (news/sports niche)
• Reddit: ~10–15% (younger/male skew)
• Nextdoor: ~10–15% (active in suburban neighborhoods; HOA/public safety chatter)

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the community hub: school and city pages, sheriff/fire updates, church and civic groups, buy/sell/trade, lost & found pets, and especially Marketplace for local commerce.
• Short‑form video is rising: TikTok and YouTube Shorts used by local creators, small businesses, youth sports highlights, event promos.
• Events and causes organize on Facebook (Events, Groups). Churches, boosters, and festivals rely on shares in local groups.
• Messaging splits by age: Messenger (broad), Snapchat (teens/20s). WhatsApp usage is moderate and concentrated among Hispanic/immigrant communities.
• Shopping discovery: Facebook/Instagram drive local retail and service discovery; video demos and before/after reels perform well. Weekend mornings see Marketplace spikes.
• News and trust: Residents follow local outlets and official agencies on Facebook; neighborhood updates and weather/road conditions spread via groups faster than official sites.
• Jobs: Facebook groups and Indeed are common for hourly/trades; LinkedIn is used more by healthcare admins, educators, manufacturing leadership.
• Timing: Engagement peaks evenings (7–9 pm) and Sunday afternoons; lunchtime bumps on weekdays.

Notes on sources and assumptions

• Based on Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. platform adoption and age splits, adjusted for rural/suburban Southern counties; ACS age/gender mix for Davidson County; platform reach norms from ad tools. County-level platform percentages are estimates, not official counts.