Edgecombe County

Edgecombe County, North Carolina – key demographics (latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates; rounded):

Population

• Total population: ~48,700
• Median age: ~41–42
• Age distribution: under 18 ~22%; 18–64 ~59%; 65+ ~19%

Sex

• Female ~53%
• Male ~47%

Race and ethnicity

• Black or African American (alone): ~56–57%
• White (alone): ~37–38%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Some other race: ~2%
• Asian (alone): ~0.4–0.5%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (alone): ~0.3–0.5%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1% or less
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~6–7% Note: Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity and overlaps with race.

Households and housing

• Total households: ~19,000–19,300
• Average household size: ~2.5–2.6
• Family households: ~66% of households
  • Married-couple: ~34%
  • Female householder, no spouse: ~24%
• Households with children under 18: ~28%
• Living alone: ~31% (65+ living alone ~13%)
• Tenure: owner-occupied ~59–60%; renter-occupied ~40–41%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

Edgecombe County, NC snapshot

• Population/density: ~49,000 residents over ~500 sq. mi (≈100 people/sq. mi).
• Estimated email users: ~29,000–31,000 adults use email at least monthly. Method: ~38k adults × ~82–85% internet adoption × ~92% of internet users use email.
• Age pattern (share using email): 18–29: ~95–98%; 30–49: ~95–98%; 50–64: ~90–94%; 65+: ~75–85%. Rough user counts: 18–34 ≈ 7–8k; 35–54 ≈ 9–10k; 55–64 ≈ 5–6k; 65+ ≈ 6–7k.
• Gender split: ~51% female, 49% male among users (mirrors population).
• Digital access trends:
  • Household broadband subscription estimated ~70–75% (below NC average); 15–20% of adults rely on smartphone-only internet.
  • Strongest fixed-broadband options cluster around Rocky Mount–Tarboro corridors; more rural eastern tracts depend on DSL/fixed wireless, with lower speeds and higher latency.
  • Public Wi‑Fi (libraries/schools/municipal sites) and mobile data are common access points for email.
  • Connectivity improving via fiber builds and affordability subsidies, but gaps persist for low-income households and seniors.

Notes: Figures are estimates synthesized from ACS/Census demographics, FCC rural broadband patterns, and national tech-use research (e.g., Pew).

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Edgecombe County, NC (focus on where it differs from North Carolina overall)

Context

• Population and households: ~48–50k residents, ~19–20k households. More rural, lower median income, and a higher share of Black residents than the NC average.

User estimates

• Adult mobile phone users: ≈35–38k adults (mobile phone ownership among adults is near-universal, but a few points lower in rural, low-income areas).
• Adult smartphone users: ≈31–34k adults. This reflects slightly lower smartphone adoption than NC overall due to age and income mix, but still high by national standards.
• Households primarily relying on mobile data (“smartphone-only” or mobile-first internet): ≈4–6k households (roughly 20–30% of households), likely several points higher than the NC average.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age: Higher share of 65+ than NC average. Seniors have lower smartphone adoption and are more likely to use basic plans or shared devices—this pulls overall adoption down compared with the state.
• Race/ethnicity: Black residents are a majority in Edgecombe, versus a much smaller share statewide. Nationally, Black adults are more smartphone-dependent and less likely to have home broadband; in Edgecombe this correlates with higher mobile-only internet reliance than the state.
• Income: Median household income is below the NC average and poverty is higher. This tends to increase:
  • Prepaid and budget carrier use (including MVNOs).
  • Data-conscious behavior (smaller data buckets, hotspotting).
  • Longer device replacement cycles and a larger used/refurbished device market.
• Education and employment: Fewer home broadband subscriptions in lower-density and lower-income tracts push more residents to rely on mobile for job search, government services, and schooling—more so than statewide.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• 4G/5G coverage: All three national carriers advertise countywide 4G LTE; 5G coverage exists in towns and along major corridors (US-64, US-258), with mid-band 5G more limited off-corridor. Compared with metro NC, indoor coverage and mid-band 5G depth are patchier due to fewer sites per square mile.
• Performance: Typical speeds in town centers are solid; speeds drop in agricultural areas and at the edges of sectors. 5G here often feels like “enhanced LTE,” with fewer ultra-high-capacity nodes than urban NC.
• Tower density: Lower than urban counties; macro sites are concentrated near Tarboro/Princeville, the Rocky Mount fringe, and transportation corridors. This contributes to indoor coverage variability, especially in metal-roof and manufactured housing.
• Fixed broadband context: Cable or fiber is available in and around town centers; many outlying areas still depend on older DSL or fixed wireless. These fixed-access gaps drive higher mobile-only reliance than the state average.
• Resilience: Storm and hurricane exposure can cause multi-hour to multi-day mobile service degradation in parts of the county. Carriers have improved backup power and rapid-deploy cells since recent storm seasons, but resilience still trails urban NC.

How Edgecombe differs most from the NC average

• Higher mobile-only internet reliance: A notably larger share of households depend primarily on smartphones/hotspots for home internet.
• More prepaid/budget carrier usage and data-conscious plans; longer device replacement cycles.
• Slightly lower overall smartphone adoption due to age and income mix, but heavier daily dependence on phones among those without home broadband.
• 5G depth and capacity improvements lag metro NC; fewer mid-band nodes and lower site density translate to more variable performance.
• Greater sensitivity to outages from severe weather and to indoor coverage challenges in rural housing stock.

Notes on method and uncertainty

• Exact county-level mobile adoption isn’t directly published. Estimates combine county population and household counts with observed rural/low-income adoption patterns from national surveys (e.g., Pew) and typical rural NC infrastructure patterns (FCC coverage filings, state broadband mapping trends). For planning, validate against the latest ACS tables on device ownership and internet subscription, NC broadband maps, and carrier RF planning tools for current 5G mid-band footprints.

Edgecombe County, NC — social media snapshot (short)

Quick user stats

• Population: ~49,000; adults (18+): ~37,000
• Estimated adult social media users: ~26,000–31,000 (roughly 70–85% of adults)
• Gender: County population is about 53% female / 47% male; the social media audience skews slightly more female overall, with platform-specific differences (see below)
• Age mix of social media audience (est.): 18–29 (20–25%), 30–49 (35–40%), 50–64 (22–25%), 65+ (12–15%)

Most-used platforms (adults) Note: Shares are local estimates guided by Pew Research’s 2024 U.S. averages, with a slight rural tilt (Facebook a bit higher; TikTok/LinkedIn a bit lower). Counts are approximate, applying those shares to ~37k adults.

• YouTube: 80–85% | ~30k–32k adults
• Facebook: 70–75% | ~26k–28k (female-leaning; strongest 30+)
• Instagram: 40–50% | ~15k–19k (younger and female-leaning)
• TikTok: 30–40% | ~11k–15k (younger-heavy; growing 30–49)
• Snapchat: 25–35% | ~9k–13k (concentrated under 30)
• Pinterest: 25–35% | ~9k–13k (strong female skew)
• X (Twitter): 15–20% | ~6k–7k (more male/younger news- and sports-focused)
• LinkedIn: 10–15% | ~4k–6k (lower in rural labor markets)
• Nextdoor: 5–10% | ~2k–4k (limited neighborhood coverage)

Age and gender notes

• 13–17: YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat dominate; Instagram strong; Facebook limited
• 18–34: Heavy on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; YouTube universal; Facebook used but less central
• 35–54: Facebook + YouTube are primary; Instagram rising; TikTok adoption growing
• 55+: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Pinterest (women); limited TikTok/Instagram
• Gender: Facebook/Instagram/Pinterest skew female; YouTube/Reddit/X skew male. Overall county user base trends slightly female due to county demographics.

Behavioral trends observed in similar rural Eastern NC counties (applicable to Edgecombe)

• Facebook is the community hub: Groups for yard sales, school/church events, local news, public safety; Marketplace is highly active for local buying/selling
• Video-first consumption: YouTube for how‑tos, church streams, local sports; short-form (Reels/TikTok) drives discovery for local businesses and events
• Messaging patterns: Facebook Messenger is universal; Snapchat popular among teens/20s; WhatsApp used within family/faith/community circles
• Engagement timing: Evenings (7–10 pm) are strongest; Sunday afternoons also strong; spikes during severe weather and school-year milestones
• Content that performs: Local faces and stories, high school sports, faith/community events, public safety updates, deals/giveaways; brief captions, subtitles, and mobile-friendly formats
• Geo-targeting: Focus on Tarboro/Princeville and the Edgecombe side of Rocky Mount; include smaller towns (Pinetops, Macclesfield, Conetoe, Speed) with tight radii

Notes and method

• Percentages reflect national adult usage (Pew Research Center, 2024) adjusted modestly for rural patterns; treat as directional, not exact local measurements.
• For precise, up-to-date counts by age/gender/platform in Edgecombe County, pull audience estimates from platform ad tools (Meta, TikTok, Snap, Google/YouTube) scoped to the county.