Hyde County

Hyde County, North Carolina — key demographics

Population size

• 4,589 (2020 Census)
• ~4.6k (latest Census Bureau estimate; ACS 2018–2022 context)

Age

• Median age: ~46
• Under 18: ~16%
• 18–64: ~63%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Male: ~56%
• Female: ~44%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2018–2022)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~60–62%
• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~31–33%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~8–10%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~1%
• Asian/Pacific Islander: <1%

Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~2,000–2,100
• Average household size: ~2.2
• Family households: ~60% of households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~75–80%

Insights

• Small, aging, and male-skewed population (influenced by institutional population); relatively high Black share and notable Hispanic presence for a rural NC county; small household sizes and high owner-occupancy. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; ACS 2018–2022 5-year).

• Context: Hyde County, NC had 4,937 residents in 2020; land area ~613 sq mi (≈8 people per sq mi). About 57% of the county’s total area is water, and Ocracoke is ferry-only—both factors complicate last‑mile connectivity.

• Estimated email users: ≈3,900 residents. Method: apply ~92% adult email adoption plus most teens (national rates) to Hyde’s small, older-leaning population.

• Age usage rates (share using email):

  • 13–17: ~85%
  • 18–29: ~94%
  • 30–49: ~96%
  • 50–64: ~92%
  • 65+: ~85% Given Hyde’s older profile, roughly 45–50% of local email users are 50+.

• Gender split: Near parity; women ≈92% and men ≈91% use email, yielding an approximately 50/50 user base.

• Digital access trends:

  • Household broadband adoption is below the North Carolina average, with notable smartphone‑only internet reliance.
  • Coverage is strongest around population centers and along main corridors; interior mainland areas have patchier fixed broadband.
  • Fixed‑wireless and satellite subscriptions are growing to bridge gaps; public Wi‑Fi (libraries/schools) remains important.
  • Low population density and extensive waterways raise per‑premise build costs, slowing fiber expansion and contributing to uneven speeds and reliability.

Overall: Email is nearly ubiquitous among adults, with usage skewed older due to demographics; infrastructure constraints, not interest, limit digital access.

Hyde County, NC mobile phone usage overview (2023–2024)

Headline snapshot

• Residents: roughly 4,800–5,100; households: about 2,100–2,300.
• Estimated unique mobile phone users: 3,800–4,200 people (about 78–84% of residents).
• Household smartphone access: approximately 83–87% of households in Hyde County, below the North Carolina average near 90%.
• Mobile-only internet reliance: about 22–28% of Hyde County households primarily rely on a cellular data plan for home internet (versus roughly 12–15% statewide), reflecting sparse fixed broadband.
• Households with any fixed broadband (cable/DSL/fiber): roughly 55–62% in Hyde (statewide ~78–82%).
• Households with no internet subscription: approximately 24–30% in Hyde (statewide ~12–16%).

Demographic breakdown of mobile adoption and reliance

• Age
  • 18–34: near-universal smartphone ownership (~95%+), with some mobile-only home internet due to rental housing and cost sensitivity.
  • 35–64: high smartphone ownership (~90%); mobile-only home internet notably above the state rate, especially in lower-income households.
  • 65+: lower smartphone penetration (~65–75% in Hyde vs ~75–82% statewide); seniors are more likely to have voice-only or basic plans and are less likely to have fixed broadband, increasing dependence on cellular for essential online tasks.
• Income
  • Under $25k household income: smartphone access ~75–85%; mobile-only reliance ~35–45% (vs ~20–25% statewide), driven by affordability and limited fixed options.
  • $25k–$75k: smartphone access ~88–93%; mobile-only ~20–28%, still above the state average.
  • $75k+: smartphone access ~95%+; predominantly maintain fixed broadband with mobile as a complement.
• Race/ethnicity
  • Smartphone ownership is broadly high across groups; gaps are small (typically within a few percentage points).
  • Mobile-only reliance is higher among Black and Hispanic households than among White households by roughly 8–12 percentage points, reflecting both affordability and service availability patterns in the county’s housing stock.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage pattern: Macro-cell coverage is engineered along US-264, NC-45, and NC-12, with service clustered near Swan Quarter, Engelhard, Fairfield, and Ocracoke Village. Large tracts of wetlands and protected areas create distance between sites and pockets of weak indoor signal on the mainland.
• Technology mix: 4G LTE is the baseline. Low-band 5G is present along primary corridors and in population centers; mid-band 5G capacity is spotty and seasonal load (tourism) can congest island sectors.
• Typical performance: In-population centers, median LTE/low-band-5G download speeds often fall in the 10–40 Mbps range, with higher peaks when mid-band is available; uplink commonly 2–10 Mbps. Performance drops in fringe mainland areas and inside structures at distance from towers.
• Backhaul and resiliency: Limited fiber backhaul beyond anchor institutions creates dependence on long microwave hops in some sectors. Storm season and power outages can cause multi-hour to multi-day disruptions; carriers routinely use temporary cells and generators to restore coverage after coastal events.
• Public and middle-mile assets: County public-safety sites and state education network middle-mile fiber connect schools and critical facilities, but residential last-mile fixed broadband remains sparse in many census blocks. State grant programs (e.g., GREAT/BEAD) are targeting fixed buildouts, which will indirectly ease mobile network load over time.

How Hyde County differs from the state-level trend

• Greater dependence on mobile: A markedly higher share of households use cellular plans as their primary or only home internet, more than 1.5–2x the statewide rate.
• Lower fixed broadband uptake: Fixed subscriptions lag the state by roughly 15–20 percentage points, pushing more everyday connectivity onto mobile networks.
• Older population impact: A larger senior share reduces overall smartphone penetration versus the state; however, seniors who are online are more likely to lean on mobile due to fewer fixed options.
• Infrastructure constraints: Sparse tower density, environmental siting limits, and storm exposure produce more variable speeds and reliability than typical urban/suburban North Carolina counties.
• Affordability and plan mix: Prepaid and budget MVNO plans make up a larger slice of active lines than statewide averages, aligning with lower median incomes and reinforcing the mobile-first pattern for many households.

Method note Figures are based on the best-available public data through 2023–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year county estimates for device and subscription patterns, coupled with state broadband reporting) and translated into county-level user estimates using Hyde County’s population and household counts. The emphasis is on differences relative to North Carolina overall and on the practical implications for residents and planners.

Hyde County, NC social media usage – 2024 snapshot

Note on methodology: County-specific user counts are not directly published. Figures below are modeled estimates for Hyde County’s resident user base derived from 2023–2024 Pew Research Center platform adoption rates, rural-community differentials, and Hyde’s older-skewing, small-population profile. Percentages refer to resident users unless stated otherwise.

Overall penetration and user stats

• Adult penetration: 72–78% of adults use at least one social platform monthly; 60–66% use daily.
• Teen penetration (13–17): 90–95% use at least one platform monthly; 75–85% use daily.
• Device mix: Social is predominantly mobile-first; smartphone-dominant usage is typical, with limited wired broadband outside population centers.

Age profile (share of each age group using social at least monthly)

• 13–17: 90–95% (TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram dominant; YouTube near-universal)
• 18–29: 90–95% (Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat/TikTok heavy; Facebook light)
• 30–49: 82–88% (Facebook and YouTube core; Instagram moderate; TikTok rising)
• 50–64: 70–78% (Facebook and YouTube primary; Pinterest moderate among women)
• 65+: 45–55% (Facebook first; YouTube second; limited use of others)

Gender breakdown among active social users

• Female: 54–58%
• Male: 42–46% Notes: Despite a male-skewed resident population due to institutional settings, active social-media participation skews female, consistent with national usage patterns and limited inmate access.

Most-used platforms (adult monthly reach; modeled for Hyde County)

• YouTube: 78–84%
• Facebook: 70–75%
• Instagram: 42–50%
• TikTok: 28–36%
• Snapchat: 22–28%
• Pinterest: 25–32% (notably higher among women 25–54)
• X (Twitter): 14–20%
• Reddit: 10–16%
• LinkedIn: 10–18% (lower than national due to occupational mix)
• Nextdoor: 3–6% (very limited footprint in sparsely populated areas)

Behavioral trends and usage patterns

• Community-first information: Heavy reliance on Facebook Groups and Pages for local news, ferry and storm updates, school athletics, church and civic events, and buy/sell/trade. During hurricanes or flooding, local groups and agency pages see sharp spikes and high resharing.
• Visual storytelling: Short-form vertical video (Reels/TikTok) is growing, but photo posts of weather, fishing, wildlife, and school/community moments remain high-engagement staples.
• Local commerce: Small businesses, outfitters, tourism operators (especially Ocracoke) and food establishments depend on Facebook + Instagram for discovery, hours/menus, and seasonal announcements. Messenger DMs for inquiries and reservations are common.
• Word-of-mouth at scale: Shares and comments drive reach more than paid spend; trusted local voices and admins in groups act as key distribution nodes.
• Time-of-day cadence: Peaks typically in early morning (6–8 a.m.) and evening (7–10 p.m.), with midday activity tied to school and service alerts. Weekend spikes around events, sports, and tourism.
• Age-split content habits:
  • Under 30: Short video, Stories, and Snap for peers; TikTok for entertainment and quick local tips.
  • 30–49: Facebook Groups for coordination, Instagram for highlights; YouTube for how‑tos and local fishing/boating content.
  • 50+: Facebook for community updates; YouTube for long-form utility and local government meetings.
• Messaging layer: Facebook Messenger is the de facto community DM channel; WhatsApp use is modest and clustered within specific work crews or seasonal visitors.

Implications

• Facebook and YouTube remain must-have channels for countywide reach; Instagram and TikTok extend into under‑40s.
• Use group-native posts and short video for fast dissemination during weather or ferry disruptions; pair with concise text and location tags.
• For businesses and agencies, prioritize Facebook Groups + Page posts, cross-post short video to Reels/TikTok, and keep hours/closures current to match real-time local behavior.

All figures are rounded and reflect 2024 usage patterns in rural U.S. counties adjusted for Hyde County’s demographics and connectivity profile.