Martin County

Martin County, North Carolina — key demographics (latest Census/ACS)

Population size

• 2023 population estimate: 21,689 (down from 22,031 in 2020)

Age

• Median age: 45.9 years
• Under 18: 19.5%
• 18–64: 57.5%
• 65 and over: 23.0%

Gender

• Female: 52.0%
• Male: 48.0%

Racial/ethnic composition (mutually exclusive; Hispanic is any race)

• White, non-Hispanic: 46.2%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: 44.4%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): 5.3%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: 2.6%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: 0.5%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: 0.3%
• Other, non-Hispanic: 0.7%

Household data

• Total households: 9,320
• Average household size: 2.30
• Family households: 62%; nonfamily households: 38%
• Households with children under 18: 25%
• Homeownership rate: 69%
• Average family size: 2.95

Insights

• Population is declining slightly and older than the U.S. median, with nearly one in four residents 65+.
• Racial composition is split roughly evenly between non-Hispanic White and non-Hispanic Black residents, with a small but growing Hispanic population.
• Household sizes are modest and homeownership is relatively high for a rural county.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 Population Estimates; 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Martin County, NC snapshot (population ≈22,000; ~48 people/sq mi over ~461 sq mi)

Estimated email users

• Total (age 13+): ~17,300 (≈79% of residents; ≈93% of adults), derived from Pew national email adoption applied to local age mix.

Age distribution of email users (approx.)

• 13–17: 6%
• 18–29: 17%
• 30–49: 29%
• 50–64: 26%
• 65+: 22% Older-skewing demographics mean a notably large 50+ email user base.

Gender split

• Roughly mirrors population: ~52% female, ~48% male among email users.

Digital access and trends (ACS 2018–2022; state/federal broadband indicators)

• Households with a broadband subscription: ~76%; with a computer: ~85%.
• No home internet: ~18% of households.
• Smartphone-only internet reliance: ~15% of households (higher than state average for rural areas).
• Email engagement tracks connectivity: most non-users are concentrated in no-subscription or mobile-only households.

Local connectivity context

• Low settlement density raises last‑mile costs and correlates with below‑state‑average home broadband subscription.
• Adoption has been gradually rising as coverage and affordability programs expand, but gaps persist outside town centers.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Martin County, North Carolina (latest available estimates)

Headline differences from North Carolina overall

• Slightly lower smartphone adoption among adults and seniors than the state average
• Significantly higher reliance on mobile data as the primary household internet connection
• 5G coverage and capacity are more town-centered, with LTE remaining the dominant layer across farmland and low-lying areas

User estimates

• Population baseline: roughly 22,000 residents; about 17,500–18,500 adults (18+)
• Adult smartphone adoption: approximately 78–82% (≈13,500–15,000 adult users), about 4–7 percentage points below the NC average (~85–88%)
• Household mobile data plan penetration: about 66–70% of households have a cellular data plan, versus roughly 75–80% statewide
• Mobile-only home internet (households with a cellular data plan and no wired broadband): about 17–20% in Martin County, compared with roughly 10–12% statewide
• Households with no home internet: about 15–18% locally vs ~9–11% statewide; many of these households still use mobile phones for intermittent connectivity

Demographic breakdown (usage patterns)

• Age
  • 65+ smartphone adoption: roughly 60–65% in Martin County, lower than the statewide senior adoption rate (~70%+)
  • Under 35: near-universal smartphone access (~95%+) and heavy mobile-first behavior
• Income
  • Households under $35,000 are more likely to be mobile-only; estimated 25–35% rely on cellular data in lieu of a wired subscription, notably higher than the state average for this income band
• Race and ethnicity
  • Black and Hispanic households show similar or higher smartphone adoption than the county average but higher mobile-only reliance (roughly one-quarter of Black and about one-fifth to one-quarter of Hispanic households are mobile-only), reflecting cost and availability trade-offs
• Geography
  • Town centers (e.g., Williamston, Robersonville, Oak City): higher 5G availability and better indoor coverage; more bundled plans and postpaid penetration
  • Outlying rural tracts: LTE is the primary layer; mobile-only home internet is more common where wired options are limited or unaffordable

Digital infrastructure points

• Network layers and coverage
  • All three national carriers operate LTE countywide; 5G is present but concentrated in and around towns and along major corridors (e.g., US‑64). Outside these areas, LTE serves as the coverage floor
  • Low‑band 5G offers wide-area reach; mid‑band capacity is more limited and localized than in metro NC, which constrains peak speeds and in-building performance in rural stretches
• Backhaul and middle mile
  • The statewide MCNC/NCREN middle‑mile fiber network traverses the US‑64 corridor and anchors institutional connectivity; it provides the backbone that carriers and ISPs can leverage for backhaul
• Wired broadband interplay
  • Cable/fiber availability is concentrated in town centers; large swaths of the county remain DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite territory. This gap materially drives the county’s higher mobile‑only household share relative to the state
• Public safety and resiliency
  • FirstNet (AT&T) coverage and low‑band 5G improve first‑responder communications in towns and along primary routes; rural dead‑spot mitigation still leans on LTE with site‑specific variability

What’s different from the state-level trend

• Adoption: Martin County trails NC overall by several points in adult and senior smartphone adoption, consistent with its older age structure and lower median income
• Access pattern: The county’s mobile-only household rate is clearly higher than the state average, indicating that cellular connectivity substitutes for wired broadband more frequently than elsewhere in North Carolina
• 5G experience: Coverage is more fragmented and capacity layers are thinner than in urban NC, so average 5G speeds and indoor performance lag; LTE remains the dependable baseline outside towns
• Equity: The reliance on mobile-only service is notably higher among lower-income, Black, and Hispanic households than statewide, underscoring affordability and infrastructure gaps

Notes on figures: Estimates reflect the latest available county-level American Community Survey device/subscription indicators (5‑year release), statewide adoption benchmarks (Pew Research Center), and FCC/North Carolina broadband infrastructure references, rounded to stable ranges appropriate for a small rural county.

Martin County, NC: Social media usage snapshot

Population and user base

• Population: about 22,000 residents (2020 Census).
• Adults using social media: approximately 12,000–14,000 adults, applying Pew Research Center’s share of U.S. adults who use at least one social platform.

Age and gender profile

• Age: county skews older than the U.S. average; roughly one in five residents are 65+ and a smaller share are 18–29 than statewide.
• Gender: slight female majority (about 52% female).
• Implication: higher reliance on Facebook and YouTube; Instagram/TikTok usage is concentrated among teens and 20-somethings.

Most-used platforms (adoption percentages from U.S. adults; local rank adjusted for Martin County’s older, rural profile)

• Facebook: 68% use nationally; locally the top platform for news, groups, churches, schools, yard sales.
• YouTube: 83% use nationally; locally a close second for how‑to content, church services, local government meetings.
• Instagram: 47% use nationally; locally mid‑tier, strongest among 18–34.
• TikTok: 33% use nationally; locally meaningful among teens/20s but below Facebook/YouTube overall.
• Snapchat: 30% use nationally; locally concentrated in high school/college ages.
• Pinterest: 35% use nationally; locally used by adult women for DIY, recipes, school/church events.
• LinkedIn (30%), X/Twitter (22%), Reddit (22%), WhatsApp (21%), Nextdoor (~20%): niche locally; Nextdoor’s role is largely filled by Facebook Groups.

Behavioral trends specific to Martin County

• Community information flows through Facebook Groups/pages (county and town government, schools, churches, EMS/fire, youth sports, buy/sell/trade). Engagement spikes around weather, closures, and high‑school sports.
• Video viewing is heavy on YouTube; short‑form video growth is strongest via Facebook/Instagram Reels among 35+, with TikTok more youth‑centric.
• Messaging habits: Facebook Messenger is default for community coordination; Snapchat among teens; SMS group texts remain common.
• Local business marketing: Facebook pages plus boosted posts are primary; Instagram is important for boutiques, salons, and food; reviews on Google and Facebook drive foot traffic more than X/TikTok.
• Best engagement windows: evenings (7–10 pm) and weekends; midday weekdays are secondary.
• Content that performs: local pride and school highlights, church/community events, weather and public‑safety notices, new openings, and lost/found pets; posts from known local individuals and official pages are most trusted.

Sources: U.S. Census (2020) for population and demographics; Pew Research Center, “Social Media Use in 2024,” for platform adoption percentages. Local platform ranking and behaviors reflect Martin County’s demographic and rural profile.