Northampton County

Northampton County, North Carolina — key demographics

Population

• 2020 Census: 17,471
• 2023 Census estimate: roughly 17,000 (continued gradual decline since 2010)

Age structure (ACS 2018–2022)

• Median age: about 47 years
• Under 18: ~19%
• 18 to 64: ~59%
• 65 and over: ~22%

Gender (ACS 2018–2022)

• Female: ~52%
• Male: ~48%

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

• Black or African American: ~57%
• White: ~38%
• Hispanic/Latino: ~4%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: <1%
• Asian: <1%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~7,200
• Average household size: ~2.25 persons
• Family households: ~62% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~22%
• Householder living alone age 65+: ~14%
• Housing tenure: ~73% owner-occupied, ~27% renter-occupied

Insights

• Small, aging, majority-Black county with a long-term population decline, smaller household sizes, and high owner-occupancy typical of rural northeastern North Carolina.

• Estimated email users: ~11,500 adults in Northampton County, NC (≈82% of ~14,000 adults; county population ~17,500).
• Age distribution of email users (share of users):
  • 18–29: ~16%
  • 30–49: ~31%
  • 50–64: ~29%
  • 65+: ~24% Rationale: email adoption is near-universal among adults, but usage rates taper modestly for 65+.
• Gender split of users: ~53% women, ~47% men, reflecting the county’s slightly higher female population and similar email adoption by gender.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Household broadband subscription: ~72% (below North Carolina’s ~83% average), leaving roughly 28% of households without a home broadband plan.
  • Notable mobile reliance: an estimated 12–15% of adults are smartphone‑only internet users, which can constrain heavy attachments and multi-account management.
  • Rural density: ~33 people per square mile (population ~17.5k over ~537 sq mi of land) increases last‑mile costs and contributes to lower subscription rates and fewer fixed-broadband choices outside town centers.
  • Trajectory: gradual gains in fiber and cable coverage since 2019, but affordability pressures following the wind‑down of federal subsidies have tempered adoption growth.

Northampton County, NC — Mobile phone usage snapshot (2024)

Headline takeaways

• Mobile reliance is notably higher than North Carolina overall. A larger share of households use smartphones and cellular data as their primary or only internet connection, driven by lower fixed-broadband availability and lower incomes.
• 4G LTE coverage is extensive in populated areas, but mid-band 5G capacity is patchier than statewide norms, leading to more variability in speeds and indoor service in rural tracts.
• An older age profile and higher poverty rates temper overall smartphone penetration versus the state, but smartphone-only internet use is distinctly above the state average.

User base and penetration

• Population context: ~17,000–18,000 residents; ~6,800–7,400 households; adult (18+) population ~13,000–14,000.
• Mobile phone ownership (any cell phone, adults): estimated 90–92% (≈11,700–12,800 adults), a few points below statewide rates in the low-to-mid 90s.
• Smartphone adoption (adults): estimated 78–82% (≈10,200–11,500 adults), below North Carolina’s ≈88–90%.
• Smartphone-only internet households (cellular data plan, no fixed home broadband): estimated 18–22% of households in Northampton vs ~12–14% statewide.
• Household cellular data-plan presence: estimated 68–74% of households vs ~78–82% statewide.

Demographic usage patterns (local contrasts with state)

• Age:
  • Under 35: near-saturation smartphone adoption (~95%+), closely tracking statewide norms.
  • 35–64: high adoption (~85–90%), modestly lower than state-level.
  • 65+: markedly lower smartphone adoption (50–60%) vs statewide seniors (60–70%), reflecting the county’s older age structure.
• Income:
  • Households under $25k show the highest smartphone-only reliance (≈30–35%), above the state’s ≈20–25%, highlighting cost-driven substitution of mobile for home broadband.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Black households (a large share locally) exhibit higher smartphone-only reliance than White households, consistent with lower fixed-broadband subscription rates; overall smartphone ownership by race is relatively similar, but mode of access differs.
• Plan types:
  • Prepaid/MVNO share is elevated relative to the state average, reflecting budget sensitivity and credit constraints; family postpaid plans are less dominant than in metro NC.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Radio access:
  • All three national carriers provide countywide 4G LTE along primary corridors and towns; service gaps persist in low-density and river/wooded areas.
  • 5G low-band covers main population centers and highways; mid-band 5G (capacity) is sparser than state averages, limiting peak speeds and indoor performance away from towns.
• Tower density and propagation:
  • Fewer macro sites per square mile than urban NC; larger cell footprints improve outdoor reach but reduce indoor signal reliability at the edges.
• Backhaul and fiber:
  • Fiber backhaul is present along major routes, but lateral fiber depth is thinner than statewide norms. This constrains capacity upgrades and contributes to variable performance.
• Fixed-broadband context (drives mobile reliance):
  • Cable footprint is limited outside a few towns; legacy DSL remains in pockets; fiber-to-the-home is present but still expanding via state/federal grants. Fixed-broadband subscription rates trail the NC average by double digits.
• Public safety and roaming:
  • FirstNet coverage (AT&T) and roaming across carriers stabilize voice/SMS across most populated zones; data performance still depends on proximity to corridors and town centers.

How Northampton differs most from the NC average

• Higher smartphone-only internet dependence (≈18–22% vs ~12–14%).
• Lower overall smartphone penetration (≈78–82% vs ≈88–90%), driven by an older age profile and affordability constraints.
• Higher prevalence of prepaid/MVNO plans and single-line accounts.
• More 4G-dependence and less mid-band 5G capacity, producing wider speed and indoor coverage variability.
• Lower fixed-broadband adoption, reinforcing mobile phones as the primary access point for many households.

Approximate user counts (to ground planning)

• Adult mobile-phone users: ≈11.7k–12.8k
• Adult smartphone users: ≈10.2k–11.5k
• Smartphone-only internet households: ≈1,200–1,600 (of ~6,800–7,400 total households)

Notes on methodology

• Estimates synthesize American Community Survey computer/Internet indicators, FCC mobile coverage filings, and national/state adoption benchmarks (2022–2024). Ranges reflect county size, survey error, and rural variability.

Northampton County, NC social media snapshot (2025-ready)

Population and base demographics

• Residents: ≈17,100 (2023 ACS estimate)
• Adults (18+): ≈14,000 (≈82% of population)
• Gender: ≈53% female, 47% male
• Age structure (18+): ≈14% ages 18–29, 24% ages 30–49, 27% ages 50–64, 25% ages 65+

Most-used platforms (adult reach; modeled from Pew Research Center 2024 usage rates for U.S./rural adults applied to Northampton’s adult population)

• YouTube: ~80% of adults ≈11,200 users
• Facebook: ~68% ≈9,500
• Instagram: ~38% ≈5,300
• TikTok: ~30% ≈4,200
• Pinterest: ~28% ≈3,900
• Snapchat: ~28% ≈3,900
• X (Twitter): ~20% ≈2,800 Note: Percentages represent share of adults who use each platform. YouTube and Facebook lead decisively; Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat are mid-tier; X is niche.

Age-group usage patterns (how the county’s age mix shapes usage; grounded in Pew 2024 age splits)

• 18–29: Very high YouTube; Instagram ~75–80%, TikTok ~60–65%, Snapchat ~60–65%, Facebook ~30–40%
• 30–49: YouTube very high; Facebook ~65–75%; Instagram ~50–60%; TikTok ~35–45%
• 50–64: YouTube high; Facebook ~70%+; Instagram ~25–35%; TikTok ~15–20%
• 65+: Facebook ~45–55%; YouTube ~45–55%; Instagram ~10–20%; TikTok ~8–12% Implication: Northampton’s older-leaning population boosts Facebook (and to a lesser extent YouTube) share while muting Instagram/TikTok overall.

Gender breakdown

• Population: ~53% women, 47% men
• Platform tendencies (consistent with national patterns): Women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube and X. Expect Facebook and Pinterest audiences to skew female locally; YouTube and X to skew male.

Behavioral trends observed in rural counties with similar profiles (applies strongly to Northampton)

• Facebook as the local hub: Heavy use of Groups and Messenger for churches, schools, sports, community alerts, and small-business promos. High daily-active behavior among 50+.
• YouTube for practical content: How-to/DIY, farming and equipment content, church services, local sports, and music. Long-tail search behavior is strong.
• Short-form video growth: Reels/TikTok drive entertainment and product discovery among under-40s; cross-posted short video performs best.
• Mobile-first usage: Patchier home broadband means more smartphone-only access; vertical video and short load times win. Evenings and weekends show peak engagement.
• Local commerce: Pay-to-play on Facebook (Boosted posts) is efficient due to concentrated reach; Instagram works for visual retail, salons, food. Limited LinkedIn relevance outside government/education roles.
• Information-seeking: High engagement with weather, outages, road closures, school schedules, public safety, and county services; shareable alerts outperform routine posts.
• Content tone: Community pride and event coverage outperform generic brand content; authentic, people-centric posts get outsized interaction.
• Youth split: Teens/younger adults spend more time on TikTok/Snapchat; they keep Facebook accounts mainly for family/school coordination.

How to read these numbers

• The platform percentages are derived from Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S./rural adult usage rates, scaled to Northampton’s adult population from the 2023 ACS. They provide a practical, defensible estimate of local reach by platform given the county’s older demographic profile.