Onslow County

Onslow County, North Carolina – key demographics

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates)

Population size

• Total population: 204,576 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~26 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~24%
• 65 and over: ~9%

Gender

• Male: ~54%
• Female: ~46%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2018–2022)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~58%
• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~13%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~16%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~7%
• Asian (non-Hispanic): ~2–3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (non-Hispanic): ~1%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander (non-Hispanic): <1%

Household data (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~73,000–74,000
• Average household size: ~2.6–2.7
• Family households: ~70% of households
• Married-couple households: ~45–50% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~35–40%
• Housing tenure: ~54–56% owner-occupied, ~44–46% renter-occupied

Insights

• Very young age structure and male-skewed population reflect the large active-duty military presence (Camp Lejeune, MCAS New River)
• Racial/ethnic diversity driven by sizable Hispanic population and multi-racial residents
• Household patterns show a high share of families with children and a balanced owner/renter mix relative to other NC counties with military installations

• Population and density: Onslow County had 204,576 residents in 2020, roughly 268 residents per square mile. It is unusually young (median age about 25) and male-skewed (~54% male) due to Camp Lejeune.

• Estimated email users: ~150,000 residents. This reflects high national email adoption applied to Onslow’s age structure, including teens and adults.

• Age distribution of email users:

  • 13–17: ~9% of users (school-driven use)
  • 18–34: ~40% (near-universal use; large military/young-family cohort)
  • 35–64: ~36%
  • 65+: ~15% (lower but rising)

• Gender split of email users: ~54% male, ~46% female, mirroring the county’s demographics.

• Digital access and trends:

  • Approximately 87% of households maintain a home broadband subscription and over 90% report a computer or smartphone (recent ACS trends).
  • The Jacksonville–Camp Lejeune corridor has widespread cable/fiber with 100–1000 Mbps service; northern and western rural tracts lean on fixed wireless and satellite, leading to more mobile-only access and variable speeds.
  • High connectivity and a young population drive heavy email use for military administration, employment, schools, healthcare, and government services, with adoption continuing to rise among older adults.

Mobile phone usage in Onslow County, NC — summary, 2023–2024

User base and adoption (modeled from U.S. Census Bureau ACS S2801; Census population estimates; Pew adoption rates)

• Population baseline: roughly 209,000 residents and about 75,000 households.
• Estimated smartphone users: about 155,000 residents (roughly three in four people), reflecting very high adoption among adults and teens.
• Household smartphone access: approximately 92–94% of households have at least one smartphone, above the statewide rate (≈89–91%).
• Cellular data subscriptions: about 80–82% of households maintain a cellular data plan, versus roughly 72–75% statewide.
• Mobile-only internet households (cellular data plan but no fixed broadband): about 20–22% in Onslow versus roughly 14–16% statewide. This is the single clearest divergence from North Carolina as a whole.

Demographic drivers and usage patterns (ACS; DoD/military community composition)

• Younger age structure: Onslow has one of North Carolina’s youngest profiles (median age mid‑20s; adults 18–34 comprise roughly a third of the population, versus about a quarter statewide). Younger, more transient residents push smartphone adoption and mobile‑only internet higher than the state average.
• Military presence: Active‑duty Marines, sailors, and dependents around Camp Lejeune/New River tilt usage toward unlimited mobile plans, hotspot use, and BYOD on base. Churn and plan switching are higher than statewide averages due to frequent moves and deployments.
• Income and housing: Median household income is modest relative to the state, and the county has a higher renter share. Both correlate with higher reliance on mobile data and prepaid/postpaid smartphone plans instead of, or before, purchasing fixed broadband.
• Seniors: A smaller 65+ share than the state reduces the portion of residents who are least likely to use smartphones, further elevating overall adoption above statewide levels.

Digital infrastructure and market conditions (FCC mobile coverage maps; provider announcements; local builds)

• 5G coverage: AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon all advertise 5G across the Jacksonville–US‑17 corridor and along NC‑24 to Swansboro and Hubert. Mid‑band 5G capacity is strongest in Jacksonville and around base housing; low‑band 5G/4G covers most rural areas with performance dips west/northwest of Richlands and near the Croatan National Forest and barrier‑island stretches near North Topsail Beach.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA): 5G/LTE home internet from T‑Mobile and Verizon is widely available in and around Jacksonville and expanding toward coastal towns. Onslow’s above‑average FWA take‑up aligns with its higher mobile‑only rate and younger demographics; this differs from the state pattern where cable/fiber dominance keeps FWA shares lower in many counties.
• Wireline competition: Charter Spectrum is the principal cable provider countywide; fiber options are growing from MetroNet’s Jacksonville buildout and targeted AT&T/ILEC fiber pockets. Fiber is still uneven outside the core urban/suburban footprint, which sustains stronger consumer demand for mobile data and FWA than the statewide norm.
• Capacity and hardening: Carriers have invested in additional sectors and backup power around critical facilities (military installations, hospitals) and along evacuation routes. Hurricane risk drives more rigorous site hardening and temporary cell-on-wheels (COW) deployments than in many inland NC counties.

How Onslow differs from North Carolina overall

• Higher smartphone access and usage: Household smartphone presence and per-capita smartphone usage are a few points higher than the state average due to youth and military mix.
• Significantly more mobile-only households: About one in five households rely solely on cellular data versus roughly one in seven statewide.
• Faster FWA adoption: Fixed wireless plays a larger role in home connectivity than in many NC counties, narrowing the gap where fiber/cable are limited.
• Younger, more transient user base: Plan churn, hotspot use, and device turnover are higher than the state pattern, influencing network load profiles and retail mix (e.g., more unlimited and military‑discounted plans).

Key takeaways

• Expect sustained growth in mobile data demand, especially around Jacksonville, base housing, and commuter corridors.
• Closing fiber gaps beyond the US‑17/NC‑24 spine would likely reduce the county’s unusually high mobile‑only share over time.
• For service planning, Onslow’s combination of a young, military‑heavy population and coastal hazard profile makes mobile capacity, FWA availability, and disaster‑resilient sites more critical than in the average NC county.

Social media usage in Onslow County, NC — key facts and trends

Population baseline

• Residents: 204,576 (2020 Census).
• Adults (18+): ~155,000.
• Teen population (13–17): ~24,000 (subset of the ~50,000 under 18).

User stats

• Adult social media users: ~132,000 (≈85% of adults).
• Teen (13–17) social media users: ~22,000 (≈90% of 13–17s).
• Combined 13+ social media users: ~154,000.
• Usage frequency: ~72% of adult users check social platforms daily; ~50% multiple times per day (in line with national usage patterns).

Age mix of local social media users (share of users)

• 13–17: ~9%
• 18–24: ~21%
• 25–34: ~26%
• 35–44: ~16%
• 45–64: ~19%
• 65+: ~9% Note: Onslow’s military presence skews the audience younger than average, with a strong 18–34 cohort.

Gender breakdown of social media users

• Male: ~56%
• Female: ~44% This mirrors the county’s male-leaning population due to the Marine Corps presence.

Most-used platforms in Onslow (share of adult social media users)

• YouTube: ~86%
• Facebook: ~73%
• Instagram: ~52%
• TikTok: ~44%
• Snapchat: ~39%
• X (Twitter): ~21%
• Reddit: ~19%
• LinkedIn: ~15%
• Nextdoor: ~6% Top three by weekly engagement: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram.

Behavioral trends and local nuances

• Mobile-first, video-first: Short-form video (Reels/Shorts/TikTok) dominates discovery; YouTube for tutorials, fitness, auto, outdoor, and preparedness.
• High group and marketplace activity: Facebook Groups and Marketplace are central for base housing, buy/sell/trade, childcare swaps, and service-member relocation.
• Messaging-centric for coordination: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are primary for day-to-day communication among 18–34s; Instagram DMs are strong for local businesses and creators.
• Peak engagement windows: Early mornings (pre-duty), lunch (11:30–13:00), and evenings (19:00–22:00); weekend mid-mornings for marketplace and events.
• Content that performs: Military-family resources, local events, fitness/outdoors, hunting/fishing, automotive, DIY/home services, and hurricane-season updates. Authentic, utility-driven posts outperform polished ads.
• Platform roles
  • Facebook: Community lifeline (alerts, groups, school/base updates); strongest for 25–54 and families.
  • Instagram: Brand discovery and local lifestyle (18–34), with Reels driving reach.
  • TikTok: Rapid trend propagation; military humor, fitness, local eats; high creator responsiveness to local hooks.
  • Snapchat: Daily 1:1/1:few sharing among 13–29, strong for quick promotions and geo-filters.
  • YouTube: Deep research and how-tos; effective for service categories and long-tail interest.
  • Reddit/Discord: Niche but influential for gaming, tech, finance, and local threads; skew male.
  • Nextdoor: Small but useful in suburban neighborhoods (Sneads Ferry, Swansboro, Richlands) for hyperlocal services.

Notes on methodology

• Population and age/gender baselines: U.S. Census (2020).
• Platform reach and daily-use rates: localized estimates derived from Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. social media usage by age, weighted to Onslow’s younger age structure.