Person County

Key demographics for Person County, North Carolina

Population size

• 39,490 (2020 Census)
• 39,600 (2023 Census estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~44 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~21–22%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Female: ~51–52%
• Male: ~48–49%

Racial/ethnic composition (share of total population)

• White alone: ~61%
• Black or African American alone: ~31%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~7%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~0.6%
• Asian alone: ~0.6%

Households and housing

• Households: ~15,700 (ACS 2019–2023)
• Persons per household: ~2.4
• Family households: ~67%; married-couple households: ~47%
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: ~74%

Insights

• Population is stable and older than the state average, with about one in five residents 65+
• Racial diversity is driven by a substantial Black population and a growing Hispanic community
• Household structure skews toward owner-occupied, family households with relatively small household size

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

• Population/density: Person County has about 39,000 residents, roughly 100 people per square mile (rural profile centered on Roxboro).
• Estimated email users: 27,000–29,000 adult users (about 89–92% of adults; ~70% of total residents), derived from county adult population and U.S. adult email adoption rates.
• Age distribution of email users (share of users): 18–29: ~18–20%; 30–49: ~33–35%; 50–64: ~26–28%; 65+: ~20–22%. Adoption is near‑universal among under‑50s and high among 65+ (mid‑80s%).
• Gender split: Email users mirror the population (≈51% female, 49% male).
• Digital access and devices:
  • ~82–85% of households subscribe to home broadband.
  • ~88–91% of households have a computer.
  • ~12–15% are smartphone‑only for internet at home.
  • ~10–12% of households lack home internet, concentrated in more rural tracts.
• Connectivity insights: Take‑up and speeds are strongest in and around Roxboro; rural areas see more gaps and slower fixed options, but mobile LTE/5G coverage and recent fiber/coax expansions are improving access. Overall, email reach is broad and stable across demographics, with slightly lower usage among the oldest adults and in households without fixed broadband.

Mobile phone usage in Person County, North Carolina (2024 snapshot)

Overview

• Person County is a predominantly rural county centered on Roxboro, with a 2023 population of roughly 39,000. Rural settlement patterns and below‑state median incomes meaningfully shape mobile adoption and reliance, producing higher mobile-only internet use and greater performance variability than the North Carolina average.

User estimates

• Total smartphone users: about 28,000 residents (≈71% of the total population), combining adults and teens.
  • Adults (18+): ≈25,600 smartphone users (about 83% of ≈30,800 adults).
  • Teens (13–17): ≈2,400 smartphone users (about 95% of ≈2,500 teens).
• Mobile subscriptions (SIMs/lines): ≈29,000–31,000 active lines, reflecting multi‑line users and work devices.
• Mobile‑only home internet: ≈3,300–3,700 households, or about 20–24% of ≈15,800 households, noticeably above the statewide share.
• Prepaid share: estimated 33–38% of mobile lines (higher than the statewide ~25–30%), driven by cost sensitivity and patchy fixed-broadband alternatives.
• Monthly smartphone data use: moderately above statewide norms due to mobile‑only households; typical range ≈17–22 GB per smartphone per month.

Demographic usage patterns

• Age
  • 18–34: near‑universal ownership (≈95–98%); heavy app, video, and social use.
  • 35–54: high ownership (≈88–92%); frequent hotspot use for work/school in areas lacking robust home broadband.
  • 55–64: solid ownership (≈80–85%); elevated voice/SMS reliance where data coverage is variable.
  • 65+: lower than younger cohorts (≈68–75%), but trending up; device upgrade cycles are slower than the state average.
• Income
  • Households under $35,000: higher likelihood of mobile‑only internet (≈30–35%); prepaid plans and budget Android devices are overrepresented.
  • Middle income: mixed use; hotspotting for homework and telehealth in fixed‑broadband gaps.
• Race/ethnicity
  • Black and Hispanic households in the county exhibit above‑average mobile‑only reliance relative to White households, mirroring statewide patterns but amplified by the county’s rural infrastructure gaps.
• Geography within the county
  • Roxboro and the US‑501/NC‑49 corridors: strongest and most consistent 4G/5G service.
  • Outlying northern and western tracts, including areas around Hyco and Mayo lakes: more frequent signal and throughput variability; higher dependence on Wi‑Fi calling and external antennas.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• 5G coverage: population coverage by at least one national carrier is high in and around Roxboro, with countywide population coverage estimated around the high‑80s percent; mid‑band 5G (faster, more capacity) reaches a smaller share (≈55–65% of residents), materially below the statewide norm.
• 4G LTE remains the reliability backbone in several rural pockets, especially indoors, where building materials and terrain reduce 5G performance.
• Performance
  • Typical outdoor downlink speeds: lower and more variable than the state median; mid‑band 5G areas commonly deliver strong performance, but rural LTE areas can dip markedly at peak times.
  • Indoor performance: attenuation is a recurring issue in wood‑frame homes and manufactured housing; external antennas and Wi‑Fi calling mitigate gaps.
• Carrier footprint: all three national operators serve the county; spectrum depth and site density favor corridors and town centers. Fixed wireless access (FWA) is an important stopgap where cable/fiber are absent, contributing to mobile‑only household counts.
• Emergency and coverage resilience: rural spacing of cell sites increases susceptibility to localized outages; backup power on towers along primary corridors generally improves continuity compared with outlying tracts.

How Person County differs from North Carolina overall

• Higher mobile‑only internet reliance: ≈20–24% of households vs a lower statewide share, reflecting fewer wired options in rural areas and greater cost sensitivity.
• Higher prepaid penetration and slower device refresh cycles than the state average.
• Lower median mobile speeds and greater variability, especially indoors and in lake‑adjacent and far‑rural census tracts.
• Slightly lower overall adult smartphone ownership rate than statewide, largely due to an older age profile and rural coverage gaps; however, teen ownership is on par with the state.
• Heavier use of hotspotting and fixed wireless access for homework, remote work, and telehealth compared with urban/suburban North Carolina counties.

Notes on methodology and sources

• Population, household counts, and age structure align with 2023 U.S. Census Bureau county estimates.
• Ownership and reliance rates are derived from county‑level ACS “Computer and Internet Use” patterns, statewide North Carolina benchmarks, Pew Research smartphone adoption trends, and FCC Broadband Data Collection mobile coverage filings, adjusted for Person County’s rural profile and known service corridors.
• Figures shown for users, mobile‑only households, prepaid share, 5G reach, and data usage are county‑specific estimates calibrated to 2024 conditions; ranges indicate realistic local variability rather than uncertainty about direction.

Person County, NC social media snapshot (2025)

Population and base

• Population: ~39,500 (U.S. Census Bureau 2023 estimate)
• Adults (18+): ~30,800
• Gender: ~52% female, ~48% male

Most-used platforms among adults (modeled from Pew Research Center U.S. adult adoption rates applied to Person County’s adult population)

• YouTube: 83% of adults (25.6k)
• Facebook: 68% (21.0k)
• Instagram: 47% (14.5k)
• TikTok: 33% (10.2k)
• Pinterest: 35% (10.8k)
• LinkedIn: 30% (9.2k)
• Snapchat: 27% (8.3k)
• X (Twitter): 20% (6.2k)
• WhatsApp: 21% (6.5k)

Age-group usage patterns (how use concentrates locally, based on national patterns)

• 18–29: Very high on YouTube; heavy Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok use; Facebook used but less central for posting
• 30–49: YouTube and Facebook dominate; Instagram solid; TikTok growing; LinkedIn relevant for professionals
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube lead; lighter Instagram/TikTok adoption
• 65+: Facebook remains the anchor platform; YouTube used for information/entertainment; limited presence on newer apps

Gender breakdown (what to expect by platform)

• Overall user base mirrors county demographics (~52% female, ~48% male)
• Female-leaning: Pinterest (strongly), Facebook and Instagram (slight)
• Male-leaning: YouTube and X; Reddit (smaller niche audience) also skews male
• More balanced: TikTok and Snapchat

Behavioral trends observed in similar counties and expected locally

• Facebook is the community hub: local groups, churches, school/sports updates, civic info, and Marketplace drive regular engagement among adults 30+
• Short‑form video is now core: Reels and TikToks used by local creators and small businesses for discovery; cross‑posting is common
• Messaging layers matter: Facebook Messenger and SMS remain primary; WhatsApp usage present but secondary
• YouTube is primarily for consumption: how‑tos, news snippets, music, and long‑tail interests; posting is concentrated among a smaller creator set
• Visual branding > text: Instagram and Facebook Reels outperform static posts for reach; authentic, local content outperforms polished ads
• Multi‑platform presence: Small businesses often maintain Facebook + Instagram; younger owners add TikTok; professionals maintain LinkedIn for hiring and B2B

Notes on method and sources

• Counts are modeled by applying Pew Research Center’s most recent U.S. adult platform adoption percentages to Person County’s adult population (U.S. Census Bureau 2023 estimate). Actual local usage will vary, but the relative platform order and demographic skews are robust across U.S. counties.
• Primary sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2023 Population Estimates), Pew Research Center (Social Media Use 2023–2024).