Pitt County

Pitt County, North Carolina — key demographics (latest Census Bureau estimates: 2023 Population Estimates; 2023 American Community Survey 1-year)

• Population: ~177,500; up ~4% since 2020
• Age
  • Median age: ~32.7 years
  • Distribution: Under 18 (20%), 18–24 (18%), 25–44 (28%), 45–64 (20%), 65+ (14%)
• Sex
  • Female: ~52.5%
  • Male: ~47.5%
• Race/ethnicity (share of total population)
  • White, non-Hispanic: ~52.6%
  • Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~34.8%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~8.5%
  • Asian, non-Hispanic: ~2.9%
  • Two or more races and other groups: ~1–1.5%
• Households and housing
  • Households: ~69,000
  • Average household size: ~2.45
  • Family households: ~55% of households; married-couple households: ~36%
  • One-person households: ~33–34%
  • Households with children under 18: ~27%
  • Tenure: owner-occupied ~51%, renter-occupied ~49%
  • Median household income: ~$57,000; poverty rate: ~21%

Insights

• Younger age structure and higher renter share reflect the influence of East Carolina University.
• Racial/ethnic diversity is substantial, with people of color comprising roughly 47% of the population.
• Modest post-2020 growth, with household sizes slightly below the national average.

• Population and density: Pitt County had 170,243 people in 2020 across 652 sq mi (261 persons/sq mi).
• Estimated email users: ~122,000 adult users. Method: ~132,800 adults (≈78% of population) × 92% U.S. adult email adoption (Pew Research).
• Age distribution of email users (approx., reflecting local adult age mix): 18–29: ~24%; 30–49: ~32%; 50–64: ~24%; 65+: ~20%. Adoption is near‑universal among 18–64 and high among 65+, so these shares closely mirror the adult population.
• Gender split: ~52% female, ~48% male among users, aligning with the county’s population composition and minimal gender gap in email adoption.
• Digital access and connectivity:
  • Computer access and subscriptions: Roughly low‑90s% of households have a computer and mid‑80s% have a broadband subscription (ACS).
  • Network availability: Fixed broadband of at least 100/20 Mbps is available to the vast majority of locations; practical service is strongest in and around Greenville (FCC Broadband Map).
  • Mobile: Near‑ubiquitous 4G LTE with expanding 5G in urban cores supports always‑connected email use.
• Insight: High student and working‑age presence sustains very high email penetration; remaining gaps are concentrated among lower‑income and older households, tracking broadband subscription and device ownership patterns.

Mobile phone usage in Pitt County, North Carolina — 2024 snapshot

Executive highlights

• Higher mobile dependence than North Carolina overall, driven by a large 18–24 population (East Carolina University), higher poverty relative to the state, and a mixed urban–rural footprint.
• 5G is broadly available in and around Greenville from all three national carriers; coverage and speeds taper at rural edges where LTE remains common.
• “Smartphone-only” internet reliance is notably above the state average, with student and lower-income tracts showing the highest dependence.

User estimates

• Population base: ≈177,000 residents (ACS 2018–2022), ≈134,000 adults 18+.
• Adult smartphone users: ≈121,000–125,000 (90–93% of adults; in line with 2023 Pew adult smartphone adoption, applied to local age mix).
• Households: ≈70,000 (ACS 2018–2022). Households with a smartphone: ≈63,000+ (roughly nine in ten, consistent with ACS S2801 patterns for similar NC counties).
• Smartphone-only internet households (no fixed home broadband): materially above the NC average; expect mid- to high-teens percent of households countywide, higher in student-dense areas of Greenville and in lower-income rural tracts, versus low- to mid-teens statewide.

Demographic breakdown (context relevant to mobile behavior)

• Age structure: median age ≈33 vs ≈39 statewide; 18–24 cohort ≈16–17% of residents (vs ≈10% statewide). Implication: heavier mobile-first usage, app-centric communication, and greater prepaid/MVNO adoption among students.
• Race/ethnicity: roughly 54–56% White, 33–35% Black, 6–8% Hispanic/Latino (ACS). Implication: smartphone dependence for internet access is elevated in communities of color relative to county averages, consistent with statewide digital equity findings.
• Income/poverty: poverty ≈20% (vs ≈13–14% NC). Implication: higher likelihood of mobile-only connectivity, more price-sensitive plan selection, and greater use of ACP/Lifeline where available.

Digital infrastructure and availability

• Cellular networks: Verizon, AT&T (including FirstNet for public safety), and T‑Mobile provide 5G across Greenville and along major corridors (US‑264, NC‑11); mid-band 5G delivers strong capacity in the city. Rural townships (e.g., Bethel/Falkland/Grimesland periphery) experience more LTE-only pockets and greater variability in indoor coverage.
• Fixed-wireless home internet: T‑Mobile 5G Home Internet is widely offered in the Greenville area and adjacent suburbs; Verizon 5G Home is available in parts of Greenville. These options meaningfully supplement or substitute for fixed broadband in areas with limited cable/fiber.
• Public and institutional networks: ECU’s campus Wi‑Fi/DAS and the ECU Health medical campus improve indoor connectivity and offload; public Wi‑Fi in central Greenville reduces mobile data burden in student and service districts.
• Backhaul and fiber: Urban Greenville benefits from multiple fiber backbones (carrier metro rings and institutional fiber), supporting dense 5G/small-cell deployment; rural backhaul is thinner, constraining upgrades and capacity at the edges.
• Resilience: Eastern NC storm risk elevates the importance of mobile network hardening and backup power; Greenville sites tend to recover faster than rural sites after major events.

How Pitt County differs from statewide trends

• Younger and more student-heavy than NC overall, pushing higher app/video usage, stronger reliance on messaging/social platforms, and greater tolerance for mobile-only service.
• Higher poverty rate and pockets of rurality produce a larger share of smartphone-only internet users than the NC average, even as Greenville proper enjoys metro-grade 5G performance.
• Device ownership and plan mix skew more toward budget-friendly devices and prepaid/MVNO offerings than in the Triangle/Charlotte metros, with noticeable Lifeline/ACP participation where eligible.
• 5G availability is strong in the urban core but the urban–rural gradient in performance is steeper than the statewide average, reflecting backhaul, tower density, and terrain/vegetation at the county’s edges.

Key statistics and sources (most recent available)

• Population and households: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2018–2022 (Pitt County ≈177k residents; ≈70k households).
• Age, race/ethnicity, poverty: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2018–2022 (Pitt notably younger; higher Black share; poverty ≈20%).
• Smartphone adoption baseline: Pew Research Center, 2023 (U.S. adult smartphone ownership ≈90%+), applied to local adult population.
• Network availability context: FCC National Broadband Map (2024) and carrier public coverage disclosures (5G present in Greenville; LTE persistence in rural edges); AT&T FirstNet presence for public safety.

Practical implications

• Mobile remains the primary on-ramp to the internet for many students and lower-income households; county services, healthcare (telehealth), and education content should be mobile-first and low-bandwidth friendly.
• Continued investment in rural backhaul, small cells, and fixed-wireless capacity will narrow the performance gap; public–institutional partnerships (campus/health systems) already anchor superior coverage in Greenville.
• Outreach for subsidy programs (e.g., Lifeline and any ACP successor) will have disproportionate impact in Pitt County compared with statewide averages.

Social media usage in Pitt County, NC (2025 snapshot)

Overall reach

• Estimated adult social media penetration: 85–90% of residents 18+ use at least one platform monthly; 75–80% use at least one platform weekly.
• Pitt County skews younger than North Carolina overall due to East Carolina University (ECU), raising Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok adoption compared with state averages.

Most‑used platforms (share of adults using at least monthly)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 65–70%
• Instagram: 50–55%
• TikTok: 35–40%
• Snapchat: 30–35%
• Pinterest: 30–35%
• LinkedIn: 25–30% (notably higher among ECU faculty/staff, healthcare, and professionals)
• X (Twitter): 18–22%
• Reddit: 18–22%
• Nextdoor: 12–16% (concentrated in suburban neighborhoods around Greenville/Winterville)

Age‑group usage patterns (at least monthly)

• 18–24: Instagram 75–80%; Snapchat 70–75%; TikTok 65–70%; YouTube 90%+; Facebook 45–50%
• 25–34: Facebook 65–70%; Instagram 60–65%; YouTube 90%+; TikTok 40–45%; Snapchat 35–40%
• 35–44: Facebook 70–75%; Instagram 50–55%; YouTube 85–90%; TikTok 30–35%
• 45–64: Facebook 70–75%; YouTube 75–80%; Instagram 35–40%; TikTok 20–25%
• 65+: Facebook 60–65%; YouTube 60–65%; Instagram 20–25%

Gender breakdown (at least monthly)

• Women: Facebook 70–75%; Instagram 50–55%; Pinterest 45–50%; TikTok 35–40%; Snapchat 30–35%
• Men: YouTube 85–90%; Facebook 60–65%; Instagram 45–50%; Reddit 25–30%; X 20–25%; TikTok 30–35%

Behavioral trends specific to Pitt County

• Community and local info: Facebook Groups are the backbone for school updates, youth sports, faith communities, buy/sell/trade, and storm/utility alerts. Nextdoor use is modest but active in newer subdivisions.
• Student‑driven content cycles: ECU drives high late‑evening and weekend activity on Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok; spikes around move‑in, homecoming, athletics, and graduation. Short‑form video is the primary discovery surface for campus life, dining, nightlife, and apartments.
• Local commerce and services: Small businesses lean on Facebook + Instagram for reach and messaging; Reels and Stories outperform static posts. Healthcare and education employers see above‑average LinkedIn engagement for recruiting.
• News and civic engagement: Facebook remains the primary channel for local news, storm updates, school closings, and county services; X usage is smaller and skewed to journalists, public safety, and highly engaged news followers.
• Content format: Vertical short‑form video dominates under 35; over 45 favors link posts and photo albums. Live video (Facebook/Instagram) performs well for high‑school sports, church services, and civic briefings.
• Timing: Highest engagement windows are weekday evenings (7–10 p.m.) and weekend late mornings; student segments show elevated midnight–2 a.m. activity during semesters.

Notes on figures

• Percentages are modeled local estimates for Pitt County adults as of 2025, derived from Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. platform adoption benchmarks adjusted for Pitt County’s age structure (ACS 2023) and the presence of ECU’s student population. They reflect likely monthly reach, not daily active use.