Randolph County

Randolph County, North Carolina — key demographics

Population

• 144,171 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~41.7 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 5: ~5.5%
• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Female: ~50.7%
• Male: ~49.3%

Race and ethnicity (shares of total population)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~72–73%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~13–14%
• Black or African American: ~6%
• Two or more races: ~3–4%
• Asian: ~1–1.5%
• American Indian and Alaska Native: ~1%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%

Households and housing

• Households: ~56,000 (ACS 2018–2022)
• Persons per household: ~2.55
• Family households: ~68% of households
• Married-couple family households: ~50% of households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~75%
• Households with children under 18: ~27%

Insights

• Older age structure (about 1 in 5 residents are 65+)
• Predominantly owner-occupied housing
• Diversity led primarily by a sizable and growing Hispanic/Latino population

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey; QuickFacts)

• Population and density: ≈147,000 residents (2023 est.) across ~790 sq mi; ≈185 people per sq mi.
• Estimated email users: ≈120,000 residents (≈82% of total; ≈90% of ages 13+).

Age distribution of users (est. counts):

• 13–17: ~6,000
• 18–29: ~21,000
• 30–49: ~36,000
• 50–64: ~28,000
• 65+: ~29,000

Gender split (near parity):

• Female: ~61,000 (51%)
• Male: ~59,000 (49%)

Digital access and usage trends:

• Households with a computer/device: ≈90%.
• Households with a broadband subscription: ≈84% (up since 2019).
• Smartphone ownership: ≈88–90% of adults; ~10–12% are mobile-only internet users.
• Fixed broadband availability at ≥100/20 Mbps: ≈95% of locations; subscription lags coverage.
• Daily email engagement highest among 30–64; adoption modestly lower among 65+ but rising as smartphone use grows.

Local connectivity facts:

• Strongest broadband density in Asheboro and along US 64/NC 49 corridors; rural townships show more DSL/satellite reliance and slower speeds, aligning with the subscription gap.
• Overall, email reach is broad and reliable for countywide communication, with slight underperformance in the most rural blocks.

Mobile phone usage in Randolph County, NC — 2025 snapshot

Baseline context

• Population and households: 2020 Census counted 144,171 residents and 56,629 households. Using standard growth from Census/NC OSBM estimates, the county is roughly 146,000 residents and 57,000–58,000 households in 2024–2025.
• The county is more rural and older than North Carolina overall. Share of residents 65+ is about 20% locally vs roughly 17–18% statewide, and median household income is lower (Randolph ≈$55–57k vs NC ≈$66–68k, ACS 2018–2022).

User estimates (adults and households)

• Adult smartphone users: Approximately 95,000–102,000 adults, centered near 100,000.
  • Method: Adult population ≈ 78% of total; apply rural-adjusted smartphone adoption of 84–88% (Pew Research 2023 national adoption ≈90% with rural rates several points lower).
• Households with at least one smartphone: 49,500–51,000 (≈86–89% of households).
  • Benchmarks: ACS S2801 typically shows slightly lower smartphone presence in rural counties than the NC average (≈90–92%).
• Smartphone-dependent (cellular-only) home internet households: 9,500–11,000 (≈16–19% of households), above the NC average by several points.
  • Basis: Rural counties with lower fixed-broadband availability show higher smartphone-only reliance (Pew and ACS patterns). This is reinforced locally by patchy cable/fiber outside towns.
• Non-smartphone mobile users (basic/feature phones): Approximately 10,000–12,000 adults (≈10–12% of adults), higher than the state share due to older age structure and rural coverage constraints.

Demographic breakdown (how usage skews locally vs state)

• Age
  • 18–29: Near-universal smartphone adoption (≈95–98%), similar to NC overall.
  • 30–64: High adoption (≈90–93%), modestly below NC metro areas.
  • 65+: Lower adoption (≈60–70%), several points below the statewide senior rate. Seniors here are more likely to keep basic phones and to share family plans rather than hold individual data-heavy plans.
• Income
  • Under $25k: Smartphone adoption ≈75–80% with above-average smartphone-only internet reliance and higher use of prepaid plans.
  • $25k–$75k: Adoption ≈85–90%; hotspot use is common for homework and gig work in fringe areas lacking fixed broadband.
  • $75k+: Adoption ≈96–99% with multi-line, multi-device households; closer to NC averages.
• Education
  • High school or less: Lower smartphone and mobile broadband adoption than state averages; text/SMS remains a key channel for services and employers.
• Race/ethnicity (county makeup: majority non-Hispanic White; notable Hispanic/Latino community)
  • Hispanic/Latino residents show high smartphone adoption and above-average smartphone-only home internet reliance, mirroring statewide and national patterns, but the reliance gap vs non-Hispanic White households is wider locally due to limited fixed broadband in certain tracts.

Digital infrastructure points

• Network coverage
  • 4G LTE is effectively countywide from the national carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile), with stronger, more consistent service along the I-73/I-74/US-220 and US-64 corridors and in/around Asheboro, Archdale, Randleman, Trinity, Liberty, and Ramseur.
  • 5G low-band is broadly available; mid-band 5G (faster, capacity-oriented) is concentrated in Asheboro and along major corridors, with thinner mid-band footprints in outlying areas such as Seagrove and the rural east/southeast of the county. This mid-band coverage share is lower than in NC’s metro counties.
• Performance and reliability
  • Users report good outdoor coverage but more variability indoors and in low-lying or heavily wooded areas. In rural stretches, LTE remains the fallback, and speeds/latency degrade at peak hours compared with metro NC.
  • Fixed Wireless Access (home internet over 5G) availability has expanded along primary corridors; uptake is higher than the statewide average in rural tracts where cable/fiber are limited.
• Backhaul and fiber
  • Fiber backbones follow highway and utility rights-of-way through Asheboro and up the US‑220/I‑73/I‑74 spine. Outside town centers, cable/fiber passings are sparse, pushing households and small businesses toward mobile hotspots and smartphone tethering more than in most NC counties.
• Public access and offload
  • Libraries, schools, and parks provide important Wi‑Fi offload points in Asheboro and town centers; reliance on these facilities for large downloads and telehealth/video is higher than the NC average.

How Randolph County differs from North Carolina overall

• Higher smartphone-only household reliance (≈16–19% vs low- to mid-teens statewide), driven by fewer fixed-broadband options in rural tracts.
• Lower senior smartphone adoption and a larger base of basic-phone users, reflecting the county’s older age profile.
• More uneven 5G mid-band coverage outside town centers than the state average, with greater fallbacks to LTE in fringe areas.
• Heavier use of prepaid and budget plans and longer device replacement cycles compared with metro NC, consistent with lower median incomes.
• Above-average uptake and utility of mobile hotspots/FWA for home connectivity, especially for students and gig workers in unserved/underserved fixed-broadband areas.

Implications

• Mobile remains the primary on-ramp to the internet for a sizable share of households, so SMS-first outreach, low-bandwidth web experiences, and offline-capable apps matter more here than in metro NC.
• Extending mid-band 5G and improving indoor coverage in rural pockets would close much of the performance gap with the state.
• Programs that pair discounted plans/devices with digital skills for older adults will yield outsized gains given the local demographic profile.

Notes on sources and approach

• Counts and percentages are derived from the 2020 Census baseline, ACS 2018–2022 Computer and Internet Use patterns, Pew Research Center 2023 smartphone adoption by geography/age/income, and FCC coverage filings as of 2024, adjusted to 2025 with conservative, rural-weighted assumptions. Figures are rounded to emphasize order of magnitude and local/state contrasts.

Randolph County, NC — Social Media Usage (2025 snapshot)

How the numbers were built

• Estimates modeled from the county’s 2023 ACS population (146,000), adult share (77%), and Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. platform adoption rates; figures rounded to nearest hundred. These provide county-level estimates consistent with state/national patterns.

User base

• Adults (18+): ~112,000
• Adult social media users (18+): ~93,000 (≈83% of adults)
• Teens (13–17): ~9,500; social media adoption ≈95% → ~9,000 users
• Total social media users (13+): ~102,000

Gender breakdown (among social media users, 13+)

• Female: ~52%
• Male: ~48%
• Notes: Women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X.

Most-used platforms (adults, 18+)

• YouTube: ~83% → ~93,000 users
• Facebook: ~68% → ~76,000
• Instagram: ~47% → ~53,000
• Pinterest: ~35% → ~39,000
• Snapchat: ~35% → ~39,000
• TikTok: ~33% → ~37,000
• LinkedIn: ~31% → ~35,000
• X (Twitter): ~22% → ~25,000
• Reddit: ~22% → ~25,000

Age group patterns

• Teens (13–17): Near-universal YouTube; heavy Snapchat and TikTok; Instagram for friends/sports; Facebook minimal.
• 18–29: Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat dominate; YouTube daily; Facebook used but not primary.
• 30–49: Heavy multi-platform use; Facebook and Messenger for community/parenting groups; Instagram for brands and creators; YouTube for how-to and entertainment; TikTok growing.
• 50–64: Facebook is the hub (Groups, Marketplace, local news); YouTube for DIY, church, and hobbies; Pinterest for projects; moderate Instagram.
• 65+: Facebook first; YouTube second; limited use of newer platforms; Messenger common for family.

Behavioral trends in Randolph County

• Community-first usage: Strong reliance on Facebook Groups (neighborhoods, schools, churches, youth sports), and Marketplace for buy–sell–trade and services.
• Event-driven spikes: Local festivals, school sports, city services, weather/emergency updates push short-term surges on Facebook and X; volunteer and fundraiser posts travel quickly via shares.
• Local commerce: Facebook and Instagram drive discovery for restaurants, contractors, salons, lawn care; short-form video (Reels/TikTok) boosts reach for small businesses; reviews and recommendations in Groups matter more than brand pages.
• Content formats: Short vertical video outperforms static posts; YouTube remains key for longer tutorials (home, auto, outdoors); Pinterest effective for seasonal/home projects.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are primary for private sharing; WhatsApp usage is present but secondary.
• Timing: Engagement tends to peak 6–8 a.m., 12–1 p.m., and 7–9 p.m. on weekdays; weekend mornings perform well for local events and commerce posts.
• Demographic tilt: Slightly older county profile amplifies Facebook/YouTube reach versus TikTok or Reddit; women drive significant engagement in local Groups and Marketplace.

Key takeaways

• Reach at scale: Facebook and YouTube provide the broadest adult reach (68–83% of adults).
• Growth lanes: Short-form video (Reels/TikTok) is expanding among 18–49; Instagram is the best secondary network after Facebook for local businesses.
• Conversion paths: Recommendations in Facebook Groups and Marketplace listings are the fastest routes to action for services and local retail.
• Messaging + community: Pair public posts with Messenger replies and Group participation to maximize response.