Sampson County Local Demographic Profile
Sampson County, North Carolina — key demographics
Population size
- 59,036 (2020 Decennial Census)
Age
- Median age: ~41 years (ACS 2019–2023)
- Under 18: ~23%
- 65 and over: ~19%
Gender
- Female: ~50–51%
- Male: ~49–50%
Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2019–2023; Hispanic is any race)
- White, non-Hispanic: ~45%
- Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~24%
- Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~23%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~3–4% (notably Coharie tribal community)
- Asian, non-Hispanic: ~0.5%
- Two or more races and other, non-Hispanic: ~3%
Household data (ACS 2019–2023)
- Households: ~22,000–23,000
- Average household size: ~2.6–2.7
- Family households: ~70%
- Married-couple families: ~50% of households
- Households with children under 18: ~30%
- Homeownership rate: ~70–75%
- Average family size: ~3.1
Insights
- Older age structure than the state overall and a high homeownership share reflect its rural profile.
- One of North Carolina’s higher Hispanic population shares (~1 in 4 residents), alongside substantial Black and American Indian communities.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates.
Email Usage in Sampson County
Sampson County, NC email usage snapshot:
- Population: ~58,600; density ~62 people/sq mi across ~945 sq mi (among NC’s largest counties by area).
- Estimated email users: ≈42,000 residents (about 72% of the population), reflecting near‑universal use among adults under 50 and strong adoption among 50–64.
Age distribution of email users (share of users):
- 18–34: ~28%
- 35–64: ~54%
- 65+: ~18%
Gender split:
- ~51% female, ~49% male among users; usage rates are effectively equal by gender.
Digital access and trends:
- About 80–83% of households subscribe to home broadband; the remainder often rely on mobile data or have no subscription.
- Smartphone access is widespread (~88–90% of adults), with an estimated 12–15% mobile‑only internet users.
- Email is a daily tool for most working‑age adults; senior usage continues to rise with telehealth, government services, and banking moving online.
Local density/connectivity facts:
- Dispersed rural settlement raises last‑mile costs; fixed fiber/cable coverage is strongest in and around Clinton and along US‑421/701, while outlying areas face fewer provider choices and slower speeds.
- Lower population density correlates with higher reliance on public Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools) and mobile networks for email access.
Mobile Phone Usage in Sampson County
Mobile phone usage in Sampson County, NC (2024) — summary with estimates, demographics, and infrastructure, highlighting where the county differs from statewide patterns
Population base
- Total population: approximately 58–59k
- Adults (18+): approximately 44–45k
- Households: approximately 21–22k Figures reference 2019–2023 ACS 5-year population/household counts and are rounded for clarity.
User estimates (modeled 2024)
- Adult mobile phone users (any cellphone): ≈42k (about 94–96% of adults), slightly below North Carolina’s ~97%
- Adult smartphone users: ≈36k (about 80–83% of adults), 4–6 points below the statewide average
- Mobile-only internet households (rely on cellular data at home, no wired/satellite): ≈4.4k, about 21% of households, 6–8 points above the statewide share
- Smartphone-dependent internet users (no home broadband, smartphone is primary online access): ≈9–11% of adults, several points above the statewide rate
- Prepaid vs. postpaid: prepaid lines constitute a visibly larger share than statewide, reflecting lower median income and agricultural/seasonal work patterns
Demographic breakdown (modeled adoption/use)
- Age
- 18–29: smartphone ownership ~93–96% (near state levels)
- 30–49: ~90–93% (1–3 points below NC)
- 50–64: ~80–84% (3–5 points below NC)
- 65+: ~60–66% (5–8 points below NC), with higher basic-phone retention
- Race/ethnicity
- Black adults: smartphone ownership near county average but higher smartphone-only internet reliance than statewide peers
- Hispanic/Latino adults: high smartphone ownership and the county’s highest smartphone-only reliance; language and affordability drive mobile-first patterns
- White (non-Hispanic): slightly lower-than-state smartphone adoption among 50+; more basic-phone usage persists in rural areas
- Income/education
- Under $35k household income: smartphone ownership ~70–78% but the county’s highest mobile-only home internet share; prepaid adoption is markedly above NC average
- HS or less: lower smartphone adoption than statewide; stronger mobile-only reliance where wired options are limited or costly
Digital infrastructure and performance
- Network layers and coverage
- T-Mobile: extensive low-band 5G across most of the county; mid-band 5G clustered along I-40 and in/around Clinton and Newton Grove, tapering in more remote southern/eastern areas
- Verizon: strong LTE coverage countywide; C-band 5G concentrated near towns and main corridors, with patchier mid-band reach than in metro NC
- AT&T: broad LTE for voice/SMS; 5G present in town centers and along major roads; FirstNet Band 14 sites support public safety and improve rural coverage reliability
- Service geography
- Strong: Clinton, Newton Grove, Roseboro, and along I-40/US-421/NC-24 corridors
- Weak/variable: low-lying and sparsely populated tracts south and southeast of Harrells/Garland, pockets near Autryville/Turkey, and areas along the Black River and farmlands where tower spacing is wider
- Speeds and experience
- Typical outdoor median mobile download speeds range from low tens of Mbps in remote areas to high tens/low hundreds of Mbps where mid-band 5G is present, trailing big-city NC by a wide margin
- In-building performance is the most variable pain point, especially in metal-roof agricultural buildings and manufactured housing
- Infrastructure characteristics
- Fewer macro sites per square mile than the state average; upgrades target mid-band 5G along highways first, with slower densification in agricultural zones
- Public safety coverage has improved with FirstNet, but commercial mid-band 5G fill-in remains ongoing outside the main corridors
How Sampson County differs from North Carolina overall
- Lower adult smartphone adoption by roughly 4–6 percentage points
- Higher reliance on mobile-only home internet (≈21% vs. low-to-mid teens statewide)
- Larger prepaid footprint and longer device replacement cycles
- More pronounced age-related gaps (especially 65+ adoption)
- Mid-band 5G coverage and median speeds lag metro NC; improvements cluster along I-40 and in towns before reaching remote tracts
- Network reliability is generally solid on primary roads but degrades faster off-corridor than in many NC counties with denser cell-site grids
Method notes
- Counts are modeled from ACS 2019–2023 population/household structure for Sampson County, combined with current national and rural adoption benchmarks (Pew and industry data) and carrier deployment patterns observed statewide since the 5G mid-band rollouts. Figures are rounded and presented as 2024 county-level estimates to enable clear, decision-ready comparisons to North Carolina overall.
Social Media Trends in Sampson County
Social media usage in Sampson County, NC (2025 snapshot)
Audience size and penetration
- Adult population (18+): approximately 45,000
- Adults using at least one social platform monthly: ≈80% (about 36,000)
- Multi-platform behavior: typical user maintains 3–4 active platforms
Most‑used platforms among adults (share of adults who use each platform monthly; modeled from 2024–2025 U.S. rural patterns and North Carolina demographics)
- YouTube: ~80%
- Facebook: ~66%
- Instagram: ~42%
- TikTok: ~31%
- Pinterest: ~31%
- Snapchat: ~25%
- WhatsApp: ~20%
- X (Twitter): ~20%
- LinkedIn: ~18%
- Reddit: ~14%
- Nextdoor: ~8%
Age profile of social media use (share of adults in each bracket who use any social media)
- 18–29: ~97% (heavy on YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok; Facebook is secondary)
- 30–49: ~90% (Facebook, YouTube anchor; Instagram and TikTok meaningful)
- 50–64: ~78% (Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram moderate; TikTok emerging)
- 65+: ~56% (Facebook first; YouTube second; limited Instagram/TikTok)
Gender breakdown (share of active users)
- Women: ~54% of active users; over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; strong on Instagram
- Men: ~46% of active users; over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X; comparable on Facebook
Behavioral trends observed in similar rural NC counties and applicable locally
- Facebook is the community hub: Groups, local news, school/church updates, Marketplace, civic alerts, and event coordination drive the highest local reach and discussion depth.
- Video first: Short-form video (TikTok and Instagram Reels) is the fastest-growing content type for under‑35s; YouTube is the go-to for how‑to, repairs, agriculture, and product research across ages.
- Messaging layer: Facebook Messenger is ubiquitous; WhatsApp usage is notable among bilingual and immigrant households for family and cross-border communication.
- Shopping and classifieds: Facebook Marketplace is the default for local buying/selling (vehicles, farm equipment, tools, furniture). Pinterest supports planning/DIY discovery; YouTube influences purchase research.
- Timing and cadence: Engagement peaks evenings (6–10 p.m.) and weekends; weather events and school calendars cause noticeable spikes in local page/group traffic.
- Trust and sources: Residents favor content from known local entities (county departments, schools, churches, small businesses) and established group admins; anonymous pages draw views but lower trust.
- Ads and reach: Facebook/Instagram provide the most efficient paid reach for 25–64; TikTok is best for 18–34 awareness; YouTube skippable ads work for broad county coverage at low CPMs.
- Platform churn: Younger users treat Facebook as utility (events, groups) but spend attention on TikTok/Instagram; adults 35–64 remain Facebook-centric; 65+ increasingly adopt YouTube for news and hobbies.
Notes on methodology
- County-level platform usage is not directly published by major platforms or federal datasets. Figures above combine Sampson County’s age structure with 2024–2025 Pew Research Center platform adoption rates (U.S. adults), rural U.S. adjustments, and North Carolina rural usage patterns to yield defensible local estimates. Where exact county measures are unavailable, values are modeled point estimates.
Sources
- Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (U.S. adult platform adoption, age/gender splits)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (age structure; adult population)
- NC Rural Center and NCDIT broadband/adoption briefs (rural usage patterns and access)
Table of Contents
Other Counties in North Carolina
- Alamance
- Alexander
- Alleghany
- Anson
- Ashe
- Avery
- Beaufort
- Bertie
- Bladen
- Brunswick
- Buncombe
- Burke
- Cabarrus
- Caldwell
- Camden
- Carteret
- Caswell
- Catawba
- Chatham
- Cherokee
- Chowan
- Clay
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Craven
- Cumberland
- Currituck
- Dare
- Davidson
- Davie
- Duplin
- Durham
- Edgecombe
- Forsyth
- Franklin
- Gaston
- Gates
- Graham
- Granville
- Greene
- Guilford
- Halifax
- Harnett
- Haywood
- Henderson
- Hertford
- Hoke
- Hyde
- Iredell
- Jackson
- Johnston
- Jones
- Lee
- Lenoir
- Lincoln
- Macon
- Madison
- Martin
- Mcdowell
- Mecklenburg
- Mitchell
- Montgomery
- Moore
- Nash
- New Hanover
- Northampton
- Onslow
- Orange
- Pamlico
- Pasquotank
- Pender
- Perquimans
- Person
- Pitt
- Polk
- Randolph
- Richmond
- Robeson
- Rockingham
- Rowan
- Rutherford
- Scotland
- Stanly
- Stokes
- Surry
- Swain
- Transylvania
- Tyrrell
- Union
- Vance
- Wake
- Warren
- Washington
- Watauga
- Wayne
- Wilkes
- Wilson
- Yadkin
- Yancey