Wilkes County

Wilkes County, North Carolina — Key Demographics (U.S. Census Bureau, 2019–2023 ACS 5-year unless noted)

Population

• Total population: ~65,800
• Population density: ~90 per sq. mile

Age

• Median age: ~45 years
• Under 18: ~21%
• 18 to 64: ~59%
• 65 and over: ~20%

Sex

• Female: ~50.5%
• Male: ~49.5%

Race and ethnicity

• White alone: ~89%
• Black or African American alone: ~3–4%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~0.5–0.6%
• Asian alone: ~0.5–0.6%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%
• Some other race: ~1–2%
• Two or more races: ~4–5%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~11%
• White alone, non-Hispanic: ~82%

Households

• Total households: ~27,000
• Average household size: ~2.4
• Family households: ~68%
• Married-couple households: ~50%
• Nonfamily households: ~32%
• One-person households: ~27–28%
• Households with children under 18: ~24–25%

Insights

• Older age profile (median 45) compared with North Carolina overall (39), reflecting a sizable senior share.
• Predominantly White with a meaningful and growing Hispanic/Latino community (~11%).
• Household structure skews toward married-couple and family households, but over one-quarter are single-person, contributing to a modest average household size (~2.4).

Wilkes County, NC (pop. ≈66,000; density ≈87 people/sq mi) shows high but rural‑tilted email adoption.

Estimated email users: ≈51,000 residents (≈78% of total), derived from ACS-style internet adoption in similar rural NC counties and typical U.S. email usage among internet users.

Age distribution of email users (share of total population shown; estimated users in parentheses):

• 13–24: ≈14% (≈8,500 users; ~92% adoption in this group)
• 25–44: ≈24% (≈15,200; ~96% adoption)
• 45–64: ≈25% (≈15,200; ~92% adoption)
• 65+: ≈23% (≈11,800; ~78% adoption)

Gender split among email users: ≈50.7% female (≈25,700) and ≈49.3% male (≈25,300), tracking the county’s population mix.

Digital access and connectivity:

• Households with a broadband subscription: ≈78%
• Households with no home internet: ≈19%
• Smartphone‑only internet households: ≈12%
• Fixed broadband availability (≥100/20 Mbps): ≈88% of serviceable locations (FCC map, 2023), with fastest options concentrated around Wilkesboro/North Wilkesboro and ongoing fiber build‑outs by regional providers (e.g., RiverStreet/Spectrum).
• Dispersed settlement and hilly terrain raise last‑mile costs, producing pockets with DSL/fixed‑wireless dependence and slightly lower senior adoption. Overall trend is upward as fiber expands and subsidy programs reduce access gaps.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Wilkes County, North Carolina

Topline estimates (2022–2024 best available public data; county-level ACS/FCC/industry sources)

• Population: ≈66,000; households: ≈27,000; adults (18+): ≈51,000.
• Adult smartphone users: ≈41,000 (≈81% of adults), below the statewide adult rate (≈87%).
• Total smartphone users (all ages): ≈55,000 (≈84% of residents), reflecting very high teen adoption.
• Home internet subscriptions:
  • Broadband of any type: ≈79% of households.
  • No home internet: ≈21% (vs ≈14% statewide).
  • Wired home broadband (cable/fiber/DSL): ≈62%.
  • Mobile-only internet households (cellular data plan but no wired service): ≈18% (vs ≈11% statewide).

How Wilkes County differs from North Carolina overall

• More mobile-dependent at home: A materially higher share of households rely on cellular data as their only home internet connection, driven by affordability and gaps in wired coverage.
• Lower adult smartphone penetration: A modest but persistent gap versus the state average, explained by older age structure and lower incomes.
• Higher coverage variability: 5G coverage exists but is more uneven across terrain; mid-band 5G capacity is concentrated in and around Wilkesboro/North Wilkesboro and the US‑421 corridor, with 4G-only pockets persisting in hillier northern and western areas.
• Slower median cellular speeds: Typical user speeds in town centers and along major corridors run in the tens of Mbps to low hundreds, below statewide medians that trend well into the triple digits on 5G in metro areas.
• Greater share of “mobile-first” behaviors: More residents use smartphones as their primary device for internet access, with heavier reliance on prepaid and budget plans than the state average.

Demographic breakdown of usage

• Age:
  • 18–44: Very high smartphone adoption (≈90%+), usage patterns similar to state norm.
  • 45–64: High adoption (≈85%), slightly below state average.
  • 65+: Lower adoption (≈60–65%), notably below statewide senior adoption, contributing most to the overall county gap.
• Income and education:
  • Median household income trails the state, correlating with higher mobile-only home internet and a greater focus on cost-sensitive plans and data caps.
  • Households without home computers or tablets are more likely to be smartphone-only for access, elevating mobile data dependence.
• Geography:
  • Town centers (Wilkesboro, North Wilkesboro, Millers Creek) show higher 5G availability and faster speeds.
  • Outlying and mountainous areas see more 4G-only coverage, indoor penetration challenges, and greater reliance on voice/SMS fallback.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Carrier footprint:
  • All three national carriers provide 4G LTE countywide coverage along major roads; 5G low-band is broadly present near population centers.
  • Mid-band 5G (capacity layers) is concentrated along US‑421 and in/around Wilkesboro/North Wilkesboro; coverage thins in rural tracts.
• Typical user experience:
  • Town corridors: ~60–150 Mbps down on 5G with good signal; 10–30 Mbps uplink.
  • Rural/terrain-challenged zones: ~5–30 Mbps down on LTE; uplink often <10 Mbps; occasional dead zones in valleys and near parklands.
  • Peak-hour slowdowns are most noticeable along commuter corridors and at event venues; signal attenuation indoors is common in older structures.
• Backhaul and tower density:
  • Dozens of macro sites serve the county, with recent upgrades focused on 5G overlays along primary corridors; terrain still necessitates careful siting and results in localized weak spots.
• Complementary fixed networks influencing mobile use:
  • Ongoing fiber builds by regional providers and grant-funded projects are expanding wired availability but are not yet countywide; until buildouts reach more homes, a sizable segment will remain mobile-only at home.

Implications and actionable insights

• Mobile-only households will remain elevated relative to the state in the near term; plan design (cost, deprioritization thresholds, hotspot allowances) disproportionately affects Wilkes users.
• Coverage investments that add mid-band 5G sectors outside town centers (especially north and west of North Wilkesboro and along NC‑18/NC‑16) would deliver outsized improvements.
• Targeted digital inclusion (device assistance and senior-focused training) can narrow the adoption gap more effectively here than in the state overall, given the county’s older age profile.
• As fiber reaches more neighborhoods, expect gradual migration from mobile-only to mixed connectivity, reducing peak-hour cellular congestion in populated tracts.

Wilkes County, NC social media snapshot (modeled 2024) Note: Figures are county-level estimates derived from Pew Research Center’s 2023 platform usage rates and U.S. Census demographics, adjusted for Wilkes’ older, rural profile.

Population baseline

• Estimated population 13+: ~55,400
• Share using at least one major platform monthly (13+): 80% (44,400 residents)
• Mobile-first usage: ~90% of users primarily access via smartphone

Most-used platforms among residents 13+ (monthly reach; share of 13+)

• YouTube: 80% (~44,450)
• Facebook: 63% (~35,050)
• Instagram: 40% (~22,000)
• TikTok: 33% (~18,100)
• Pinterest: 30% (~16,460)
• Snapchat: 26% (~14,180)
• X (Twitter): 20% (~11,290)
• WhatsApp: 17% (~9,300)
• LinkedIn: 17% (~9,250)
• Reddit: 15% (~8,530)
• Nextdoor: 7% (~4,100)

Age profile and platform mix (share within each age group)

• Teens 13–17: ~95% use at least one platform; YouTube 95%, TikTok 67%, Instagram 62%, Snapchat 60%, Facebook 28%
• Ages 18–29: near-universal use; YouTube ~95%, Instagram ~71%, Snapchat ~65%, TikTok ~62%, Facebook ~69%
• Ages 30–49: YouTube ~91%, Facebook ~77%, Instagram ~47%, TikTok ~39%, Pinterest ~37%
• Ages 50–64: YouTube ~83%, Facebook ~73%, Instagram ~29%, TikTok ~21%, Pinterest ~29%
• Ages 65+: YouTube ~60%, Facebook ~50%, Instagram ~15%, TikTok ~10%, Pinterest ~18%

Gender breakdown by platform (share of each platform’s user base in-county)

• Facebook: ~55% women, 45% men
• Instagram: ~52% women, 48% men
• TikTok: ~56% women, 44% men
• Snapchat: ~55% women, 45% men
• Pinterest: ~77% women, 23% men
• YouTube: ~46% women, 54% men
• X (Twitter): ~38% women, 62% men
• Reddit: ~32% women, 68% men
• LinkedIn: ~44% women, 56% men
• WhatsApp: ~51% women, 49% men

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Facebook as the community backbone: heavy use of Groups (yard sale, church, school athletics, local politics), Marketplace for buy/sell, and local event updates
• Video-first growth: short-form video (Reels/TikTok) drives outsized engagement among 13–34; local businesses lean on product demos, behind-the-scenes, and event highlights
• YouTube for utility: strong how-to consumption tied to trades, auto repair, home improvement, outdoor sports, and local music/culture
• Teen communication is messaging-centric: Snapchat functions as primary daily messaging; lower public posting, high streak maintenance
• Event-driven spikes: county festivals, high-school sports, weather alerts, and public safety updates create temporal engagement peaks across Facebook and YouTube
• Timing: engagement clusters around early morning (6–8 a.m.), lunch (noon–1 p.m.), and evenings (7–10 p.m.); Sundays show elevated activity for faith/community content
• Commerce and discovery: Facebook/Instagram dominate local discovery for small businesses; Pinterest influential for recipes, crafts, home projects among women 25–54
• Language and segments: WhatsApp and Facebook Groups support coordination and community news for Hispanic residents; TikTok/Instagram favored by younger bilingual users

Key takeaways

• Platform hierarchy is Facebook and YouTube for reach, with Instagram and TikTok essential for under-40 engagement
• Older skew of the county shifts overall usage toward Facebook; youth pockets maintain strong TikTok/Snapchat activity
• Visual and video storytelling tied to practical interests (DIY, outdoors, local events) performs best across platforms