Carroll County

Key demographics — Carroll County, Ohio

• Population

  • 2020 Census: 26,721

• Age (ACS 2018–2022)

  • Median age: ~46 years
  • Under 18: ~21%
  • 65 and over: ~21%

• Gender (ACS 2018–2022)

  • Female: ~50%
  • Male: ~50%

• Race/ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022)

  • White (non-Hispanic): ~96%
  • Black or African American: ~1%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.3%
  • Asian: ~0.2%
  • Two or more races: ~2%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~1%

• Households (ACS 2018–2022)

  • Total households: ~10,400
  • Average household size: ~2.4
  • Family households: ~67% of households
  • Owner-occupied rate: ~82%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Summary: Email usage in Carroll County, Ohio

• Estimated email users: 17,000–19,000 residents (roughly 65–72% of the population), based on county demographics, rural broadband adoption, and typical U.S. usage patterns.
• Age distribution of email users (approx. share of users):
  • 0–12: 1%
  • 13–17: 7%
  • 18–34: 26%
  • 35–54: 30%
  • 55–64: 19%
  • 65+: 17%
• Gender split: roughly even (about 49% male, 51% female), with a slight female skew among older users.
• Digital access trends:
  • About 75–82% of households have a broadband subscription; 8–12% are mobile‑only internet users.
  • Email adoption is highest among working‑age adults; seniors participate but at lower rates.
  • Fixed wireless and upgraded cable/DSL serve towns and corridors; outlying areas still face last‑mile gaps and slower speeds.
  • Public Wi‑Fi at libraries/schools helps bridge access for students and low‑income households.
• Local density/connectivity context:
  • Population ~26–27k; rural density around 65–70 people per square mile.
  • Hilly terrain and dispersed housing increase network build‑out costs and contribute to patchy high‑speed coverage, though state and Appalachian broadband initiatives are expanding service.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Carroll County, Ohio (compared with Ohio statewide)

Key user estimates

• Population baseline: ~26,000 residents; ~20–21k adults (18+).
• Adult smartphone users: ~17.5k–19k (about 83–90% of adults). This is slightly below Ohio’s statewide adult smartphone adoption (roughly 88–92%).
• Households with a smartphone: 8.8k–9.4k out of ~10.2–10.6k households (≈85–90%), a bit below statewide levels (90%+).
• Smartphone-only internet households (no fixed home broadband, rely on cellular data plans): estimated 18–22% of households locally vs ~13–15% statewide. This “mobile-dependent” share is notably higher than the Ohio average.
• Wireless-only phone households (no landline): estimated 60–66% locally vs ~70–75% statewide. Carroll’s older age profile keeps landlines in use more than the state average despite strong mobile uptake.

Demographic patterns shaping usage

• Age: Carroll County skews older (larger 65+ share than Ohio overall). Smartphone adoption among 65+ is lower (roughly 68–75% locally vs ~75–80% statewide), pulling down the countywide average and reducing wireless-only telephone adoption.
• Income: Median household income is below Ohio’s average. Price sensitivity shows up as:
  • Higher reliance on smartphone-only internet to avoid fixed-broadband costs.
  • Greater use of prepaid/MVNO plans relative to postpaid (plan mix more price-driven than statewide).
• Education/occupation: Lower four-year degree attainment and more blue-collar/field work than statewide correlate with:
  • Heavy on-the-go voice/text usage and practical apps.
  • Less home-based, high-throughput data use compared with metro Ohio.
• Youth/working-age segments: Near-universal smartphone adoption among 18–44, similar to Ohio, but with more mobile-only internet reliance in lower-income cohorts.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage and carriers: All three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) operate in the county. 5G is present but mostly low-band, with mid-band 5G (e.g., Verizon C‑band, T‑Mobile 2.5 GHz) concentrated around Carrollton and along primary state routes; coverage thins in hilly, forested areas and around lakes.
• Terrain constraints: Appalachian foothills topography (valleys, ridgelines) creates dead zones and variable signal quality, especially away from state routes 43/9/39/171 and around Atwood and Leesville lakes—more pronounced than the Ohio average.
• Capacity/performance: Fewer sites per square mile and more microwave backhaul segments than in metro areas lead to:
  • Lower median speeds and more congestion at peak times than statewide norms.
  • Greater differences between premium-postpaid and deprioritized MVNO users in busy cells.
• Public safety and resilience: FirstNet (AT&T) presence supports emergency services; however, single-point-of-failure scenarios (power/backhaul) in rural areas make outages more impactful than in urban Ohio without overlapping site density.
• Fixed wireless interplay: Where cable/fiber is limited, residents lean on mobile hotspots and LTE/5G fixed wireless as primary access—driving higher smartphone-only and mobile-first behavior than the state average.

How Carroll County differs from Ohio overall (the takeaways)

• Slightly lower overall smartphone adoption due to an older age mix.
• Significantly higher reliance on mobile data as the only home internet, driven by affordability and patchier fixed-broadband options.
• More persistent coverage gaps and lower typical speeds because of terrain and sparser tower density.
• Lower share of wireless-only telephone households (more landline retention) than the state, again tied to age.
• Plan mix skews more toward prepaid/MVNO and hotspot use than in urban Ohio.

Notes on method and confidence

• Figures are 2025 planning estimates triangulated from recent ACS “Computer and Internet” indicators, statewide wireless-only telephone trends, rural Ohio comparisons, and known carrier deployment patterns. For precise planning, validate with:
  • ACS 5-year table S2801 (household device and internet subscription) for Carroll County.
  • FCC National Broadband Map mobile layers for 4G/5G coverage and technology.
  • Independent speed-test datasets (Ookla, Opensignal) for performance and capacity hot spots.
  • Local ISP/carrier build announcements and county broadband task force updates.

Below is an estimate-based snapshot of social media usage in Carroll County, Ohio. Figures are modeled from 2024 Pew Research national platform adoption, adjusted for rural/older age structure and county size. Treat as directional for planning.

County context

• Population: ~26,000; skew older and rural versus U.S. average.

How many use social media

• Adults using at least one platform: ~70–75% of adults (roughly 14–17k people).
• Including teens (13–17): total users ~15–18k.

Age mix of users (share of all local users)

• 13–17: ~8%
• 18–29: ~18%
• 30–49: ~33%
• 50–64: ~25%
• 65+: ~16%

Gender breakdown (share of local users)

• Overall: ~52–55% female, ~45–48% male.
• By platform (tendencies): Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest skew female; X/Twitter, Reddit, LinkedIn skew male.

Most-used platforms among adults (estimated % of adults who use each)

• YouTube: ~78–82%
• Facebook: ~66–72%
• Instagram: ~34–40%
• Pinterest: ~28–33% (majority women)
• TikTok: ~23–28%
• Snapchat: ~18–24% (heavily 13–24)
• LinkedIn: ~14–18% (lower in rural areas)
• X/Twitter: ~14–17%
• Reddit: ~10–14%
• Nextdoor: ~3–6% (spotty in rural areas)

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook as the hub: Daily use for local news, schools, youth sports, churches, township and emergency updates; very active Groups and Marketplace.
• Events drive spikes: County fair, school sports, hunting season, festivals prompt posting/sharing and local ad performance.
• Video-first but practical: YouTube for DIY, repairs, agriculture, outdoor/recreation; short-form TikTok/Reels mostly for consumption vs creation.
• Local commerce: Residents follow local diners, contractors, boutiques; deals, new menu items, hours, and “before/after” posts perform well; Messenger is a common customer-service channel.
• Younger cohort splits: Teens/early 20s on Snapchat (messaging/streaks) and TikTok; Instagram for style/food/friends; limited Facebook posting but still use Messenger/Groups for coordination.
• Older cohort habits: Facebook scrolling and sharing; lower TikTok/Instagram adoption; preference for clear text, photos, and links over flashy edits.
• Timing: Engagement peaks early morning (6–8 a.m.) and late evening (8–10 p.m.); weekends strong for events and Marketplace.
• Trust is local: User-generated photos, familiar faces, and endorsements from community figures outperform polished brand creative.
• Connectivity realities: Some areas have weaker broadband; shorter videos, fewer large downloads, and image carousels can improve completion rates.
• Cross-posting: Small businesses often post on Facebook and repurpose to Instagram; limited X/LinkedIn usage unless recruiting or regional B2B.

Notes

• Use platform ad tools (Facebook/Instagram Ads, Snapchat/TikTok audience estimators, Google Ads for YouTube) to validate exact reach in your target ZIPs and refine by age/gender.