Defiance County

Defiance County, Ohio — key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau, 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates)

• Population: ~38.5k
• Age:
  • Median age: ~41
  • Under 18: ~23%
  • 18–64: ~58–59%
  • 65+: ~18–19%
• Gender:
  • Female: ~50%
  • Male: ~50%
• Race and Hispanic origin:
  • White alone: ~86–87%
  • Black or African American alone: ~1–2%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.3%
  • Asian alone: ~0.6%
  • Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%
  • Some other race: ~6%
  • Two or more races: ~5%
  • Hispanic/Latino (of any race): ~10–11%
  • White alone, not Hispanic/Latino: ~80%
• Households:
  • Total households: ~15.2k
  • Average household size: ~2.5
  • Family households: ~66% of households (married-couple ~49%)
  • Nonfamily households: ~34%
  • Householder living alone: ~28% (65+ living alone ~12%)
  • Owner-occupied housing rate: ~73%

Notes: Percentages may not sum to 100 due to rounding; Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity that overlaps race categories.

Defiance County, OH snapshot (estimates)

• Estimated email users: 29,000–32,000. Basis: ~39,000 residents; ~85–90% are 13+; 90–95% of those use email (Pew/U.S. norms).
• Age mix of email users:
  • 13–17: 5–7%
  • 18–29: 18–22%
  • 30–49: 32–36%
  • 50–64: 22–26%
  • 65+: 15–20% (adoption somewhat lower but rising)
• Gender split among users: roughly even (≈49–51% each), consistent with national patterns.
• Digital access trends:
  • Household broadband subscription: roughly 80–85% (ACS-like county profiles; rural areas lower than state average).
  • Smartphone‑only internet users: about 10–15% of adults.
  • Public access remains important (libraries, schools, community Wi‑Fi) for those without home broadband.
  • Ongoing state/federal investments are expanding fiber and fixed‑wireless coverage; 5G coverage is growing along major corridors.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population density ≈90–95 people per square mile (∼39k residents over ∼414 sq mi).
  • The City of Defiance and nearby villages tend to have cable/fixed broadband; outer townships rely more on fixed wireless or cellular data, with patchier speeds.

Notes: Figures are modeled from recent U.S./Ohio adoption rates scaled to Defiance County’s population; use as directional estimates.

Below is a concise, decision-ready snapshot of mobile phone usage in Defiance County, Ohio. Because county-level mobile metrics are not all published in one place, the user totals are presented as transparent estimates grounded in recent national/county patterns (ACS S2801, FCC coverage data, and Pew smartphone adoption).

Summary

• Overall usage is high, with near-universal mobile phone access, but smartphone adoption and 5G depth run a bit below Ohio’s statewide average due to an older age mix, more rural households, and slightly lower median incomes.
• Reliance on cellular for home internet is meaningfully higher than the state average, reflecting patchier wired broadband outside the City of Defiance and other towns.

User estimates (order-of-magnitude, with explicit assumptions)

• Population base: about 38,000 residents (2020 Census). Adults ≈ 78% → ~29,500 adults.
• Adults with any mobile phone: ~95–97% → ~28,000–28,600 adult mobile users.
• Adults with a smartphone: ~84–86% (rural counties tend to be a few points below state/national) → ~24,800–25,400 adult smartphone users.
• Feature-phone-only adults: ~9–12% → ~2,700–3,500.
• Households: roughly 15,000–15,500. Households with a smartphone present: ~85–90% → ~12,800–14,000 households.
• Households relying primarily on cellular data for home internet: ~8–10% (above state average) → ~1,200–1,500 households.

Demographic patterns influencing usage

• Age: Slightly older age mix than Ohio overall → lower smartphone adoption among 65+ and a somewhat higher share of feature-phone users. Younger cohorts (18–44) are broadly in line with state adoption.
• Income and plan mix: Median household income is modestly below the state median, nudging some users to prepaid or MVNO plans and mid-tier Android devices. Multi-line postpaid penetration is a bit lower than statewide.
• Rurality: More dispersed housing increases indoor coverage variability and encourages use of signal boosters and Wi‑Fi calling in fringe areas; it also drives higher cellular-only home internet adoption.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage and technologies:
  • 4G LTE: Broad population coverage from all three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon), strongest in and around Defiance, Hicksville, and along US‑24; rural tree cover and river corridors can still produce spotty indoor signal.
  • 5G: Low-band 5G is widespread; mid-band 5G (e.g., T‑Mobile n41; AT&T/Verizon C‑band) is strongest in/near the City of Defiance and along primary corridors, tapering outside town centers. mmWave is minimal.
• Capacity and speeds: Mid-band 5G in town centers offers the step-up speeds typical of small metros, but rural sectors often fall back to low-band 5G or LTE, producing a wider urban–rural performance gap than Ohio’s average.
• Fixed broadband context (drives mobile reliance):
  • Cable/fiber is solid in the City of Defiance and select pockets; outside those areas, options skew to legacy DSL, fixed wireless, and newer 5G Home Internet offers (T‑Mobile/Verizon). This raises the share of cellular-primary households versus the state.
  • BEAD/Ohio broadband grants are targeting unserved/underserved rural areas; expect incremental fiber/fixed-wireless buildouts that could reduce cellular-only reliance over the next 2–4 years.
• Infrastructure density: Fewer macro sites per square mile than the state average; recent infill tends to track US‑24 and township centers, with small cells limited to the city core.

How Defiance County differs from Ohio overall

• Slightly lower smartphone penetration and a modestly higher share of feature-phone users, driven by age/income mix.
• Higher reliance on mobile networks for primary home internet (cellular-only or 5G Home Internet), reflecting more limited wired options outside the city.
• Wider urban–rural gap in 5G performance: mid-band 5G depth is improving but remains more localized than the state’s larger metros.
• Plan mix skews a bit more toward prepaid/MVNO and single-line plans than statewide norms.

Data notes and method

• Estimates triangulate: Pew Research smartphone ownership (rural vs. overall), ACS S2801 (household device and subscription types, including cellular-only), FCC coverage maps for technology availability, and standard demographic splits for a rural Ohio county of ~38k residents.

Defiance County, OH — social media snapshot (best-available estimates; directionally based on Pew Research 2023–2024 and typical rural Midwest patterns)

Overall

• Residents: ~39k; adults 18+: ~29–30k.
• Adults using social media: ~70–75% (≈21–23k adults).
• Teens (13–17) using social media: 90%+.

Most‑used platforms (adults; est. share of 18+ who use each)

• YouTube: 75–80%
• Facebook: 65–70%
• Instagram: 40–45%
• TikTok: 28–33%
• Pinterest: 30–35% (skews female)
• Snapchat: 22–27% (younger skew)
• X/Twitter: 18–22% (skews male)
• LinkedIn: 22–28% (higher among college‑educated/professionals)

Teens (13–17) platform pattern (est.)

• YouTube ~95%; TikTok ~60–67%; Instagram ~60–62%; Snapchat ~55–60%; Facebook ≤30%.

Age and gender notes (localized from national patterns)

• Age: • 18–29: Heavy Instagram/TikTok/YouTube; Facebook mainly for events/Marketplace. • 30–49: Facebook power users; also YouTube and some Instagram; rising TikTok viewing. • 50–64: Facebook + YouTube core; Pinterest common. • 65+: Facebook for family/community; YouTube for how‑to and news clips.
• Gender skews by platform (among that platform’s users): Pinterest 70–80% female; Facebook slight female lean (55%); Instagram slight female lean (53%); TikTok slight female lean (55–60%); YouTube male‑leaning (55%); X/Twitter male‑leaning (60–65%); LinkedIn slight male lean (~55%). Overall county user base is roughly 50/50.

Behavioral trends observed in similar rural Ohio counties

• Community‑first engagement: Facebook Groups for schools, sports, churches, and township updates drive high comments/shares.
• Marketplace culture: Strong use of Facebook Marketplace and local buy/sell/trade groups; simple photo + price posts perform.
• Video, but practical: Short, local videos (reels/highlights/how‑to) outperform polished brand spots; cross‑posting reels to Facebook helps reach.
• Event‑driven spikes: Peaks around school milestones, county fair, high‑school sports, severe weather, hunting season.
• Messaging workflows: Many inquiries shift to Facebook Messenger or Snapchat DMs; fast replies matter.
• Timing: Highest activity evenings (7–10 pm) and weekend mornings; lunchtime check‑ins are common.
• Trust signals: Real locals, recognizable places, transparent pricing, and service details beat generic stock content.
• Access considerations: Patchy broadband in pockets—use captions, clear text overlays, and modest file sizes.

Notes

• County‑level social media surveys are limited; figures above are estimates extrapolated from recent Pew national data and rural‑Midwest usage patterns. For campaigns, validate reach with platform ad tools (radius targeting around Defiance) and local page insights.