Fulton County

Here are current, high-level demographics for Fulton County, Ohio. Figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau (2019–2023 ACS 5-year unless noted) and rounded for readability.

Population

• Total population: ~42,000–43,000 (2023 estimate; 2020 Census count was 42,713)

Age

• Median age: ~41 years
• Under 18: ~23%
• 18 to 64: ~58%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Gender

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Race and Hispanic/Latino origin

• White alone: ~90–92%
• Black or African American alone: ~1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.3%
• Asian alone: ~0.4–0.6%
• Two or more races: ~4–6%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~9–10% Note: “Hispanic or Latino” overlaps with race categories.

Households

• Total households: ~16,000–17,000
• Average household size: ~2.6
• Family households: ~68–70% of households
• Married-couple families: ~55% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~28–32%
• Average family size: ~3.0–3.1

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates (tables DP05, S0101, S1101) and 2023 Population Estimates Program.

Fulton County, OH snapshot (estimates)

• Population ~42,000; adults ~33,000.
• Email users: ~30,000–31,000 adults (≈91–94% of adults); daily users ~18,000–19,000.

Age mix of email users (tracks county age profile with high adoption across groups):

• Under 30: ~17–19%
• 30–49: ~32–34%
• 50–64: ~26–29%
• 65+: ~20–24% (adoption ~88–92%, slightly lower than younger groups)

Gender split

• Roughly even (≈50% women, 50% men among email users).

Digital access and trends

• Households with a computer: ~92–94%.
• Broadband subscription (cable/DSL/fiber/fixed wireless): ~85–87% of households.
• Smartphone-only internet: ~12–15% of households, implying a notable mobile-first email segment.
• Daily checking is common (about 6 in 10 email users), skewing younger and employed adults.

Local density/connectivity context

• Population density ≈100–110 people per square mile; small towns (e.g., Wauseon, Archbold, Swanton, Delta) have denser, better-wired service, while rural townships show lower fixed-broadband adoption and more reliance on cellular or fixed wireless.

Notes: Figures synthesized from ACS “Computer and Internet Use” data for Ohio counties and national Pew email adoption rates, scaled to Fulton County’s population.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Fulton County, Ohio (focus on how it differs from statewide patterns)

At a glance

• Population baseline: ≈42–43k residents
• Estimated unique mobile phone users: 34–36k (≈80–85% of residents), slightly below Ohio’s overall share
• Estimated smartphone users: 29–31k (≈68–73% of residents; ≈82–86% of adults), a few points lower than the statewide adult average
• Key differentiators vs Ohio: older age structure, more rural households, and a small but notable Anabaptist (Amish/Mennonite) presence collectively depress smartphone uptake and slow 5G/device turnover compared with urban and suburban Ohio

User estimates and demographic breakdown

• By age (adults 18+ ≈ 32–33k)
  • 18–34: high smartphone adoption (≈92–96%); usage looks similar to Ohio overall
  • 35–64: strong smartphone adoption (≈85–92%) but slightly below Ohio; more bring-your-own-device and employer-provided lines in manufacturing/transport jobs
  • 65+: materially lower smartphone adoption (≈55–65%), with more basic/feature phone use than statewide; this group drives most of the gap with Ohio averages
• Youth (13–17): high smartphone access (≈88–95%), closer to state norms
• Feature-phone-only users: elevated share (≈8–12% of adults) vs Ohio overall (≈5–7%), concentrated among older adults and some Anabaptist households
• Rural vs town centers
  • Towns (Wauseon, Archbold, Delta, Swanton areas): adoption close to Ohio averages; quicker 5G device uptake
  • Rural townships: lower smartphone penetration, more voice/SMS-first usage, and slightly higher multi-SIM work phones (agriculture, logistics)
• Cultural/household factors
  • Anabaptist (Amish/Mennonite) communities in and around rural townships modestly reduce overall smartphone penetration and mobile data use compared with the state average
  • Income and device turnover: slightly slower upgrade cycles than statewide urban counties; more refurbished/secondhand devices in use

Digital infrastructure points

• Coverage and technology mix
  • 4G LTE: generally reliable in towns and along major corridors; patchier at the rural edges and in low-lying or wooded areas
  • 5G: low-band 5G is present on major routes and in population centers; mid-band 5G is growing in towns but remains spotty in outlying areas; mmWave is largely absent
• Carriers
  • All three national carriers operate in the county; rural signal reliability tends to favor low-band spectrum holdings, so users often see better consistency from carriers with stronger low-band footprints
  • FirstNet (public safety on AT&T) is available; public-safety coverage priorities typically center on towns and primary roads
• Backhaul and towers
  • Macro sites are sparser than in metro Ohio; many sites are co-located on shared towers
  • Fiber backhaul follows highway/utility corridors; some rural sectors still depend on microwave, which can constrain capacity during peak times
• Home internet substitution
  • Fixed wireless (including 4G/5G home internet) is an important option where wired broadband is limited; this lifts on-network data traffic in evenings compared with urban Ohio
• Community connectivity
  • Libraries, schools, and municipal buildings act as anchor institutions and key public Wi‑Fi access points; reliance on these is higher than in metro counties
• 911/NG911
  • E911 is standard; NG911 upgrades follow statewide timelines but rural buildouts can lag urban counties, affecting location accuracy and redundancy until completed

How Fulton County differs from Ohio overall

• Adoption levels: overall mobile and smartphone penetration trail the state by a few percentage points, driven by an older age mix, rural households, and a modest share of tech-limited religious communities
• Device mix: higher share of basic/feature phones and older smartphones; slower 5G device turnover than urban Ohio
• Network experience: fewer mid-band 5G sectors and less dense tower grids than metro areas; performance relies more on low-band spectrum for coverage than on mid/high-band for capacity
• Usage patterns: relatively more voice/SMS and practical apps (navigation, farm/logistics tools) and slightly lower per-line video streaming than urban/suburban Ohio; some households use mobile networks as primary home internet
• Digital divide: public Wi‑Fi and anchor institutions play a larger role than statewide averages, particularly for students and lower-income households

Notes on method

• Estimates blend county population with nationally reported mobile/smartphone adoption rates (with rural and age adjustments) and qualitative local factors common to rural northwest Ohio. Figures are presented as ranges to reflect uncertainty without recent county-specific survey data.
• For validation or planning, pair this summary with: FCC mobile coverage maps (by technology and provider), Ohio Broadband Office resources, school/library E‑Rate filings, and carrier 5G buildout announcements for Wauseon/Archbold/Delta/Swanton.

Below is a concise, county‑level snapshot built from the latest U.S./Ohio rural comparables (e.g., Pew Research Center 2023–2024) scaled to Fulton County’s size. Treat figures as best‑available estimates, not official counts.

Overall user base

• Population context: ~42–43k residents
• Estimated social media users: 26k–30k total (about 62–70% of total population; roughly 78–85% of ages 13+)

Age profile (estimated penetration by group; share of total users)

• 13–17: 90–95% use; ~8–10% of the county’s social users
• 18–29: 90–95% use; ~18–22% of users
• 30–44: 80–85% use; ~26–30% of users
• 45–64: 65–70% use; ~26–30% of users
• 65+: 45–55% use; ~12–16% of users

Gender

• Overall users: ~52–54% women, ~46–48% men
• Platform skews: Pinterest skews female; Reddit and X (Twitter) skew male; Facebook slightly female; YouTube is near-even

Most‑used platforms in Fulton County (share of social media users; multi‑platform use, so totals exceed 100%)

• YouTube: ~75–80%
• Facebook: ~65–70%
• Instagram: ~45–50%
• Snapchat: ~40–45% (boosted by teens/young adults)
• TikTok: ~35–40%
• Pinterest: ~28–32% (female‑skewed)
• X (Twitter): ~18–22%
• LinkedIn: ~18–22% (concentrated among professionals in manufacturing/healthcare/education)
• WhatsApp: ~15–20% (higher in bilingual/immigrant communities)
• Nextdoor: ~5–10% (pockets in subdivisions; limited countywide)
• Reddit: ~12–15% (younger/male skew)

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the community hub: local groups (buy/sell/trade, school boosters, churches), Marketplace for vehicles, tools, farm/yard equipment, and local alerts.
• Events and seasons drive spikes: county fair, school sports, graduations, hunting season, and holiday craft shows see higher posting and engagement.
• Video first: short vertical video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) outperforms static posts for businesses, local creators, and sports highlights.
• Messaging matters: Facebook Messenger, Instagram DMs, and Snapchat are core for inquiries and peer coordination; many small businesses close sales via DMs.
• Local trust signals: posts from known admins, coaches, pastors, and school pages earn outsized reach; endorsements in neighborhood and booster groups move decisions.
• Commerce patterns: Marketplace + local pickup preferred; “cash/venmo at pickup” norms; service providers (contractors, lawn/snow, childcare) sourced via group recommendations.
• News/Info diet: hyperlocal updates (school closures, road work, obits, lost pets) spread fastest on Facebook; regional TV stations’ Facebook pages are common sources.
• Cross‑posting: Instagram to Facebook is common among small businesses; TikTok clips often repurposed as Reels/Shorts.
• Timing: Evenings (7–10 pm) and weekends perform best; weekday lunchtime OK for short videos and stories.
• Content tone: Practical, “show the work,” before/after, and family/community angles outperform polished ads; giveaways and charity tie‑ins generate shares.

Method note

• Figures are estimates derived from national and Ohio rural benchmarks (Pew Research Center and comparable studies, 2023–2024) adjusted for Fulton County’s size and rural/suburban profile. For campaign planning, validate with page insights, group membership counts, and a short local survey/sample if precision is required.