Henry County

Henry County, Ohio — key demographics

Source notes: Unless stated otherwise, figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5‑year estimates; 2023 Population Estimates Program). Percentages may not sum due to rounding and race/ethnicity overlap.

• Population size

  • 27,662 (2020 Census)
  • ~27.3k (2023 estimate)

• Age structure (ACS 2018–2022)

  • Under 5 years: ~5–6%
  • Under 18 years: ~23–24%
  • 65 years and over: ~19–21%
  • Median age: ~41 years

• Sex (ACS 2018–2022)

  • Female: ~50–51%
  • Male: ~49–50%

• Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022)

  • White alone: ~90–91%
  • Black or African American alone: ~1–2%
  • American Indian & Alaska Native alone: ~0–0.5%
  • Asian alone: ~0–1%
  • Two or more races: ~4–6%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~9–11%
  • White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~83–85%

• Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022)

  • Households: ~10.8k–10.9k
  • Persons per household: ~2.5–2.6
  • Family households: ~66–70% of households
  • Married-couple households: ~50–55% of households
  • Owner-occupied housing rate: ~78–80%

Key insights

• Stable-to-slightly declining population since 2010, with an aging profile (median age ~41; about one-fifth 65+).
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White, with a notable Hispanic/Latino community near 1 in 10 residents.
• Household size aligns with the U.S. average, while homeownership rates are higher than the national average.

Email usage in Henry County, Ohio (2024)

• Population and density: ~27,600 residents; ~66 people per square mile (2020 Census).
• Estimated email users: ~22,200 residents age 13+.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: ~6%
  • 18–24: ~10%
  • 25–44: ~29%
  • 45–64: ~33%
  • 65+: ~22%
• Gender split among users: ~50% female, ~50% male, mirroring the county’s population.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Household broadband subscription: ~83–85%.
  • Households with a computer: ~93%.
  • Smartphone adoption: >90% of adults; ~10–12% of households are smartphone‑only.
  • No home internet: ~8–10% of households.
  • Broadband adoption has risen by roughly 8 percentage points since 2016, with the biggest gains among adults 65+.
  • Connectivity is strongest in and around Napoleon and the US‑24 corridor; rural townships show higher reliance on fixed‑wireless and satellite.
• Insights: Email reach is effectively universal among working‑age adults (18–64) and high among seniors; plan for complementary SMS or mail to reach the ~8–10% of offline households and the small share of seniors who are less active via email.

Henry County, Ohio mobile phone usage — 2025 snapshot

User estimates (built from current research applied to Henry County’s population)

• Population base: 27,006 (2020 Census). Adults (18+) ≈ 21,100.
• Adult mobile phone users (any cellphone): ≈ 20,000 (about 95% of adults; Pew Research Center reports ~95% among rural adults).
• Adult smartphone users: ≈ 17,700 (about 84% of adults; Pew reports ~84% smartphone ownership among rural adults vs ~90% nationally).
• Teen smartphone users: ≈ 1,600–1,700 (Pew’s teen survey shows ~95% access; ages 13–17 are roughly 6–7% of the county).
• Combined smartphone users (adults + teens): on the order of 19,000.

Demographic breakdown relevant to mobile usage (how Henry County differs from Ohio overall)

• Older age structure: Henry County’s share of residents 65+ is higher than Ohio’s statewide share, which tends to pull smartphone adoption a few points below Ohio’s urban-weighted average and sustains a small but noticeable basic-phone user segment.
• Race/ethnicity: Hispanic/Latino share is meaningfully higher than the Ohio average, supporting above-average demand for bilingual service, international calling add‑ons, and family plans spanning multiple generations.
• Income and education: Median household income trails the statewide median, and bachelor’s attainment is lower than Ohio’s average. These factors correlate with more price-sensitive plan selection, greater prepaid/MVNO usage, and longer device replacement cycles than in Ohio’s major metros.

Digital infrastructure points

• Coverage and technology mix:
  • 4G LTE is effectively universal on primary corridors and in Napoleon and other towns.
  • 5G low‑band from all three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) covers population centers and highways; building penetration in metal-clad structures can still be challenging.
  • Mid‑band 5G (T‑Mobile 2.5 GHz; Verizon C‑Band) is available in and around Napoleon/US‑24 and select sites; coverage is patchier in outlying townships compared with metro Ohio.
• Capacity and speeds:
  • Where mid‑band 5G is present, typical downloads range roughly 150–300 Mbps; elsewhere (low‑band 5G/LTE) expect roughly 10–60 Mbps down and 3–25 Mbps up, with greater variability at cell edges than in cities.
  • Peak‑time slowdowns are more pronounced near shift changes and school dismissals due to concentrated load on a smaller number of sectors.
• Tower density and siting:
  • Rural spacing yields larger cell footprints; fewer sectors per square mile than metro Ohio means more variability indoors and in wooded/river-adjacent areas.
• Fixed-broadband context and mobile interplay:
  • Cable and some fiber serve towns; many rural addresses still depend on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite. As a result, mobile hotspots and tethering are used as backup and, for some households, as primary access—behaviors more common here than statewide.
• Public safety and resilience:
  • AT&T FirstNet coverage is present on regional towers; primary routes are well served, but coverage can dip along the Maumee River lowlands and in forested pockets, a pattern typical of rural northwest Ohio.

Trends that differ from the state level

• Adoption: Adult smartphone penetration is a few points lower than Ohio’s overall rate (Henry’s rural profile ≈84% vs Ohio’s metro‑heavy ≈90%), leaving a larger basic‑phone cohort, especially among seniors.
• Plan mix: Higher reliance on prepaid and MVNO offerings and stronger sensitivity to promo pricing than in Cleveland/Columbus/Cincinnati MSAs.
• Network experience: Less continuous mid‑band 5G and lower tower density lead to wider speed swings and more indoor dead zones than the Ohio average.
• Use patterns: Greater use of mobile data as a supplement or backup to home internet, raising evening peak traffic more than in fiber‑saturated metros.

Key figures and sources

• Population: 27,006 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial).
• Ownership/adoption rates used to derive user counts: Pew Research Center (2023–2024) — cellphone ownership among rural adults ≈95%; smartphone ownership among rural adults ≈84%; teen smartphone access ≈95%.
• Infrastructure context: FCC National Broadband Map and carrier 5G deployment disclosures (2023–2024) for Ohio’s rural northwest.

Bottom line

• Expect roughly 20,000 adult mobile phone users in Henry County, with about 17,700 adult smartphone users and about 19,000 total smartphone users when teens are included. Compared with Ohio overall, Henry County shows slightly lower smartphone penetration, more prepaid usage, greater reliance on mobile as a broadband substitute in fringe areas, and more variable speeds due to sparser mid‑band 5G and tower density. These differences are structural to its rural demographics and network topology and are unlikely to disappear without additional mid‑band sectors and targeted fill‑in sites.

Henry County, OH social media snapshot (2025)

Population and user base

• Residents: about 27.5K (ACS 2023). Adults (18+): about 21.3K.
• Adults using at least one social platform: 82% ≈ 17.5K adults (Pew, 2024). Including teens (13–17) at ~95% social adoption nationally, total 13+ social users in-county ≈ 19–20K.

Most-used platforms (adult reach; modeled for Henry County from 2024 U.S. usage with an adjustment for the county’s older age mix)

• YouTube: 82%
• Facebook: 71%
• Instagram: 42%
• Pinterest: 36%
• TikTok: 29%
• Snapchat: 26%
• LinkedIn: 27%
• X (Twitter): 20%
• Reddit: 18%
• Nextdoor: 18%

Age groups (adult usage patterns)

• 18–29: ~95%+ use at least one platform. Strong on YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok; Facebook is secondary.
• 30–49: ~88% use social. Facebook and YouTube lead; Instagram and TikTok mid-tier; Snapchat trails.
• 50–64: ~73% use social. Facebook and YouTube dominate; Pinterest meaningful; Instagram/TikTok lower.
• 65+: ~45–50% use social. Facebook is the default; YouTube second; other platforms relatively niche.

Gender breakdown and skews

• Overall social media participation: women ~84%, men ~80% of adults (U.S. averages applied locally).
• Platform lean: Pinterest over-indexes among women (roughly 2–3x men); Facebook slightly higher among women; Reddit and X skew male; YouTube high for both; Instagram and Snapchat lean female; LinkedIn slightly male-leaning.

Behavioral trends observed in similar rural Ohio counties and applicable to Henry County

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of Groups (schools, churches, youth sports, local government) and Marketplace; high engagement on event, closure, and weather posts.
• YouTube is a utility channel: how-to, ag/rural equipment, home repair, and high school sports highlights perform well.
• Visual-first engagement: photos of recognizable people/places outperform generic graphics; short local video clips outperform long-form except for how-to content.
• Time-of-day patterns: morning (6–8 a.m.) and late evening (8–10 p.m.) spikes; midday bumps for breaking local news and school/road updates; weekend engagement around festivals, games, and the county fair.
• Discovery paths: word-of-mouth plus Facebook shares drive the most incremental reach; Instagram helps local boutiques, food, and events with Stories/Reels; TikTok growth is concentrated under 35.
• Messaging and groups: Facebook Messenger responses are faster than email for local businesses; group recommendations carry outsized trust.
• Ad performance norms: best CPM/CPA on Facebook/Instagram with tight geofencing (10–25 miles around Napoleon and nearby towns); YouTube for broad reach; TikTok efficient for under-35; creative with people, prices, and clear calls-to-action wins. LinkedIn works for hiring and B2B; Nextdoor useful for neighborhood announcements but smaller scale.

Notes on method and sources

• Population: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2023.
• Platform adoption and age/gender patterns: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024. County-level figures are modeled from these benchmarks and Henry County’s older-leaning age profile, yielding realistic local estimates.