Logan County

Logan County, Ohio – key demographics (latest U.S. Census Bureau data: 2023 Population Estimates Program; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year)

Population size

• Total population: ~46,200 (2023 estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~41 years
• Under 18: ~23%
• 18 to 64: ~59%
• 65 and over: ~18%

Gender

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Race and ethnicity

• White (non-Hispanic): ~92–93%
• Black or African American: ~2%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2–3%
• Asian: ~0.5%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.3%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.0%

Households and housing

• Households: ~18,500–18,800
• Average household size: ~2.5
• Family households: ~67–70% of households
• Married-couple households: ~50% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~28%
• Owner-occupied housing: ~72–75% of occupied units

Insights

• Stable, modest-sized county with an older-than-state-average age profile
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White with small but present racial/ethnic diversity
• High owner-occupancy and a notable share of seasonal/recreational housing around Indian Lake influences vacancy and household counts

• Estimated email users: ~36,000 residents in Logan County, OH (population ~46,000).
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: ~2,400 (7%)
  • 18–34: ~8,100 (23%)
  • 35–54: ~11,200 (31%)
  • 55–64: ~6,100 (17%)
  • 65+: ~8,200 (23%)
• Gender split among email users: 51% female (18,400) and 49% male (17,600).
• Digital access and connectivity:
  • Household broadband subscription: ~85% of households; computer access: ~91% of households.
  • Access mix: Cable and growing fiber in/around Bellefontaine and the US‑33 corridor; DSL and fixed wireless remain common in rural townships and the Indian Lake area; 5G home internet options have expanded in populated areas.
  • Public access: Free Wi‑Fi and computers at Logan County District Library branches and local schools support residents without home service.
  • Density/connectivity context: Population density ~100 people per square mile, with higher fixed broadband performance in denser tracts and more reliance on wireless in low‑density zones.
• Insights: Email is near‑universal among working‑age adults (high‑90s adoption) and robust among seniors (mid‑80s), driven by healthcare, banking, and commerce needs; mobile access is widespread, so a significant share checks email primarily on smartphones.

Mobile phone usage in Logan County, Ohio — 2024 snapshot

Headline figures

• Population and households: 46,150 residents (2020 Census); roughly 18,500–18,800 households (ACS 2018–2022).
• Mobile users: On the order of 40,000 residents use a smartphone regularly. This is based on the county’s ACS-reported share of households with a smartphone (upper‑80s to ~90%) applied to local household counts and average household size.
• Home internet via cellular: A meaningful minority of households rely primarily on a cellular data plan for home internet, at a rate higher than the Ohio statewide average. County households are also more likely than the state average to be “mobile‑only” (have a smartphone but no desktop/laptop).

Demographic patterns behind usage

• Age: Logan County skews older than Ohio overall, which depresses smartphone adoption among seniors but raises reliance on voice/text for essential connectivity. Younger adults (18–34) and families around Bellefontaine show near‑universal smartphone use; adoption is notably lower among 65+ in rural townships.
• Income and education: Median household income is modestly below the Ohio average. This correlates with:
  • higher take‑up of budget Android devices and prepaid plans;
  • higher incidence of mobile‑only internet at home (cellular data plan instead of cable/fiber);
  • more multi‑user sharing of a single handset or plan in lower‑income households.
• Geography within the county:
  • Bellefontaine, West Liberty, and the US‑33 corridor show the highest 5G device penetration and app usage intensity.
  • Indian Lake/seasonal areas see pronounced summer spikes in device counts and data consumption.
  • Outlying agricultural townships have more basic handset mixes and lower video streaming rates due to signal and plan constraints.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carriers present: AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon all operate in the county; regional/MVNO plans are common.
• 4G LTE: Effectively ubiquitous along primary roads and in settled areas, with occasional dead zones in low‑lying or wooded spots and inside metal‑roof structures.
• 5G:
  • T‑Mobile’s low‑band 5G covers most populated parts of the county; its mid‑band (Ultra Capacity) is concentrated in and around Bellefontaine and along US‑33.
  • Verizon’s C‑Band 5G is live in Bellefontaine and along major corridors; coverage thins in outer townships.
  • AT&T 5G is present in towns and along main highways; mid‑band density is still building outside the core.
• Towers and backhaul: Dozens of registered macro sites ring Bellefontaine, the US‑33/US‑68 corridors, and the Indian Lake area, complemented by small cells in the core of Bellefontaine. Microwave and fiber backhaul follow the highway grid; fiber scarcity in rural spurs limits mid‑band 5G depth there.
• Performance realities:
  • Strong indoor service in towns; weaker indoor performance in older farmhouses and lake cottages without in‑home boosters.
  • Seasonal congestion around Indian Lake on summer weekends and holidays, easing during off‑season.
  • Public safety and school facilities generally have solid coverage; fairgrounds and parks vary by carrier.

How Logan County differs from Ohio overall

• Slightly lower smartphone penetration than the statewide average due to an older age profile, but higher reliance on mobile service as the primary or only home connection among lower‑income and rural households.
• A larger share of users on prepaid and MVNO plans than the state average, reflecting price sensitivity.
• More pronounced seasonal swings in active devices and data demand (Indian Lake tourism) than typical Ohio counties.
• 5G availability is increasingly broad but remains more corridor‑centric than in Ohio’s metro counties; mid‑band 5G depth is improving first around Bellefontaine and US‑33 before spreading to outer townships.
• Measurably more cellular‑only households and fewer cable/fiber subscriptions than the Ohio average, with corresponding impacts on video streaming quality and hotspot use for homework and remote work.

Actionable implications

• For providers: Capacity augments around Indian Lake and additional mid‑band 5G sectors on the edges of Bellefontaine and along SR‑117/SR‑235 would address peak‑season congestion and improve rural indoor coverage.
• For public agencies: Targeted device and hotspot programs for seniors and low‑income students will yield outsized gains versus metro‑style fiber buildouts alone.
• For businesses: Assume near‑universal SMS reach and high smartphone reach in town centers; design apps and services to tolerate variable bandwidth in rural edges and during summer peaks.

Primary data anchors: U.S. Census (2020), American Community Survey 2018–2022 (Types of Computers and Internet Subscriptions, S2801) for household smartphone and cellular‑plan incidence, and FCC mobile coverage filings (2023–2024) for 4G/5G availability.

Social media usage in Logan County, Ohio (2025 snapshot)

Population baseline

• Residents: ~46,000 (U.S. Census estimates). Adults 18+: ~36,000. Teens 13–17: ~2,900.
• Households with broadband: roughly mid-80% (Census QuickFacts for similar Ohio counties), enabling high social media reach.

Estimated social media users (age 13+)

• Total users (13+): ~28,000 (≈73% of residents age 13+; ≈61% of total population).
• Gender split of users: ~50% female, ~50% male (overall adoption shows no material gender gap; platform-specific skews noted below).

Age composition of users (share of the local user base)

• 13–17: ~10%
• 18–24: ~13%
• 25–44: ~33%
• 45–64: ~32%
• 65+: ~13%

Most‑used platforms and benchmark penetration Adults (18+) — platform use rates closely mirror U.S. adult patterns and are a solid benchmark for Logan County:

• YouTube: ~83%
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~47%
• Pinterest: ~35%
• TikTok: ~33%
• WhatsApp: ~29%
• LinkedIn: ~30%
• Snapchat: ~27%
• X (Twitter): ~22%
• Reddit: ~22%
• Nextdoor: ~20% (typically lower engagement in rural areas)

Teens (13–17) — national teen usage patterns reliably describe local teen behavior:

• YouTube ~95%
• TikTok ~67%
• Instagram ~62%
• Snapchat ~59%
• Facebook ~32%
• X (Twitter) ~23%
• Twitch ~20%
• WhatsApp ~17%
• Reddit ~14%

Gender notes by platform (typical skews that carry locally)

• More female: Pinterest, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook
• More male: Reddit, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Discord
• Facebook is near-even but slightly female-leaning; Pinterest is strongly female-leaning; Reddit and X skew male

Behavioral trends in Logan County

• Facebook is the community hub: local news, school sports, churches, civic groups, and Marketplace drive the highest everyday engagement. Facebook Groups are critical for event reach and word-of-mouth.
• YouTube is the how‑to and hobby channel: strong usage for DIY, automotive, home, outdoor, and small‑engine content; local businesses benefit from short walk‑throughs and fix‑it videos.
• Short‑form video is the growth engine: Reels/Shorts/TikTok outperform static posts for awareness and recall; vertical video with local faces/places performs best.
• Teens live on Snapchat and TikTok: Snapchat for daily messaging/streaks; TikTok for entertainment and trends; Instagram remains key for sports highlights and peer networks.
• Commerce and leads: Facebook/Instagram drive local retail foot traffic and service leads; Messenger is preferred for quick inquiries; Marketplace listings see high weekend activity.
• Professional networking is niche: LinkedIn usage is modest but useful for healthcare, education, manufacturing, and public-sector hiring; employer branding works best with employee spotlights.
• Best posting windows: Evenings (roughly 7–9 pm) and weekend mornings see higher local engagement; align event posts 24–72 hours before start time.

How the numbers were derived

• Population and age structure from U.S. Census/ACS for Logan County; platform rates from Pew Research Center’s most recent Social Media Fact Sheet (adults) and Teens, Social Media & Technology study (teens). County-level user counts are calculated by applying those empirically observed adoption rates to Logan County’s population.