Madison County

Key demographics for Madison County, Ohio (latest available U.S. Census Bureau data; primarily 2020 Census and 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates):

• Population size:

  • 44,731 (2020 Census)
  • ~45,000–45,300 (2023 Census estimate)

• Age:

  • Median age: ~40 years
  • Under 18: ~21%
  • 65 and over: ~17%

• Gender:

  • Male: ~54–55%
  • Female: ~45–46%
  • Note: The male share is elevated relative to Ohio overall due to the local correctional population.

• Race/ethnicity (share of total population):

  • White (non-Hispanic and Hispanic combined): ~88%
  • Black or African American: ~7–8%
  • Two or more races: ~3–4%
  • Asian: ~0.5%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.2%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2–3%

• Households:

  • Total households: ~16,900–17,000
  • Average household size: ~2.55
  • Family households: ~70–72% of households
  • Married-couple families: ~50–55% of households
  • One-person households: ~22–25% of households
  • Households with children under 18: ~30% of households

Insights:

• The county is modestly growing from 2020 to 2023.
• Age structure skews mid-adult, with roughly one in six residents 65+.
• Household composition is predominantly family-based with average household size near the national average.
• Racial/ethnic composition is majority White with small but meaningful Black and Hispanic populations.

• Population baseline: ~44,700 residents (≈466 sq mi; ~95–100 people/sq mi), concentrated in London, West Jefferson, Plain City fringe, and Mount Sterling.
• Estimated adult email users: ≈31,300 of ~34,000 adults (≈92–93% penetration, aligned with U.S. norms).
• Age distribution of email users (approx.): 18–29: 4,900 (16%); 30–49: ~9,700 (31%); 50–64: ~9,500 (30%); 65+: ~7,200 (23%). Adoption is highest among 18–49 (95–97%), solid for 50–64 (93%), and lower for 65+ (~85%).
• Gender split: Near parity among users (men ≈49–50%, women ≈50–51%); usage rates are essentially identical by gender (men ~93%, women ~92%).
• Digital access and trends:
  • ~84–86% of households have a broadband subscription; ~90%+ have a computer.
  • ~15% of households are smartphone‑only, reflecting mobile‑first access in rural edges.
  • Connectivity is strongest along I‑70/US‑42 and in towns with cable/fiber; outer townships rely more on DSL or fixed wireless.
  • Public libraries, schools, and county facilities provide reliable Wi‑Fi and serve as access anchors.
  • 5G coverage is expanding along major corridors; home broadband adoption has risen roughly 8–12 percentage points since mid‑2010s.
• Note: Large correctional facilities skew the resident sex ratio, but incarcerated populations have limited internet/email access, so practical email penetration among non‑institutionalized adults is slightly higher than countywide averages.

Mobile phone usage in Madison County, Ohio (2024 snapshot)

Headline estimates

• Population and users: Madison County has roughly 45,000 residents, about 35,000 adults. An estimated 32,600 adults (≈93%) use a mobile phone, and about 31,200 (≈89%) use a smartphone.
• Household connectivity (ACS S2801, 2018–2022, county-level; rounded):
  • Households with a cellular data plan (smartphone/tablet/other portable) ≈72% (≈12,100 of ~16,800 households) vs Ohio ≈76%.
  • Cellular-only internet (no fixed broadband) ≈16% (≈2,700 households) vs Ohio ≈12%.
  • No internet subscription ≈13% (≈2,200 households) vs Ohio ≈10%. Interpretation: Mobile-phone and smartphone use are widespread, but Madison County relies on cellular as a primary home connection more than the state overall and has a larger “no-subscription” gap.

Demographic breakdown (usage patterns)

• Age: Smartphone adoption is near-universal for 18–34 (≈96–98%), high for 35–64 (≈90%), and lower for 65+ (≈70–75%). Madison County’s slightly older age profile than Ohio’s average depresses overall smartphone penetration a bit relative to the state.
• Income: Cellular-only home internet is concentrated among lower-income households; the county’s higher rural share elevates this reliance compared with the state average even though commuter households near West Jefferson/London skew median income higher.
• Geography (intra-county):
  • Urban/suburban edge (West Jefferson, London, I‑70/US‑40 corridors): highest smartphone uptake and 5G use; strong mid-band 5G capacity.
  • Western and southern townships (e.g., Paint, Range, Stokes, parts of Pike/Somerford): higher rates of cellular-only home internet and pockets with low-band 5G/LTE, translating to lower speeds and more signal variability indoors.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Carrier coverage: All three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) provide countywide LTE and broad 5G population coverage.
  • Mid-band 5G capacity (T‑Mobile n41; Verizon C‑band) is strongest along I‑70, US‑40, and through West Jefferson and London; AT&T 5G+ mid-band is present but more targeted.
• Typical performance by layer:
  • Mid-band 5G in corridor and town centers: roughly 150–400 Mbps down, single-digit to teens ms latency in good conditions.
  • Low-band 5G/LTE in rural edges: roughly 10–50 Mbps down, higher latency and more variability indoors.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA): T‑Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home are available in and around London and West Jefferson and selectively along the I‑70 corridor. Uptake is meaningfully higher than the statewide average in rural tracts, reflected in the county’s above-average cellular-only household share.
• Resilience and gaps:
  • Strong redundancy along interstate/commuter corridors (multiple macro sites with overlapping sectors).
  • Coverage drop-offs and capacity constraints persist in sparsely populated western/southern townships, especially inside metal-roof structures and in low-lying areas.

How Madison County differs from the Ohio state picture

• Higher reliance on mobile as a primary connection: Cellular-only home internet is several points higher than the state average (≈16% vs ≈12%), driven by rural last‑mile constraints and the availability of FWA.
• Slightly lower overall smartphone penetration: Countywide smartphone uptake among adults is a couple of points below Ohio’s urban-weighted average, influenced by an older age mix and rural coverage constraints.
• Larger unconnected share: Households with no internet subscription run a few points higher than the state (≈13% vs ≈10%), indicating a persistent digital inclusion gap.
• Performance skew: Median mobile speeds trail Ohio’s urban benchmarks away from the I‑70/US‑40 spine due to heavier reliance on low‑band spectrum and sparser site density; along the interstate corridor, performance is comparable to statewide urban averages.

Sources and methodology

• U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2018–2022 (Table S2801: Types of Computers and Internet Subscriptions) for household subscription shares and relative comparisons to Ohio.
• U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 population estimates for county population/household baselines.
• FCC Broadband Data Collection (Dec 2023) and carrier 2024 public coverage disclosures for 5G/LTE availability; industry field data for typical performance ranges by spectrum layer.
• Pew Research Center (2023) for national smartphone ownership by age brackets, apportioned to the county’s age structure to derive local adoption estimates.

Madison County, Ohio social media snapshot (2024–2025)

Overall user stats

• Population ≈44,000; adults (18+) ≈34,000 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ACS).
• Adults using at least one social platform: ≈25,000 (≈73% of adults), consistent with long‑running Pew estimates for U.S. adults.

Most‑used platforms (share of adults using the platform; Pew 2024 U.S. figures used as a local proxy—Madison County typically tracks within a few points)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• Pinterest: 35%
• TikTok: 33%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• Snapchat: 27%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• WhatsApp: 21%
• Reddit: 22%

Age group patterns (local adoption mirrors these national patterns)

• 18–29: Very high on YouTube (93%), Instagram (78%), Snapchat (65%), TikTok (62%); Facebook much lower (~33%).
• 30–49: YouTube high 80s; Facebook low 70s; Instagram ~50%; TikTok ~40%; LinkedIn ~35–40% (higher among college‑educated).
• 50–64: Facebook ~69%, YouTube high 70s; Instagram/TikTok generally in the 20s.
• 65+: Facebook ~50%, YouTube ~60%; other platforms low teens.

Gender breakdown (Pew 2024 patterns applied locally)

• Women: Higher use of Pinterest (~50%), Facebook (slightly higher than men), and modestly higher Instagram/TikTok.
• Men: Higher use of Reddit and X; LinkedIn slightly male‑leaning; YouTube broadly universal across genders.

Behavioral trends in Madison County (consistent with similar Ohio counties)

• Facebook is the community hub: Groups (schools, youth sports, county services), Marketplace, local news, event discovery, and weather/emergency updates drive recurring engagement.
• Short‑form video growth: Instagram Reels and TikTok for entertainment, local food/venue discovery, “how‑to,” and trades content; consumption > creation for most users.
• YouTube use is utilitarian: tutorials (home/auto repair, farming/ag equipment), church services, and high‑school sports highlights; connected‑TV viewing is increasing.
• Teens/young adults are messaging‑first: Snapchat for daily communication; Instagram DMs common; TikTok used primarily for consumption.
• Daypart usage: mobile, bite‑size checks during commute and lunch; evenings/weekends favor longer video and local event content.
• Purchase path: Facebook/Instagram drive awareness; Marketplace and local groups influence consideration; YouTube/Google searches precede bigger buys; Nextdoor plays a niche role for neighborhood services.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2023) for population; Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 for platform penetration and age/gender patterns. Figures shown for platforms are U.S. adult shares used as a local proxy and generally track closely in Madison County.