Marion County

Marion County, Ohio — key demographics (latest available)

Population

• Total population: ~65,700 (2023 estimate; roughly flat since 2020)

Age

• Median age: ~40 years
• Under 18: ~21%
• 18 to 64: ~60%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Gender

• Male: ~53%
• Female: ~47%
• Note: Male share is elevated due to the county’s correctional institutions

Race and ethnicity

• White (non-Hispanic): ~82–85%
• Black or African American: ~8–10%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~4–5%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Asian: ~0.5%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.2–0.3%

Households and housing

• Households: ~25,000
• Persons per household (avg.): ~2.35–2.40
• Family households: ~60–65% of all households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~66–69%

Insights

• Stable population with an older age profile than the U.S. overall
• Racial/ethnic composition is predominantly White, with notable Black and growing Hispanic populations
• Household size and homeownership are close to typical for smaller Ohio counties

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; QuickFacts). Figures rounded for clarity.

• Population: ≈65,300 (Marion County, OH, 2023 est.). Estimated email users (use at least monthly): ≈52,000 (≈80% of residents), derived from age-specific U.S. adoption rates applied to local demographics.
• Age distribution of email users (share of users):
  • Under 13: 1.5%
  • 13–17: 6.8%
  • 18–34: 25.3%
  • 35–54: 31.0%
  • 55–64: 14.7%
  • 65+: 20.7%
• Gender split among email users: ≈51% female, ≈49% male (mirrors civilian adult population; incarcerated residents are less likely active email users).
• Digital access and trends:
  • Household broadband subscription: ≈85% (ACS-aligned), with smartphone‑only internet reliance around 15–18%.
  • Coverage: FCC mapping indicates roughly low‑90s% of serviceable addresses have access to ≥100/20 Mbps wired broadband; gaps persist on rural fringes where DSL or fixed wireless dominates.
  • Public access: Marion Public Library, schools, and community centers provide free Wi‑Fi/PCs, mitigating access gaps for students and lower‑income households.
• Local density/connectivity context: ≈160 people per square mile across ~404 square miles; the City of Marion enjoys multi‑provider competition and faster speeds, while outlying townships show lower take‑up and older‑adult households drive much of the remaining non‑use.

Mobile phone usage in Marion County, Ohio — 2024 snapshot

Overall user estimates

• Total smartphone users: approximately 47,000–50,000 residents use a smartphone regularly. This equates to about 86–90% of adults, modestly below Ohio’s statewide adoption, which is near 90% among adults.
• Mobile-only internet users (smartphone as primary/only internet): about 20–25% of households in Marion County rely mainly on mobile data, higher than the Ohio average (roughly 16–18%). This is driven by lower wired broadband adoption in rural and lower‑income parts of the county.
• Active mobile lines: roughly 56,000–60,000 lines in service when accounting for multiple devices per user (phones, hotspots, wearables, tablets).

Demographic breakdown of usage

• By age
  • 18–34: near-saturation (≈95–98% smartphone ownership), in line with Ohio.
  • 35–64: high adoption (≈90–93%), about 1–2 percentage points below statewide.
  • 65+: notably lower than state (≈78–85% vs ≈85–90% statewide). Seniors in Marion are more likely to maintain basic/feature phones and to share devices.
• By income
  • Under $35k household income: high smartphone adoption (≈85–88%) but materially higher mobile‑only internet reliance (≈25–30%), notably above statewide.
  • $35k–$75k: strong adoption (≈90–92%), with elevated use of prepaid plans and MVNOs relative to Ohio overall.
  • $75k+: near-saturation (≈94–97%), similar to state.
• By geography
  • Marion city and US‑23 corridor: strongest 5G availability and fastest median speeds; higher take‑up of mid‑band 5G plans.
  • Outlying townships: more LTE/low‑band 5G usage and higher reliance on mobile data in lieu of wired broadband; prepaid and hotspot use are more common than the state average.
• By plan type and device mix
  • Prepaid/MVNO share: estimated 28–35% of lines, several points higher than the Ohio average (≈22–26%).
  • Device platform: Android share is higher than the state average, reflecting income mix; iOS remains substantial in Marion city.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• 5G availability: all three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) provide countywide coverage with 5G present across population centers. Mid‑band 5G is most consistent in and around Marion city and along the US‑23 corridor; low‑band 5G/LTE predominates in less dense areas.
• Performance profile:
  • Mid‑band 5G typical downloads: roughly 150–300 Mbps where available; uplinks 15–40 Mbps.
  • Low‑band 5G/LTE typical downloads: roughly 10–60 Mbps; uplinks 3–15 Mbps.
  • Variability is higher outside Marion city due to tower spacing and foliage, which depresses median speeds relative to Ohio’s metro counties.
• Tower and site density: rural density is lower than state average for populated counties, consistent with the observed performance gap outside the city. Macro sites are concentrated near Marion city, major roadways, and industrial areas; infill/small cells are limited versus large Ohio metros.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA): 5G home internet from major carriers is available to substantial portions of the county and is seeing faster uptake than the state average in rural townships, contributing to the higher mobile‑only/primary dependence.

Trends that differ from the Ohio state level

• Slightly lower adult smartphone penetration (by about 1–3 percentage points), driven by a larger senior share and lower median income.
• Meaningfully higher reliance on mobile data as a primary internet connection (about 3–8 percentage points above the Ohio average), reflecting patchier wired broadband uptake outside the city.
• Higher prepaid/MVNO adoption and a tilt toward Android devices compared with the state mix.
• Wider urban–rural performance gap: Marion city approaches statewide medians on 5G speeds, while outlying areas trail state averages more noticeably.
• Faster growth in fixed wireless home internet subscriptions than the Ohio average, as households substitute or supplement limited wired options.

Method notes

• Estimates reflect 2023–2024 patterns using county demographics, American Community Survey device/subscription indicators, Pew smartphone adoption baselines, and typical performance envelopes from nationwide carrier deployments. Figures are rounded to practical ranges to reflect measurement variability at the county level.

Marion County, OH — social media usage snapshot (modeled 2025)

Population baseline

• Residents: ≈65,000
• Adults (18+): ≈51,000

Overall usage (adults)

• Adults using at least one social platform: ≈36,000–37,000 (about 72% of adults)

Age mix of adult social users (share of adult social media users)

• 18–29: ≈25%
• 30–49: ≈35%
• 50–64: ≈25%
• 65+: ≈14% Notes: Teens (13–17) are heavy users of YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram; adult adoption remains concentrated on YouTube and Facebook.

Gender breakdown

• Overall adult social users are roughly balanced: ≈49% women, 51% men (mirrors county demographics)
• Platform tilts (local pattern mirrors national):
  • Pinterest: about 50% of adult women vs ~19% of adult men use it → ≈70%+ of local Pinterest users are women
  • Reddit: ~29% of men vs ~16% of women → ≈65% of local Reddit users are men
  • Snapchat: ~34% of women vs ~22% of men → predominantly female
  • TikTok: ~36% of women vs ~29% of men → slight female tilt
  • LinkedIn and YouTube: slight male tilt; Facebook: near parity with a slight female tilt

Most‑used platforms by adults in Marion County (share of adults; ≈user count)

• YouTube: 83% (~42,000)
• Facebook: 68% (~35,000)
• Instagram: 47% (~24,000)
• Pinterest: 35% (~18,000)
• TikTok: 33% (~17,000)
• LinkedIn: 30% (~15,000)
• Snapchat: 27% (~14,000)
• X (Twitter): 22% (~11,000)
• Reddit: 22% (~11,000)
• WhatsApp: 21% (~11,000)
• Nextdoor: 20% (~10,000)

Behavioral trends

• Community-first on Facebook: Local news, school and youth sports, public safety updates, events, and buy/sell/trade are anchored in Facebook Pages, Groups, and Marketplace. Older adults are highly active here.
• Video dominates: YouTube is the default for how‑to, local sports highlights, and product research. Short‑form video (Reels/TikTok) is the fastest-growing format for under‑35s and for local business promotions.
• Private messaging growth: Conversations and customer service are shifting to DMs—Messenger for 30+, Snapchat/Instagram DMs for under‑30.
• Commerce and recommendations: Facebook Marketplace is a key channel for local transactions; Instagram/TikTok discovery drives foot traffic when paired with clear location info and short videos.
• News reliance: A large share of adults encounter local information via Facebook; neighborhood chatter and city service updates appear on Nextdoor where available.
• Multi‑platform habits: Younger users maintain 3–5 apps (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit); older users concentrate on 1–3 (Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest). Cross‑posting short videos between TikTok and Instagram is common among local creators and businesses.

Method and sources

• Modeled local estimates apply Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adult platform adoption rates to Marion County’s adult population and age/gender mix from U.S. Census Bureau/ACS. Figures are rounded to reflect best-available local approximations.