Meigs County

Key demographics — Meigs County, Ohio

Population

• Total: 22,210 (2020 Decennial Census)
• Trend: Modest decline since 2010

Age

• Median age: ~44 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~20%
• 18–64: ~59%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022)

• White (alone): ~95–96%
• Black or African American (alone): ~1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (alone): ~0.3–0.4%
• Asian (alone): ~0.2–0.3%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~1–2%

Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~9,000
• Average household size: ~2.4–2.5
• Family households: ~65%; nonfamily: ~35%
• Married-couple households: ~48–50% of all households
• Households with children under 18: ~25–27%
• Individuals living alone: ~27–29% (about 11–12% age 65+ living alone)
• Homeownership rate: ~75–77% (renters ~23–25%)

Insights

• Small, aging, predominantly White population with high homeownership and smaller household sizes typical of rural Appalachian Ohio.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates (tables DP05, S0101, DP02). Figures rounded for clarity.

• Population and density: Meigs County has about 21,900 residents (2023 est.) across ~433 sq. mi., ~50 people per sq. mile (sparse, rural Appalachia).
• Connectivity baseline: 76% of households have a broadband subscription and ~86% have a computer (ACS 2018–2022), both below Ohio averages (84% and ~92%). This gap constrains universal email use.
• Estimated email users: ~13,400 adult residents actively use email (about 61% of total population; roughly 78% of adults), derived from local internet adoption and U.S. email usage norms among internet users.
• Age distribution of users: 18–34 ≈ 27% of users (very high adoption, 95% among connected); 35–54 ≈ 37% (93% adoption); 55+ ≈ 36% (~85% adoption). Median age in-county is mid‑40s, so older cohorts are a large share of users despite slightly lower adoption.
• Gender split: County population is ~51% female, ~49% male; email users mirror this: ≈ 6.8k female, ≈ 6.6k male.
• Digital access trends: Adoption is rising via fiber and fixed‑wireless buildouts, but rugged terrain and low density slow deployment; subscription rates remain ~8 percentage points below the state average, and public Wi‑Fi (libraries/schools in towns like Pomeroy and Middleport) continues to fill access gaps.

Mobile phone usage in Meigs County, Ohio (modeled 2025 snapshot, based on 2023 ACS demographics, FCC broadband data, and recent rural adoption benchmarks)

Headline estimates

• Population and households: ~22,000 residents; ~8,900 households
• Adult mobile phone ownership (any mobile): 94% of adults (16,500 users)
• Adult smartphone ownership: 86% of adults (15,100 users)
• Teen smartphone adoption (ages 13–17): ~95%, bringing total smartphone users countywide to roughly 16,300
• Smartphone-dependent households (rely on cellular data as primary or only internet): 14% of households (1,250)
• Households with no home internet subscription of any kind: ~21% (vs Ohio ~13–14%)

Demographic context and how it shapes usage (differences vs Ohio)

• Older population: Residents 65+ form a larger share than the state average, contributing to slightly lower overall smartphone penetration and slower 5G handset turnover; estimated smartphone adoption among 65+ in Meigs ~72% vs Ohio closer to upper 70s
• Lower incomes and educational attainment than the state: Correlate with higher prepaid/MVNO usage and higher smartphone-only internet reliance compared with Ohio overall
• Rural settlement pattern: More dispersed households raise the cost per location for wired broadband and tower builds, pushing reliance onto mobile data for day‑to‑day connectivity more than in most Ohio counties

Digital infrastructure and coverage profile

• 4G LTE: Broad outdoor coverage along the Ohio River corridor (Pomeroy–Middleport), US‑33, OH‑7, and state routes; coverage gaps persist in interior hollows and ridgelines where signal shadowing is common, leading to more frequent fallbacks to voice/text or Wi‑Fi calling than the Ohio average
• 5G: Low‑band 5G is present in and around population centers and major routes, but mid‑band 5G capacity is comparatively sparse; practical 5G availability and speeds trail state averages, with many interior areas effectively operating on LTE
• Capacity and speeds: Median mobile speeds in town centers meet common app and streaming needs, but off‑corridor speeds drop more often than the state average due to lower site density and terrain; peak‑time congestion is more visible where backhaul is limited
• Backhaul and fiber: Fewer fiber laterals to towers and to homes than the Ohio average; where fiber backhaul is present, mobile performance improves markedly near those sites
• Public safety and resiliency: First responder network coverage has expanded along primary corridors, but terrain‑related dead zones remain a planning focus; power and backhaul redundancy is more variable than in metro Ohio

Usage patterns that differ from the state level

• Greater smartphone-only reliance: A meaningfully higher share of households use smartphones as their main or only connection, driven by limited and/or costly fixed broadband options
• Higher prepaid share: Cost sensitivity increases prepaid/MVNO penetration relative to the statewide mix, which influences device upgrade cycles and 5G adoption tempo
• More variability in indoor service: Older housing stock and hilly terrain produce more indoor signal challenges than typical in Ohio’s urban/suburban counties, increasing reliance on Wi‑Fi and signal boosters

Key takeaways

• About 16,300 residents use smartphones, with overall mobile adoption nearly universal among adults
• Mobile networks shoulder more of the everyday connectivity load than elsewhere in Ohio because fixed broadband coverage and capacity lag the state
• 5G exists but is thinner and more corridor‑centric than the Ohio average; LTE remains the workhorse in much of the county
• Addressing mid‑band 5G coverage, tower density in interior townships, and fiber backhaul to both towers and homes would narrow Meigs County’s mobile experience gap with the rest of the state

Meigs County, Ohio — Social Media Usage (2025 snapshot)

Core user stats

• Population: ~22,000 residents; ~17,000 adults (18+).
• Adults using at least one social platform: ~76% (≈13,000 adults).
• Gender among social media users: ~53% women, ~47% men.
• Device/connection: >90% of social use is mobile; usage is constrained at times by patchy rural broadband, so short, lower-bitrate video performs best.

Age breakdown (adult adoption rates)

• 18–29: ~90% use social; heavy daily use.
• 30–49: ~83%; multi-platform, commerce-friendly.
• 50–64: ~72%; Facebook/YouTube dominant, rising short‑video consumption.
• 65+: ~48%; mostly Facebook and YouTube; light posting, heavier viewing.

Most‑used platforms (share of adults)

• YouTube: ~80%
• Facebook: ~70%
• Instagram: ~35%
• Pinterest: ~30%
• TikTok: ~28%
• Snapchat: ~24%
• X (Twitter): ~16%
• LinkedIn: ~13%
• Reddit: ~14%
• Nextdoor: ~5%

Behavioral trends and engagement patterns

• Community-first: Facebook Groups and Pages drive discovery of local news, school updates, weather alerts, high‑school sports, church and civic events.
• Marketplace culture: Strong Facebook Marketplace use for autos, farm/yard equipment, tools, furniture; price and proximity are decisive.
• Video habits: Short clips (15–60s) and live video for local sports, auctions, fairs, and community announcements outperform longer formats; captions matter due to sound‑off viewing.
• Content that travels: People-centered photos (teams, honor rolls, fundraisers), how‑to/DIY, outdoor/recreation, hunting/fishing, auto and home repair, local history nostalgia.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger (all ages) and Snapchat (under 35) are the primary private channels; many posts convert to 1:1 messages rather than public comments.
• Peak times (ET): 7–9 am, 12–1 pm, and 7–10 pm; weekend mornings show strong buy/sell activity.
• Demographic nuances: Women over‑index on Facebook and Pinterest (recipes, crafts, home, school/athletics); men over‑index on YouTube, Reddit, and Marketplace listings (tools, autos, outdoor gear).
• Trust and tone: Authentic, local voices outperform polished creative; civic and school-affiliated pages have unusually high credibility and share rates.
• Advertising response: Clear offers, visible prices, location tags, and “Message us” CTAs convert best; short video or carousel posts outperform single static images.

Notes on figures

• Percentages are 2025 modeled estimates for Meigs County, derived by applying recent U.S. and rural adoption benchmarks to the county’s age structure; platform shares reflect typical rural Ohio usage patterns. Actuals can vary by neighborhood, connectivity, and seasonality.