Morrow County

Morrow County, Ohio — Key Demographics

Population

• Total population: ~36.6K (2020 Decennial Census)
• Growth: modest increase from 2010 to 2020

Age

• Median age: ~41 years (ACS 5-year)
• Age distribution: ~24% under 18; ~60% 18–64; ~16% 65+ (ACS 5-year)

Sex

• Approximately 50% male, 50% female (ACS 5-year)

Race and Ethnicity

• White alone: ~96%
• Black or African American alone: ~1%
• Asian alone: ~0–1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0–1%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2% (ACS 5-year; ethnicity overlaps with race)

Households and Housing

• Households: ~13.7K (ACS 5-year)
• Average household size: ~2.6–2.7
• Family households: ~70–75% of households; married-couple majority
• Households with children under 18: ~30–35%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~80%+
• Housing units: ~15K; vacancy typical of rural counties (ACS 5-year)

Notable insights

• Predominantly non-Hispanic White, rural profile
• Family-oriented with high owner-occupancy
• Median age modestly above the U.S. median

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (Demographic and Housing Characteristics File); American Community Survey 5-year estimates (most recent available). Figures rounded for clarity.

Email usage in Morrow County, Ohio (estimated 2024)

• Estimated email users: ~26,000 residents (about 86% of residents aged 13+).
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–24: 16% (4,200)
  • 25–44: 31% (8,100)
  • 45–64: 34% (8,800)
  • 65+: 19% (4,900)
• Gender split among email users: ~51% female, ~49% male.

Digital access and trends:

• Households: 13,800; with a broadband subscription: ~83% (11,500). Smartphone-only internet: 10–12% (1,400–1,650 households). No home broadband: 15% (2,100 households).
• Email access is predominantly via smartphones and webmail; older adults show rising adoption but lower daily use than working-age cohorts.
• Remote work/schooling since 2020 boosted account creation and multi-account use; deliverability and security adoption (MFA) are increasing among local institutions and schools.

Local density/connectivity facts:

• Rural county with roughly 90 people per square mile, which raises last-mile costs and leaves areas outside village centers more dependent on fixed wireless and satellite.
• Public libraries, schools, and community Wi‑Fi remain important access points for residents without reliable home broadband.

Notes: Figures derived from county population and recent Ohio/US adoption benchmarks applied to Morrow County’s age structure.

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

User base and adoption

• Population baseline: about 36,000 residents (2023 estimate).
• Unique mobile phone users: approximately 30,000–31,000 people (about 84–87% of residents).
• Smartphone users: roughly 26,000–27,000 people (about 72–76% of residents, or 83–87% of adults).
• Active mobile subscriptions: about 40,000–42,000 lines (roughly 110–116% of the population), reflecting multi-line households, wearables, and IoT lines.

Demographic breakdown (who uses what)

• Age
  • 13–17: very high smartphone access (≈90–95%); contributes roughly 2,000–2,200 smartphone users.
  • 18–34: near-universal smartphone ownership (≈92–96%); heavy app and video usage.
  • 35–64: high smartphone ownership (≈88–93%); strongest share of multi-line family plans.
  • 65+: lower but solid smartphone ownership (≈65–72%); more voice/SMS and larger share of basic phones than the state average.
• Income and plan type
  • Prepaid penetration is elevated versus Ohio overall; about 28–32% of personal lines in Morrow are prepaid (statewide closer to low-20s%).
  • Price-sensitive households show above-average reliance on unlimited prepaid or budget MVNOs hosted on the national carriers.
• Household internet mix (ACS-style profile, county level)
  • Households with any internet: about mid-80s percent (slightly below Ohio overall).
  • Households with a cellular data plan (any use): around 70–75%.
  • Cellular-only home internet (no cable/DSL/fiber): approximately 12–15% of households, higher than the statewide rate (roughly high single digits).
  • 5G fixed wireless access (home internet from Verizon/T-Mobile): visible uptake, on the order of 8–10% of households, with additional households depending on smartphone hotspots as primary service.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage and technology
  • All three national carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile) provide countywide LTE; 5G low-band covers most populated areas, with mid-band 5G strongest along the I-71 corridor and in/around Mount Gilead and Cardington.
  • Coverage gaps and edge-of-cell performance persist in sparsely populated agricultural townships away from highways and village centers, leading to more signal boosters and Wi‑Fi calling reliance than in urban Ohio counties.
• Capacity and speeds
  • Mid-band 5G (C-band for Verizon/AT&T; 2.5 GHz for T-Mobile) delivers good capacity where available, but median speeds are typically lower and more variable than statewide urban medians because of wider tower spacing and more low-band fallbacks.
• Backhaul and tower siting
  • Fiber-fed macro sites cluster along I-71 and state routes; microwave backhaul remains part of the mix on outlying sites. Co-location is common; tower density is thinner than metro Ohio, contributing to variable indoor coverage.
• Competitive home broadband context
  • Cable coverage is strong in the villages but drops off quickly in rural areas; legacy DSL persists in pockets with limited performance. This creates a larger addressable market for 5G home internet and for mobile-only households than the state average.
• Public safety and resilience
  • FirstNet (AT&T) presence supports public safety; storm-related power/backhaul outages can create temporary cellular dead zones in rural tracts, reinforcing the importance of battery backups and roaming.

How Morrow County differs from Ohio overall

• Higher reliance on mobile as primary internet: Cellular-only households are several percentage points higher than the statewide average, driven by limited cable/fiber reach in rural tracts and the availability of 5G fixed wireless.
• More prepaid and MVNO usage: Budget-friendly prepaid adoption runs notably above the Ohio average, reflecting rural price sensitivity and lighter demand for bundled carrier perks.
• Slightly lower senior smartphone penetration: A larger share of residents 65+ use basic or older smartphones compared with the state average, which pulls down overall smartphone penetration a few points.
• Coverage quality is more uneven: 5G mid-band performance is robust along I-71 and in towns but drops off faster than in urban counties, with more low-band and LTE fallback and greater dependence on signal boosters indoors.
• Faster uptake of 5G home internet: With fewer fiber/cable options outside village centers, 5G fixed wireless has gained a higher household share than Ohio’s metro counties, contributing to the elevated cellular-only segment.

Key takeaways

• Around 30K residents in Morrow actively use mobile phones, with 26–27K on smartphones.
• Prepaid share and mobile-only home internet are both higher than the Ohio average.
• 5G is present countywide in low-band and along key corridors in mid-band, but rural distance and tower spacing drive more variable speeds than in metro areas.
• Infrastructure investments that add mid-band 5G sites off the highway corridors and extend fiber backhaul will directly improve indoor coverage and reduce the county’s reliance on mobile-only internet.

Social media usage in Morrow County, OH (2025 snapshot)

Overall penetration and activity

• Adult social media penetration: 78–84% of residents 18+ use at least one platform (modeled estimate based on Pew 2023–2024 and rural-Ohio patterns).
• Daily usage: ~60–65% of adults use social media daily; ~35–40% check multiple times per day.
• Mobile-first: >85% of active users primarily access via smartphone; desktop use skews to 35+ and work contexts.

Most-used platforms among adults (18+), share of residents using each

• YouTube: 78–82% (broad across ages; highest among men and 18–49)
• Facebook: 63–69% (dominant for community news, schools, events, Marketplace)
• Instagram: 35–42% (strong in 18–34; moderate in 35–44; lighter 45+)
• Pinterest: 28–34% (skews female; home, crafts, recipes)
• TikTok: 26–32% (heavy 13–34; rising 35–44)
• Snapchat: 22–28% (primarily teens/young adults)
• LinkedIn: 16–22% (lowest in rural areas; usage concentrated among commuters/professionals)
• X (Twitter): 16–21% (news, sports, weather; low posting frequency)
• WhatsApp: 10–15% (family groups; limited business use) Note: County-level platform shares are modeled from national/state surveys and adjusted to Morrow County’s older age mix and rural broadband profile.

Age-group usage patterns

• Teens (13–17): YouTube ~95%, Snapchat 75–85%, TikTok 70–80%, Instagram 65–75%, Facebook <25%.
• Young adults (18–34): YouTube 90%+, Instagram 70%+, TikTok 55–65%, Snapchat ~50–60%, Facebook ~55–65%.
• Midlife (35–54): Facebook 70–80%, YouTube 80–85%, Instagram 35–45%, TikTok 25–35%.
• 55+: Facebook 60–70%, YouTube 65–75%, Instagram 20–30%, TikTok 12–20%.

Gender breakdown and skews

• Adult population is roughly balanced (~51% female, ~49% male). Among social users:
  • Women over-index on Facebook (+5–10 points vs men) and Pinterest (+15–25 points).
  • Men over-index on YouTube (+5–10 points), X/Twitter (+3–6), and Reddit (small but male-skewed).
  • Instagram and TikTok are near gender-parity among 18–34, with a slight female tilt.

Behavioral trends and local habits

• Community-first Facebook: Heavy use of local Groups (schools, youth sports, township updates), event pages, and buy/sell/trade. Marketplace is a primary channel for used vehicles, farm/yard equipment, and household goods.
• Visual short-form growth: Reels and TikTok drive discovery for local food, boutiques, gyms, trades, and events; creators favor cross-posting Reels/TikTok for reach.
• YouTube for practical content: Strong consumption of DIY, auto repair, hunting/fishing, ag equipment, home improvement, and church/livestream services; search-driven, episodic viewing.
• Messaging over posting: Younger users prefer DMs (Snapchat/Instagram) for coordination; public posting frequency is lower than consumption, especially among adults 35+.
• Shopping and response: High responsiveness to price-forward, geo-local promos and limited-time offers; reviews and neighbor recommendations in Groups influence purchase decisions.
• News and weather: Fast updates via Facebook pages/Groups and X during storms, school closings, and road conditions; local radio/TV pages act as hubs.
• Work and recruiting: LinkedIn usage is modest; Facebook Groups and Indeed remain primary for local hiring; trade and healthcare roles see strong Facebook ad performance.

What this means for outreach

• Use Facebook + YouTube as foundational channels; add Instagram and TikTok for under-45 reach.
• Lean on Facebook Groups/Marketplace for hyperlocal reach; pair short-form video with clear offers.
• Post in evening and weekend windows; prioritize vertical video, captions, and mobile-friendly landing pages.

Methodological note

• Figures are the best-available local estimates synthesized from Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. social media usage data, rural-Ohio usage patterns, and the county’s age/gender mix from recent Census/ACS releases. Exact platform user counts are not published at the county level; ranges reflect rural adjustments to national benchmarks.