Noble County

Key demographics — Noble County, Ohio

Population size

• 14,115 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age

• Median age: 41.8 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: 18.6%
• 18–64: 64.4%
• 65 and over: 17.0%

Gender

• Male: 59.9%
• Female: 40.1% Note: The county’s male share is elevated due to a state correctional institution.

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2018–2022)

• White (non-Hispanic): 89.7%
• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): 7.0%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): 1.7%
• Two or more races: 1.3%
• Other (including AIAN, Asian, NHPI): 0.3%

Household data (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~5,050
• Average household size: 2.45
• Family households: 68% (of households)
• Married-couple families: 53% (of households)
• Households with children under 18: 27%
• Nonfamily households: 32%
• Householder age 65+ living alone: 12%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: 78%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Noble County, OH snapshot (population 14,115; density ≈35 residents/sq. mile, 2020 Census)

Estimated email users: ≈10.5k residents use email at least monthly.

• Adults (18+): ≈9.7k users (about 88% of ≈11.0k adults)
• Teens (13–17): ≈0.8k users (≈85% adoption among ≈0.95k teens, driven by school accounts)

Age distribution of email users (share of users):

• 13–17: 8%
• 18–34: 27%
• 35–54: 33%
• 55–64: 15%
• 65+: 17% Email is near-universal among under-55 adults; adoption remains high though slightly lower for 65+.

Gender split among community email users: ≈51% women, 49% men. Note: the county’s overall population skews more male due to correctional facilities, but institutionalized residents are not typical email users; among non‑institutional residents, usage is roughly even with a slight female majority.

Digital access trends and local connectivity:

• Household broadband subscription is below the Ohio average, consistent with Appalachian Ohio; smartphone‑only internet access is relatively common.
• Fixed wired options are mainly cable/DSL with limited but growing fiber; topography creates service gaps outside towns.
• 4G LTE covers primary corridors; coverage weakens in hilly areas, reinforcing reliance on public Wi‑Fi and mobile hotspots.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Noble County, Ohio

Scope and method note: County-specific mobile phone usage is not directly reported in a single dataset. The figures below combine definitive public statistics (Census/ACS demographics; FCC coverage context) with small-area estimates derived by applying national/state adoption rates by age and income to Noble County’s population structure. Ranges are provided where appropriate to reflect statistical uncertainty while remaining decision-usable.

Headline estimates (most recent data vintages through 2023–2024; population baseline 2020 Census)

• Population and households: 14,115 residents; roughly 5,000–5,200 households.
• Adult mobile phone users: 9,000–9,600 adults use a mobile phone, of whom 8,500–9,400 are smartphone users.
• Total mobile users including teens (ages 13–17): 9,700–10,400.
• Wireless-only telephone households (no landline): about 3,000–3,400 households (roughly 60–68%), lower than urban Ohio but higher than it was pre‑pandemic.
• Households with a cellular data subscription (any mobile broadband in the household, whether primary or supplemental): about 60–70% of households.
• Households primarily relying on cellular/fixed‑wireless for home internet: about 12–20% of households, materially higher than the statewide share.

How Noble County differs from Ohio overall

• Slightly lower overall smartphone penetration, driven by an older age structure and lower incomes. Adult smartphone adoption is about 3–6 percentage points below the statewide average.
• Much lower smartphone adoption among seniors. Among residents 65+, smartphone adoption is roughly 55–65% in Noble County versus about 70% statewide; landline retention is noticeably higher in this group.
• Greater reliance on mobile networks for home internet. A larger share of households use cellular or fixed‑wireless as their primary home broadband, reflecting patchier cable/fiber availability outside Caldwell and terrain‑related DSL limitations.
• More prepaid/value plan usage and tighter data budgeting than in metro Ohio, consistent with income distribution and coverage variability; this affects streaming and tethering behavior.
• Slower and spottier 5G mid‑band availability outside the I‑77 corridor; 4G LTE remains the de facto baseline in many valleys and on secondary roads, with more indoor dead zones than typical statewide.

Demographic breakdown of mobile usage (estimates aligned to Noble County’s age/income profile)

• Ages 18–29: 93–97% smartphone adoption; heavy social/video use; multicARRIER overlap near Caldwell/I‑77 enables higher data‑throughput than rural townships.
• Ages 30–49: 90–95% smartphone adoption; highest multi‑line family plan penetration; above‑average hotspot/tethering use when home broadband is weak.
• Ages 50–64: 78–86% smartphone adoption; larger split between premium and value plans; notable use of signal boosters and Wi‑Fi calling in fringe‑coverage areas.
• Ages 65+: 55–65% smartphone adoption; higher share of basic/flip phones and landline retention; text/voice primary, with gradual growth in telehealth app use since 2020.
• Income effects: Households under 200% of the federal poverty level show smartphone adoption 8–12 points lower than county average and are 1.5–2× more likely to be mobile‑only for home internet. This gap is wider than in Ohio’s metro counties.

Digital infrastructure and coverage highlights

• Carrier presence: AT&T, Verizon, and T‑Mobile all provide county coverage. 4G LTE is broadly available along primary routes, especially the I‑77 corridor and within/around Caldwell. Coverage thins on local roads and in hollows due to Appalachian terrain and lower tower density.
• 5G availability: Low‑band 5G footprints are present but often capacity‑constrained; mid‑band 5G with strong throughput is concentrated along I‑77 and in/near Caldwell. Outside those areas, practical speeds frequently fall back to LTE.
• Performance reality: Median mobile download speeds are materially lower than state urban medians, with wider variance by location and time of day. Indoor service can be unreliable in valleys and older buildings without Wi‑Fi calling.
• Home broadband interplay: Cable/fiber is available in and near Caldwell; many outlying areas depend on legacy DSL, satellite, or fixed‑wireless. This drives above‑average use of mobile hotspots and LTE/5G fixed‑wireless as primary access.
• Recent investment context: State and federal programs (e.g., BEAD, RDOF) are targeting Southeast Ohio; as new fixed builds land, expect a gradual shift from mobile‑only home internet to mixed wired+mobile usage, but mobile will remain the fallback where last‑mile builds are slow.

Usage patterns shaped by local conditions

• Higher share of residents using mobile as a safety/coordination tool for shift work, agriculture, energy, and transportation jobs; messaging/voice remain disproportionately important where data coverage is inconsistent.
• Data‑cap sensitivity leads to more conservative video streaming and off‑peak downloads compared with urban Ohio.
• Community institutions (libraries, schools, clinics) act as critical Wi‑Fi anchors; mobile users commonly offload data there due to spotty residential broadband.

What to monitor through 2026

• Mid‑band 5G site additions along secondary roads and near unserved clusters; these will have outsized impact on real‑world speeds.
• Fixed broadband builds from BEAD/RDOF and how much they reduce mobile‑only home internet reliance.
• Senior adoption programs and device affordability offers; closing the 65+ gap will be the biggest lever to lift county smartphone penetration toward the state average.

Primary data foundations behind the estimates

• U.S. Census 2020 (population/households) and ACS 5‑year through 2022 (age, income, internet subscription types).
• Pew Research Center 2023 (smartphone adoption by age/rurality).
• CDC National Health Interview Survey 2022 (wireless‑only households).
• FCC mobile broadband maps 2023–2024 (4G/5G availability and terrain constraints).

These figures provide a conservative, decision‑oriented picture of Noble County that highlights where it diverges from Ohio overall: slightly lower smartphone penetration, notably lower adoption among seniors, heavier reliance on mobile networks for home access, and more variable 5G performance outside the interstate corridor.

Noble County, OH social media snapshot (modeled 2024 estimates)

• Population: ~14,100 residents; ~11,100 adults (18+)
• Adult social media users: ~82% of adults ≈ 9,000–9,200 users
• Notes on scope: County-level platform use is not directly published. Figures apply the latest Pew Research Center adoption rates to Noble County’s age mix using recent Census estimates, reflecting community‑dwelling adults.

Most‑used platforms among adults (share of adults using each platform)

• YouTube: ~83%
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~47%
• TikTok: ~33%
• Snapchat: ~30%
• Pinterest: ~35%
• WhatsApp: ~29%
• LinkedIn: ~30%
• X (Twitter): ~22%
• Reddit: ~22% These ranks and percentages mirror rural U.S./Ohio patterns, with Facebook and YouTube dominant and Instagram/TikTok concentrated in under‑35 cohorts.

Age profile (share of adults in each age band who use at least one social platform; platform skews in parentheses)

• 18–29: ~90% use social media (heavy YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; lighter Facebook)
• 30–49: ~87% (YouTube and Facebook lead; Instagram growing; TikTok moderate)
• 50–64: ~73% (Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram/TikTok smaller but rising)
• 65+: ~45% (Facebook primary; YouTube secondary; minimal on Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat)

Gender breakdown

• Overall usage is near‑even by gender among community‑dwelling adults.
• Platform tendencies: women over‑index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; men over‑index on YouTube, Reddit, and X. Engagement on LinkedIn is modest for both.

Behavioral trends observed in comparable rural Ohio counties and applicable locally

• Facebook is the community hub: local news, school sports, churches, EMS/government notices, and Marketplace drive high daily reach.
• Video is mostly short‑form and mobile‑first: YouTube for how‑to/repair/outdoors; TikTok/Instagram Reels for entertainment and youth culture.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger and SMS are primary for coordination; WhatsApp used within specific family/work circles.
• Commerce: High use of Facebook Marketplace; local service providers rely on Facebook Pages/Groups for lead generation.
• Timing: Engagement peaks evenings and weekends; weather events and school/road alerts spike real‑time activity.
• Trust/localism: Users prefer content from known local entities and individuals; cross‑posting by schools, county offices, and first responders performs strongly.
• Constraints: Patchy broadband favors lightweight posts and downloaded/short videos over long livestreams; community conversations often occur in closed Groups.

Source basis: U.S. Census Bureau population estimates and Pew Research Center’s 2024 social media adoption rates applied to Noble County’s adult population. Figures represent best‑available, county‑specific modeled estimates consistent with rural Ohio usage patterns.