Preble County

Preble County, Ohio — key demographics (latest available)

Population size

• 40,999 (2020 Decennial Census)
• 40.9k (2023 Census estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~43 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census; percentages sum to ~100)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~94%
• Black or African American: ~1%
• Asian: ~0.3–0.4%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.2–0.3%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~1–2%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Number of households: ~16.2k
• Average household size: ~2.5–2.6 persons
• Family households: ~68% of households
• Married-couple families: ~52% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~27%
• 1-person households: ~27–28%
• Householder age 65+ living alone: ~12%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~78%

Insights

• Stable-to-slightly declining population since 2010, with an older-than-national age profile (about 1 in 5 residents are 65+).
• Demographically homogeneous, with a very large non-Hispanic White majority and small but growing multiracial and Hispanic shares.
• Household structure skews toward owner-occupied, married-couple family households with moderate household size.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (PL 94-171) and American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates; Census Population Estimates Program (2023).

Preble County snapshot (population ~41,000; area 424 sq mi; density ~97 people/sq mi).

Estimated email users: ~31,000 residents.

Age distribution of email users (est.):

• 13–24: 16%
• 25–44: 33%
• 45–64: 32%
• 65+: 19%

Gender split of users (est.):

• Female: 51%
• Male: 49%

Digital access and usage trends:

• Households: ~16,400; with a broadband subscription ~82% (≈13,400), up ~3 percentage points since 2019.
• Device access: ~90% of households have a computer and/or smartphone; ~10% are smartphone‑only internet users.
• Network availability: Fixed broadband ≥25/3 Mbps available to roughly mid‑90s percent of residents; fastest tiers are densest in and around Eaton and along the I‑70 corridor, with patchier service in sparsely populated townships.
• Engagement: Email is effectively universal among working‑age adults; adoption among 65+ continues to rise, narrowing the age gap.
• Equity: Remaining access gaps correlate with lower income and higher rurality, shaping email frequency and reliability more than interest or skill.

Insights: The county’s moderate rural density and improving last‑mile coverage support broad email adoption, but pockets of limited fixed service keep a minority reliant on mobile‑only connectivity, which can constrain heavy email use.

Mobile phone usage in Preble County, Ohio (2023–2024)

Headline numbers

• Population: ~40,800; adults (18+): ~31,800; households: ~16,200
• Adult mobile phone users (any cellphone): ~30,200 (≈95% of adults)
• Adult smartphone users: ~27,200 (≈86% of adults)
• Households with at least one smartphone: ~13,800 (≈85%)
• Households with broadband of any type (incl. cellular data plans): ~12,600 (≈78%)
• Smartphone-only internet households (cellular data but no wired home internet): ~2,250 (≈14%)

How Preble County differs from Ohio overall

• Smartphone adoption is lower: ≈86% of adults in Preble vs ≈90% statewide
• Smartphone-only internet reliance is higher: ≈14% of households in Preble vs ≈9–10% statewide
• Wired home broadband take-up is lower: ≈64% of households in Preble vs ≈72% statewide (difference largely made up by cellular-only access)
• Older age structure depresses smartphone penetration relative to the state, widening the rural–urban gap in advanced mobile use (video, telehealth, cloud apps)

Demographic breakdown (usage and access)

• By age (adult smartphone ownership):
  • 18–34: ~96% (≈7,800 users)
  • 35–64: ~88% (≈14,400 users)
  • 65+: ~68% (≈5,000 users)
  • The 65+ share in Preble is several points higher than Ohio’s, pulling down overall smartphone adoption and increasing basic/feature-phone retention
• By income (household access patterns; shares refer to households in each bracket):
  • Under $35k: smartphone-only internet ≈22%; most likely to rely on prepaid plans and mobile hotspots
  • $35k–$75k: smartphone-only ≈12%; mix of cellular and copper/coax where available
  • $75k+: smartphone-only ≈6%; far more likely to pair smartphones with fiber/cable and use multi-line postpaid plans
• Geography within the county:
  • Eaton, Lewisburg, West Alexandria, Camden, and I-70/US-127 corridors show stronger 5G signal quality and app performance
  • Southern and western townships show more 4G/LTE fallback and a higher share of cellular-only home internet due to sparse wired options

Digital infrastructure snapshot

• Carrier footprint: AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon all provide countywide 4G/LTE coverage; low‑band 5G is broadly present, with mid‑band 5G clustered along I‑70, US‑127, and in population centers (Eaton, Lewisburg, Camden)
• Public safety: AT&T FirstNet sites cover the I‑70 corridor and the county seat, improving voice/data reliability for responders
• Backhaul and fiber: Long‑haul fiber follows I‑70 and key state routes; fewer fiber laterals in rural townships limit mid‑band 5G density and peak speeds off the main corridors
• Fixed alternatives: Cable and fiber are available in and around towns, but many outlying areas lean on LTE/5G FWA, aligning with the county’s above‑average smartphone‑only and cellular‑first access
• Cross‑border mobility: Proximity to the Indiana line and I‑70 increases interstate roaming segments; signal quality is strongest along highway rights‑of‑way

Usage implications

• Mobile devices are the primary internet on‑ramp for roughly one in seven households, a higher rate than Ohio’s average, which sustains strong demand for robust LTE/5G coverage and generous data plans
• Older residents’ lower smartphone uptake and weaker wired options create pockets where voice/SMS remain central and app‑heavy services (video telehealth, cloud schooling) lag without targeted support
• Network upgrades that extend mid‑band 5G off the highway grid and expand fiber backhaul into rural townships would narrow the county’s gap with state‑level mobile experience

Notes on figures

• Population, household, and broadband figures reflect recent ACS 5‑year estimates and standard definitions (broadband “of any type” includes cellular data plans); smartphone adoption rates are derived from ACS device ownership and Pew Research adoption patterns for rural areas to yield county‑level estimates aligned with observed Ohio statewide benchmarks.

Social media in Preble County, OH (2025 snapshot)

Baseline

• Population: ~41,000 residents (Census 2023 est.); adults 18+: ~32,500
• Overall social use: ~73% of adults use at least one social platform (U.S. benchmark applied to local age/rural profile)

Most‑used platforms (adults, estimated share of 18+ in Preble County; modeled from Pew Research 2024 platform use, adjusted for rural/older age mix)

• YouTube: 80% (26,000 adults)
• Facebook: 70% (23,000)
• Instagram: 32% (10,500)
• Pinterest: 31% (10,000)
• TikTok: 28% (9,000)
• Snapchat: 22% (7,000)
• X (Twitter): 17% (5,500)
• LinkedIn: 18% (6,000)

Age patterns (platform tendencies; percentages are national benchmarks used to indicate directionality)

• Teens 13–17 (2,400 locally): Very high YouTube (95%); strong Snapchat (60%) and TikTok (60–65%); Instagram (~60%); Facebook ~30% (Pew Research Center, 2023 teens)
• 18–29: YouTube ~90%+; Instagram ~75–80%; Snapchat ~60–65%; TikTok ~60%; Facebook ~30–35%
• 30–49: YouTube ~90%; Facebook ~70%; Instagram ~45–50%; TikTok ~30–35%; LinkedIn ~35–40%
• 50–64: Facebook ~70%+; YouTube ~80%+; Instagram ~25–30%; TikTok ~15–20%
• 65+: Facebook ~50%; YouTube ~55–60%; Instagram ~10–15%; TikTok <10%

Gender breakdown (directional)

• Women: More likely on Facebook and especially Pinterest (dominant female user base); modest lead on TikTok and Snapchat
• Men: More likely on YouTube; over‑indexed on Reddit and X; LinkedIn slightly male‑skewed
• Engagement style: Women drive group/community and marketplace interactions; men over‑index in video/how‑to, sports, and news

Behavioral trends observed in rural Midwest counties and consistent with Preble County’s profile

• Facebook as the local hub: High reliance on Groups, local news pages, school and youth‑sports updates, churches, and county services; Marketplace is a primary buy/sell channel
• Video for practical problem‑solving: Strong YouTube use for DIY, home/auto repair, farming and equipment maintenance, hunting/outdoors, and product reviews
• Short‑form growth but age‑split: TikTok and Instagram Reels rising for entertainment and local creators; adoption concentrated under 40
• Messaging and ephemerals among youth: Snapchat is the default for teens/college‑age, with streaks and private Stories driving daily use
• Event‑driven spikes: Severe weather, road closures, school announcements, and public‑safety incidents produce rapid engagement surges on Facebook and YouTube live streams
• Local commerce: Word‑of‑mouth via Facebook Groups and Marketplace significantly influences discovery for trades, seasonal services, yard/estate sales, and small retailers
• Time‑of‑day patterns: Evening peaks (roughly 6–9 pm) and weekend surges; mobile‑first usage dominates across ages

Notes and sources

• County population: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (Preble County, OH, 2023 est.)
• Platform and age/teen benchmarks: Pew Research Center (Social Media Use in 2024; Teens, Social Media and Technology 2023)
• Figures for Preble County are modeled estimates derived from Pew’s national platform adoption by age/rural cohorts, weighted to the county’s older, rural demographic mix; they are intended for planning and comparative insight.