Wyandot County

Wyandot County, Ohio – key demographics (latest available Census/ACS)

Population size

• Total population: ~21.9k (2020 Census); ~21.7k (2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimate), indicating slight decline since 2010

Age

• Median age: ~42–43 years
• Age distribution: ~22% under 18; ~58–60% 18–64; ~19–20% 65+

Gender

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS, Hispanic is any race)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~94%
• Hispanic/Latino: ~2–3%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• Black or African American: ~0.3–0.5%
• Asian: ~0.2–0.4%
• American Indian/Alaska Native and other: ~0.1–0.3%

Household data

• Households: ~9,000
• Average household size: ~2.45–2.50
• Family households: ~62–66% of households; married-couple families ~50–55%
• Nonfamily households: ~34–38%; living alone ~28–31% (including ~11–13% age 65+)
• Households with children under 18: ~26–29%

Insights

• Small, slowly declining, and older-than-state-average population
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White with small but present Hispanic and multiracial populations
• Household structure is family-oriented but with a sizable share of single-person households typical of aging rural counties

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (DP1) and 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Wyandot County, OH (pop. 21.6k) is predominantly rural (53 people/sq mi). Estimated email users: ~16.4k residents (≈76% of all residents; ≈91% of adults), based on ACS internet access and Pew email adoption benchmarks.

Age distribution of email users (approx. counts, adoption rates):

• 13–17: ~1.0k users (≈75% adoption)
• 18–34: ~3.7k (≈95%)
• 35–49: ~4.2k (≈97%)
• 50–64: ~4.0k (≈92%)
• 65+: ~3.6k (≈80%)

Gender split among email users: roughly even, ~51% female and ~49% male, reflecting minimal gender differences in email adoption.

Digital access and trends:

• ~83% of households have a home broadband subscription; ~11% are smartphone-only; ~12% report no internet subscription.
• Home broadband subscription is up roughly 8 percentage points since 2016, with gains driven by cable, fiber, and fixed wireless.
• Connectivity is denser in and around Upper Sandusky and Carey; outer townships remain more dependent on DSL/fixed wireless, aligning with rural availability patterns.

Sources/methods: 2020 Census population base; ACS S2801 (Types of Internet Subscriptions) for household connectivity; Pew Research Center (2023–2024) for age/gender email usage rates, applied to local age structure.

Wyandot County, Ohio — mobile usage overview (with county-specific estimates and how it differs from the state)

Headline numbers

• Population baseline: 22,336 residents (2020 Census). Predominantly rural with small towns (Upper Sandusky, Carey) and extensive agricultural tracts.
• Estimated active mobile/smartphone users: roughly 16,000–17,000 residents use a smartphone regularly (about 72–77% of the total population; ~83–88% of adults). This estimate applies current national age-specific smartphone adoption to Wyandot’s older-leaning rural age mix.
• Mobile-only home internet: about 13–18% of households rely primarily on a cellular data plan for home internet (vs roughly 9–12% statewide), reflecting sparser wired broadband options outside town centers.

How Wyandot differs from Ohio overall

• Higher reliance on mobile data as the primary connection: Mobile-only home internet use is several points higher than the Ohio average, driven by limited wired options on county roads and farms.
• Slightly lower 5G mid-band availability off corridors: 5G coverage exists, but fast mid-band 5G (100–300 Mbps) is concentrated along US‑23/US‑30 and in town. Outside those areas, residents are more likely to see low‑band 5G/LTE speeds, below typical metro Ohio performance.
• Older user base impacts device mix: A larger share of residents 65+ (compared with Ohio overall) lowers overall smartphone penetration and increases the presence of basic/voice-first devices, though adoption among seniors continues to rise year over year.
• More prepaid and value plans: Rural buying patterns skew toward prepaid and budget MVNOs (for coverage flexibility and cost control), a higher share than the state average found in the big metros.

Demographic breakdown of mobile usage (modeled from age patterns and rural mix)

• Ages 18–29: Near-universal smartphone adoption (~95%+). Heavy app/social/video use; low fixed-home internet dependency compared with older cohorts.
• Ages 30–49: Very high adoption (~90–95%). Strong mobile work, navigation, and family coordination use; high data consumption. Many maintain both wired and mobile service where cable/fiber is available in town.
• Ages 50–64: Solid adoption (~80–85%). Increased telehealth, banking, and productivity app usage; growing 5G device penetration but more conservative plan changes.
• Ages 65+: Adoption materially lower (~60–70%) but rising. Larger share of voice/text-centric users; more LTE-only or entry 5G devices. Digital literacy and coverage consistency influence usage more than price alone.
• Income and plan type: Lower-income and out-of-town households are more likely to be mobile-only for internet, to use prepaid plans, and to hotspot for home connectivity. Households in Upper Sandusky and Carey are more likely to maintain wired-plus-mobile bundles.

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• Macro network presence: All three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) operate in the county. Coverage is strongest along US‑23, US‑30, and within/around Upper Sandusky and Carey.
• 5G profile:
  • Mid-band 5G (fast, 100–300 Mbps typical): Present primarily in town centers and along major corridors; patchier indoors in outlying areas due to tower spacing.
  • Low-band 5G/LTE (broad reach, 5–50+ Mbps typical): Dominant in rural tracts; performance varies with distance, foliage, and building materials.
• Tower density and propagation: Fewer macro sites per square mile than metro Ohio. Carriers rely on lower-frequency bands for reach; this helps outdoor coverage but can reduce indoor speeds away from corridors.
• Fixed alternatives that shape mobile reliance:
  • Cable/fiber: Available in municipal cores and some subdivisions; limited reach along rural roads.
  • DSL/copper: Legacy plant persists but often underperforms modern needs, pushing some households to mobile or fixed wireless.
  • Fixed wireless ISPs: Present across parts of the county, but line-of-sight and capacity constraints mean quality varies by location.
  • LEO satellite (e.g., Starlink): Countywide availability is expanding, offering another alternative to purely mobile home internet in remote spots.

Usage trends to watch (local vs state)

• Continued migration to mobile-only in rural tracts unless fiber builds accelerate beyond town limits; this gap is smaller in Ohio’s metros.
• 5G mid-band infill along county roads will materially lift rural speeds and reduce the state gap in app performance (video conferencing, telehealth).
• Senior adoption is climbing faster locally as healthcare, banking, and county services digitize, but overall senior smartphone penetration will likely remain several points below the Ohio average until coverage and training improve.
• Data consumption growth outpaces device growth: even with slower new-user growth, per-user data usage is rising on video, social, and hotspotting—putting pressure on tower backhaul where fiber isn’t yet in place.

Method and sources

• Population anchor: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (Wyandot County = 22,336).
• Adoption rates: Applied Pew Research Center’s 2023 U.S. smartphone adoption by age to a rural-leaning age distribution typical for Wyandot to produce county user estimates.
• Mobile-only household share: Estimated from U.S. Census Bureau ACS “Internet Subscriptions” patterns for rural Ohio counties and FCC Broadband DATA coverage patterns; contrasted with Ohio statewide ACS ranges.
• Infrastructure points: Based on FCC mobile coverage filings and common rural deployment patterns in Ohio (macro sites along highways/towns; mid‑band 5G concentrated in denser areas).

Bottom line

• About three-quarters of Wyandot County residents use smartphones, but reliance on mobile as the primary home connection is noticeably higher than the Ohio average because wired options thin out quickly outside town limits.
• The county’s older age mix and sparser tower grid mildly depress overall smartphone and 5G mid-band usage relative to state averages, yet year-over-year gains in senior adoption and ongoing 5G build-outs are narrowing performance and usage gaps along key corridors and in population centers.

Wyandot County, OH social media snapshot (2025)

User stats

• Population: ~21,900 residents (countywide)
• Internet access: ~80–85% of households with broadband; ≈16,500–18,000 residents online
• Active social media users (13+): ~14,800 (≈68% of residents; ≈80–85% of internet users)
• Gender among social media users: ~51% female, 49% male

Age mix of social media users (share)

• 13–17: 6%
• 18–24: 9%
• 25–34: 17%
• 35–44: 19%
• 45–54: 18%
• 55–64: 15%
• 65+: 16%

Most‑used platforms in the county (share of local social media users, monthly)

• Facebook: 82%
• YouTube: 79%
• Instagram: 42%
• Pinterest: 33%
• TikTok: 31%
• Snapchat: 28%
• LinkedIn: 19%
• X (Twitter): 18%
• Nextdoor: 6%

Behavioral trends and usage patterns

• Facebook is the daily hub for community news, schools, churches, local government, and civic groups. Facebook Groups and Marketplace see heavy use for buy/sell/trade, event promotion, and storm/road updates.
• Video is dominant. Short‑form (Reels/TikTok) continues to gain time share, especially 18–34; how‑to and long‑form on YouTube remain strong across 25–64.
• Messaging splits by age: under 30 leans Snapchat (and Instagram DMs) for fast, ephemeral communication; 30+ relies on Facebook Messenger for coordination.
• Instagram skews to 18–44 for local food, boutiques, youth sports highlights, and event discovery; Stories and Reels outperform static posts.
• Pinterest over‑indexes among women 25–54 for DIY, recipes, home projects, seasonal/holiday planning, and local retail inspiration.
• X (Twitter) usage is niche, mainly for weather alerts, state sports, and select local officials; LinkedIn is light but relevant for hiring in healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, and education.
• Engagement timing: weekday evenings (7–9 pm) and weekend mornings (8–10 am) are consistent peaks; county fair weeks, school sports seasons, festivals, and severe weather drive sharp spikes across Facebook and YouTube.
• Commerce and conversion: Facebook/Instagram drive most local inquiries via Messenger/Comments; Marketplace and local buy/sell groups influence consideration for autos, equipment, furniture, and rental housing.

Notes on figures

• Counts and platform percentages are modeled local estimates using current Ohio/rural adoption patterns and age‑gender splits as of 2024–2025. Expect ±3–5 percentage‑point variability by platform and season.