Cameron County

Key demographics — Cameron County, Pennsylvania (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2019–2023 5‑year estimates unless noted)

• Population: ~4,500 (2020 Census count: 4,547)
• Age:
  • Median age: ~51 years
  • Under 18: ~18%
  • 18–64: ~56%
  • 65 and over: ~26%
• Gender:
  • Male: ~51%
  • Female: ~49%
• Race/ethnicity (alone or in combination; Hispanic can be any race):
  • White: ~95%
  • Black or African American: ~1%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0–1%
  • Asian: ~0–1%
  • Two or more races: ~3%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~1–2%
• Households:
  • Total households: ~2,100
  • Average household size: ~2.1
  • Family households: ~56% of households
  • Households with children under 18: ~20–22%
  • Nonfamily households: ~44%; living alone: ~35% (about half of these age 65+)

• Context: Cameron County, PA is very small (≈4,400–4,600 residents) and extremely rural (≈11 people per sq. mile). Terrain and low density create coverage gaps; service is strongest around Emporium and main corridors, weaker in hollows/forested areas.

• Estimated email users: 3,800–4,200 residents. Adoption is high among working-age adults; slightly lower among the oldest residents due to access and skills gaps.

• Age pattern (share using email):

  • 18–29: ~97–99%
  • 30–49: ~96–98%
  • 50–64: ~90–95%
  • 65+: ~75–88%

• Gender split: Roughly even (no consistent, meaningful difference between men and women in email use).

• Digital access trends:

  • Home broadband subscription likely 70–80% of households, with a notable mobile-only segment (10–15%).
  • Fiber and fixed wireless are expanding via recent federal/state programs (e.g., BEAD/ARPA), but last-mile buildout remains costly in low-density areas.
  • Public anchors (library, schools, municipal Wi‑Fi) play an outsized role for residents without reliable home service.
  • Smartphone reliance is common among lower-income and older residents; speeds and reliability trail Pennsylvania averages outside town centers.

Note: Figures are county-scaled estimates based on current U.S. usage patterns and rural broadband data.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Cameron County, Pennsylvania

Snapshot

• Very small, rural county (population roughly 4,500–4,800) with an older age profile and mountainous, heavily forested terrain. These factors translate into lower smartphone adoption than statewide, greater carrier-to-carrier variability, and heavier reliance on cellular data where home broadband is limited.

Modeled user estimates (2024)

• Total mobile phone users (any mobile device): about 3,300–3,800 residents.
• Smartphone users: about 2,900–3,400 residents.
• Households that rely mainly on cellular data for home internet (“smartphone-only” or hotspot-first): roughly 15–22% of households, notably higher than Pennsylvania’s urban/suburban norm.

How we derive this

• Starts from county population and age mix (Cameron skews older than Pennsylvania overall), then applies nationally observed smartphone adoption by age (Pew-type benchmarks) with a small downward adjustment for rural/low-density conditions and income. Youth uptake (12–17) is included but tempered by population size.

Demographic breakdown (estimates)

• Age
  • 18–34: high smartphone adoption (roughly 93–96%); small cohort size limits total users.
  • 35–49: high adoption (about 90–94%).
  • 50–64: moderate–high adoption (about 78–85%).
  • 65+: markedly lower adoption (about 55–65%), with a meaningful minority still using basic/feature phones.
  • Teens (12–17): 70–85% with smartphones, but overall numbers are small due to county size.
• Income and access
  • Median household income trails the state average, contributing to longer device replacement cycles, more prepaid/MVNO plans, and higher odds of cellular-only home internet.
• Disability and labor-force participation
  • Higher shares than the state can increase dependence on reliable voice/SMS and Wi‑Fi calling, and amplify the impact of coverage gaps.

Digital infrastructure highlights affecting usage

• Coverage and technology
  • 4G/LTE is the workhorse; 5G low-band is present mainly along primary corridors and near the county seat (Emporium) but remains sparse elsewhere. Mid-band 5G capacity is limited; mmWave is effectively absent.
  • Terrain-driven dead zones persist in valleys and state forest areas (e.g., along PA‑120/155 and toward Sinnemahoning/Driftwood), causing carrier performance to vary significantly by exact location.
• Carriers
  • Verizon generally provides the broadest geographic coverage; AT&T is competitive in/near towns and along highways; T‑Mobile coverage is improving but remains the most variable outside population centers. Residents often select carriers by address-level performance rather than price/features.
• Backhaul and density
  • Few tall sites and long inter-site distances constrain capacity. Backhaul is a mix of fiber-fed sites along main corridors and microwave elsewhere; this limits 5G upgrades and peak-hour speeds outside Emporium.
• Wi‑Fi offload and public access
  • Heavy reliance on home and public Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools, municipal buildings). Where cable/DSL is weak or unavailable, mobile hotspots and fixed wireless substitutes (including satellite) are common.
• Public safety and resilience
  • FirstNet and rural coverage initiatives help on primary routes, but off-corridor reliability remains uneven; residents frequently use Wi‑Fi calling and signal boosters in homes/camps.

How Cameron County differs from Pennsylvania overall

• Adoption levels: Lower smartphone penetration due to older age structure and income; a larger share of basic phones persists, especially among seniors.
• Carrier choice: Far more location-dependent; single-carrier “islands” are common. In metro Pennsylvania, all three national carriers are usually viable.
• 5G availability: Sparse and mostly low-band; statewide, mid-band 5G is far more common in metros with higher capacity.
• Usage patterns: More voice/SMS and Wi‑Fi calling reliance; heavier hotspot use and “cellular-only” households versus the state average.
• Device lifecycle and plans: Longer device lifespans, more prepaid/MVNO usage, and cautious data consumption due to variable speeds and caps.
• Network constraints: Terrain and low tower density mean slower average speeds and more dead zones than typical Pennsylvania counties.

Notes and method

• Figures are modeled estimates combining: county population and age structure (ACS-style distributions), national smartphone adoption by age, rural adjustments for coverage/income, and known rural PA infrastructure patterns. Exact, carrier-verified coverage and subscription counts at county level are not publicly disclosed; for planning, confirm address-level coverage with carrier tools, the FCC Broadband Data Collection map, and on-the-ground testing.

Below is a concise, locally tuned snapshot. Note: Cameron County is very small, so county-level platform stats aren’t directly published. Figures are estimates using 2020 Census/ACS age mix plus 2024 Pew Research Center U.S. social-media benchmarks, adjusted for rural patterns.

User stats (order-of-magnitude)

• Population: ~4.5k. Estimated social-media users (13+): ~2.6k–3.0k.
• Share using any social platform:
  • Teens 13–17: 90–95%
  • Adults 18–29: 90–95%
  • 30–49: 80–90%
  • 50–64: 70–80
  • 65+: 45–55%

Age profile (share of local social audience, estimated)

• 13–17: ~8–10%
• 18–29: ~12–15%
• 30–49: ~28–32%
• 50–64: ~28–32%
• 65+: ~18–22% County skews older, so a large portion of total social users are 50+ (heaviest on Facebook and YouTube).

Gender breakdown (directional)

• Overall users roughly even by gender.
• Women over-index on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X (Twitter).
• Among women 25–54: strong Facebook + Pinterest; among men 25–54: strong YouTube; younger men: Reddit/Discord niche.

Most-used platforms (adult penetration, estimated ranges)

• YouTube: 70–80%
• Facebook: 60–70% (plus 55–65% on Messenger)
• Instagram: 30–40%
• Pinterest: 25–35% overall (women: 35–45%)
• TikTok: 20–30% (much higher under 30)
• Snapchat: 18–25% (concentrated under 25)
• LinkedIn: 10–15% (lower given local industry mix)
• X (Twitter): 10–15% (news/sports/alerts)
• Reddit: 10–15% (younger male skew)
• WhatsApp: 8–12% (lower in low-immigration rural areas)
• Nextdoor: 3–7% (limited neighborhood density)

Behavioral trends

• Facebook is the community hub: local news, school sports, volunteer fire/EMS updates, obituaries, events, yard sales; Facebook Groups and Marketplace drive reach.
• Video is ubiquitous but pragmatic: YouTube for repair/how‑to, hunting/fishing, homesteading; Facebook video and Reels see passive consumption; TikTok growing among under‑30 for short recipes, DIY, outdoor content.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger dominant; Snapchat for teens/young adults; WhatsApp niche.
• Instagram use is steady among 18–34 for Stories and Reels; grid posts secondary.
• X (Twitter) is used more for following PennDOT/weather/sports than for posting.
• Pinterest strong among women for recipes, crafts, seasonal/holiday planning.
• Access patterns: mobile-first; peak engagement evenings and winter months; some reliance on mobile data where home broadband is limited.
• Content that performs: hyperlocal updates, visuals of community life, outdoor/recreation, school activities, practical “how‑to,” service/utility alerts. Calls-to-action tied to local events or causes convert best.

Sources and method

• Benchmarks: Pew Research Center (2024) social media use by platform/age/gender; DataReportal/Hootsuite (US context).
• Demographics: U.S. Census/ACS for Cameron County age structure.
• Figures above are modeled estimates (directional), not platform-reported county counts.