Luzerne County

Luzerne County, Pennsylvania — key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau)

Population size

• Total population: ~325,800 (ACS 2019–2023 5-year). 2020 Census count: 325,594.

Age

• Median age: ~42.7 years.
• Under 18: ~19.6%.
• 65 and over: ~20.9%.

Gender

• Female: ~51.1%.
• Male: ~48.9%.

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone: ~86.5%.
• Black or African American alone: ~3.7%.
• Asian alone: ~1.5%.
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.3%.
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.0%.
• Some other race alone: ~3.7%.
• Two or more races: ~4.3%.
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~16.1%.
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~71.8%.

Household data

• Households: ~133,800.
• Average household size: ~2.33.
• Family households: ~60% of households; married-couple households: ~42% of all households.
• One-person households: ~32%.
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~70%.

Insights

• Aging profile with about one in five residents 65+.
• Modest female majority.
• Growing Hispanic/Latino population alongside a majority White population.
• Small average household size and a high share of owner-occupied homes characterize the housing/household structure.

Luzerne County, PA snapshot (2023 est. population ≈324,000; density ≈360 people/sq. mile)

Estimated email users: ≈261,000 residents (≈81% of total population), derived by applying Pew Research email adoption by age to the county’s age mix.

Age distribution of email users (approximate counts):

• 13–17: 17,500
• 18–29: 42,900
• 30–49: 76,200
• 50–64: 67,700
• 65+: 57,000

Gender split: Mirrors population; ≈51% female (133,000 users) and ≈49% male (128,000 users). Email adoption differences by gender are negligible.

Digital access and connectivity:

• Households with a computer: ~92%
• Households with a broadband subscription: ~86%
• Households without any internet subscription: ~14% (ACS 2018–2022 5-year estimates)

Insights:

• Email use is effectively universal among adults under 65 and strong among seniors; the 65+ cohort accounts for ~22% of local email users, reflecting rising adoption.
• The broadband subscription rate supports high email penetration but leaves a meaningful offline gap (~1 in 7 households), concentrated in lower-income and more rural tracts.
• Population density around 360/sq. mile and urban centers (Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton) correlate with better multi-ISP coverage, while outlying areas face fewer fixed options.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (computer/broadband, age mix); Pew Research Center (email adoption by age).

Mobile phone usage in Luzerne County, PA (2024 snapshot)

Base context

• Population: ~326,000; households: ~131,000; adult (18+) population: ~260,000–270,000
• Demographics differ from Pennsylvania overall: older age structure (median age 42 vs ~41 statewide) and lower median household income ($60–62k vs ~$73k statewide). These factors materially shape device ownership and mobile-only internet reliance

User estimates (adults, 18+)

• Mobile phone users: ~245,000–255,000 adults (≈92–94% of adults)
• Smartphone users: ~215,000–230,000 adults (≈82–86% of adults)
• Mobile-only internet households (cellular data plan but no fixed broadband): 17–19% of households, above the statewide share (13–15%)
• Prepaid share of mobile lines: estimated 26–30% (higher than Pennsylvania’s ~20–24%), reflecting lower incomes and credit constraints relative to the state
• Platform mix: leaner toward Android than statewide averages (cost-sensitive adoption), though iOS remains strong among higher-income and student segments

Demographic breakdown (adult smartphone adoption; county-level estimates informed by ACS/Pew patterns)

• By age
  • 18–29: 96–99% use smartphones
  • 30–49: 93–96%
  • 50–64: 85–90%
  • 65+: 68–74% (county rates a bit below state due to older age mix)
• By income
  • <$35k: 75–80% (higher mobile-only reliance)
  • $35k–$75k: 86–90%

  • $75k: 93–96%

• By race/ethnicity
  • White (non-Hispanic): ~80–85%
  • Hispanic/Latino: ~88–92% (above-average smartphone and mobile-only reliance, concentrated in Hazleton/Wilkes-Barre)
  • Black: ~88–92%
  • Asian and other groups: generally in line with or slightly above county average in urban tracts
• Household-level connectivity
  • Any broadband subscription (fixed or cellular): ~80–84% of households (below state)
  • No internet subscription: ~12–15% (above state)
  • Cellular data plan present in household: ~68–73% (near but slightly under state), with a larger fraction using it as the primary connection

Usage patterns and behaviors

• Higher incidence of mobile-only access for schoolwork, job searches, and telehealth among lower-income and Hispanic households than seen statewide
• Greater reliance on prepaid/MVNO plans and budget Android devices compared with state averages; price sensitivity drives plan switching and data cap management
• Older adult adoption is growing but remains a drag on overall county smartphone penetration versus Pennsylvania

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Carrier presence: AT&T (including FirstNet), Verizon, and T-Mobile provide countywide 4G LTE; 5G is established across Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, Pittston, and major corridors (I‑81, I‑80, PA‑309), with mid-band capacity strongest in urban/suburban tracts
• Coverage variability: rural and mountainous townships (Back Mountain, Bear Creek, parts of Fairview, Slocum, Lake, and Dennison) experience weaker indoor coverage and occasional dead zones; this gap is wider than the Pennsylvania average
• Performance profile: metro/valley areas see strong mid-band 5G throughput and low latency suitable for HD video and telework; uplink and indoor penetration drop off in low-density areas where bands are low-band 5G or LTE-only
• Fixed broadband backdrop: cable is prevalent; fiber availability is patchy outside core municipalities, so households in fiber-sparse tracts lean more on mobile data than the state overall. This structural gap underpins the county’s higher mobile-only rate
• Public sector and anchor institutions: schools, libraries, and colleges (Wilkes University, King’s College, Misericordia) provide Wi‑Fi offload hubs, moderating data usage in city centers but less so in outlying communities

How Luzerne County differs from Pennsylvania overall

• Slightly lower overall smartphone penetration (by ~3–5 percentage points) due to older age and income profiles
• Meaningfully higher mobile-only internet reliance (by ~3–5 percentage points), driven by patchier fiber, budget constraints, and strong prepaid/MVNO uptake
• More pronounced urban–rural performance gap: robust 5G in the valley metros versus persistent LTE/coverage challenges in mountainous townships
• Plan mix skews more prepaid and more Android than the state average, with tighter data budgeting behaviors

Bottom line

• Expect roughly 215,000–230,000 adult smartphone users in Luzerne County, with a larger-than-average share relying on mobile as their primary internet. Urban cores enjoy strong 5G capacity comparable to state norms, but rural coverage and limited fiber keep countywide adoption and experience a notch below Pennsylvania’s averages while elevating mobile-only dependence.

Luzerne County, PA — Social media usage snapshot (2025)

User base and demographics

• Adult social media penetration: approximately 72% of adults use at least one social platform (Pew Research Center, stable since 2018). Given Luzerne County’s age/gender profile closely tracks U.S. averages (with an older tilt), local penetration aligns with this benchmark.
• Age structure: roughly 1 in 5 residents are 65+ (U.S. Census), contributing to strong Facebook and YouTube adoption.
• Gender: female share is roughly half the population; women tend to drive Facebook/Instagram/Pinterest activity, while men over-index on YouTube/Reddit/X.

Most-used platforms (share of U.S. adults who use each; apply well to Luzerne County’s adult population)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• Pinterest: 35%
• TikTok: 33%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• WhatsApp: 29%
• Snapchat: 27%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• Reddit: 22% These percentages indicate platform reach among adults; in Luzerne County, expect the same ordering, with Facebook and YouTube particularly strong due to the county’s older age mix and community orientation.

Age-group patterns

• 18–34: Heavy on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat; Facebook used mainly for events, groups, and Messenger. Video-first habits (Reels/Shorts) dominate discovery.
• 35–54: Facebook is the daily default (news, school updates, Marketplace); YouTube for how-to and product research; Instagram for local dining, family activities.
• 55+: Facebook and YouTube lead; Nextdoor usage rises in suburban townships; Instagram/TikTok used, but less frequently and mainly for family content.

Gender breakdown highlights

• Pinterest skews female (about 50% of women vs ~19% of men use it).
• Reddit skews male (about 25% of men vs ~8% of women use it).
• Facebook and Instagram lean slightly female; YouTube and X lean slightly male.

Behavioral trends in Luzerne County

• Community-first Facebook use: Local groups (neighborhoods, school districts, youth sports, yard sales) and Marketplace are central. Storms, school closings, and municipal announcements spike engagement.
• Video for utility and entertainment: YouTube is heavily used for home/auto repair, DIY, and local event recaps; short-form video (Reels/Shorts/TikTok) drives restaurant and small-business discovery in Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, and surrounding towns.
• Bilingual engagement: Hazleton’s large and growing Latino community increases use of Spanish-language Facebook pages/groups and WhatsApp for family, business, and community information.
• Events and sports drive peaks: Local festivals, high school athletics, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, RailRiders, and weather events spur bursts across Facebook, Instagram, and X.
• Professional networking and hiring: LinkedIn engagement is steady around healthcare, education, logistics, and manufacturing; recruiting content and training/certification posts perform well.
• Timing: Evenings (7–10 pm ET) and weekend afternoons see the most cross-platform activity; weekday lunchtime bumps are common for quick-scroll content.

Notes on figures and sources

• Platform percentages are from Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adult social media use. County-specific platform data are not officially published; the figures above are the best-available benchmarks and align with Luzerne County’s demographic profile.
• Demographic references (age structure, sex ratio) reflect U.S. Census Bureau estimates for Luzerne County.