Mercer County

Key demographics – Mercer County, Pennsylvania

Population

• 110,652 (2020 Census)
• 109,300 (2023 Census population estimate), a slight decline since 2020

Age

• Median age: ~45 years
• Under 18: ~20%
• 65 and over: ~23%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Race/ethnicity

• White, non-Hispanic: ~86–88%
• Black or African American: ~6–7%
• Two or more races: ~3–4%
• Asian: ~1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native and other: <1%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2%

Households

• Total households: ~44,500
• Average household size: ~2.28
• Family households: ~62% of households
• Married-couple families: ~48% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~24–25%
• Householders living alone age 65+: ~13%

Insights

• Slow population decline with an older age structure (roughly one in four residents 65+).
• Gender balance slightly favors females.
• Predominantly White with small but present Black and multiracial populations; Hispanic and Asian populations are small but growing.
• Household composition skews toward smaller sizes with a substantial share of nonfamily and older adult households.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year; 2023 Population Estimates Program).

Mercer County, PA — email usage snapshot (2024 est.)

• Estimated email users: ≈87,000 residents (≈79% of the ≈110,000 population), derived by applying national email adoption rates to the county’s age mix (ACS/Pew).
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: 7%
  • 18–34: 23%
  • 35–54: 29%
  • 55–64: 16%
  • 65+: 25%
• Gender split among email users: ≈51% female, 49% male (mirrors county sex ratio).
• Digital access and connectivity:
  • Households with a broadband subscription: ≈86%
  • Households with any internet subscription: ≈91% (≈9% have none)
  • Smartphone-only home internet: ≈14% of households
  • Population density: ≈160 people per square mile (moderately rural), which correlates with patchier fixed broadband in outlying areas and stronger service in town centers.
• Trends and insights:
  • Email adoption is near-saturation among adults under 55 and steadily rising among seniors.
  • Home broadband adoption has increased by roughly 3–4 percentage points since 2018, and mobile access is a primary channel for email among lower-income and rural households.
  • Local libraries, schools, and municipal Wi‑Fi play a meaningful role for the ≈1 in 11 households without home internet.

Mobile phone usage in Mercer County, Pennsylvania — 2024 snapshot

Scope and method

• This profile combines the most recent public data available through 2024 (U.S. Census/ACS for population and household broadband patterns, Pew Research for age- and income-specific smartphone adoption, and FCC/National Broadband Map plus carrier build-out announcements for network status) to produce county-specific, model-based estimates that are consistent with Pennsylvania and national benchmarks.

User base and adoption

• Population and households: Mercer County has roughly 109,000 residents and about 45,000–46,000 households. Adults (18+) account for approximately 85–86% of the population.
• Estimated adult smartphone users: 83,000–88,000 adults, or about 88–92% of the county’s adult population. This is a tick below Pennsylvania’s adult smartphone penetration, which generally sits around the low-90% range.
• By age (modeled using county age mix and Pew age-specific adoption):
  • 18–29: near universal smartphone adoption (mid- to high-90s percent), broadly in line with the state.
  • 30–49: mid-90s percent, roughly in line with the state.
  • 50–64: upper-80s to low-90s percent, slightly below the state average.
  • 65+: mid-70s to around 80%, a few points below the statewide figure due to Mercer’s older age structure.
• By income (modeled using local income distribution and Pew income gradients):
  • < $35k household income: low- to mid-80s percent smartphone adoption.
  • $35k–$75k: upper-80s to low-90s percent.

  • $75k: mid- to upper-90s percent.

  • Mercer’s lower median household income relative to Pennsylvania contributes to a slightly larger adoption gap between lower- and higher-income users than the state as a whole.

Usage patterns and access

• Mobile-reliant households: A higher share of Mercer County households rely primarily on mobile service for internet access compared with the Pennsylvania average. Based on ACS patterns for counties with similar rural/older profiles and fixed-broadband footprints, smartphone-/cellular-only home internet use is likely in the low- to mid-teens percentage of households, versus low-teens statewide.
• Device mix and plan types: The county skews modestly older and more price-sensitive than Pennsylvania overall, which translates to:
  • A somewhat higher share of budget and prepaid plans than the state average.
  • Slightly longer device replacement cycles among older and lower-income users.
• Cross-border usage: Regular commuting and retail travel into adjacent Ohio counties (Mahoning, Trumbull) increase cross-network handoffs and roaming behavior along US-62, PA-18, and I-80.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• 5G footprint:
  • T-Mobile’s mid-band 5G is broadly available along major corridors and population centers (Hermitage–Sharon, Grove City, along I-80 and portions of I-79/I-376), with rural infill still progressing.
  • Verizon C-band 5G is active in population centers and on primary travel corridors, with ongoing rural expansion.
  • AT&T 5G/5G+ is present in core towns and corridors, with mid-band build-outs expanding but generally later than in southeast Pennsylvania metros.
• LTE remains the primary coverage layer in sparsely populated northern and eastern townships and near state game lands, where terrain and tree cover can limit mid-band 5G reach. Indoor coverage challenges persist in some older masonry and steel-frame buildings in downtown Sharon and parts of Hermitage.
• Backhaul and fiber: Fiber-to-the-home is concentrated in borough and city cores, while many outlying areas rely on cable, DSL, or fixed wireless. This fixed-broadband mix is less fiber-heavy than statewide urban/suburban areas, reinforcing higher mobile-reliance for home connectivity than the Pennsylvania average.
• Network quality trend: Voice/text reliability is stable to improving; mid-band 5G brings meaningful upgrades for capacity and median speeds in town centers and along interstates, with speed variability and capacity constraints more evident on weekends near retail clusters (e.g., Grove City) and in peak commuter windows on I-80/I-376.

How Mercer County differs from Pennsylvania overall

• Adoption: Overall adult smartphone penetration is a few points lower than the state average due to an older age profile and lower median income, with the biggest gap among residents 65+ and lower-income households.
• Mobile-reliant internet: A larger share of households are smartphone- or cellular-only for home internet compared with the statewide share, reflecting a patchier fixed-broadband footprint.
• Infrastructure rollout pace: 5G mid-band upgrades have prioritized corridors and town centers first, with rural infill moving more slowly than in Pennsylvania’s large metros. LTE fallback remains more common outside boroughs than in suburban counties around Philadelphia or Pittsburgh.
• Plan mix: Prepaid and budget plans constitute a somewhat larger share of lines than the statewide mix, tied to income distribution and cross-carrier coverage differences across rural tracts.

Key takeaways

• Smartphone adoption is high and near state levels overall, but age and income effects are more pronounced in Mercer County than statewide.
• Mobile networks are strong along I-80, I-79, I-376, and in population centers; 5G mid-band builds are improving speeds, while rural gaps persist where terrain and lower tower density limit reach.
• A higher-than-average share of households depend on mobile service for primary internet, making continued 5G expansion and fixed-broadband diversification particularly impactful for digital inclusion in Mercer County.

Social media usage in Mercer County, Pennsylvania (best-available 2024 snapshot, modeled from U.S. Census demographics plus Pew Research Center and DataReportal platform rates)

Headline numbers

• Population: ~110,000 residents (2020 Census ~110,652; 2023 estimate ~109k)
• Estimated social media users: ~79,000 residents (≈72% of total population, in line with U.S. rate)
• Access pattern: Predominantly mobile; average U.S. time on social per day ≈2 hours 15 minutes, a useful proxy for local planning

Age-group usage (share who use any social platform)

• Teens (13–17): ~90%+
• 18–29: ~90–95%
• 30–49: ~80–85%
• 50–64: ~65–75%
• 65+: ~50–55% Mercer County’s older-than-average profile lifts Facebook/Pinterest and lowers TikTok/Snapchat vs national norms.

Gender breakdown among users

• Female: ~53%
• Male: ~47% Platform skews: Pinterest strongly female; Instagram and TikTok slightly female-leaning; Reddit and X (Twitter) male-leaning; Facebook near even with a slight female tilt; YouTube broadly even.

Most-used platforms (share of adults using each platform; national 2024 benchmarks applied locally)

• YouTube: ~83%
• Facebook: ~68% (likely a few points higher locally given age structure, ~70–75)
• Instagram: ~47% (likely a bit lower locally, ~40–45)
• TikTok: ~33% (likely ~25–30 locally)
• Snapchat: ~30% (likely ~22–27 locally)
• Pinterest: ~35% (likely ~36–40 locally)
• LinkedIn: ~30%
• WhatsApp: ~29%
• X (Twitter): ~22%
• Reddit: ~22%
• Nextdoor: ~19% (neighborhood adoption varies; strongest in suburban tracts)

Behavioral trends observed/expected locally

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of Groups for townships/boroughs (e.g., Hermitage, Sharon, Grove City, Greenville), school athletics, churches, nonprofits, and buy/sell via Marketplace.
• YouTube is utility-first: how‑to, home improvement, outdoor/recreation, local sports highlights; strong reach across all ages including 50+.
• Visual discovery drives small business: Instagram Reels/Stories for boutiques, salons, restaurants, events; cross‑posting to Facebook is common for reach.
• Youth messaging and ephemeral sharing: Snapchat is default among high school and college students; TikTok used for entertainment, trends, local food spots and events, but penetration is lower than in big metros.
• Professional networking is niche but stable: LinkedIn concentrated in healthcare, manufacturing, education, and municipal/government roles.
• Neighborhood communication: Nextdoor use for safety notices, lost/found, contractor referrals in suburban neighborhoods.
• News and alerts: X (Twitter) used by local outlets, sports accounts, PennDOT/EMAs for weather/road updates; audience is modest but engaged.
• Messaging stack: Facebook Messenger dominates general messaging; WhatsApp pockets among international students and specific communities.
• Engagement timing: Evenings (7–10 pm) and Sunday nights are reliable peaks; weekday lunch (11:30 am–1:30 pm) provides a secondary bump; weekends favor Facebook/Instagram browsing and Marketplace activity.

Notes on sources and method

• Population and age structure: U.S. Census Bureau (Mercer County, PA).
• Platform adoption rates: Pew Research Center Social Media Use (2023–2024) and DataReportal Digital 2024 (U.S.).
• Percentages are county‑level estimates derived by applying current U.S. platform usage rates to Mercer County’s demographic profile; local behavior adjustments reflect the county’s older age mix and suburban/rural context.