Mifflin County

Key demographics — Mifflin County, Pennsylvania

Population size

• 2023 population estimate: ~46,100 (U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program)
• 2020 Census: ~46,100

Age

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

Sex

• Female: ~50.6%
• Male: ~49.4%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022, shares may not sum to 100 due to rounding)

• White (alone): ~94–95%
• Black or African American (alone): ~1%
• Asian (alone): ~0.3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (alone): ~0.2%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Some other race: ~0.5–1%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~1.5–2%

Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~18,700
• Families: ~12,600
• Average household size: ~2.5; average family size: ~3.0
• Household type: ~50% married-couple; ~33% nonfamily; ~28% one-person; ~13% 65+ living alone
• Tenure: ~74% owner-occupied; ~26% renter-occupied

Income and poverty (ACS 2018–2022)

• Median household income: roughly mid–$50,000s
• Per capita income: roughly upper–$20,000s
• Poverty rate: roughly 13–14%

Insights

• Stable but modest population size with an older age profile.
• Predominantly White, with small but present racial/ethnic minorities.
• High owner-occupancy and family presence, with incomes below the Pennsylvania statewide median.

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

Email usage in Mifflin County, PA (concise profile)

• Population and density: 46,143 residents (2020 Census) across ~411 sq mi; ~112 people per sq mi. Lewistown is the micropolitan hub; settlement is concentrated along the US‑322/22 corridor with more dispersed ridge‑and‑valley rural areas.
• Estimated email users: ~32,600 adults use email (≈91% of the ~35,800 adults), reflecting near‑universal adoption among under‑55s and strong but lower uptake among seniors.
• Age distribution of email users (approximate share of users): 18–34: 24%; 35–54: 33%; 55–64: 18%; 65+: 24%. Adoption rates applied: ~96% (18–34), ~95% (35–54), ~90% (55–64), ~78% (65+).
• Gender split: Email users roughly mirror population composition (~51% female, ~49% male).
• Digital access and trends:
  • Household broadband subscription: ~82% (ACS 2019–2023); ~87% have a computer. About 12% lack home internet; ~8% are smartphone‑only.
  • Fixed broadband at 100/20 Mbps is widely available in populated corridors (FCC map), while some rural valleys face slower/less reliable options; mobile LTE/5G fills gaps but with variability.
  • Trend: steady gains in senior adoption and smartphone‑only reliance; subscription growth is now driven by speed upgrades rather than first‑time connections.

These figures triangulate ACS device/subscription data with Pew‑reported email adoption by age to localize a defensible county estimate.

Mobile phone usage in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania — summary and key differences vs. statewide

Topline estimates (2024)

• Total mobile users: approximately 34,000–37,000 residents use a mobile phone in Mifflin County (population ≈46,000).
• Smartphone users: approximately 29,000–32,000 residents use a smartphone.
• Cellular-only home internet: approximately 14–18% of households rely primarily on a cellular data plan for home internet, higher than Pennsylvania’s roughly 9–11%.
• Households without wireline broadband: materially higher share than the state average, with rural townships most affected; mobile service often backfills home connectivity in these areas.

What’s different from Pennsylvania overall

• Lower smartphone penetration: County adoption is several points below the state average due to older age structure, lower median income, and the presence of Plain communities (Amish/Mennonite) that adopt smartphones at markedly lower rates.
• Greater reliance on mobile for home internet: A higher proportion of households use mobile hotspots or phone-based tethering as primary access, reflecting patchy wireline availability outside Lewistown and major corridors.
• More pronounced coverage variability: Steep terrain and valley topography create dead zones; indoor coverage is less consistent than in suburban/urban Pennsylvania.
• Slower 5G mid-band buildout: Sub-6 GHz low-band 5G covers main corridors, but mid-band (e.g., C-band/n41) is mostly concentrated in and around Lewistown; statewide, mid-band is more broadly available in metro counties.

Demographic breakdown (usage patterns)

• Age
  • 18–29: near-universal smartphone use; heavy mobile-first behavior for media and messaging.
  • 30–49: high smartphone use; mobile is the primary device for many working-age adults without fixed broadband.
  • 50–64: adoption dips vs. younger cohorts; larger share on limited or prepaid plans.
  • 65+: notably lower smartphone adoption vs. state; higher prevalence of basic/feature phones and voice/text-centric use.
• Income and affordability
  • Lower median household income than PA average correlates with more prepaid plans, Lifeline/ACP participation (where available), shared family plans, and data-constrained usage.
• Education and employment
  • Lower bachelor’s attainment than the state is associated with lower smartphone and home-broadband uptake; mobile often substitutes for PCs in job search and online services.
• Cultural composition
  • Plain-sect communities materially depress county-level smartphone penetration and app adoption compared with state averages; when mobile is used, it skews to basic phones or heavily restricted devices.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Carriers and coverage
  • Verizon and AT&T generally provide the most consistent rural LTE coverage; T-Mobile coverage has improved along primary routes but remains spottier in remote valleys.
  • 5G low-band: present along US-322/22 and around Lewistown; benefits mainly in coverage and uplink reliability.
  • 5G mid-band: limited footprint (primarily near Lewistown); performance gains are localized vs. broader mid-band availability in metro Pennsylvania.
  • Terrain impacts: 10–20% of land area experiences weak or outdoor-only signal; indoor coverage can be unreliable in hollows and behind ridgelines.
• Wireline context (drives mobile reliance)
  • Cable and fiber are concentrated in Lewistown and select population centers; many townships rely on older DSL or have no viable fixed broadband.
  • Ongoing state/federal programs (e.g., BEAD/RDOF/FirstNet) have improved select sites and backhaul but have not eliminated rural last-mile gaps; where new fiber has not arrived, mobile fills the void.
• Capacity and performance
  • LTE is the de facto baseline in most rural areas; sustained speeds can degrade at peak times due to limited sector capacity and constrained backhaul.
  • Mid-band 5G sectors (where available) materially raise speeds and capacity near Lewistown but drop off quickly with distance and terrain.

Behavioral and usage patterns on mobile

• Mobile-first access: Higher share of residents use smartphones as their primary or only internet device compared with state averages.
• Messaging and social: Heavy reliance on SMS, Facebook/Marketplace, and OTT messaging; video usage tempered by data caps and signal variability.
• Work and school: Mobile connectivity frequently supports remote work hours, telehealth, and student assignments in households without reliable wireline service.

Implications

• Public safety and health services should assume persistent dead zones in rural valleys and plan for device-based fallback (Wi‑Fi calling, external antennas) and offline workflows.
• Economic development efforts benefit most from expanding mid-band 5G and fiber backhaul to cell sites, plus targeted fixed broadband builds in high-dead-zone townships.
• Digital equity programs should emphasize affordable plans, device access, and digital skills for older adults, while recognizing cultural constraints among Plain communities.

Notes on figures

• User counts are derived by applying rural adoption patterns to the county’s population and age structure, adjusted for cultural composition and income distribution, and benchmarked to ACS S2801 (smartphone/cellular data plan) and FCC coverage data trends through 2023–2024. Ranges reflect uncertainty at sub-county level and year-to-year updates.

Social media usage in Mifflin County, PA (2024, modeled from the county’s age/sex profile and U.S. rural adoption rates from Pew Research and similar studies)

Topline user stats

• Adult social-media penetration: 72–76% of adults use at least one platform; about 60–65% use a platform daily.
• Median number of platforms used per person: 3.
• Device mix: Mobile-first (>85% of use on smartphones); short-form video and Facebook/Messenger dominate day-to-day engagement.
• Typical peaks: 6–8 a.m., 12–1 p.m., and 7–10 p.m.; weekend mornings are strong for Marketplace and events.

Age-group breakdown (share using at least one platform)

• 18–29: 88–92%. Heavy on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; Facebook secondary.
• 30–49: 82–86%. Facebook and YouTube lead; Instagram moderate; TikTok growing.
• 50–64: 70–75%. Facebook dominant; YouTube strong; Pinterest/Instagram moderate; TikTok lighter use.
• 65+: 48–55%. Facebook and YouTube core; lighter use elsewhere.

Gender breakdown

• Overall user base: ~52–54% women, ~46–48% men (reflects slightly older local population).
• Platform skews: Women over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X (Twitter). Instagram leans female under 35; Snapchat leans female under 25.

Most-used platforms (adults; monthly use)

• YouTube: 78–82%
• Facebook: 64–70%
• Instagram: 35–42%
• TikTok: 28–35%
• Pinterest: 27–33%
• Snapchat: 22–28%
• LinkedIn: 16–20%
• X (Twitter): 14–18%
• Reddit: 12–16%
• Nextdoor: 5–8%

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the community backbone: local groups (schools, youth sports, churches, town alerts), Marketplace, and events drive high engagement and frequent daily check-ins.
• Video-first consumption: YouTube and Facebook Reels perform strongly; practical content (DIY, farming/rural living, auto/small-engine repair, hunting/fishing) over-indexes.
• Local news and weather alerts outperform national topics; posts tied to school schedules, road closures, and severe weather see rapid spikes.
• Strong buy/sell culture: Yard-sale and “swap” groups and Marketplace are routine weekend habits.
• Messaging is concentrated in Facebook Messenger and SMS; WhatsApp usage is modest.
• Businesses lean on Facebook Pages/Groups and Instagram for reach; short video and photo carousels outperform link posts. Google Business Profiles and YouTube help with search-driven discovery.
• Audience skews slightly older vs. national averages; content with clear utility, community relevance, and low production friction wins.
• Note on local context: The presence of Plain (Amish/Mennonite) communities reduces overall smartphone/social usage in certain townships; online audiences therefore skew toward non-Plain residents, with word-of-mouth and offline channels remaining influential.

Method note: Figures are county-specific estimates created by applying current U.S. platform adoption by age/sex (with rural adjustments) to the latest available Mifflin County demographic profile. They reflect likely local usage patterns where direct county-level platform data are not publicly reported.