Philadelphia County

Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania (coextensive with the City of Philadelphia)

Population size

• 1,603,797 (2020 Census)

Age (ACS 2018–2022)

• Median age: 35–36 years (approx. 35.5)
• Under 18: ~21.6%
• 18–64: ~63.7%
• 65 and over: ~14.7%

Gender (ACS 2018–2022)

• Female: ~53.5%
• Male: ~46.5%

Race/ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022; Hispanic is of any race)

• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~39–40%
• White (non-Hispanic): ~33–34%
• Hispanic/Latino: ~16–17%
• Asian (non-Hispanic): ~8%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~3%
• All other groups combined: ~1%

Household data

• Households: ~625,000 (2020 Census)
• Average household size: ~2.45 (ACS 2018–2022)
• Family households: ~54% of households; married-couple families: ~26% (ACS 2018–2022)
• Households with children under 18: ~27% (ACS 2018–2022)
• Tenure: owner-occupied ~52–53%; renter-occupied ~47–48% (ACS 2018–2022)

Notes: Philadelphia is a majority-minority county with a relatively young median age, a higher female share than male, and a renter share typical for large cities. Figures are rounded; year is noted for each data source.

Philadelphia County (City of Philadelphia) overview

• Population: 1,603,797 (2020 Census); density ≈11,900 people per sq. mile.
• Households: ~625,000; broadband subscription in households ≈84%; ~16% lack home internet; ~12% are mobile-only internet households (ACS).
• Device access: ~91% of households have a computer (ACS).

Estimated email users

• Adults (18+): ~78% of residents ≈1.25M.
• Using national benchmarks showing ~92–95% email use among online adults (Pew Research) and local connectivity levels, estimated adult email users ≈1.14–1.18M; midpoint ≈1.16M.

Age distribution of email users (est.)

• 18–49: ~0.74M users (very high adoption, ~95%+).
• 50–64: 0.26M users (90% adoption).
• 65+: 0.15M users (75–80% adoption).

Gender split (est.)

• Population is ~53% female, 47% male; email usage is near-parity by gender, so email users ≈53% women, 47% men.

Digital access trends and local connectivity facts

• Broadband adoption has climbed into the mid‑80% range, bolstered by local initiatives (e.g., PHLConnectED) and federal subsidies; affordability remains the primary barrier in neighborhoods with higher poverty.
• Roughly 520–535k Philadelphia households have home broadband, supporting strong email penetration despite a persistent ~1-in-6 household connectivity gap.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Philadelphia County, PA

Topline user estimate

• Population: ≈1.57 million residents (2023 Census estimate), ≈1.2 million adults.
• Modeled smartphone users: ≈1.05–1.1 million adult smartphone users in the county, derived by applying recent U.S. adult smartphone ownership benchmarks (roughly nine in ten adults) to Philadelphia’s adult population. This aligns with local ACS indicators showing high smartphone presence and elevated “smartphone-only” reliance.

Demographic usage patterns (directionally compared with Pennsylvania)

• Mobile-reliant households: Philadelphia has a distinctly higher share of “smartphone-only” households (on the order of one-quarter of households) than the statewide average (closer to one-seventh). This reflects greater dependence on cellular data in the city.
• Fixed broadband subscription: A smaller share of Philadelphia households subscribes to home fixed broadband (low 70s percent) than the Pennsylvania average (low 80s percent), with the gap made up largely by cellular-only connections.
• Income: Smartphone-only reliance is notably higher among lower-income households in Philadelphia than statewide, reflecting affordability tradeoffs where mobile plans substitute for home broadband.
• Age: Younger adults (under 35) in Philadelphia are more likely to be mobile-only than their peers statewide; seniors show lower smartphone adoption and higher rates of no internet subscription, widening an age-driven digital divide in the city.
• Race/ethnicity and housing: Black and Latino households and renters in Philadelphia are more mobile-reliant than white, non-Hispanic households and homeowners, and more so than comparable groups in the state overall. This pattern mirrors urban affordability and housing dynamics.

Digital infrastructure and service environment

• 4G/5G coverage: All three national carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon) provide effectively countywide 4G LTE coverage and broad 5G low-/mid-band coverage; mmWave/high-band 5G is concentrated in dense corridors (Center City, University City, stadium district, and major commercial venues).
• Network density: Philadelphia benefits from dense macro sites and extensive small-cell deployments that lift capacity and speeds in core neighborhoods and along major corridors (I‑95, I‑76, Roosevelt Blvd).
• Wireline footprint: Comcast’s DOCSIS 3.1/4.0 cable network is widely available citywide; Verizon Fios fiber is present in many neighborhoods but is not universal, contributing to pockets of mobile-first behavior where fiber availability or affordability is limited.
• Carrier hotel and backbone: 401 N. Broad Street is a major regional carrier hotel and interconnection hub, anchoring robust metro fiber backbones that support both mobile backhaul and enterprise connectivity across the county.
• Public connectivity: Dense private hotspot networks (e.g., cable Wi‑Fi) coexist with free Wi‑Fi in libraries, schools, recreation centers, and municipal buildings; these augment mobile access for residents who are mobile-first.
• Public safety and alerts: The county participates in Pennsylvania’s NG911 modernization and supports Text‑to‑911; Wireless Emergency Alerts are active countywide.

How Philadelphia differs from Pennsylvania overall

• More mobile-first: A larger fraction of households rely on smartphones and cellular data as their primary or only internet connection than the state average.
• Lower home broadband adoption: Home fixed broadband subscription is several points lower than statewide, with affordability and uneven fiber availability as key factors.
• Denser 5G, higher urban performance: The city’s denser cell-site grid and greater mid-band spectrum utilization yield higher urban median speeds and capacity than many parts of the state.
• Sharper demographic gradients: Income, age, race/ethnicity, and renter status are more tightly correlated with smartphone-only reliance in Philadelphia than in Pennsylvania overall, producing a more pronounced intra-urban digital divide.

Key takeaways

• Philadelphia’s mobile market is large (≈1.05–1.1M adult smartphone users) and more mobile-reliant than the state average.
• Smartphone-only and cellular-first behaviors are common in the city, particularly among lower-income, younger, and renter households.
• Infrastructure is strong on the mobile side (countywide 4G/5G, dense small cells) but mixed on the fixed side (ubiquitous cable, patchy fiber), reinforcing urban mobile-first usage patterns.

Social media usage in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania (concise snapshot)

Population base

• Total population: ~1.57 million (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ACS 1-year)
• Adults (18+): ~1.22 million
• Teens (13–17): ~100,000

Overall social media users (13+)

• Adults: ~82% use at least one social platform → roughly 1.0 million adult users (Pew Research Center, 2024)
• Teens: ~95% use social media → roughly 95,000 teen users (Pew Research Center, 2023)
• Total 13+ users in the county: ≈ 1.1 million

Age-group adoption (share who use any social media; applies to local adults using national benchmarks)

• 18–29: ~95%
• 30–49: ~91%
• 50–64: ~77%
• 65+: ~50%

Gender breakdown

• Overall: women ~84%, men ~81% report using at least one social platform
• Platform skews (directional): Pinterest and TikTok skew more female; Reddit, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn skew more male; Facebook and Instagram are near gender parity (Pew, 2024)

Most-used platforms among adults (share of adults who use)

• YouTube: ~83%
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~47%
• TikTok: ~33%
• Pinterest: ~35%
• LinkedIn: ~30%
• Snapchat: ~27%
• X (Twitter): ~22%
• WhatsApp: ~21% Note: Percentages are national adult usage rates from Pew (2024) applied to Philadelphia’s adult population to indicate likely local platform mix.

Behavioral trends observed/applicable in Philadelphia’s urban context

• Video-first consumption: YouTube and short-form video (Instagram Reels, TikTok) dominate discovery and time spent; younger users (18–29) are heavy on TikTok/Snapchat, while YouTube is strong across all ages.
• Facebook for community and news: High engagement with neighborhood groups, local events, schools, and public-safety updates; older cohorts (50+) rely on Facebook for local news and services.
• Real-time conversation spikes: X (Twitter) usage concentrates around live events—sports (Eagles, Sixers, Phillies), weather, transit disruptions, and civic topics.
• Professional networking: LinkedIn engagement is strong among health care, higher ed, government/NGOs, and corporate services; recruitment content performs well.
• Commerce and discovery: Instagram and Facebook drive local retail/restaurant discovery; Pinterest influences home, food, and lifestyle categories (skews female).
• Messaging and communities: WhatsApp, Facebook Groups, and Messenger serve immigrant, multilingual, and neighborhood communities for organizing and information-sharing.
• Daypart and mobility: Mobile-first usage with peaks during commute windows, lunch, and late evening; short posts/stories outperform long-form during weekdays.

How to interpret locally

• Expect very high penetration among adults and near-universal usage among teens.
• Platform mix is led by YouTube and Facebook, with Instagram and TikTok essential for under-35 reach.
• For older audiences, prioritize Facebook and YouTube; for under-35, emphasize Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat.
• Gender-tilted platforms (Pinterest, Reddit, LinkedIn, X) are effective for targeted campaigns.

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 American Community Survey (Philadelphia County population by age)
• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (adult adoption overall and by platform; age/gender patterns)
• Pew Research Center, Teens, Social Media and Technology 2023 (teen adoption)