Schuylkill County

Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania — key demographics

Population size

• 143,049 (2020 decennial census), down 3.5% from 2010 (148,289)

Age

• Median age: 45.0 years
• Under 18: 20.3%
• 18–64: 58.1%
• 65 and over: 21.6% Insight: Older age profile than the U.S. overall, with over one in five residents 65+

Sex

• Female: 50.7%
• Male: 49.3%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2018–2022)

• White alone: 91.1%
• Black or African American alone: 3.0%
• Asian alone: 0.6%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 0.3%
• Two or more races: 2.5%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 5.9%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: 87.9% Insight: Predominantly non-Hispanic White, with a growing Hispanic population

Household data (ACS 2018–2022)

• Persons per household: 2.34
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: ~75%
• Average family size: ~2.9 Insight: High homeownership and relatively small household sizes typical of older, nonmetropolitan counties

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (P.L. 94-171); American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates (tables DP02, DP04, DP05)

• Scope and density: Schuylkill County has ~143,000 residents across ~779 sq. mi (≈184 people/sq. mi).
• Estimated email users: ≈104,000 adult users. Method: ~114,000 adults (ACS 2023 est.) × ~92% adult email adoption (Pew Research).
• Age distribution of email users (est. count; share of all users):
  • 18–29: ≈16,200 (16%)
  • 30–49: ≈31,700 (32%)
  • 50–64: ≈25,600 (25%)
  • 65+: ≈26,100 (25%)
• Gender split of email users (near parity): Women ≈52,900 (51%); Men ≈51,100 (49%).
• Digital access and trends (ACS 2022–2023; localized to Schuylkill):
  • ~57,000 households; ~84% have a broadband subscription (≈48,000 households).
  • ~90% of households have a computer; ≈18% are smartphone‑only for internet.
  • Adoption is highest among 30–49 and 50–64 cohorts; 65+ adoption trails but exceeds four in five, driving ongoing growth as infrastructure and affordability improve.
• Connectivity facts: Predominantly small towns and rural townships; dispersed housing and terrain increase last‑mile costs and slow fiber buildout relative to state averages. Broadband adoption gaps are most evident in low‑income and older households, despite wide cable/DSL coverage in populated corridors.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (ACS Computer & Internet Use, 2022–2023) and Pew Research Center email adoption benchmarks (2021–2023).

Summary of mobile phone usage in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

Scale and adoption

• Population and households: About 142,000 residents and roughly 59,000 households (ACS 2018–2022/2023).
• Households with smartphones: ≈89% of households have at least one smartphone (ACS S2801, 2018–2022 5-year), below Pennsylvania’s ≈91%.
• Households with a cellular data plan: ≈78–79% (county) vs ≈83% (state).
• Cellular-data-only households (no other home internet): ≈6.5–7% (county) vs ≈5% (state).
• Overall home broadband (any type): ≈82% (county) vs ≈87–88% (state); ≈18% of county households report no internet subscription.
• User estimate (individuals): Approximately 100,000–110,000 residents actively use a smartphone in Schuylkill County (on the order of three-quarters of the population), consistent with ACS device-access levels and rural Pennsylvania adoption benchmarks.
• User estimate (households): Roughly 52,000–53,000 households have at least one smartphone; about 3,800–4,100 households rely solely on cellular data for home internet.

Demographic breakdown shaping usage

• Older age structure: Median age ≈45 vs ≈41 statewide; about 22% age 65+ vs ≈19% in Pennsylvania. Lower smartphone uptake among seniors pulls down overall adoption and raises the share of basic/voice-first devices relative to the state.
• Income and education: Median household income around $60,000 vs ≈$73,000 statewide; bachelor’s degree or higher ~20% vs ~34% statewide. These factors correlate with more price-sensitive plans (including prepaid/MVNO) and higher reliance on mobile-only internet when fixed broadband is unavailable or unaffordable.
• Rural settlement pattern: A largely rural, ridge-and-valley county with small borough centers (Pottsville, Tamaqua, Schuylkill Haven). Dispersed housing and challenging topography increase the cost of wired buildouts and contribute to pockets of weak indoor cellular reception, reinforcing mobile-only behavior where cable/fiber is absent.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Carrier footprint: All three national carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon) provide countywide 4G LTE along primary corridors (I‑81, US‑61, PA‑309) and in boroughs. 5G coverage is present in and around population centers and along major roads; mid-band 5G capacity is strongest near Pottsville/US‑61 and in larger boroughs, with patchier service in northern and western townships due to terrain.
• Performance pattern: In-town 5G mid-band areas commonly deliver 100+ Mbps downloads; outside boroughs, users typically see lower LTE/low-band 5G speeds (roughly tens of Mbps) and greater variability indoors—more variable than Pennsylvania’s large-metro averages.
• Backhaul and siting: Macro sites cluster along highways, rail corridors, and ridgelines for line-of-sight; valleys and hollows create dead zones, raising reliance on Wi‑Fi calling and signal boosters in some homes.
• Fixed-network interplay: Cable (e.g., Service Electric Cablevision, Comcast in select areas) covers boroughs and main corridors; legacy DSL remains in rural stretches; FTTH is limited but expanding. The gap between cable/FTTH footprints and rural demand helps explain the county’s higher cellular-only share.
• Public investment context: The county contains multiple unserved/underserved pockets flagged on the FCC/National Broadband Map; ongoing state BEAD-funded and other grant builds target these areas, which should incrementally reduce cellular-only dependence as fiber and upgraded cable arrive.

How Schuylkill County differs from Pennsylvania overall

• Slightly lower smartphone presence and cellular plan uptake at the household level (by a few percentage points).
• Noticeably higher reliance on cellular-data-only internet for home connectivity (roughly 1.5–2 percentage points above the state).
• Lower overall home broadband adoption and higher no-internet rate, tied to rural settlement, older demographics, and income/education gaps.
• More uneven 5G capacity coverage and greater indoor-signal variability due to ridge-and-valley terrain, compared with the state’s metro-heavy averages.
• Plan mix skews somewhat more toward cost-sensitive options (prepaid/MVNO) and mobile‑only usage patterns than the statewide profile.

Key takeaways

• About nine in ten households have smartphones, but Schuylkill trails the state slightly on smartphone and cellular-plan penetration.
• A larger slice of households rely exclusively on cellular data for home internet, reflecting both affordability and fixed-network gaps.
• Terrain and rural dispersion constrain 5G capacity uniformity and fixed-network buildouts; as fiber and upgraded cable expand under current funding programs, the county’s cellular-only share should gradually decline while mobile performance remains strongest in boroughs and along I‑81/US‑61.

Social media usage in Schuylkill County, PA (2024 snapshot)

Topline user stats

• Population: 143,049 (2020 Census). Adults (18+): approximately 116,000.
• Estimated adults using at least one social platform: 92,000–98,000 (≈80–85% of adults), consistent with national adoption adjusted for the county’s older age profile.

Most-used platforms among adults (modeled local penetration)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 65–72%
• Instagram: 35–42%
• Pinterest: 30–36%
• TikTok: 22–28%
• WhatsApp: 22–28%
• Snapchat: 18–24%
• LinkedIn: 20–24%
• X (Twitter): 16–20%
• Reddit: 12–16%
• Nextdoor: 8–12% Notes: Rankings and percentages are localized estimates derived from Pew Research Center’s 2024 platform adoption rates, weighted to Schuylkill County’s older-than-average age mix (U.S. Census/ACS).

Age-group usage patterns (share of each age group using the platform; county-adjusted from national benchmarks)

• Ages 18–29: YouTube 90%+, Instagram 70–80%, Snapchat 60–70%, TikTok 60–70%, Facebook ~60%
• Ages 30–49: YouTube 85–90%, Facebook 75–80%, Instagram 50–60%, TikTok 35–45%, Snapchat 25–35%
• Ages 50–64: YouTube 80–85%, Facebook 70–75%, Instagram 25–35%, TikTok 20–25%
• Ages 65+: Facebook 55–65%, YouTube 55–65%, Instagram 12–18%, TikTok 8–12%

Gender breakdown (directional, consistent with national patterns)

• Women: Overrepresented on Facebook and Pinterest; strong engagement with community groups, local events, school and church pages, and Marketplace listings.
• Men: Overrepresented on YouTube, Reddit, and X; higher engagement with sports, trades/DIY, automotive, and local government updates.

Behavioral trends and local nuances

• Facebook is the community hub: Heavy use of Groups for towns/boroughs, youth and high school sports, volunteer fire companies, buy/sell/trade, and lost-and-found. Marketplace is a core behavior for secondhand goods and equipment.
• Video first but practical: YouTube and Facebook video perform best when tied to how-to content (home, auto, outdoors), local sports recaps, weather, and road conditions.
• News and alerts flow through Facebook: Engagement spikes for school closures, severe weather, traffic incidents, obituaries, and local fundraisers.
• Instagram is small-business friendly: Restaurants, boutiques, salons, fitness, and realtors rely on Reels and Stories; cross-posting to Facebook remains common to reach older audiences.
• TikTok is growing but younger-skewed: Short, place-based content (coal region history, outdoor recreation, hunting/fishing, car culture, trades) travels well; reposts to Reels extend reach.
• Messaging matters: Facebook Messenger is the default for local business inquiries; WhatsApp sees use in multi-generational families and among newer immigrant communities.
• When people are active: Morning (6–8 a.m.) and evening (7–10 p.m.) peaks on weekdays; weekend late-morning and early-afternoon surges, especially around local sports and events.

Practical implications

• Prioritize Facebook and YouTube for countywide reach; lean on Groups, local pages, and short, useful videos.
• Use Instagram Reels for younger adults and to showcase local businesses; cross-post to Facebook for depth.
• For under-35 reach, add TikTok or Snapchat; for professional or hiring messages, layer LinkedIn and Facebook Groups.
• Creative that references specific towns, schools, teams, or landmarks lifts engagement; clear calls to action (call/text, message) outperform link-outs.

Source and method note: Population and age structure from U.S. Census/ACS; platform adoption from Pew Research Center (2024). Local percentages are modeled estimates applying national adoption by age to the county’s older age distribution, suitable for planning and benchmarking.