Somerset County

Somerset County, Pennsylvania — key demographics

Population size

• 74,129 (2020 Census)
• ~72,800 (2023 Census Bureau estimate), continuing gradual decline since 2010

Age

• Median age: ~46 years (ACS 5-year)
• Under 18: ~19%
• 18–64: ~60%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Male: ~52%
• Female: ~48% (Note: the county’s two state prisons contribute to a higher male share than typical for PA)

Racial/ethnic composition (Hispanic can be of any race)

• White: ~93%
• Black or African American: ~3%
• Hispanic/Latino: ~2%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• Asian: ~0.4%
• American Indian/Alaska Native and other: <0.5% combined

Household data

• Households: ~29,000
• Average household size: ~2.3 persons
• Family households: ~63% of households; married-couple households ~49%
• Households with children under 18: ~24%
• Living alone: ~31% of households (about 14% age 65+ living alone)
• Housing tenure: ~78% owner-occupied, ~22% renter-occupied

Insights

• Population is aging and slowly declining.
• Demographics are predominantly non-Hispanic White with small but present minority populations.
• Household sizes are modest and homeownership is high, reflecting a largely rural profile.

Somerset County, PA (2020 pop. 74,129) is low-density (~68 people/sq mi across ~1,081 sq mi), which shapes digital connectivity and email use.

Estimated email users

• Adults ≈59,000; applying ~92% U.S. adult email adoption yields ≈54,000–55,000 adult email users in the county.

Age distribution of email users (approximate share of adult users)

• 18–34: ~24%
• 35–54: ~30%
• 55–64: ~18%
• 65+: ~29% Somerset’s older age profile means a notably large share of email users are 55+.

Gender split

• County population is roughly 50.5% female, 49.5% male; email adoption is effectively equal by gender, so users mirror this split.

Digital access and connectivity

• About 4 in 5 households maintain a broadband subscription, and roughly 9 in 10 have a computer (ACS 2018–2022), both below Pennsylvania’s statewide averages.
• Broadband adoption and speeds are strongest in and around boroughs and along the US‑219/PA Turnpike corridors; sparse, mountainous townships see more DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite reliance.
• These access gaps moderate email intensity among the oldest and lowest‑income households but overall adult email penetration remains above 90% due to near-universal mobile and workplace access.

Mobile phone usage in Somerset County, Pennsylvania (2024 snapshot)

Headline user estimates

• Residents: ~72,600 (2023 ACS estimate)
• Adult smartphone users: ~50,600 (about 86% of the ~58,800 adults), below Pennsylvania’s ~90% adult smartphone rate
• Total mobile phone users (smartphone or basic): ~58,000 (about 80% of the total population), reflecting higher-than-average reliance on mobile among households without robust home broadband
• Smartphone-only internet users (adults who rely on a phone for home internet): ~16–17% locally vs ~12–13% statewide

Demographic profile and usage patterns

• Older age structure: ~23% of residents are 65+, compared with ~19% statewide. Estimated smartphone adoption among local seniors is ~70% vs ~78% statewide, pulling down the county’s overall adoption.
• Income and education: Median household income is roughly $58,000 vs ~ $73,000 statewide; bachelor’s-or-higher attainment is materially lower than the state average. These factors correlate with:
  • Higher prepaid usage and budget Android device penetration than the state average
  • Greater smartphone-only internet dependence among lower-income households
• Youth and working-age usage: Among residents 18–64, smartphone adoption is in the low 90s percent, only slightly below the state norm, with video streaming, navigation, and messaging apps driving most mobile data use. Teen adoption is high but data usage spikes are moderated by weaker 5G in rural areas.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Terrain-driven gaps: The county’s mountainous Laurel Highlands/Allegheny Plateau topography creates shadowed “hollows” with weak indoor signal and occasional roadside dead zones, a pattern less common in Pennsylvania’s metro counties.
• 5G footprint: Mid-band 5G is strongest along the PA Turnpike (I‑76/I‑70), US‑219, and in/around Somerset Borough, Berlin, Meyersdale, and Rockwood. Outside these corridors, service often falls back to low‑band 5G or LTE, limiting peak speeds and capacity compared with state metro areas.
• Carrier dynamics: Coverage and reliability skew toward Verizon and AT&T across rural stretches; T‑Mobile is competitive in towns and along major corridors where it has deployed 2.5 GHz. AT&T’s FirstNet buildouts have improved public-safety and general coverage in key corridors.
• Backhaul and capacity: Macro towers on ridgelines provide wide-area coverage but encounter capacity constraints during seasonal peaks (e.g., tourism, Turnpike incidents). Capacity upgrades tend to concentrate on highway-adjacent sites first, with slower densification off-corridor.
• Fixed broadband context: Fiber-to-the-home is available in limited pockets; many outlying areas still rely on cable where present, legacy DSL, or fixed wireless and satellite (including Starlink). The relative scarcity of fiber compared with Pennsylvania’s metro counties helps explain higher smartphone-only internet reliance locally.

How Somerset differs from Pennsylvania overall

• Lower adult smartphone adoption (≈86% vs ≈90% statewide), driven mainly by a larger 65+ population and slightly lower senior adoption
• Higher share of smartphone-only internet users (≈16–17% vs ≈12–13% statewide), reflecting patchier fixed broadband and fiber availability
• More frequent LTE fallback and weaker indoor 5G away from towns/highways; metro counties enjoy broader mid-band 5G with higher median speeds
• Greater reliance on budget Android devices and prepaid plans than state urban averages, in line with county income and rural retail mix
• Strong corridor effect: Coverage and speeds are notably better along I‑76/I‑70 and US‑219 than in ridge-and-valley interiors, creating sharper within-county disparities than typically seen in metropolitan areas

Practical implications

• Network planning should prioritize mid-band 5G infill and small-cell or indoor solutions in borough cores and known dead zones in valleys, plus additional capacity on Turnpike and US‑219 sites
• Digital equity work in Somerset benefits from pairing fixed wireless/fiber expansion with mobile device and plan affordability programs focused on seniors and lower-income households
• Emergency communications and tourism management gain from targeted coverage audits and temporary capacity (COWs/COLTs) during seasonal peaks where traffic and recreation volumes surge

Somerset County, PA — Social Media Usage (2025, modeled estimates) Method: County demographics (ACS) combined with the latest U.S. platform adoption benchmarks (Pew Research, platform ad reach) with rural adjustments typical of Western PA. Figures represent adult population unless noted; expect ±3–5 percentage points.

Overall usage

• Share of residents using at least one social platform: 70–75% of adults; 80–85% of teens (13–17)
• Primary devices: mobile-first (≈85% of sessions), with strong YouTube viewing on smart TVs among 35+

Most-used platforms (share of local adults who use each)

• YouTube: 80–83%
• Facebook: 72–76%
• Instagram: 35–40%
• Pinterest: 32–36%
• TikTok: 24–28%
• Snapchat: 20–24%
• WhatsApp: 18–22%
• X (Twitter): 14–18%
• LinkedIn: 14–18%
• Reddit: 12–16%
• Nextdoor: 8–12%

Age composition of social media users (share of local users by age)

• 13–17: 7–9% (high on Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube; limited Facebook posting)
• 18–24: 10–12% (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube; Snapchat for messaging)
• 25–34: 15–18% (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube; rising TikTok)
• 35–44: 17–19% (Facebook, YouTube; Instagram secondary)
• 45–54: 16–18% (Facebook, YouTube; Pinterest use notable)
• 55–64: 14–16% (Facebook, YouTube; Pinterest)
• 65+: 14–16% (Facebook dominant; YouTube for how‑to, news, church services)

Gender breakdown among social media users

• Overall: ≈53% women, 47% men
• Platform skews: Pinterest (≈70% women), Instagram (≈55% women), Snapchat (≈55% women), TikTok (~52% women), Reddit (≈65% men), X (≈55–60% men), Facebook and YouTube near even

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of Groups (school sports, volunteer fire/EMS, church, yard sales), Marketplace, and local news/weather alerts; older cohorts post and share, younger mostly observe
• YouTube is the default for how‑to, home/auto repair, hunting/fishing, and streaming local/religious content; longer watch sessions on TVs in the evening
• Instagram is visual storytelling for small businesses, boutiques, food trucks, fitness, and high‑school/club sports; Stories/Reels outperform static posts
• TikTok growth is steady among under‑35; content that performs: local scenery, outdoor recreation, seasonal events, and trades/DIY tips; cross‑posting Reels helps reach 35–54
• Pinterest is strong among women 25–54 for recipes, home projects, crafts, weddings, and seasonal décor; effective for traffic to local retailers and services
• Snapchat is primarily private messaging for teens/young adults; low organic brand discovery
• X and Reddit are niche: X for regional sports/news; Reddit for hobbyist and tech/auto communities rather than local conversation
• Posting/consumption windows: noticeable evening peaks (7–10 pm) across platforms; weekend mornings are strong for Facebook and Pinterest; short-form video peaks late evening
• Trust and authenticity matter: local faces, behind‑the‑scenes, and service updates outperform polished ads; comment responsiveness drives reach in Groups
• Commerce: Facebook Marketplace is a leading channel for second‑hand goods and local services; Instagram/Pinterest drive discovery, with purchases often closed via Facebook messages or in person

Notes for planning

• Prioritize Facebook + YouTube for county‑wide reach; add Instagram for under‑45 reach and Pinterest for women 25–54
• Use Groups and local partnerships (schools, churches, volunteer orgs) to extend organic reach
• Short, captioned vertical video (15–45 seconds) improves completion rates in rural mobile environments
• Weather, school, hunting/fishing, and event calendars are reliable engagement anchors throughout the year