Washington County

Washington County, Rhode Island — key demographics (latest Census/ACS)

Population

• Total population: 129,839 (2020 Census)
• 2023 estimate: ~131,000 (U.S. Census Bureau)

Age

• Median age: ~44.0 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 5 years: ~4%
• Under 18 years: ~18%
• 65 years and over: ~21%

Gender

• Female: ~51.5%
• Male: ~48.5%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2019–2023; B03002)

• White alone, non-Hispanic: ~86%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~5%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~4–5%
• Asian alone, non-Hispanic: ~2%
• Black or African American alone, non-Hispanic: ~1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, NHPI, and some other race (non-Hispanic, combined): ~1%

Households and housing (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: ~54,000
• Average household size: ~2.34
• Family households: ~62% of households
• Married-couple families: ~48% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~25%
• Nonfamily households: ~38%; living alone: ~28–29%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~72% (renter-occupied ~28%)

Insights

• Older age profile than Rhode Island overall (county ~44 vs. state ~41 median age).
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White population.
• Smaller household size than the U.S. average (~2.34 vs. ~2.6) and higher owner-occupancy than the U.S. average.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2019–2023 (5-year) and 2023 population estimates.

Washington County, RI snapshot (2020 pop. ~130,000)

• Estimated email users: ~105,000 (≈81% of total population; ≈93% of residents age 13+).
• Age distribution of email users (est.): 13–24 ≈19,000 (≈96% usage in group); 25–44 ≈34,000 (≈98%); 45–64 ≈33,000 (≈95%); 65+ ≈19,000 (≈86%). Younger and mid‑career adults are near‑universal users; growth highest among 65+ as device adoption rises.
• Gender split: population is roughly 51% female, 49% male; email adoption is essentially at parity, yielding ~53,000 female and ~52,000 male users.
• Digital access and behavior: ≈90% of households subscribe to fixed broadband and ≈94% have a computer (ACS patterns for RI, reflected locally). Smartphone ownership near 9 in 10 adults drives heavy mobile email use; work/school accounts plus retail and appointment messaging sustain daily engagement.
• Local density/connectivity: ~395 residents per square mile (land). Fixed broadband ≥100/20 Mbps is available to the vast majority of households; Cox and Verizon fiber/coax cover major towns (South Kingstown, Narragansett, Westerly), with 5G from national carriers in population centers. University of Rhode Island’s Kingston campus increases 18–24 penetration and Wi‑Fi density, reinforcing high email usage among students and staff.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Washington County, Rhode Island (2023–2024)

Overall adoption and user estimates

• Population base: ~129,000 residents; ~102,000 adults (18+) and ~9,000 teens (12–17).
• Adult smartphone adoption: ~91% of adults, or ~93,000–94,000 adult users.
• Teen smartphone adoption: ~95% of 12–17-year-olds, or ~8,500–8,700 users.
• Total smartphone users (adults + teens): ~101,500–103,000 residents, representing roughly 79–80% of the total population.
• Cell phone (any mobile phone) ownership among adults is effectively near-universal (~95%+), consistent with broader New England patterns.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age:
  • 18–24: Very high adoption (~97%+). URI’s presence in South Kingstown lifts usage density and 5G traffic around Kingston/Narragansett relative to the rest of the county.
  • 25–44: High adoption (~95%); heavy mobile app use for work, childcare, and commuting along US‑1 and RI‑138 corridors.
  • 45–64: High adoption (~90%); pronounced use of mobile banking, telehealth, and navigation.
  • 65+: Solid but lower adoption (~75–80%); growing use of telehealth and Wi‑Fi calling, with a noticeable device upgrade cycle to larger-screen phones.
• Income and housing:
  • Higher median incomes and homeownership rates than the state average translate into strong adoption of both mobile and fixed broadband; mobile is widely used as a complement rather than a substitute for home internet.
  • Mobile-only internet households are present but a minority; the share is lower than in denser, lower-income parts of Providence County.
• Education and students:
  • URI’s student population concentrates heavy app-centric behavior (campus apps, video, social, ride-hailing) and high evening/weekend demand peaks.
• Seasonal dynamics:
  • Tourism-driven surges (Narragansett, Westerly, South Kingstown) create pronounced summer weekend peaks in mobile data traffic, unlike inland counties.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• 5G availability:
  • All three national carriers provide countywide 4G LTE and broad 5G coverage in populated areas (Westerly, South Kingstown/Kingston, Narragansett, North Kingstown), major corridors (US‑1, RI‑138), and I‑95 interchanges (Hopkinton, Richmond).
  • Mid-band 5G (C‑Band/2.5 GHz) is widely present in town centers and along primary roads, supporting typical downlink speeds from high double‑digits to low hundreds of Mbps under normal load.
• Rural and conservation areas:
  • Interior wooded tracts and conservation lands (e.g., around Arcadia Management Area and inland Charlestown/Exeter/Richmond) show more frequent transitions to LTE and occasional weak indoor coverage, increasing reliance on Wi‑Fi calling and signal boosters.
• Backhaul and small cells:
  • Coastal/beach towns and URI areas have denser small‑cell placements to manage seasonal and campus loads; fiber backhaul along the US‑1/RI‑138 spines underpins consistent mid‑band 5G performance in town centers.
• Emergency services and reliability:
  • VoLTE, Wi‑Fi calling, and FirstNet (AT&T) support are widely used to bolster indoor reliability in older coastal housing stock and hurricane‑rated buildings that attenuate signals.

How Washington County differs from statewide trends

• More seasonal volatility: Far larger summer weekend usage spikes than the state average due to coastal tourism, with noticeable but localized congestion unless mitigated by added small cells and temporary capacity.
• Student-driven hotspots: The URI footprint creates unusually high 18–24 smartphone density and app usage relative to most RI counties outside Providence; this intensifies 5G traffic around Kingston compared with typical suburban areas.
• Fewer mobile-only households: Compared with Providence County, Washington County’s higher incomes and strong cable/fiber availability mean fewer households rely solely on cellular for home internet; mobile is primarily a complement (tethering, backup, on‑the‑go) rather than the primary connection.
• More rural coverage variability: While overall coverage is strong, Washington County has a larger share of low-density, wooded areas than the state average, producing more LTE fallbacks and spotty indoor service in specific interior tracts.
• Coastal infrastructure emphasis: Compared with inland counties, there is a greater concentration of small cells and capacity augments near beaches and downtown coastal areas to handle seasonal peaks.

Key takeaways

• About 101,500–103,000 residents in Washington County use smartphones, with adult adoption around 91% and near-universal use among students and younger adults.
• The county’s mobile experience is shaped by a dual urban–rural profile: dense, well‑served coastal and campus zones with robust 5G, and interior pockets where LTE remains common and Wi‑Fi calling is an important reliability tool.
• Compared to the state overall, Washington County shows sharper seasonal demand spikes, a stronger student-driven usage cluster, fewer mobile-only households, and slightly greater rural variability in signal quality.

Washington County, RI social media snapshot (2024)

User base

• Residents (2023 est.): ~129,000
• Residents age 13+: ~112,000
• Social media users (13+): ~94,000 (≈84% of 13+)
• Adult social media users (18+): ~88,000 (≈83% of 18+)

Adoption by age group (share using at least one platform)

• 13–17: ~95%
• 18–29: ~91%
• 30–49: ~84%
• 50–64: ~76%
• 65+: ~46%

Gender breakdown

• Share of social media users: ~53% women, ~47% men
• Platform skews:
  • Higher among women: Facebook (slight), Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest (women ≈50% vs men ≈18%)
  • Higher among men: Reddit, X (Twitter), YouTube (slight), LinkedIn (slight)

Most-used platforms among adults (18+) in the county (estimated reach)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• Pinterest: 35%
• TikTok: 33%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• Snapchat: 27%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• Reddit: 22%
• WhatsApp: 21%
• Nextdoor: 18%

Behavioral trends

• Community and civic info: Facebook Groups and Nextdoor are primary for town updates, school and youth sports, beach/parking notices, storm/water advisories, and lost-and-found; strong engagement among 35+ and homeowners.
• Student and nightlife content: URI drives concentrated 18–24 activity in South Kingstown/Narragansett; Snapchat and TikTok dominate daily messaging and short-form clips; Instagram used for nightlife, rentals, and events.
• Tourism seasonality: Summer influx boosts Instagram and TikTok views for beaches, dining, charters, and short-term rentals; local businesses see higher Story/Reels engagement and UGC saves/shares May–September.
• Visual-first habits: YouTube widely used for how‑tos and local interests (surf, fishing, boating, DIY, weather). Shorts consumption is rising alongside long-form.
• Purchase journey: Residents commonly vet local services via Facebook/Instagram comments, Google/IG reviews, and Nextdoor recommendations before booking; social proof and local creator content meaningfully influence choices.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger prevalent across age groups; WhatsApp adoption present among service workers, international students, and hospitality staff for group coordination.
• Professional networking: LinkedIn usage is healthy for education, healthcare, engineering, and Quonset-area employers; effective for recruiting and alumni networking.

Notes on method

• Figures are 2024 county-level estimates produced by applying Pew Research Center’s latest U.S. platform adoption rates by age and gender to Washington County’s most recent ACS demographic mix. Percentages reflect “use of each platform among adults,” and totals for “users” reflect share using at least one platform.