Aiken County

Aiken County, South Carolina – key demographics

Population size

• 170,872 (2020 Census)
• About 175,500 (2023 Census Bureau estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~41.9 years
• Under 18: ~21%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Female: ~51.6%
• Male: ~48.4%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS, approx.)

• White alone, non-Hispanic: ~63%
• Black or African American alone: ~26%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~6.8%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Asian alone: ~1.3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.4%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%

Households (ACS)

• Total households: ~71,300
• Average household size: ~2.5
• Family households: ~67% of households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~76%
• Households with children under 18: ~27%
• One-person households: ~27%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2023 Population Estimates Program; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year). Figures rounded for clarity.

Email usage in Aiken County, SC (estimates)

• Scale: Population 175,000; adults (18+) ~136,000. Using Pew/ACS adoption rates, estimated adult email users: 120,000–135,000 (≈85–95% of adults). Including teens adds a few thousand more (total ≈125,000–140,000 users).

• Age distribution (approx. users by group):

  • 18–29: 24–26k (≈95% of this group)
  • 30–49: 39–42k (≈95%)
  • 50–64: 33–36k (≈90–95%)
  • 65+: 28–32k (≈75–85%) Notes: Aiken skews slightly older than the U.S. median, so 65+ is a sizable share.

• Gender split: Email usage is nearly even by gender; with the county ≈51% female, expect email users ≈51% female / 49% male.

• Digital access trends:

  • Household broadband subscription rate likely in the low-to-mid 80% range (ACS), with a nontrivial smartphone-only segment (~10–20%).
  • Urban/suburban cores (Aiken, North Augusta) have better cable/fiber coverage; rural areas rely more on DSL/fixed wireless, with lower speeds.
  • Ongoing state/federal programs (e.g., BEAD) are expanding fiber in underserved pockets.

• Local density/connectivity facts: ~1,080 sq mi and ~175k people ≈160 residents per sq mi; this mixed urban–rural density contributes to uneven last‑mile broadband and email access in outlying communities.

Below is a practical, decision-focused snapshot of mobile phone usage in Aiken County, SC, with cautious, transparent estimates and the key ways local patterns diverge from statewide trends. Headline estimates (2025)

• Population and base: Aiken County has roughly 170–180k residents. Adults are typically ~77–79% of the population, so about 130–140k adults.
• Smartphone users: Using an adult smartphone ownership rate a few points below the statewide average (because Aiken is older and more rural than SC overall), a reasonable range is 80–85% of adults. That implies roughly 105k–120k adult smartphone users countywide.
• Mobile-primary households: Aiken likely has a modestly higher share of “mobile-only or mobile-primary” internet households than SC overall due to rural gaps and the mix of incomes. As a directional estimate, think on the order of low- to mid-teens percent of households (roughly 8k–12k of ~65k–75k households), versus a slightly lower share statewide.

Demographic breakdown (how Aiken differs from the SC average)

• Age: Aiken’s median age is a bit higher than SC’s. This pulls countywide smartphone adoption slightly down versus the state, because ownership among 65+ is still 10–20 points lower than among under‑50 adults. It also increases the share using simpler plans, smaller data buckets, and voice/text-centric usage.
• Income and plan type: Aiken combines suburban commuters (North Augusta, Aiken city) with rural areas where incomes are lower. That tends to produce:
  • Above-average reliance on prepaid and discount MVNOs compared with urban SC.
  • Higher eligibility/use of subsidy programs historically (Lifeline/ACP). With ACP funding lapsing in 2024–2025, Aiken likely sees a visible shift to cheaper prepaid, throttled data, or mobile-only internet—more so than higher-income urban counties.
• Race/ethnicity: The county’s population is somewhat less urban and slightly older than SC overall. Nationally, Black and Hispanic residents are more likely to be smartphone‑only for internet access; within Aiken’s Black and Hispanic communities, smartphone‑only reliance likely remains a bit higher than for White residents, echoing statewide patterns. But the county’s older age structure still nudges overall smartphone adoption a little below the SC average.
• Commute and cross-border behavior: Many residents commute into Augusta, GA. That cross‑market usage can shape carrier choice (favoring whichever operator offers strong coverage on both sides of the river) and may increase weekday daytime mobile data use along the I‑20 and US‑1/US‑78 corridors.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage and 5G footprint:
  • 4G LTE is essentially countywide, with strongest signal density in Aiken, North Augusta, along I‑20, and primary arterials.
  • 5G mid‑band (C‑band on Verizon/AT&T; 2.5 GHz on T‑Mobile) is concentrated in population centers and along highways; rural pockets still lean on LTE or low‑band 5G. Expect meaningfully higher median speeds in Aiken/North Augusta than in the southern and eastern rural parts of the county.
• Capacity and event load: Aiken’s equestrian events and seasonal tourism create periodic, localized spikes. Carriers often manage these with added temporary capacity or sector optimization. That kind of event‑driven demand is more prominent in Aiken than many SC counties without large seasonal venues.
• Fixed alternatives shaping mobile use:
  • Electric co‑op fiber: Aiken Electric Cooperative’s CarolinaConnect and other rural builds have pushed fiber deeper into the county than many SC peers with similar rural profiles. Where fiber has arrived, households shift from mobile‑primary to fixed‑primary internet—this is gradually lowering mobile-only reliance in served pockets.
  • Cable/ILEC footprints: Denser neighborhoods in Aiken and North Augusta have cable and telco options, reducing mobile‑only reliance versus outlying communities.
  • 5G fixed wireless: Verizon and T‑Mobile 5G Home are available across sizeable address clusters in and around Aiken/North Augusta and along major corridors, providing an intermediate option where cable/fiber is absent. Uptake appears stronger than in some coastal/urban SC counties that already had robust cable footprints.
• Coverage gaps to watch: Residents report weaker signal and lower 5G availability in parts of the county’s south and southeast (e.g., around Windsor, Montmorenci, Couchton/Silver Bluff), compared with the Augusta-facing north/northwest. These pockets likely maintain higher mobile‑only reliance but with lower speeds and higher variability.

Trends that differ from statewide patterns

• Slightly lower overall smartphone adoption vs SC average, driven primarily by age structure, not lack of interest among working‑age groups.
• Higher mobile‑primary dependence in rural tracts, but a faster‑than‑typical shift away from mobile‑only where co‑op fiber has arrived—so the county shows a two‑track pattern: urban/suburban areas with abundant fixed options, and rural areas rapidly improving as fiber builds out.
• Stronger cross‑state (GA-SC) carrier optimization among commuters than most SC counties, influencing operator share and network experience.
• ACP sunset impact is more visible locally than in affluent urban SC markets: more plan downgrades, prepaid migration, or reliance on 5G fixed wireless deals.

What these patterns mean for planning

• Carriers: Continued mid‑band 5G infill south/east of Aiken and sector adds near event venues will yield outsized user-experience gains compared to generic statewide upgrades.
• Public sector: Supporting co‑op fiber expansion and targeted tower/small‑cell placements in known weak pockets will reduce the mobile‑only burden where it’s currently a necessity, not a preference.
• Businesses and service providers: Expect high BYOD diversity and mixed plan types among staff and customers, with outsize T‑Mobile/Verizon 5G Home presence in suburbs and strong AT&T/Verizon commuter usage along I‑20.

Data and method notes

• User counts above are transparent, order‑of‑magnitude estimates based on: county population and adult share; Pew Research smartphone‑ownership ranges; urban/rural adjustments observed in ACS S2801 “Computer and Internet Use” patterns; and typical household counts given average household size. They are designed for planning, not for citation.

Aiken County, SC social media snapshot (2025, estimates)

Context and user base

• Population: ~175,000 residents; roughly 85% are age 13+.
• Active social media users (13+): ~115,000–130,000 (about 75–85% of residents 13+; 65–75% of total population).
• Device: Predominantly mobile; video-first consumption is standard.

Age mix of users (share of local social users)

• 13–17: ~8%
• 18–29: ~20%
• 30–49: ~32%
• 50–64: ~22%
• 65+: ~18% Notes: County skews slightly older than the U.S. average, lifting Facebook/YouTube and slightly dampening TikTok/Snapchat.

Gender breakdown of users

• Female: ~53%
• Male: ~47% Notes: Women over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; men on YouTube, Reddit, X.

Most-used platforms in Aiken (share of social users; estimates)

• YouTube: ~80–88%
• Facebook: ~70–80%
• Instagram: ~45–55%
• TikTok: ~35–45%
• Pinterest: ~25–35%
• Snapchat: ~22–30% Secondary but present: X (Twitter) ~15–20%, LinkedIn ~15–25%, Nextdoor ~10–18%, WhatsApp ~10–15%, Reddit ~10–15%.

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the local hub: heavy use of Groups (schools, churches, youth sports, equestrian, yard sales), Marketplace, and local news alerts; older adults are daily users.
• Video rules: YouTube for how-tos, local government/meetings reposts, church services; Reels/TikTok for food spots, events, and “things to do.”
• Event-driven spikes: Aiken equestrian events, high school football, festivals, and nearby Masters Week drive surges in local posting and search.
• Neighborhood chatter: Nextdoor has meaningful pockets in suburban neighborhoods for safety, utilities, and HOA issues; Facebook Groups often serve the same role.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is default; SMS for broad coordination; WhatsApp more common among international and Hispanic communities.
• Shopping and discovery: Facebook Marketplace is ubiquitous; Instagram/TikTok drive discovery of boutiques, salons, eateries; users expect short-form video and quick price/availability responses.
• Posting cadence: Evenings (6–9 pm) and weekend mornings get highest engagement; older users interact more with links and photos, younger users with short video and Stories.
• Trust and reviews: Facebook and Google reviews influence decisions for service providers (home services, healthcare, auto); recommendations in local Groups carry outsized weight.
• Youth behavior: Teens gravitate to Snapchat (DMs/streaks) and TikTok; maintain a light presence on Instagram; minimal X/Facebook usage.

Notes on methodology and sources

• County-level surveys are limited; figures are derived from U.S. and South Carolina usage patterns (Pew Research Center 2021–2024; DataReportal 2024) adjusted to Aiken’s demographics (U.S. Census Bureau). Treat percentages as directional estimates rather than precise counts.