Barnwell County

Key demographics for Barnwell County, South Carolina (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates; values rounded)

• Population: ~20,400 residents
• Age:
  • Median age: ~40–41 years
  • Under 18: ~22%
  • 18 to 64: ~59%
  • 65 and over: ~19%
• Gender:
  • Female: ~52%
  • Male: ~48%
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Black or African American (alone): ~48–49%
  • White (alone): ~44–45%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~4–5%
  • Two or more races: ~2%
  • Other races (each): ~1% or less
• Households:
  • Total households: ~8,200
  • Average household size: ~2.5
  • Family households: ~66% of households
  • Married-couple families: ~40% of households
  • Households with children under 18: ~28%
  • Households with someone age 65+: ~34%

Barnwell County, SC snapshot (estimates)

• Population: ~20.6k; rural density ~37 people/sq. mile.
• Email users: ~13.5–14.1k adults (about 85–90% of adults; ~65–70% of total residents).
• Gender split among users: ~51% female, ~49% male (mirrors county demographics).

Age distribution of adult email users (approximate share):

• 18–29: ~19%
• 30–49: ~34%
• 50–64: ~28%
• 65+: ~19% Notes: Near‑universal use among 18–49; modest drop in 50–64; biggest gap is 65+.

Digital access and connectivity

• Home broadband: roughly 65–75% of households subscribe; 15–20% are smartphone‑only internet users, reflecting rural affordability/availability constraints.
• Mobile: solid 4G/5G coverage around towns and main corridors; patchier service in sparsely populated areas.
• Public access: Barnwell County Library System (branches in Barnwell, Blackville, Williston) provides free Wi‑Fi and computers—important for residents without home broadband.
• Trend: gradual fiber and fixed‑wireless expansion via state/federal programs targeting unserved census blocks; smartphone dependence remains common.

Interpretation

• Email reach is strong for working‑age adults; campaigns targeting seniors should pair email with phone/SMS or in‑person outreach due to lower adoption and connectivity gaps.

Barnwell County, SC: Mobile phone usage snapshot (focus on how it differs from statewide patterns)

Quick estimates (order-of-magnitude)

• Population and households: ~20,000 residents; ~7,800–8,200 households.
• Mobile phone users (any cellphone): ~16,500–17,500 residents.
• Smartphone users: ~13,000–15,000 residents.
• Households relying on smartphones/cellular as primary home internet: ~1,700–2,200 (about 22–28%).
• Residents using prepaid plans: roughly 45–55% of mobile lines (notably higher than statewide).
• Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) or phone hotspot as primary home internet: ~12–18% of households.

How Barnwell differs from South Carolina overall

• Greater mobile dependence for home internet: Smartphone-only and cellular/FWA reliance clearly above the SC average (statewide closer to mid-teens).
• Higher prepaid adoption: Cost sensitivity and limited wired options tilt usage toward prepaid brands more than the state average.
• Slower device turnover and more Android: Android likely 60–65% share vs. iOS 35–40% (statewide closer to even). Older handsets remain in use longer.
• Older and rural profile depresses smartphone penetration among seniors: Overall smartphone adoption slightly below the SC average, driven by 65+.
• Network performance gaps: Town centers see decent 5G/LTE; rural tracts and river/forest edges have more dead zones and indoor coverage issues than typical statewide.
• ACP wind‑down effects are sharper: A higher share of households had used the Affordable Connectivity Program; its lapse in 2024 led to plan downgrades or churn to prepaid/FWA at rates above the state.

Demographic usage patterns

• Age
  • 13–24: Near-universal phone ownership; heavy app/social/video use. School-related connectivity often depends on mobile when home broadband is absent.
  • 25–64: High smartphone adoption; above-average reliance on mobile hotspots or FWA for work-from-home, trades, and shift workers commuting to industry sites.
  • 65+: Smartphone adoption around the mid‑50s to low‑60s percent (several points below state average). More basic-phone use, larger-text accessibility settings, and voice-first usage.
• Race/ethnicity
  • With a roughly half Black population, smartphone-only internet reliance is higher than state averages, reflecting national patterns where Black households are more likely to be mobile-only for home internet.
• Income and education
  • Lower median income than SC overall correlates with heavier prepaid usage, shared family plans, and hotspot substitution for fixed broadband.
  • More device financing via retail chains; warranty/repair usage above state average due to longer device life.
• Housing
  • Manufactured housing and larger lot sizes increase indoor coverage variability; external antennas and signal boosters are more common than statewide.

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• Coverage
  • 4G LTE is the baseline; low-band 5G covers most highways and town areas (Barnwell, Williston, Blackville, Snelling), with mid-band 5G present mainly in and around towns and along US‑78/US‑278/SC‑64 corridors.
  • Dead zones persist near forested tracts, lowlands, and along the Savannah River Site boundary; indoor coverage can be weak in metal-roof/manufactured homes.
• Capacity/performance
  • Typical town-center speeds: 50–200 Mbps on 5G; 10–50 Mbps on LTE.
  • Rural backroads: 5–25 Mbps, with occasional drops to sub‑5 Mbps or no service.
  • Network congestion shows up during school commute and shift changes.
• Towers and build-outs
  • Fewer macro sites per square mile than urban SC; new macro additions are infrequent, with some sector/capacity upgrades instead of new towers.
  • Small-cell deployments are rare outside key facilities.
• Competing access options
  • Legacy DSL or limited cable coverage leaves many locations unserved or underserved; thus FWA (Verizon/T‑Mobile) uptake is materially higher than statewide.
  • Electric co‑op and state BEAD/ARPA-funded fiber builds are planned/underway for 2024–2027, but coverage will remain spotty for parts of the county in the near term; mobile will continue to bridge gaps.
• Public/anchor access
  • Public Wi‑Fi at libraries, schools, municipal buildings, and health clinics is an important complement; higher usage than state average due to home broadband gaps.
• Public safety
  • FirstNet (AT&T) coverage is prioritized for EMS/law enforcement; overall reliability is better on main corridors than in fringe areas.

Behavioral and market signals to watch

• Post‑ACP adjustment: Expect continued migration to prepaid and FWA, data-capped plans, and family plan consolidation.
• Messaging and OTT calling grow as substitutes where voice coverage is spotty.
• Device mix: Budget Androids and refurbished iPhones remain popular; repair/aftermarket battery replacement usage is high.

Method and confidence

• Estimates synthesized from ACS-style household and device adoption patterns, FCC coverage/broadband data, Pew Research adoption trends, and rural‑county adjustments through 2024. Figures are directional with ranges; for planning or procurement, validate against the latest SC Broadband Office maps, FCC Broadband Map fabric, carrier coverage tools, school district device surveys, and local provider build schedules.

Barnwell County, SC social media snapshot (2025 estimate)

Population base

• Total population: ≈20,000
• Estimated social media users (age 13+): 11,000–13,000 (roughly 65–75% penetration among residents 13+; adults align with national/rural averages)

Age mix of social users (share of local social users)

• 13–17: 7–9%
• 18–29: 15–18%
• 30–49: 33–36% (largest cohort)
• 50–64: 22–24%
• 65+: 15–18%

Gender

• Overall: ~52% female, ~48% male (roughly matching county demographics)
• Platform skews (approx.): Pinterest, Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram skew female; YouTube, Reddit, X (Twitter) skew male; Facebook slightly female-skewing

Most-used platforms (adults 18+, share of adults using each)

• Facebook: 70–75%
• YouTube: 75–80%
• Instagram: 30–40%
• TikTok: 25–35%
• Snapchat: 20–25%
• Pinterest: 25–30% (notably higher among women 25–54)
• X (Twitter): 15–20%
• LinkedIn: 15–20% (lower in rural, job-mix dependent)

Teens (13–17) platform tendencies

• YouTube: 90–95%
• TikTok: 60–70%
• Instagram: 60–70%
• Snapchat: 55–65%
• Facebook: ~20–25%

Behavioral trends observed in similar rural counties and likely in Barnwell

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of Groups (buy/sell/yard sale, local news, churches, school and sports), Events, and Marketplace. Word-of-mouth and “neighbor” validation matter.
• Mobile-first usage: most access via smartphones; vertical short-form video (Reels/TikTok) is growing among 18–34 and increasingly consumed inside Facebook.
• Evening peaks: engagement typically highest 7–10 pm; secondary morning check-in around 6:30–9 am. Weekends see spikes for local events, sports, and church-related content.
• Content that performs: practical/local info (weather, road closures, high school sports, community events), deals and promotions from local businesses, job postings, healthcare/education resources, and short videos with clear captions.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is common for inquiries; SMS remains strong; WhatsApp usage is modest.
• Commerce: Facebook Marketplace is a primary channel for local buying/selling; Pinterest drives planning/intent (home, crafts, recipes) among women 25–54.
• Trust dynamics: local pages, public officials, schools, and churches are high-trust sources; boosted posts from recognizable local entities outperform generic ads.
• Older adults: steady on Facebook; low adoption of newer platforms. Younger adults: split time across Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; cross-posting to Facebook extends reach to family/community.

Notes on method and confidence

• County-level social media stats are rarely published. Figures above are reasoned estimates based on Barnwell’s size and rural profile, blended with recent Pew Research national platform usage, rural vs. urban differentials, and typical Southern rural engagement patterns. For campaign planning, validate with platform ad-reach tools and local page insights.