Calhoun County

Do you want these figures from the 2020 Decennial Census or the latest American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2018–2022)? The Census gives the official 2020 population; ACS provides the most recent detailed breakdowns (age, race/ethnicity, households).

Calhoun County, SC email usage (estimates)

• Population ~14.7k; adults ~11.3k.
• Estimated email users: 9,600–10,300 adults (≈85–91% of adults), plus most teens.
• Age pattern: 18–29 ≈95–99% use email; 30–49 ≈95%; 50–64 ≈88–92%; 65+ ≈75–85%. The county skews older than the U.S., so a larger share of users are 30–74; senior adoption trails but is rising.
• Gender split: Usage is essentially even by gender; with a ~51–52% female population, email users are roughly 52% women, 48% men.
• Digital access trends: In line with ACS results for rural South Carolina, about 70–75% of Calhoun households subscribe to home broadband and 85–90% have a computer/smartphone. Smartphone‑only internet access likely 10–15%, enabling mobile email even where home broadband is absent. Access and speeds are improving via ongoing state/federal rural broadband buildouts (e.g., BEAD, ARPA).
• Local density/connectivity: Population density is about 39–40 people per square mile—sparse, which raises last‑mile costs and leaves pockets with weaker fixed‑line options. Mobile 4G coverage is strong along major corridors (e.g., I‑26/US‑176), with more variability in outlying areas.

Notes: Figures are derived from Pew national email usage rates applied to Calhoun’s population and ACS-based rural SC connectivity benchmarks.

Below is a concise, decision-ready summary based on recent public indicators (ACS population, Pew Research on device adoption, FCC coverage maps through 2024) and local context. Figures are modeled estimates for Calhoun County and shown as ranges where precision is uncertain.

Quick profile

• Rural county of ~15,000 residents, older-than-state median age, lower-than-state median household income.
• Mobile connectivity is the primary on-ramp to the internet for many households, with coverage strongest along I-26 and around St. Matthews.

Estimated mobile user base

• Mobile phone users: 12,500–13,200 people (≈83–88% of total population).
• Smartphone users: 10,500–11,500 people (≈70–77% of total population; ≈85–90% of adults).
• Smartphone-only internet households (no home broadband): 28–35% (meaningfully higher than South Carolina’s ~18–22%).
• Prepaid share of mobile lines: 35–40% (higher than SC overall, ~25–30%), reflecting price sensitivity and credit constraints.
• Average device replacement cycle: longer than state average (more 3–4 years vs. 2–3), contributing to a larger installed base of older LTE-only devices.

Demographic patterns in usage (drivers and differences)

• Age:
  • Seniors (65+): Larger share of county population than the state; smartphone adoption estimated 65–75% (lower than younger groups and 3–8 points below state average for seniors).
  • Teens/young adults: High smartphone adoption (90%+), but data plans are more often shared/prepaid than in-state peers.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Black residents make up a larger share of the county than the SC average; overall smartphone ownership is comparable to White residents, but smartphone-only dependence is higher (roughly 30–40% vs. 15–25% for White residents), tied to lower fixed-broadband availability and affordability.
• Income:
  • With median household income below the SC average, cost-sensitive behaviors are more common: prepaid plans, smaller data buckets, and reliance on public Wi‑Fi. This raises smartphone-only rates and slows 5G device penetration relative to the state.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage footprint:
  • Strongest along I‑26, US‑176, and in/around St. Matthews and Sandy Run.
  • Weak or variable signal in river bottoms/forested tracts near the Congaree and in sparsely populated farm roads; indoor coverage can drop to LTE or 3G-equivalent speeds in a few pockets.
• 5G availability and performance:
  • Low-band 5G is broadly present along main corridors; mid-band 5G (C‑band/n41) is spotty and concentrated near highway nodes and town centers.
  • Typical downlink: mid-band 5G 200–400 Mbps near sites; low-band 5G/LTE 5–50 Mbps in rural stretches; occasional sub‑5 Mbps pockets.
  • Millimeter-wave 5G: essentially absent.
• Carriers (practical experience, not endorsement):
  • AT&T and Verizon generally strongest countywide; T‑Mobile competitive near I‑26 and town centers, weaker in outlying areas.
  • FirstNet presence on key sites along I‑26 and public-safety hubs; rural gaps persist during power/transport disruptions.
• Backhaul and resilience:
  • Many macro sites run microwave or single-path backhaul; congestion appears during evening peaks and school hours.
  • Storms can create multi-hour outages; generators are available at major sites, but fuel/logistics affect duration.
• Fixed broadband context (shapes mobile dependence):
  • Legacy DSL remains in some areas; cable coverage is limited outside town centers.
  • Electric co‑op fiber builds are expanding but not yet countywide; where fiber arrives, smartphone-only rates fall.
  • Public Wi‑Fi is concentrated at libraries, schools, and county buildings and is a notable supplement for data-heavy tasks.

How Calhoun differs most from the South Carolina average

• Higher smartphone-only reliance: roughly 8–12 percentage points above the state, due to sparser fixed-broadband options and lower incomes.
• More prepaid usage and older devices: elevates LTE share and limits mid-band 5G adoption vs. state.
• Greater coverage variability: strong along I‑26 and town nodes, but more dead/slow zones off-corridor than typical statewide.
• Slightly lower overall adult smartphone penetration (by ~3–5 points), driven by an older age structure and cost constraints.
• Heavier mobile-data substitution: more video, messaging, and homework done over cellular; public Wi‑Fi is a meaningful safety valve.

Implications

• Investments that matter most locally: filling mid-band 5G gaps away from I‑26, adding backup power/backhaul diversity on rural towers, and accelerating co‑op fiber to reduce smartphone-only dependence.
• Programs that move adoption: device affordability and ACP-like subsidies (or local equivalents), senior-focused digital literacy, and school hot-spot programs for outlying areas.

Notes on uncertainty

• County-level device adoption is modeled from state and national surveys adjusted for Calhoun’s age, income, and rural profile; use ranges above for planning, and validate with local carrier performance data, school district tech surveys, and FCC Broadband Data Collection maps for precise siting.

Below is a practical, county‑sized snapshot built from the best available sources (Pew Research Center 2023–2024 U.S. social media surveys, DataReportal 2024 U.S. overview) scaled to Calhoun County’s size and rural profile. County‑level platform stats aren’t officially published, so treat figures as estimates that mirror U.S./South Carolina patterns.

Quick context

• Population: about 15,000 residents; roughly 11,500–12,000 adults (18+).
• Estimated social media users: 9,000–10,000 adults (≈75–85% of adults), plus ~900–1,000 teens (13–17).
• Access: predominantly mobile-first; household broadband access is moderate for rural SC, so cellular data usage is high.

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

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 70–78% (strongest daily use; primary local network)
• Instagram: 40–50%
• TikTok: 30–38%
• Snapchat: 20–28% (higher among teens/20s)
• Pinterest: 25–35% (skews female)
• LinkedIn: 15–25% (lower in rural/small-employer areas)
• X (Twitter): 15–22%
• Reddit: 10–18%
• Nextdoor: limited footprint in many rural blocks (single‑digit to low‑teens % where neighborhoods are onboarded)

Age groups (who’s using what)

• Teens (13–17): YouTube 90%+, TikTok/Instagram/Snapchat each ~60–70%; Facebook relatively low.
• 18–29: Near‑universal YouTube; Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok are core; Facebook used but not “cool.”
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube dominant; Instagram moderate; TikTok rising for entertainment.
• 50–64: Facebook first, YouTube second; Pinterest (women) meaningful; Instagram modest.
• 65+: Facebook is the default; YouTube for how‑to/news; limited Instagram/TikTok.

Gender breakdown

• Overall users roughly mirror the county population (about half women, half men).
• Platform tilt:
  • More women: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok
  • More men: YouTube, Reddit, X
  • Snapchat: near‑even, slight female lean

Behavioral trends (what people actually do)

• Facebook is the community backbone:
  • Local info and announcements: schools, churches, county offices, high school sports, events, obituaries.
  • Groups/Marketplace: yard sale and buy‑sell‑trade, lost & found pets, community watch, farm/ranch and small‑equipment listings.
  • Messenger is a primary communication channel for residents and small businesses.
• Video first, mobile first:
  • YouTube for cord‑cutting, how‑to, news recaps, and church services.
  • TikTok/Instagram Reels for short local content (sports clips, restaurant highlights, event promos).
• Small businesses and nonprofits:
  • Rely heavily on Facebook Pages and Instagram for reach; boosted posts are common.
  • Visuals that feature people and place (team photos, before/after, customer shout‑outs) perform best.
• Civic/event engagement:
  • Community turnout driven by Facebook Events and group shares; cross‑posting by churches and schools amplifies reach.
  • Peak engagement times: evenings (roughly 7–10 pm) and lunch hours.
• Lower‑use platforms:
  • LinkedIn: niche (professional services, government/education staff).
  • X/Reddit: small but vocal minority; used more for state/national news than local.
  • Nextdoor: spotty neighborhood coverage; Facebook groups fill the “hyperlocal” role.

How to interpret the numbers

• Figures above are county‑scaled estimates from national/state surveys with rural adjustments; real adoption in any town/zip can vary with school, church, and employer networks.
• For planning: assume Facebook and YouTube are must‑have; use Instagram for under‑40 reach and TikTok for under‑30 discovery; lean on groups/Events and short vertical video for the fastest local traction.

Sources (for methodology)

• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2023–2024 (U.S. adults and teens)
• DataReportal, Digital 2024: USA
• U.S. Census Bureau, ACS (population and age structure for Calhoun County, SC)