Cherokee County

Here are concise, current demographics for Cherokee County, South Carolina (latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates; primarily 2019–2023 ACS 5-year and 2023 Population Estimates):

• Total population: ~57,600 (2023 est.)
• Age:
  • Median age: ~40 years
  • Under 18: ~22%
  • 18–64: ~59%
  • 65 and over: ~19%
• Gender:
  • Female: ~51–52%
  • Male: ~48–49%
• Race/ethnicity (share of total population):
  • White (non-Hispanic): ~73%
  • Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~19–20%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~5%
  • Two or more races: ~2%
  • Asian: <1%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: <1%
• Households:
  • Total households: ~21,700–22,000
  • Average household size: ~2.6 persons
  • Family households: ~65–67% of households
  • Married-couple households: ~44–46% of households
  • Homeownership rate: ~70–72%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; 2023 Population Estimates Program.

Cherokee County, SC snapshot (est.):

• Population/density: 57,000 residents across ~400 sq mi (140 people/sq mi), centered on Gaffney/Blacksburg along I‑85.
• Email users: ~42,000–45,000 residents use email regularly. This applies national adoption rates to local age mix.
• Age distribution of users (approx. share):
  • 18–29: ~19%
  • 30–49: ~37%
  • 50–64: ~22%
  • 65+: ~22%
• Gender split: Email usage is nearly universal across genders; user base roughly mirrors population (~52% female, ~48% male).
• Digital access trends:
  • Broadband subscriptions: ~80–83% of households have a home broadband plan; the remainder rely on mobile-only or have no internet.
  • Device access: ~88–90% of households have a computer and/or smartphone; 10–15% are smartphone‑only.
  • Connectivity geography: Strong fixed broadband and 5G coverage along the I‑85 corridor; outlying rural tracts show lower subscription rates and more unserved/underserved pockets.
  • Direction of change: Gradual gains in fiber/5G availability and subscriptions since 2019, with older adults closing the usage gap.

Notes: Estimates blend ACS/FCC connectivity indicators with Pew U.S. email adoption rates applied to local demographics.

Below is a concise planning brief on mobile phone usage in Cherokee County, South Carolina. Figures are estimates derived from recent national and state patterns (Pew Research, ACS S2801 Computer and Internet Use, FCC Broadband Data Collection) scaled to the county’s size, rural/urban mix, income, and age profile. Use them as directional ranges and validate with the latest ACS 5‑year tables and FCC BDC maps.

Executive summary (what’s different from South Carolina overall)

• Higher reliance on mobile as the primary/only internet connection, and slightly lower home broadband take-up than the state average.
• Slightly lower overall smartphone adoption driven by an older age mix and lower median income; greater prepaid use and longer device replacement cycles.
• 5G is strong along the I‑85 corridor and in/around Gaffney; capacity and coverage drop faster than the state average outside population centers.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA) from mobile carriers fills gaps where cable/fiber are limited; take-up likely above the state average.

User estimates

• Population/households baseline:
  • Total population: ~55,000–60,000
  • Adults (18+): ~42,000–48,000
  • Households: ~22,000–24,000
• Smartphone users (adults): ~35,000–42,000
  • Assumes adult smartphone ownership in the 84%–88% range (a bit below SC overall).
• Mobile-only internet households (smartphone/cellular plan but no fixed home broadband): ~4,000–5,500 (roughly 18%–23% of households)
  • Expect 2–6 percentage points higher than the SC average, reflecting rurality and income.
• Prepaid vs. postpaid lines: prepaid likely 35%–40% of active lines (higher than state average), indicating price sensitivity and credit constraints.
• Data usage patterns:
  • Higher share of video over mobile and hotspot use for school/work compared with the state average.
  • More occurrences of data-capping and throttling impacts late in billing cycles.

Demographic breakdown (directional patterns)

• Age
  • 65+: Smartphone adoption materially below prime-age adults; expect a 10–15 point gap vs 25–54 cohort. Likely a few points lower than SC seniors overall, contributing to lower county-wide adoption.
  • Teens/young adults: Near-universal smartphone access; heavier social/video use. Device ownership comparable to state but with more shared/family plans.
• Income
  • Lower-income households show higher mobile-only dependence and prepaid use than state average.
  • Greater use of ACP-successor or carrier low-income plans where available; cost remains a primary barrier to home broadband.
• Race/ethnicity
  • Black and Hispanic households often show equal or higher smartphone ownership than White households but are more likely to be mobile-only for home internet. This raises mobile network dependence in minority neighborhoods compared to statewide patterns.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Macro coverage/5G
  • Robust 4G LTE/5G along I‑85 and in Gaffney, corridor towns, and commercial areas.
  • Coverage and capacity diminish faster off the corridor than statewide; some pockets with weaker indoor service in exurban and rural areas.
  • Mid-band 5G is present where population is denser; rural areas lean on low-band 5G or LTE.
• Spectrum/capacity dynamics
  • Lower site density than urban Upstate counties (e.g., Greenville/Spartanburg), so cell edge performance degrades sooner—contributing to lower median speeds than the SC average outside the corridor.
• Backhaul and fiber
  • Fiber backhaul is concentrated along I‑85 and municipal cores; sparser elsewhere. This constrains peak speeds and uplink capacity outside town limits compared with statewide medians.
• Fixed Wireless Access (FWA)
  • Availability from national carriers in and around Gaffney/I‑85 and some suburbs; fewer options in the most rural tracts.
  • Likely above-average adoption relative to SC overall due to limited cable/fiber competition in outlying areas.
• Public/anchor connectivity
  • Libraries, schools, and the community college/university sites provide important Wi‑Fi offload. Parking-lot Wi‑Fi use remains noticeable during evenings/weekends in rural tracts.

How Cherokee County trends differ from the state

• Adoption: Overall adult smartphone adoption a few points lower than SC; senior gap wider.
• Reliance: Mobile-only household share is higher than SC, elevating mobile network importance for schooling, job search, and telehealth.
• Plans/devices: Higher prepaid share and longer device replacement cycles than state average.
• Performance: Median mobile speeds likely trail state average outside the I‑85 corridor due to lower tower density and sparser fiber backhaul.
• Growth areas: FWA and mid-band 5G upgrades make a bigger relative difference in service quality than in metro counties with strong cable/fiber.

Planning implications

• Prioritize additional sites or sector upgrades just beyond the I‑85 corridor and around growing subdivisions to reduce cell-edge congestion.
• Promote low-cost plans and device financing/upgrade programs targeting seniors and low-income households to narrow adoption gaps.
• Coordinate with schools/libraries on after-hours Wi‑Fi and device lending to relieve mobile-only constraints for students.
• Encourage fiber backhaul extensions and small-cell infill in Gaffney and adjacent commercial strips to lift capacity where demand is peaking.
• Track FWA uptake; where strong, it may reduce pressure on macro downlink but increase uplink and nighttime loads.

Data to pull for validation

• ACS S2801 (Computer and Internet Use): county vs state for smartphone and cellular-data households, mobile-only reliance.
• FCC Broadband Data Collection maps and provider filings: county 4G/5G footprints, FWA availability.
• Speed test aggregates (Ookla/M-Lab): median throughput and time-of-day congestion differences county vs state.
• E-Rate filings and library networks: anchor bandwidth and public Wi‑Fi usage patterns.

Social media in Cherokee County, SC (short, modeled snapshot)

How many people

• Population: ~57K; adults (18+): ~44K
• Social media users: ~36K adults (≈82% of adults; 62–65% of total population)

Most-used platforms (share of local adults; estimated adult users)

• YouTube: 83% (36.5K)
• Facebook: 68% (30K)
• Instagram: 47% (20.5K)
• Pinterest: 34% (15K)
• TikTok: 33% (14.5K)
• LinkedIn: 30% (13K)
• Snapchat: 30% (13K)
• WhatsApp: 29% (12.5K)
• X/Twitter: 22% (9.5K)
• Reddit: 22% (9.5K)
• Nextdoor: 20% (9K; coverage varies by neighborhood)

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

• 18–29: ~25%
• 30–49: ~36%
• 50–64: ~22%
• 65+: ~17% Notes: Younger adults cluster on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; 50+ lean Facebook and YouTube.

Gender breakdown (share of users)

• Women ~54%, men ~46% Platform skews: Pinterest and TikTok lean female; Reddit and X lean male; Facebook is balanced to slightly female.

Behavioral trends to expect locally

• Facebook is the default: Heavy use of Groups (schools, churches, yard/estate sales, youth sports), Marketplace, local events, and severe-weather updates. High daily check-in rates.
• YouTube = utility and entertainment: DIY/home/auto repair, faith-based content, hunting/outdoors, high school sports highlights; used across all ages.
• Short-form video growth: Reels/TikTok for local food spots, boutiques, trades, and “what’s happening this weekend” content; younger users post, older users mostly watch.
• Messaging-first for teens/20s: Snapchat for close-friend communication; Instagram DMs common. WhatsApp used by some Latino families and shift-based workgroups.
• News and alerts: Facebook pages/groups and some Nextdoor nodes for hyperlocal news, lost/found pets, school closings, road work. X/Twitter is niche (sports, weather, utilities).
• Shopping and jobs: Marketplace and buy/sell groups drive real transactions; LinkedIn is more for job search and manufacturing/healthcare recruiting than daily engagement.
• Timing: Peaks before work (6–8 a.m.), lunch (noon–1), and evenings (7–10 p.m.); weekends see more event and Marketplace activity.
• Content that works: Short videos with faces/voiceover, clear value (deals, openings), geotagged/local keywords, and posts tied to school calendars, churches, and community events.

Method and caveats

• Figures are modeled from 2023 county population and Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. platform adoption rates applied to local adults. Platform counts reflect multi-platform use (sums exceed total users). Nextdoor availability varies by neighborhood, so its reach is an estimate.