Clarendon County

Key demographics — Clarendon County, South Carolina (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates; rounded)

• Population: ~31,600
• Age:
  • Median age: ~43
  • Under 18: ~21%
  • 18–64: ~59%
  • 65 and over: ~20%
• Gender:
  • Female: ~52%
  • Male: ~48%
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Black or African American: ~53%
  • White: ~41%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~3%
  • Two or more races: ~2%
  • Asian: ~0.5%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.3%
  • Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander and other: <0.1%
• Households:
  • Total households: ~12,500
  • Average household size: ~2.5
  • Family households: ~69% of households
  • Married-couple families: ~43%
  • Households with children under 18: ~25%
  • Average family size: ~3.1

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Figures are estimates and may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

Clarendon County, SC snapshot (estimates)

• Population: ~31,000; density ~50–55 people per sq. mile (largely rural).
• Email users: ~23,000 residents (≈70–75% of population), derived from local internet adoption and typical U.S. email use among internet users.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 18–34: ~25–30%
  • 35–64: ~50–55%
  • 65+: ~18–22% (Older adults participate less than younger groups.)
• Gender split among email users: roughly mirrors population, ≈52% female, 48% male.
• Digital access trends:
  • Household broadband subscription: ~73–78%.
  • Smartphone-only internet households: ~12–15%.
  • No home internet: ~20–25% (digital divide concentrated in sparsely populated tracts).
  • Fixed broadband at ≥100/20 Mbps is available to most residents in and around towns (e.g., Manning, I‑95 corridor), with fewer provider choices and slower tiers in outlying rural/lake-adjacent areas.
  • Public Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools, municipal sites) supplements access for households without subscriptions.

Notes: Figures synthesize ACS computer/internet-use patterns, FCC availability data for rural South Carolina, and national email adoption rates (email usage is near-universal among internet users).

Summary of mobile phone usage in Clarendon County, South Carolina

County snapshot and method

• Population baseline: ~31–32k residents (2020 Census and recent ACS trends), older and more rural than the SC average, with a majority-Black population and lower median income.
• Estimates below combine national/state adoption benchmarks (Pew Research Center, NTIA), adjusted for Clarendon’s age, income, and rural profile. Use them as planning ranges, not exact counts.

Estimated users and adoption

• Residents with any mobile phone (smartphone or basic): ~26–29k (≈85–92% of residents). Rural seniors depress the rate slightly versus SC overall, but basic-phone ownership remains high.
• Smartphone users: ~22–25k (≈70–80% of residents). This trails the statewide rate by several points due to age and income mix.
• Teen users (13–17): ~1.3–1.6k with smartphones; penetration ≈85–95%, similar to state levels.
• Smartphone-only internet households: roughly 22–30% of households (above SC average). Many lower-income and rental households rely on phones as primary internet, reflecting patchy fixed broadband.
• Prepaid share: higher than state average, with Cricket and Metro over-indexing; ACP sunset in 2024 likely shifted some postpaid/discounted lines to prepaid and smaller data buckets.

Demographic patterns (how usage differs from SC overall)

• Age: Clarendon has a larger 65+ share. Among seniors, basic/feature phones are more common; smartphone adoption and app use (banking, telehealth) lag the state average. Expect more voice/SMS-centric usage and lower data consumption in this cohort.
• Race and smartphone dependence: With a higher Black population share than SC overall, the county shows above-average “mobile-only” internet reliance among Black adults for schoolwork, work search, and streaming. This raises mobile data demand without parallel fixed-broadband growth.
• Income: Lower median household income pushes:
  • More prepaid plans and budget Android devices.
  • Higher churn and plan downgrades post-ACP.
  • Greater use of public Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools) to offload data.
• Education and digital skills: Lower bachelor’s attainment correlates with fewer productivity and telehealth app users, even among those with smartphones, compared to state urban counties.

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• Carriers and coverage:
  • AT&T and Verizon provide the broadest rural footprint; C-band upgrades have improved capacity around Manning/Summerton and along I‑95.
  • T‑Mobile’s mid-band 5G is strong along I‑95 and town centers, weaker in sparsely populated tracts and lake-adjacent areas.
  • Indoor coverage gaps persist in metal-roof homes and pine/lowland tracts; external antennas/boosters are common remedies.
• Backhaul and fixed access:
  • Farmers Telephone Cooperative (FTC) has deployed fiber in and around Manning, Turbeville, and Summerton; cable is present in town cores. Outlying areas still see legacy DSL or no wired option.
  • Fixed Wireless Access (FWA): T‑Mobile Home Internet is broadly available near corridors/towns; Verizon 5G Home appears in pockets. These add load to mobile networks and enable phone‑tethering behaviors.
• Capacity hot spots and stressors:
  • Seasonal spikes from I‑95 travelers and Lake Marion recreation can congest sectors near interchanges, boat ramps, and lodging clusters.
  • School calendar and events drive predictable evening peaks near campuses and stadiums.
• Public assets and resilience:
  • Schools and libraries offer robust Wi‑Fi; the district distributed hotspots during COVID, with some ongoing use.
  • FirstNet coverage for public safety is present; backup power at rural sites is variable, and storm-related outages still occur.

Key ways Clarendon differs from South Carolina overall

• Lower overall smartphone penetration but higher mobile-only internet reliance, especially among Black and lower-income households.
• Higher prepaid and budget-device mix; iOS share likely lower than in urban SC counties.
• Greater dependence on mobile networks as a substitute for weak fixed broadband, not merely as a complement—so per‑user mobile data growth can outpace state averages even with fewer smartphones.
• More pronounced rural coverage and indoor-signal challenges; quality varies sharply between I‑95/town centers and outer tracts.
• ACP funding lapse had outsized impacts, increasing plan volatility and data conservation behaviors more than in higher-income SC counties.

Planning implications

• Prioritize capacity and indoor coverage in town cores, schools, and lake-adjacent recreation nodes; expand mid-band 5G and C‑band where backhaul exists.
• Pair infrastructure with affordability and digital skills programs to convert basic-phone users to effective smartphone/internet users.
• Leverage public anchors (schools/libraries) for Wi‑Fi offload and device support; coordinate with FTC and carriers to target fiber/FWA gaps.

Notes and sources to consult for validation

• U.S. Census/ACS 2020–2023 for population and demographics.
• Pew Research Center and NTIA Internet Use Survey for smartphone and smartphone-only benchmarks.
• FCC Broadband Map and carrier coverage portals for 5G/FWA footprints; Ookla/M‑Lab for speed patterns.
• Local providers: Farmers Telephone Cooperative (FTC), Spectrum; carrier prepaid brands (Cricket, Metro).
• Clarendon County School District and library system for Wi‑Fi/device programs.

Here’s a concise, data‑guided snapshot of social media usage in Clarendon County, SC. Figures are estimates extrapolated from Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. social media adoption data and recent ACS demographics for a rural county of roughly 31k residents.

Overall user stats

• Adult population: ~24k (ages 18+). Estimated adult social media users: 17k–19k (70–75% of adults). Daily users: ~12k–14k (50–60% of adults).
• Teens (13–17): ~2k; the vast majority use at least one platform (YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat dominate).

Age mix of the local social audience (adults)

• 18–29: ~19% of local social users
• 30–49: ~39% (largest share)
• 50–64: ~26%
• 65+: ~16% Interpretation: The core active base is 30–49, with solid participation from 50–64; older adults skew to Facebook, younger adults to Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat.

Gender breakdown

• County population is slightly female‑skewed (~52–53% women). Social media participation is similar or a bit higher among women, so the active user base is roughly 54% women / 46% men.
• Platform skews: Pinterest and Facebook daily usage lean female; Reddit and X (Twitter) lean male; TikTok/Snapchat lean slightly female; YouTube is broad with a mild male tilt.

Most‑used platforms locally (adults; estimated reach)

• YouTube: 75–80%
• Facebook: 65–70% (still the community hub)
• Instagram: 35–45%
• TikTok: 25–35%
• Pinterest: 25–35% (mostly women)
• Snapchat: 20–30% (concentrated under 30)
• WhatsApp: 10–15% (pockets of use)
• X (Twitter): 15–20%
• LinkedIn: 10–15% (lower in rural labor mix)
• Reddit: 10–15%
• Nextdoor: 5–10% (limited in rural areas)

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the town square: Heavy use of Groups for schools, churches, high‑school sports, local government alerts, yard sales; Marketplace is a major local commerce channel.
• Video first: YouTube for how‑tos, church services, outdoor/recreation content (Lake Marion); short‑form video via Facebook/IG Reels and TikTok drives discovery for local eateries, salons, auto, and events.
• Messaging over comments: Many residents DM businesses via Facebook/Instagram; fast replies matter more than slick creative.
• Younger patterns: Teens/young adults live in Snapchat (streaks/DMs), TikTok (entertainment, trends), and Instagram Stories; they post less to public feeds and engage more with short video and ephemeral content.
• News and weather: Local pages and state weather trackers see spikes during storms, school closings, and high‑school sports; X usage is niche, mostly for sports/weather watchers.
• Timing: Peaks around 6–8am, lunch (11:30am–1pm), and evenings 7–10pm; weekends skew to events, church, youth sports.
• Trust and influence: Word‑of‑mouth is amplified via church leaders, coaches, civic groups, and popular local Facebook Groups. Reviews and UGC (before/after photos, testimonials) carry outsized weight.
• Seasonal pulses: Back‑to‑school, high‑school football, hunting/fishing seasons, and county festivals drive content and ad performance.

Notes on methodology and confidence

• Percentages are local estimates derived from national platform adoption by age/gender (Pew 2024) adjusted for rural usage patterns and Clarendon’s age profile (ACS). Use for planning and sizing; for precise targeting, validate with platform ad‑audience tools (e.g., Facebook Ads by county) and local page insights.