Darlington County

What reference year would you like? I can provide:

• 2020 Decennial Census counts, or
• Latest ACS 5-year estimates (2019–2023), which include age, gender, race/ethnicity, and household metrics (e.g., number of households, average household size, family vs. nonfamily).

If you specify the year/source, I’ll deliver concise figures.

Darlington County, SC snapshot (estimates; ACS + national email benchmarks)

• Population: ~63,000; density ~110 per sq. mile. Largest towns: Hartsville and Darlington; substantial rural areas.
• Email users: ~45,000–50,000 residents (roughly 70–80% of the population) use email at least monthly.
• Age mix of email users:
  • 13–17: ~8–10% (most have school accounts but use email less frequently than adults)
  • 18–34: ~25–28%
  • 35–64: ~45–48% (workforce-heavy email usage)
  • 65+: ~15–18% (lower but rising adoption)
• Gender split among users: ~52% female, ~48% male (mirrors county population).
• Digital access and trends:
  • Home broadband subscription: roughly 72–78% of households; computer access ~85–90%.
  • Smartphone-only internet: ~12–15% of households; no home internet: ~8–12%.
  • Gradual gains since 2019, but affordability and rural coverage remain constraints.
• Connectivity facts:
  • Fixed broadband availability is strongest in Hartsville/Darlington city areas; rural tracts rely more on cellular or satellite and see lower speeds.
  • Public Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools) serves as an important access point.
  • Overall internet adoption lags metro South Carolina, but fiber and 5G coverage along main corridors are improving access.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Darlington County, SC (focus on what differs from statewide patterns)

Big picture

• Mobile adoption is widespread but a bit below the South Carolina average, while reliance on mobile data as the primary connection is higher than the state average. This reflects the county’s more rural profile, lower median income, and patchier fixed-broadband options outside town centers.

User estimates (rounded; based on ACS-style measures, county population ~62,000; adults ~48,000; latest public data trends through 2023–2024, with reasonable county-level adjustments)

• Adult smartphone users: ~39,000–41,000 (about 82–86% of adults). Statewide: roughly 87–90%.
• Households with a smartphone: ~20,000–21,000 (≈82–86% of ~24,000 households). Statewide: ≈89–92%.
• Households with any cellular data plan (smartphone or tablet hotspot): ~17,000–18,000 (≈70–75%). Statewide: ≈78–82%.
• Mobile-only households (cellular data but no fixed home broadband): ~3,000–3,800 (≈12–16%). Statewide: ≈8–11%.
• Households with no internet at home: ~3,400–4,300 (≈14–18%). Statewide: ≈10–13%.
• Postpaid vs prepaid: prepaid likely accounts for a larger share of active lines in the county (≈30–40%) than statewide (≈20–30%), driven by price sensitivity and retail availability.

Demographic breakdown (how usage differs from the state)

• Age: Seniors 65+ show lower smartphone adoption (≈60–70%) than the state’s senior average, contributing to the county’s slightly lower overall adoption. Younger adults (18–34) are near parity with the state (≈93–97%).
• Income: Lower-income households are more likely to be smartphone-reliant and mobile-only than the state average. The lapse of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program in 2024 likely increased mobile-only reliance here more than statewide.
• Race/ethnicity: With a higher share of Black residents than the state average, the county shows higher smartphone-reliance (using phones as primary internet) even when overall ownership lags slightly; this mirrors national patterns where Black and Hispanic adults are more likely to be smartphone-reliant.
• Geography within the county: Towns (Hartsville, Darlington) are closer to state norms; rural tracts show lower ownership and higher mobile-only shares.

Digital infrastructure points (what’s distinctive locally)

• Coverage and capacity: All three national carriers provide LTE and some 5G in population centers; mid-band 5G (the faster kind) is patchier in rural areas than the state average, so average mobile speeds and indoor reliability outside town centers trail state norms.
• Congestion: Fewer sites per square mile and more “mobile-first” users mean evening and weekend congestion is more noticeable than statewide, especially on towers serving broad rural sectors.
• Backhaul: Fiber backhaul to cell sites is improving along main corridors, but many rural sectors still depend on longer microwave or limited-capacity links, limiting peak 5G performance versus state averages.
• Fixed broadband interplay: Cable/fiber options are solid in town centers (Charter/Spectrum and regional providers), but rural gaps persist. State and federal grant programs (ARPA/BEAD-era builds) are targeting Pee Dee rural tracts, yet completion is still in progress. Until those fill in, mobile remains a primary access path more often than statewide.
• Public/anchor connectivity: Schools and libraries provide important Wi‑Fi offload for students and low-income residents; usage of these anchors as a supplement to mobile data is higher than the state average.
• First responder networks: Public-safety LTE coverage is generally good on main corridors; some rural dead zones remain where land cover and terrain reduce in-building reliability more than typical statewide.

Trends that differ from South Carolina overall

• Higher mobile-only dependence and smartphone reliance for home internet, driven by rural topology and income.
• Slightly lower overall smartphone ownership, concentrated among older and rural residents.
• Greater prepaid/MVNO penetration and longer device replacement cycles than statewide.
• More variable mobile speeds and indoor coverage outside town centers due to sparser sites and patchier mid-band 5G.
• Stronger use of public Wi‑Fi and hotspots to stretch data budgets, especially after the end of ACP benefits in 2024.

Notes on methodology and uncertainty

• Figures are estimates synthesized from recent ACS “Computer and Internet Use” trends, Pew smartphone adoption patterns, FCC coverage/broadband mapping patterns, and known rural–urban differentials in South Carolina. County-level numbers are given as ranges to reflect year-to-year variation and measurement error.

Below is a concise, localized estimate for Darlington County, SC. Because platform vendors rarely publish county-level figures, the numbers combine Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. usage rates with Darlington County’s age/gender mix and typical rural–Southern usage patterns. Treat them as directional ranges, not exact counts.

Overall user base

• Population: ~63,000
• Estimated social media users: 36,000–40,000 residents (about 58–64% of total pop; ~70–75% of adults)
• Access pattern: smartphone‑heavy; Facebook and YouTube are the default entry points; short‑form video (Reels/TikTok) rising fast among under‑35

Most‑used platforms (estimated share of local adults using each; teens often higher on TikTok/Snap/IG)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 72–78%
• Instagram: 35–40% (higher among under‑35 and local businesses)
• TikTok: 28–33% (teens/20s much higher)
• Pinterest: 33–38% (skews female, DIY/recipes)
• Snapchat: 20–25% (heavy in teens/20s for messaging)
• X/Twitter: 15–20% (news/sports, officials, media)
• WhatsApp: 15–20% (family, small biz)
• LinkedIn: 15–20% (lower than national; professional niches)
• Reddit: 12–18% (younger/male skew)
• Nextdoor: 8–12% (pockets in towns/neighborhoods)

Age profile of users (share of the county’s social media user base; rounded)

• 13–17: ~9–11% (Snap/TikTok/IG dominant; YouTube universal)
• 18–29: ~18–22% (multi‑platform power users; Reels/Stories, Snap; YouTube daily)
• 30–49: ~30–35% (Facebook + YouTube core; IG/TikTok for trends; Marketplace heavy)
• 50–64: ~22–26% (Facebook Groups/Marketplace, YouTube how‑tos/streaming)
• 65+: ~12–15% (Facebook for family/church/community; YouTube for services/how‑tos)

Gender breakdown

• County population is slightly female‑skewed; among social users: ~54% women, ~46% men
• Skews by platform: women over‑index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; men over‑index on YouTube, Reddit, X

Behavioral trends to know

• Community first: Facebook Groups are the information backbone (schools, churches, youth sports, yard sales, local government, public safety). Facebook Marketplace is a top local commerce channel.
• Video is king: YouTube for music, sermons, repairs/how‑tos; short‑form video (Reels/TikTok) drives discovery for food spots, local events, and creators.
• Event‑driven spikes: Local sports, school events, festivals, and Darlington Raceway race weeks amplify posting, live video, and hashtag use.
• Shopping and services: High engagement with local boutiques, food trucks, salons, home services via Facebook/Instagram; DMs and Messenger for bookings and quotes.
• Messaging over feeds for youth: Teens/20s rely on Snap DMs and IG DMs; public posting is more selective.
• Trust sources: People follow county/city agencies, school districts, churches, and local media on Facebook for timely updates.
• Timing: Evenings (after work/school) and weekend mornings are reliable engagement windows; lunch hour bumps for short‑form video.

Notes on methodology

• Based on Pew Research Center Social Media Use (2024), U.S. Census/ACS demographics for Darlington County, and typical rural Southern usage adjustments. Ranges reflect uncertainty at county level.