Dillon County

Dillon County, South Carolina — key demographics (latest Census/ACS, rounded)

• Population: ~28,300 (2020 Census); ~27,600 (2022 estimate)
• Age: median ~39; under 18 ~24%; 18–64 ~59%; 65+ ~17%
• Gender: ~52% female, ~48% male
• Race/ethnicity (2020; Hispanic is any race):
  • Black or African American ~55%
  • White ~39–41%
  • Hispanic/Latino ~3–4%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native ~1%
  • Asian <1%
  • Two or more/Other ~2–3%
• Households (ACS 2018–2022):
  • ~10,100 households; average household size ~2.6
  • Family households ~66–68%; married-couple ~34–36%
  • Households with children <18 ~30–32%
  • Occupied housing: ~66% owner, ~34% renter

Notes: Figures are rounded from the 2020 Decennial Census and the 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Dillon County, SC snapshot (estimates; extrapolated from U.S. Census ACS, FCC data, and Pew Research on email/internet use):

• Population: ~28,000; estimated email users: 18,000–22,000 (roughly 65–80% of residents, reflecting ~70–80% household internet subscription and high email use among internet users).
• Age distribution of email users: <18 ≈10%; 18–34 ≈28%; 35–54 ≈33%; 55–64 ≈16%; 65+ ≈13% (younger and working‑age adults dominate; seniors participate but at lower rates).
• Gender split: roughly even (about 50–52% female, 48–50% male), mirroring minimal gender gaps in email adoption nationally.
• Digital access trends: About three‑quarters of households subscribe to broadband; 15–20% are smartphone‑only internet users. Fixed high‑speed options (cable/fiber) concentrate in Dillon, Latta, and Lake View and along the I‑95 corridor; outlying rural areas rely more on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite. ACP wind‑down in 2024 likely tightened affordability for some low‑income households.
• Local density/connectivity: ~70 residents per square mile (sparse, rural). This lower density raises last‑mile costs and contributes to uneven speeds and availability, though recent fiber builds have improved service near population centers and major roadways.

Below is a concise, planning-oriented snapshot of mobile phone usage in Dillon County, South Carolina, with modeled estimates and how local trends diverge from statewide patterns. Where exact local data are not published, ranges reflect reasonable estimates based on 2020–2024 Census/ACS, Pew Research, FCC coverage filings, and rural market benchmarks.

Headline takeaways

• Mobile dependence is higher than the South Carolina average, driven by lower fixed-broadband availability and income constraints.
• Coverage is strong along I-95 and in towns (Dillon, Latta, Lake View) but drops off quickly in low-density areas; 5G access is more corridor-centric than statewide.
• Prepaid plans and smartphone-only internet use are meaningfully higher than the state average.

Estimated user base

• Population baseline: roughly 28–29k residents, ~21–22k adults (18+).
• Adults with a mobile phone: about 19–21k (roughly 85–92% adult adoption; SC overall closer to ~90–94%).
• Smartphone users: about 17–19k adults (roughly 80–86% in Dillon vs ~88–92% statewide).
• Smartphone-only internet users (no home broadband): approximately 25–30% of adults in Dillon (vs ~15–22% statewide). That implies ~5–6.5k adult residents rely primarily on a mobile device for internet.

Demographic patterns (modeled)

• Age
  • 18–34: very high smartphone adoption (95%+), high mobile-only reliance (30%+), heavy app/social/video use.
  • 35–64: high adoption (88–92%), elevated mobile-only share (25%); frequent use for work comms, gig/shift apps.
  • 65+: lower adoption (~65–75%), larger share on basic/older smartphones, but higher-than-average mobile-only among connected seniors due to limited wired options.
• Race/ethnicity
  • Black and Hispanic residents show above-average smartphone adoption and notably higher smartphone-only reliance than white residents, reflecting income and availability gaps.
• Income and education
  • Prepaid and budget plans are more common than statewide.
  • Multi-line family plans are popular for cost control; device upgrade cycles are longer (handsets kept 3–4+ years).

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage footprint
  • Strongest along I-95 and town centers; weaker in timber/farmland west and north of Dillon city. Indoor coverage variability is common in older structures and at the edges of sectors.
• 5G availability
  • Present along major corridors and in/near Dillon and Latta; more limited outside these areas. Mid-band 5G brings good speeds near the interstate; rural areas often fall back to LTE.
• Typical speeds
  • Towns/corridors: 5G often 100–300+ Mbps down when uncongested.
  • Rural areas: LTE/5G low-band typically 5–50 Mbps, with congestion and foliage affecting performance.
• Carriers and access options
  • National carriers cover population centers; MVNOs are widely used for cost reasons.
  • 5G home internet is available in and near towns/corridors; patchier elsewhere.
  • Fixed broadband: cable is available in core towns; fiber-to-the-home remains limited outside them. Many outlying areas rely on DSL remnants, fixed wireless, satellite, or mobile hotspots.
• Tower/backhaul context
  • Site density is adequate near I-95; sparser west/north of town centers. Backhaul upgrades are uneven, affecting peak-hour performance.

How Dillon County differs from South Carolina overall

• Higher mobile-only reliance (+5 to +10 percentage points vs statewide).
• Slightly lower overall smartphone ownership, concentrated among older and lower-income residents.
• Greater prepaid/MVNO penetration and longer device replacement cycles.
• More pronounced urban–rural performance gap; 5G is more corridor/town-centric than the state average.
• Heavier use of mobile hotspots for homework, telehealth, and job search due to fewer wired alternatives.

Implications for stakeholders

• Carriers: capacity and sector-splitting near schools, clinics, and along I-95 will yield outsized benefits; targeted rural infill and modern backhaul will reduce congestion.
• Public sector: investments that expand fiber backhaul and last-mile options will directly reduce smartphone-only dependency and improve digital equity.
• Community orgs: device literacy and affordability programs (ACP-alternative aid, refurbished devices) can move seniors and low-income households from basic phones to full-feature smartphones and home connectivity.

Notes on method

• User counts derived from county population and adult share (Census/ACS), blended with Pew smartphone adoption and smartphone-only internet benchmarks, adjusted upward for rural/low-income characteristics typical of Dillon County.
• Infrastructure observations reflect FCC filings, published carrier 5G footprints, and common rural performance patterns; exact tower counts and carrier market shares are not publicly detailed at county granularity.

Below is a concise, best-available snapshot for Dillon County, SC. Exact county-level social media stats aren’t published; figures are modeled from Dillon County demographics (ACS), South Carolina/rural benchmarks, and Pew Research (2023–2024). Treat percentages as reasonable ranges.

Headline snapshot

• Population: ~28–29K. Adults (18+): ~21.5–22.5K.
• Estimated social media users:
  • Adults: ~17–19K (≈78–85% of adults use at least one platform)
  • Teens (13–17): ~1.6–1.9K users
  • Total 13+: ~19–21K users
• Gender among users: ≈54% women, 46% men (mirrors local population; women skew slightly more active on Facebook/Instagram, men on YouTube/Reddit).

Age makeup of users (13+; rounded)

• 13–17: 8–10%
• 18–29: 18–22%
• 30–49: 30–34%
• 50–64: 22–26%
• 65+: 16–20% Notes: County skews older than U.S. average; adoption stays high via Facebook/YouTube among 50+.

Most-used platforms (adults, 18+; estimated penetration)

• YouTube: 78–85%
• Facebook: 68–75% (dominant for 50+)
• Instagram: 35–45% (strong 18–34)
• TikTok: 28–36% (strong 13–29)
• Snapchat: 20–28% (messaging-first, teens/20s)
• WhatsApp: 12–20% (higher for Hispanic users and cross-border family ties)
• X/Twitter: 10–15%
• Reddit: 10–15% (men 18–34)
• LinkedIn: 12–18% (professionals, educators, healthcare)
• Nextdoor: 2–5% (limited local network)
• Facebook Messenger: 60–70% (primary DM app)

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first Facebook: Local news, churches, schools, sports, obits, public safety, buy/sell groups, and Marketplace drive engagement; posts with faces, names, and local places outperform.
• Video short-form rise: TikTok and Reels for entertainment, humor, local events; data caps push short, mobile-native content.
• Messaging over comments: Many prefer FB Messenger or Snapchat for inquiries; “Message us” CTAs convert better than web forms.
• Practical content wins: Weather/road updates, how-to, hunting/fishing, high school sports, and local deals get saves/shares.
• Time-of-day peaks: Weekdays 7–9am, lunch, and 7–10pm; weekends mid-morning.
• Trust flows local: Info via friends/groups and known pages; local admins and micro-creators have outsized influence.
• Commerce: Facebook/Instagram for promotions; click-to-call and message-to-book beat online checkout; coupons and limited-time offers perform well.
• Regional spillover: Follow and share content from nearby Florence, Myrtle Beach, and Lumberton; geo-target around Dillon, Latta, Lake View, Hamer (I‑95 traffic, South of the Border).

Method note: Estimates align county age/sex mix with Pew platform adoption by age and rural/SC adjustments. For campaign planning, validate with small paid tests and page insights from local entities.