Dorchester County

Dorchester County, South Carolina — key demographics (latest Census/ACS estimates)

• Population: ~167,000 (2023 estimate)
• Age:
  • Median age: ~38
  • Under 18: ~25%
  • 65 and over: ~15%
• Gender:
  • Female: ~52%
  • Male: ~48%
• Race/ethnicity:
  • White (non‑Hispanic): ~59%
  • Black or African American: ~26%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~7%
  • Asian: ~2%
  • Two or more races: ~5%
  • Other (including American Indian/Alaska Native, NHPI): ~1%
• Households:
  • Total households: ~58,000
  • Average household size: ~2.8
  • Family households: ~74% of households
  • Owner‑occupied housing rate: ~77%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2023 Population Estimates; 2023 ACS 1‑year/5‑year).

Dorchester County, SC snapshot (estimates)

• Estimated email users: 120,000–135,000 residents (about 85–90% of people 13+), extrapolating from high broadband/smartphone access and near‑universal email use among internet users.
• Age mix among email users: 13–17: ~6–8%; 18–34: ~25–28%; 35–64: ~50–55%; 65+: ~15–18%. Adoption is highest for 18–64; seniors participate slightly less but still majority users.
• Gender split: Roughly even; county population is ~51% female, 49% male, and email usage rates are similar by gender.
• Digital access trends: Approximately 85–90% of households have a broadband subscription; cable and growing fiber coverage in the Summerville/North Charleston fringe (Xfinity/Comcast, AT&T, Home Telecom), with more DSL/satellite reliance in the rural west (St. George/Harleyville/Ridgeville). LTE/5G is strong along the I‑26 corridor; smartphone‑only internet households are a meaningful minority.
• Local density/connectivity facts: Population ~165,000 over ~575 sq mi (≈270–290 people/sq mi), with the highest density and fastest fixed speeds near Summerville; public Wi‑Fi is available via county libraries and civic facilities.

Notes: Figures are rounded estimates based on recent ACS computer/internet data and national email adoption patterns.

Dorchester County, SC mobile phone usage: a suburban-heavy, high-adoption profile with strong 5G along the I‑26 corridor and a smaller—but still meaningful—rural coverage gap in the west. Compared with South Carolina overall, Dorchester skews higher on adoption and postpaid plans, lower on smartphone-only households, and earlier on 5G/FWA uptake.

User estimates

• Population baseline: roughly 160–170k residents; about 75–77% are adults.
• Adult smartphone users: about 112–118k (assumes ~90–92% adult smartphone adoption, in line with Pew’s U.S. suburban rates and slightly above SC’s statewide average).
• Teen smartphone users (13–17): ~9–11k (adoption ~95% typical for teens).
• Total smartphone users (all ages): approximately 122–130k.
• Mobile lines (including tablets, watches, hotspots, IoT/FWA): on the order of 180–210k lines, using common U.S. penetration of ~110–125 lines per 100 residents in metro/suburban counties.

Demographic breakdown (directional)

• Age:
  • 18–49: near-universal smartphone ownership; heavy 5G usage for video and navigation tied to commuting.
  • 50–64: high ownership; strong shift to 5G and larger-screen devices.
  • 65+: estimated 75–80% smartphone ownership; more voice/SMS and telehealth use; growing adoption of simplified plans.
• Income/plan type:
  • Median household income is higher than the SC average; expect a higher share of postpaid family plans and device financing, lower prepaid share than statewide.
  • Smartphone-only households likely lower than the SC average (roughly 10–13% in Dorchester vs 15–18% statewide), because cable/fiber and 5G fixed wireless are widely available in the populated east.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Ownership is broadly high across groups; smartphone dependence (using a phone as primary internet) is relatively higher among Black and Hispanic residents, but countywide rates are tempered by better home-broadband options in Summerville/Ladson.
• Education/commute:
  • A commuter-heavy, suburban population drives peak daytime mobile data demand along I‑26/US‑78 and in Summerville employment/retail zones.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage and technology:
  • AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon all provide 5G across the eastern half of the county; mid‑band 5G (T‑Mobile 2.5 GHz; Verizon/AT&T C‑band) is strongest along I‑26, Summerville, Ladson, and major arterials.
  • Western/rural areas (St. George, Reevesville, Harleyville; Four Holes Swamp/Francis Beidler Forest vicinity) still show pockets of weaker signal or low‑band 5G/LTE-only service.
• Capacity and densification:
  • Highest tower density and sector upgrades are in the Summerville/Ladson corridor; ongoing suburban growth continues to trigger additional sectors and backhaul upgrades.
  • Limited small-cell use compared with larger urban cores, but targeted infill appears around busy retail nodes and near schools.
• Fixed broadband interplay:
  • Summerville/Ladson areas have robust cable and growing fiber footprints; the west remains more mixed, with some DSL legacy and fixed wireless fills.
  • 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) from T‑Mobile and Verizon is broadly marketed in the suburban east and has meaningful take-up, reducing smartphone-only reliance.
• Public/anchor assets:
  • Carriers co-locate on municipal towers/water tanks; schools and libraries in the east offer strong indoor Wi‑Fi, mitigating mobile-only dependence for students.

How Dorchester differs from South Carolina overall

• Higher smartphone adoption and a larger share of postpaid family plans, reflecting higher incomes and a suburban household mix.
• Earlier and wider mid‑band 5G deployment along I‑26/Summerville than seen in many rural SC counties; faster median mobile speeds in populated corridors.
• Lower prevalence of smartphone-only households due to better availability of cable/fiber and strong 5G FWA offers; statewide, more rural counties rely on phone-only internet.
• Fewer and smaller coverage gaps than many SC counties, though the county’s western fringe still resembles the state’s rural dead‑zone pattern.
• ACP/Lifeline reliance is present but a smaller share of households than statewide; the lapse in ACP funding affects fewer households proportionally than in lower‑income rural counties.

Implications

• Network planning: prioritize capacity upgrades and mid‑band 5G densification in Summerville/Ladson and along I‑26; targeted low‑band coverage infill west of St. George.
• Product mix: family/postpaid and multi‑line device bundles over-index; FWA complements cable/fiber in the east and substitutes in pockets of the west.
• Digital equity: continued focus on west-county coverage and affordable plans/devices will have outsized impact relative to the smaller number of un/underserved residents.

Dorchester County, SC — social media snapshot (short, directional)

Baseline user stats

• Population: ~165k residents; ~125k adults.
• Adult social-media users (est.): 95k–105k (roughly 75–85% of adults use at least one platform).
• Daily use: A majority of users check daily; Facebook and YouTube are the most habitual.

Age mix of users (share of total users, est.)

• 13–17: 8–10%
• 18–29: 18–20%
• 30–49: 35–38% (largest cohort)
• 50–64: 20–22%
• 65+: 12–15%

Gender breakdown (est. among users)

• Women: 53–55%
• Men: 45–47%

Most‑used platforms in the county (estimated adult monthly reach)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 70–75%
• Instagram: 45–50%
• TikTok: 32–38%
• Pinterest: 30–35% (skews female 25–54)
• Snapchat: 25–30% (heavy under 30)
• LinkedIn: 22–28% (working‑age professionals; regional employers)
• X (Twitter): 18–22%
• Nextdoor: 15–20% (strong in HOA/suburban neighborhoods)
• Reddit: 15–20%

Behavioral trends to know

• Community hubs: Facebook Groups drive the county’s digital word‑of‑mouth (schools, youth sports, church updates, yard sales). Facebook Marketplace is heavily used for local buying/selling.
• Video‑first consumption: Reels/TikTok short videos and YouTube how‑tos/event recaps perform best. Authentic, face‑forward local content beats polished ads.
• Local info spikes: Weather/hurricane season, traffic on the I‑26 corridor, and school‑district announcements create rapid engagement spikes. Evenings (7–10 pm) and weekend mornings see strong activity.
• Suburban family skew: Parents 25–54 engage with kid‑friendly events, home improvement, local dining, and deals. Safety and charity posts get above‑average shares.
• Messaging flows: Many threads move to Facebook Messenger; WhatsApp shows pockets of use among Hispanic/international communities for family and church/team group chats.
• Platform niches:
  • Nextdoor for HOA alerts, lost pets, and neighborhood safety.
  • Pinterest for DIY, gardening, and home projects.
  • LinkedIn for manufacturing/logistics/tech hiring tied to the broader Charleston metro.

Notes on method

• Figures are modeled from Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. platform usage and typical suburban adoption, adjusted to Dorchester County’s age profile (Census/ACS). Treat as directional estimates rather than exact counts.