Fairfield County

Here’s a concise demographic snapshot of Fairfield County, South Carolina.

Population

• Total population (2020 Census): 20,948
• 2023 estimate: ~20.3K

Age

• Median age: ~45 years
• Under 18: ~20%
• 65 and over: ~22%

Gender

• Female: ~52%
• Male: ~48%

Race/ethnicity (share of total)

• Black or African American: ~57–58%
• White: ~38–39%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Asian: ~0–1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0–1%

Households

• Number of households: ~8.3K–8.5K
• Average household size: ~2.4 persons
• Family households: ~60%
• Households with children under 18: ~24%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~75–78%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; Census QuickFacts). Estimates rounded for clarity.

Fairfield County, SC snapshot

• Estimated email users: ~12,000–14,000 residents (about 60–70% of the population), inferred from local internet adoption and national email-use rates.
• Age pattern:
  • 13–34: ~90–95% use email
  • 35–64: ~85–92%
  • 65+: ~70–80%
  • Older adults (roughly one-fifth of residents) lower the countywide average.
• Gender split: Email adoption is roughly even and mirrors the population (≈52% female, 48% male).
• Digital access trends:
  • ~70% of households have a broadband subscription; ~85–90% have a computer/smartphone (ACS 2018–2022).
  • An estimated 10–15% are smartphone‑only internet users.
  • Public Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools, civic buildings) helps fill gaps.
• Local density/connectivity:
  • Population ≈20–21k; density ~30–32 people per square mile (rural).
  • Faster fixed broadband and fiber are concentrated in/near Winnsboro; many outlying blocks rely on DSL or fixed wireless, with improving fiber buildouts by regional ISPs and electric‑co‑ops (FCC Broadband Map, state initiatives).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 2018–2022 5‑year), FCC National Broadband Map (2024), national email adoption research (e.g., Pew/industry studies).

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Fairfield County, South Carolina

Quick context

• Population and households: About 20–21k residents, roughly 7.8–8.4k households. Older-than-state age profile and lower median income than the SC average; majority-Black county. Large rural footprint with I‑77 running through the east.

User estimates (modeled from ACS 2019–2023 patterns and Pew smartphone adoption, adjusted for local age/income)

• Unique mobile phone users (age 12+): ~15k–17k
• Adult mobile ownership (any mobile phone): ~88–92% of adults (SC: ~92–95%)
• Adult smartphone users: ~75–82% of adults, or ~12k–13k people (SC: ~83–88%)
• Mobile-only internet households (smartphone/hotspot but no wired home internet): ~18–24% of households, or ~1.4k–2.0k (SC: ~11–15%)
• Prepaid/MVNO share: Meaningfully higher than state average due to price sensitivity; noticeable Lifeline participation pre-2024 and outsized exposure to the ACP wind-down.

Demographic breakdown (estimates; shows where Fairfield diverges from SC)

• Age
  • 18–34: smartphone 90%+; heavy app/social/video use. Similar to SC.
  • 35–64: smartphone 80–88%; slightly below SC on average; above-average use of hotspot-based home internet.
  • 65+: smartphone 55–65% (SC: ~65–75%); more basic/flip phones and shared family plans; slower device replacement cycles.
• Race/ethnicity
  • Black residents (a majority locally): high smartphone reliance and higher mobile-only internet rates than White residents, driven by price and limited wired options; similar device ownership to statewide peers but greater hotspot use for homework/telehealth.
  • White residents: slightly lower smartphone adoption among older rural households; more basic phones than state average.
• Income
  • Low-income households: prepaid and MVNO plans are common; ACP expiration in 2024/25 created bill shocks and some plan downgrades. Higher-than-state share of lines with strict data caps and hotspot use as primary home internet.
  • Middle-income households: increased adoption of 5G fixed wireless (Verizon/T‑Mobile) as a home internet alternative where cable/fiber is absent or costly.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Macro coverage
  • Strongest, most consistent LTE/low-band 5G coverage along I‑77, US‑321, and in/near Winnsboro and Ridgeway.
  • Patchier service in sparsely populated western and northwestern areas (e.g., near Jenkinsville/Blair, around forested and lake-adjacent terrain), with pockets of weak indoor signal.
• 5G specifics
  • Low-band 5G is broad but offers LTE-like speeds in many rural zones.
  • Mid-band 5G (100–300 Mbps typical) is most reliable along I‑77 and around town centers; much less consistent in outlying communities than the SC metro norm.
• Home internet interplay
  • Wired: Cable/fiber options are concentrated in and around Winnsboro/Ridgeway (e.g., local providers such as TruVista; limited AT&T fiber/legacy DSL in select blocks). Many rural homes face either no wired option or only lower-speed copper.
  • Fixed Wireless Access (FWA): Verizon and T‑Mobile 5G home internet is actively marketed and seeing faster uptake than statewide in rural tracts because it often outperforms legacy DSL and is cheaper than satellite.
  • Public access: Libraries and community centers are important access points, with Wi‑Fi and, in some cases, hotspot lending—utilized more heavily than the SC average.
• Backhaul and build constraints
  • Fiber backhaul follows highway/utility corridors; outside those, tower spacing is wider and foliage affects mid-band 5G reach. Permitting and economics of new rural sites slow uniform coverage compared with the state overall.

How Fairfield differs from the South Carolina average

• More mobile-dependent: A notably higher share of households rely on smartphones/hotspots as their primary home internet.
• Slightly lower smartphone penetration overall, driven by an older population and tighter budgets; basic phones persist among seniors.
• Higher prepaid/MVNO usage and stronger impact from the ACP subsidy lapse, leading to plan downgrades, data rationing, and churn.
• Larger urban–rural coverage gap: Good service along I‑77 and town centers but more dead zones off-corridor than the statewide norm.
• Faster relative uptake of 5G fixed wireless home internet as a substitute for limited wired options.

Implications

• Demand is strong for reliable mid-band 5G expansion beyond the highway corridor, plus indoor coverage improvements in rural pockets.
• Affordable plans with sizable hotspot allowances matter more here than elsewhere in SC.
• Digital equity efforts (subsidies, device support, hotspot lending, and digital skills) yield outsized benefits compared with the state average.

Notes on method and uncertainty

• Figures are estimates triangulated from recent ACS 5‑year indicators, FCC broadband availability patterns, Pew smartphone adoption, and typical rural SC take rates. Because no county-specific mobile panel exists, treat ranges as directional, with on-the-ground carrier measurements varying by neighborhood and terrain.

Social media usage in Fairfield County, SC (estimates for 2025)

Context

• Population: ~21,000; adults 18+: ~16,000. Rural, older-leaning county; women ~53% of residents.
• Estimated adult social media users: 72–78% of adults ≈ 11,500–12,500. Teens (13–17): ~1,200–1,400 with very high usage (90%+), adding ~1,100–1,300 users.

Age groups (share of local social media users)

• 13–17: 8–10%
• 18–29: 18–20%
• 30–49: 35–40% (largest cohort)
• 50–64: 20–24%
• 65+: 12–15%

Gender breakdown (of local social media users)

• Women: ~54–56%
• Men: ~44–46%
• Notes: Women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; Men over-index on YouTube, Reddit/X.

Most-used platforms (adult penetration, “use” at least occasionally; local estimates informed by Pew national data, adjusted for rural/older mix)

• Facebook: 72–78% (very strong across 30+; Groups and Marketplace dominate)
• YouTube: 75–82% (how-tos, music, church/sermon video, local sports clips)
• Instagram: 28–36% (concentrated under 35, women)
• TikTok: 22–30% (younger adults/teens; short local video and entertainment)
• Snapchat: 20–27% (teens/under-30 messaging)
• Pinterest: 24–32% (women; crafts, home, recipes, events)
• WhatsApp: 12–20% (family comms; small but steady)
• X/Twitter: 12–18% (news/sports followers; low posting)
• LinkedIn: 8–14% (lower white-collar density)
• Nextdoor: 5–8% (limited neighborhood coverage)

Behavioral trends

• Community-first: Heavy reliance on Facebook Groups for town updates (Winnsboro, Ridgeway), churches, schools/athletics, civic and emergency info; Marketplace is a top daily habit.
• Video-forward: YouTube for search/how-to and local church/school streams; TikTok/IG Reels for short-form entertainment and event promotion.
• Messaging over posting: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are key for coordination; DMs drive responses more than public comments with under-30.
• Local commerce: High engagement with local service promos, yard sales, seasonal events (festivals, sports), hunting/fishing and Lake Wateree content.
• Timing: Peaks 6:30–9:30 pm on weekdays; Sat late morning-midday; midday engagement from retirees on weekdays.
• Trust and reach: County/government, schools, churches, and well-known local figures (coaches, pastors, small-business owners) act as micro-influencers; boosted Facebook posts with tight geo-radius perform best.

Notes on method and sources

• Figures are modeled from Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. platform usage by age/rural status, applied to Fairfield County’s ACS demographic profile; ranges reflect rural and older skew. Use for planning; not a substitute for a local survey.