Hampton County

Hampton County, South Carolina — Key demographics

Population

• 18,561 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~42 years
• Under 18: ~22%
• 18–64: ~60%
• 65 and over: ~18%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Race and ethnicity (Hispanic is of any race)

• Black or African American: ~53%
• White: ~40%
• Hispanic/Latino: ~5–6%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• Asian: <1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: <1%

Households and housing

• Households: ~6,800
• Average household size: ~2.5 persons
• Family households: ~66% of households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~70–75%

Insights

• Small, majority-Black rural county with an older age profile than the U.S. overall, modest household sizes, and a high share of owner-occupied homes.

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

Hampton County, SC snapshot

• Population ~18,500 across ~560 sq mi (≈33 people/sq mi); ≈7,200 households.

Email users (adults): ≈12,700 (about 88% of adults; 69% of total population)

By age (share of email users; count):

• 18–29: 18% (≈2,300)
• 30–49: 33% (≈4,200)
• 50–64: 25% (≈3,200)
• 65+: 24% (≈3,100)

Gender split of users: ≈52% female (≈6,600), 48% male (≈6,100).

Digital access and trends:

• Households with a computer: ≈88% (≈6,300).
• Home broadband subscription (any type, incl. cellular): ≈72% (≈5,200), below SC average (~84%).
• No home internet subscription: ≈26% (≈1,900).
• Of broadband households, roughly 1 in 5 rely on smartphone-only service.
• Adoption and speeds are improving year over year, but rural distance and lower provider competition keep fiber and high-speed options sparser than in metro SC.

Connectivity fact: Lower density and long last-mile runs increase deployment costs; fixed broadband coverage is patchier outside towns, while mobile coverage provides critical access for many residents.

Mobile phone usage in Hampton County, South Carolina — 2023 snapshot and trends

Executive snapshot

• Population and households: ~19,000 residents; ~7,300 households (U.S. Census/ACS 2019–2023).
• Adult smartphone users (estimate): ~12,800–13,300 adults, or about 85–90% of the county’s ~14,800 adults. This is a few points lower than South Carolina’s ~90% adult smartphone adoption, reflecting Hampton’s older age profile and lower incomes (Pew 2023 + ACS demographics).
• Mobile-reliant homes: Cellular-only home internet is notably higher than the state average.

Device ownership and home internet (ACS-based estimates, 2019–2023 5-year)

• Households with a smartphone: ~88–90% in Hampton vs ~90–92% statewide.
• Households with a desktop/laptop: ~62–68% in Hampton vs ~75–80% statewide.
• Broadband subscription (any): ~78–82% in Hampton vs ~86–89% statewide.
• Cellular data plan as the home internet connection (cellular-only): ~22–27% in Hampton vs ~13–17% statewide.
• No home internet subscription: ~19–23% in Hampton vs ~10–13% statewide. Interpretation: Compared to South Carolina overall, Hampton County has fewer multi-device households, a higher share of cellular-only internet, and more homes with no internet at all. This indicates heavier dependence on mobile networks for core connectivity.

Demographic context shaping mobile use (ACS 2019–2023)

• Race/ethnicity: ~53% Black, ~40% White, ~5–6% Hispanic/Latino, remainder multiracial or other.
• Age: ~20% aged 65+, above the state share.
• Income and poverty: Median household income roughly in the low $40,000s, with poverty rates several points above the state average.
• Educational attainment: Lower bachelor’s-degree attainment than the state average. Implications: Lower incomes and older age structure correlate with higher prepaid usage, more Android ownership, and increased reliance on smartphones as the primary (or only) internet device, compared to state norms.

Mobile network and digital infrastructure

• Coverage profile: Countywide 4G LTE from national carriers is typical; 5G (low-/mid-band) is present along main corridors and population centers but is patchier in outlying areas than the state average. Millimeter-wave 5G is generally absent outside dense urban cores statewide and is not a factor in Hampton.
• Performance: Typical rural speeds are serviceable for messaging, streaming audio, and SD/HD video but trail statewide urban/suburban medians. Variability is higher in forested and agricultural areas due to tower spacing and terrain.
• Tower and backhaul realities: Lower population density (~30–35 people/sq mi) means wider cell spacing and heavier sector loading at busy times, increasing the share of residents who rely on signal-boosting or outdoor CPE to stabilize service compared to the state as a whole.
• Fixed broadband interplay: Cable and fiber are concentrated in town centers; many outlying households fall back to fixed wireless or cellular hotspots. This raises mobile network load and makes cellular reliability more consequential than in metro South Carolina.
• Investment pipeline: South Carolina’s BEAD program (federal broadband funds) prioritizes unserved/underserved rural areas, including pockets of Hampton County, for 2025–2028 fiber and fixed-wireless buildouts. As these projects complete, expect a gradual shift from cellular-only home internet toward mixed fixed/mobile usage.

Trends that differ from state-level patterns

• Higher cellular-only dependence: Hampton County’s cellular-only home internet share is roughly 5–10 percentage points higher than the state average, and the “no internet at home” share is also meaningfully higher. Both push more day-to-day activity onto smartphones.
• Lower device diversity: A larger slice of households are smartphone-only (smartphone present but no computer/tablet), which suppresses activities that benefit from larger screens and increases use of messaging and short-form video.
• Older users, persistent voice/SMS: The higher 65+ share keeps traditional voice/SMS usage stronger than in younger, metro South Carolina, with slower uptake of cutting-edge 5G features.
• Network quality gap: Patchier 5G and sparser tower density lead to more variable speeds and coverage than statewide norms, particularly outside town centers and along less-traveled roads.
• Cost sensitivity: Higher poverty rates translate into above-average use of prepaid plans and ACP-like affordability supports; when fixed broadband is unaffordable or unavailable, households lean on unlimited or high-cap mobile plans.

User estimates summary (rounded)

• Adult population: ~14,800
• Adult smartphone users: ~12,800–13,300
• Households using cellular-only for home internet: ~1,600–2,000
• Households with no home internet: ~1,400–1,700
• Smartphone-only households (smartphone present, no computer): materially higher share than the state, consistent with device and subscription gaps noted above

Key takeaways

• Hampton County residents are more mobile-dependent than the average South Carolinian, not because of unusually high smartphone enthusiasm, but because fixed broadband access and affordability lag state norms.
• Improving fixed broadband reach will likely reduce cellular-only reliance; until then, mobile networks remain the county’s de facto connectivity backbone, especially in rural tracts.

Sources and methods

• U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates (population, households, income, device ownership, and internet subscription types)
• Pew Research Center (2023) for adult smartphone adoption benchmarks
• FCC National Broadband Map (2024) and state broadband office materials for infrastructure context and rural deployment trends Notes: Where county-level device and subscription percentages are not directly published in single-year county tables due to small sample sizes, figures above are derived from ACS 5-year tables and aligned with rural South Carolina patterns; ranges reflect reasonable uncertainty while remaining directionally consistent with state-to-county differences.

Hampton County, SC — social media usage (modeled local estimates based on 2023–2024 Pew Research Center platform adoption rates and U.S. Census/ACS county demographics; figures reflect adults unless noted)

Snapshot and user stats

• Population base: ~18.5K residents; ~14.7K adults (18+)
• Adults using at least one social platform: 80% (11.8K people; ~64% of total population)
• Including teens (13–17): total social media users 13.1K (71% of total population)

Age breakdown (share of each age group using social media; localized from national benchmarks)

• 13–17: ~90%+
• 18–29: ~96%
• 30–49: ~89%
• 50–64: ~77%
• 65+: ~50%

Gender breakdown among users

• Female: ~53%
• Male: ~47% Note: Women over-index on Facebook/Instagram/TikTok; men over-index on YouTube and X.

Most-used platforms in Hampton County (share of adult social media users who use each platform)

• YouTube: ~82%
• Facebook: ~72%
• Instagram: ~40%
• TikTok: ~30%
• Pinterest: ~31%
• Snapchat: ~24%
• X (Twitter): ~18%
• LinkedIn: ~17% Ranking: YouTube and Facebook dominate; Instagram/TikTok form the secondary tier; Pinterest/Snapchat notable niche use; X/LinkedIn smaller footprint.

Behavioral trends and usage patterns

• Community-centric activity: High engagement with local government, school districts, churches, civic groups, and high school sports on Facebook (pages and Groups). Facebook remains the default for community news, events, and obituaries.
• Marketplace and local commerce: Strong reliance on Facebook Marketplace and buy–sell–trade groups for secondhand goods, services, and seasonal work; small businesses lean on Facebook pages and boosted posts for reach.
• Video habits: YouTube is the go-to for how‑to, repairs, church streams, local performances, hunting/fishing and outdoors content. Short‑form video (Reels/TikTok) is strongest under 35 but growing among 35–54.
• Messaging layer: Facebook Messenger is the primary backchannel for coordination (teams, ministries, yard sales), with SMS still common; WhatsApp usage exists but remains secondary.
• Timing and cadence: Engagement peaks evenings and weekends; morning check‑ins are common before work/school. Local weather and emergency updates (tropical systems, severe storms) drive sharp, short‑lived spikes.
• Trust dynamics: Posts from known individuals, local institutions, and community admins outperform polished brand creative. Peer recommendations and tagged referrals matter more than generic ads.
• Access and format: Usage is predominantly smartphone-based; concise posts, vertical video, clear captions, and lightweight links perform best given variable connections.

Notes on methodology

• County-level social media data are rarely published; figures above are modeled to Hampton County’s age/gender profile using 2023–2024 Pew Research Center platform adoption rates (U.S. adults and rural cohorts) and 2022–2023 U.S. Census/ACS demographics. Percentages are rounded estimates intended for planning and sizing.