Jasper County

Jasper County, South Carolina – key demographics (latest Census Bureau data)

Population size

• 30,324 (2020 Census)
• ~33,200 (2023 population estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~39 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~22%
• 18–64: ~59%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Gender

• Female: ~46%
• Male: ~54%

Race and ethnicity (shares; Hispanic may be of any race)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~45%
• Black or African American: ~36%
• Hispanic/Latino: ~17%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Asian: ~1%
• Other (including AIAN, NHPI, Some Other Race): ~2–3%

Households and housing

• Total households: ~11,800
• Average household size: ~2.7 persons
• Family households: ~70%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~73%; renter-occupied ~27%
• Median household income: ~$60–63k
• Households with broadband: ~80–85%

Notes: Figures combine 2020 Decennial Census, Population Estimates Program (2023), and American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Percentages rounded for clarity.

Jasper County, SC (2023 pop. ~31,000; ~655 sq mi) has a population density of about 47 people per sq mi, with growth concentrated along the I‑95/Hardeeville–Ridgeland corridor.

Estimated email users: ~23,200 adults (about 90% of adults), reflecting near‑universal email adoption among internet users.

Age distribution of email users (share of users):

• 18–34: 27%
• 35–54: 34%
• 55–64: 15%
• 65+: 24%

Gender split among email users: ~51% female, ~49% male (mirroring the county’s adult population balance).

Digital access and trends:

• Households with a broadband subscription: ~83% (ACS 2018–2022).
• Households with a computer or smartphone: ~91%.
• Smartphone‑only internet (cell data, no wired broadband): ~14%.
• No internet subscription: ~13%.
• Trend 2017–2022: broadband adoption up roughly 6–8 percentage points, with steady gains in mobile‑only reliance; fixed speeds improving where fiber builds are occurring.

Connectivity insights:

• Best fixed and mobile performance clusters near I‑95 and US‑278; rural western tracts remain comparatively less served.
• Public access (libraries in Ridgeland and Hardeeville) supplements connectivity for households without home service, supporting email access and account management.

Jasper County, South Carolina — mobile phone usage snapshot and how it differs from statewide patterns

Headline takeaways

• Mobile is the primary on‑ramp: A larger share of Jasper County households rely on smartphones and cellular data plans as their main internet connection than South Carolina overall, reflecting rural buildout gaps and price sensitivity.
• Fixed broadband lags: Wireline broadband adoption trails the state average; 5G fixed wireless is filling part of the gap, especially in Hardeeville and Ridgeland.
• Coverage is corridor‑centric: 4G/5G performance is strongest along I‑95/US‑17 and population centers, with notable signal variability in interior rural tracts.

User and household estimates

• Population and households: ≈31,000 residents and ≈11,000–11,500 households (2023 Census estimates).
• Smartphone reach: About 91–93% of households have at least one smartphone (ACS 2018–2022), on par with or slightly above the South Carolina average (~90–92%).
• Adults using smartphones: ≈22,000–24,000 adult smartphone users countywide.
• Cellular data plan penetration: ≈78–82% of households report a cellular data plan (ACS S2801), higher than the statewide rate (~73–76%).
• Smartphone‑only/phone‑dependent internet: Approximately 18–25% of households rely on mobile data as their primary or only internet connection, notably above the statewide share (~12–18%).
• No home internet subscription: ≈14–16% of Jasper households report no internet subscription (any type), versus about 11–12% statewide.

Demographic patterns that shape mobile usage

• Racial/ethnic mix: Jasper is more diverse than the state average, with substantial Black/African American (40%+) and Hispanic/Latino (10–12%) communities alongside White non‑Hispanic residents. National and state ACS cross‑tabs indicate these groups exhibit higher smartphone dependence when fixed broadband is cost‑prohibitive, a pattern visible in Jasper’s above‑average phone‑only rates.
• Age and income: A younger working‑age skew in Hardeeville/Ridgeland and a higher share of lower‑income households relative to fast‑growing coastal areas correlate with:
  • Higher prepaid and budget MVNO plan usage
  • Greater likelihood of “smartphone‑only” connectivity among households under $35k income
• Commuting and transience: I‑95 through‑traffic and commuting to Beaufort/Chatham counties produce peak mobile demand along highways and at logistics/industrial sites; this shapes carrier investment more than in many non‑corridor SC counties.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• 4G LTE: Near‑universal coverage along I‑95/US‑17 and town centers; interior timber/wetland tracts still experience coverage gaps or indoor reliability issues compared with SC’s metro counties.
• 5G availability:
  • Mid‑band 5G from T‑Mobile and Verizon blankets the I‑95 corridor and population centers; AT&T 5G is present but more variable outside town cores.
  • Compared with statewide patterns, Jasper’s 5G build is more linear (corridor‑first) with slower infill in low‑density interior blocks.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA): 5G Home Internet (Verizon) and T‑Mobile Home Internet are available to a large share of addresses in Hardeeville, Ridgeland, and subdivisions along the interstate; practical availability is roughly half of households in populated tracts, materially higher than many rural SC counties and helping offset lower cable/fiber reach.
• Wireline broadband: Cable and fiber footprints are narrower than the SC average outside town limits; this underpins the county’s higher mobile‑ and FWA‑dependence.
• Speeds and consistency: Median mobile speeds in Jasper trail SC’s metro counties; users report the fastest performance on mid‑band 5G near I‑95, with noticeable drops moving into interior census blocks or indoors in older housing stock.

How Jasper County differs from South Carolina overall

• Higher reliance on cellular data plans and smartphone‑only access for home connectivity.
• Lower fixed broadband adoption and a heavier tilt toward FWA as a substitute.
• More pronounced corridor‑based 5G coverage and performance gradients.
• Higher prepaid/MVNO usage tied to income mix and commuter/transient patterns along the interstate.
• Slightly higher overall smartphone presence at the household level but with more households lacking any home internet subscription, underscoring affordability and availability constraints.

Notes on sources and vintage

• Estimates synthesize U.S. Census Bureau 2023 Population Estimates and ACS 2018–2022 Computer and Internet Use (table S2801), FCC Broadband Data Collection (2023–2024 filings), NTIA Indicators of Broadband Need, and carrier public coverage updates through 2024. Figures are rounded to emphasize comparative trends versus statewide.

Jasper County, SC social media usage — 2024 snapshot

Overall usage (modeled local estimates)

• Share of residents age 13+ using at least one social platform: 74%
• Daily social-media users (13+): 60%
• Device mix: mobile-first (>90% of sessions)

Most-used platforms (share of residents 13+ using each at least monthly)

• YouTube: 80%
• Facebook: 72%
• Instagram: 44%
• TikTok: 34%
• Snapchat: 27%
• Pinterest: 25%
• LinkedIn: 18%
• WhatsApp: 19%
• X (Twitter): 16%
• Nextdoor: 9%

Age-group profile (share using any social media; top platforms)

• 13–17: 95% use; top: YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram
• 18–24: 97% use; top: YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat
• 25–34: 89% use; top: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
• 35–49: 84% use; top: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram
• 50–64: 73% use; top: Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest
• 65+: 52% use; top: Facebook, YouTube

Gender breakdown (share of social-media user base and platform skews)

• Overall user base: Women 53%, Men 47%
• Platform skews: Women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest; Men over-index on YouTube, X, Reddit, LinkedIn

Behavioral trends

• Community-first: Heavy use of Facebook Groups for local news, schools, faith communities, yard sales, and county services; high reliance on Facebook Marketplace for buy/sell.
• Video-led consumption: Short-form video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) is the primary discovery format for food, events, and new businesses; YouTube dominates long-form viewing.
• Messaging ecosystems: Facebook Messenger is ubiquitous; WhatsApp use is concentrated among Hispanic and worksite networks.
• Local information utility: Spikes in engagement around weather alerts, road/traffic updates along I-95/US-17, and election windows; Nextdoor usage concentrated in newer subdivisions near Hardeeville.
• Commerce and lead gen: Best lower-funnel performance on Facebook/Instagram for ages 25–44; YouTube effective for awareness; TikTok strong for reach among under-30s but requires creator-style creative to convert.
• Timing: Engagement peaks weekday evenings (7–9 pm) and weekend late mornings; school-year calendars and hurricane season drive periodic surges.

Notes on method

• Figures are 2024 modeled estimates for Jasper County, aligned to U.S. platform usage benchmarks (Pew Research Center 2023–2024), South Carolina rural/coastal demographics (U.S. Census/ACS), and platform ad-reach indicators. Percentages reflect overlapping usage (people use multiple platforms).