Kershaw County

Kershaw County, South Carolina — key demographics

Population

• Total population (2020 Census): 65,403

Age

• Median age: ~41 years
• Under 18: ~22.7%
• 65 and over: ~18.9%

Gender

• Female: ~51.6%
• Male: ~48.4%

Race and ethnicity (ACS, shares may not sum to 100 due to rounding)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~65%
• Black or African American: ~27%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~4–5%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• Asian: ~0.8%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.4%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%

Households and housing

• Households: ~25,100
• Average household size: ~2.53
• Family households: ~67% (married-couple families ~48%)
• Nonfamily households: ~33%
• Households with children under 18: ~27%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~75%
• Median household income (in 2022 dollars): ~$58,600

Insights

• Slightly older age profile than the state overall, with nearly one in five residents 65+
• Majority White with a substantial Black population and a small but growing Hispanic community
• Predominantly family and owner-occupied households, with homeownership above the U.S. average

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (population count) and 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates (all other indicators)

Kershaw County, SC email usage snapshot (derived from U.S. Census/ACS 2018–2022 and Pew Research):

• Estimated adult email users: ~45,000 (county adults ≈51,000; ~90%+ of adults use email).
• Age distribution of users (approx.): 18–29: ~10,000; 30–49: ~15,000; 50–64: ~11,000; 65+: ~10,000. Penetration is highest among 18–49 (≈95–97%), solid for 50–64 (≈92%), and lower for 65+ (≈75–80%).
• Gender split: ~51% female, ~49% male among users; usage rates are effectively equal by gender.

Digital access and connectivity:

• Households with a computer: ~90%.
• Households with a broadband subscription: ~83% (≈21,000 of ~25,500 households).
• Smartphone‑only internet households: ~13%, indicating a notable mobile‑dependent segment.
• Local density/connectivity: ~65,000 residents spread over ~740 sq mi (≈88 people/sq mi). Fixed broadband options are densest around Camden and the I‑20 corridor; rural northern/eastern areas show thinner provider choice and lower subscription rates, though countywide 4G LTE coverage is common.

Insights: Email is near‑universal among working‑age adults; seniors are the main gap. Broadband availability and take‑up, while solid, trail urban South Carolina, making mobile‑centric access meaningful for outreach.

Mobile phone usage in Kershaw County, South Carolina — 2023–2025 snapshot

Headline estimates

• Population and households: About 68,000 residents and roughly 26,000–27,000 households.
• Adult mobile users: Approximately 50,000 adults use a mobile phone (about 94–96% of adults).
• Adult smartphone users: Approximately 46,000–48,000 adults use a smartphone (about 87–90% of adults).
• Total wireless lines in market: On the order of 80,000–90,000 active wireless connections (handsets plus secondary/IoT lines), consistent with ~1.2–1.3 lines per resident observed in similar South Carolina counties.

Demographic breakdown of smartphone use (adults)

• By age (estimated counts reflect Kershaw’s age structure; adoption rates reflect recent national/state benchmarks applied locally):
  • 18–29: ~10,500–11,000 smartphone users (≈95–97% adoption in this group).
  • 30–49: ~16,000–17,000 (≈93–96%).
  • 50–64: ~11,000–12,000 (≈80–85%).
  • 65+: ~8,000–9,000 (≈60–70%).
  • Insight: The county’s older age profile pulls overall adoption a bit below urban South Carolina levels, with the 65+ gap being the largest contributor.
• By income/education (pattern, directionally consistent with ACS/Pew differentials):
  • Under $35k: materially lower smartphone and multi-device adoption; higher prepaid use and mobile-only internet reliance.
  • $35k–$75k: near state-average adoption; more hotspotting to supplement limited fixed broadband.
  • $75k+: parity with statewide urban adoption, high multi-line device ownership.
  • Insight: Differences in mobile adoption in Kershaw are driven more by age and income than by race/ethnicity.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Network footprint:
  • All three national carriers operate countywide. 5G coverage is strongest in and around Camden, Lugoff, and Elgin and along I-20, US-1, and US-521. Rural northern areas (Bethune, Cassatt, Westville, Liberty Hill) see more LTE fallback and indoor-coverage variability.
• Capacity and speeds:
  • Typical 5G mid-band performance in populated corridors ranges roughly 100–300 Mbps down, with LTE in rural pockets often 5–25 Mbps down and higher latency. Indoor performance in older or metal-roof structures can be inconsistent in rural zones.
• Mobile-reliant households:
  • Roughly one in six households rely primarily on cellular connectivity for home internet (cellular-only or cellular-first), a higher share than the statewide average of roughly one in eight. This reflects fixed-broadband gaps outside the main corridors and cost-sensitive segments opting for unlimited phone plans plus hotspotting.
• Resilience and buildout:
  • New spectrum activations (5G mid-band/C-Band) since 2022 have measurably improved capacity in the Camden–Lugoff–Elgin corridor. North-county coverage still depends on fewer macro sites, making service more sensitive to terrain, foliage, and tower outages.

How Kershaw County differs from South Carolina overall

• Higher mobile-only reliance: A notably larger share of households depend on cellular for home internet than the state average, driven by rural last-mile limitations and affordability considerations.
• Slightly lower senior adoption: Smartphone adoption among residents 65+ is a few to several points lower than the state average because Kershaw has an older age mix and more rural seniors.
• More uneven 5G depth: 5G is present where most residents live and commute, but coverage and capacity outside the I-20/US-1/US-521 corridors trail the state’s urban counties; LTE fallback remains common in the north of the county.
• Heavier hotspotting, fewer secondary devices: Compared with the state average, Kershaw residents are more likely to use phone hotspots for household connectivity and less likely to maintain multiple ancillary mobile devices (tablets/wearables) per person.
• Commute-driven load patterns: Daytime demand concentrates along I-20 and in Elgin/Lugoff (Columbia commuters), creating corridor-based performance variability that is less pronounced in many non-metro South Carolina counties.

Practical implications

• For providers: Continued mid-band 5G infill north of Camden and additional sectorization on existing corridor sites would directly address the county’s biggest performance deltas.
• For households and businesses: Where fixed broadband is limited, modern 5G plans with external antennas can deliver acceptable primary connectivity; however, performance remains location- and tower-load dependent in the county’s northern and fringe areas.

Sources and basis

• U.S. Census Bureau, 2019–2023 ACS 5-year (population, household counts, internet subscription/device availability).
• Pew Research Center, 2023–2024 (smartphone adoption by age/income).
• FCC Broadband Data Collection and carrier coverage disclosures through 2024–2025 (5G/LTE availability and buildout patterns).
• Aggregated mobile performance observations for South Carolina and comparable rural counties (capacity and speed ranges).

Kershaw County, SC — Social Media Snapshot (2025)

Headline user stats

• Estimated social media users: ~49,000 residents (about 72% of the total population; aligns with U.S. average social media penetration)
• Gender split (users): ~53% women, ~47% men (reflects county sex ratio and higher female usage on several platforms)
• Device: Predominantly mobile-first usage; video accounts for the majority of time spent

Most-used platforms (adults, estimated % who use)

• YouTube: ~83%
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~47%
• TikTok: ~33%
• Pinterest: ~33%
• Snapchat: ~27%
• LinkedIn: ~30%
• X (Twitter): ~22%
• WhatsApp: ~21%
• Nextdoor: ~13% Note: Percentages mirror current U.S. adult usage and are reliable local proxies; Kershaw’s suburban-rural profile tends to index slightly higher on Facebook and slightly lower on X/LinkedIn.

Age-group patterns (local behavior consistent with national usage by age)

• Teens (13–17): YouTube ~95%; Instagram ~62%; TikTok ~67%; Snapchat ~60%; Facebook ~33%. Heavy short‑form video and private messaging; minimal X/LinkedIn.
• 18–29: YouTube ~95%; Instagram ~78%; Snapchat ~68%; TikTok ~62%; Facebook ~70%. Reels/TikTok drive discovery; DMs are primary for peer interaction.
• 30–49: Facebook ~77%; YouTube ~92%; Instagram ~53%; TikTok ~39%; Snapchat ~25%. Active in local Groups, school/youth sports, Marketplace.
• 50–64: Facebook ~73%; YouTube ~83%; Instagram ~29%; TikTok ~15%. News, community info, local businesses via Facebook.
• 65+: Facebook ~50%; YouTube ~49%; Instagram ~13%; TikTok ~7%. Primarily Facebook for family, church, civic updates.

Gender breakdown by platform (skews)

• More female: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Pinterest (Pinterest users skew strongly female)
• More male: YouTube (slight), Reddit, X (Twitter)
• Neutral/mixed: LinkedIn, WhatsApp

Local behavioral trends

• Facebook is the community backbone: school and youth sports updates, churches, civic groups, and Marketplace dominate. Group posts and local event content outperform brand-page posts.
• Short‑form video rules discovery: Reels/TikTok clips (6–30 seconds) outperform static posts for local businesses (restaurants, boutiques, fitness, real estate).
• Marketplace micro‑commerce: High buy/sell/trade activity; practical goods, vehicles, yard/estate sales perform best.
• Peak times: Commuter windows (6–8 a.m., 7–10 p.m.) and weekend mid‑day. Posting in these windows improves reach and response.
• Trust is local: Users prefer information from known local pages/groups and recognizable people; UGC and staff‑on‑camera content increase engagement.
• Private sharing > public posting for younger users: Snapchat/Instagram DMs are primary sharing modes; public feeds are for discovery.
• Nextdoor adoption is growing in newer subdivisions for HOA, safety, and contractor referrals; still secondary to Facebook Groups countywide.
• News and weather are “push” channels on Facebook; severe weather and school closings drive spikes in engagement.
• Outdoors and sports content over-index: hunting/fishing, high‑school sports highlights, local festivals, and youth activities get strong saves/shares.

What this means for outreach

• Lead with Facebook (Groups + video + Marketplace where relevant) and YouTube for broad reach; add Instagram/TikTok for under‑40 audiences.
• Prioritize short vertical video, local faces, and clear calls to action; cross‑post Reels/TikTok.
• Schedule around local peaks; boost community-aligned content rather than generic brand posts.
• Use DMs and Messenger for conversions and service; teens/young adults respond fastest via Snapchat/Instagram DMs.

Method notes

• Population and age structure based on recent Census estimates for Kershaw County; platform percentages use the latest U.S. benchmarks (Pew Research Center and industry datasets such as DataReportal) as local proxies. Patterns in similar suburban-rural South Carolina counties track closely with these figures.