Lancaster County

Lancaster County, South Carolina — key demographics

Population size

• 2023 population estimate: ~108,000 (U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, V2023)
• 2020 Census: ~96,000

Age

• Median age: ~41 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~24%
• 18–64: ~58%
• 65 and over: ~18%

Gender

• Female: ~51.5%
• Male: ~48.5% (ACS 2019–2023)

Racial/ethnic composition (Hispanic is of any race; shares may not sum to 100 due to rounding)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~65%
• Black or African American: ~20%
• Hispanic/Latino: ~9%
• Asian: ~2.5–3%
• Two or more races and other: ~3–4% (ACS 2019–2023)

Household data

• Households: ~39,000–40,000
• Average household size: ~2.6–2.7
• Family households: ~73–75% of all households
• Married‑couple families: ~55–57% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~30–32%
• Owner‑occupied housing rate: ~75–77% (ACS 2019–2023)

Insights

• Strong post‑2010 growth (driven by Charlotte metro spillover), with population up roughly 10–15% since 2020.
• Age structure is slightly older than the state overall; household size modestly above the U.S. average.
• Increasing diversity, with Hispanic/Latino share nearing 1 in 10 residents.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates (V2023) and American Community Survey 2019–2023 5‑year estimates; 2020 Decennial Census.

Lancaster County, SC (≈105,000 residents, 2023 est.; density ≈190 people/sq mi).

Estimated email users: ≈76,000 adult residents (≈92% of ≈83,000 adults).

Age distribution among adult email users (share; approx. count):

• 18–29: 16% (~12,200)
• 30–49: 36% (~27,500)
• 50–64: 28% (~21,400)
• 65+: 20% (~15,300)

Gender split among users: ≈52% female (39,700), 48% male (36,600), mirroring the county population.

Digital access trends:

• ≈86% of households subscribe to broadband; ≈94% have a computer or smartphone at home; ≈12% are smartphone‑only internet users.
• Adoption and speeds are highest in the fast‑growing northern suburbs bordering the Charlotte metro (notably the Indian Land/US‑521 corridor) with extensive cable/fiber presence.
• Rural southern/eastern tracts show lower subscription rates and greater reliance on DSL/satellite, contributing to most remaining non‑users (older adults and lower‑income households).

Connectivity facts:

• Fixed broadband at modern 100/20 Mbps tiers reaches the large majority of addresses countywide, with fiber concentrated in higher‑density northern ZIPs.
• Suburban employment and school connectivity needs drive strong email engagement; rural infrastructure gaps remain the chief constraint.

Mobile phone usage in Lancaster County, South Carolina — 2024 snapshot

Baseline

• Population: ~104,000 (2023 Census estimate), ~39,000 households
• Adult population (18+): ~81,000

User estimates

• Adult smartphone users: 74,000 (about 91–93% of adults), modestly above South Carolina’s adult average (89–91%)
• Households with at least one smartphone: ~36,000 (about 92–94% of households)
• Households that rely on mobile-only internet (smartphone/cellular data and no fixed broadband): 4,100–4,400 (about 10–11% of households), lower than the statewide share (14–16%)

How Lancaster differs from the state

• Higher ownership, lower mobile-only dependence: Lancaster’s smartphone adoption edges above the statewide rate, while its reliance on mobile-only internet is several points lower. The northern, suburbanized part of the county (Indian Land/Lancaster city) has broad fiber and cable availability that reduces smartphone-only reliance compared with many rural parts of South Carolina.
• Affluent, fast-growing commuter profile: Median household incomes are higher than the state average and the county is tied to the Charlotte labor market. That supports higher rates of postpaid plans and 5G-capable devices than the state overall.
• A split market: Lancaster has better mid-band 5G capacity and denser tower placement in the north than typical rural SC counties, but the county’s southern and eastern rural areas still show LTE/low-band 5G pockets and lower indoor coverage quality, reflecting rural constraints common statewide.

Demographic breakdown (estimates reflect ACS/Pew patterns applied to county totals)

• Age
  • 18–34: near-universal smartphone adoption (~97–99%)
  • 35–64: very high adoption (~94–96%)
  • 65+: Lancaster’s senior share is above the state average due to large active-adult communities; estimated adoption ~80–82% among seniors, yielding ~17,000 senior smartphone users. That is a few points higher than the statewide senior rate, reflecting higher income/education among local retirees
• Income
  • <$35k households: higher likelihood of mobile-only internet (~17–19%), but still below the statewide low-income mobile-only rate (often ~20%+)
  • $75k+ households: strong fixed-broadband take-up; mobile-only reliance ~5–7%
• Geography within the county
  • Northern suburban band (Indian Land, US‑521 corridor, Lancaster city): highest 5G availability and fixed broadband overlap; lowest mobile-only rates
  • Southern/eastern rural areas (around Heath Springs/Kershaw and outlying tracts): more cellular reliance, more LTE/low-band 5G, and greater fixed-wireline gaps

Digital infrastructure points

• 5G coverage: AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon all provide 5G across population centers; mid-band 5G (T‑Mobile n41, Verizon C‑band, AT&T mid-band/5G+) is broadly deployed along the US‑521 and SC‑9 corridors and in Indian Land/Lancaster city. Rural tracts trend toward LTE/low-band 5G with lower capacity
• Fixed broadband context: Comporium is the anchor provider with extensive fiber and DOCSIS in Indian Land and Lancaster city; AT&T Fiber exists in pockets along the northern corridor; TruVista serves the Kershaw area. This wireline footprint materially lowers smartphone-only dependence versus the state
• Fixed wireless home internet: T‑Mobile 5G Home is widely available in the suburban north and into Lancaster city; Verizon 5G Home is present in the Indian Land area and select zones. Adoption skews to fringe/rural blocks and as a competitive option where fiber is absent
• Capacity/traffic patterns: Daytime and evening load concentrates along US‑521 and SC‑9 and in Indian Land retail/office clusters due to Charlotte‑oriented commuting and hybrid work. This produces higher mid-band utilization than typical SC rural counties

Key takeaways

• Lancaster County has more smartphone users per capita and fewer mobile-only households than South Carolina overall, driven by higher incomes, suburban fiber availability, and proximity to the Charlotte network core
• The county’s north behaves like a metro suburb (dense 5G, high-capacity mid-band, strong fixed broadband competition), while the south/east retains rural characteristics (more cellular dependence and capacity constraints)
• Seniors in Lancaster adopt smartphones at higher rates than seniors statewide, narrowing—but not eliminating—the age gap in mobile adoption across the county

Notes on method: Figures are 2024 estimates derived from 2020–2023 American Community Survey computer/internet indicators, state benchmarks, and 2023–2024 FCC/mobile operator coverage disclosures applied to Lancaster County’s population and household totals. Estimates are rounded to reflect data uncertainty while preserving county-versus-state deltas.

Social media usage in Lancaster County, SC (2025 snapshot)

What “definitive” means here: County-specific, platform-by-platform figures aren’t directly published. The percentages below are modeled local estimates based on Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adoption rates applied to Lancaster County’s suburban/commuter profile and age structure from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 2023). They are suitable for planning and benchmarking.

Overall usage

• Adults using at least one social platform: ~84% of Lancaster County adults
• Daily users (any platform): ~70% of adults
• Typical platform mix: Most active adults use 3–4 platforms; video-first (YouTube, Reels, TikTok) drives the highest engagement

Most-used platforms (share of Lancaster County adults)

• YouTube: ~83%
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~47%
• Pinterest: ~35%
• TikTok: ~33%
• Snapchat: ~30%
• LinkedIn: ~30% (strong among commuters/professionals)
• WhatsApp: ~29%
• Reddit: ~25%
• X (Twitter): ~22%
• Nextdoor: ~19% (higher in HOA/55+ neighborhoods)

Age-group profile (estimated adoption within each age band)

• 18–29: YouTube ~95%; Instagram ~75–80%; Snapchat ~60–65%; TikTok ~60–65%; Facebook ~55–60%
• 30–49: YouTube ~90%+; Facebook ~70–75%; Instagram ~45–50%; TikTok ~35–40%; Snapchat ~20–30%; LinkedIn ~35–40%
• 50–64: Facebook ~70–75%; YouTube ~80–85%; Pinterest ~35–45%; Instagram ~25–30%; TikTok ~20–25%
• 65+: Facebook ~50%; YouTube ~45–50%; Pinterest ~25–30%; Nextdoor ~20–25%; Instagram ~10–15%

Gender breakdown (directional skews locally consistent with national patterns)

• Female-leaning: Pinterest (strongly), Instagram (moderate), Facebook (slight), Nextdoor (slight)
• Male-leaning: YouTube (slight), Reddit (strong), X/Twitter (moderate)
• More neutral: TikTok, Snapchat, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
• Practical implication: Women in Lancaster are notably more reachable via Facebook + Instagram + Pinterest; men via YouTube + Reddit + X

Behavioral trends in Lancaster County

• Facebook as the local hub: Neighborhood groups, schools/youth sports, churches, civic updates, and county services concentrate on Facebook; Marketplace is a primary channel for local buying/selling and service referrals
• Video-first consumption: Reels, Shorts, and TikTok clips outperform static posts; local businesses (food, boutiques, home services) lean on short-form video for discovery
• Commuter/professional layer: Proximity to Charlotte supports above-average LinkedIn engagement; B2B, recruiting, and professional events perform well there
• Suburban/HOA dynamics: Nextdoor and Facebook Groups drive hyperlocal conversation in HOA and 55+ communities; safety, utilities, and contractor recommendations are frequent topics
• Local discovery and shopping: Instagram and TikTok drive awareness for restaurants, boutiques, beauty/fitness; conversion often completes via Facebook Pages/Messenger or website
• Messaging behavior: Facebook Messenger is the default for local business inquiries; WhatsApp usage is steady for family/intl. ties and group coordination
• Timing and cadence: Evenings (7–9 pm) and weekends see the highest engagement; school-year cycles and community events materially shift attention

Key takeaways for action

• Use Facebook + Instagram as the core, add YouTube Shorts/TikTok for reach and video-led engagement
• For 50+, prioritize Facebook Groups, Nextdoor, and informative video on YouTube
• For 18–34, prioritize Instagram Reels/TikTok; supplement with Snapchat for promotions and UGC
• For professionals, include LinkedIn for targeting and credibility
• Lean into short-form video, local keywords/geo-tags, and consistent posting around community calendars

Sources and methodology: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (national adoption by platform and demographics); U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023 (age structure). Percentages above are locally modeled from these datasets to reflect Lancaster County’s suburban profile.