Saluda County

Key demographics for Saluda County, South Carolina (U.S. Census Bureau, 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates unless noted):

Population size

• Total population: ~20,700
• Change since 2010: modest growth

Age

• Median age: ~40 years
• Under 18: ~24%
• 18 to 64: ~59%
• 65 and over: ~17%

Gender

• Male: ~51%
• Female: ~49%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White, non-Hispanic: ~59–60%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~25%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~14–15%
• Other races (including Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, multiracial), non-Hispanic: ~1–2% combined

Household data

• Total households: ~7,500–7,600
• Average household size: ~2.7
• Family households: ~68%
• Married-couple families: ~49%
• Households with children under 18: ~31%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~77%

Insights

• Rural county with slightly older median age than the state.
• High owner-occupancy typical of rural areas.
• Notably higher Hispanic share than the South Carolina average, reflecting agricultural and related labor markets.

Saluda County, SC snapshot (estimates; latest ACS/Pew-based modeling)

• Population: 20,500; adults (18+) ~15,600.
• Estimated adult email users: ~14,600 (≈71% of all residents; ≈93% of adults).
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 18–29: ~2,800
  • 30–49: ~5,200
  • 50–64: ~3,600
  • 65+: ~3,000
• Gender split among users: ~49% male, ~51% female (email adoption is near-parity by gender).

Digital access and trends

• Rural density: ~45 residents per sq mi, which elevates last‑mile costs and slows fiber buildout.
• Internet access: Roughly 4 in 5 households maintain an internet subscription (fixed or mobile); smartphone‑only access likely around 1 in 5 households, higher than urban SC averages and correlated with lower-income tracts.
• Connectivity pattern: Fixed broadband (cable/DSL) is common along primary corridors and in/near Saluda town; fiber presence is growing but remains patchy outside population centers. Adoption lags availability in several rural census blocks.
• Performance: Many areas remain below 100 Mbps service tiers, with median fixed speeds trailing SC’s urban counties, contributing to heavier mobile/email reliance.
• Trajectory: Gradual gains from ongoing rural broadband grants and electric‑co‑op/ISP expansions; older‑adult email usage is increasing as device ownership and telehealth/benefit portals expand.

Saluda County, SC mobile phone usage summary

Snapshot and user estimates

• Population base: 20,700 residents (2023 Census Bureau estimate) across roughly 7,600 households (ACS 2018–2022).
• Households with a smartphone: about 84% in Saluda County vs 89% statewide (ACS S2801, 2018–2022).
• Any broadband subscription at home: about 74% in Saluda County vs 84% statewide; households with no internet subscription: about 17% vs 11% statewide (ACS S2801, 2018–2022).
• Cellular data plan in the household: about 68% in Saluda County vs 71% statewide (ACS S2801, 2018–2022).
• Mobile-only reliance: roughly 1 in 5 Saluda County households rely primarily on a smartphone/cellular data for home internet access, notably higher than the statewide share (ACS S2801 patterns; inferred from higher “no wired broadband” and strong smartphone presence).
• Estimated individual smartphone users: approximately 13,200 adult users, derived from the 2023 population, the county’s adult share, and observed rural smartphone adoption rates aligned with ACS/Pew patterns.

Demographic breakdown that shapes usage

• Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census): White ~56%, Black ~25%, Hispanic/Latino ~16%. The county’s comparatively large Hispanic population drives higher “mobile-first” behavior, consistent with national and SC trends where Hispanic households are more likely to rely on smartphones for internet.
• Age: A sizable older population suppresses overall adoption relative to the state average; adults 65+ are less likely to own smartphones or subscribe to fixed broadband, increasing the share of mobile-only and voice/text-centric usage in this group.
• Income: Median household income in Saluda County trails the state average, and poverty rates are higher than SC overall. This shifts device mix toward Android and prepaid plans, lengthens upgrade cycles, and increases dependence on hotspotting rather than fixed broadband.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Carrier footprint: AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon serve the county. 5G coverage is present but concentrated along main corridors and population centers (Saluda, Ridge Spring, Monetta area and primary routes such as US-378, SC-39, SC-121), with LTE the dominant layer in outlying agricultural areas.
• Performance: Typical rural-speed pattern—lower median downloads and higher variability than the SC statewide median—especially off highways and around low-density farm roads. Evening congestion is more pronounced than in urban SC due to fewer sectors and limited backhaul in remote sites.
• Backhaul and fiber context: Ongoing fiber buildouts by electric-coop affiliates (for example, CarolinaConnect/Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative) and incumbent operators are improving tower backhaul and selective fixed broadband availability. This is gradually reducing extreme mobile-only dependency near new fiber passes but remains uneven outside town centers and Lake Murray–adjacent areas.
• Coverage gaps: Terrain, tree cover, and lakefront pockets create spotty in-building coverage away from towns; signal boosters are more common among farms and small businesses than in metro SC.
• Public/anchor connectivity: Schools, county offices, and libraries are fiber-fed via E‑Rate and state networks, providing Wi‑Fi offload points that temper mobile data usage in town but not in dispersed rural neighborhoods.

How Saluda County differs from the South Carolina average

• Lower smartphone presence at the household level (mid-80s percent vs high-80s statewide) and materially lower fixed-broadband subscription translate into higher mobile-only internet reliance.
• A larger share of Hispanic residents and lower median incomes tilt usage toward prepaid plans, Android devices, and hotspotting, with fewer multi-line postpaid family bundles than the state average.
• 5G availability exists but with more LTE fallbacks and larger performance gaps between highway corridors and rural interiors than is typical in suburban/urban SC counties.
• Device upgrade cycles are longer and premium-phone penetration is lower, reflecting income and coverage considerations; accessory adoption (signal boosters, high‑gain antennas) is higher than the state average in farm and workshop settings.
• Network improvements are occurring, but the pace and geographic breadth of fixed broadband and mid-band 5G upgrades lag well-served SC metros, keeping mobile networks as the primary internet on-ramps for many households and small businesses.

Key takeaways

• Approximately 13,000+ adults in Saluda County use smartphones, but household-level smartphone and fixed-broadband adoption trail the state, producing a distinctly higher mobile-first profile.
• Infrastructure constraints—backhaul, site density, and terrain—produce more pronounced performance variability than the SC average, while targeted fiber and 5G upgrades along core corridors are slowly narrowing the gap.

Saluda County, SC — Social media usage snapshot (2024)

Context and access

• Population: ~20.5k residents (2023 est.); adults 18+: ~15.8k
• Connectivity: Roughly three-quarters of households maintain a broadband subscription; smartphone is the primary access device for most users
• Note on method: Figures combine the county’s population profile with the latest Pew Research Center platform-adoption rates for U.S. adults and typical rural usage patterns; percentages are of all adults unless stated otherwise

How many use social media

• Adults using at least one social platform: ~11.3k (about 72% of adults)
• Daily users: The majority of Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat users engage daily; YouTube engagement is frequent but more skewed to search/how-to viewing

Age breakdown of adult social media users (approximate)

• 18–29: ~2.3k users (very high adoption; ~80%+ use at least one platform)
• 30–49: ~3.6k users (broad, multi-platform usage)
• 50–64: ~3.2k users (heavy Facebook/YouTube; selective on newer apps)
• 65+: ~1.9k users (Facebook and YouTube dominate; lighter on others)

Gender breakdown

• County adult population is roughly even by gender; among social media users, women slightly outnumber men
• Estimated share of adult users: ~53% women, ~47% men
• Platform skews: women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X

Most-used platforms among adults in Saluda County (modeled, percent of adults; counts rounded)

• YouTube: 83% (13.1k)
• Facebook: 68% (10.7k)
• Instagram: 47% (7.4k)
• TikTok: 33% (5.2k)
• Pinterest: 31% (4.9k)
• Snapchat: 27% (4.3k)
• LinkedIn: 30% (4.7k)
• X (Twitter): 22% (3.5k)
• Reddit: 22% (3.5k)
• WhatsApp: 21% (3.3k) Notes:
• People use multiple platforms; totals exceed the number of users
• Local Hispanic/Latino residents boost Facebook and WhatsApp usage and Spanish-language content consumption

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the community backbone: heavy reliance on Groups (schools, churches, youth sports, emergency alerts), Marketplace (buy/sell/trade), and local government updates
• YouTube is the go-to utility: how-to repairs, home/yard, auto and farm equipment, hunting/fishing, and local event replays; consumption is search-driven and skews longer-form than other apps
• Short-form video rises fast: TikTok and Instagram Reels for entertainment, recipes, DIY, and local businesses; cross-posting between TikTok and Reels is common
• Messaging and dark social: Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp coordinate family, church, and shift-work schedules; links often circulate in private chats more than public feeds
• Time-of-day patterns: morning (5:30–8:30 a.m.) and late evening (8–10 p.m.) surges tied to commute and family schedules; lunchtime bump; weekend peaks around Friday night sports and Sunday church activities
• Commerce and discovery: Facebook Pages/Groups and Marketplace drive local shopping; Instagram and TikTok help discovery for food, boutiques, personal services; reviews and word-of-mouth in Groups matter more than formal ads
• Content style: authentic, local faces outperform polished creative; photos/video of people, events, and timely utility (weather, closings, roadwork) get the most engagement

Bottom line

• Penetration is high (~72% of adults), with Facebook and YouTube dominant across ages and short-form video accelerating among under-50s
• Women and 30–64 adults anchor Facebook engagement; under-35s split attention across Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat
• Community-centered, practical content and word-of-mouth dynamics shape outcomes more than broad, generic campaigns