Benton County

Key demographics for Benton County, Tennessee (latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates unless noted; values rounded):

• Population

  • Total: ~16.2k (ACS 2019–2023)
  • 2020 Census count: 15,864

• Age

  • Median age: ~49 years
  • Under 18: ~19%
  • 18–64: ~57%
  • 65 and over: ~24%

• Gender

  • Female: ~51%
  • Male: ~49%

• Race/ethnicity (share of total population)

  • White, non-Hispanic: ~92–93%
  • Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~2–3%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~2–3%
  • Two or more races: ~2–3%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0–1%
  • Asian: ~0–1%
  • Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0%

• Households and housing

  • Total households: ~7,000
  • Average household size: ~2.3
  • Family households: ~61% of households
  • Married-couple households: ~49% of households
  • Owner-occupied housing: ~77–79% of occupied units

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year (tables DP05, S0101, S1101, DP04) and 2020 Decennial Census. Figures are rounded for readability.

Benton County, TN (a rural, low‑density county with <50 residents per sq. mile) likely has strong but uneven email adoption.

Estimated email users

• Population ~16–17K; adults ~13–14K. Using national email adoption among adults (roughly 85–95%), estimated 11–13K adult email users.

Age distribution

• County skews older than the U.S. average. Expected email adoption:
  • 18–29: ~95%+
  • 30–64: ~90–95%
  • 65+: ~75–85% Older residents are the main non‑email segment.

Gender split

• Population is roughly balanced (about 49% male, 51% female). Email usage is nearly even by gender, with minimal differences.

Digital access and trends

• Household broadband subscription in rural Tennessee counties typically falls around 70–80%, below urban/state averages; Benton County is likely similar.
• Smartphone‑only internet access is common; many residents rely on mobile data plans for email.
• Connectivity varies by location: towns and highways tend to have better wired/cellular service; some outlying areas still face limited high‑speed options or inconsistent coverage.
• Public access (libraries, schools) and growing rural fiber builds help close gaps, but affordability and last‑mile availability remain constraints.

Overall: email usage is widespread among adults, with gaps concentrated among the oldest age groups and households lacking reliable home broadband.

Mobile phone usage in Benton County, Tennessee — how it differs from the state

Bottom line

• High reliance on mobile phones for primary internet access, but slightly lower overall smartphone adoption than the Tennessee average.
• Coverage and speeds are strong along I‑40 and in Camden, but drop off quickly in rural hollows and along the Kentucky Lake/Tennessee River shorelines.
• Prepaid plans and older/entry‑level devices are more common than statewide.

User estimates (order‑of‑magnitude, method-based)

• Population baseline: ~15.5–16.2k residents.
• Unique mobile phone users: ~11.5–13.5k people (roughly 72–84% of the total population). This reflects near‑universal phone ownership among working‑age adults, lower adoption among seniors, and partial uptake among teens.
• Smartphone ownership (adults): Benton County ~78–84% vs Tennessee ~85–90%. The gap reflects an older age profile and lower incomes locally.
• “Smartphone‑dependent” adults (no home broadband, rely on cellular data): Benton County ~18–25% vs Tennessee ~12–15%. Local fixed‑broadband gaps and affordability push more residents to use phones or hotspots as their primary connection.
• Plan mix: Prepaid share noticeably higher than the state average, driven by credit constraints and variable income. Hotspot add‑ons are common for home use.

Demographic patterns

• Age: Benton County is older than Tennessee overall. Seniors 65+ are a larger share of the population and are less likely to own smartphones; those who do often use simpler plans and devices. This pulls down overall smartphone adoption but raises the importance of voice/SMS reliability.
• Income and education: Lower median income and lower bachelor’s attainment than the state average correlate with:
  • More prepaid and budget handset use.
  • Higher smartphone‑only internet use for school, work, and telehealth.
  • Greater sensitivity to data caps and deprioritization during peak times.
• Household composition: More single‑device households and greater device‑sharing than in urban Tennessee counties.
• Race/ethnicity: The county is less diverse than the state. Digital‑inclusion gaps here are driven more by age, income, and geography than by language or immigration status.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Where service is strongest:
  • I‑40 corridor and the Camden area: generally the best signal and capacity; 5G available from major carriers, with mid‑band appearing in and around town and along the interstate.
• Where service degrades:
  • Low‑lying areas, wooded hollows, and along the Kentucky Lake/Tennessee River shorelines: more dead zones, indoor coverage challenges (especially in metal‑roof homes/outbuildings), and greater reliance on low‑band LTE/5G.
• Technology mix:
  • Outside town centers, coverage often falls back to low‑band spectrum. Median speeds are typically below statewide urban/suburban benchmarks, and evening/weekend congestion is more noticeable.
• Towers and backhaul:
  • Sparse macro‑tower grid compared with urban counties; some sites rely on microwave backhaul, which can constrain capacity. Fiber‑fed sites cluster along I‑40 and near anchor institutions, improving performance there.
• Carriers:
  • All three national carriers serve the county. AT&T’s FirstNet enhancements are common on rural sites; T‑Mobile’s low‑band 5G covers wide areas; Verizon coverage is broad but capacity varies outside the interstate/town corridors.
• Public access and resilience:
  • Libraries, schools, and a few civic sites provide critical Wi‑Fi offload; usage spikes during carrier slowdowns or outages.
  • Severe weather can knock out isolated sites; battery‑backup durations on rural towers matter more here than in urban Tennessee.

How Benton County differs from Tennessee overall

• Adoption: Slightly lower adult smartphone ownership, driven by an older population; but a higher share of residents rely on mobile as their primary internet connection.
• Plans and devices: Higher prepaid penetration and more budget/older handset use than the statewide mix.
• Performance: Larger urban‑rural speed gap; more LTE fallback and indoor‑coverage issues; more frequent congestion outside the I‑40/Camden corridor.
• Usage behavior: More mobile hotspots for home connectivity; heavier use of public Wi‑Fi; voice/SMS remain comparatively more important.
• Seasonality: Summer and weekend traffic around the lake and campgrounds can strain capacity on a small number of sites—seasonal congestion is more pronounced than in most Tennessee urban areas.

What to watch

• New fiber builds (state and federal grants) and 5G fixed‑wireless expansions could reduce smartphone‑only dependence over the next 2–3 years.
• The lapse of the federal ACP subsidy increases affordability pressure; prepaid and mobile‑only usage may persist or rise without replacement support.
• Additional fiber backhaul to rural towers and more mid‑band 5G sectors would narrow the local performance gap with the state.

Below is a concise, practical snapshot of social media usage in Benton County, Tennessee. Figures are estimates based on Pew Research platform adoption (latest available), rural-leaning usage patterns, and Benton County’s older-skewing demographics. Use these for planning; for exact counts, validate with geo-targeted audience tools in Meta/TikTok/Snap Ads.

County snapshot and user stats

• Population: ~16–17k residents; ~13k adults.
• Adult social media users: ~9,000–11,000 (roughly 70–80% of adults).
• Teen users (13–17): high adoption (most on at least one platform).

Most-used platforms (estimated share of adult residents using monthly)

• Facebook: 60–65% (dominant for community/news/commerce)
• YouTube: 60–68% (how‑to, music, local sports/news clips)
• Instagram: 25–32% (younger adults; Reels cross-posted to FB)
• TikTok: 20–26% (growing; strongest under 35)
• Pinterest: 22–30% (women 25–54; DIY, recipes, home)
• Snapchat: 15–20% (teens/young adults; private messaging)
• X (Twitter): 10–14% (state/national news, sports)
• Reddit: 8–12% (male‑skew; hobbies, tech, outdoors)
• LinkedIn: 8–12% (small professional niche)

Age-group usage patterns

• 13–17: Heavy Snapchat/TikTok/YouTube; minimal Facebook. Activity spikes after school and late evenings.
• 18–24: Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat first; YouTube for entertainment/how‑to; Facebook mainly for events/groups.
• 25–44: Facebook + Instagram core; YouTube daily; Pinterest strong among women; Marketplace widely used.
• 45–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; active in local Groups, school/church pages; engages with Reels/shorts.
• 65+: Facebook/YouTube primary; lighter multi-platform use; prefers simple, text-forward posts and native videos.

Gender breakdown (approximate)

• Overall users: ~51–53% female.
• Platform skews: Facebook ~55–60% female; Pinterest 70–80% female; Snapchat slightly female; TikTok near even; Reddit male; YouTube roughly even.

Behavioral trends and norms

• Community/commerce: Facebook Groups and Marketplace are central (yard sales, local services, lost & found pets, school sports, church and benefit events).
• News & weather: Local outlets and storm updates drive spikes; severe weather posts spread quickly via shares.
• Video habits: Short-form video (Reels/shorts) performs well; YouTube used on smart TVs for longer content; how‑to, outdoors, and local event videos resonate.
• Trust signals: Word-of-mouth via Group admins, local business owners, and recognizable community members. Reviews/testimonials matter more than polished production.
• Timing: Best engagement 6–9 pm on weekdays; Sunday early afternoon strong; school-year calendars and weather events influence peaks.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is the default for inquiries and customer service; quick responses win. WhatsApp penetration is low.
• Content style: Practical, local faces/places, plain language, clear offers. Native uploads (video/images) outperform link-outs. Giveaways, raffles, and event tie-ins work well.
• Targeting geography: Most engagement within a 20–40 mile radius of Camden and nearby communities; include neighboring towns for reach on Facebook/Instagram.

Notes and how to get precise local numbers

• Use Meta Ads Manager (Audience size with location = Benton County), TikTok Ads, and Snap Ads to pull exact monthly reachable audiences by age/gender.
• Cross-check with Census/ACS for age/gender composition to refine penetration rates.