Bledsoe County

To make sure I give you the exact figures you need: do you prefer 2020 Decennial Census numbers or the latest American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2019–2023)? Also, should I include institutionalized group quarters (notably the state prison in Bledsoe County), which significantly skews the male/female balance and some age stats?

Bledsoe County, TN — email usage snapshot (estimates)

• Email users: ~8,500–9,500 residents. Basis: ~15k population; ~78% adults; ~80% of adults online; ~90–95% of online adults use email. (Excludes incarcerated residents.)
• Age mix among email users: 18–29: ~15–18%; 30–49: ~30–35%; 50–64: ~28–32%; 65+: ~18–22% (seniors use email somewhat less often but rising).
• Gender split: roughly even among civilian adults. Note: the county skews male overall due to the Bledsoe County Correctional Complex; incarcerated people typically lack personal email access.
• Digital access trends: About 70–75% of households have a broadband subscription; smartphone‑only internet is common in lower‑income/remote areas. Fiber coverage is expanding via regional co‑ops; best fixed service is in/near Pikeville and along main corridors, with outlying areas relying more on fixed‑wireless or satellite.
• Density/connectivity context: 15k people over ~400 sq mi (35–40 people per sq mi). Low density and rugged Cumberland Plateau terrain raise deployment costs and slow upgrades, though recent state/co‑op investments are improving availability.

Figures are inferred from Census/ACS-style population and rural internet patterns applied to Bledsoe County.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Bledsoe County, Tennessee

High-level takeaways

• Mobile adoption is robust but skews more rural: strong basic voice/text reliance, uneven 5G, and more prepaid use than the Tennessee average.
• Terrain-driven coverage gaps and a growing local fiber footprint (BTC Fiber) produce a split behavior: heavy Wi‑Fi offload where fiber is available, and hotspot reliance where it isn’t.
• Seasonal park and highway traffic (e.g., to Fall Creek Falls area and along US‑127/TN‑111 corridors) creates spikes not typical of most Tennessee counties.

User estimates (modeled)

• Population base: roughly 15–16K residents; about 11.5–12.5K adults.
• Adult mobile phone users (any mobile): approximately 10.8K–11.8K (about 92–95% of adults), a touch lower than Tennessee’s urban/suburban rates but typical for rural counties.
• Adult smartphone users: about 9.5K–10.5K (roughly 82–86% of adults). This runs a few points below the statewide rate (Tennessee is closer to mid-to-upper 80s).
• 5G-capable device penetration: estimated 65–75% of smartphone users (lower than state, reflecting older devices and budget plans).
• Plan mix: prepaid and value MVNO lines represent an outsized share (roughly 40–50% of lines versus closer to 30–35% statewide), driven by income and credit dynamics.
• Household phone setup: wireless-only for voice is common but slightly below the statewide share because the local telephone cooperative’s bundles keep some landlines active; many homes still rely on mobile for secondary/backup voice.

Demographic effects on usage

• Older age structure: Bledsoe has a higher 65+ share than the Tennessee average, which pulls down overall smartphone and 5G-device adoption and increases use of simpler plans/handsets.
• Income and credit: Lower median incomes push users toward prepaid and MVNOs and toward keeping devices longer, which slows 5G uptake relative to the state.
• Work patterns: Commutes toward Sequatchie/Hamilton counties and seasonal tourism increase on-the-road usage and expose users to corridor-based coverage strengths/weaknesses more than in many TN counties.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage and terrain: The Cumberland Plateau topography creates dead zones and inconsistent indoor service away from main roads. Coverage is best near Pikeville and along US‑127, TN‑111, TN‑28, and segments of TN‑30; hollows and ridge-shadowed areas are spottier than the state norm.
• Network mix:
  • AT&T and Verizon provide the broadest LTE footprints; FirstNet is present for public safety. T‑Mobile has improved low‑band 5G along primary corridors but remains patchier off-route than in metro TN.
  • 5G: Low-band (wide-area) 5G is present near town and highways; mid-band 5G (faster) is limited, so many users still ride LTE for capacity. This lags the statewide mid-band buildouts seen around metro areas.
• Capacity and speeds: Third‑party testing and user reports indicate materially lower median mobile speeds than Tennessee’s urban counties, with notable variability by micro‑location. Peak-hour slowdowns are more pronounced around travel corridors and recreation areas.
• Fixed broadband interaction:
  • BTC Fiber (Bledsoe Telephone Cooperative) has expanded fiber-to-the-home in and around Pikeville and into several rural pockets. Where available, residents offload most data to Wi‑Fi, reducing mobile data use at home.
  • Outside fiber footprints, users lean on mobile hotspots and, in a few pockets, WISPs or satellite—creating a sharper “have fiber vs. rely on mobile” divide than typical in statewide averages.
• Emergency and resilience: Public-safety coverage via FirstNet helps, but terrain still drives blind spots; many residents enable Wi‑Fi calling indoors as a workaround.

How Bledsoe County differs from Tennessee overall

• Slightly lower smartphone and 5G-device adoption; users keep phones longer and prioritize value plans.
• Higher reliance on prepaid/MVNO offerings and family/top-up budgeting.
• More pronounced coverage variability due to terrain; indoor reliability depends heavily on proximity to corridors and the use of Wi‑Fi calling.
• A stronger role for a local fiber cooperative: where fiber exists, mobile data use at home drops sharply; where it doesn’t, mobile hotspots play a larger role—producing a bimodal pattern less visible in metro/suburban Tennessee.
• Seasonal demand spikes tied to outdoor recreation have outsized impact relative to population.

Notes on uncertainty

• Figures are modeled from rural adoption patterns, county demographics, statewide trends, and known infrastructure characteristics; exact subscriber counts and tower inventories are proprietary or change frequently.
• For tighter estimates, combine recent FCC Broadband Data Collection maps, carrier coverage and 5G build sheets, local cooperative build maps, and fresh survey/speed-test data from Pikeville and outlying communities.

Social media usage in Bledsoe County, TN (2024–2025 snapshot)

How these numbers were derived

• Base population ~15,000 (U.S. Census). The county hosts a large state prison; incarcerated adults generally aren’t active on social platforms. Adjusting for institutionalized residents yields an estimated 10,000–11,000 non-institutional adults.
• Platform rates use Pew Research Center 2024 national figures, tuned for rural users (rural tends to be a few points lower on Instagram/TikTok/Reddit/LinkedIn, similar on Facebook/YouTube). Treat figures as reasonable local estimates, not a headcount.

Estimated adult social media footprint

• Adults using at least one social platform: 68–72% of adults (≈6,800–7,900 people)
• Mobile-first usage dominates; many households rely on cellular data

Most-used platforms (share of local adults)

• YouTube: 78–82%
• Facebook: 62–66%
• Instagram: 36–40%
• Pinterest: 30–35% (skews female)
• TikTok: 25–30% (skews under 35)
• Snapchat: 20–25% (teens/young adults)
• X/Twitter: 15–18%
• LinkedIn: 16–20%
• Reddit: 12–15% Note: YouTube and Facebook are the clear reach leaders; Instagram is the third-place network among adults; TikTok and Snapchat over-index among youth.

Age patterns (who’s using what)

• Teens (13–17): ~90–95% on at least one app; heavy on Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube; Instagram secondary; Facebook mostly for groups/teams/parents
• 18–29: 90–95% any social; Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube lead; Facebook used for groups/Marketplace
• 30–49: 80–85% any social; Facebook, YouTube, Instagram; Pinterest notable among women; TikTok rising
• 50–64: 70–75% any social; Facebook and YouTube dominate; Pinterest moderate; Instagram/TikTok lighter
• 65+: 45–55% any social; Facebook primary; YouTube for how‑tos/church/high school sports

Gender breakdown (users and skews)

• Overall user base (excluding incarcerated): roughly 51% female / 49% male
• Platform skews: Pinterest and TikTok lean female; Reddit/X/YouTube lean male; Facebook and Instagram near even but with slightly higher engagement among women on Facebook groups and Marketplace

Local behavioral trends

• Community groups drive Facebook: buy/sell/trade, lost & found, school, church, county services, road/weather alerts; comments are the main engagement mode
• Marketplace is a top activity: vehicles, equipment, furniture, farm/outdoor gear; high response to “price drop,” “available today,” and pickup-ready listings
• Video is short and vertical: 10–45s clips perform best (events, sports highlights, local scenery, DIY/farm/trade tips)
• Events and schools are engagement spikes: homecoming, parades, fairs, sports, closures; cross-posting in multiple local groups boosts reach
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are the default; WhatsApp is niche; group texts still common
• Best posting windows: 6–8am (before work/school), lunch (11:30–1), evenings (7–10pm), plus Sunday afternoons
• Trust signals matter: recognizable local faces, names, or sponsors; plainspoken captions; quick replies; community givebacks and fundraisers perform well
• Connectivity constraints: some hollows have weaker broadband—optimize for mobile (vertical, 720–1080p, captions on, small file sizes)
• Ads that work: tight geo-radius around Pikeville and major corridors; interests like hunting/fishing, trucks/ATVs, gardening, high school sports, church/community; simple, price-forward creatives

Notes and sources

• Pew Research Center: Social Media Use in 2024; Teens, Social Media and Technology 2023
• U.S. Census Bureau: Bledsoe County population and age structure (QuickFacts/ACS)
• Rural vs. urban adoption patterns: Pew 2021–2024 series (rural slightly lower on Instagram/TikTok/Reddit/LinkedIn; similar on Facebook/YouTube)