Cheatham County

Cheatham County, Tennessee — key demographics (latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019–2023 5‑year estimates unless noted):

• Population: ~41,800
• Age:
  • Median age: ~41 years
  • Under 18: ~22–23%
  • 18–64: ~60–61%
  • 65 and over: ~16–17%
• Gender: Female ~50–51%; Male ~49–50%
• Race/ethnicity:
  • White, non-Hispanic: ~89%
  • Black or African American: ~2–3%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3–4%
  • Two or more races: ~3–4%
  • Asian: ~0.5–1%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native and other: ~0.5–1% combined
• Households:
  • Total households: ~15,800
  • Average household size: ~2.6
  • Family households: ~73%
  • Married-couple families: ~55–58%
  • Households with children under 18: ~29–31%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates (and 2020 Census for baseline population count).

• Scope: Cheatham County, TN has about 41k residents (~135 people/sq mi), concentrated around Ashland City, Pleasant View, Kingston Springs, and Pegram along I‑24/I‑40/TN‑12.
• Estimated email users: 30k–34k residents. That assumes ~90–95% of adults use email and lower-but-meaningful use among teens (overall 75–85% of the total population).
• Age pattern (estimated, reflecting U.S./TN norms applied to local age mix):
  • 18–29: ~95% use email
  • 30–49: ~97%
  • 50–64: ~92%
  • 65+: ~80–85% (lower usage and more intermittent checking)
  • Teens (13–17): ~70–80% (often for school/accounts rather than primary messaging)
• Gender split: Roughly even among users, mirroring the population (~50–51% female, ~49–50% male).
• Digital access trends:
  • Home internet and device access are high but dip in the most rural hollows; smartphone-only access is common among some households.
  • Fixed broadband availability is widespread countywide, with fastest options clustered near town centers and highway corridors; adoption lags in low-density areas.
  • Public access via schools and libraries supplements connectivity.
  • Many residents commute into the Nashville metro, driving strong mobile email usage during the day.

Notes: Figures are estimates derived from county population and typical U.S./Tennessee email and broadband adoption rates.

Below is a county-level, decision-ready view of mobile phone usage in Cheatham County, Tennessee, with modeled estimates and how local patterns diverge from statewide trends. Figures are approximate ranges based on 2024 public data patterns (ACS/Pew/FCC) and Middle Tennessee market dynamics.

Headline estimates

• Population and households: ~43,000 residents; ~16,000 households.
• Mobile phone ownership (adults): 95–97% of adults; roughly 31,000–33,000 adult users.
• Smartphone users: 31,000–33,500 total (adults plus teens), or ~72–78% of the full population.
• Mobile-only home internet households: 20–24% (about 3,200–3,800 households), likely a bit higher than the Tennessee average.
• Prepaid share: Slightly above state average, estimated high-20s to low-30s percent of lines.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age
  • 18–34: High smartphone penetration (>95%) and heavy 5G data use; strong presence among commuters to Nashville and service/logistics workers.
  • 35–64: Near-universal smartphone ownership; work-related mobility is common (contracting, trades, delivery), pushing higher data use on weekdays.
  • 65+: Adoption lower than younger groups but rising; still below state average for seniors due to rural pockets and budget sensitivity. Voice/SMS reliability and battery life matter more than top-end speeds.
• Income and plan mix
  • Median household income is slightly above the Tennessee average, but cost sensitivity remains outside town centers; prepaid and family plans are used more than in urban Davidson/Williamson counties.
  • After the end of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program (2024), some budget-constrained households appear to have shifted from fixed broadband to mobile-only data plans or hotspot-based home setups.
• Race/ethnicity
  • County population is majority White non-Hispanic with smaller Black and Hispanic communities than the state mix. Where Hispanic households are present, smartphone dependence (vs. fixed broadband) tends to be relatively high, mirroring statewide patterns—but absolute numbers are small.
• Geography within the county
  • Towns (Ashland City, Pleasant View, Kingston Springs): Stronger 5G, higher plan tiers, more device upgrades.
  • River valleys and hollowed/forested areas: More LTE fallback, external antennas or signal boosters are common; some households lean mobile-only because fiber/cable options are limited or costly to extend.

Digital infrastructure snapshot

• Coverage and 5G
  • All three national carriers cover the county; mid-band 5G is strong along I‑24 (Pleasant View) and I‑40 (Kingston Springs) and primary corridors (TN‑12, US‑41A), with LTE-only pockets in interior valleys and near the Cheatham Wildlife Management Area.
  • mmWave 5G is negligible; small-town cores rely on mid-band/sub‑6 GHz.
• Performance
  • In 5G mid-band zones: typical downlink 100–300 Mbps, uplink 10–40 Mbps.
  • In LTE-only or obstructed areas: downlink often 5–20 Mbps, uplink 1–5 Mbps; performance degrades noticeably at peak times or in heavy foliage/topographic shadowing.
• Backhaul and fixed-broadband interplay
  • Ongoing co‑op and telco fiber builds have improved backhaul to some towers near town centers and along highways, boosting 5G consistency there.
  • Outside towns, cable/fiber choices thin out quickly; WISPs and satellite fill gaps. This uneven fixed-broadband footprint sustains a higher-than-average share of mobile-only households.
• Public safety and reliability
  • First responder coverage (FirstNet on AT&T’s Band 14) supports emergency services; rural dead zones remain around river bends and hollows, where agencies and residents often use vehicle boosters.

How Cheatham differs from Tennessee overall

• More “patchy” performance: The county shows sharper block-by-block variability than the state average due to terrain and large protected/wooded tracts; residents toggle between strong 5G and marginal LTE within short distances.
• Slightly higher mobile-only reliance: Mobile-only home internet appears a few points above the statewide share, reflecting uneven last‑mile fixed options beyond town limits.
• Prepaid tilt: Prepaid and budget MVNO plans are used a bit more than the state average, especially after ACP ended and in areas with limited wired choices.
• Commute-driven usage: Daytime mobile data demand concentrates along I‑24/I‑40 corridors and park-and-ride routes to Nashville, a pattern more pronounced than in many non-metro counties.
• Seniors lag a bit more: 65+ smartphone adoption trails the state average by a small margin, tied to rural pocket coverage and affordability constraints—despite good corridor coverage.
• Faster corridor 5G, slower interior catch-up: Mid-band 5G arrived early and strong on the interstates, but infill to interior valleys has lagged the pace seen in more urban Tennessee counties.

What to watch (2025–2026)

• Continued fiber builds could reduce mobile-only households in and near town centers, narrowing the gap with the state.
• Additional small cells/infill on secondary roads would cut the current urban–hollow performance divide.
• Carrier optimization for mid-band 5G uplink and new backhaul to interior sites would materially improve home hotspot viability.

Notes on method

• Estimates synthesized from 2020–2023 ACS for population/households, Pew Research on device adoption, FCC coverage/broadband maps, and carrier-deployed 5G patterns in Middle Tennessee as of 2024. Ranges reflect uncertainty at sub-county resolution. For planning, validate exact coverage and speeds with current FCC maps, carrier tools, and on-the-ground drive tests.

Here’s a concise, county‑level snapshot using Cheatham County demographics blended with recent U.S. social‑media benchmarks (primarily Pew Research 2024 and ACS). Figures are estimates, rounded.

Headline user stats

• Population: ~42,000
• Estimated social media users (13+): ~28,500 (about 79% of residents 13+; ~68% of total population)
• Adult (18+) social users: ~26,000
• Typical frequency: most check daily; younger users check multiple times per day

Age mix of local social users (share of user base)

• 13–17: ~9%
• 18–29: ~20%
• 30–49: ~33%
• 50–64: ~24%
• 65+: ~15%

Gender breakdown (of social users)

• Female: ~52–54%
• Male: ~46–48%

Most‑used platforms among adults in Cheatham County (estimated monthly reach of 18+)

• YouTube: ~82%
• Facebook: ~72%
• Instagram: ~42%
• Pinterest: ~36% (skews female, DIY, home, recipes)
• TikTok: ~30% (skews under 35)
• Snapchat: ~28% (teens/young adults)
• LinkedIn: ~24% (commuters to the Nashville metro, white‑collar segments)
• X (Twitter): ~18%
• WhatsApp: ~17%
• Reddit: ~16%
• Nextdoor: ~15% (higher in denser neighborhoods)

Behavioral trends to know

• Community first: Heavy Facebook Group activity for local news, schools/sports, churches, yard sales, lost‑and‑found, weather/road alerts; Marketplace is widely used.
• Video dominates: YouTube for how‑to/DIY, outdoor and repair content; TikTok/Reels for quick entertainment and local highlights.
• Local business discovery: Instagram and Facebook for restaurants, boutiques, salons; Stories/Reels and short promos perform well.
• Teens: Snapchat for messaging/streaks; TikTok and YouTube for entertainment; Instagram for peer updates.
• Timing: Peaks before work (6–8 a.m.) and evenings (7–9 p.m.); strong Sunday night engagement. Severe weather and school updates spike attention anytime.
• Trust cues: Content from known locals, schools, public safety, and local media pages drives the most shares and comments.
• Ads that work locally: Facebook/Instagram geotargeted within 5–15 miles, with clear offers, event tie‑ins, and video/vertical creatives.

Notes on method

• County population/age mix from recent ACS estimates; platform usage rates adapted from national adult benchmarks (Pew 2024) with adjustments for Cheatham’s older‑than‑average, suburban‑rural profile within the Nashville MSA. Use figures as directional, not exact.