Cocke County

Cocke County, Tennessee — key demographics (most recent Census/ACS)

• Population size

  • ~36.9K residents (ACS 2019–2023 5‑year)
  • ~37.2K 2023 population estimate (PEP)

• Age

  • Median age: ~44 years
  • Under 18: ~21%
  • 65 and over: ~23%

• Gender

  • Female: ~50.7%
  • Male: ~49.3%

• Race/ethnicity (alone unless noted; shares of total population)

  • White: ~92–93%
  • Black or African American: ~1–2%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.6–0.8%
  • Asian: ~0.3%
  • Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%
  • Two or more races: ~4%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~3–4%

• Households

  • ~14.8K households
  • Average household size: ~2.5
  • Family households: ~66% of households
  • Average family size: ~3.0

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates; Population Estimates Program (2023). Figures rounded for clarity.

Cocke County, TN email usage (estimates)

• Estimated users: 21,000–24,000 residents use email regularly. Basis: population ~36,000; adult share ~75–80%; rural internet adoption ~75–85%; email use among internet users ~90%+ (Pew).
• Age pattern:
  • 15–29: >90% use email.
  • 30–49: ~90–95%.
  • 50–64: ~80–90%.
  • 65+: ~65–75%.
• Gender split: Roughly even (about 50/50 with only small differences by age).
• Digital access trends:
  • Home broadband subscriptions are around two-thirds of households; roughly 10–15% are smartphone‑only; about 1 in 5 households still lack home internet. Adoption is rising with state/federal fiber builds (e.g., BEAD), but affordability and terrain remain constraints.
  • Fixed wireless and satellite fill gaps outside towns; speeds and reliability tend to be better in and around Newport and the I‑40 corridor, and spottier in remote valleys/hollows.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population density is ~80–85 people per square mile across just over 430 square miles—predominantly rural Appalachian terrain that complicates last‑mile broadband.
  • Multiple providers serve main corridors (I‑40/US‑25/US‑321), with fewer options in mountainous areas.

Notes: Figures are synthesized from U.S. Census/ACS, FCC availability data, and national usage research to provide county‑level estimates.

Here’s a concise, county-focused picture of mobile phone usage in Cocke County, Tennessee, with emphasis on how it diverges from state-level patterns.

Headline estimates (2024, modeled)

• Population: roughly 36–37k; ages 13+ ≈ 30–31k.
• Mobile phone users (any mobile, 13+): about 27–30k.
• Smartphone users (13+): about 24–27k.
• Households relying primarily on mobile data (mobile-only internet): meaningfully higher than the state share; commonly reported in rural TN counties given patchy fixed broadband.

How Cocke County differs from Tennessee overall

• Coverage and speeds
  • More coverage gaps away from highways and town centers due to mountainous terrain (e.g., valleys near Cosby, Del Rio, Hartford, and along park edges). Tennessee’s statewide maps look “green,” but local dead zones are common here.
  • 5G: low-band 5G is present, but mid-band 5G capacity is sparser and tends to hug the I-40 corridor and Newport; off-corridor areas are still largely LTE. State metro areas have much denser mid-band 5G and small cells.
  • Speeds are more variable than statewide norms: fast along I-40 and in Newport; moderate to slow in outlying hollows.
• Usage patterns
  • Higher reliance on mobile as the primary internet connection (hotspots/phone tethering) than state average, linked to limited wired options in some census blocks.
  • Prepaid plans and budget Android devices are more common than statewide, tied to lower median incomes and older age structure.
  • SMS/voice remain important for older users where data coverage is inconsistent; app-centric use looks more like the state only in and around Newport.
• Market/competition
  • Practical carrier choice is narrower outside the I-40/US-321/US-25E corridors; residents often pick the carrier that works at home rather than on price/features. In metro Tennessee, competition is more balanced across carriers.

Demographic breakdown shaping usage

• Age
  • 65+ share is several points higher than the Tennessee average. Applying rural adoption rates yields roughly:
    • 65+: ~8k people; smartphone users ≈ 4.5–5k; a notable minority use basic/feature phones.
    • 35–64: ~14–15k; smartphone users ≈ 12–13k.
    • 18–34: ~5.5–6k; smartphone users ≈ 5–6k.
    • Teens (13–17): ~2–2.5k; smartphone users ≈ 1.9–2.3k.
• Income and affordability
  • Median household income is well below the state median; this correlates with higher prepaid uptake, slower upgrade cycles, and a tilt toward Android vs. iPhone compared with statewide patterns.
• Work and seasonality
  • Tourism, outdoor recreation, construction, and logistics along I-40 drive heavy seasonal mobile use near corridors, contrasting with low-traffic dead zones toward the Smokies and Foothills.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Carriers and radio access
  • AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile all serve the county; strongest and most consistent service is generally along I-40, US-321, US-25/70, and in Newport. Terrain severely limits line-of-sight in many valleys.
  • 5G: predominantly low-band; pockets of mid-band capacity near highways/town centers. LTE remains the primary layer off-corridor.
• Backhaul and fiber
  • Fiber presence from local utilities (e.g., Newport-area builds) improves tower backhaul in population centers, but fiber is still discontinuous in rural tracts—constraining 5G capacity expansion compared with urban Tennessee.
• Emergency and resilience
  • Weather and wildfire risks plus steep terrain make certain sites power/backhaul-constrained; redundancy is thinner than in metro counties, so localized outages can last longer.
• Public initiatives and grants
  • Ongoing rural fiber projects (state/federal programs) mainly target fixed broadband but indirectly benefit mobile by adding new backhaul paths; impact is concentrated near towns and along main roads first.

Method notes and confidence

• Estimates synthesize: U.S. Census/ACS age structure for Cocke County; Pew Research Center adoption rates by age and rural/urban; FCC mobile coverage mapping; carrier-disclosed 5G footprints in Tennessee; and rural broadband program disclosures. Figures are rounded to reflect uncertainty and local variability. For planning or siting decisions, validate with on-the-ground drive tests, MCC/MNC performance data, and current FCC maps.

Below is a concise, best-available snapshot. Direct, county-level social media metrics aren’t publicly reported; figures are estimates based on Cocke County’s population profile (Census/ACS) combined with Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. social-media adoption rates, with slight adjustments for a rural, older-leaning county.

Context and user base

• Population: ~36,000 residents; roughly 27,000–28,000 are adults (18+).
• Estimated adults using at least one social platform: ~21,000–23,000 (about 75–85% of adults).

Most-used platforms among adults (share of adults; local estimates)

• YouTube: ~70–80%
• Facebook: ~60–70%
• Instagram: ~35–45%
• TikTok: ~25–35%
• Snapchat: ~20–30% (skews younger)
• Pinterest: ~25–35% (skews female)
• WhatsApp: ~10–20%
• X (Twitter): ~15–20%
• LinkedIn: ~10–15%
• Reddit: ~10–15% Notes: Ranges reflect national adoption (Pew 2024) tempered for rural/older demographics. Facebook and YouTube typically run at or above national norms in rural counties; Instagram/LinkedIn tend to be a bit lower.

Age-group patterns

• Teens (13–17): Very high YouTube; strong TikTok and Snapchat; Instagram common; Facebook used mainly for family/school/community.
• 18–29: Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat heavy; YouTube universal; Facebook moderate.
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube highest reach; Instagram moderate; TikTok growing.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Pinterest meaningful (especially among women); TikTok lower but rising.
• 65+: Facebook first, YouTube second; limited use of others.

Gender breakdown (tendencies)

• Women: More active on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; strong participation in local groups, school/church pages, Marketplace.
• Men: Over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X; interests skew to sports, automotive, outdoors, tech.

Local behavioral trends to expect in Cocke County

• Facebook is the community hub: buy/sell/trade and yard-sale groups, lost-and-found pets, school sports, church updates, local government and law enforcement alerts, road/weather closures.
• Marketplace is a major channel for vehicles, outdoor, farm, and household goods.
• Tourism/outdoors content performs well (Smokies/Cherokee NF proximity, rafting on the Pigeon River, cabins, hiking): short-form video on Facebook Reels/Instagram/TikTok drives discovery; seasonal spikes around spring–fall.
• Small businesses lean on Facebook + Messenger for customer service; Instagram used for visuals; TikTok for viral moments.
• Teens/young adults use Snapchat as a primary messaging layer; Instagram DMs and TikTok comments secondary.
• X (Twitter) and Reddit have smaller but engaged niches (news, sports, outdoors, regional subreddits).
• Posting windows with strong engagement: early morning and evening on weekdays; weekend late morning/early afternoon for community/events.

Sources and method

• U.S. Census Bureau (ACS/Census) for population and age structure.
• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024, for platform adoption by U.S. adults and by age; adjusted directionally for rural/older profile.