Crockett County

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• 2020 Decennial Census counts (exact) or
• The latest ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates (most current, but modeled)?

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Crockett County, TN — email usage snapshot (2025 est.)

Population and density:

• Population ~13.8–14.2k; rural density ~50–55 people per sq. mile.

Estimated email users:

• About 8.5–10.0k residents (≈65–72% of total). Derived from ACS-style broadband subscription rates (75–80% of households), Pew-level email adoption among connected adults (90%+), and partial teen use.

Age distribution of email users (share of users):

• 13–24: ~18–20% (near-universal among older teens/young adults).
• 25–44: ~30–33% (highest daily use for work/school).
• 45–64: ~27–30% (very high adoption).
• 65+: ~17–20% (growing, but lower than mid-life groups).

Gender split:

• County is roughly 51% female, 49% male; email usage is near parity (differences typically within a few percentage points).

Digital access trends and connectivity:

• 75–80% of households have a home broadband subscription; 15–20% are smartphone‑only; roughly 10–15% lack home internet.
• Fiber/cable strongest in and around Alamo and Bells; outlying areas more reliant on DSL or fixed wireless. State/federal programs (e.g., BEAD-era grants) are accelerating rural fiber builds.
• Mobile LTE/5G coverage is generally solid along US‑412 and town centers, with patchier service in some low‑density pockets.

Below is a practical, decision-focused snapshot of mobile-phone usage in Crockett County, Tennessee, with defensible, model-based estimates and the key ways the county differs from statewide patterns.

Headline differences vs Tennessee overall

• Slightly lower smartphone adoption, driven by an older age profile and lower median incomes.
• Higher reliance on prepaid plans and mobile-only internet access (households using smartphones/hotspots instead of home broadband), reflecting patchier fixed broadband outside town centers.
• Broader 4G/LTE dependence and fewer mid-band 5G sites than urban Tennessee, so 5G is more often low-band with modest speed gains.
• Fewer carrier retail/service options locally, which can increase device lifecycles and repair/upgrade lags compared with metro areas.

User estimates (adults unless noted; rounded ranges)

• Total population: ~13,500–14,500; adults: ~10,500–11,500
• Mobile phone users (any mobile): ~10,000–10,900 adults (≈93–96% adoption)
• Smartphone users: ~8,800–9,500 adults (≈82–86% adoption; slightly below TN overall)
• 5G‑capable device users: ~6,000–7,100 adults (≈55–65% of adult users; below TN metros)
• Mobile-only internet households: ~1,200–1,500 (roughly 22–28% of households; higher than TN overall)
• Prepaid share of lines: estimated 35–45% (above TN average)
• Platform mix: Android likely 65–70% of smartphones (higher Android share than TN metros)

Demographic drivers and how usage differs from the state

• Age: Larger 65+ share than the TN average. Senior smartphone adoption trails younger adults (roughly 60–70% vs 90%+), pulling down overall county rates.
• Income: Median household income is below the TN average; lower-income users show higher prepaid use, slower upgrade cycles, and more hotspot reliance for home connectivity.
• Race/ethnicity: The county has notable White and Black populations and a smaller but meaningful Hispanic/Latino community tied to agricultural work. Language support and flexible prepaid plans matter more than in many TN metros.
• Education/employment: Agricultural and small‑business employment increase on‑the‑go data needs while fixed broadband can lag outside town centers—nudging mobile into a primary access role.

Digital infrastructure points (what’s on the ground)

• Coverage mix: AT&T, Verizon, and T‑Mobile have macro coverage; low‑band 5G reaches main corridors and town centers (e.g., Alamo, Bells), but mid‑band 5G is spottier than in urban TN. Many users still ride LTE for dependable performance.
• Tower density: Fewer sites per square mile than TN’s urban counties. Expect fringe or in‑building weak spots in low‑lying areas, along secondary rural roads, and between towns.
• Speeds/experience: 5G often delivers low‑to‑mid double‑digit Mbps outside town centers; mid‑band 5G (where present) bumps speeds into high double or low triple digits but is less ubiquitous than statewide urban norms.
• Fixed broadband interplay: Town centers may have cable or fiber; outside them, options taper to legacy DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite. This unevenness raises:
  • Hotspot use for homework/work-from-home
  • Mobile-only households
  • Sensitivity to network congestion during school/work peaks
• Devices/affordability: With fewer retail outlets nearby, upgrades skew slower; price sensitivity pushes prepaid and refurbished device uptake. The end of ACP subsidies (if not replaced) increases the risk of mobile-only dependency and plan downgrades.

What this means in practice

• Carriers: Coverage and capacity improvements (esp. mid-band 5G) along rural stretches would materially improve user experience; in-home coverage boosters have outsized value.
• Public sector: Library/school Wi‑Fi and co-op/ISP fiber builds reduce reliance on mobile-only internet and help close homework and telehealth gaps.
• Businesses/healthcare/education: Optimize sites and apps for low-to-moderate bandwidth and intermittent connectivity; SMS and lightweight web remain critical.

How these estimates were derived

• Population/households: Recent Census/ACS ranges for similarly sized rural TN counties.
• Adoption rates: Pew Research and NHIS national/regional rates adjusted for rural, age, and income skews; anchored to TN’s urban–rural deltas.
• Infrastructure: FCC mobile coverage maps and carrier deployment patterns for West Tennessee (low-band ubiquity, selective mid-band 5G), generalized to Crockett’s rural profile.

Crockett County, TN social media snapshot (2025, best-available estimates)

Topline

• Population: ~14,000; adults (18+): ~10,500–11,000
• Adult social media users: ~7,000–8,000 (≈65–75% of adults). Most teens use at least one platform.
• Access: smartphone ownership ~85–90%; home broadband ~70–75% of households. Usage is largely mobile-first.

Most‑used platforms (adult reach, monthly, est.)

• YouTube: 75–80%
• Facebook: 70–75% (primary community hub: Groups, Marketplace)
• Instagram: 40–45%
• TikTok: 35–40% (skews under 35)
• Snapchat: 25–30% (mostly teens/20s)
• Pinterest: 20–25% (women 25–54)
• LinkedIn: 15–20% (teachers, healthcare, managers)
• X/Twitter: 10–15% (news/sports followers)
• Reddit: 8–12% (men 18–34)
• Nextdoor: 5–10% (mainly in town centers)

Age patterns (est.)

• Teens (13–17): Very high YouTube; TikTok 70–75%; Snapchat 60–65%; Instagram 60–65%; Facebook ~20–25% (groups/school). Heavy short‑form video, DMs, team/school updates.
• 18–29: YouTube ~90%; Instagram 75–80%; TikTok 65–70%; Snapchat 50–55%; Facebook 60–65% (more passive). Uses Marketplace, Reels, local jobs.
• 30–49: Facebook 80–85%; YouTube 85–90%; Instagram 45–55%; TikTok 35–45%. School, youth sports, church, home services, buy/sell/trade.
• 50–64: Facebook 75–80%; YouTube 75–80%; Instagram 30–35%; TikTok 25–30%. Local news, weather, health info.
• 65+: Facebook 60–65%; YouTube 55–60%; Instagram 15–20%; TikTok 10–15%. Church/community updates, obituaries, weather.

Gender breakdown (est.)

• Overall social users: ~51% women, 49% men.
• Platform skews: Women over‑index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; men over‑index on YouTube, Reddit, X/Twitter. TikTok slightly female‑leaning; Snapchat female‑leaning.

Behavioral trends

• Community-first on Facebook: Closed Groups and Marketplace are central for local news, school alerts, church events, yard sales, rentals, farm/outdoor gear.
• Short‑form video surge: TikTok/IG Reels for high school sports, hunting/fishing, DIY, small business promos; cross‑posted to Facebook Reels.
• Peak times: 6–8 am, 11:30 am–1 pm, 7–10 pm; Sundays see elevated community posting.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger and SMS dominate; WhatsApp niche among Hispanic residents and some work crews.
• Trust sources: Sheriff’s office, schools/athletics, pastors, coaches, and local radio pages drive reach; moms’ groups shape recommendations.
• Content that performs: Weather and road closures, school calendars, obituaries, high‑school sports highlights, bargains, local job postings, giveaways.
• Posting vs. lurking: Many users consume and share more than create; preference for closed/neighbor groups over public pages.

Notes on method

• County‑level platform stats aren’t formally published; figures are estimates using Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. usage, Tennessee/rural adjustments, and small‑county behavior patterns. Use ranges as planning guides rather than exact counts.