Decatur County

Here are key demographics for Decatur County, Tennessee (latest available Census/ACS estimates; values rounded):

• Population

  • 2020 Census: 11,435
  • 2023 estimate: ~11.3k

• Age

  • Median age: ~45–46 years
  • Under 18: ~20%
  • 65 and over: ~24–25%

• Gender

  • Female: ~50–51%
  • Male: ~49–50%

• Race/ethnicity (alone unless noted; Hispanic can be of any race)

  • White: ~92–93%
  • Black or African American: ~3–4%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.3–0.5%
  • Asian: ~0.2–0.4%
  • Two or more races: ~3–4%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~2–3%

• Households

  • Total households: ~4.8k–4.9k
  • Average household size: ~2.3
  • Family households: ~65–70% of households
  • Married-couple households: ~50% of households
  • Households with children under 18: ~24–25%
  • One-person households: ~25–30%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census and 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates (QuickFacts/ACS). Figures are estimates and may not sum due to rounding.

Summary of email usage in Decatur County, TN (estimates)

• Estimated email users: 7,500–9,000 residents out of ~11.5k total, reflecting high adult email adoption but lower rates among the oldest cohorts.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: ~5–7%
  • 18–34: ~20–25%
  • 35–54: ~30–35%
  • 55–64: ~15–20%
  • 65+: ~20–25% (Adoption by age roughly: 18–34 ≈95%, 35–54 ≈90%, 55–64 ≈80–85%, 65+ ≈60–70%.)
• Gender split: ~51% female, ~49% male; email usage is effectively even by gender.
• Digital access trends:
  • Household home broadband subscription likely ~70–75%, with a noticeable smartphone‑only segment (≈10–15% of adults) relying on mobile data for email.
  • Ongoing rural fiber builds (state/federal grants since 2022) are improving speeds and reliability, especially around Parsons and Decaturville; uptake is rising year over year.
  • Public Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools, government buildings) remains important backstop access.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Sparsely populated (~30–35 people per square mile), which raises last‑mile costs and leaves pockets with weaker fixed broadband.
  • Cellular LTE/5G coverage is solid in towns and along primary highways, with dead zones in river bottoms and wooded areas.

Below is a county-level snapshot built from recent Census/ACS device-access indicators, FCC mobile coverage filings, Tennessee rural broadband program updates, and national usage benchmarks (through 2024). Exact, current county-by-county mobile metrics are not published in one place, so figures are stated as ranges and deltas versus Tennessee overall.

Headline takeaways (how Decatur County differs from Tennessee overall)

• More mobile-reliant for home internet: A notably higher share of households rely on cellular data as their primary (or only) home connection than the state average, driven by patchy fixed broadband and affordability constraints.
• Slower 5G capacity build (especially mid-band): Low-band 5G is present, but mid-band 5G coverage and capacity are thinner than in Tennessee’s metros, so 4G LTE still carries much of the load.
• Older population profile dampens smartphone penetration at the top end: Seniors’ smartphone uptake lags the state, pulling down overall adoption slightly despite strong adoption among working-age adults and teens.
• Greater use of prepaid and budget devices: Price sensitivity and limited retail choice tilt the market toward prepaid plans and longer device replacement cycles, more than in the state as a whole.

User estimates

• Population baseline: ~11–12k residents (2020 census in the mid-11k range; little net change expected).
• Smartphone users (unique people): 7,500–9,000
  • Implies roughly 80–90% of adults and 65–75% of total residents, slightly below the Tennessee average on a total-population basis because the county skews older.
• Mobile-only or mobile-first households: 18–25% (Decatur County) vs ~12–18% statewide
  • Households that use a cellular data plan as their primary internet service (with or without a fixed line). This is one of the clearest divergences from the state average.
• Device mix and plans:
  • Prepaid share meaningfully higher than the TN average; longer upgrade cycles (3–4+ years common).
  • Android share higher than statewide; iPhone share lower than in metros.

Demographic breakdown of mobile adoption and use

• Age
  • 18–34: very high smartphone penetration (≈95%+), near state levels.
  • 35–64: high (≈85–90%), modestly below TN average.
  • 65+: substantially lower (≈55–65%), below the state average for seniors; many rely on simpler devices or shared/household smartphones.
• Income and affordability
  • Median household income trails state average; cost-sensitive segments favor prepaid, promo plans, and refurbished devices.
  • Low-income households are more likely to be mobile-only for home access when cable/fiber are unavailable or unaffordable.
• Education and employment
  • Remote-work incidence is lower than state average, so mobile data demand skews toward evening/weekend home use, schoolwork, streaming, and social rather than workday VPN/video.
• Race/ethnicity
  • The county is predominantly White, with small minority populations; sample sizes for subgroups are small, but statewide patterns hold: younger cohorts across groups show near-universal smartphone use.

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• Networks present: AT&T and Verizon generally provide the most consistent LTE coverage across populated areas; T-Mobile has improved but remains more variable outside town centers.
• 5G status:
  • Low-band 5G: available in and around main population centers; helps coverage but not a big speed jump.
  • Mid-band 5G (capacity layer): spottier than in urban Tennessee; many users still ride LTE for capacity, so peak-time speeds fluctuate more than statewide.
• Capacity and experience:
  • Fewer macro sites per square mile than urban counties; wooded terrain and river-adjacent areas create dead zones and weaker indoor signal.
  • Congestion is more common in the evening and around schools and community venues due to heavier mobile-first usage and limited fixed alternatives.
• Fixed alternatives shaping mobile reliance:
  • Cable and fiber are available in town centers and select corridors; outside those, options can drop to legacy DSL, satellite, or newer fixed wireless access (FWA).
  • 4G/5G FWA from major carriers is emerging and gaining traction where fiber/cable are absent—another reason the county’s mobile-reliant share is higher than the state average.
• Public access and anchors:
  • Schools, libraries, and community centers play an outsized role via Wi‑Fi and hotspot lending programs; this mitigates, but does not eliminate, mobile-only constraints for students and seniors.

What this means for planners and providers

• Expect strong demand for affordable, high-cap data plans, FWA, and handset financing/refurb options.
• Targeted senior digital-skills and device-support programs could move adoption closer to the state average.
• New mid-band 5G sites and small cells in town centers, plus better in‑building solutions for public venues, would yield outsized quality gains.
• Partnerships with schools/libraries to extend Wi‑Fi and managed hotspots will continue to be impactful.

Notes on method and sources

• Benchmarks and directionality draw on: U.S. Census/ACS device and subscription indicators (county vs state), FCC Broadband Data Collection mobile coverage filings, Tennessee rural broadband grant activity, and national Pew-style adoption trends by age/income, adjusted for Decatur County’s older age structure and rural buildout status. Exact coverage footprints and subscription shares vary by carrier and over time; figures above are estimates with ranges to reflect that uncertainty.

Here’s a concise, best-available snapshot of social media in Decatur County, TN. Figures are estimates built from the county’s population (~11.5k), typical rural-Tennessee age mix, and recent U.S./rural usage benchmarks (e.g., Pew Research). Local, platform-level data at the county level isn’t publicly reported, so use these as directional.

Headline usage

• Estimated social media users: ~7,000–7,300 residents (including teens 13–17)
• Adult users (18+): ~6,400–6,700
• Internet access: majority via smartphones; home broadband access lags urban TN, so mobile-first behavior is common

Age mix of users (approx.)

• 13–17: ~630 users (very high daily use; TikTok/Snapchat/Instagram heavy)
• 18–29: ~1,350–1,450 (nearly universal use; Instagram/TikTok/YouTube, plus Facebook for groups/Marketplace)
• 30–49: ~2,350–2,550 (Facebook, YouTube; Instagram rising; Marketplace heavy)
• 50–64: ~1,550–1,750 (Facebook, YouTube; some TikTok/Instagram)
• 65+: ~900–1,050 (Facebook and YouTube; lighter overall use)

Gender breakdown (approx.)

• Users: ~52% female, ~48% male (county skews slightly female)
• Platform tendencies: women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, X (Twitter), Reddit

Most-used platforms among local social media users (overlap expected)

• YouTube: ~80–85%
• Facebook: ~75–82%
• Facebook Messenger: ~65–72%
• Instagram: ~33–40%
• TikTok: ~28–35%
• Snapchat: ~25–32% (concentrated among teens/20s)
• Pinterest: ~22–28% (skews female, homemaking/crafts/outdoors content)
• X (Twitter): ~10–15% (news, sports)
• Reddit: ~8–12% (niche, hobby/DIY/outdoors)
• LinkedIn: ~6–10% (lower in rural areas)
• Nextdoor: ~3–5% (limited footprint)
• WhatsApp: ~7–11% (primarily family/multi-generational messaging)

Behavioral trends

• Facebook is the community hub: local groups (schools, youth sports, churches, community watch), event promos, obituaries, severe weather updates, missing pets, and Facebook Marketplace for buy/sell/trade.
• Video first: short-form video (Reels/TikTok) and YouTube how-to, hunting/fishing, auto/ATV, music, and faith content perform well.
• Trust = local: posts from known locals, churches, schools, sheriff/fire/rescue pages get strong engagement and are key channels for alerts.
• Messaging-driven commerce: Facebook Messenger is a common “inbox” for small businesses and yard-sale deals; older residents still prefer phone calls.
• Timing: engagement peaks before work/school (7–9am), lunch (11:30am–1pm), and evenings (6–9pm); Friday nights (sports) and Sunday afternoons are active for local content.
• Youth split: teens gravitate to Snapchat/TikTok/Instagram; many maintain Facebook accounts mainly for groups, family, and Marketplace.
• Content that works: faces of local people, kids/school achievements, community service, outdoors, faith-oriented posts, practical deals; straightforward, locally grounded messaging outperforms polished “big brand” creative.

Notes

• Percentages are estimates mapped from rural-Tennessee and national usage patterns to Decatur County’s size and age structure; actual platform shares will vary by town, school district, and specific community groups.