Fentress County

Which reference do you prefer for the figures: 2020 Decennial Census counts or the latest ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates? I can provide both, but the ACS set is best for age, gender, and household details for a small county.

Summary (Fentress County, TN)

• Context: Rural Cumberland Plateau county (~18.6k residents; ~37 people/sq. mile across ~499 sq. miles).
• Estimated email users: 13,000–15,000 residents. Basis: national adult email adoption ~90%+ (Pew) adjusted for Fentress’s older, rural profile and partial teen uptake.
• Age profile of email users (approximate):
  • 18–29: 12–15%
  • 30–49: 25–30%
  • 50–64: 28–32%
  • 65+: 25–30% Rationale: very high email adoption at all ages but slightly lower among seniors; county skews older than the U.S. average.
• Gender split: ~50/50; minimal gender gap in email adoption nationally, so usage likely near parity locally.
• Digital access and trends:
  • About two-thirds of households likely have a home broadband subscription; remaining households often rely on smartphone-only, fixed wireless, or satellite. (Rural ACS/TN benchmarks; Fentress likely below state average.)
  • Mobile coverage strongest near Jamestown/US‑127 corridors; patchier in sparsely populated areas and hollows.
  • Ongoing state/federal rural broadband investments (e.g., BEAD and TN grants) are improving last‑mile connectivity, which should modestly raise email adoption among lower-income and older residents over the next few years.

Note: Figures are estimates derived from ACS/Pew rural and age-specific benchmarks applied to Fentress’s size and density.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Fentress County, Tennessee

Context snapshot

• Rural, low-density county on the Cumberland Plateau (seat: Jamestown). Terrain is hilly/forested with significant public lands nearby, which makes cellular build-out harder than in most of Tennessee’s flatter, urban counties.
• Population roughly 19,000; older median age and lower household incomes than the Tennessee average.

User estimates (order-of-magnitude, method-based)

• Adult smartphone users: approximately 11,000–13,500 residents. Method: apply a lower rural/older-adult smartphone adoption rate (roughly 75–82%) to the adult population and include most teenagers.
• Mobile-only internet: about 22–30% of households likely rely primarily on smartphones or mobile hotspots for home internet, higher than Tennessee’s statewide share. Rationale: lower wireline broadband availability/adoption and lower incomes increase smartphone-only reliance.
• Lines per household: slightly below state average for postpaid family plans; higher-than-average share of prepaid and single-line accounts.

Demographic patterns (how usage differs from state-level)

• Age: A larger 65+ population suppresses total smartphone penetration vs. the state, but younger cohorts are near-universal smartphone users. The result is a wider age gap in adoption than Tennessee overall.
• Income and tenure: More lower-income and renter households depend on smartphones as their primary internet connection, at rates above the state average.
• Device/plan mix: Greater prevalence of budget Android devices and prepaid plans than in metro Tennessee; upgrade cycles are longer. This can mean fewer devices capable of mid-band 5G and weaker indoor performance, widening the experience gap vs. cities.

Usage patterns versus Tennessee overall

• Higher smartphone-only and hotspot use for home needs (schoolwork, telehealth, streaming), driven by limited or costly wired options.
• More sensitivity to data caps and coverage; users are more likely to manage usage (e.g., SD streaming, offline downloads) than urban counterparts.
• Messaging and voice remain important among older residents; app-based communications dominate among younger users but are constrained by coverage pockets.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carrier presence: AT&T and Verizon tend to offer the most consistent rural coverage; T‑Mobile coverage is improving along main corridors but remains more variable off-highway than in much of the state.
• Where it works best: Along U.S. 127, TN‑52, and in/around Jamestown. Expect signal degradation in hollows, forested areas, and near large public lands; Big South Fork vicinity has notable dead zones.
• 5G reality: Predominantly low-band 5G or LTE with modest capacity gains; mid-band 5G (e.g., C‑band/n41) is spotty and largely limited to population centers and highways. Millimeter-wave isn’t a factor.
• Backhaul constraints: Fewer fiber routes to towers than in urban Tennessee; some sites still rely on microwave backhaul, limiting peak speeds and consistency during busy hours.
• Tower density: Fewer macro sites and virtually no small-cell/DAS footprint, unlike Tennessee metros. This translates to larger cells, lower indoor signal, and more variable uplink performance.
• Fixed wireless/home: 4G/5G home internet (from national carriers) is available to some addresses around towns and major roads, but coverage is patchy countywide. Where fiber/co-op builds expand, mobile performance typically benefits via upgraded backhaul.
• Public safety: First responder networks (e.g., FirstNet on AT&T) have improved rural coverage in parts of Tennessee; Fentress has benefited along key corridors, but off-grid gaps remain.

Key ways Fentress differs from Tennessee statewide

• Lower overall smartphone penetration due to older demographics, but higher dependence on smartphones as a primary internet source.
• Higher share of prepaid and single-line accounts; fewer multi-line postpaid family plans than the state average.
• More coverage variability and dead zones; lower typical speeds and fewer mid-band 5G areas than state medians.
• Device mix and plan constraints magnify the urban–rural performance gap (fewer mid-band-capable phones, more data management behavior).
• Greater role for fixed wireless and community anchor connectivity (schools/libraries) to fill broadband gaps; fiber expansion pace is more determinative of future mobile capacity than in urban counties.

Implications to watch

• Fiber build-outs (co-ops and grant-funded projects) that add tower backhaul will yield the biggest step-up in mobile reliability and 5G capacity.
• New or upgraded macro sites along U.S. 127/TN‑52 will materially reduce dead zones; small cells remain unlikely outside town centers.
• Adoption gains among seniors and expansion of mid-band 5G will gradually narrow the experience gap with the rest of Tennessee, but terrain and density will keep Fentress below statewide performance averages for the near term.

Below is a concise, best-available estimate for social media usage in Fentress County, TN. Figures are modeled from the county’s rural age structure and national/rural usage benchmarks (Pew Research, 2023–2024) and should be treated as approximations. “Users” below refers to residents age 13+; platforms overlap (people use multiple).

Headline user stats

• Population context: ≈19,000 residents; rural, older-skewing.
• Social media penetration (13+): roughly 70–75% ≈ 11,000–12,000 users.
• Adult penetration (18+): roughly 60–70% ≈ 9,000–11,000 users.
• Daily use: about 60–75% of users check at least once per day.

Age breakdown of the local user base (share of all social users)

• 13–17: ~9%
• 18–29: ~18%
• 30–49: ~33% (largest cohort)
• 50–64: ~23%
• 65+: ~18%

Gender breakdown

• Female: ~54–56% of social media users (heavier on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok)
• Male: ~44–46% (heavier on YouTube, X/Twitter, Reddit)

Most-used platforms locally (share of social media users; overlaps by design)

• Facebook: ~70–80%
• YouTube: ~68–76%
• Facebook Messenger: ~55–65%
• Instagram: ~28–36%
• TikTok: ~25–35%
• Snapchat: ~20–28%
• Pinterest: ~20–30%
• X/Twitter: ~8–12%
• LinkedIn: ~6–10%
• Reddit: ~6–10%
• Nextdoor: ~2–5%

Notable behavioral trends

• Local-first engagement: Facebook Groups and Pages are central for school updates, church events, high school sports, yard sales, lost/found pets, community alerts, and Marketplace buying/selling.
• Video consumption rising: Short, vertical video (Reels/TikTok) sees strong passive viewing; creation is concentrated among younger adults, but cross-posted Facebook Reels reach broad audiences.
• Messaging > phone/email: Heavy use of Messenger; under-35s also rely on Snapchat and Instagram DMs for coordination.
• News and weather: Local sources and community admins earn more trust than national outlets; significant engagement around severe weather posts and utility updates.
• Mobile-first, bandwidth aware: Many users are on smartphones with variable broadband; concise posts, light files, captions on video, and clear thumbnails perform best.
• Timing: Evening (7–9 pm) is peak; midday (11:30 am–1 pm) also active. Weekend mornings see strong Marketplace and community browsing.
• Platform skews:
  • Facebook: most universal; older users especially active; strongest for community reach and events.
  • YouTube: how-to, outdoor/sportsman content, auto/DIY, gospel/Christian music; skews male.
  • Instagram/TikTok: under-35 discovery and entertainment; local creators, small businesses, boutiques, salons.
  • Snapchat: teens/younger adults for private communication.
  • Pinterest: women 25–54 for recipes, crafts, home projects.
  • X/Twitter and Reddit: niche, news/sports/weather (X) and hobby/tech/outdoors (Reddit).
  • LinkedIn: limited due to smaller white-collar base; more useful for regional hiring than hyperlocal reach.

Notes and next steps

• These are modeled estimates, not platform-verified counts. For sharper numbers, use platform ad tools (Facebook/Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube) with a Fentress County geo-fence and age filters, then compare reach estimates.