Hancock County

Hancock County, Tennessee — Key demographics (2020 Census unless noted)

• Population: 6,662
• Households: 2,717; families: 1,791; average household size: 2.45
• Age: median age 45.9 years
• Gender: 49.4% male; 50.6% female
• Race/ethnicity:
  • White alone: 95.0%
  • Black or African American alone: 0.5%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native alone: 0.3%
  • Asian alone: 0.1%
  • Two or more races: 3.5%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 1.8%

Insights:

• Small, rural county with an older age profile than the state overall.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White population; other racial/ethnic groups comprise a small share.
• Household structure is family-oriented but with modest household size typical of rural Appalachia.

Hancock County, TN has 6,662 residents (2020 Census) across 223 sq mi, about 30 people per sq mi. Estimated email users: ~4,860 residents (≈73% of the population), combining local internet-subscription levels with typical U.S. email adoption.

Age distribution of email users (share; approx. counts):

• 18–34: 23% (~1,140)
• 35–54: 36% (~1,730)
• 55–64: 16% (~760)
• 65+: 25% (~1,230)

Gender split among users: ~50% female, ~50% male, reflecting both county demographics and the minimal gender gap in email adoption.

Digital access and trends:

• About two-thirds of households maintain a broadband subscription, with additional residents relying on smartphones for connectivity; together this supports the observed email-user base.
• Very low population density and hilly terrain correlate with patchier fixed-broadband availability than statewide averages, though recent state- and provider-led fiber builds are expanding coverage.
• Email is near-universal among working-age adults and increasingly common among seniors as smartphone adoption rises.

Local density/connectivity facts: Hancock is one of Tennessee’s least-dense counties (~30/sq mi), a factor historically linked to slower broadband rollout; coverage is improving but remains uneven compared with urban counties.

Mobile phone usage in Hancock County, Tennessee — 2024 snapshot

Scale of use

• Population and households: Approximately 6,600–6,800 residents and about 2,700–2,900 households (U.S. Census 2020 baseline with modest change through 2023).
• Smartphone presence by household: About 75–82% of households have at least one smartphone (ACS S2801, 5-year estimates pattern for rural East TN counties). Tennessee statewide is closer to 88–91%.
• Cellular data at home: Roughly 60–68% of households report a cellular data plan used at home. A sizeable share use it as their primary or only connection. Statewide is roughly mid-70s.
• Mobile-only households: Estimated 22–28% rely primarily on mobile data (smartphone hotspot or cellular home internet) with no wired broadband; Tennessee statewide is closer to 12–16%.
• Adult smartphone adoption: Best estimate 78–82% of adults in Hancock County versus about 88–90% statewide (Pew + ACS adjusted for the county’s age/income mix).
• No home internet: About 18–24% of households likely have no home internet subscription of any kind, versus roughly 9–12% statewide.

Demographic patterns that differ from the state

• Age: The county skews older than Tennessee overall. Among residents 65+, smartphone adoption is materially lower (about 58–65% in-county vs roughly 70–78% statewide), pulling down the county average and increasing the number of voice/text–only users.
• Income: Hancock County’s lower median household income and higher poverty rate relative to state averages correlate with higher mobile-only reliance and greater use of lower-cost data plans, increasing data caps and throttling as practical constraints.
• Education: A higher share of adults with a high school diploma or less (vs state average) tracks to lower rates of smartphone ownership and data-plan uptake. In-county smartphone adoption for HS-or-less is roughly the low 70s percent; for some-college-or-higher, mid-to-high 80s.
• Race/ethnicity: The county is overwhelmingly White non-Hispanic, so disparities by race seen in statewide data are minimal locally; the dominant drivers of variation are age, income, and terrain-related coverage differences.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Coverage profile: Service is anchored by 4G LTE across primary corridors (notably TN-33/TN-31 and around Sneedville). 5G low-band is present in and near town centers and along select corridors, but mid-band 5G is limited. Many hollows and ridge-shadowed areas remain LTE-only or experience weak indoor signal.
• Terrain effects: Ridge-and-valley topography creates dead zones away from highways and on north-facing slopes. Users frequently depend on Wi‑Fi calling where wired or fixed wireless is available.
• Capacity and performance: Limited mid-band 5G and constrained backhaul on rural sites lead to evening congestion, with LTE fallback common during peak periods. Performance variability is greater than in most Tennessee metros and larger rural counties.
• Fixed alternatives: Fiber is available in limited pockets (co-op and small provider builds) with ongoing grant-supported expansion slated through 2025–2028. Where fiber or cable is absent, cellular home internet (Verizon/T-Mobile) and Starlink fill gaps; cellular home internet eligibility is concentrated near Sneedville and along main roads due to sector load and signal quality.
• Public and anchor connectivity: Schools, the public library, and select community facilities provide Wi‑Fi that residents use to offload data, an arrangement more prevalent than statewide.

How Hancock County differs from statewide trends

• More mobile-dependent: A markedly higher share of mobile-only households and a lower share with wired broadband than the Tennessee average.
• Lower 5G reach and capacity: 5G coverage is patchier and more low-band–heavy than statewide norms, with fewer mid-band sectors; LTE remains the practical workhorse technology.
• Larger age and income gaps: The smartphone and data-plan adoption gap between seniors and under-65s, and between lower- and higher-income households, is wider than the state average.
• Slower upgrade cycles: Residents keep devices longer and are less likely to subscribe to premium unlimited plans, reflecting budget constraints and spotty mid-band 5G benefits outside of town centers.
• Heavier reliance on Wi‑Fi calling: Due to indoor coverage limitations and ridge shadowing, Wi‑Fi calling and public Wi‑Fi offload are used more frequently than in most Tennessee counties.

Bottom line

• Hancock County has broad but not universal mobile phone use, with adult smartphone adoption near 80% and notably high dependence on cellular for home connectivity. Compared with Tennessee overall, the county shows lower smartphone and 5G adoption, a higher share of mobile-only households, greater performance variability tied to terrain and backhaul, and sharper demographic divides in access and use. These conditions are improving gradually as fiber and mid-band 5G expand, but the county remains several years behind statewide averages on coverage depth and household connectivity.

Hancock County, TN social media snapshot (2025, modeled from the latest available datasets)

How these figures were derived: County age structure and connectivity from U.S. Census/ACS for rural Tennessee, combined with Pew Research Center 2023–2024 social media adoption by age and platform, adjusted for rural/older demographics. Figures reflect residents 13+ unless noted.

User stats

• Population baseline: ~6,700 residents
• Estimated social media users (13+): ~4,500 (about 68% of total population; roughly 75–80% of 13+)
• Connectivity context: ~65–70% of households have a broadband subscription; smartphone adoption among adults ~80% (both typical for rural TN)

Age mix of social media users (share of total users)

• 13–17: ~9%
• 18–29: ~20%
• 30–49: ~33%
• 50–64: ~25%
• 65+: ~15%

Gender breakdown

• Overall user base: ~53% women, ~47% men
• Platform skews: Facebook and Pinterest skew female; YouTube and Reddit skew male; Instagram and TikTok are roughly balanced

Most‑used platforms (adults 18+, estimated share who use each)

• YouTube: ~76%
• Facebook: ~64%
• Instagram: ~28%
• TikTok: ~25%
• Pinterest: ~26%
• Snapchat: ~18%
• X (Twitter): ~15%
• Reddit: ~12%
• WhatsApp: ~13%
• LinkedIn: ~11%
• Nextdoor: ~3%

Behavioral trends

• Facebook is the local backbone: heavy use of Groups for churches, schools, youth sports, county notices, and buy/sell/trade. Marketplace posts and event announcements drive the most comments and shares.
• Video-first shift: Short video (Facebook Reels and TikTok) outperforms static posts for reach and recall; simple, authentic clips from recognizable local people work best.
• Messaging patterns: Facebook Messenger is the default for many adults; SMS is common; WhatsApp is niche. Teens favor Snapchat for private communication.
• Time-of-day engagement: Peaks before work (6–8 a.m.) and evenings (7–10 p.m.); weekend midday surges for yard sales, church/community events, and Marketplace.
• Trust and voice: Posts from known local individuals, churches, schools, volunteer fire departments, and county offices garner higher engagement and lower skepticism than unfamiliar pages or out-of-area brands.
• Youth vs. older adults: Under 30s split time between TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube; they post publicly less often but consume more short video. Adults 50+ rely on Facebook for news/community updates and YouTube for how‑to content; lower adoption of TikTok/Instagram.
• Local business use: Boosted Facebook posts targeted within ~15–25 miles are the most cost‑effective. Calls and texts are preferred CTAs; Instagram helps reach younger residents and visitors. How‑to and testimonial videos on Facebook/YouTube outperform generic ads.

Notes and sources

• U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (rural Tennessee age and broadband subscription benchmarks)
• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2023–2024; Teens, Social Media and Technology 2023 These county-level figures are modeled from the above sources and reflect Hancock County’s older, rural demographic profile.