Hardin County

Hardin County, Tennessee — key demographics (latest available)

Population size

• 26,800 (2023 population estimate, U.S. Census Bureau PEP)

Age

• Median age: about 45
• Age distribution: under 18 ~20%; 18–64 ~57%; 65+ ~23%

Gender

• Female ~51%
• Male ~49%

Race/ethnicity (ACS 2019–2023, share of total population)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~89%
• Black or African American: ~5%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.4%
• Asian: ~0.3%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%

Household data (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: ~10,900
• Persons per household: ~2.3
• Family households: ~67% of households
• Married-couple families: ~50% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~24%
• Nonfamily households: ~33%
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: ~76%

Insights

• Older age structure than the Tennessee average, with a higher 65+ share and smaller household size.
• High owner-occupancy consistent with a largely rural, homeowner-based housing market.
• Predominantly White, with modest racial/ethnic diversity.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (2023) and American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2019–2023).

Hardin County, TN snapshot (population 26,831; land ~577 sq mi; density ~46/sq mi)

Estimated email users

• Total users: 20,400 residents (76% of population)

Age distribution of email users (est.)

• 13–17: ~1,300 (6%)
• 18–34: ~4,600 (22%)
• 35–64: ~9,300 (46%)
• 65+: ~5,100 (25%) Median age is relatively high for Tennessee, so seniors form a larger-than-average share of users.

Gender split (est.)

• Female: ~10,500 (51%)
• Male: ~9,900 (49%) Email adoption by gender is essentially even.

Digital access and usage trends

• Fixed broadband adoption: ~75% of households
• Mobile-only internet households: ~13%
• No home internet: ~12%
• Email is primarily accessed via smartphones for many residents, with desktop/laptop access concentrated in town centers.
• Low population density and dispersed housing increase last‑mile costs, contributing to lower fixed-broadband uptake versus Tennessee metros.
• Connectivity is strongest in and around Savannah and the Pickwick Lake area, with more limited options in outlying rural tracts.

Insight: Despite rural constraints, roughly 3 in 4 households have fixed broadband and about three-quarters of residents use email, with the heaviest usage among working-age adults and steadily rising adoption among seniors.

Mobile phone usage in Hardin County, Tennessee (2024 snapshot)

Headline takeaways

• Hardin County has fewer smartphone users and slower mobile speeds than Tennessee overall, and a larger share of households rely on cellular data as their only internet connection. Coverage is strong in and around Savannah and along US‑64, but gaps persist in sparsely populated river and forest areas.

Population context

• Population: ~26,700 (2023 estimate)
• Age structure: Older than the state average (≈25% age 65+ vs ~17% statewide), which materially lowers smartphone adoption and 5G device penetration
• Median household income: ≈$46,000 (vs ≈$64,000 statewide), contributing to higher prepaid usage and longer device replacement cycles

User estimates (people, not lines)

• Adults (18+): ≈21,600
• Adult mobile phone ownership (any mobile phone): ≈20,400 users (≈94% of adults)
• Adult smartphone ownership: ≈18,100 users (≈84% of adults)
• Teen smartphone users (10–17): ≈1,800
• Total smartphone users (all ages): ≈19,900, about 74% of the county’s population

Notes on estimation: Ownership rates are derived by applying recent national/rural adoption rates by age to the county’s older age mix; figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.

Demographic breakdown and behavior

• Seniors (65+): ~6,700 people; smartphone ownership ≈64% (≈4,300 users). Higher reliance on voice/SMS and larger-screen devices; lower app and video intensity than state average.
• Working-age adults (35–64): ~10,100 people; smartphone ownership ≈90% (≈9,100 users). Usage constrained in LTE‑only areas and where indoor signal is weak (metal roofs, low-e glass).
• Young adults (18–34): ~4,800 people; near-universal smartphone ownership (≈97%). Highest 5G device share and data use in the county.
• Income effects: Lower incomes correlate with higher prepaid adoption and longer device lifecycles. Estimated prepaid share of active lines ≈30–35% (vs ~20–25% statewide).

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage
  • All three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) provide 5G coverage in and around Savannah/Crump and along major corridors (US‑64, TN‑128, TN‑69). Outside these areas, LTE remains predominant.
  • Low‑band 5G (600/700/850 MHz) provides broad coverage; mid‑band 5G (e.g., n41, C‑band) is concentrated near population centers. Millimeter wave is effectively absent.
  • Notable weak zones: low-density lakeshore areas near Pickwick Lake/Counce, river bottoms, and far rural stretches where terrain/trees and tower spacing reduce signal quality.
• Towers and density
  • Rural macro‑site spacing typically 4–7 miles; Hardin’s land area (~580 square miles) has a relatively low tower density compared with urban counties, contributing to edge‑of‑cell performance issues.
• Speed and latency (user-experienced)
  • In‑town 5G median downloads typically 60–120 Mbps; uploads 8–20 Mbps; latency ~30–50 ms.
  • Rural LTE areas frequently see 5–25 Mbps down; 2–8 Mbps up; latency ~40–70 ms.
  • Seasonal congestion occurs around Pickwick Lake during peak tourism, with noticeable evening slowdowns on all carriers.
• Public safety
  • Wireless accounts for ≈85–90% of 911 calls, similar to other rural Tennessee counties. First responder coverage is generally good around Savannah and along primary corridors; dead spots persist in fringe areas.

Home internet and cellular reliance

• Households: ≈11,000
• Households with any broadband subscription: ~74–76% (below the state’s ~84–86%)
• Households with a cellular data plan: ~70–73%
• Cellular‑only internet households (no cable/DSL/fiber): ~20–23% (vs ~15–17% statewide). This materially increases mobile data dependence and hotspot use.

Device and plan mix

• 5G‑capable devices among active smartphones: ~50–60% (below state average due to older devices and budgets)
• Operating systems: Skews more Android than the state average, aligned with higher prepaid and value‑segment device purchases
• Plan types: Higher share of prepaid/MVNO (Cricket, Metro, Total by Verizon, Straight Talk) and single‑line plans; family‑plan penetration is somewhat lower than state average

Trends that differ from Tennessee overall

• Adoption
  • Adult smartphone ownership ≈84% in Hardin vs ≈86–88% statewide
  • Higher share of basic/feature phones among seniors
• Access
  • Cellular‑only internet households are ~5–7 percentage points more common than the state average
  • In‑town 5G is available but mid‑band buildout is thinner; LTE fallback is more common outside corridors
• Performance
  • Typical median mobile download speeds run 20–30 Mbps lower than large Tennessee metros; upload speeds are constrained in rural sectors
• Affordability and usage
  • Prepaid share ~5–10 points higher than statewide
  • Average monthly mobile data use per line is lower overall (older user base), but markedly higher among cellular‑only households
• Upgrade cycles
  • Device replacement intervals are longer (often 3.5–4+ years), which slows the adoption of advanced 5G features compared with the state average

Outlook (12–24 months)

• Continued mid‑band 5G expansion by AT&T and Verizon and capacity upgrades by T‑Mobile should lift in‑town speeds and improve corridor consistency.
• Coverage gaps in low-density areas will persist without additional macro sites; targeted small‑cell or repeater solutions near community anchors (schools, healthcare, emergency services) can yield outsized benefits.
• As more households gain fiber or cable, cellular‑only reliance should gradually ease, but affordability pressures will keep prepaid demand elevated.

Hardin County, TN social media snapshot (2025)

Baseline

• Population: ~26,900
• Residents age 13+: ~23,700

User stats

• Social media users (13+): ~18,700 (≈79% of 13+; ≈70% of total population)
• Adult users (18+): ~17,200 (≈78% of adults)

Age mix of the local user base (share of all users)

• 13–17: 8%
• 18–29: 18%
• 30–49: 28%
• 50–64: 26%
• 65+: 20% This skews older than the U.S. average, reflecting the county’s age profile.

Gender breakdown

• Overall users: ~53% women, ~47% men
• Platform skews locally mirror national patterns:
  • More women: Facebook, Instagram (slight), TikTok (slight), Pinterest (heavy female skew)
  • More men: YouTube (slight), X/Twitter (moderate), Reddit (strong), LinkedIn (slight)

Most-used platforms (local reach; residents 13+)

• YouTube: ~79%
• Facebook: ~69%
• Instagram: ~38%
• TikTok: ~30%
• Pinterest: ~27%
• Snapchat: ~21%
• X (Twitter): ~17%
• WhatsApp: ~13%
• LinkedIn: ~12%
• Reddit: ~11%

Adults vs. teens (platform highlights)

• Adults (18+; estimated reach):
  • YouTube ~78%, Facebook ~72%, Instagram ~36%, TikTok ~28%, Pinterest ~29%, Snapchat ~18%, X ~18%, WhatsApp ~14%, LinkedIn ~13%, Reddit ~12%
• Teens (13–17; estimated reach):
  • Very high on YouTube (95%), TikTok (67%), Instagram (62%), Snapchat (60%); Facebook (~33%) mostly for groups, events, and family

Behavioral trends

• Community and information: Facebook is the default hub for local news, church and school updates, youth sports, county offices, and severe-weather alerts. Facebook Groups and Marketplace drive heavy daily engagement.
• Commerce: Local retailers, contractors, and lake/boating services lean on Facebook Pages, Marketplace, and Instagram Reels; boosted posts targeted within 10–20 miles perform well.
• Content format: Short-form vertical video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) outperforms static posts. Live video on Facebook sees strong engagement for games, festivals, and church services.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is the dominant DM channel for businesses and community coordination; WhatsApp usage is modest.
• Timing: Engagement peaks most evenings (roughly 7–9 pm) and weekends; midday bumps occur around lunch on weekdays.
• Seasonality: Activity rises in spring–summer around Pickwick Lake (outdoor recreation, events, tourism-facing posts). Severe-weather days produce sharp spikes in local page and group activity.
• Cross-platform use: Businesses often create once (Reels) and cross-post to Facebook and Instagram; teens favor TikTok/Snapchat for creation and Instagram for following local personalities and teams.
• Trust and discovery: Word-of-mouth in Facebook Groups drives service recommendations; YouTube is a key “how-to” and product research channel for home, boat, auto, and DIY.

Notes on method

• Figures are county-level estimates derived by weighting Pew Research Center 2023–2024 U.S. platform adoption rates by Hardin County’s age structure (ACS 2023) and adjusting for rural/older skew. Counts are rounded; use as planning-grade metrics.