Jackson County

Jackson County, Tennessee — key demographics

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates)

Population size

• Total population: 11,617 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: about 46 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Age distribution (ACS 2018–2022):
  • Under 18: ~20%
  • 18 to 64: ~57%
  • 65 and over: ~23%
• Insight: Older-than-state average age profile, with nearly one in four residents 65+

Gender

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50%
• Insight: Slight female majority, typical of older rural counties

Race and ethnicity (shares of total population)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~92–94%
• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~0.5–1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (non-Hispanic): ~0.3–0.5%
• Asian (non-Hispanic): ~0.2–0.3%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~3–4%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2–3%
• Insight: Predominantly White, with small but growing multiracial and Hispanic populations

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Number of households: roughly 4,700–4,900
• Average household size: ~2.3–2.4 persons
• Family households: ~65–70% of all households
• Married-couple households: ~50% of all households
• Households with children under 18: ~20–25%
• One-person households: ~25–30% (about half of these are 65+ living alone)
• Insight: Small household sizes and a sizable share of single-person and older adult households

Jackson County, TN (≈12,000 residents; low density ≈35–40 people per sq mi) is predominantly rural, which shapes digital access.

Estimated email users: ≈7,800 residents use email at least monthly.

Age distribution of email users (estimated):

• 13–17: 9%
• 18–34: 22%
• 35–54: 32%
• 55–64: 17%
• 65+: 20%

Gender split among email users: ~51% female, 49% male, mirroring county demographics with negligible usage gap.

Digital access and trends:

• Home broadband subscription: ~70–75% of households; ~15–20% are smartphone‑only.
• Fiber is concentrated near town centers; outlying areas more often rely on DSL or fixed wireless. Mobile coverage varies, with weaker signals in some valleys typical of the Upper Cumberland, affecting on‑the‑go email.
• Email remains the default for schools, healthcare, utilities, and government notices. Younger users pair email with messaging apps; older adults use email mainly for billing, appointments, and community updates.

Connectivity insight: Low population density raises last‑mile costs, leaving pockets below modern broadband benchmarks; community anchors (libraries, schools) serve as important Wi‑Fi access points.

Jackson County, Tennessee mobile phone usage summary (2024)

Headline estimates

• Population and density: ≈12,000 residents across ≈320 square miles (≈38 people per sq. mile), substantially less dense than the Tennessee average. Adults (18+) ≈9,480.
• Any mobile phone users (adults): ≈9,100 (≈96% of adults).
• Smartphone users (adults): ≈8,150 (≈86% of adults).
• Smartphone-dependent for home internet (adults): ≈2,100 (≈22% of adults), reflecting limited fixed-broadband options in some areas.

Demographic breakdown (adults)

• By age (share of total population shown; counts are estimated adults):
  • 18–34 (≈17% | ≈2,040 adults): ≈2,020 use any mobile (≈99%); ≈1,980 use smartphones (≈97%); ≈610 are smartphone-only for home internet (≈30%).
  • 35–64 (≈40% | ≈4,800 adults): ≈4,700 use any mobile (≈98%); ≈4,320 use smartphones (≈90%); ≈1,100 are smartphone-only (≈23%).
  • 65+ (≈22% | ≈2,640 adults): ≈2,380 use any mobile (≈90%); ≈1,850 use smartphones (≈70%); ≈400 are smartphone-only (≈15%).
• Key contrasts vs Tennessee overall:
  • Older age structure (larger 65+ share) slightly depresses countywide smartphone penetration compared with the state.
  • Higher reliance on smartphones as the primary internet connection than the statewide average, consistent with rural availability gaps and lower household incomes.
  • Any-mobile ownership is effectively near-universal across working-age adults, comparable to the state.

Usage and plan mix

• Voice/SMS: Near-universal among adults; seniors retain higher reliance on voice/SMS than app-based messaging relative to state averages.
• Data: Heavy mobile data use (video, social, maps) concentrated in 18–34 and 35–64 cohorts. A meaningful minority of households tether or hotspot for home connectivity due to limited fixed broadband.
• Plan types: Prepaid participation is notably higher than the statewide mix, aligned with lower population density and incomes; postpaid family plans still dominate among multi-line households.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carriers: All three national providers (AT&T, Verizon, T‑Mobile) serve the area; FirstNet (AT&T) coverage is available for public-safety users.
• Network generations: 4G LTE is the countywide baseline. 5G service is present from at least one carrier in and around Gainesboro and along primary corridors but remains patchier in outlying hollows and ridge-shadowed areas than in urban Tennessee.
• Terrain effects: The hilly Upper Cumberland topography (river/lake valleys and ridgelines) creates localized dead zones and variable indoor signal quality; exterior antennas/Wi‑Fi calling are common mitigations.
• Site density and spacing: Macro sites are spaced broadly along state routes and near the county seat; coverage between sites is more distance- and terrain-limited than the state’s urban/suburban counties.
• Backhaul: A mix of fiber-fed sites on main corridors and microwave-fed rural sites; capacity constraints are more likely at evening peaks than in metro Tennessee.

Trends that differ from state-level

• Slightly lower overall smartphone penetration, driven by a larger senior share.
• Meaningfully higher smartphone-only internet dependence, reflecting sparser fixed broadband and economic factors.
• Slower and patchier 5G footprint and capacity than statewide urban/suburban areas; LTE remains the practical floor for mobility.
• Greater variability in indoor coverage due to terrain and construction, with higher reliance on Wi‑Fi calling and signal boosters.

Method and sources

• Population and age structure derived from recent U.S. Census Bureau/ACS estimates for Jackson County; device ownership and smartphone-only reliance rates applied using the latest Pew Research Center mobile adoption benchmarks with rural breakouts; infrastructure characterizations align with FCC mobile coverage inventories and carrier-disclosed footprints in 2024. Estimates are rounded to whole numbers to reflect modeling precision.

Jackson County, Tennessee — social media snapshot (2025, modeled from current national/state rural benchmarks)

Overall usage

• Adult population context: roughly 9,000–10,000 adults (of ~12,000 total residents).
• Adults using at least one social platform: 70–78% (≈6,300–7,600 people).
• Device access: smartphone-first; home broadband slightly below the U.S. average, which nudges usage toward Facebook and YouTube and slightly away from newer or bandwidth-heavy platforms.

Most-used platforms (share of adult residents; estimates)

• YouTube: 65–72% — universal utility (how‑to, local church/meeting streams, music, sports highlights).
• Facebook: 60–68% — the default local network (groups, Marketplace, events, school/sports updates).
• Instagram: 25–35% — younger adults; usage concentrated in Stories/Reels, cross-posts from Facebook.
• Pinterest: 22–30% — strong among women 25–54 (recipes, home/crafts, seasonal planning).
• TikTok: 18–25% — under‑35 heavy; entertainment, local food/retail discovery; growing but still secondary.
• Snapchat: 15–22% — teens/younger adults for private messaging; limited public posting.
• X (Twitter): 12–18% — news, weather, high school/college sports; low local posting volume.
• Reddit: 10–15% — niche interests (tech, outdoors); not a primary local channel.
• LinkedIn: 8–12% — smaller professional base; used for job search/training more than publishing.
• Nextdoor: 2–5% — sparse neighborhood density limits adoption; Facebook Groups fill this role.

Age profile (share of social media users in the county; estimates)

• 18–29: 18–20% — Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat lead; YouTube near-universal.
• 30–49: 34–36% — Facebook + YouTube core; Instagram rising; Marketplace heavy use.
• 50–64: 25–28% — Facebook dominant; YouTube for DIY/health/church; Pinterest moderate.
• 65+: 18–22% — Facebook and YouTube primarily; lighter multi‑platform use.

Gender breakdown (share of social media users; estimates)

• Women: 51–54% — higher Facebook and Pinterest engagement; strong in local groups and events.
• Men: 46–49% — higher YouTube, Reddit, X consumption; sports/outdoors, repair, news content.

Behavioral trends

• Facebook Groups as the community hub: buy/sell/trade, school and youth sports, churches, civic alerts; posts about local events, road closures, and weather get outsized reach.
• Marketplace as default classifieds: strong response to local pickup, cash offers, and farm/outdoor categories.
• Video is the growth format: Reels/TikTok/Shorts drive discovery; simple, phone-shot clips outperform polished ads for local businesses.
• Lurkers outnumber posters: most users consume and react; a small core drives comments and original posts (typical 90‑9‑1 pattern).
• Timing: engagement peaks around 7–9 a.m., lunch hour, and 7–10 p.m.; weekend mornings perform best for events and yard sales.
• Trust dynamics: official pages (county, schools, sheriff/EMS) earn rapid attention; recommendations in local groups influence purchase decisions more than brand pages.
• Cross‑posting works: the same creative adapted to Facebook + Instagram + short‑form video maximizes reach; geotargeting within ~10–25 miles performs best.
• Privacy lean: preference for private groups and Messenger/Snapchat for sensitive topics; slower adoption of new networks unless peers migrate.

Notes on methodology

• Figures are county‑specific estimates derived from: Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. social media adoption by platform and age; U.S. Census/ACS population structure for small rural Tennessee counties; and known rural usage skews (lower LinkedIn/Reddit, higher Facebook/YouTube reliance). They reflect likely 2025 conditions in Jackson County’s demographic profile.