Loudon County

Key demographics for Loudon County, Tennessee

Population size

• 2020 Census: 54,068 (up from 48,556 in 2010; +11.4%)

Age (ACS 2018–2022)

• Median age: ~47 years
• Under 18: ~20%
• 18–64: ~54%
• 65 and over: ~26%

Gender (ACS 2018–2022)

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2018–2022; mutually exclusive)

• Non-Hispanic White: ~86%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~10%
• Non-Hispanic Black: ~1–2%
• Non-Hispanic Asian: ~1%
• Non-Hispanic Two or more races and other groups: ~2–3%

Household data (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~24,000
• Average household size: ~2.4
• Family households: ~67%
• Homeownership rate: ~79%
• Median household income: ~$69,000
• Per capita income: ~$37,000
• Persons below poverty level: ~10%

Insights

• Older age structure than Tennessee overall, reflecting a significant retiree population
• High homeownership and smaller household size relative to national averages
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White with a growing Hispanic community, especially in Lenoir City

Loudon County, TN email usage (estimates, 2025):

• Estimated email users: ~47,000 residents. Basis: population ~60,500; applying age-specific adoption rates (Pew/National norms) and the county’s older age mix.
• Age distribution of email users: 13–17: 6.7% (3,100); 18–34: 22% (10,300); 35–64: 41% (19,300); 65+: 30% (14,000). Older share is elevated due to retirement communities (e.g., Tellico Village).
• Gender split among users: ~51% female, ~49% male (reflecting the county’s slightly higher female population and similar email adoption by gender).

Digital access trends:

• Home internet subscription: ~83–86% of households; fixed broadband (cable/fiber/DSL) ~80–85%; smartphone-only home internet ~5–7%; no home internet ~9–12%. Continued fiber buildouts and DOCSIS upgrades are lifting speeds in Lenoir City, Loudon, and Tellico Village; rural valleys see more DSL/fixed-wireless reliance.
• Mobile connectivity: 5G from major carriers along I‑75/I‑40 and U.S.‑321 corridors; LTE is effectively countywide, supporting email for mobile-only users.

Local connectivity facts:

• The I‑75/I‑40 transport backbone and TVA lake communities concentrate high-speed access near Lenoir City and Loudon, while western and southern rural tracts remain the primary last‑mile gaps.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Loudon County, Tennessee

Context and scale

• Population: 62,386 (2020 Census); approximately 64,000 in 2023 estimates. Adults (18+) are roughly 81% of residents, or about 51,500–52,000.
• Household count: about 26,000.

User estimates (adults)

• Any mobile phone user: approximately 49,000–50,000 adults (about 94–96% of adults), aligning with national adult cellphone ownership while reflecting Loudon’s older age mix.
• Smartphone users: approximately 45,000–47,000 adults (about 87–90% of adults). The upper bound is supported by higher-income retiree communities; the lower bound reflects age-related gaps among residents 65+.
• Wireless-only households (no landline): approximately 17,000–18,000 households (about 65–70% of households), slightly below Tennessee’s statewide tendency due to Loudon’s older population.
• Mobile-broadband-only at home (households relying on a cellular data plan without a fixed wired connection): on the order of 3,000–3,300 households (about 11–13%), likely below the statewide share because cable/fiber are widely available in the population centers.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age structure: Loudon County skews older than the Tennessee average, with a notably large 65+ segment anchored by Tellico Village and other retiree communities. This:
  • Lowers smartphone penetration relative to younger-heavy counties but not dramatically, because affluent seniors adopt smartphones at higher rates than national seniors overall.
  • Shifts usage toward voice/SMS, photos, video calling, social media, patient portals/telehealth, and navigation over gaming or gig apps.
• Working-age adults (30–64): Near-saturation smartphone ownership (mid-90%s) and heavy app usage, especially navigation, streaming audio, productivity, and commerce. Many commute toward Knox County, concentrating daytime mobile usage along I-75/US‑321 corridors.
• Under 30: Near-universal smartphone ownership and heavy data use; this group is smaller than the state average as a share of the population, slightly dampening countywide mobile data totals.
• Income and devices: Household incomes in key subdivisions and lake communities are above the state median, supporting multi-line postpaid plans, newer 5G-capable devices, and higher per-line data plans. Lower-income pockets in rural western/southern areas show higher prepaid use and occasional reliance on mobile-only internet.
• Race/ethnicity: The county is majority White with a smaller but growing Hispanic population; younger Hispanic households show higher mobile-only internet reliance than the county average, consistent with statewide patterns.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage
  • 4G LTE: Broad coverage countywide; performance varies in hilly/forested pockets (e.g., rural areas around Greenback and south of Tellico Lake).
  • 5G: Mid-band 5G from major carriers is established in and between Lenoir City and Loudon and along I‑40/I‑75 and US‑321, yielding typical real-world speeds from ~150 to 400+ Mbps in town and along corridors; rural interior areas often fall back to LTE or low-band 5G.
• Carriers
  • Verizon and AT&T remain strongest historically in East Tennessee; T‑Mobile has expanded mid-band 5G capacity and fixed-wireless coverage in town centers and along highways. MVNO traffic largely mirrors host network footprints.
• Capacity and reliability
  • Macro sites line the interstate corridors with added capacity sectors pointed at population centers and retail clusters; small-cell density is modest outside main commercial strips.
  • Terrain, tree cover, and metal-roof construction in lake/HOA neighborhoods can degrade indoor signal; residents commonly use Wi‑Fi calling and, in fringe areas, consumer boosters.
• Fixed wireless home internet (FWA)
  • T‑Mobile and Verizon offer 5G FWA in and around Lenoir City/Loudon with good take-up among renters and edge-of-franchise addresses; uptake is lower where cable/fiber are available.
• Backhaul and fiber
  • Carrier backhaul follows I‑75/I‑40 and state routes, with fiber-fed macro sites around Lenoir City and Loudon. Cable/fiber footprints from incumbent providers reduce the need for mobile-only internet in town but leave pockets where cellular is the practical option.

How Loudon County differs from Tennessee overall

• Older population share: Higher than the state, which slightly reduces overall smartphone penetration and increases reliance on voice/SMS and telehealth; however, higher incomes among retirees keep smartphone adoption relatively strong compared to similarly old counties.
• Prepaid vs postpaid mix: Skews more postpaid than the state average due to income and device preferences in retiree and commuter households.
• Mobile-only internet: Lower share than the state average because cable/fiber availability is relatively strong in population centers; mobile-only reliance concentrates in rural edges.
• Network experience: 5G mid-band is robust along Loudon’s interstate and arterial corridors relative to many rural Tennessee counties, with more evident capacity constraints appearing in fringe valleys rather than towns.
• Daytime mobility: A larger share of users shift daily usage toward Knox County commuter routes, producing pronounced peak loads on travel corridors compared with many non-metro counties.

Sources and methods

• Population and household figures from the U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Census; 2023 Vintage estimates).
• Smartphone and cellphone ownership rates derived by applying Pew Research Center age-specific ownership rates to Loudon’s older age profile; household device and internet-use tendencies informed by ACS S2801 (Computer and Internet Use).
• Coverage and technology mix synthesized from carrier 5G buildouts and FCC filings through 2023–2024, corroborated by regional deployment patterns in the Knoxville metro.

Loudon County, TN social media snapshot (2025)

What this reflects: County-adjusted estimates using 2023 U.S. Census Bureau demographics and 2024–2025 platform/adoption benchmarks (Pew Research Center, Edison Research, platform ad planners). Figures rounded to whole percentages.

Overall user stats

• Population: about 60–61k (2023 estimate)
• Active social media users (13+): ~45k (about 74% of total population; ~85% of residents 13+)
• Gender split among social users: Female ~52%, Male ~48%

Age profile of social users (share of all county social users)

• 13–17: ~7%
• 18–29: ~16%
• 30–49: ~31%
• 50–64: ~25%
• 65+: ~21% Note: Loudon County skews older than the U.S. average; this elevates Facebook and YouTube and dampens Instagram/TikTok.

Most-used platforms in Loudon County (share of residents 13+ who use the platform)

• YouTube: ~78%
• Facebook: ~71%
• Instagram: ~36%
• Pinterest: ~31%
• TikTok: ~25%
• Snapchat: ~19%
• LinkedIn: ~18%
• X/Twitter: ~16%
• Nextdoor: ~14%
• Reddit: ~12%

Behavioral trends and practical insights

• Facebook is the daily hub for local life: HOA and neighborhood groups, schools/booster clubs, churches, yard sales, and events. Marketplace usage is high; posts with clear pricing and pickup details outperform.
• YouTube consumption is broad across ages; “how-to” content (home/auto DIY, gardening, boating/fishing) and church/live-streamed services are standouts. Skippable in-stream ads reach the widest audience.
• Older adults (55+) rely on Facebook and YouTube; Instagram/TikTok usage rises sharply under 35. Pinterest over-indexes among women 35–64 for home, recipes, crafts, and retirement lifestyle planning.
• Nextdoor participation is concentrated in master-planned communities (e.g., HOA-driven neighborhoods); effective for hyperlocal service providers and public safety messaging.
• Teens gravitate to Snapchat for messaging and TikTok for discovery/entertainment; cross-posting short video to Reels captures 18–29 spillover.
• Peak engagement windows: early morning (7–9 a.m.) and evening (7–10 p.m.). Midday engagement spikes on weekdays for commuters and retirees.
• Creative that feels local wins: references to Lenoir City, Loudon, Greenback, Tellico Village; school colors/teams; local landmarks and events. Static images with people/places familiar to the county routinely beat generic stock.
• Community and cause content travels: school fundraisers, animal rescue, local sports highlights, and weather/disruption updates drive high shares and comments.
• Ad performance patterns: Facebook/Instagram deliver the most efficient local reach; YouTube provides efficient video completion at scale; TikTok CPMs fluctuate but can deliver outsized reach for short local videos; LinkedIn is niche B2B (manufacturing/professional services) concentrated along the I‑75 corridor.

Sources and method

• Demographics: U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 2023, county age/sex mix).
• Adoption rates: Pew Research Center (2024 Social Media Use), Edison Research (Infinite Dial 2024), major platform ad-planning tools. County rates are age-adjusted from these benchmarks to Loudon County’s population structure. Expected margin of error: ±3–5 percentage points by platform.