Macon County

Macon County, Tennessee — key demographics (latest official Census/ACS)

Population size

• 26,800 (approx.) — 2023 population estimate
• 25,200 — 2020 Census count
• Growth since 2020: about +6%

Age

• Median age: ~39 years
• Under 18: ~25%
• 18 to 64: ~59%
• 65 and over: ~16–17%

Gender

• Male: ~50%
• Female: ~50%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White, non-Hispanic: ~89%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~6%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~4%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~1%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: <1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: <1%

Households

• Households: ~9,600–9,700
• Average household size: ~2.7 persons
• Family households: ~70%
• Married-couple families: ~55–57%
• Households with children under 18: ~32%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~73–75%

Insights

• Steady population growth since 2020.
• Age profile is close to Tennessee overall, with roughly one-quarter under 18 and about one-sixth 65+.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White with a small but growing Hispanic population.
• Household size is slightly above the U.S. average and owner-occupancy is high, reflecting a largely family- and owner-occupied housing market.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates (table series including DP05, S0101, S1101, DP02, DP04).

Macon County, TN has about 26,000 residents (≈85 people per sq. mile). Using adult share ≈77% and current U.S. email adoption (~92% of adults), the county has an estimated 18,500–18,900 email users.

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

• 18–29: ≈20%
• 30–49: ≈32%
• 50–64: ≈25%
• 65+: ≈23%

Gender split: Email usage is essentially parity and mirrors the population, ≈51% female and 49% male.

Digital access trends:

• Broadband: About three-quarters of households maintain a broadband subscription, with gaps outside population centers.
• Device mix: Roughly 15–20% of households are smartphone‑only for home internet; younger users primarily access email on phones, while older users favor larger screens.
• Seniors are the fastest‑growing email cohort but remain the least connected, tracking lower broadband and device ownership.

Local connectivity context:

• Low density and rural terrain increase last‑mile costs; service is strongest in and around Lafayette, with fixed wireless and satellite common in outlying areas.
• Ongoing state/federal broadband investments are expanding fiber and higher‑speed options, improving reliability and email access over time.

Macon County, Tennessee: Mobile phone usage snapshot and how it differs from statewide patterns

At-a-glance estimates (2024)

• Population: ~26,500; households: ~10,200
• Active mobile phone users (people carrying a mobile phone): ~20,300
• Active mobile lines (phones, tablets, wearables, work lines): ~24,000–26,000
• Households with at least one smartphone: ~9,200 (≈90%)
• Households primarily relying on cellular for home internet (smartphone-only, hotspot, or fixed wireless over LTE/5G): ~2,000 (≈20%)

How Macon County differs from Tennessee overall

• Higher cellular dependence at home: A notably larger share of households relies on smartphones/hotspots or fixed wireless for home internet than the Tennessee average (roughly five to eight percentage points higher), reflecting gaps in wired broadband.
• Slower and spottier 5G: 5G is present but more often low-band; mid-band 5G coverage is patchy and concentrated near Lafayette and key corridors, yielding lower typical speeds and more frequent LTE fallbacks than the state average.
• More prepaid, budget plans: Prepaid adoption is higher than the Tennessee norm, driven by price sensitivity and coverage-driven carrier switching. Bring-your-own-device and budget Android devices are more common.
• Older, more rural user base: A larger share of seniors and rural households moderates overall smartphone adoption slightly below state levels for those 65+, and raises the share of voice/SMS-reliant usage.
• Greater use of signal boosters and Wi‑Fi calling: Rural terrain and distance from towers lead to higher reliance on in-home boosters and Wi‑Fi calling than in metro Tennessee.

Demographic breakdown of mobile usage (estimates derived from ACS/Pew/industry benchmarks applied to local population)

• Age
  • 13–17: ~1,600 teen smartphone users; adoption near saturation for messaging/social/video.
  • 18–34: ~97% smartphone adoption; heavy streaming, social, and gig-work app usage.
  • 35–64: ~93% adoption; strong use for navigation, work comms, and family coordination.
  • 65+: ~78% adoption locally (a few points below the Tennessee average), with larger shares using simpler handsets or limited data plans.
• Income and access
  • Low-to-moderate-income households are disproportionately smartphone-only for home internet; roughly one in four such households rely on cellular as their primary connection, above the state rate.
  • Higher-income households more often pair smartphones with wired broadband and newer 5G-capable devices.
• Device and plan mix
  • Android share is higher than the Tennessee average; iOS share lower.
  • Prepaid and MVNO plans (e.g., Cricket, Straight Talk, Metro by T‑Mobile, Visible) take a larger slice than statewide, reflecting cost and flexible coverage testing.
• Work and education
  • Mobile hotspots are commonly used by small trades, agriculture, and home-based businesses, and for student access where wired options are limited.

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• Carriers: AT&T and Verizon provide the broadest LTE footprints across the county’s highways and populated areas; T‑Mobile coverage has improved along major corridors but remains less consistent off-route.
• 5G: Low-band 5G covers core areas (especially around Lafayette and along TN‑52/TN‑10), but mid-band (C‑band for Verizon/AT&T; 2.5 GHz for T‑Mobile) is limited to select sectors, leaving many areas on LTE for capacity.
• Terrain impacts: Ridges and hollows—particularly east toward Red Boiling Springs and in far-northern border areas—create dead spots and variable indoor reception, especially in metal-roof homes and outbuildings.
• Backhaul and fiber
  • North Central Telephone Cooperative (NCTC), headquartered in the county, has expanded fiber-to-the-home/business and provides carrier backhaul that underpins cellular sites near Lafayette and adjoining communities.
  • Tri-County Electric’s fiber initiatives add middle-mile options that improve resilience and enable future 5G densification.
• Fixed wireless/home internet over cellular: T‑Mobile 5G Home is available at many addresses in and around population centers; Verizon LTE/5G Home availability is address-dependent. These services materially raise the share of cellular-first households versus the state.
• Emergency communications: AT&T FirstNet Band 14 coverage is present on select sites, improving public-safety reliability; roaming onto Kentucky sites occurs near the state line but is domestic and not surcharge-bearing.

Usage patterns and performance

• Typical rural performance ranges from serviceable LTE (often 10–40 Mbps) to low-band 5G (commonly 30–100 Mbps near towns), with noticeable slowdowns at evening peaks and in fringe sectors.
• Average smartphone data use tracks just below national norms due to coverage and capacity constraints; video is the dominant driver where mid-band 5G is available.
• Voice and SMS remain important in fringe areas; Wi‑Fi calling mitigates indoor coverage gaps for many households.

What this means for residents and providers

• The county’s combination of expanding local fiber (via NCTC and electric co-op builds) and uneven mid-band 5G creates a split market: strong cellular-first adoption where wired options are thin, and rapid take-up of fiber where it’s available.
• Carriers that accelerate mid-band 5G overlays on existing towers and add small cells in Lafayette and school/commercial zones will close the experience gap with Tennessee’s metro counties.
• Budget-friendly, coverage-reliable plans and devices continue to gain share, and customer demand for boosters and managed Wi‑Fi calling support remains higher than the state average.

Social media in Macon County, TN (modeled 2024 snapshot)

Baseline population

• Total population: ~26,000 (U.S. Census Bureau 2023 est.)
• Adults (18+): ~20,000

Overall usage

• Adults using at least one social platform: ~81% of adults ≈ 16,000 users (Pew Research Center, 2024 national rate applied locally)

Most‑used platforms (estimated local adult penetration; rounded)

• YouTube: 82% (16.4K adults)
• Facebook: 72% (14.4K)
• Instagram: 42% (8.4K)
• TikTok: 30% (6.0K)
• Snapchat: 24% (4.8K)
• Pinterest: 32% (6.4K)
• WhatsApp: 18% (3.6K)
• X (Twitter): 18% (3.6K)
• LinkedIn: 17% (3.4K)
• Reddit: 15% (3.0K)

Age-group usage patterns (share of adults in each bracket who use any social media; local behavior mirrors national)

• 18–29: ~90%+ use social; heavy on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; YouTube universal
• 30–49: ~82%; Facebook + Instagram core, YouTube strong; TikTok adoption moderate
• 50–64: ~73%; Facebook dominant, YouTube strong; Pinterest meaningful among women
• 65+: ~45%; Facebook primary; YouTube for how‑to/news; lower multi‑platform use

Gender breakdown and platform skews

• Gender split locally is roughly even; women slightly over half of adults
• Women over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; also active on Instagram and TikTok for shopping, local events, and family content
• Men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X; heavier use for sports, news, tech/DIY

Behavioral trends observed in similar rural Tennessee counties and expected locally

• Facebook is the community hub: buy/sell/trade groups, church/school updates, local news, and event discovery drive daily visits
• Messaging is centered on Facebook Messenger and SMS; WhatsApp is niche and concentrated in specific social circles
• Short‑form video is rising: TikTok and Instagram Reels used for entertainment and local business promos; cross-posting to Facebook Reels performs well
• YouTube is the go‑to for DIY, farming, auto repair, hunting/fishing, and faith content; long‑tail “how‑to” searches are common
• Peak activity times: evenings (6–9 pm) and weekends; strong spikes during local sports seasons, festivals, weather events, and school announcements
• Commerce: Facebook Marketplace and local groups drive high-intent local transactions; Instagram shopping is secondary and skewed younger/female
• Content norms: community pride, family-friendly tone, and recognizably local people/places outperform polished ads; overtly political or culture‑war content underperforms for brands

Notes on methodology and confidence

• Figures are best-available local estimates created by applying Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. platform usage rates and age/gender skews to Macon County’s population profile; rural adjustment nudges Facebook slightly higher and Instagram/TikTok slightly lower than big‑city norms. For campaign planning, expect ±3–5 percentage‑point variance by platform.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2023 population estimates); Pew Research Center (Social Media Use in 2024).