Marion County

Marion County, Tennessee — key demographics (latest Census Bureau data: 2020 Decennial and 2019–2023 ACS 5-year)

Population size

• Total population: ~30,000 (2023 estimate); 28,9xx in 2020 Census
• Growth since 2020: modest increase

Age

• Median age: ~45 years
• Under 18: ~21%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Female: ~50.5%
• Male: ~49.5%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White, non-Hispanic: ~89%
• Black or African American: ~4%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Asian: ~0.5%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.5% (Note: Hispanic can be of any race)

Household data

• Households: ~11.5–11.8k
• Average household size: ~2.4 persons
• Family households: ~66% of households (majority married-couple)
• Households with children under 18: ~25–26%
• Nonfamily households: ~34%
• Individuals living alone: ~29% (about 12% age 65+)
• Housing tenure: ~77% owner-occupied, ~23% renter-occupied

Insights

• Older age profile than the U.S. average (higher share 65+).
• Predominantly White, with small but gradually growing Hispanic population.
• Household size is modest and homeownership is high, consistent with small-county Tennessee patterns.

Marion County, TN snapshot (2023 est.)

• Population: ~29,700; land ~498 sq mi → ~60 people/sq mi (low rural density).

Digital access (ACS + FCC + Pew-based synthesis):

• Households: ~11,600.
• With a computer: ~88%.
• With a broadband subscription: ~80%.
• Smartphone-only internet households (no fixed broadband): ~16%.
• No home internet: ~12%.
• Connectivity is strongest in and around Jasper, Kimball, and South Pittsburg along I‑24; mountainous terrain and dispersed homes on the Cumberland Plateau and river gorges reduce fixed-line coverage and adoption. Local fiber build-outs (e.g., SVEConnect/AT&T) are improving availability.

Email usage (estimates grounded in ACS access and Pew online/email adoption):

• Adult email users: ~19,200 (≈82% of adults; ≈65% of total population).
• Gender split among email users: 51% female (9,800), 49% male (9,400).

Age distribution of email users:

• 18–34: ~5,300 (≈28%).
• 35–64: ~10,700 (≈56%).
• 65+: ~3,200 (≈17%).

Insights:

• Email is near-ubiquitous among connected adults; gaps are driven more by access/cost than preference.
• Smartphone reliance is elevated for a rural county, underscoring the importance of mobile-friendly email.

Mobile phone usage in Marion County, Tennessee (2025 snapshot)

Topline user estimates (modeled)

• Population: about 31,000 (ACS 2023). Adults (18+): ~24,500.
• Smartphone users: ~21,800 (about 70% of total population; ~82% of adults). Based on age-specific adoption rates from recent Pew Research.
• All mobile phone users (any cellphone): 24,900 (80% of population; ~95% of adults).
• Teen users (13–17): ~1,700 smartphone users included in the total above.
• Lines in service: ~27,000–30,000 active SIMs countywide (assuming 1.1–1.2 lines per user, reflecting wearables, tablets, hotspots).
• Mobile-only home internet households: roughly 2,200–2,800 (about 17–22% of households), above the Tennessee average.

Demographic breakdown and adoption patterns (estimates)

• Age structure skews older than statewide, which depresses overall smartphone penetration relative to Tennessee:
  • 18–34: ~5,300 residents; smartphone adoption ~95% → ~5,000 users.
  • 35–49: ~5,900; adoption ~93% → ~5,500 users.
  • 50–64: ~6,800; adoption ~83% → ~5,700 users.
  • 65+: ~6,500; adoption ~60–65% → ~4,000 users.
  • Result: seniors comprise a larger share of non-smartphone users relative to state averages.
• Income mix is below the statewide median, which raises the share of prepaid plans and mobile-only connections. Expect prepaid to account for roughly 30–35% of active lines in the county versus the low-to-mid 20s percent statewide.
• Platform and plan implications:
  • Unlimited and prepaid plans are more common than in metro Tennessee, supporting higher per-line data consumption among mobile-only households.
  • Device turnover cycles are longer, with a higher share of budget Android devices than in the state’s urban counties.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• 5G/LTE footprint:
  • Low-band 5G from major carriers covers the I-24 corridor and population centers (Jasper, Kimball, South Pittsburg), with LTE fallback broadly available.
  • Mid-band 5G capacity is concentrated in and around towns and along interstates; coverage thins on the Cumberland Plateau, in the Sequatchie Valley, and across state forest lands where terrain causes shadowing.
• Backhaul and capacity:
  • Fiber backhaul along I-24 and state highways underpins upgrades at highway-adjacent sites; some valley and ridge-top sites still rely on microwave links, which can constrain peak speeds and resilience.
• Fixed wireless and convergence:
  • 5G fixed wireless (FWA) and LTE home internet options are present around towns and along major corridors; uptake is notably higher than the state average in pockets lacking cable or fiber.
• Public safety:
  • FirstNet Band 14 overlays the same macro grid used for commercial service in key corridors, improving resilience for emergency traffic.

How Marion County differs from Tennessee overall

• Adoption level: Adult smartphone adoption is a few points lower than the Tennessee average due to an older age mix; overall smartphone share of total population (~70%) trails the state by several points.
• Access pattern: The county has a higher share of mobile-only home internet households (roughly 17–22% vs ~12–15% statewide), driving heavier per-line data use and greater sensitivity to tower congestion.
• Plan mix: Prepaid penetration is meaningfully higher (about 30–35% vs low-to-mid 20s statewide), reflecting income and coverage variability across rural terrain.
• Network experience: 5G availability is widespread along I-24 and in towns, but mid-band density and indoor performance drop faster outside those zones than in Tennessee’s major metros; speeds are more variable, and coverage gaps persist in hollows, canyoned stretches, and ridge shadows.
• Investment focus: Upgrades cluster along transportation corridors and population centers rather than uniformly across the county, widening the performance gap between towns/interstates and outlying areas compared with statewide averages.

Method notes

• Figures are 2025 modeled estimates using ACS 2023 population and age structure for Marion County, age-specific smartphone and cellphone ownership rates from recent Pew Research, and county-vs-state rurality patterns observed in FCC coverage and subscription datasets. Estimates are rounded for clarity.

Marion County, TN social media snapshot (2025)

Topline user stats

• Population base: ~31.6k residents (U.S. Census Bureau 2023 estimate)
• Estimated social media users: ~22.9k (about 72–74% of residents), in line with U.S. social media penetration

Age groups (share who use social media; mirrors U.S. adoption rates applied locally)

• Teens (13–17): ~95% use at least one platform; heaviest on YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat
• 18–29: ~84%
• 30–49: ~81%
• 50–64: ~73%
• 65+: ~45% Note: Marion County skews older than the U.S. average, so Facebook and YouTube comprise a larger share of local usage among 50+.

Gender breakdown

• County population is roughly 51% female, 49% male; social media users skew slightly female locally
• Estimated user split: ~52% female, ~48% male (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest lift female share; X/Reddit skew male)

Most-used platforms (share of adults who use each platform; local usage closely tracks these U.S. rates)

• YouTube: ~83%
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~47%
• Pinterest: ~35%
• LinkedIn: ~33%
• TikTok: ~33%
• Snapchat: ~30%
• WhatsApp: ~29%
• X (Twitter): ~22%
• Reddit: ~22%
• Nextdoor: ~20% Local ranking: Facebook is typically No. 1 for daily local engagement and groups; YouTube is No. 1 for monthly reach; Instagram and TikTok follow among under-40s; Snapchat is concentrated among teens/young adults.

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first usage: Facebook Groups (neighborhoods, schools, churches, youth sports) and Marketplace drive high engagement; event posts, lost-and-found, weather/road updates, and school athletics outperform generic content.
• Video-forward habits: YouTube dominates how-to, local sports highlights, outdoors (hunting/fishing), and faith content; short-form vertical video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) is the fastest-growing format for under-40s.
• Messaging and ephemeral: Facebook Messenger is ubiquitous across ages; Snapchat is core for high school and early 20s; Instagram DMs common for small-business inquiries.
• Older adult participation: 65+ are primarily on Facebook; they interact with family updates, local news, healthcare, civic info; lower adoption of TikTok/Instagram but rising YouTube use.
• Local commerce: Facebook Marketplace is the default for buy/sell/trade; boosted Facebook posts and geotargeted ads (10–25 miles) outperform broad-target campaigns for local service businesses and events.
• Timing and content: Engagement clusters early morning and evenings; concise posts with a clear “local hook” (names, places, photos of recognizable venues) and captions on video earn above-average interaction.

Sources and method

• U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (Marion County, TN, July 1, 2023 estimate) for population base
• Social platform adoption percentages from Pew Research Center (2024) and DataReportal: Digital 2024 (United States); applied to the county population to derive local estimates and rankings