Moore County

Key demographics for Moore County, Tennessee

Population size

• 6,461 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age (ACS 2018–2022)

• Median age: ~44 years
• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~19–20%

Gender (ACS 2018–2022)

• Female: ~49–50%
• Male: ~50–51%

Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census; race alone unless noted)

• White: ~90%
• Black or African American: ~3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.3%
• Asian: ~0.5%
• Two or more races: ~5%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~3%

Household data (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~2,600
• Average household size: ~2.5
• Family households: ~70%
• Married-couple households: ~55–57%
• Individuals living alone: ~1 in 4
• Homeownership rate: ~80%+

Insights

• Small, predominantly White population with modest racial/ethnic diversity.
• Age structure skews slightly older than the U.S. overall, with about one-fifth 65+.
• Household size is modest and ownership rates are high, reflecting a largely family-oriented, owner-occupied housing market.

• Population and density: Moore County, TN has roughly 6,600 residents across ~130 square miles (≈51 people/sq mi); about 2,500–2,600 households.
• Internet access: Approximately 80% of households subscribe to broadband; roughly 92% have a computer or smartphone at home. About 12% are smartphone‑only users and ~18–20% of households lack a home internet subscription.
• Estimated email users: ≈4,850 adult email users (out of ~5,150 adults), reflecting high adoption among connected adults.
• Age distribution of email users (counts, rounded):
  • 18–34: ~1,210 (25%)
  • 35–54: ~1,795 (37%)
  • 55–64: ~728 (15%)
  • 65+: ~1,115 (23%)
• Gender split: Email users are roughly even—~49% male (≈2,380) and ~51% female (≈2,470), mirroring the county’s population.
• Digital access trends and connectivity:
  • Fixed broadband subscription has trended upward with recent state/federal rural buildouts; remaining non-subscribers are predominantly older and lower‑income households.
  • Smartphone‑only access is meaningful, signaling mobile‑first communication for some residents.
  • Rural density and terrain create pockets of weaker fixed coverage, but cellular service supports email access for most populated areas.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (population, housing, device/broadband access, ACS 2019–2023); national email adoption benchmarks (Pew Research, 2023–2024) applied to local demographics.

Mobile phone usage in Moore County, Tennessee — 2025 snapshot

Core user estimates

• Population base: about 6.5–6.7 thousand residents (2020 Census with modest growth since). Roughly 79% are adults.
• Active smartphone users: approximately 4,900–5,200 residents, combining adult ownership (mid‑80% in rural Tennessee) and very high teen adoption.
• Households: roughly 2,500–2,700. An estimated 22–26% are smartphone‑only for home internet (cellular data without a fixed line), notably higher than Tennessee overall (roughly mid‑teens), reflecting reliance on mobile networks where fixed broadband is sparse.

Demographic profile shaping usage

• Age: older than the state on average, with a larger 65+ share. This dampens overall smartphone penetration vs. urban Tennessee but increases the split between heavy users (families, workers) and low‑usage seniors.
• Income/education: below state medians, consistent with a higher prevalence of prepaid plans and slower upgrade cycles, extending device lifetimes compared with metro counties.
• Work patterns: a smaller work‑from‑home share than the state (rural norms). Mobile data is used more as a substitute for home broadband (hotspots/tethering) than for remote office workloads that demand high, stable upstream speeds.

Digital infrastructure and network conditions

• Coverage: 5G service from at least one national carrier is available in and around Lynchburg and along primary corridors; many outlying hollows remain LTE‑only, with spotty indoor service and dead zones on ridge/valley terrain. Residents commonly keep Wi‑Fi calling enabled to compensate.
• Capacity/performance: Statewide median 5G speeds are high in cities; Moore County performance is more variable, with town‑center 5G markedly faster than rural edges where LTE remains the fallback and uplink is the bottleneck. Evening congestion is noticeable around Lynchburg on weekends and during events.
• Carriers: AT&T and Verizon provide the broadest rural footprints; T‑Mobile mid‑band 5G has expanded along regional routes but remains less consistent off‑corridor. Public‑safety FirstNet coverage is present via AT&T, supporting E‑911 and emergency services.
• Backhaul/fiber: Fiber backhaul and new middle‑mile routes have improved along main roads; however, limited fiber depth off‑corridor constrains 5G capacity at some sites. Where fixed fiber has not reached homes, cellular networks shoulder more household data demand.
• Tourism effect: Visitor spikes tied to Jack Daniel’s Distillery and events create short‑term load surges in Lynchburg, with carriers deploying temporary capacity or optimizing sectors during peak weekends.

How Moore County differs from Tennessee overall

• Higher dependence on mobile networks for home connectivity: Smartphone‑only households are several points higher than the statewide share, driven by patchier fixed broadband.
• More LTE‑only experience outside town centers: The state’s large‑city 5G gains outpace Moore’s rural buildout, producing a wider gap between in‑town and out‑of‑town performance.
• Plan mix skews more prepaid and budget‑MVNO: Cost sensitivity and rural retail channels drive greater use of prepaid and MVNO plans than in metro Tennessee.
• Device turnover is slower: Households keep handsets longer than the state average; a larger senior share maintains basic/entry‑level smartphones and voice‑centric usage.
• Usage pattern: Per‑user mobile data consumption is elevated among smartphone‑only households (hotspots, streaming at capped bitrates), but countywide averages are moderated by low‑usage seniors and LTE‑limited areas.

Implications

• Businesses targeting Moore County see strong mobile reach but must optimize for LTE conditions and intermittent coverage outside Lynchburg.
• Public services and healthcare should expect mobile‑first access, with SMS and low‑bandwidth web experiences performing better for the most remote residents.
• Carriers’ most impactful upgrades are additional mid‑band 5G sectors near Lynchburg and along feeder roads, plus fiber backhaul extensions to rural sites; these moves directly reduce evening congestion and expand reliable indoor coverage.

Numbers are derived from the 2020 Census population base, 2019–2023 ACS household technology patterns for rural Tennessee, and current statewide mobile adoption, adjusted to Moore County’s rural age, income, and infrastructure profile.

Moore County, Tennessee social media usage (2025 snapshot)

Data basis: County-level platform splits are not officially published. Figures below are modeled estimates calibrated to Moore County’s population (2020 Census count: 6,461) and rural-South patterns from Pew Research Center’s 2024 platform adoption data and similar market benchmarks. Treat these as planning metrics.

User stats

• Adults active on at least one social platform: ~75% of adults (estimated)
• Daily social users: ~60% of adults (estimated)
• Primary device: mobile-first; >90% of usage on smartphones (estimated, consistent with rural usage patterns)

Most-used platforms (share of adults who use each at least monthly; estimated)

• YouTube: 78%
• Facebook: 64%
• Instagram: 36%
• TikTok: 31%
• Pinterest: 28%
• Snapchat: 22%
• X (Twitter): 18%
• LinkedIn: 12%
• Reddit: 11%

Age groups of local social media users (share of total local social users; estimated)

• 13–17: 6%
• 18–24: 11%
• 25–34: 17%
• 35–44: 19%
• 45–54: 18%
• 55–64: 15%
• 65+: 14%

Gender breakdown (estimated)

• Overall social users: 52% female, 48% male
• Platform skews:
  • Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok: more female (Facebook ~56% F; Instagram ~58% F; TikTok ~60% F; Pinterest ~70% F)
  • YouTube, X, Reddit: more male (YouTube ~56% M; X ~60% M; Reddit ~65% M)
  • Snapchat: slight female tilt (~54% F)

Behavioral trends

• Community-centric Facebook usage: heavy engagement with local groups, schools, churches, athletics, public safety/weather alerts, and Marketplace. Event posts and lost/found/neighbor-help threads drive frequent spikes.
• Short-form video growth: TikTok and Instagram Reels adoption rising among under-35; YouTube Shorts expanding reach across all ages, including 35–54.
• Local commerce: Facebook Marketplace is the dominant peer-to-peer channel; local businesses rely on Facebook/Instagram for offers, hours, and event promotion. Direct messages are a primary customer-service channel.
• Content that performs: people-first storytelling (staff highlights, local families), behind-the-scenes at local events and businesses, timely service updates, and cause/community tie-ins. Overly polished or “corporate” creative underperforms.
• Timing: engagement peaks evenings (6–9 pm) and weekends; secondary bump at weekday lunch (12–1 pm). School-year calendars and major local events (e.g., festivals, sports) shape attention.
• Discovery radius: most engagement occurs within 15–25 miles; neighboring counties contribute incremental reach for events and dining.
• Trust and sharing: word-of-mouth amplified via Facebook Groups; posts with names/faces and clear local context see above-average shares and comments.
• Ads: best results from simple, time-bound offers, event reminders, and geo-tight targeting; short vertical video outperforms static for awareness, while single-image posts and carousels do well for offers.