Overton County

Overton County, Tennessee — key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau; primarily 2018–2022 ACS 5-year estimates; population baseline from 2020 Census)

Population size

• Total population: 22,511 (2020 Census)
• Population density: ~43 per sq. mile

Age

• Median age: ~45 years
• Under 18: ~21%
• 18–64: ~57%
• 65 and over: ~22%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Race and ethnicity

• White alone: ~95%
• Black or African American alone: ~0.6%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.4%
• Asian alone: ~0.2–0.3%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2.5–3%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~93%

Households and housing

• Households: ~9,200
• Average household size: ~2.4
• Family households: ~65% of households; married-couple families ~50% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~25%
• One-person households: ~29%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~78%

Insights

• Older age profile relative to the U.S. average, with about one in five residents age 65+.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White population with small but present multiracial and Hispanic communities.
• Household structure skews toward married-couple families, smaller household sizes, and high homeownership consistent with rural Tennessee counties.

Overton County, TN snapshot (2025):

• Population ~22,500; land area ~433 sq mi; density ~52 people/sq mi, with most residents clustered around Livingston and sparser, harder-to-serve terrain elsewhere.
• Estimated email users: ~17,000 residents aged 13+ (≈88–90% of adults; ≈76% of total population).
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: ~1,200 (≈7%)
  • 18–44: ~6,400 (≈38%)
  • 45–64: ~5,700 (≈34%)
  • 65+: ~3,700 (≈22%)
• Gender split of email users: ~51% female, ~49% male, mirroring the county’s population.
• Digital access and trends:
  • ~88–90% of households have a computer or smartphone.
  • ~72–75% subscribe to home broadband; ~12–15% are primarily smartphone-only.
  • Fiber availability is expanding via Twin Lakes Telephone Cooperative and other providers; Livingston and major corridors have the strongest fixed broadband, while outlying hollows still rely on DSL/fixed wireless.
  • Connectivity is improving year over year with state broadband grants, raising speeds and reliability and steadily increasing email adoption among older adults. Insights: Email is near-universal among working-age residents; the main constraint is last-mile broadband outside Livingston, not user willingness. Continued fiber buildout will push senior adoption higher and narrow rural access gaps.

Mobile phone usage in Overton County, Tennessee — 2024 summary

County context and demographics (definitive)

• Population: ~22,800 residents; ~9,600 households; land area ~435 square miles
• Age: older than state average; approximately 23% age 65+, compared with Tennessee at ~17–18%
• Income/education: median household income roughly $49,000; bachelor’s degree attainment materially below the state average
• Settlement pattern: small-town core (Livingston) and dispersed rural communities with ridge-and-hollow terrain that affects radio propagation

Estimated mobile user base and adoption

• Adult smartphone users: ~15,000–16,000 adults (roughly 80–83% of the 18+ population)
• Adults using any mobile phone (smartphone or basic): ~94–96% penetration; ~900–1,100 adults likely non-users
• Basic/feature-phone users: ~2,000–2,500 adults (about 10–13%)
• Wireless-only households (no landline): ~6,400–6,900 households (about 67–72%), somewhat below Tennessee’s higher wireless-only rate
• Households using cellular data for home internet (phone hotspot or dedicated plan): ~1,300–1,600 households (roughly 13–17%), a higher reliance than the statewide norm, reflecting pockets without dependable fixed broadband

Demographic patterns of use (distinct from statewide trends)

• Older residents: smartphone adoption among 65+ estimated around 60–65% locally (vs. higher statewide), with greater persistence of basic phones and voice/SMS-first behavior
• Working-age adults (35–64): high adoption (mid-80%s), but lower premium-plan take-up and less 5G device penetration than the state average
• Young adults (18–34): near-universal smartphone use (>90%), but a higher share on budget/prepaid plans than peers statewide
• Income effect: lower-income households are more likely to use prepaid service and to rely on mobile-only internet solutions; Overton’s income mix makes this more prevalent than in Tennessee overall

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage
  • 4G LTE: broad coverage along primary corridors (US-111/SR-111, TN-52, TN-84) and in Livingston; signal drop-offs remain in valleys and lake-adjacent terrain toward the county’s north/east
  • 5G: present in and around Livingston and along the SR-111 corridor; mid-band 5G coverage is spottier outside town centers, leaving substantial areas still LTE-first
• Capacity and speeds
  • Typical LTE download performance: mid-20s to ~60 Mbps in covered areas; upload commonly 5–15 Mbps
  • 5G mid-band pockets deliver markedly higher downlink (often 150–300 Mbps) but are not yet countywide
  • In-building performance lags in older construction and low-lying areas; signal boosters are common among small businesses and households in fringe zones
• Network mix and plans
  • AT&T and Verizon remain the dominant coverage anchors in rural stretches; T-Mobile’s footprint is competitive in and near Livingston but thins with distance from major routes
  • Prepaid share is elevated versus Tennessee overall, driven by income mix and intermittent fixed-broadband alternatives
• Interplay with fixed broadband
  • Fiber and cable are present in and near Livingston and along main corridors, but gaps persist in outlying areas; this sustains higher-than-average use of mobile hotspots/home LTE gateways for primary internet access
  • Where fiber has been built, mobile-only home internet dependence is falling; where it hasn’t, mobile reliance remains structurally high

How Overton County differs from Tennessee overall

• Older age profile depresses smartphone and 5G device penetration versus the state, and raises basic-phone retention
• Greater terrain-driven coverage variability produces more dead zones and lower median mobile speeds outside town centers than the statewide experience
• Higher reliance on prepaid plans and mobile-based home internet than the state average, linked to income distribution and patchier fixed-broadband availability
• 5G expansion is underway but lags the state in mid-band reach; LTE remains the workhorse network across much of the county

Bottom line Overton County is highly mobile-connected but with rural constraints: LTE is ubiquitous along main routes, 5G is growing from Livingston outward, and adoption is strong but shaped by an older population, lower incomes, and terrain. Compared with Tennessee overall, the county shows slower 5G reach, lower premium-plan/device uptake, more prepaid use, and a higher share of households leaning on cellular for home connectivity where fixed broadband options are limited.

Social media in Overton County, Tennessee (2025 snapshot)

Population baseline

• Total population: ~22,400
• Adults (18+): ~18,000
• Gender mix (population): ~51% female, ~49% male

Active social media users

• Adults using at least one social platform: ~13,300 (about 74% of adults)

Age mix of adult social media users (share of all adult users)

• 18–29: ~17%
• 30–49: ~39%
• 50–64: ~30%
• 65+: ~14%

Gender breakdown of adult social media users

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Most‑used platforms among adult social media users in Overton County (estimated share of users on each platform)

• YouTube: ~82%
• Facebook: ~72%
• Instagram: ~38%
• TikTok: ~30%
• Pinterest: ~32% (higher among women 25–54)
• Snapchat: ~24% (heavily 18–29)
• X (Twitter): ~15%
• LinkedIn: ~16%
• Reddit: ~14%
• Nextdoor: ~5%

Behavioral trends

• Community-first Facebook usage: High reliance on Facebook Groups and Marketplace for local news, school and church events, buy/sell/trade, and lost-and-found. Commenting and sharing in groups outpaces posting to personal profiles.
• Video-led consumption: YouTube for DIY, repair, hunting/fishing, auto, and home projects; TikTok short-form for entertainment and local happenings among younger adults.
• Private sharing: Heavy use of Facebook Messenger to circulate links, event flyers, and sales, resulting in dark social traffic to local sites and businesses.
• Local business discovery: Residents follow a small set of local businesses and venues; boosted posts and event promos perform better than organic posts alone. Marketplace listings and limited-time offers drive fastest conversions.
• Time-of-day peaks: Evenings (roughly 6–9 pm) and weekends see the highest impressions and engagement; midday spikes align with school schedules and lunch breaks.
• Generational split: 50+ cohort skews to Facebook and YouTube and engages most with local news, weather, obituaries, and civic/school updates; 18–34 leans into Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat for entertainment, local sports, and food spots.
• Low Twitter/LinkedIn dependency: X and LinkedIn usage is present but niche; professional networking and real-time news are not primary local behaviors.

Notes on method and sources

• Population, age, and gender baselines from U.S. Census Bureau ACS for Overton County (latest available).
• Social media adoption and platform shares are modeled estimates by applying 2024 Pew Research Center usage rates (overall, by age, and rural vs. non‑rural patterns) to Overton County’s demographic profile. Figures are rounded for clarity.