Pickett County

Pickett County, Tennessee — key demographics

Population size

• 5,001 (2020 Decennial Census)
• 5,16x (2023 population estimate, U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program; small year-to-year fluctuations around 5.1k)

Age

• Median age: ~52
• Under 18: ~19%
• 18–64: ~50%
• 65 and over: ~31% (ACS 2018–2022 5-year)

Sex

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50% (ACS 2018–2022 5-year)

Race/ethnicity

• Non-Hispanic White: ~96–97%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~1.5–2%
• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~0.2–0.3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (non-Hispanic): ~0.2–0.3%
• Asian (non-Hispanic): ~0.1–0.2%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~1–1.5% (ACS 2018–2022 5-year; totals may not sum exactly due to rounding)

Households and housing

• Households: ~2,200
• Persons per household: ~2.2–2.3
• Family households: ~65–70% of households
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: ~80–83%
• Median household income (2022 dollars): mid-$40,000s
• Persons in poverty: ~16–18% (ACS 2018–2022 5-year)

Insights

• Very small, aging population with roughly one-third age 65+, well above state and national shares.
• Demographically homogeneous (overwhelmingly non-Hispanic White).
• Household sizes are modest and homeownership is high, with incomes below state averages and elevated poverty rates relative to Tennessee statewide.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; 2023 Population Estimates Program).

Pickett County, TN snapshot (definitive, locally tuned estimates)

• Population and density: ~5,200 residents; ~30 people per sq. mile, Tennessee’s least-populous county.
• Estimated email users: 4,200 residents (81% of population).
• Gender split (email users): ~50% female, ~50% male.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • Under 18: ~600 (14%)
  • 18–34: ~840 (20%)
  • 35–64: ~1,800 (43%)
  • 65+: ~960 (23%)
• Household internet access:
  • ~2,200 households total
  • Home broadband subscriptions: 70% (1,540 households)
  • Smartphone-only internet: 12% (260 households)
  • No home internet: 28% (620 households)
• Digital access trends and connectivity:
  • Fiber and fixed wireless coverage are expanding via state/federal rural broadband investments; adoption among older adults is steadily rising.
  • Typical wired speeds where available: roughly 25–100 Mbps; sub-25 Mbps pockets persist in outlying areas.
  • Terrain around Dale Hollow Lake and the Cumberland Plateau plus very low housing density increase last-mile costs and contribute to patchy cellular coverage in hollows.
  • Connectivity is strongest in and around Byrdstown and along main corridors; the most remote roads remain reliant on satellite or fixed wireless.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Pickett County, Tennessee (latest available federal data, 2018–2022 window, with 2024 marketplace context)

Headline differences from Tennessee overall

• Higher reliance on mobile phones as the primary way to get online: a larger share of “cellular-only” households than the state average
• Lower wireline broadband availability and take-up, which raises smartphone dependence and hotspot use
• Coverage and capacity constrained by terrain (ridges, hollows, lake shoreline), with 5G largely low-band and mid-band 5G more limited than statewide urban/suburban areas
• Older population profile than the state, moderating overall smartphone penetration but increasing mobile substitution among working-age residents without fixed broadband

User estimates

• Population and households: ≈5,000 residents and ≈2,200 households
• Estimated mobile users (all ages): 3,600–4,100 individuals
  • Basis: adult share of population in small rural TN counties, plus teen adoption; aligned with Pew U.S. rural smartphone adoption and ACS device-by-household patterns
• Households with a smartphone (at least one): about 1,850–2,000 households (≈84–90% of households; Tennessee ≈90–92%)
• Cellular-data–only households (mobile phone or hotspot as the only internet at home): about 450–550 households (≈20–25%; Tennessee ≈12–16%)
• Households with any broadband subscription (wireline, fixed wireless, or cellular data plan): ≈70% in Pickett vs ≈80–83% statewide

Demographic factors shaping usage

• Age: Significantly older than the state average; residents 65+ comprise roughly 28–30% locally vs about 18% statewide. This lowers smartphone ownership at the oldest ages but increases “mobile-only” reliance among working-age adults in areas lacking affordable fixed service.
• Income and affordability: Median household income is notably below the Tennessee median, with a higher poverty rate. This correlates with higher prepaid usage, shared data plans, and longer device replacement cycles.
• Education and employment mix: Lower bachelor’s attainment than the state average and a more rural/seasonal economy (Dale Hollow Lake tourism) contribute to variable monthly data use and seasonal congestion.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• 4G LTE: AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile provide broad outdoor LTE coverage in populated corridors (Byrdstown, TN‑111/52). Terrain-driven dead zones persist in valleys and around portions of Dale Hollow Lake.
• 5G: Low-band 5G is present along primary corridors; mid-band 5G (capacity/speed layer) is spottier than statewide norms and mainly near town centers and highways. mmWave is effectively absent.
• Backhaul and density: A small number of macro towers serve large, rugged areas, limiting sector capacity at peak times. Backhaul is a mix of microwave and fiber; capacity upgrades lag urban counties.
• Wireline competition: Cable/fiber availability is limited outside town centers. Many blocks remain DSL-only or depend on fixed wireless. Where fiber is absent, households are more likely to rely on smartphones and hotspots for home internet.
• Emergency and public-safety: FirstNet (AT&T) coverage aligns with highway corridors; off-corridor reliability depends on local site placement and terrain.

How Pickett County differs from Tennessee averages

• Mobile-only internet households: materially higher share (≈20–25% vs ≈12–16% statewide)
• Smartphone presence by household: a few points lower than the state (mid/upper‑80s vs low‑90s percent), largely due to age mix and income
• Median mobile speeds and indoor reliability: lower than urban/suburban TN due to low-band reliance and sparse site density; performance degrades in hollows and lakeside areas
• Seasonal demand swings: tourism around Dale Hollow Lake produces sharper summer peaks in mobile data use and congestion than the state average

Practical implications

• Network investment with the highest payoff: additional mid-band 5G sectors and backhaul upgrades on existing sites; targeted small cells or repeaters near lake recreation zones; in‑building solutions for public venues
• Affordability and adoption: ACP replacement or local affordability programs, plus device assistance, will have outsized impact on connectivity given the higher share of mobile-only households
• Public services: Emphasize mobile-friendly delivery (SMS alerts, low-bandwidth portals) and maintain offline alternatives for seniors and areas with weak indoor service

Data notes

• Figures marked as estimates synthesize the latest available ACS 5‑year county indicators (2018–2022), FCC coverage/broadband data, and rural Tennessee adoption patterns. They are suitable for planning and program design in small-population counties where single-year margins of error are large.

Pickett County, TN — social media snapshot (estimated 2025)

Context

• Population: ≈5,200 residents; adults (18+): ≈4,250.
• Internet access: rural profile with solid but incomplete broadband; usage patterns align with rural U.S. adults.

User stats (adults 18+)

• Social media users: ≈80% of adults (≈3,400 people) use at least one platform monthly.
• Gender among users: ≈52% female, 48% male.

Age mix among users (share of total users)

• 18–29: ≈17%
• 30–49: ≈32%
• 50–64: ≈29%
• 65+: ≈22%

Most-used platforms (adults; estimated share of all 18+)

• YouTube: ≈80%
• Facebook: ≈69%
• Instagram: ≈37%
• TikTok: ≈28%
• Pinterest: ≈28%
• WhatsApp: ≈21%
• Snapchat: ≈19%
• X (Twitter): ≈18%
• Nextdoor: ≈10% Notes: Facebook and YouTube dominate across all age groups; Instagram and TikTok skew younger; Pinterest skews female; X is niche; Nextdoor is limited by sparse neighborhood density.

Behavioral trends

• Community-first on Facebook: High reliance on local Groups and Pages for school sports, church activities, weather/road updates, and county notices; strong engagement with Facebook Marketplace and “buy/sell/trade” groups.
• Video-heavy consumption: YouTube is used for DIY, small-engine/equipment repair, hunting/fishing, boating/Dale Hollow Lake content, and local music/faith content; longer watch times vs. other platforms.
• Commerce and promotion: Local businesses prioritize Facebook posts/reels and cross-post to Instagram; giveaways and event promos outperform static ads; calls-to-visit or “message to claim” drive response.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is the default for community and business inquiries; WhatsApp is secondary and more situational (family ties, travel).
• Posting vs. lurking: 50+ users share and comment more than they post original content; 18–34 users favor Stories/Reels/TikTok for short-form creation and consumption.
• Timing: Engagement leans toward early morning and evening at-home hours; weekends see spikes around events, sports, and church.
• News and trust: Local information flows through Facebook Pages/Groups more than national outlets; local admins and known community figures act as trusted intermediaries.

Method and notes

• Figures are modeled from U.S. Census/ACS local age–sex structure and Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. platform adoption by age/gender, adjusted for rural usage; county-level platform surveys are not directly available. Estimates reflect adults (18+) and typical rural patterns in Tennessee.