Roane County

Roane County, Tennessee — key demographics

Population

• Total population: 53,404 (2020 Census); ~54,500 (2023 Census estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~45 years
• Under 18: ~20%
• 18 to 64: ~58%
• 65 and over: ~22%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Race and ethnicity (percent of total population)

• White: ~92%
• Black or African American: ~3–4%
• Asian: ~0.5–1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.3–0.5%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2–3%
• Non-Hispanic White: ~90%

Households

• Number of households: ~23,000
• Average household size: ~2.3 persons
• Family households: ~65–66% of households; married-couple families ~49%
• Nonfamily households: ~34–35%
• Owner-occupied housing: ~75–80%; renter-occupied: ~20–25%

Insights

• Roane County is older than the U.S. average, with about one in five residents aged 65+
• The population is predominantly non-Hispanic White, with modest racial/ethnic diversity and a small but growing Hispanic population
• Household size is small, and ownership rates are high, typical of many East Tennessee counties

Notes: Figures reflect U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census (2020) and American Community Survey 5-year estimates/current population estimates through 2023. Percentages may not sum to 100 due to rounding and race/ethnicity reporting definitions.

Roane County, TN snapshot

• Population ≈54,000; density ≈150 people/sq mi.
• Estimated email users: ≈41,000 (about 76% of residents; ≈90% of adults).
• Gender split of users: 51% women (≈20,900), 49% men (≈20,100).
• Age distribution of users: • 18–29: 14% (≈5,700) • 30–49: 33% (≈13,500) • 50–64: 28% (≈11,500) • 65+: 25% (≈10,300)

Digital access and trends

• Households with any internet subscription: ~83%; with home broadband (cable/DSL/fiber): ~79%.
• Smartphone‑only internet households: ~13%.
• Broadband subscription up roughly 4–5 percentage points since 2018; email remains the most universal online activity across age groups.
• Fixed broadband ≥100/20 Mbps available to about 90% of locations; highest connectivity along the I‑40 corridor and in Kingston, Harriman, Rockwood, and parts of Oak Ridge; remaining gaps are in sparsely populated ridges and lake peninsulas where DSL/satellite persist.

Insights

• Older population profile (large 50+ share) tempers overall adoption, but penetration among 65+ is still strong.
• High availability with moderate adoption suggests affordability and device access, not infrastructure alone, drive the remaining email gap.

Roane County, Tennessee — mobile usage snapshot (2024)

User estimates

• Population base: roughly 54,000 residents and about 23,000 households (U.S. Census Bureau 2023 estimates).
• Adult smartphone users: about 38,000–40,000 people (≈88–90% of adults), a couple of points below Tennessee’s overall adult smartphone uptake (≈90–92% per Pew/ACS trends).
• Non‑smartphone users: approximately 4–6% of adults, slightly above the state average (≈2–4%).
• Smartphone‑only internet households: about 18–22% of households rely on a cellular plan as their primary home internet connection, higher than Tennessee overall (≈14–17%) and consistent with rural/suburban pockets where fixed broadband options are limited or costly.
• Multiple lines: total active mobile lines likely near or modestly above the county population (≈100–110 lines per 100 residents), in line with national multi‑line/device patterns.

Demographic breakdown shaping mobile adoption

• Older population profile: about 23% of residents are 65+, versus ≈17–18% statewide. Senior smartphone adoption locally is still high but trails younger cohorts (≈60–65% among 65+), pulling down the county’s overall penetration relative to Tennessee.
• Working‑age and commuter influence: adults 25–54 commuting toward Oak Ridge/Knoxville corridors show near‑universal smartphone adoption (mid‑ to high‑90s) and higher 5G device mix than the county average, reflecting job‑related connectivity needs.
• Income effects: median household income trails the statewide median, contributing to a higher share of smartphone‑only households and prepaid plans among lower‑income segments; this pattern is more pronounced than statewide averages.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carrier presence: AT&T, Verizon, and T‑Mobile provide broad LTE coverage countywide, with 5G concentrated along I‑40 (Kingston–Harriman–Rockwood), US‑27, TN‑58, Midtown, and the Roane side of Oak Ridge. Outside these corridors, service is predominantly LTE or low‑band 5G.
• 5G capacity: mid‑band 5G (e.g., C‑band on Verizon, 2.5 GHz on T‑Mobile, and AT&T mid‑band sites) is active on main corridors and in population centers, improving median speeds and indoor coverage where deployed.
• Terrain constraints: ridge lines, river valleys, and shoreline areas around Watts Bar Lake create localized dead zones and indoor‑coverage challenges that are more acute than statewide norms. In‑building coverage varies significantly by construction type and distance from highway corridors.
• Fixed‑wireless access (FWA): 5G home internet from Verizon and T‑Mobile is available in and around population centers and is seeing meaningful uptake where cable/DSL options are limited or sub‑100 Mbps, contributing to the above‑average smartphone‑only and mobile‑primary usage profile.
• Public safety: AT&T FirstNet sites cover primary corridors and municipalities, with roaming support improving reliability during severe weather events.

How Roane County differs from Tennessee overall

• Slightly lower overall smartphone penetration driven by a larger 65+ share.
• Higher reliance on mobile as the primary internet connection (smartphone‑only and FWA), reflecting patchier fixed broadband in rural pockets compared with state averages.
• More pronounced corridor effect: performance is strong along I‑40/US‑27 and drops faster off‑corridor than in many Tennessee metros.
• Time‑of‑day and seasonal load patterns differ from state norms: daytime surges linked to commuting toward Oak Ridge/industrial sites, and summer/weekend congestion spikes around Watts Bar Lake recreational areas.

Actionable insights

• Network planning: additional mid‑band 5G sectors and small cells off the I‑40 spine (Harriman/Rockwood outskirts, lake communities, ridge‑shadowed neighborhoods) would address capacity and indoor gaps; targeted in‑building solutions are warranted for healthcare, schools, and industrial facilities.
• Inclusion focus: senior‑oriented device support and affordability plans will yield outsized gains given the county’s age profile; sustaining FWA buildout and ACP‑like discounts (where available) can further narrow the connectivity gap.
• Emergency readiness: maintaining hardened macro coverage and portable cell assets for severe‑weather periods is especially impactful given terrain‑driven single‑path vulnerabilities.

Sources and methodology

• Population and household counts: U.S. Census Bureau 2023 estimates.
• Device ownership and smartphone‑only household tendencies: ACS “Computer and Internet” indicators and Pew Research Center smartphone adoption data (2022–2024), adjusted to Roane County’s age/income mix.
• Coverage and 5G availability: FCC mobile coverage filings and carrier public network disclosures for East Tennessee corridors. Figures are rounded to reflect margins of error in county‑level survey data and mapping granularity.

Roane County, TN social media snapshot (2025 estimates)

How these figures were built

• Population baseline: ~54,000 residents; ~43,000 adults 18+ (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
• Adoption rates: Pew Research Center national platform usage and age/gender adoption rates (2024), applied to Roane County’s adult population and older-leaning age profile. Figures are rounded; platform totals overlap because people use multiple apps.

Overall user stats

• Adult social-media users: ~31,000 (about 72% of adults)
• Teen users (13–17): ~2,800–3,200 (very high adoption; teens skew heavily to YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram)

Age groups (share of adult social users; counts rounded)

• 18–29: 19% (~5.9k)
• 30–49: 38% (~11.8k)
• 50–64: 27% (~8.4k)
• 65+: 16% (~5.0k)

Gender breakdown (adult social users)

• Women: 53% (16.4k)
• Men: 47% (14.6k)

Most‑used platforms among adults (percent of adults; overlapping)

• YouTube: 83% (35.7k adults)
• Facebook: 68% (29.2k)
• Instagram: 47% (20.2k)
• Pinterest: 35% (15.1k)
• TikTok: 33% (14.2k)
• Snapchat: 30% (12.9k)
• LinkedIn: 30% (12.9k)
• WhatsApp: 29% (12.5k)
• X (Twitter): 27% (11.6k)
• Reddit: 22% (9.5k)

Behavioral trends observed in counties like Roane (and reflected locally)

• Facebook is the community hub: dominant for local news, school and church announcements, high‑school sports, civic groups, emergency updates, and buy/sell/trade via Marketplace. Most local organizations prioritize a Facebook Page plus active Groups.
• Video is the growth engine: short‑form vertical video (Reels, TikTok) drives reach for local events, restaurants, boutiques, real‑estate, youth sports, and trades; YouTube remains the go‑to for how‑tos, hunting/fishing, auto repair, homesteading, sermons, and long‑form local content.
• Younger users split attention: 18–29 concentrate on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat; they discover local businesses via Reels/TikTok and message via Snapchat/Instagram DMs more than SMS or email.
• Older users stay loyal to Facebook and YouTube: 50+ rely on Pages/Groups for community info and Marketplace for deals; Pinterest use is notably higher among women for recipes, crafts, home projects.
• Messaging is integral: Facebook Messenger dominates for local coordination; WhatsApp use exists but is secondary.
• Engagement timing: peaks evenings 7–10 pm ET; secondary bumps at lunchtime and weekend mornings (yard sales, events).
• Content that performs: severe‑weather and road/outage updates, school and sports highlights, local history nostalgia posts, and before/after project videos. “Faces and places” photos outperform generic graphics.
• Ad behavior: boosted Facebook/Instagram posts with tight geofencing around Kingston, Harriman, Rockwood, and event venues deliver cost‑efficient reach; short video creative outperforms static; Marketplace listings convert for services and resale.

Notes on interpretation

• Platform percentages reflect adults using each service, not exclusive share, so they add to more than 100%.
• The county’s older age mix lifts Facebook/Pinterest shares and tempers TikTok/Snapchat relative to big‑city averages, while YouTube remains universally strong.

Primary sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (Roane County, TN); Pew Research Center, Social Media Use and Platform Adoption (latest 2024 wave).