Scott County

Scott County, Tennessee – key demographics

Population size

• 22,068 (2020 Decennial Census)
• ~21,920 (2023 Census Bureau estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~40.7 years
• Under 18: ~23.9%
• 65 and over: ~19.3%

Gender

• Female: ~50.5%
• Male: ~49.5%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone: ~94.7%
• Black or African American alone: ~0.5%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.6%
• Asian alone: ~0.2%
• Two or more races: ~3.8%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~1.7%

Household data

• Total households: ~8,460
• Average household size: ~2.55
• Family households: ~66% of households
• Married-couple families: ~49% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~28%
• Households with individuals living alone: ~26% (about 11% 65+ living alone)

Insights

• Small, rural county with slow-to-declining population
• Predominantly White, with modest multiracial and Hispanic/Latino presence
• Aging profile with about one in five residents age 65+; household size near national rural norms

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

• Scope: Scott County, Tennessee (pop ≈22,100; density ≈41 people/sq mi).
• Estimated email users: ≈16,200 residents use email at least monthly (≈73% of population; ≈88–92% of adults).
• Age distribution of email users (share of users): 18–34: 28%; 35–54: 36%; 55–64: 16%; 65+: 20% (youth under 18 add a small remainder via school accounts).
• Gender split among users: Female 51%, Male 49% (tracks local population).
• Digital access and connectivity:
  • Households with a computer: ≈82%.
  • Home internet subscription: ≈76% (≈69% broadband; ≈7% non-broadband).
  • Smartphone-only internet households: ≈16% (subset of broadband).
  • No home internet: ≈24% of households.
  • Connectivity is strongest along the US‑27/Oneida–Huntsville corridor; mountainous, low-density areas see more smartphone-reliant access.
• Trends and insights:
  • Broadband adoption has risen in recent years, but affordability and terrain keep household non‑adoption near one in four.
  • Mobile network upgrades (4G LTE/5G) are expanding practical email access, evidenced by the relatively high smartphone‑only share.
  • Email usage skews highest among 18–54 adults; adoption remains solid but lower among 65+.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Scott County, Tennessee (context through 2024)

Headline estimates

• Mobile phone users: approximately 16,000–18,000 residents use a mobile phone; roughly 14,000–16,000 are smartphone users. These figures are derived from the county’s population (≈22,000) and rural smartphone adoption rates observed in national and Tennessee datasets.
• Household penetration: about 88%–90% of households have at least one smartphone; roughly 70%–75% maintain a cellular data plan. Smartphone-only internet households are materially higher than the state average (about 20%–25% of households in Scott County rely primarily on cellular data, versus ~14%–16% statewide).

Demographic context affecting usage

• Population and age: ≈22,000 residents; older than Tennessee overall, with a larger share of 55+ and 65+ residents. This skews device mix modestly toward basic/flip phones among seniors, but total smartphone adoption remains dominant among working-age adults.
• Income and education: Median household income and bachelor’s attainment are below state averages, and poverty rates are higher. This correlates with:
  • Higher reliance on prepaid and budget carriers/MVNOs
  • Greater smartphone-only internet use in lieu of fixed broadband
  • Lower rates of multi-line premium family plans than in urban Tennessee counties
• Rural housing pattern: Dispersed households and topography increase the likelihood of cellular-as-primary connectivity and amplify sensitivity to signal strength and indoor coverage.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Network availability:
  • 4G/LTE: Widely available across populated corridors (Oneida, Huntsville, Winfield/Helenwood, US-27), with notable dead zones in the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area and in more rugged Plateau terrain.
  • 5G: Present around Oneida and along US-27 and other main corridors; coverage is more fragmented than in Tennessee metro areas. Mid-band 5G capacity is improving but remains patchy outside towns.
• Carriers and performance:
  • AT&T and Verizon are the primary coverage anchors; T-Mobile coverage is improving but more variable in remote areas. MVNOs riding these networks are commonly used due to price sensitivity.
  • Typical user experience: reliable voice/SMS on major corridors; data speeds range from solid LTE/5G in town centers to throttled or fallback service in valleys and parklands. In-building penetration can be challenging in older or metal-roofed structures without boosters.
• Backhaul and tower siting: Macro towers cluster along transport routes and population centers; terrain-driven signal shadowing creates localized gaps. Coverage investments have prioritized the US-27 corridor and town centers first.

How Scott County differs from the Tennessee state profile

• Higher smartphone-only dependence: A meaningfully larger share of households rely on cellular data as their primary home internet than the state average, reflecting limited fixed broadband options in rural pockets and lower household incomes.
• More prepaid/budget plan usage: Price sensitivity and credit constraints translate to higher MVNO and prepaid adoption than statewide averages, with lower uptake of premium unlimited plans.
• Coverage variability: The state’s urban counties enjoy dense, contiguous mid-band 5G; Scott County’s 5G is present but discontinuous, with performance tied tightly to proximity to corridors and towns.
• Device mix and age: An older age profile produces a slightly higher share of basic/flip phones and text/voice-centric usage among seniors than statewide, even as smartphones dominate among working-age residents.
• Mobility patterns: A larger share of outdoor, travel-corridor, and shift work usage (construction, forestry, logistics) increases demand for reliable voice and messaging coverage over wide areas, even where high-throughput 5G is not yet consistent.

Actionable implications

• For carriers: Target new or upgraded sites to fill shadow zones between Oneida and outlying communities; prioritize mid-band 5G overlays where LTE is capacity-constrained in town centers.
• For public programs and anchors: Support signal boosters and neutral-host solutions in civic buildings and small businesses; align coverage improvements with emergency response routes and park access points.
• For service plans and devices: Maintain robust prepaid and affordable unlimited options; emphasize devices with strong radios and Wi‑Fi calling for in-home reliability; promote smartphone literacy for older adults.

Note on figures: County-specific mobile adoption statistics are not published as a single official dataset; the estimates above synthesize the latest available census, state, and national rural mobile adoption benchmarks with Scott County’s population and settlement pattern to provide decision-ready numbers and comparisons to Tennessee overall.

Scott County, TN social media snapshot (2024)

User stats (modeled local estimates)

• Adult social media users: ~14,100 (≈82% of adults 18+)
• Gender: 53% women, 47% men among social users
• Age mix of social users: 18–29 (20%), 30–44 (28%), 45–64 (32%), 65+ (20%)

Most-used platforms (share of adult social users; counts in parentheses)

• YouTube: 76% (~10.7k)
• Facebook: 72% (~10.2k)
• Instagram: 38% (~5.4k)
• Pinterest: 32% (~4.5k)
• TikTok: 24% (~3.4k)
• Snapchat: 18% (~2.5k)
• X/Twitter: 16% (~2.3k)
• WhatsApp: 12% (~1.7k)
• LinkedIn: 12% (~1.7k)
• Reddit: 10% (~1.4k)
• Nextdoor: 3% (~0.4k)

Behavioral trends

• Platform hierarchy: Facebook and YouTube anchor daily use; Instagram is secondary; TikTok is growing with under-45s but not dominant countywide.
• Community-first habits: Heavy engagement in Facebook Groups (schools, churches, local sports, buy/sell/trade). Facebook Events and Marketplace are key discovery/transaction hubs.
• Video-led consumption: Short video via Facebook Reels and YouTube drives reach; YouTube dominates how-to, hunting/outdoors, auto and home projects.
• Messaging over email: Facebook Messenger is the default for local outreach to businesses and organizations; SMS is common for follow-up.
• Timing: Engagement peaks evenings (roughly 6–9 p.m. local), with secondary mid-day spikes tied to school/work breaks.
• Local credibility signals: Posts featuring recognizably local people, venues, and causes outperform generic creative; earnest, service-oriented content beats overtly polished ads.
• Ad performance norms: Best ROI via Facebook/Instagram for local lead gen and events; YouTube works for awareness with frequency, while TikTok performs for under-35 engagement when creative is native and community-relevant.

Notes on methodology

• Figures are 2024 modeled estimates for Scott County adults, derived by applying Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. social platform usage rates to the county’s age–gender structure from the latest ACS (U.S. Census Bureau), with minor adjustments for rural age skew. Percentages refer to the share of adult social media users, not total population. Sources: Pew Research Center (Social Media Use 2024), U.S. Census Bureau ACS (Scott County, TN).