Smith County

Smith County, Tennessee — key demographics

Population size

• 2020 Census: 20,157
• 2023 estimate: ~21,000 (≈+4–5% since 2020)

Age

• Median age: ~43 years (older than Tennessee overall)
• Under 18: ~22–23%
• 65 and over: ~18–19%

Gender

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census)

• White (alone): ≈90–93%
• Black or African American (alone): ≈2%
• Asian (alone): <1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (alone): <1%
• Two or more races: ≈4–5%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ≈3–4%

Household data (ACS 5‑year, latest available)

• Households: ~7,900–8,100
• Average household size: ~2.5–2.6
• Family households: ~68–70% of households
• One-person households: ~25–27%
• Owner-occupied housing: ~75–77%

Insights

• Modest post-2020 population growth.
• Older age profile than the state average, indicating a relatively larger senior share.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White population with small but growing multiracial and Hispanic shares.
• High owner-occupancy and a large share of family households typical of rural counties.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 5-year estimates (most recent release). Values are rounded for clarity; ACS figures are estimates subject to margin of error.

Email usage in Smith County, Tennessee

• Population and density: 20,157 residents (2020 Census); ~314 sq mi of land; ~64 people per square mile.
• Estimated email users (18+): ≈14,100 adults use email regularly (about 92% of ≈15,700 adults).
• Age distribution of email users (est.):
  • 18–29: ≈2,600
  • 30–49: ≈4,600
  • 50–64: ≈3,900
  • 65+: ≈3,000
• Gender split among email users: roughly 51% female (7,200) and 49% male (6,900), mirroring the county’s sex ratio.
• Digital access trends and connectivity:
  • ~90% of households have a computer; ~80–82% have a broadband subscription.
  • ~13% of households are smartphone‑only for internet access.
  • Fiber availability is expanding in town centers; cable/DSL remain common; fixed wireless and satellite fill rural gaps.
  • Adoption has risen since 2019 as infrastructure improves, but lower population density and terrain outside Carthage/Gordonsville constrain high‑speed build‑outs.

Notes: Email user counts are derived by applying current U.S. adult email adoption rates (Pew) to Smith County’s population and age structure (Census/ACS).

Mobile phone usage in Smith County, Tennessee — 2024 snapshot

Headline findings

• Estimated adult smartphone users: 12,700–13,300 (about 82–86% of adults), with overall mobile phone ownership at roughly 92–94% of adults. Both figures trail Tennessee’s urban-heavy statewide averages slightly.
• Mobile-only internet reliance: approximately 22–28% of households rely primarily on cellular service for home internet (smartphone hotspots or cellular home internet), several percentage points higher than the statewide rate (~16–20%).
• Network experience: Coverage and speeds are strongest along the I-40/US-70 corridor and around Carthage–Gordonsville; interior hollows and river valleys show more 4G/LTE fallback and dead zones. 5G is present, but mid-band 5G is less prevalent than in Tennessee’s metro counties, keeping typical rural speeds below statewide urban medians.

User estimates (scale and usage)

• Population base: Roughly 20,000 residents; about 15,500 adults (18+).
• Mobile phone owners (any type): 14,300–14,700 adults.
• Smartphone users: 12,700–13,300 adults.
• Feature phone users: 900–1,500 adults (notable among seniors and cost-sensitive users).
• Households using mobile as primary home internet: 1,600–2,200 of roughly 7,500–8,000 households.
• Typical mobile performance: 20–60 Mbps in most rural areas; 80–200 Mbps bursts near I-40 nodes or where mid-band 5G is available. This lags the statewide urban median, which commonly exceeds 100 Mbps.

Demographic breakdown (patterns that differ from Tennessee overall)

• Age
  • 18–29: Smartphone adoption ~95%+ (near statewide levels).
  • 30–49: ~93–96% (near statewide).
  • 50–64: ~80–85% (a few points lower than statewide).
  • 65+: ~58–65% (8–12 points lower than statewide), with more basic-phone retention.
• Income and education
  • Under $35k household income: higher mobile-only reliance (~30–40%) than the Tennessee average for the same bracket.
  • High school or less: smartphone adoption ~80–85%; college-educated: ~95%+, mirroring statewide direction but with a wider rural gap.
• Race/ethnicity
  • The county’s small nonwhite populations make racial adoption gaps less pronounced locally than in statewide aggregates; observed differences by age and income dominate local patterns.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Technology mix: 4G/LTE is the reliability baseline outside towns; low-band 5G covers population centers and highways. Mid-band 5G capacity is spotty away from corridors, which limits peak speeds and indoor performance.
• Geography-driven gaps: River valleys around the Cumberland/Cordell Hull Lake and ridge-and-hollow terrain create shadowed areas and handoff issues, raising the share of LTE fallback compared with flatter regions of Tennessee.
• Corridors vs interior: I-40 and US-70 exhibit the best capacity and consistency; secondary roads and sparsely populated hollows see greater variability and occasional no-service pockets.
• Public safety: AT&T’s FirstNet Band 14 coverage is present in rural Middle Tennessee and supports improved reach and resilience for emergency services, particularly along primary corridors and county seats.

How Smith County differs from statewide trends

• Higher mobile-only internet dependence: +5 to +10 percentage points vs Tennessee overall, driven by gaps in affordable fixed broadband and by cost-sensitive households.
• Older-user adoption gap: Seniors are notably less likely to own smartphones than their counterparts statewide, sustaining a larger basic-phone segment.
• Performance gap: Lower availability of mid-band 5G and more terrain-related shadowing depress median speeds and consistency relative to Tennessee’s metro counties.
• Plan mix: A higher share of prepaid/MVNO users and longer device replacement cycles than the statewide average, reflecting rural income profiles and price sensitivity.
• Usage contexts: Above-average reliance on phones for navigation, messaging, and hotspotting during commutes on I-40 and for seasonal lake/park activity; below-average use of high-bandwidth mobile applications in coverage-challenged interior areas.

Methodological notes

• Estimates synthesize 2020 Census population structure; ACS 2018–2022 computer/internet-use patterns for rural Tennessee; Pew Research smartphone adoption by age; and FCC/industry reporting on 4G/5G availability and rural performance through 2023–2024. Figures are expressed as county-level estimates benchmarked against Tennessee’s statewide baselines to highlight local divergences.

Social media usage in Smith County, Tennessee (best-available, county-scaled estimates)

How these figures were derived

• Base population: Smith County had 20,157 residents in the 2020 Census; roughly 77% are adults (≈15,600).
• Adoption rates and platform splits use the latest Pew Research Center U.S. adult social media benchmarks (2023–2024), with typical rural adjustments (Facebook slightly higher; Instagram/TikTok slightly lower). County-level platform datasets are not officially published.

Topline user stats

• Adult social media users: ~10,800–11,200 (≈69–72% of adults).
• Daily users: ~60% of adults use at least one platform daily; ~30% check multiple times per day.
• Teen usage (13–17): Very high overall; YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat dominate; Facebook is low among teens.

Most-used platforms (share of adults using each at least occasionally; Smith County estimates)

• YouTube: 80–83%
• Facebook: 65–70%
• Instagram: 40–45%
• TikTok: 30–35%
• Pinterest: 30–35%
• Snapchat: 25–30%
• LinkedIn: 18–25% (lower in rural labor mix)
• X (Twitter): 20–23%
• Reddit: 18–22% Notes: Facebook skews slightly higher in rural communities; Instagram/TikTok slightly lower than urban averages.

Age-group patterns (adults)

• 18–29: Near-universal social media use. Platform mix heavy on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; YouTube is ubiquitous; Facebook secondary.
• 30–49: Highest multi-platform usage. Facebook strongest; Instagram moderate-to-strong; TikTok growing; YouTube very high.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram/TikTok used by a minority; Pinterest meaningful among women.
• 65+: Facebook remains the default; YouTube moderate; limited use of Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat.

Gender breakdown

• Overall users skew slightly female (reflecting national and rural patterns).
• Platform skews:
  • More female: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest (Pinterest especially).
  • More male: YouTube, Reddit, X.
  • Neutral/mixed: TikTok, Snapchat (younger tilt rather than gender).

Behavioral trends observed in rural Tennessee counties (applicable in Smith County)

• Facebook is the community backbone: heavy use of Groups (schools, churches, local sports, yard sales, civic alerts), Marketplace, and event promotion.
• Video-first habits: YouTube for DIY, home/farm, hunting/fishing, outdoor recreation, local church services, local government meetings; short-form TikTok/Instagram Reels growth among under-35.
• Messaging layers: Facebook Messenger across all ages; Snapchat for teens/younger adults; WhatsApp limited.
• Peaks in activity: Evenings (6–9 pm) and weekends; mobile-first consumption; weather events and high school sports drive spikes.
• Purchase pathways: Local services, vehicles/equipment, and household items via Facebook/Marketplace; brand discovery increasingly via short-form video.
• Trust dynamics: Higher engagement with known local pages/figures; rapid sharing of public-safety and weather updates; local reviews and word-of-mouth matter more than polished brand creative.

Implications

• For broad reach, prioritize Facebook (feed + Groups + Marketplace) and YouTube. Add Instagram for 18–49, TikTok/Snapchat for under-35, and Pinterest for female household decision-makers.
• Use short video and localized creative; post in early evenings; cross-post to community Groups to maximize organic reach.