Washington County

Washington County, Tennessee — Key Demographics

Population size

• 2020 Census: 133,001
• 2023 estimate (US Census Vintage 2023): roughly 140,000 (+5–6% since 2020)

Age

• Median age: ~41 years
• Under 18: ~19%
• 18–24: ~13% (influenced by East Tennessee State University)
• 25–44: ~25%
• 45–64: ~24%
• 65 and over: ~20%

Gender

• Female: ~51–52%
• Male: ~48–49%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS estimates)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~83–85%
• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~5–6%
• Asian (non-Hispanic): ~2%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~3–4%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~5%

Household data (ACS estimates)

• Total households: ~56,000–57,000
• Average household size: ~2.3
• Family households: ~59–60%
• Married-couple households: ~42–44%
• One-person households: ~30–32%
• Households with children under 18: ~24–26%
• Owner-occupied housing units: ~65–67% (renters ~33–35%)

Key insights

• Steady post-2020 growth and an age profile shaped by both a sizable student population and a growing senior share.
• Small average household size and a relatively high share of one-person households point to diverse living arrangements and a significant renter segment.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; Vintage 2023 Population Estimates; American Community Survey 5-year and 1-year releases).

Washington County, TN email usage (2025)

• Estimated email users: ~108,000 residents (≈93% of adults).
• Age adoption rates: 18–29: 98%; 30–49: 96%; 50–64: 92%; 65+: 85%. With an older-than-U.S.-average age profile, the county’s email user base skews slightly to 50+.
• Gender split among users: ≈51% female, 49% male (mirrors county population).
• Digital access trends: ~86% of households have a broadband subscription; ~92% have a computer; ~17% are smartphone‑only internet users; ~11% have no home internet. Fiber and gigabit options have expanded in Johnson City/Jonesborough since 2019 (municipal BrightRidge and private ISPs), while rural pockets continue to lean on mobile data, constraining consistent email access.
• Local density/connectivity facts: Population ~140,000 across ~330 square miles (≈420 people per sq mi). Connectivity is densest along the I‑26/State Route 36 corridor; adoption and speeds taper in outlying southern and western communities, reflecting the urban–rural divide within the county.

Washington County, Tennessee — mobile phone usage summary (2023–2024)

Topline user estimates

• Population and households: ~136,000 residents in ~57,000 households.
• Active smartphone users: 100,000–110,000 residents, derived from age-weighted adoption rates applied to county population. Adult smartphone adoption is ~90% overall; teen adoption (13–17) is ~95%.
• Household smartphone access: ~92% of households have at least one smartphone (Tennessee ≈ 90–91%).
• Cellular data plan at home: ~77–79% of households maintain a cellular data plan (Tennessee ≈ 74–77%).
• Mobile-only internet households (cellular data plan and no fixed home broadband): ~14–16% (Tennessee ≈ 16–19%).

Demographic breakdown (modeled from ACS age mix and Pew adoption patterns)

• By age
  • 18–34: ~26,000 smartphone users (≈ 95–97% adoption).
  • 35–64: ~49,000–51,000 (≈ 92–94% adoption).
  • 65+: ~21,000–23,000 (≈ 74–78% adoption). The 65+ group is the main pocket of under-adoption and lower mobile-data plan take-up.
  • Teens (13–17): ~7,500–8,500 users (≈ 93–97% adoption).
• By income and housing
  • Mobile-only reliance concentrates among lower-income renters and student-heavy areas around Johnson City/ETSU; homeowners and higher-income households are more likely to bundle fixed broadband plus mobile.
  • Rural fringes of the county show slightly higher mobile-only reliance than the urban core, but still below the typical rural Tennessee rates thanks to strong cable/fiber availability.
• By race/ethnicity and education
  • Gaps in smartphone access by race/ethnicity are small relative to gaps by age and income; educational attainment correlates with multi-device households rather than basic smartphone ownership.

Digital infrastructure

• Cellular coverage
  • 4G LTE: Countywide coverage from all three national carriers across populated areas; dead zones persist in hilly/valley terrain outside the Johnson City–Jonesborough corridor.
  • 5G: Mid-band and low-band 5G blanket the Johnson City urban area and main corridors (e.g., I‑26/US‑321), with ongoing infill toward Jonesborough, Gray, and Telford. 5G coverage breadth and performance exceed that of many rural Tennessee counties.
• Capacity and performance
  • Urban 5G capacity is buoyed by mid-band deployments; typical user speeds in the urban core substantially outperform the state’s rural average and are competitive with other Tennessee metro-adjacent counties.
• Fixed broadband context (affects mobile-only reliance)
  • Charter/Spectrum cable is widely available; BrightRidge Broadband and AT&T Fiber cover substantial portions of Johnson City and nearby communities. This fixed-network depth reduces the need for mobile-only home internet relative to statewide patterns.
• Public/anchor connectivity
  • Schools, healthcare systems, and ETSU act as high-capacity anchor institutions, increasing demand for reliable mobile data (telehealth, learning platforms) and improving off-campus Wi‑Fi options that complement mobile plans.

How Washington County differs from Tennessee overall

• Higher smartphone presence per household (≈ +1–2 percentage points vs state) and a larger share of households with a cellular data plan.
• Lower mobile-only internet reliance (≈ 1–3 points less than statewide), driven by better-than-average fixed broadband availability in the urban core.
• Stronger 5G availability and capacity in the primary population centers than the typical Tennessee county outside the major metros.
• A pronounced student effect around ETSU: above-average multi-line plans and heavy mobile data use among 18–29-year-olds, contrasted with a larger adoption gap in the 65+ cohort than in the younger segments.
• Digital divide is shaped more by age and income than by race/ethnicity; this pattern is tighter (i.e., smaller racial gaps) than Tennessee’s statewide averages.

Interpretive insights

• Washington County’s mix of a university hub plus robust cable/fiber diminishes mobile-only dependence while pushing high mobile-data usage in and around Johnson City.
• The main headroom for growth is in the 65+ segment and lower-income renters in the county’s periphery; programs targeted at affordable device upgrades and discounted plans would yield the biggest adoption gains.
• Continued 5G mid-band infill (especially in topographically challenging pockets) will matter more for consistency than for raw coverage, which is already strong by Tennessee standards.

Sources and methods

• Estimates are synthesized from: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2023 (households, age mix, device and subscription patterns; S0101, S2801), FCC National Broadband Map (2024 filings) for carrier coverage presence, and Pew Research Center 2023–2024 smartphone adoption by age to age-weight local adoption. Figures are rounded to reflect survey margins of error.

Washington County, TN social media snapshot (2025)

Headline user stats

• Population: ≈135,000 residents; ≈106,650 adults (18+)
• Estimated social media users (13+): ≈87,000 (≈65% of total population)
• Gender among social users: ≈52% female, 48% male (mirrors county demographics)

Age mix of social users (approximate users by group)

• 13–17: ≈10,300 users (very high penetration, ~95%)
• 18–29: ≈20,700 users (~90%)
• 30–49: ≈28,800 users (~82%)
• 50–64: ≈19,600 users (~69%)
• 65+: ≈8,100 users (~40%)

Most-used platforms (adults 18+; share of all adults, with local user counts)

• YouTube: 83% ≈88,500
• Facebook: 68% ≈72,500
• Instagram: 47% ≈50,100
• Pinterest: 35% ≈37,300
• TikTok: 33% ≈35,200
• Snapchat: 30% ≈32,000
• LinkedIn: 30% ≈32,000
• X (Twitter): 22% ≈23,500
• Reddit: 22% ≈23,500
• WhatsApp: 26% ≈27,700
• Nextdoor: 18% ≈19,200

Teen platform usage (13–17; share of teens, with local counts)

• YouTube: 95% ≈10,260
• TikTok: 67% ≈7,240
• Instagram: 62% ≈6,700
• Snapchat: 59% ≈6,370
• Facebook: 33% ≈3,560

Gender patterns

• Overall: usage rates are similar by gender; female share of users slightly higher (~52%)
• Platform skews: Facebook and Pinterest skew female; Reddit and X skew male; Instagram and TikTok are mixed with slight female lean

Behavioral trends (local implications)

• Facebook as the community hub: Heavy use of Groups and Marketplace for yard sales, rentals, jobs, school/church updates, and local events; best channel for 30+ and seniors
• Short‑form video first: Reels and TikTok drive reach among teens/young adults; local restaurants, boutiques, fitness, and events perform well with behind‑the‑scenes and UGC-style clips
• YouTube for evergreen and “how‑to”: Strong across all ages; effective for longer product explainers, local how‑tos, and sports/high‑school highlights
• Messaging for transactions: Facebook/Instagram DMs commonly used for customer service, quotes, and appointment-setting by local SMBs
• News and alerts: Facebook dominates; X and Reddit are niche but influential for breaking news and civic chatter
• Nextdoor for neighborhood matters: Useful for HOA updates, public safety notices, lost/found, and contractor recommendations in suburban pockets
• Timing: Engagement typically peaks evenings and weekends; lunchtime spikes are common for mobile video and Stories

Method note

• Figures are best-available local estimates derived by applying current U.S. platform adoption rates (Pew Research) to Washington County’s age structure (ACS), producing county-level counts and percentages.