Smith County

Key demographics for Smith County, Texas

Population

• Total: 233,479 (2020 Census)
• 2010–2020 growth: +11.3%

Age

• Under 5 years: 6.7% (2020)
• Under 18 years: 24.6% (2020)
• 65 years and over: 17.9% (2020)

Gender

• Female: 52.0% (2020)

Race and ethnicity (2020 Census)

• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 20.3%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~57%
• Black or African American alone (non-Hispanic): ~18%
• Asian alone (non-Hispanic): ~1.7–2%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone (non-Hispanic): ~0.7%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone (non-Hispanic): ~0.1%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~2–3%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~88,000
• Average household size: ~2.6
• Family households: ~67% of households
• Married-couple families: ~48% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~31%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~65%
• Median household income (2022 dollars): ~$66,000
• Per capita income (2022 dollars): ~$34,000
• Persons in poverty: ~13–14%
• Households with a broadband subscription: ~86–88%

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

• Scope and density: Smith County, TX has 233,479 residents (2020 Census) over 921 sq mi of land—about 253 people per sq mi.
• Estimated email users: 163,000 adults. Method: ~76% of residents are 18+ (177,000); 92% of U.S. adults use email (Pew Research), yielding ≈163k local adult email users.
• Age mix of email users (mirrors adult population due to near‑universal adoption):
  • 18–34: ~28%
  • 35–54: ~33%
  • 55–64: ~16%
  • 65+: ~24%
• Gender split: ≈51% female, 49% male (reflecting county demographics), so email users split similarly.
• Digital access trends:
  • Broadband subscription is high and broadly in line with Texas’s rate (~86% of households have a broadband subscription, ACS 2022), with strongest coverage in the Tyler urban core and along major corridors.
  • Smartphone access is widespread (about 9 in 10 U.S. adults), supporting mobile-first email use; local usage patterns are consistent with this statewide/national trend.
  • Fixed broadband availability is extensive in populated areas (cable and growing fiber), while rural precincts rely more on fixed wireless/satellite, leading to lower speeds and higher latency outside Tyler.
• Insight: Email penetration is effectively universal among adults; user demographics closely track the county’s adult makeup, with slightly higher daily use expected among working-age cohorts (18–54).

Smith County, Texas mobile phone usage: 2024 snapshot with county-specific estimates and how it differs from statewide patterns

Topline user estimates (residents, lines, adoption)

• Residents: ≈245,000 (2023 Census estimate scale; used for modeling)
• Adults (18+): ≈186,000
• Adults with a mobile phone: ≈179,000 (≈96% adult mobile ownership; slightly below Texas statewide ≈97% because Smith County is older than the Texas average)
• Adult smartphone users: ≈161,000 (≈86–87% adult smartphone adoption vs Texas ≈89–90%)
• Total active mobile subscriptions (phones, tablets, IoT, hotspots): ≈270,000–285,000 (≈1.10–1.16 lines per resident; Texas statewide ≈1.14–1.20)

Household internet and mobile reliance (ACS-modeled)

• Households: ≈95,000
• Households with any home internet subscription (wireline or cellular): ≈82–84% (Texas ≈86–88%)
• Mobile-only home internet households (cellular data plan but no wired broadband): ≈16,000–18,000 (≈17–19% of households), meaningfully higher than Texas overall (≈12–14%)
• Households with no internet subscription: ≈12,000–13,000 (≈13–14%), above Texas average (≈10–12%)

What differs from the Texas state pattern

• Older age structure: Smith County has a larger 65+ share than Texas overall, which pulls smartphone adoption a few points lower than the state average and raises the share of basic/feature phones among older adults.
• Higher mobile-only dependence: Despite the older profile, mobile-only home internet use is higher than the state average due to cost sensitivity and patchier wired options outside Tyler, leading more households (especially lower-income and renters) to rely on unlimited smartphone plans and hotspot devices.
• More prepaid usage: Prepaid and MVNO plans capture a larger share of lines than the Texas average (county ≈25–30% vs Texas ≈20–25%), reflecting income mix and credit preferences.
• Coverage quality gap outside the urban core: 5G mid-band capacity is strong in Tyler but drops to low‑band 5G/4G LTE at the rural fringe; this urban–rural performance gap is wider than in metro Texas counties.

Demographic breakdown of mobile use (modeled from ACS age/income mix and Pew mobile adoption benchmarks)

• By age (adult smartphone adoption, share with any mobile in parentheses)
  • 18–34: ≈95–97% (≈99%)
  • 35–54: ≈92–94% (≈98–99%)
  • 55–64: ≈82–85% (≈96–97%)
  • 65+: ≈62–68% (≈90–93%) — higher basic-phone share than Texas average
• By income (mobile-only home internet)
  • <$35k: ≈27–32% mobile-only
  • $35k–$75k: ≈16–20%

  • $75k: ≈7–10%

• By race/ethnicity (mobile-only home internet; influenced by income, age, and location)
  • Black: ≈20–25%
  • Hispanic: ≈20–24%
  • White (non-Hispanic): ≈10–14%
• Urban vs rural within the county
  • Tyler/loop area: higher 5G capacity, lower mobile-only share (≈14–16%)
  • Outlying communities and unincorporated areas: lower wired availability and higher mobile-only share (≈20–24%)

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Carrier presence and 5G: AT&T, Verizon, and T‑Mobile provide countywide 4G LTE with 5G in and around Tyler, along Loop 323, US‑69/US‑271 corridors, and the I‑20 axis. Mid‑band 5G (C‑band/n77, n41) delivers the best capacity in the urban core; low‑band 5G/4G dominates forested and lake-adjacent areas. This urban–rural split is sharper than the Texas average.
• Macro sites and small cells: Macro towers line I‑20, US‑69, and major arterials; capacity small cells are clustered in central Tyler (downtown, medical district, university/retail areas). Outside the core, sites are spaced farther apart, reducing in‑building performance and uplink speeds.
• Backhaul and fiber: Tyler benefits from carrier fiber (AT&T Fiber) and cable (Spectrum) backhaul, enabling higher 5G capacity. Beyond city limits, fewer fiber laterals mean more microwave or long fiber runs, limiting upgrade pacing compared with large Texas metros.
• Known weak spots: Shorelines around Lake Palestine and heavily wooded pockets south and east of Tyler see more mid‑call drops and speed variability; performance improves near highways and elevated terrain.

Usage behavior and plan mix

• Average data consumption is skewed higher than in similarly sized Texas counties because mobile-only households hotspot more for video streaming and homework, especially where wired plans are unavailable or cost‑prohibitive.
• Prepaid/MVNO penetration is elevated, and family plans often mix postpaid primary lines with prepaid add‑ons to manage costs.
• Device mix includes an above‑average share of budget and midrange Android handsets, along with a growing base of 5G hotspots used as primary internet in mobile‑only homes.

Implications and trends to watch

• Capacity upgrades will concentrate on mid‑band 5G densification in Tyler and new macro infill along growth corridors (Lindale, Whitehouse, Bullard) to narrow the urban–rural performance gap.
• Mobile-only household share is likely to remain above the Texas average until fiber/coax buildouts extend deeper into unincorporated areas.
• Senior adoption of smartphones is rising but from a lower base than the state; accessibility features and simplified plans will continue to see outsized demand locally.

Method notes

• Figures are 2024 county-level estimates modeled from 2023–2024 Census/ACS population and household structure, Pew Research mobile adoption by age, and Texas-wide mobile subscription factors. They are tuned to Smith County’s older age mix, income distribution, and urban–rural split to provide defensible, decision-ready numbers.

Smith County, TX social media usage (2025 snapshot)

High-level user stats

• Population: ≈240–245K (U.S. Census Bureau 2023 est.). Adults (18+): ≈76% of population ≈183–186K.
• Adult social-media penetration: ≈81% of adults (Pew Research Center, 2024) ≈148–151K adult users in Smith County.
• Gender mix among social users: roughly mirrors county composition (≈51% women, ≈49% men).

Most-used platforms (adoption among U.S. adults; local usage in Smith County closely tracks these rates)

• YouTube: 83% of adults → ≈152–155K adult users locally
• Facebook: 68% → ≈124–127K
• Instagram: 47% → ≈86–88K
• TikTok: 33% → ≈60–61K
• Pinterest: 35% → ≈64–65K
• Snapchat: 30% → ≈55–56K
• LinkedIn: 30% → ≈55–56K
• X (Twitter): 22% → ≈40–41K
• Reddit: 22% → ≈40–41K
• WhatsApp: 21% → ≈38–39K
• Nextdoor: 20% → ≈37K

Age-group patterns (what residents use)

• 13–17: Heavy on YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram; Facebook comparatively low.
• 18–29: Very high overall usage; Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat dominate for daily engagement; YouTube nearly universal.
• 30–49: Broad multi-platform use; YouTube and Facebook near-universal; Instagram significant; TikTok usage moderate.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube lead; Instagram/TikTok secondary.
• 65+: Facebook remains the top platform; YouTube moderate; limited Instagram/TikTok use; Nextdoor usage present in suburban neighborhoods.

Gender breakdown by platform (national skews that reflect locally)

• Pinterest skews female; Snapchat and TikTok lean slightly female; Instagram near-even; Facebook near-even; YouTube slightly male-leaning; Reddit and X skew male; LinkedIn slightly male-leaning.

Behavioral trends in Smith County (observed in peer counties and supported by platform norms)

• Community and local information: Facebook Groups and Pages (schools, churches, civic organizations, youth sports, neighborhood updates) are primary for announcements and events; Nextdoor used for hyperlocal alerts and services.
• Local commerce: Facebook Marketplace is heavily used for buying/selling; Instagram Shops and TikTok product discovery are growing among younger adults.
• Video-first consumption: YouTube for how-to, local sports highlights, and long-form; Instagram Reels/TikTok for short local content and entertainment; vertical video outperforms static for reach.
• Messaging and ephemeral: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are key for day-to-day coordination among younger cohorts; WhatsApp adoption present within multilingual and international-family households.
• News and weather: Facebook and YouTube carry strong local news/weather clip engagement; severe-weather updates drive spikes.
• Timing/format: Evenings and weekends see higher engagement; short, captioned videos and concise carousels outperform text-only posts; posts with clear locality (places, faces, events) get above-average interaction.

Notes on methodology

• Platform percentages are Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. adult adoption rates applied to Smith County’s adult population to yield local user estimates; residents commonly use multiple platforms, so counts overlap.
• County-level social media counts are estimates derived from census-based population and widely accepted adoption rates; they provide a reliable planning baseline for outreach and marketing.