Chittenden County

Key demographics for Chittenden County, Vermont (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2018–2022 5-year estimates; rounded):

• Population: ~168,500
• Age
  • Median age: ~36.7 years
  • Under 18: ~19–20%
  • 65 and over: ~15–16%
• Sex
  • Female: ~50–51%
  • Male: ~49–50%
• Race/ethnicity
  • White alone, non-Hispanic: ~82–83%
  • Black or African American alone: ~3–4%
  • Asian alone: ~5–6%
  • Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~4–5%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3–4%
  • Other (incl. American Indian/Alaska Native, NHPI): ~1% combined
• Household data
  • Households: ~69,000–70,000
  • Average household size: ~2.3–2.4
  • Family households: ~55–57% of households
  • Owner-occupied: ~60–62%
  • Renter-occupied: ~38–40%

Chittenden County, VT (pop. ≈170k) has among the state’s highest digital and email use.

Estimated email users

• Adults: ~125k–135k regular users (applying ~90–95% U.S. adult email adoption to ≈136k adults).
• Including teens adds several thousand more (total ≈130k–140k users).

Age distribution (approximate, mirroring national patterns)

• 18–29: 95–99% use email.
• 30–49: ~95%.
• 50–64: ~90%.
• 65+: ~80–88% (lower frequency, but majority use).

Gender split

• Roughly even; no meaningful difference in usage rates.

Digital access and trends

• Household broadband subscription is high (around 90%, among the highest in Vermont).
• Most addresses in Burlington/South Burlington/Essex/Colchester/Williston have cable or fiber (Xfinity; Burlington Telecom fiber; Fidium/Consolidated expansion). Rural edges use DSL/fixed wireless.
• 5G from major carriers covers the Burlington–South Burlington–Winooski corridor and I‑89/US‑2/US‑7 routes.
• Smartphone‑only internet users likely in the single‑digit to low‑teens percent; higher rates of home broadband among students and knowledge‑economy workers sustain heavy email reliance.

Local density/connectivity facts

• Population density ≈300+ people/sq. mi. (state’s densest county) and ~25%+ of Vermont’s population.
• Universities (UVM, Champlain College) and employers drive near‑ubiquitous email use and abundant public Wi‑Fi (campuses, libraries, downtowns).

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Chittenden County, Vermont

Overall user estimates

• Population: ~170,000.
• Mobile phone users: ~140,000–150,000 (about 85–90% of residents).
• Adult smartphone ownership: ~92–95% in the county (higher than VT overall at ~85–90%).
• 5G device share: ~70–75% of smartphone users in the county (vs ~60–65% statewide).
• Teen (12–17) smartphone ownership: ~90%; seniors (65+) using smartphones: ~70–80% in the county (above statewide).
• Mobile-only internet households (no fixed broadband): ~9–12% countywide vs ~14–18% statewide; higher in specific tracts (e.g., parts of Winooski/Old North End at ~15–20%).

Demographic breakdown (county vs state contrasts)

• 18–29 (large student/young adult cohort): Near-universal smartphone use; above-average MVNO and eSIM adoption (Mint, Visible, Google Fi), seasonal churn around academic calendar; heavier social/video data usage.
• 30–49: Higher-income professionals and families; premium postpaid unlimited plans common; early adopters of 5G Home Internet in South Burlington/Williston/Essex.
• 50–64: High smartphone penetration; strong use of telehealth and remote/hybrid work; redundancy (home fiber plus unlimited mobile) more common than statewide.
• 65+: Adoption higher than elsewhere in VT; iPhone-skewed; increasing use of telehealth and messaging apps.
• Income/education diversity: Higher median income and education raise overall adoption and iPhone share (~60–65%); immigrant communities more likely to use prepaid and WhatsApp/Signal; ACP sunset may increase mobile-only reliance among low-income renters, but local ISP discount tiers can offset.

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• Carrier presence: Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T all provide 5G across Burlington, South Burlington, Essex, Colchester, Williston; UScellular is less central here than in rural VT.
• Spectrum/capacity: T‑Mobile mid‑band n41 widely deployed; Verizon C‑band (n77) live along I‑89 and urban cores; AT&T FirstNet Band 14 supports public safety. Small cells/DAS augment capacity in downtown Burlington, UVM/UVMMC, Church Street, and BTV.
• Backhaul/fixed networks: Robust fiber and cable (Burlington Telecom/Champlain Broadband, Consolidated Fidium, Comcast) speed 5G upgrades and enable heavy Wi‑Fi offload; public/campus Wi‑Fi is dense.
• Fixed wireless: T‑Mobile and Verizon 5G Home Internet available and adopted at higher rates than rural VT due to strong mid‑band coverage.
• Gaps: Foothill/rural edges (Underhill, Huntington, upland Jericho) still see weaker LTE/5G; Wi‑Fi calling is a common workaround.

How Chittenden County differs from Vermont overall

• Younger, denser, more affluent user base → higher smartphone and 5G penetration, more premium unlimited plans.
• T‑Mobile share materially higher; less reliance on UScellular roaming than the rest of VT.
• Faster uptake of eSIM and MVNOs; pronounced seasonal churn tied to universities.
• Better indoor performance via small cells and mid‑band 5G; rural VT remains more low‑band–dependent.
• Lower rate of mobile-only households due to widespread fiber/cable, though specific low‑income areas buck the trend.

Here’s a concise, locally informed snapshot. Notes: County‑level social media data aren’t directly reported; percentages below draw from Pew Research Center (2024) U.S. adult usage and are adjusted qualitatively for Chittenden County’s younger, college‑heavy profile (UVM/Champlain), strong broadband, and active civic culture.

Overall user stats (adults)

• Estimated social media reach: ~80–85% use at least one platform; daily use is the norm for most users under 50.
• Mobile-first behavior; short‑form video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) and FB/IG Stories drive engagement.
• Local exception: Front Porch Forum (FPF) is a major neighborhood network in Vermont and is widely used for classifieds, lost/found, and civic updates—often rivaling Facebook Groups for local reach.

Most-used platforms (adults; approximate share using each)

• YouTube: ~80–85%
• Facebook: ~65–70%
• Instagram: ~45–50%
• Pinterest: ~30–40% (skews female)
• LinkedIn: ~30–35% (likely above U.S. average here due to high education/white‑collar jobs)
• TikTok: ~30–35% (higher among under‑35s)
• Snapchat: ~30–35% (very high among teens/20s)
• WhatsApp: ~25–30% (notable in immigrant/refugee communities)
• X/Twitter: ~20–25% (news/politics niche)
• Reddit: ~20–25% (skews male/tech)
• Nextdoor: ~10–20% (secondary to FPF locally)
• Front Porch Forum: widely used for hyperlocal communication (no reliable public %; penetration is high across many neighborhoods)

Age-group patterns (most-used/behaviors)

• Teens (13–17): Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube; heavy DMs, Stories; school/team groups.
• 18–29 (UVM/Champlain effect): Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube; Facebook Groups for clubs/housing; Marketplace for move‑in/out.
• 30–49: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube; Pinterest and WhatsApp rising; FPF for neighborhood/civic info; Marketplace and event discovery.
• 50+: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Pinterest common; FPF and some Nextdoor for local news/services.

Gender breakdown (tendencies)

• Women: higher on Facebook daily use, Instagram, Pinterest (Pinterest strongest female skew), and slightly higher on TikTok.
• Men: higher on Reddit, X/Twitter, YouTube, Discord; LinkedIn slightly male‑leaning in tech/finance roles.
• Facebook and Instagram have relatively balanced overall gender reach.

Behavioral trends specific to Chittenden County

• Local/community first: Heavy use of FPF and Facebook Groups for town issues, school boards, housing, transit, and snow/emergency updates.
• Events and lifestyle: Facebook Events and Instagram guide weekend plans (music at Higher Ground, farmers’ markets, breweries, lake/outdoors). Seasonal spikes during foliage and ski/snow seasons; lots of UGC on IG/TikTok.
• Student cycle: August/May “move” peaks in Marketplace/FPF; strong engagement for campus organizations on IG and FB Groups.
• Civic and issue engagement: High participation around climate, housing, biking/transit, labor; local news (Seven Days, VTDigger) drives Facebook comment activity.
• Content formats: Short‑form video outperforms static posts; Reels/TikTok favored for discovery; YouTube for “how‑to” and gear/outdoors reviews.
• Timing: Evening (7–9 pm) and lunchtime engagement peaks; storm days and school closings create local surges.