Orleans County

Key demographics for Orleans County, Vermont

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census for total population; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates for detailed characteristics)

• Population size

  • Total population: 27,393 (2020 Census)
  • Population density: ~32 people per square mile

• Age

  • Median age: ~47 years
  • Age distribution: under 18 (≈20%), 18–24 (≈7–8%), 25–44 (≈23–24%), 45–64 (≈26–27%), 65+ (≈22%)

• Gender

  • Female: ≈50–51%
  • Male: ≈49–50%

• Race and ethnicity (ACS “alone” unless noted; Hispanic can be any race)

  • White: ≈93–95%
  • Black or African American: ≈1–2%
  • American Indian and Alaska Native: ≈0.5–1%
  • Asian: ≈0.5–1%
  • Two or more races: ≈2–4%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ≈2–3%

• Households and families

  • Households: ≈11,500–12,000
  • Average household size: ≈2.3
  • Family households: ≈60–63% of households
  • Married-couple households: ≈45–50% of households
  • Households with children under 18: ≈24–28%
  • One-person households: ≈28–32% (≈12–15% age 65+ living alone)
  • Homeownership rate: ≈75–80%

Insights

• Older population profile than the U.S. overall, with about one in five residents age 65+
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White, with small but growing racial/ethnic diversity
• Small household sizes and high homeownership consistent with rural Northern New England patterns

Orleans County, VT snapshot (2024):

• Population: ~27,400; density ≈38 people per square mile across ~720 sq mi.
• Estimated email users: 20,000–22,000 residents (about 73–80% of the population; roughly 88–92% of internet users).
• Age distribution of email use (share of age group using email):
  • 18–29: 95–99%
  • 30–49: 96–98%
  • 50–64: 90–95%
  • 65+: 78–85%
• Gender split: population is roughly 50/50; email adoption is essentially parity (difference <2 percentage points).
• Digital access and trends:
  • Household broadband subscription: ~80–85%.
  • Fiber-to-the-home availability is expanding rapidly via the NEK Broadband Communications Union District; legacy DSL share is shrinking.
  • Smartphone ownership: ~80–85% of adults; 10–15% of households rely primarily on cellular for home internet.
  • Public access points (libraries, schools, Newport City hubs) supplement connectivity for lower-income and remote residents.
• Local connectivity pattern: I‑91 corridor communities (e.g., Newport, Derby, Barton, Orleans) typically see stronger broadband and mobile coverage; hilly, sparsely populated areas and lake-adjacent valleys experience more gaps, driving reliance on satellite or fixed wireless.

Mobile phone usage in Orleans County, Vermont — how it differs from the state

Headline findings (ACS 2019–2023, 5‑year estimates)

• Households with a smartphone: roughly mid‑to‑high 80s percent in Orleans County versus low‑90s percent statewide. The county trails Vermont by about 4–6 percentage points.
• Households with a cellular data plan: mid‑70s percent in Orleans County versus low‑80s percent statewide, a gap of about 6–9 points.
• Cellular‑only internet (households with a cellular data plan and no other home broadband): about low‑to‑mid teens in Orleans County versus high single digits statewide, indicating higher reliance on phones as the primary connection.
• Households with no internet subscription: about low‑teens in Orleans County versus high single digits statewide, reflecting affordability and coverage constraints.
• Computer/device access: lower in Orleans County than statewide, consistent with a wider digital gap.

User estimates

• Applying the ACS smartphone‑household rate to the county’s household base yields on the order of 9.5–10.5 thousand smartphone households in Orleans County. With typical local household sizes, that equates to roughly 22–24 thousand residents living in smartphone‑equipped households, i.e., the large majority of the county’s population uses mobile phones regularly.
• Cellular‑only households number in the low‑thousands, underscoring a sizable cohort that depends on mobile service for all connectivity.

Demographic breakdown that drives the county’s divergence from Vermont overall

• Age structure: Orleans County has a larger senior share than Vermont overall (about one to two percentage points higher 65+). Older householders are less likely to have smartphones and are more likely to be offline, which pulls down the county’s smartphone and cellular‑plan rates.
• Income: Median household income is notably lower in Orleans County than the Vermont median (mid‑$50Ks vs low‑to‑mid‑$70Ks in 2019–2023 ACS). Lower income is associated with higher smartphone‑only reliance and higher rates of having no internet subscription, patterns that are visible in the county‑versus‑state gap.
• Rurality: The county’s settlement pattern is predominantly rural outside Newport/Derby and the I‑91 corridor. Rural households in the ACS consistently show slightly lower smartphone and cellular‑plan uptake and higher cellular‑only reliance than suburban/urban peers, aligning with Orleans County’s results.

Digital infrastructure and service quality (what differs locally)

• Coverage footprint: 4G LTE is widespread in population centers and along I‑91, but coverage gaps persist on secondary roads and in hill/valley terrain west and south of Newport. 5G availability is patchier than in Vermont’s urban counties; it tends to cluster near the larger towns and the interstate corridor.
• Network performance: Median mobile speeds in the county are lower and less consistent than statewide figures because of terrain, lower site density, and fewer mid‑band 5G sectors. This contributes to the higher share of cellular‑only households experiencing variable service quality.
• Provider presence: All three national carriers operate in the county, but competitive overlap is thinner than in Chittenden and Washington counties. Fewer colocated macro sites and longer inter‑site distances reduce indoor coverage away from town centers.
• Resiliency and public‑safety coverage: Rural buildouts have expanded along primary corridors (including FirstNet on AT&T infrastructure), but off‑corridor dead zones remain more common than the statewide picture.
• Fiber expansion and substitution effects: Ongoing fiber builds in and around small towns are gradually reducing cellular‑only reliance among newly served households via Wi‑Fi calling and home broadband offload. Until those builds close remaining gaps, Orleans County will continue to show higher mobile‑only dependence than Vermont overall.

What this means

• Orleans County consistently underperforms the Vermont average on smartphone‑household and cellular‑plan adoption, has a meaningfully higher share of cellular‑only households, and a higher share with no internet subscription. The differences are explained by an older, lower‑income, more rural population and by a sparser, less consistent mobile coverage footprint.
• As fiber and fixed broadband expand, the county’s cellular‑only share should trend down toward the state average. However, until mid‑band 5G and additional macro/micro sites fill coverage gaps away from I‑91 and town centers, mobile performance and adoption will likely remain below statewide levels.

Orleans County, VT social media snapshot (2024–2025)

Core user stats

• Population: ~27,000 residents; ~21,000 adults (18+)
• Estimated active social media users: ~17,000 adults (about 78% of adults). Basis: Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. adult adoption adjusted slightly downward for a rural, older-leaning county profile

Age mix of social media users (share of the local user base)

• 18–29: ~16% of users; adoption highest, heavy on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat
• 30–49: ~35% of users; multi-platform (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram), strong Messenger use
• 50–64: ~29% of users; Facebook and YouTube dominant, growing Instagram/Reels consumption
• 65+: ~20% of users; Facebook-first, YouTube second; lower on TikTok/Instagram but rising

Gender breakdown of users

• Female: ~53%
• Male: ~47% Notes: Women skew higher on Facebook and Pinterest; men skew higher on YouTube and Reddit

Most-used platforms among adults (share of all adults in Orleans County; overlapping use)

• YouTube: ~78%
• Facebook: ~66%
• Instagram: ~38%
• Pinterest: ~32% (disproportionately women 30–64)
• TikTok: ~28%
• Facebook Messenger: ~54%
• Snapchat: ~22% (concentrated under 35)
• LinkedIn: ~21%
• WhatsApp: ~18% (lower than U.S. average; small immigrant/refugee share locally)
• X (Twitter): ~17%
• Reddit: ~15%
• Nextdoor: ~7% (most neighborhood chatter happens in Facebook Groups instead) Figures reflect Pew 2024 platform adoption adjusted for rural/older demographics typical of Orleans County

Behavioral trends and local nuances

• Community-first Facebook usage: High engagement in town, school, road-condition, buy/sell, and mutual-aid groups; Marketplace is a primary local commerce channel
• Video-led discovery: YouTube is the go-to for how-to, DIY, small engine repair, homesteading, hunting/fishing, snowmobiling, and local event replays; short-form (Reels/TikTok) is growing for 18–34
• Messaging over posting for younger adults: Snapchat and Instagram DMs are primary communication tools; public posting frequency is lower than message-based sharing
• Event and weather spikes: Storms, road closures, lake and foliage seasons drive sharp but short-lived surges in Facebook Group and YouTube viewership
• Trust and voice: Content from known neighbors, local businesses, town offices, schools, and first responders outperforms national-brand content; collaborations with local creators or organizations lift reach
• Ad performance norms: Best ROI typically on Facebook/Instagram (geofenced by town/ZIP, boosted posts into relevant Groups); YouTube works for broad awareness; X/Reddit are niche

Method note and sources

• County-level social platform counts are not officially published. Estimates above are derived by applying Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adult adoption rates by platform and demographic to Orleans County’s older/rural profile using U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey population structure. Sources: Pew Research Center, “Social Media Use in 2024”; U.S. Census Bureau ACS (latest available).