Alleghany County

Here are key demographics for Alleghany County, Virginia (excludes the independent City of Covington). Figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates unless noted.

Population

• Total population: ~15,100

Age

• Median age: ~47 years
• Under 18: ~19%
• 65 and over: ~24%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Race and ethnicity (percent of total)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~87%
• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~7%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2–3%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~3%
• Asian (non-Hispanic): ~0.3–0.5%
• Other race groups (non-Hispanic, incl. American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, Some Other Race): <1%

Households and housing

• Households: ~6,700
• Average household size: ~2.25
• Family households: ~60–62%
• Owner-occupied housing units: ~75–78%
• Renter-occupied housing units: ~22–25%

Notes: Small-area ACS estimates have margins of error; figures are rounded for clarity. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year; 2020 Census (for historical population baseline).

Overview (Alleghany County, VA)

• Population: ~15,000. Estimated email users: 11,500–13,000 (roughly 75–85% of residents), reflecting high adult internet use but some rural gaps.
• Gender split among email users: ~51% female, ~49% male (roughly mirrors population).
• Age distribution of email users (approximate share of users, county skews older):
  • 13–17: 6–8%
  • 18–34: 20–25%
  • 35–54: 30–33%
  • 55–64: 18–22%
  • 65+: 20–25%
• Adoption by age (indicative): 18–54 ≈ 90–97% use email; 55–64 ≈ 85–92%; 65+ ≈ 75–85%; teens ≈ 70–85% (school-driven).

Digital access and trends

• About 80% of households subscribe to broadband; ~90% have a computer/smartphone. Roughly 10–15% are smartphone-only internet users.
• Ongoing state/federal-funded fiber builds are reducing unserved pockets; public Wi‑Fi (libraries/schools) supplements home access.
• Email is increasingly accessed via mobile, especially among younger and lower-income users; older adults’ adoption is rising via telehealth, government services, and banking.

Local density/connectivity facts

• Low density (~34 people/sq mi) and mountainous terrain create last‑mile challenges; fastest, most reliable service clusters along main corridors (e.g., I‑64/valley towns), with weaker coverage in remote hollows.

Alleghany County, VA mobile phone usage summary (with county-vs-state contrasts)

Headline takeaways different from Virginia overall

• Smartphone adoption is several points lower than the state average, largely because the county is older, more rural, and lower-income than Virginia as a whole.
• Coverage and capacity lean heavily on low-band LTE/5G, so speeds and indoor service are more variable than state urban/suburban norms where mid-band 5G is common.
• A higher share of lines are prepaid and a higher share of households lean on mobile hotspots/phone plans for home internet than the state average.

User estimates (order-of-magnitude, 2024)

• Population base: roughly 15,000–16,000 residents; about 12,000–13,000 adults 18+.
• Adults with any mobile phone: about 11,200–12,300 (93–96% of adults). Similar to statewide levels for basic mobile ownership.
• Adults with smartphones: about 9,400–10,600 (roughly 78–85% of adults), versus ~88–92% typical in Virginia’s metro areas.
• Seniors (65+) with smartphones: roughly 55–70% adoption locally (lower than statewide), reflecting the county’s older age structure.
• Prepaid share: estimated 25–35% of lines (notably higher than the ~15–25% common in Virginia’s metros).
• Mobile-dependent households (primarily using mobile data/phone hotspots for home internet): about 9–14% of households locally versus ~6–9% statewide.

Demographic drivers (how the county differs from Virginia)

• Age: Seniors are roughly a quarter of residents (vs ~17% statewide). This pulls down smartphone penetration and app-centric usage.
• Income/education: Median household income is markedly below the Virginia median, and bachelor’s attainment is roughly half the state rate—both correlate with lower smartphone ownership, longer device replacement cycles, and greater use of prepaid plans.
• Youth/working-age usage: Among teens and working-age adults, smartphone ownership is close to state norms; the gap is concentrated among older and lower-income segments.

Digital infrastructure and coverage (local characteristics vs state)

• Radio access technology: Coverage relies heavily on LTE and low-band 5G for range; mid-band 5G (the main driver of higher speeds in Virginia’s urban areas) is spotty and generally concentrated along primary corridors (e.g., I-64/US-60/US-220) and town centers (Covington, Clifton Forge, Low Moor).
• Capacity and speeds: Fewer sectors per square mile and more low-band usage mean lower median speeds and more variable indoor performance than in Virginia’s metros where mid-band 5G is prevalent. Peak speeds and consistency improve near interstates and population clusters.
• Terrain effects: Mountainous topography and forested valleys create dead zones and indoor penetration challenges that are less common in the state’s flatter, denser regions.
• Sites and density: The county has on the order of a few dozen registered towers/structures—low density for its area—so coverage is corridor-centric. Small-cell deployments are limited compared with urban Virginia.
• Backhaul: Fiber backhaul exists along major road/rail corridors; microwave backhaul serves more remote sites. Limited backhaul can cap capacity compared with fiber-rich metro markets.
• 5G bands present: Predominantly low-band 5G for coverage; mid-band 5G appears in pockets; mmWave is minimal to none—unlike parts of Northern Virginia and other metro cores.
• Public safety and resilience: FirstNet and similar public-safety coverage generally track primary corridors; off-corridor reliability is more variable due to terrain and site spacing.

Usage patterns that diverge from state-level norms

• Higher reliance on voice/SMS and basic apps among older users; younger cohorts align with statewide app/video patterns when coverage allows.
• More prepaid, budget, or MVNO plans; slower device upgrade cycles.
• Greater likelihood of using mobile hotspots as a substitute or backup where wired broadband options are limited or costly.

Notes on uncertainty and methods

• Estimates triangulate 2022–2024 public sources: U.S. Census/ACS (population, age, income, education), Pew Research (smartphone ownership by age, income, and rurality), FCC mobile coverage filings and Broadband Data Collection maps (LTE/5G availability), and typical rural carrier deployment patterns in western Virginia. They are presented as ranges due to variability by neighborhood, carrier, plan type, and rapid network upgrades.
• For planning or procurement, validate down to the address level using: FCC BDC mobile maps, carrier coverage tools, Virginia Broadband Office resources, and on-the-ground drive tests.

Alleghany County, VA social media snapshot (modeled, 2025)

Topline user stats

• Population: ~15K residents. Adults: ~12K.
• Estimated social media users: 9.5K–11.5K total (≈80–85% of adults; 65–75% of total residents).
• Mobile-first usage is dominant; Facebook Messenger is a primary communication tool.

Most‑used platforms (adult penetration; county‑level estimates modeled from national rates and Alleghany’s older age mix)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 65–70%
• Instagram: 30–40%
• TikTok: 20–30%
• Snapchat: 20–25% (higher among teens/young adults)
• Pinterest: 30–35% (skews female 25–54)
• Also used: X (Twitter) 12–18%, WhatsApp 15–20%, LinkedIn 12–18% (niche)

Age patterns

• Teens (13–17): Near‑universal YouTube; heavy Snapchat (≈70–80%) and TikTok (≈60–70%); Instagram common; few post on Facebook.
• 18–29: Daily YouTube/Instagram/Snapchat; TikTok strong; Facebook mainly for events/family.
• 30–49: Facebook is the hub (groups, school, sports, marketplace); YouTube for how‑to/entertainment; Instagram moderate; TikTok rising; Pinterest popular with parents.
• 50–64: Facebook + YouTube dominant; some Pinterest; light Instagram/TikTok (mostly viewing).
• 65+: Facebook (groups, church, community pages) and YouTube; minimal on others.

Gender tendencies

• Women: Overindex on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; strong activity in local groups, school and community updates, marketplace.
• Men: Overindex on YouTube, X, Reddit (smaller base); content skew to sports, outdoors, automotive, local news/weather.

Behavioral trends to know

• Community‑centric: Facebook Groups (neighborhoods, buy/sell/trade, school and youth sports, churches) drive much of the conversation and sharing.
• Local information loop: Weather alerts, road conditions, school announcements, local news and obituaries get high engagement.
• Events and pride: High school athletics, festivals, fairs, and “shop local” posts perform exceptionally well; photo albums and short vertical videos outperform long text.
• Practical content: DIY/home, hunting/fishing, auto repair, and recipe/crafting videos do well on YouTube and Pinterest.
• Messaging > posting: Many interactions move to Messenger; businesses often close sales via DMs after a public post.
• Timing: Engagement peaks evenings (7–10 pm) and around lunch; weekends see strong event/content sharing.
• Access realities: Pockets of slower broadband mean short, compressed video and clear captions help; cross‑posting to Facebook + Instagram covers most reachable users.

Notes on method

• Percentages are estimates derived from Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. platform adoption, adjusted for Alleghany County’s older age profile and rural usage patterns; population/age mix based on recent ACS/Census figures. Actual platform stats can vary by sub‑community and over time.