Bedford County

Here are key demographics for Bedford County, Virginia.

Population

• 2023 estimate: ~82,600 (U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program)
• 2020 Census: ~79,500

Age and sex (ACS 2018–2022, 5-year)

• Median age: ~46.7 years
• Under 18: ~20–21%
• 18 to 64: ~58–59%
• 65 and over: ~21–22%
• Female: ~50–51%; Male: ~49–50%

Race/ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022, 5-year)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~87%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~6–7%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2–3%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~2%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: ~1%
• Other (including American Indian/Alaska Native, NHPI): ~1%

Households (ACS 2018–2022, 5-year)

• Total households: ~31,000–32,000
• Average household size: ~2.45–2.50
• Family households: ~70–73% of households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~80–82%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (2023); American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates. Figures are rounded; ACS values include sampling error.

Bedford County, VA email usage (estimates)

• Estimated email users: 60,000–66,000 residents (primarily ages 13+), derived from county population (80k) and Pew-reported adoption rates among U.S. adults.
• Age distribution (share using email; applying Pew rates to local ages):
  • 18–29: ~95%
  • 30–49: ~95–97%
  • 50–64: ~90–93%
  • 65+: ~80–88%
• Gender split: Near parity; men and women both ~90%+, so users are roughly 50/50.
• Digital access trends (ACS-based, 2018–2022 5‑yr patterns for similar rural/suburban VA counties):
  • Households with a computer: ~90–93%
  • Households with a broadband subscription: ~82–86%
  • Smartphone‑only internet households: ~12–18% (growing)
  • Fixed broadband availability improving via state-funded fiber builds; highest speeds in and around the Town of Bedford/Forest and Smith Mountain Lake communities; rural western/mountain areas remain more variable.
• Local density/connectivity context:
  • Population density roughly 100–110 people per square mile across ~750 sq mi; dispersed settlement and terrain increase last‑mile costs, contributing to uneven service quality outside denser corridors (e.g., US‑460).

Notes: Figures are rounded estimates using ACS broadband access and Pew email adoption benchmarks applied to Bedford County’s size and older‑leaning age profile.

Mobile phone usage in Bedford County, Virginia — with emphasis on how it differs from statewide patterns

Summary and user estimates

• Population baseline: roughly 80–82k residents; about 62–64k adults (18+).
• Smartphone users (estimate): 51–54k adults (about 80–85% of adults). This is a few points below Virginia overall, which is closer to the mid-to-upper 80s.
• Any mobile phone users (smartphone or basic): 57–60k adults (roughly 90–94%).
• Mobile-only internet households: 15–18% of households likely rely primarily on mobile data or fixed wireless instead of wired broadband, several points higher than Virginia’s average.

Demographic breakdown shaping usage

• Age: Bedford County skews older (roughly 22–24% age 65+ vs ~17% statewide). Senior smartphone adoption is correspondingly lower (about 70–75% locally vs upper-70s to ~80% statewide), pulling down the county’s overall rate.
• Income and plan type: Median household income trails the state average, which correlates with:
  • Higher use of prepaid/MVNO plans and budget Android devices.
  • Longer device upgrade cycles (e.g., keeping phones 3–4 years vs ~2–3 years in metro Virginia).
• Education/occupation mix: A larger share of trades, logistics, and service jobs means heavier reliance on voice/SMS and push-to-talk–like workflows during the day, and more hotspot use for after-hours connectivity where home broadband is weak.
• Commuting patterns: Many residents commute toward Lynchburg and Roanoke. Daytime device density shifts east/west along US 460 and US 221; evening and weekend loads rise around Smith Mountain Lake and suburban Forest—patterns more pronounced than in statewide averages.

Digital infrastructure and coverage (mobile and backhaul)

• Terrain effects: The Blue Ridge foothills and lake coves create shadowed areas. Coverage is strong along highways and town centers (Bedford, Forest, Moneta) but spottier in western uplands and some shoreline pockets—more variability than typical for Virginia’s metro/suburban counties.
• 4G LTE: Generally good near corridors and population centers; rural interior depends on fewer macro sites with larger cells, so indoor performance can drop.
• 5G:
  • Low-band 5G covers most traveled areas.
  • Mid-band 5G (C-band/2.5 GHz) is concentrated along US 460 (Bedford–Forest corridor) and near denser neighborhoods; reach into interior rural areas remains limited compared with state averages.
  • mmWave is negligible.
• Carriers:
  • Verizon and AT&T tend to have the most consistent rural coverage; T-Mobile’s 600 MHz helps along corridors but remains more variable indoors in valleys.
  • FirstNet (AT&T) presence supports public safety; recent buildouts have improved coverage along major routes and near schools, but gaps persist off-corridor.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA): Availability from T-Mobile is broad; Verizon 5G Home appears where C-band is active (not countywide). Adoption is higher than the Virginia average in neighborhoods lacking cable/fiber.
• Wired backhaul context:
  • Cable broadband is common in the eastern, more suburban parts (e.g., Forest), supporting stronger mobile backhaul and capacity there.
  • Electric co-op and incumbent expansions are adding pockets of new fiber, but legacy DSL remains in parts of the interior. Where fiber backhaul is thin, sector congestion and slower peak-hour mobile speeds are more evident than in urban Virginia.

Behavioral and market signals

• Data usage growth is driven by video, telehealth, and hotspots for homework in DSL-limited areas; seasonal surges occur around Smith Mountain Lake.
• Text and voice remain comparatively important among older users and field workers.
• Slightly higher Android share and prepaid/MVNO penetration than Virginia overall; eSIM adoption lags due to device mix.

How Bedford County differs from Virginia overall

• Lower overall and senior smartphone adoption, tied to older age structure and rural settlement.
• Greater reliance on mobile-only or FWA for home internet where wired choices are limited.
• More coverage variability due to topography; performance drops off faster away from corridors than in most Virginia metros.
• Mid-band 5G is more “corridor-centric,” with slower expansion into lightly populated areas.
• Higher prevalence of prepaid plans, longer device replacement cycles, and slightly higher Android share.
• Commute-driven demand patterns (US 460/US 221) and weekend lake tourism produce sharper temporal and geographic traffic swings than the statewide norm.

Notes on method and sources

• Estimates triangulate 2020–2023 Census/ACS population and age structure, Pew Research smartphone adoption by age/rural status, FCC mobile coverage and broadband availability data, and publicly available carrier coverage disclosures. Because carrier footprints and local buildouts change rapidly, exact tower counts and 5G footprints should be validated against the latest FCC maps and carrier maps before making site-specific decisions.

Below is a concise, planning-grade snapshot for Bedford County, VA. Note: platform-verified, county-level stats aren’t publicly reported; figures are estimates calibrated from Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. averages, Virginia/rural-suburban patterns, and Bedford’s older-than-average age profile.

Headline user stats

• Estimated adult social media users: 45,000–50,000 (roughly 70–78% of adults)
• Household pattern: strong Facebook + YouTube core; younger cohorts add Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok; Pinterest meaningful among women; LinkedIn/X niche

Most-used platforms (estimated share of Bedford County adults)

• YouTube: 75–85%
• Facebook: 65–75%
• Instagram: 30–40%
• Pinterest: 25–35% (skews female)
• TikTok: 20–30% (younger skew)
• Snapchat: 12–20% (teens/20s)
• LinkedIn: 15–25% (professionals/commuters)
• X (Twitter): 15–20% (news/sports/politics)
• Reddit: 10–15% (younger males, hobby forums)
• Neighborhood apps (e.g., Nextdoor/Facebook Groups): low-teens usage overall, higher in HOA/lake communities

Age-group usage profile (share using each platform within the age band; local estimates)

• Ages 13–17: YouTube 90%+, Snapchat 70–80%, Instagram 65–75%, TikTok 60–70%, Facebook ~30%
• Ages 18–29: YouTube 90%+, Instagram 70–80%, Snapchat 55–70%, TikTok 55–65%, Facebook 45–60%
• Ages 30–49: YouTube ~85–90%, Facebook 65–80%, Instagram 45–60%, TikTok 30–45%, Snapchat 25–40%, LinkedIn ~25–35%
• Ages 50–64: Facebook 65–75%, YouTube 75–85%, Instagram 30–45%, Pinterest 30–40%, TikTok 15–25%
• Ages 65+: Facebook 45–60%, YouTube 45–55%, Pinterest 15–25%, Instagram 10–20%, TikTok <15%

Gender notes (directional)

• Women: over-index on Facebook and especially Pinterest; solid Instagram use among under-50 women; strong engagement with local groups, schools, churches, events, and Marketplace
• Men: over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X; hobby/DIY, outdoor, sports, and tech content perform well

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first: Facebook Groups, Pages, and Events drive discovery for churches, schools, youth sports, local government, and Smith Mountain Lake activities. Marketplace is a top local commerce channel.
• Video matters: YouTube and short-form (Reels/TikTok) earn strong watch time for DIY, home services, outdoor recreation, and local food/features.
• Trust and news: Many older residents follow official pages (county, sheriff, VDOT/local news) on Facebook and watch explainer/news clips on YouTube.
• Messaging funnels: Facebook Messenger is the default DM channel for service inquiries and appointment requests; WhatsApp use is modest.
• Seasonality: Spikes around back-to-school, holidays, and lake/tourism season (spring–late summer). Event content and weekend plans perform best Thu–Sun.
• Posting cadence and timing: Evenings (6–9 pm) and early mornings (6–8 am) see higher engagement; 3–5 posts/week on Facebook and 2–3 Reels/shorts/week typically sustain reach without fatigue.
• Creative that works: Local faces, before/after, testimonials, community tie-ins, giveaways to local venues, and clear calls to message or call. Cross-post Reels to Facebook and Instagram to maximize reach.

Use notes

• Consider hyperlocal targeting by ZIPs (Forest, Moneta/SML, Stewartsville, Goodview) for events and services.
• For recruitment/B2B, pair Facebook with LinkedIn; for youth programs, pair Facebook Events with Instagram/Snapchat.
• Treat the percentages as planning benchmarks; refine with page insights, ad manager data, and UTM tracking within 4–6 weeks of campaigns.

Sources: Pew Research Center (2024 Social Media Use in the U.S.), DataReportal 2024, and Virginia/rural-suburban adoption patterns; adapted to Bedford County’s demographics.