Campbell County

Campbell County, Virginia — key demographics

Population size

• 55,696 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age

• Median age: ~43.6 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~21.5%
• 65 and over: ~19.9%

Gender

• Female: ~50.8%
• Male: ~49.2% (ACS 2018–2022)

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2018–2022)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~76–77%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~15–16%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3–4%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~2–3%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: ~0.5–1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~0.3%
• Other (incl. NHOPI, some other race): <1%

Household data (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~22,000
• Average household size: ~2.49
• Family households: ~67% (married-couple families ~51%)
• Households with children under 18: ~27%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~77%
• Median household income: ~$61,000 (2022 dollars)
• Persons below poverty level: ~11–12%

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

Campbell County, VA snapshot (estimates; ACS/Pew/FCC 2023–2024):

• Population/density: ~55,000 residents; ~110 people per sq. mile (moderate, suburban–rural mix).
• Estimated email users: ~36,000–41,000 residents (primarily adults), based on adult population and high email adoption among internet users.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 18–34: ~24%
  • 35–54: ~34%
  • 55–64: ~18%
  • 65+: ~24% (senior adoption strong but slightly below younger adults)
• Gender split among users: ~51% female, ~49% male (mirrors county demographics; email use is similar by gender).
• Digital access trends:
  • ~80–85% of households have a broadband subscription; remaining households often rely on mobile data or have limited/no home internet.
  • Fixed broadband (cable/fiber) strongest in and around population centers; outlying areas more likely to use DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite.
  • Smartphone-only internet households are a notable minority (~15–20%), influencing mobile-first email use.
  • Public library branches and community sites provide free Wi‑Fi/computers; 4G/5G coverage is best along major corridors, with patchier service in rural tracts.

Overall: Email is widely used across ages, with slightly lower uptake among the oldest residents and in the least-connected rural areas.

Below is a practical, county-focused snapshot compiled from ACS computer/internet-use data (2019–2023, 5‑year), FCC broadband/mobile mapping through 2024, and national smartphone-adoption research (Pew). Because county-level mobile metrics are not all directly published, some figures are conservative estimates calibrated to rural counties with similar profiles. The emphasis is on how Campbell County differs from Virginia overall.

Headline estimates (Campbell County)

• Population and households: ~55,000 people; ~21,000–22,000 households.
• Adults with a smartphone: ~83–87% of adults (≈36,000–38,000 people). Virginia overall: ~89–92%.
• Any mobile phone (smartphone or basic): ~93–96% of adults. Virginia overall: ~96–98%.
• Households with at least one smartphone: ~85–90% (≈18,000–20,000 households). Virginia overall: ~90–94%.
• Mobile-only home internet (households that rely mainly or exclusively on cellular data rather than fixed broadband): ~12–18% (≈2,600–3,800 households). Virginia overall: ~8–12%.
• Prepaid/MVNO share of mobile lines: meaningfully higher than state average (by ~4–6 percentage points), reflecting price sensitivity and patchy fixed-broadband alternatives.

Demographic and geographic patterns

• Age:
  • 18–44: very high smartphone use (≈95–98%), similar to state.
  • 45–64: slightly lower than state (≈85–90%).
  • 65+: noticeably lower than state (≈65–75% vs. Virginia often ~75–80%); more basic-phone retention and shared devices.
• Income:
  • Under $35k: highest mobile-only internet reliance (≈25–35% of households in this bracket).
  • $35k–$75k: moderate mobile-only reliance (≈12–20%).
  • $75k+: low mobile-only reliance (typically <10%).
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Black and Hispanic households show higher odds of mobile-only internet than White households, mirroring national patterns; the gap is wider than the Virginia average because fixed options are sparser away from Lynchburg-adjacent areas.
• Housing tenure:
  • Renters are more mobile-dependent than owners (double-digit percentage-point gap), amplified in Altavista, Brookneal, and scattered rural rentals.
• Within-county geography:
  • Best capacity and 5G coverage: Timberlake/Concord areas near Lynchburg and along US‑29/US‑460 corridors.
  • Variable/spotty coverage: Altavista, Evington, Brookneal, southern and southeastern stretches near the Staunton River and more wooded, hilly terrain.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Macro sites and spectrum:
  • Tower grid is rural-spaced (multi-mile inter-site distances). Coverage is generally solid outdoors for 4G LTE, but capacity and indoor penetration vary.
  • Low-band 5G (AT&T/Verizon 850/700 MHz; T‑Mobile 600/700 MHz) covers most populated corridors; good for coverage, modest for speed.
  • Mid-band 5G (T‑Mobile 2.5 GHz; Verizon/AT&T C‑band) is concentrated near Lynchburg spillover and highway corridors; much less pervasive than in Virginia metros.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA) via 5G or LTE:
  • Available around Timberlake/Concord and some US‑29/US‑460 segments; limited away from corridors due to mid-band gaps and backhaul constraints.
• Backhaul and fiber:
  • Robust fiber backbones follow the highway and utility routes that touch Lynchburg; off-corridor sites depend more on microwave or legacy copper, capping peak cell capacity in outlying areas.
  • Fiber-to-the-home availability is improving but still well below metro Virginia; where fiber is absent, households lean more on mobile or satellite.
• Competition:
  • All three national carriers operate, but practical carrier choice varies by micro-location and indoor signal. T‑Mobile often leads mid-band 5G footprint; Verizon/AT&T stronger for low-band reach and FirstNet (AT&T) public-safety coverage.
• Public safety and resiliency:
  • NextGen 9‑1‑1 and FirstNet coverage are in place at the regional level; rural power/transport outages can still impact mobile reliability more than in urban Virginia because of fewer overlapping sites and longer restoration times.

How Campbell County differs from Virginia overall (key trends)

• Higher mobile-only reliance: A larger share of households depend on cellular data for home internet, driven by patchy fiber/competitive cable outside the Lynchburg orbit and price sensitivity.
• Lower mid-band 5G density: 5G is present but skews to low-band coverage; sustained mid-band capacity is rarer than in NOVA, Richmond, or Hampton Roads.
• More variability by micro-location: Indoor coverage and peak speeds swing more by street and terrain than typical in Virginia’s urban counties.
• Older-user gap: The 65+ smartphone-adoption gap vs. Virginia is wider, contributing to more shared-device and basic-phone usage.
• Higher prepaid/MVNO uptake: Budget plans are more common than the state average; this, plus the end of ACP subsidies in 2024, has nudged some households toward mobile-only service tiers.

Implications for planners and providers

• Targeted mid-band infill (especially along south/east corridors and town centers like Altavista and Brookneal) would yield outsized user-experience gains.
• Expanding fiber backhaul to rural macro sites would unlock existing spectrum potential and stabilize FWA performance.
• Senior-focused device adoption and digital literacy programs could move the 65+ cohort closer to state norms.
• Post-ACP affordability pressure likely sustains higher prepaid and mobile-only demand unless offset by local low-cost fixed tiers.

Below is a concise, best-available snapshot. County-level social media stats aren’t directly published, so figures are estimated from U.S./Virginia usage patterns (Pew Research 2024; DataReportal/Insider Intelligence 2024) scaled to Campbell County’s population (~55–56k; ACS) and a rural/suburban profile.

Overall usage

• Estimated social media users: 36k–40k residents (about 65–72% of total population; ~80%+ of 13+).
• Adult vs teen: Adults account for ~90% of users; teens 13–17 are high adopters but a smaller share of the population.
• Gender among users: ≈52% female, 48% male overall (Facebook/Instagram/TikTok skew slightly female; YouTube is balanced).

Age patterns (share using social media)

• 13–17: 90–95% use; heavy on YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat; Instagram rising; Facebook minimal.
• 18–29: 92–95% use; Instagram, TikTok, YouTube dominant; Snapchat common; Facebook mainly for groups/marketplace.
• 30–49: 85–90% use; Facebook and YouTube lead; Instagram solid; TikTok growing.
• 50–64: 70–78% use; Facebook and YouTube core; Pinterest notable among women; some Instagram use.
• 65+: 50–60% use; Facebook and YouTube primarily; lighter use elsewhere.

Most-used platforms (share of local social media users; rough ranges)

• YouTube: 80–85% (≈30–34k users)
• Facebook: 65–70% (≈24–28k)
• Instagram: 40–50% (≈15–20k)
• TikTok: 30–40% (≈11–15k)
• Pinterest: 25–35% (≈9–12k; female skew)
• Snapchat: 20–30% (≈7–11k; concentrated under 30)
• X (Twitter): 18–25% (≈7–9k; news/sports niche)
• LinkedIn: 15–20% (≈6–8k; smaller white-collar cluster)
• WhatsApp: 10–20% (≈4–7k; family/intl ties)
• Nextdoor: 5–10% in denser neighborhoods (e.g., Timberlake area); low county-wide.

Behavioral trends

• Facebook Groups + Marketplace are central: school updates (Rustburg/Altavista/Brookneal), church and civic events, yard sales, local services, lost-and-found pets, emergency/weather updates. Marketplace drives high engagement for vehicles, equipment, furniture, and farm/outdoor goods.
• Short-form video is surging: Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts featuring local eateries, high school sports, hunting/fishing/outdoor content, DIY/home services perform well.
• Local news and alerts: Residents often follow county/municipal pages, Sheriff/Fire/EMS, VDOT updates, and Lynchburg-area news outlets; sharing peaks during storms, closures, and community issues.
• Messaging for commerce: Facebook Messenger and Instagram DMs are common for quotes, appointments, and quick questions to small businesses.
• Time-of-day usage: Spikes around early morning (6–8 a.m.), lunch (11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.), and evenings (7–10 p.m.); weekends strong for events and Marketplace.
• Demographic splits:
  • Under 30: TikTok/Snapchat/Instagram for daily content; Facebook mostly for groups/events.
  • 30–49: Cross-platform; Facebook for community, Instagram for brands/family, YouTube for how-to and entertainment.
  • 50+: Facebook first, YouTube second; Pinterest notable for recipes, crafts, home projects.
• Ad responsiveness: Value-oriented offers (seasonal home/auto services, local dining specials, outdoor/recreation, family activities) and clear calls-to-action perform best. Testimonials and locally recognizable faces/landmarks help.
• Community ethos: High engagement with church, school, youth sports, and volunteer/nonprofit causes; event RSVPs and shares are common on Facebook.

Notes on methodology

• Estimates blend national/state platform penetration with rural-adjusted adoption patterns and Campbell County demographics. For precise campaign planning, verify with platform ad tools (location-based reach), local page/group member counts, and first-party analytics.