Colonial Heights Cit County

Key demographics — Colonial Heights city (county-equivalent), Virginia

Population

• 18,170 (2020 Decennial Census)
• ~18.3k (2023 Census estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~40 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~21%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Gender

• Female: ~53%
• Male: ~47% (ACS 2018–2022)

Race/ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022; mutually exclusive where noted)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~65%
• Black or African American: ~23%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~8%
• Asian: ~2%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~5%
• Other (AIAN, NHPI, etc., non-Hispanic): <1%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~7,700
• Average household size: ~2.33
• Family households: ~60% of households
• Housing tenure: ~64% owner-occupied, ~36% renter-occupied

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; 2023 Population Estimates Program). Figures rounded.

Colonial Heights (independent city), VA — estimated email landscape

• Population baseline: ≈18.2k residents; density ≈2,300/sq mi over ~8 sq mi.
• Estimated email users: ≈14k residents (assumes ~92% of adults and ~65% of ages 13–17 use email).
• Age mix of email users (approx.):
  • 13–17: ~0.6–0.7k
  • 18–29: ~2.5–2.7k
  • 30–49: ~4.4–4.8k
  • 50–64: ~2.7–3.0k
  • 65+: ~2.7–3.0k
• Gender split among users: roughly mirrors population (≈53% female, 47% male); email adoption shows minimal gender differences.
• Digital access and connectivity:
  • Household broadband subscription is high for urban Virginia (≈85–90% of households); >90% have a computer/smartphone.
  • Mix of cable and telco broadband plus widespread 4G/5G; fixed wireless available in parts of the city.
  • Public access points (library, schools, municipal buildings) supplement access for lower-income and senior households.
  • Small geographic footprint and I‑95 corridor location support strong network coverage and competitive provider presence.
• Trend notes: Mobile-only internet use is rising; seniors’ email adoption continues to grow, narrowing the gap with younger adults.

Method: City ACS population/household-internet benchmarks combined with Pew-style U.S. email adoption rates; figures are directional estimates.

Below is a concise, model-based snapshot of mobile phone usage in Colonial Heights (independent city), Virginia. Because carrier and usage data are rarely published at city level, figures are presented as reasonable estimates derived by blending local demographics (ACS), statewide/national adoption patterns (Pew, NHIS), and known network rollouts (FCC/industry reports). Ranges reflect uncertainty.

Executive estimate

• Population context: ~18–19k residents; adult share ~77–79%.
• Smartphone users: roughly 13.5k–15k residents (about 88–92% of adults; ~95% of teens).
• Mobile-only households (cellular data as primary/only home internet): about 10–13% locally, likely above Virginia’s average (~7–9%).
• Prepaid/MVNO share of lines: materially higher than the Virginia average (local ~30–40% vs VA ~22–27%), reflecting income mix and renter share.
• 5G fixed wireless availability (Verizon/T-Mobile Home Internet): widely available; adoption estimated 8–12% of households, above statewide (5–7%), driven by good mid-band 5G coverage and price sensitivity.

Demographic breakdown (modeled)

• Age
  • 18–34: very high smartphone adoption (~95–97%); heavier app/social/video use; above-state propensity for mobile-only internet.
  • 35–64: high adoption (~90–93%); strong multi-line family plans; mix of postpaid and prepaid.
  • 65+: lower adoption (~75–80%) than the state’s urban average; more voice/SMS-centric usage and larger screen devices. This slightly pulls down citywide penetration versus Northern Virginia.
• Income and housing
  • Under $50k and renters: higher reliance on prepaid/MVNO and mobile-only home internet; more Android devices; greater use of hotspotting.
  • $50–100k: mainstream postpaid with some premium plans; growing 5G fixed wireless as a cable alternative.
  • $100k+: device bundling and premium postpaid; iOS skew; in-home Wi‑Fi remains primary.
• Race/ethnicity (contextual, not causal)
  • City composition is majority White with sizable Black and smaller Hispanic communities. In line with national patterns, Black and Hispanic households are more likely to be mobile-only for home internet; that dynamic likely contributes to the city’s above-state mobile-only share.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carriers and 5G
  • All three nationals (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) provide full 4G LTE and broad 5G in the Richmond–Petersburg corridor, including Colonial Heights. Mid-band 5G (T‑Mobile n41; Verizon/AT&T C‑band) has been active since 2022–2024, supporting 100–400 Mbps class speeds where signal is strong.
  • Fixed wireless (5G Home Internet) eligibility is common across the city due to mid-band overlays.
• Sites and capacity
  • Multiple macro sites serve the ~7–8 sq mi city area and adjacent corridors (I‑95/US‑1), supplemented by rooftop and small cells in retail/commercial zones (e.g., Southpark area, Boulevard).
  • Peak-load zones: I‑95 and retail districts (evenings/weekends); capacity generally adequate but can see event-time slowdowns.
• Noted constraints
  • Indoor attenuation in older masonry/large retail buildings; occasional river-adjacent or low-lying pocket coverage variability.
  • In-building boosters and Wi‑Fi calling mitigate most indoor gaps.
• Public/digital assets
  • Libraries/schools and retail centers offer Wi‑Fi offload; municipal structures and utility poles are commonly used for small-cell siting under standard permits.

How Colonial Heights differs from Virginia overall

• Higher reliance on mobile as primary internet
  • Mobile-only households and 5G fixed wireless adoption run above the state average, driven by solid mid-band coverage and cost-sensitive segments substituting away from cable.
• Plan mix skews more prepaid/MVNO than Virginia’s average
  • Income and renter mix lift prepaid share above the statewide norm.
• Network experience closer to urban corridors, not rural Virginia
  • 5G coverage depth and speeds are closer to Richmond metro benchmarks and markedly better than rural Appalachian/Eastern Shore areas.
• Slight drag from older age and lower BA+ share vs NOVA
  • Overall smartphone penetration is a touch below statewide urban centers (especially Northern Virginia) due to a larger 65+ cohort and lower bachelor’s attainment, though the nearby military workforce and younger renters offset some of that gap.
• Daytime demand pattern is retail/highway-driven
  • Traffic hotspots align with I‑95 and shopping districts, unlike state patterns dominated by NOVA commuter cores or rural dispersion.

Method notes (brief)

• Population and demographics: ACS 1‑year/5‑year profiles for Colonial Heights city.
• Adoption rates: Pew Research (smartphone ownership by age/income/education), NHIS (wireless-only households), ACS S2801 (computer/internet subscription types) used as anchors, then adjusted to local age/income mix.
• Infrastructure: FCC broadband/coverage maps and publicly reported C‑band/n41 deployments in the Richmond–Petersburg area inform availability assumptions.

Below is a concise, best-available estimate for Colonial Heights, VA (independent city; pop. ~18.2k). Figures are modeled from U.S./Virginia benchmarks (Pew Research Center 2024; U.S. Census) applied to the local population. Treat as directional, not exact.

Headline user stats

• Estimated social media users (13+): ~12.5k–13.0k residents
• Daily active users: ~8.5k–9.5k
• Adult base (18+): ~14.0k–14.5k; ~80–85% use at least one social platform
• Teens (13–17): ~1.1k; large majority use at least one platform

Most‑used platforms (adults, share of adults; approximate local counts)

• YouTube: 80–85% (11.3k–12.0k)
• Facebook: 65–70% (9.2k–9.9k)
• Instagram: 45–50% (6.3k–7.1k)
• Pinterest: 32–37% (4.5k–5.3k)
• TikTok: 30–35% (4.3k–5.0k)
• Snapchat: 28–32% (4.0k–4.5k)
• LinkedIn: 28–32% (4.0k–4.5k)
• X (Twitter): 20–25% (2.8k–3.6k)

Age-group patterns

• 13–17: Heavy on YouTube; strong TikTok and Snapchat; Instagram common; Facebook limited. Prefers short vertical video and private messaging over public posting.
• 18–29: Very high on Instagram, YouTube; strong TikTok/Snapchat; Facebook mainly for events/groups and Marketplace.
• 30–49: Facebook + YouTube dominant; Instagram growing; TikTok moderate. Uses groups, school/league updates, local deals.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube lead; lighter Instagram/TikTok use; follows city updates, local businesses, churches.
• 65+: Facebook primary; YouTube for tutorials, services, and church streams.

Gender breakdown (directional skews)

• Facebook, Instagram, TikTok: slight female tilt
• Pinterest: strongly female
• YouTube: slight male tilt
• X (Twitter), Reddit: male-leaning
• Overall user base likely ~52% female, ~48% male (reflecting local demographics)

Behavioral trends observed in small Virginia cities like Colonial Heights

• Hyperlocal Facebook groups: community news, lost/found pets, school/sports updates, road/work alerts, and event coordination.
• Marketplace: high engagement for buy/sell/trade, furniture, vehicles, and yard sales.
• Local business discovery: restaurants, boutiques, and services post promos to Facebook/Instagram; short-form video and Stories/Reels perform best.
• Civic info: city notices, parks & rec, public safety, weather/storm updates; some neighborhood chatter on Nextdoor.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is a primary customer-service channel; group chats coordinate youth sports and church activities.
• Time-of-day peaks: evenings (7–10 pm) and lunchtime; weekend mornings for Marketplace and events.

Sources and method

• U.S. Census (population and age structure) and Pew Research Center (2024 social media adoption by platform/age). Local figures are proportionally scaled estimates. For precise local metrics, supplement with platform ad tools, geofenced engagement stats, and community group analytics.