Grayson County

Grayson County, Virginia — key demographics (latest U.S. Census/ACS)

Population

• Total population: 15,333 (2020 Decennial Census)
• 2023 estimate: ~15,160 (Census Bureau Vintage 2023)

Age

• Median age: ~49 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~16%
• 18–64: ~58%
• 65 and over: ~26%

Gender

• Male: ~54%
• Female: ~46% (Note: Elevated male share is influenced by a state correctional facility located in the county)

Race and Hispanic origin (2020 Census; race alone unless noted)

• White: ~93%
• Black or African American: ~3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0–1%
• Asian: ~0–1%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2–3%
• Non-Hispanic White: ~91–92%

Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~6,500
• Average household size: ~2.2–2.3 persons
• Family households: ~62%
• Married-couple families: ~48%
• Households with children under 18: ~22%
• Households with someone 65+ living alone: ~15%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~75–80%
• Notable seasonal/occasional-use housing contributing to elevated vacancy relative to occupied units

Insights

• Small, slowly declining population with an older age profile
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White
• Household sizes are modest; family households are the majority, with high homeownership typical of rural localities

Grayson County, VA snapshot

• Population and density: ≈15,200 residents (2023 est.) across ~443 sq mi; density ≈34 people/sq mi.
• Estimated email users: ≈11,000 residents.
• Age distribution of email users (counts, percent of email users):
  • 13–17: ≈700 (6%)
  • 18–34: ≈2,200 (20%)
  • 35–64: ≈5,200 (48%)
  • 65+: ≈2,900 (26%)
• Gender split among email users: ≈51% female, 49% male.
• Digital access and trends:
  • ~75% of households subscribe to a broadband service.
  • ~8–10% are smartphone-only internet households.
  • ~15–17% report no home internet subscription.
  • Adoption trails Virginia’s average (≈85% broadband subscription) by about 10 percentage points, reflecting older age structure and rural topology.
  • Email engagement is near-universal among working-age adults and rising among seniors, aided by healthcare portals, government services, and school communications.
• Local connectivity context: Low population density and Blue Ridge terrain elevate last‑mile costs, leading to patchier fixed-broadband availability outside town centers (e.g., Independence, Fries) and along main corridors; libraries, schools, and public Wi‑Fi, plus satellite and fixed‑wireless options, help fill gaps.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Grayson County, Virginia (2025)

Snapshot and how it differs from Virginia overall

• Small, aging, rural county: about 15,300 residents spread over ~445 square miles with a substantially older age profile than Virginia. This skews mobile adoption lower and increases coverage variability due to terrain.
• Compared to the state, Grayson shows lower smartphone penetration, higher reliance on cellular data as a primary home connection in pockets without reliable wireline, and more areas limited to low-band 5G/4G LTE rather than mid-band 5G.

User estimates (model-based from Census demographics, Pew adoption rates by age/income/education, and rural adjustments)

• Residents with a mobile phone (age 12+): ~12,650
• Smartphone users (age 12+): ~11,360
• Adult smartphone penetration (18+): ~83% in Grayson vs ~90% statewide
• Any mobile phone (18+): ~93% in Grayson vs ~96% statewide
• 5G-capable device users: ~7,900 (about 70% of smartphone users), below the state share due to older device mix and lower upgrade rates

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age-driven gap: Smartphone ownership is near-universal among 18–49 (93–96%), moderate among 50–64 (85–90%), and notably lower among 65+ (~70–75%). Grayson’s higher 65+ share pulls down overall smartphone penetration compared with Virginia.
• Income and education effects: Lower median incomes and lower college-attainment rates correlate with:
  • Higher prevalence of budget/prepaid plans and older devices
  • Slightly lower app and data-intensive usage, and slower upgrade cycles to 5G handsets
• Mobile-only internet reliance: A meaningfully higher share of households use cellular as the primary or backup home internet compared with Virginia overall, reflecting patchy wired broadband. This shows up in heavier evening network loads on LTE/low-band 5G sectors near Independence, Fries, Elk Creek, and along US-58/US-21 corridors.

Digital infrastructure and coverage realities

• Terrain and density: Mountainous topography and low density yield a sparse macro-tower grid with ridge and valley shadowing. Coverage is strong along main corridors and town centers, but dead zones persist in hollows and forested areas away from highways.
• Carrier footprint:
  • Verizon and AT&T provide the broadest rural 4G LTE and low-band 5G coverage; AT&T also operates FirstNet for public safety.
  • T-Mobile coverage is present along primary roads and population centers but is thinner off-corridor.
• 5G profile:
  • Low-band 5G is the norm countywide and primarily improves coverage and capacity over LTE but not peak speeds.
  • Mid-band 5G (C-band/n41) is limited to select sites near population clusters; it is far less ubiquitous than in Virginia’s metro areas, so median mobile speeds trail the state.
• Backhaul and middle mile: Fiber backhaul is concentrated along highway rights-of-way and near town centers; many rural sites still rely on longer backhaul paths, which constrains sector capacity and raises latency during peak hours compared with urban Virginia.
• Emergency services and resiliency: NG911 is active in Virginia and public-safety coverage is prioritized, but commercial service can still degrade during severe weather or power outages at remote sites until generators or restoration crews arrive.
• Fixed wireless/home internet interplay: 4G/5G fixed wireless access is available in limited pockets and acts as a substitute where DSL/cable/fiber are absent or unreliable, contributing to higher-than-average cellular network load relative to the state.

What stands out versus the Virginia average

• Lower overall smartphone adoption and a larger base of basic/older smartphones due to age and income mix
• Greater reliance on cellular for home connectivity in unserved/underserved pockets
• Coverage that is more constrained by terrain, with broader low-band 5G but much sparser mid-band 5G, yielding lower typical speeds and more variability
• Higher share of budget/prepaid plans and slower device refresh cycles, which delays full 5G benefits relative to metro Virginia

Notes on methodology

• Population and age structure reflect recent Census/ACS estimates; device ownership rates apply Pew Research’s age- and income-based mobile adoption to local demographics, adjusted for rural context and known infrastructure constraints, then converted to county-level counts. These are point estimates suitable for planning and will differ from carrier subscriber totals.

Grayson County, VA social media snapshot (2025)

How many residents use social media

• Estimated active users: 10,000–11,000 residents use at least one platform monthly (majority adults; teen uptake is very high).
• Basis: County’s older age profile and rural location yield slightly lower adoption than national averages but high reliance on Facebook, YouTube, and Messenger.

Most‑used platforms (share of adults using each at least monthly)

• YouTube: ~78%
• Facebook: ~70%
• Facebook Messenger: ~67%
• Pinterest: ~30%
• Instagram: ~34%
• TikTok: ~26%
• Snapchat: ~22%
• X (Twitter): ~15%
• WhatsApp: ~12%
• Reddit: ~10%
• Nextdoor: ~6%

Age patterns (estimated adult reach by age cohort)

• Teens 13–17: YouTube ~95%, Snapchat ~85%, TikTok ~80%, Instagram ~72%, Facebook ~35%
• 18–29: YouTube ~92%, Instagram ~70%, Snapchat ~72%, TikTok ~63%, Facebook ~58%
• 30–49: YouTube ~88%, Facebook ~78%, Instagram ~52%, TikTok ~39%, Snapchat ~34%
• 50–64: YouTube ~80%, Facebook ~74%, Pinterest ~34%, Instagram ~28%, TikTok ~22%
• 65+: YouTube ~58%, Facebook ~56%, Pinterest ~24%, Instagram ~16%, TikTok ~11%

Gender breakdown (adult usage)

• Women vs men: Facebook 74% vs 66; Instagram 38 vs 30; TikTok 29 vs 22; Snapchat 25 vs 19; Pinterest 44 vs 15; YouTube 76 vs 80; X 12 vs 18; Reddit 7 vs 14.
• Implication: Women over‑index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; men over‑index on YouTube, X, Reddit.

Behavioral trends and local norms

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of Groups (schools, churches, events, buy/sell), Marketplace, and local alerts; event pages drive strong RSVP and share behavior.
• Video rules attention: short vertical clips (10–45 seconds) win among under‑45; how‑to and local-interest videos (4–8 minutes) perform with 45+ on YouTube.
• Messaging is conversion: Many interactions move quickly to Messenger; include phone/text contact in creatives for 50+ audiences.
• Local credibility matters: Posts from known community members, small businesses, schools, and county agencies outperform national brands; UGC and testimonials travel well across Facebook and Instagram.
• Seasonal spikes: Engagement rises around school calendars, hunting and fishing seasons, holiday bazaars, county fairs, and Grayson Highlands outdoor tourism content.
• Cross‑posting works: Instagram Reels cross‑posted to Facebook drives most reach; TikTok-native clips repurposed to Reels perform if captions are localized.
• Shopping behavior: Facebook Marketplace is the default for secondhand goods and local services; Pinterest and Facebook jointly influence home, crafts, recipes.
• Timing: Highest engagement evenings (7–10 pm) and early mornings (6–8 am); weekend posting carries above‑average interaction, especially Saturday mornings.
• Access realities: Mobile‑first consumption; keep files lightweight for variable rural broadband and prioritize clear visuals, subtitles, and phone numbers.

Notes on methodology

• Figures are small‑area estimates for Grayson County built from the county’s older age structure (ACS) and 2024–2025 national platform adoption by age/gender (Pew Research Center), with rural adjustments observed in Pew’s urban–suburban–rural splits. They reflect monthly active usage, not daily frequency.