Henry County

Key demographics — Henry County, Virginia

Population size

• 50,948 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age

• Median age: 46.6 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: 20.2%
• 18–64: 57.4%
• 65 and over: 22.4%

Gender

• Female: 51.8%
• Male: 48.2% (ACS 2018–2022)

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2018–2022)

• White, non-Hispanic: 67.5%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: 21.9%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): 7.6%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: 2.1%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: 0.6%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: 0.3%
• Other (incl. NHPI), non-Hispanic: ~0.1%

Household data (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~21,200
• Average household size: 2.34
• Family households: ~65% of households
• Married-couple families: ~48% of households
• Homeownership rate: ~74% (owner-occupied share)
• Median household income: ~$49,700
• Poverty rate (persons): ~16%

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

• Population base: Henry County, VA has ~50.6K residents (ACS 2023 est.); ~40.5K are adults (18+).
• Estimated email users: ~36.7K adults (applying ~92% U.S. adult email adoption).

Age distribution of email users (est.):

• 18–34: ~9.1K of ~9.6K (95%)
• 35–54: ~11.3K of ~12.1K (93%)
• 55–64: ~5.9K of ~6.6K (90%)
• 65+: ~10.3K of ~12.1K (85%)

Gender split:

• Population is ~51.8% female, 48.2% male; email usage is nearly identical by gender, yielding ~19.0K female and ~17.7K male users.

Digital access and connectivity:

• 22K households; ~77% have a broadband subscription (17K). ~86% have a computer; ~16–18% are smartphone‑only for internet.
• Availability is broad but uneven: most addresses have ≥100/20 Mbps options, with rural tracts showing slower speeds and higher mobile reliance.
• Population density is ~133 people/sq mi (well below Virginia’s average), which correlates with lower wired‑broadband adoption and a higher share of mobile‑only households.
• Trend: Email remains the default credential for services; usage is near‑universal among working‑age adults and rising among seniors as ongoing fiber builds improve access.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Henry County, Virginia (2024)

Topline estimates

• Population baseline: ~50,000 residents; ~40,000 adults.
• Residents with a mobile phone (any type): ~42,000–44,000 (84–88% penetration), below Virginia’s ~92–95%.
• Smartphone users: ~35,000–38,000 (70–76% of residents; roughly 82–86% of adults), vs Virginia at ~80–86% of residents.
• Smartphone-only home internet (households relying on cellular data and not subscribing to fixed internet): ~19–24% of households, notably higher than Virginia’s ~11–13%.
• Prepaid plan share: ~32–38% of mobile lines, higher than Virginia’s ~20–25%, reflecting income and credit differences.
• Device mix: Android share materially higher than the state average; iOS share materially lower (rural and prepaid tilt).

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age
  • 18–34: smartphone adoption ~94–96% (near parity with Virginia).
  • 35–64: ~85–89% (a few points below Virginia).
  • 65+: ~60–68% (well below Virginia’s ~75–80%); this age structure pulls down the county’s overall rate.
• Income and education
  • Under $35k household income: smartphone-only internet reliance ~30–35% (state ~18–22%).
  • High school or less: smartphone-only ~26–32%, above bachelor’s+ at ~10–15%.
• Race/ethnicity
  • Overall smartphone adoption is broadly similar across groups, but smartphone-only internet reliance is higher among Black and Hispanic residents than among White residents, mirroring statewide gaps yet at higher county levels.
• Household structure
  • Single-adult and renter households are more likely to be mobile-only for internet, contributing to higher cellular data dependence than the Virginia average.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Network availability
  • 4G LTE: population coverage ~97–99%; near-universal in populated tracts.
  • 5G (sub‑6 GHz): population coverage ~75–85%, concentrated around Martinsville, Collinsville, and along US‑220/US‑58 corridors; pockets of LTE‑only coverage persist in outlying areas.
  • Mid‑band 5G (n41/c‑band) is present along primary corridors and commercial zones; performance outside these zones falls back to LTE or low‑band 5G.
• Carriers and services
  • AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon all operate in the county; multiple MVNOs available.
  • Public safety broadband (AT&T FirstNet, Verizon Frontline) covers primary corridors and population centers.
• Performance characteristics
  • Typical outdoor LTE speeds range from low‑teens to ~40 Mbps in rural tracts; mid‑band 5G areas commonly exceed 100 Mbps.
  • Indoor coverage gaps are more common in low‑density fringe areas and along river valleys; residents report greater reliance on Wi‑Fi calling and signal boosters than the state average.
• Backhaul and middle‑mile
  • Fiber backhaul is in place along main transportation corridors and in industrial parks, supporting continued 5G upgrades; however, spacing of macro sites and terrain limit uniform 5G depth compared with Virginia’s metro counties.

Trends distinct from the Virginia state pattern

• Adoption gap at older ages: Henry County’s older age profile and lower senior adoption create a 7–10 point gap in overall smartphone penetration versus the state.
• Higher mobile-only dependence: Smartphone‑only home internet is ~1.5–2x the statewide share, elevating per‑line cellular data usage and sensitivity to network congestion.
• Plan economics: A larger prepaid segment and greater Android share reflect cost‑optimization behaviors not as prevalent statewide.
• 5G rollout lag: While 5G covers most population centers, the county trails Virginia’s metro areas in mid‑band 5G depth and indoor reliability, with more LTE‑only pockets in rural tracts.
• Digital resiliency: Greater reliance on mobile service for primary internet makes coverage gaps more consequential locally than in the state’s urban/suburban markets with robust fixed broadband.

Implications

• Mobile is a critical access path for internet in Henry County; improvements in 5G mid‑band reach and in‑building coverage will disproportionately benefit low‑income, senior, and renter households.
• Network investments that extend mid‑band 5G beyond highway corridors, plus targeted small cells in dense neighborhoods and public venues, would narrow the county–state performance gap.
• Affordability programs and MVNO offerings have outsized impact locally due to the higher prepaid and smartphone‑only reliance.

Henry County, VA social media snapshot (2025) Scope and method: Modeled, county-specific estimates using Henry County population (~50,100), age mix from recent ACS, and platform adoption rates from Pew Research Center (2023–2024) and major ad platforms (as of 2024). Figures refer to residents ages 13+ unless noted.

Overall usage

• Estimated social media users (13+): ~33,500 (≈71% of residents 13+; ≈67% of total population)
• Daily use: ~65–70% of local social users are daily users across one or more platforms (aligned with national daily-use rates)

Age composition of social media users

• 13–17: ~8%
• 18–29: ~18%
• 30–49: ~32%
• 50–64: ~25%
• 65+: ~18%

Gender breakdown (social users)

• Women ~53%
• Men ~47% Notes: Women skew higher on Facebook and Pinterest; men skew higher on YouTube, X, and Reddit.

Most-used platforms (share of residents 13+)

• YouTube: ~78%
• Facebook: ~66%
• Facebook Messenger: ~48%
• Instagram: ~41%
• Pinterest: ~30%
• TikTok: ~29%
• Snapchat: ~22%
• X (Twitter): ~16% Also used: LinkedIn ~17%, WhatsApp ~12%, Reddit ~11%, Nextdoor ~8%

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Community-first on Facebook: High engagement with local Groups (schools, church, youth sports, yard sale/Marketplace, weather/road conditions). Photo posts, short native videos, live streams of events, and simple flyers perform best.
• Local commerce: Facebook Marketplace is a core behavior for buying/selling vehicles, tools, furniture, and farm/yard items; mid-day weekday and weekend morning browsing spikes.
• Video-led consumption: YouTube is the default for how-to, repair, hunting/fishing, and local sports highlights; strong connected-TV viewing in the evening.
• Youth split attention: Teens and 18–24s concentrate on TikTok and Snapchat for socializing and short-form entertainment; Instagram for Reels, Stories, and DMs.
• Women 25–54: Heavy Pinterest (home, recipes, DIY, seasonal), Instagram (local boutiques, salons, fitness), and Facebook Groups.
• News and sports: Facebook and YouTube dominate for local news/weather; X is smaller but influential for high school/college sports updates and state news.
• Timing: Engagement peaks 7–10 p.m. ET, plus weekend mornings; Friday evenings show spikes around school sports; Sunday early afternoon sees family/church-related posts.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is the default local DM channel; group chats for teams, churches, and clubs are common.
• What moves action: Plain-language offers, time-bound promos, gift card giveaways, and posts featuring recognizable local people/places. Geotargeting within ~15–25 miles and “near me” creatives outperform generic messaging.

Sources

• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2023–2024 (platform adoption and daily-use benchmarks)
• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2022–2023 (Henry County population and age structure)
• Platform advertising reach indicators (Meta, YouTube/Google, TikTok, Snapchat; 2024 snapshots) Note: Figures are county-level modeled estimates derived from the above sources to reflect Henry County’s older-than-average age profile and rural/suburban mix.