Lee County

Lee County, Virginia — key demographics (latest available U.S. Census Bureau data)

Population

• 22,173 (2020 Decennial Census)
• ~22,100 (2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~46.6 years
• Under 18: ~19.7%
• 18 to 64: ~58.0%
• 65 and over: ~22.3%

Gender

• Female: ~50.7%
• Male: ~49.3%

Race and ethnicity

• White alone, non-Hispanic: ~92.9%
• Black or African American alone, non-Hispanic: ~3.7%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone, non-Hispanic: ~0.3%
• Asian alone, non-Hispanic: ~0.2%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~1.9%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~1.9% Note: Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity and overlaps with race.

Households and families

• Total households: ~8,880
• Average household size: ~2.39
• Average family size: ~2.93
• Family households: ~66% of households
• Married-couple households: ~49% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~24%
• Nonfamily households: ~34%; living alone: ~30% (65+ living alone: ~12%)
• Housing tenure: owner-occupied ~74%; renter-occupied ~26%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (PL 94-171) and 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates (tables DP05, S0101, S1101).

Lee County, VA email usage (estimates)

• Estimated email users: ≈12,400 adults (out of ~22,200 residents), derived from local internet subscription levels and national email-use rates.
• Age distribution of email users: 18–29: 19%; 30–49: 36%; 50–64: 27%; 65+: 19% (older residents are underrepresented among users despite making up a large share of the population).
• Gender split among users: ~51% female, ~49% male (near parity with the county’s population).
• Digital access trends: About three‑quarters of households subscribe to internet service, with fixed broadband adoption below the Virginia average; a meaningful minority are smartphone‑only or lack home internet, which suppresses email use among lower‑income and senior households. Ongoing fiber builds by regional providers and state/federal grants are expanding coverage, but many areas outside towns still rely on DSL or satellite.
• Local density/connectivity facts: Population density ≈51 people per square mile across ~437 square miles; mountainous terrain and dispersed housing create last‑mile challenges. Coverage is strongest along the US‑58 corridor and in towns such as Pennington Gap and Jonesville, with more variable service in outlying hollows and ridgelines.

Insights: Email penetration is high among working‑age adults; growth potential is concentrated in 50+ and no‑home‑internet segments as new fiber reaches them.

Mobile phone usage in Lee County, Virginia (2025 snapshot)

Bottom line

• Adult smartphone users: approximately 14,500–16,000, or about 80–85% of adults in the county (vs 90–92% statewide).
• Any mobile phone (smartphones + basic phones): roughly 93–96% of adults.
• Smartphone-dependent (cellular-only) home internet: about 17–22% of households (vs 10–12% statewide), reflecting limited wired broadband options.

Context and definitive baselines

• Population: 22,173 (2020 Census). Predominantly rural and mountainous Appalachian terrain with dispersed settlements along US‑58 (Jonesville, Pennington Gap, Rose Hill).
• Age structure is older than Virginia overall, contributing to lower smartphone adoption among seniors.
• Figures below combine county demographics (Census/ACS), statewide comparisons, and national rural adoption patterns (Pew/NTIA) to produce county-level modeled estimates as of early 2025.

Demographic breakdown of mobile use (modeled estimates)

• By age
  • 18–34: 93–97% smartphone adoption; cellular-only for home internet 8–12%.
  • 35–64: 86–90% adoption; cellular-only 15–20% (higher in lower-income households).
  • 65+: 66–70% adoption; 8–10% still use basic phones; cellular-only 20–28% where fixed broadband is unavailable or unaffordable.
• By income
  • <200% of federal poverty level: 78–82% adoption; 32–36% smartphone-only for home internet.
  • ≥200% FPL: 90–93% adoption; 8–12% smartphone-only.
• By geography within the county
  • Town centers and corridors (US‑58 through Jonesville, Pennington Gap, Dryden): stronger 4G and some 5G; higher adoption and app usage.
  • Remote hollows/ridge-shadowed areas (e.g., Keokee, Blackwater): more coverage gaps; higher reliance on basic voice/SMS and cellular hotspots.
• Carrier mix and plans
  • Primary SIM share (users): Verizon 50–55%; AT&T 30–35%; T‑Mobile 12–15%; MVNOs (Cricket, Straight Talk, Tracfone, Boost) are widely used.
  • Prepaid share: 32–38% of lines (vs 22–26% statewide), reflecting budget sensitivity and credit constraints.
  • Unlimited plans are common, but throttling after high-usage thresholds makes performance management essential for smartphone-only households.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage
  • 4G LTE: broadly covers most populated areas and corridors, with persistent dead zones in hollows and along some secondary roads.
  • 5G: estimated 60–70% of the population covered, 35–45% by land area (statewide population coverage ~90%+). Service is primarily low-band with scattered mid-band pockets near towns.
• Capacity and speeds
  • Typical downlink: 15–35 Mbps in valleys and along US‑58; peak 100–300 Mbps in limited 5G mid-band zones.
  • Uplink: commonly 2–10 Mbps; latency 40–70 ms. State urban medians are substantially higher (often 80–150 Mbps down).
• Sites and backhaul
  • Macro sites concentrated on ridge lines and near towns; microwave backhaul remains common, limiting capacity compared with fiber-fed urban sites.
  • AT&T FirstNet (Band 14) is present at key public-safety locations and major corridors.
• Fixed-wireless interplay
  • 5G/LTE fixed wireless is emerging but constrained by terrain, foliage, and backhaul; take-up is modest compared with Virginia’s suburban/urban localities.

How Lee County differs from the Virginia average (clear trends)

• Lower smartphone adoption overall, driven by older age structure and income constraints.
• Significantly higher rate of smartphone-only (cellular-only) households because fixed broadband availability/affordability lags the state.
• Higher reliance on prepaid and MVNO plans; greater sensitivity to throttling and data caps.
• More pronounced coverage variability and dead zones; 5G availability is patchier and more often low-band, with fewer high-capacity mid-band deployments.
• Mobile devices more frequently substitute for home broadband, making mobile network quality a critical determinant of digital inclusion.

User estimates and sizing (ties to population)

• Adults (18+): roughly 17,500–18,500.
• Smartphone users: about 14,500–16,000.
• Cellular-only home internet households: on the order of one in five.
• Feature-phone-only users: approximately 1,200–1,700 adults, concentrated among older residents and those in the most rural pockets.

Sources and methods

• Population and rural context: 2020 Census; Lee County administrative geography.
• Adoption and dependency rates: modeled from Pew Research Center (2023–2024) rural vs statewide smartphone adoption, NTIA Internet Use Survey, and ACS 5‑year “internet subscription” patterns for rural Virginia, adjusted to Lee County’s age/income profile.
• Coverage and performance: synthesis of FCC Broadband Data Collection filings (2023–2024), carrier public 5G/LTE maps, and observed rural network characteristics in Southwest Virginia as of early 2025.

These statistics and modeled estimates provide a current, decision-ready picture: Lee County’s mobile ecosystem is indispensable and more heavily leaned on than in most of Virginia, yet it operates under tougher terrain, capacity, and affordability constraints that translate into lower adoption at the margins, more prepaid usage, and higher rates of smartphone-only connectivity.

Social media usage in Lee County, Virginia (2025 snapshot)

How this is derived

• Figures are modeled for Lee County using 2024 national platform adoption rates (Pew-style measures) adjusted for rural counties in Appalachia. They are suitable for planning and benchmarking when county-level surveys are unavailable.

Overall penetration and access

• Adult social media penetration: approximately 68–74% of adults use at least one social platform.
• Mobile-first behavior dominates; most engagement occurs on smartphones, with home broadband gaps leading to heavier reliance on cellular data and Wi‑Fi hotspots.

Most-used platforms (share of local adult social media users)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 70–75%
• Instagram: 35–40%
• TikTok: 30–35%
• Snapchat: 25–30%
• Pinterest: 25–30%
• X (Twitter): 15–20%
• LinkedIn: 15–20%
• Reddit: 10–15%
• Nextdoor: 5–10%

Age-group usage patterns (share within each age group; rounded)

• Teens (13–17): YouTube ~95%; TikTok ~65–70%; Instagram ~60–65%; Snapchat ~55–60%; Facebook ~25–35%
• Young adults (18–29): YouTube ~95%; Instagram ~70–75%; TikTok ~60–65%; Snapchat ~55–60%; Facebook ~50–55%
• Adults (30–49): YouTube ~90%; Facebook ~75–80%; Instagram ~45–55%; TikTok ~35–45%; Snapchat ~25–30%; Pinterest ~30–35%
• Adults (50–64): YouTube ~80–85%; Facebook ~70–75%; Instagram ~30–35%; TikTok ~20–25%; Pinterest ~30–35%
• Seniors (65+): Facebook ~50–55%; YouTube ~60–65%; Instagram ~20–25%; TikTok ~10–15%; Pinterest ~20–25%

Gender breakdown (skews among active users)

• Facebook: slight female majority (about 55% female, 45% male)
• Instagram: female-leaning (about 55–60% female)
• TikTok: slight female majority (about 55% female)
• Snapchat: female-leaning (about 60% female)
• Pinterest: strongly female (about 70–75% female)
• YouTube: male-leaning (about 55–60% male)
• X (Twitter) and Reddit: male-leaning (about 60–70% male)

Behavioral trends and content patterns

• Community-first usage: Facebook Groups and Pages are the hub for school announcements, youth sports, local government updates, churches, fundraisers, and yard sales. Local news and weather alerts drive frequent spikes in engagement.
• Evenings and weekends: Activity peaks 7–9 p.m. on weekdays; weekends see mid‑morning to afternoon engagement. Video posts and photo carousels outperform text-only updates.
• Short-form video growth: TikTok and Reels consumption is steadily rising, especially among under‑35s, but Facebook-native short video still reaches older audiences effectively.
• Trust dynamics: Content from known local people, organizations, and businesses outperforms national sources. Testimonials and community member spotlights convert better than polished corporate creative.
• Mobile messaging: Facebook Messenger and SMS are primary for coordination; many local businesses prefer Messenger for inquiries and appointments.
• Local SMB marketing: Most small businesses maintain an active Facebook Page; Instagram presence is growing in food, retail, salons, and tourism. TikTok adoption is emerging for eateries, events, and outdoor recreation.
• Interests that perform: High school sports, hunting/fishing, gardening, local history, trucks/ATVs, faith-based events, and seasonal festivals. How‑to clips, behind-the-scenes, and game-day highlights earn strong shares.
• Discovery pathways: Word of mouth amplified by Groups; event RSVPs and reminders on Facebook drive attendance more than standalone websites. YouTube is used for how‑to and product research; Pinterest supports crafts, recipes, and home projects.
• Ad effectiveness: Geofenced Facebook/Instagram ads within 10–25 miles convert well for service and retail offers. Short video with clear call-to-action and phone/messenger options outperforms link‑outs where connectivity is inconsistent.

Key takeaways

• Plan around Facebook and YouTube as reach anchors; layer Instagram and TikTok for under‑40 audiences.
• Lean into Groups, events, and short mobile video; post in early evenings and on weekends.
• Use authentic, locally grounded creative and Messenger as a response channel to maximize engagement.