Newport News City County

Newport News city, Virginia (independent city; county-equivalent)

Population size

• 186,247 (2020 Census)

Age structure (ACS 2018–2022)

• Under 5: 6.2%
• Under 18: 22.9%
• 65 and over: 12.5%
• 18–64 (working age): 64.6%

Gender (Census/ACS)

• Female: 51.1%
• Male: 48.9%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2018–2022; race alone unless noted)

• White: 45.9%
• Black or African American: 41.5%
• American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.7%
• Asian: 4.2%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0.3%
• Two or more races: 7.4%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 10.7%
• White alone, not Hispanic: 39.9%

Household profile (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: 73,911
• Persons per household: 2.48
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: 49.8% (renter-occupied ~50.2%)

Key takeaways

• Large working-age share and relatively small 65+ share indicate a comparatively young population.
• Racial diversity is high, with near parity between White and Black populations and a growing Hispanic population.
• Housing tenure is nearly evenly split between owners and renters; average household size is about 2.5 persons.

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

• Estimated email users: ≈146,000 residents in Newport News city, VA (≈92% of adults; ≈79% of total population).
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: ~4%
  • 18–34: ~32%
  • 35–54: ~34%
  • 55–64: ~14%
  • 65+: ~16%
• Gender split among email users: ~51% female, ~49% male (mirrors local population balance).
• Digital access and device context:
  • ~94% of households have a computer.
  • ~89% of households have a broadband subscription.
  • ~11% are smartphone‑only or lack fixed home internet, which can constrain rich email use.
  • Public libraries and city facilities provide free Wi‑Fi, helping close remaining access gaps.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population ~186,000; ~74,000 households; density ~2,700 people per square mile.
  • City is served by cable and fiber providers (e.g., Cox, Verizon Fios), with near‑citywide 4G/5G coverage supporting on‑the‑go email access.
• Insights:
  • Email adoption is effectively universal in working‑age adults (roughly 90%+), tapering among seniors.
  • Smartphone reliance is meaningful; mobile email is a primary channel for a notable minority.
  • High household computer and broadband penetration supports stable, daily email engagement across most neighborhoods.

Newport News City (independent city and county-equivalent), Virginia — mobile usage snapshot

Headline numbers (2023–2024)

• Population: ~186,000; households: ~73,000
• Adult mobile phone users: ~137,000 (≈96% of adults)
• Adult smartphone users: ~130,000 (≈91% of adults)
• Total smartphone users including teens (13–17): ~142,000
• Smartphone-only internet households (cellular data but no wireline): ~14,000 (≈19% of households), notably higher than the statewide share (≈13%)
• Wireless-only voice households (no landline): ≈80% locally vs ≈74% statewide

How Newport News differs from Virginia overall

• More mobile-dependent: Higher rates of smartphone-only internet and wireless-only voice than the state average, driven by a younger population, higher renter share, lower median income, and a large military/shipyard workforce with mobile-first habits
• Faster 5G adoption and availability: Citywide 5G from all three national carriers with mid-band (C-band and 2.5 GHz) live across most primary corridors; availability of 5G home internet is more pervasive than the statewide average and is displacing some cable/DSL in renter-heavy tracts
• Affordability-sensitive behavior: Above-average reliance on prepaid plans and mobile hotspotting versus the state; the 2024 wind-down of the Affordable Connectivity Program is increasing mobile-only reliance more sharply here than statewide
• Usage peaks and indoor gaps: Heavier network load patterns around the shipyard, logistics hubs, and base-related commute windows; more indoor coverage challenges in industrial waterfront facilities than typical Virginia localities

Demographic breakdown (estimates derived from ACS 2022 demographics combined with Pew/NTIA usage rates)

• By age (share of residents; approximate smartphone adoption; resulting users)
  • 18–34: ~28% of residents; 96–98% adoption → ~50,000 smartphone users
  • 35–64: ~38% of residents; 88–92% adoption → ~62,000 users
  • 65+: ~12% of residents; ~76% adoption → ~17,000 users
  • Teens 13–17: ~6–7% of residents; ~95% adoption → ~11,500 users
• By income and housing
  • Median household income is materially below Virginia’s (~$63k vs ~$87k), and renter share is higher (≈47–50% vs ≈34% statewide)
  • Smartphone-only internet is concentrated among households under $35k and renters; in these groups, smartphone-only rates exceed 25%, several points above the state’s comparable cohorts
• By race/ethnicity (ownership is high across groups, but device-only reliance is higher in lower-income tracts)
  • Black adults (~41% of the population): smartphone adoption ≈95% → ~55,000 users
  • White adults (~39%): ≈89% → ~50,000 users
  • Hispanic/Latino adults (~11%): ≈92% → ~15,000 users Note: Race and ethnicity categories overlap; figures are group-specific estimates rather than additive totals

Digital infrastructure and service environment

• Networks and spectrum: AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon provide citywide 4G LTE and 5G NR; mid-band 5G (T-Mobile n41 2.5 GHz; Verizon/AT&T C-band 3.7 GHz) operates broadly along I-64, Jefferson Ave, Warwick Blvd, Oyster Point, and dense residential corridors, supporting typical urban 5G speeds well into the triple digits (Mbps)
• Fixed broadband context: Cox provides citywide cable (up to gigabit); Verizon Fios fiber is present in significant portions of the city. Verizon and T-Mobile 5G Home Internet are widely available and gaining share, especially among renters and cost-sensitive households
• Densification: Macro sites anchored along transportation and commercial corridors with targeted small-cell infill; indoor coverage in large industrial/maritime facilities remains a common weak spot, prompting enterprise DAS and private-LTE/5G projects
• Public-sector footprint: Military and port operations influence RF planning and traffic loads; emergency communications and interference management are more prominent considerations than in most Virginia localities

Behavioral and market insights

• Substitution trend: Mobile broadband is often the primary or sole connection in lower-income and renter households, outpacing the state average and accelerating with the growth of 5G home internet
• Plan mix: Prepaid and MVNO penetration is higher than the Virginia average; families and shared households commonly use multi-line prepaid bundles and hotspot features to substitute for fixed service
• Device profile: Android share is higher than state averages in cost-sensitive tracts; BYOD and refurbished device usage are more prevalent
• Resilience: Weather and coastal storm events periodically stress networks; carriers have rolled in more COWs/COLTs and backup power at key sites since 2022, improving recovery times relative to prior storm seasons

Bottom line

• Newport News is a high-coverage, high-5G-availability market with materially higher mobile dependence than Virginia overall. Strong mid-band 5G and competitive fixed-wireless options are enabling cord-cutting from wireline, particularly among renters and lower-income households, while industrial and base-driven patterns create unique load and indoor coverage challenges not reflected in the statewide profile.

Social media snapshot: Newport News (independent city), Virginia — 2024

Headline user stats

• Population baseline: ~186,000 residents; ~158,000 are age 13+.
• Estimated active social media users: ~118,000 (≈63% of total population; ≈74% of residents 13+).

Most‑used platforms in Newport News (share of residents 13+; approx. local counts)

• YouTube: 82% (~129,600)
• Facebook: 62% (~98,000)
• Instagram: 55% (~87,000)
• TikTok: 42% (~66,400)
• Snapchat: 36% (~56,900)
• Pinterest: 30% (~47,400)
• LinkedIn: 26% (~41,100)
• WhatsApp: 25% (~39,500)
• X (Twitter): 23% (~36,400)
• Reddit: 21% (~33,200)

Age composition of social media users (share of all users)

• 13–17: 10.5%
• 18–24: 14.6%
• 25–34: 21.0%
• 35–44: 16.7%
• 45–54: 13.9%
• 55–64: 12.7%
• 65+: 10.7%

Gender breakdown (users)

• Female: 53% (62,000)
• Male: 47% (55,000)

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Video‑first consumption: High YouTube, Reels, and TikTok adoption favors short, vertical video and how‑to/local news content. Creators and local media get strong completion rates on sub‑60‑second clips.
• Facebook as the community backbone: Groups and Marketplace drive repeat engagement for neighborhood updates, school/PTA and sports, yard‑sale/PCS moves, and storm/traffic notices. City agencies and local news see reliable reach via posts and live streams.
• Youth and campus skew: Teens and 18–24s (NNPS/CNU/Thomas Nelson) are heavy on TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat for events, athletics, and nightlife; Facebook usage is comparatively lower for teens but persists for event discovery via groups.
• Professional niche: LinkedIn over‑indexes among defense, shipbuilding, engineering, and healthcare workers; best for recruiting, apprenticeships, and certificates.
• Shopping and discovery: Facebook/Instagram Shops and Marketplace are key for local SMBs, services, and seasonal deals; Pinterest supports home, DIY, and wedding/event planning.
• Timing norms (ET): Peaks around 7–9 a.m., 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m., and 7–10 p.m.; weekend afternoons favor events and dining content.

Notes on methodology

• Figures are modeled 2024 estimates for Newport News using U.S. Census Bureau ACS demographics (city age/sex structure) combined with Pew Research Center platform adoption rates for U.S. adults and teens; counts rounded to the nearest hundred. Actual platform ad‑reach can vary by account settings and eligibility.