Prince George County

Prince George County, Virginia — key demographics (latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates, primarily 2019–2023 ACS 5-year and 2023 population estimates):

Population size

• Total population: 43,700 (2023 estimate)
• 2020 Census count: 43,010
• 2020–2023 change: +1–2%

Age

• Median age: 35.7 years
• Under 18: 22%
• 18 to 64: 66%
• 65 and over: 12%

Gender

• Male: 57%
• Female: 43%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White: 50%
• Black or African American: 37%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 10%
• Two or more races: 4%
• Asian: 2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: 0.6%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: 0.2%

Household data

• Number of households: 14,600
• Persons per household (avg): 2.6
• Family households: 70% of households
• Married-couple households: 52% of households
• Households with children under 18: 34%
• One-person households: 25%
• Homeownership rate: 70%
• Median household income: ~$80,000

Insights

• A significant group-quarters population at Fort Gregg-Adams contributes to a younger median age and a higher male share than state and national averages.
• Racial composition is notably more Black/African American than Virginia overall, with a growing Hispanic population.

• Population and density: Prince George County, VA had 43,010 residents in 2020 across about 265 square miles (~162 people per sq. mi). Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
• Estimated email users: 29,000–31,000 adult residents use email regularly. Method: county adult population multiplied by national adult email adoption (90%+). Sources: Census age structure; Pew Research Center.
• Age distribution of email users (approx.): 18–29: 5–6k; 30–49: 10–11k; 50–64: 7–8k; 65+: 6–7k. High adoption persists into older cohorts, with slightly lower usage among 65+.
• Gender split: Near parity (~50/50), mirroring county demographics; email adoption shows minimal gender gap nationally.
• Digital access and devices (ACS 2019–2023, S2801): Most households have a computer and a broadband subscription; a small minority are smartphone-only and a smaller share report no internet subscription. These patterns align with Virginia suburbs/exurbs and underpin broad email reach.
• Connectivity and density facts: Interstates I‑95/I‑295 corridors and the Petersburg/Fort Gregg‑Adams area have robust cable/fiber coverage, while more rural tracts in the south/east rely on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite. FCC broadband availability data indicate very high coverage for baseline fixed broadband, with remaining gaps concentrated in low‑density blocks.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Decennial 2020; ACS 2019–2023), Pew Research Center (adult email use), FCC National Broadband Map.

Prince George County, VA mobile usage snapshot (distinct from Virginia statewide)

Scale and user estimates

• Population and households: About 43–44k residents and roughly 16k households (ACS 2018–2022).
• Smartphone access at the household level: ~92% of households report having a smartphone (ACS S2801).
• Cellular data plan penetration: ~80% of households report a cellular data plan for internet (ACS S2801).
• Cellular-only internet households: ~16% rely on a cellular data plan without a fixed wireline subscription, notably higher than Virginia’s ~11% (ACS S2801).
• User counts implied by the above:
  • Adult cellphone users: ≈33,000 residents (applying national adult cellphone adoption to the county’s adult population).
  • Total smartphone users (all ages): ≈38,000 residents.

How Prince George differs from the Virginia average

• Higher reliance on mobile-only internet: The county’s 16% cellular-only households is meaningfully above the state average (11%), reflecting more rural tracts and a sizable share of younger, more mobile households.
• Slightly lower fixed wireline uptake: Estimated fixed broadband (cable/fiber/DSL) subscription is a few points lower than Virginia overall (low-80s% in Prince George vs high-80s% statewide), driving greater dependence on mobile data plans.
• Smartphone presence is strong but not the differentiator: Household smartphone access (92%) is close to Virginia’s high baseline (93%); the standout difference is usage pattern (mobile-first/mobile-only), not device ownership.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age: The presence of Fort Gregg-Adams (formerly Fort Lee) tilts the county somewhat younger than many rural Virginia peers. Younger adults (18–34) are heavy smartphone users and are more likely to be mobile-only for home internet, lifting the county’s cellular-only share above the state average.
• Race/ethnicity: Prince George has a higher Black share of population than Virginia overall. Statewide data show Black and Hispanic households are more likely to rely on smartphones and cellular-only internet; given local composition, this mix contributes to the county’s above-average mobile-only rate.
• Income and housing: Median household income trails the Virginia median slightly, and renter rates around the base and in denser tracts correlate with higher mobile-only usage. These factors reinforce substitution of mobile data for fixed broadband in parts of the county.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• 5G footprint: All three national carriers (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile) provide 5G coverage along the main travel corridors (I‑95, I‑295, US‑460) and population centers around Fort Gregg-Adams and the Tri‑Cities fringe. Mid-band 5G (C‑Band/3.45 GHz for Verizon/AT&T and 2.5 GHz for T‑Mobile) has been deployed along these corridors since 2022–2024, yielding much higher real‑world speeds than LTE where available.
• LTE coverage: Near-universal outdoor LTE coverage across populated areas; pockets of weaker indoor performance persist in low‑density, heavily wooded, and river-adjacent tracts east and south of the base.
• Public-safety and enterprise mobility: AT&T’s FirstNet Band 14 presence around Fort Gregg-Adams and county public-safety operations strengthens AT&T’s coverage and capacity in and near those zones, supporting mission‑critical mobile use.
• Backhaul and fixed-network context: Cable broadband serves denser neighborhoods; fiber has expanded via Prince George Electric Cooperative’s RURALBAND projects and other builds since 2019, but fixed availability remains uneven in outlying areas. This uneven wireline footprint is a key driver of the county’s higher mobile-only household share versus the state.
• Performance implications: Where mid‑band 5G is live (corridors and town centers), typical smartphone downloads are well into the 100+ Mbps range, supporting hotspotting and video. In rural LTE-only pockets, speeds are more variable and congestion-sensitive, reinforcing the importance of continued 5G densification and fiber backhaul.

Key takeaways

• Prince George County’s device ownership mirrors Virginia’s high baseline, but its internet access pattern is distinctly more mobile‑centric.
• The county’s cellular-only household share (16%) materially exceeds the state (11%), reflecting younger/military-driven mobility, higher renter mix in certain tracts, and patchier wireline options outside cores.
• Ongoing fiber buildouts and mid‑band 5G expansion are narrowing gaps, yet mobile networks remain a primary on‑ramp to broadband for a larger slice of Prince George residents than the Virginia average.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2018–2022, S2801 Types of Computers and Internet Subscriptions), FCC mobile coverage filings (2022–2024), carrier public 5G deployment disclosures, and regional infrastructure announcements (PGEC/RURALBAND).

Social media usage in Prince George County, VA (2025 snapshot)

Overall usage

• Adults using at least one social platform: ~83% of residents 18+ (in line with U.S. averages)
• Daily users: ~7 in 10 adults check social daily; heavy users skew younger

Most-used platforms among adults (share of adults using each)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• TikTok: 33%
• Pinterest: 35%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• Snapchat: 27%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• Reddit: 22%
• WhatsApp: 21%

Age profile (share in each age group using any social)

• 18–29: ~95% use social; strongest on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube
• 30–49: ~88%; mix of Facebook, Instagram, YouTube; growing TikTok adoption
• 50–64: ~78%; Facebook and YouTube dominate; Pinterest notable among women
• 65+: ~45%; Facebook is the only platform with majority reach; YouTube second

Gender breakdown

• Social media audience skews slightly female overall (approximately 54% women, 46% men)
• Platform skews: Pinterest and Facebook tilt female; Reddit and X tilt male; Instagram and TikTok are near-balanced with a slight female tilt; LinkedIn near-balanced among working-age adults

Behavioral trends

• Facebook is the default local network for community groups, schools, churches, buy/sell, and county updates; Marketplace drives frequent check-ins
• Video-first consumption is mainstream: YouTube for long-form and how-tos; Instagram Reels and TikTok for short-form local food, sports, and event content
• Messaging and closed communities matter: Facebook Groups, Messenger, Snapchat, and WhatsApp handle recommendations, volunteer coordination, and local commerce
• Peak engagement follows suburban patterns: evenings (7–10 pm) and weekends; parents and commuters show spikes before work/school and late afternoon
• Military presence (Fort Gregg-Adams) strengthens the 18–34 cohort and fuels active spouse/family groups, housing swaps, and job-seeking in defense/government-adjacent roles
• For 50+, Facebook is the reliable reach vehicle; for under-30, TikTok/Snapchat/Instagram are essential; YouTube is near-universal across ages

Notes

• Figures reflect the latest nationally representative adoption rates (Pew Research Center, 2024) applied to the county’s suburban-military demographic profile (ACS). Percentages are suitable for local planning and media mix decisions.