Radford County

Note: Radford is an independent city (Radford city, VA), not a county. Figures below reflect Radford city.

Population

• Total: 16,070 (2020 Census)
• 2023 estimate: ~16.6k (U.S. Census Bureau)

Age

• Median age: ~23.0 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~12%
• 18–24: ~44%
• 65 and over: ~8%

Gender

• Female: ~50.6%
• Male: ~49.4% (ACS 2019–2023)

Race and ethnicity (2020 Census)

• White alone: ~79%
• Black or African American alone: ~11–12%
• Asian alone: ~3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0–1%
• Two or more races: ~5%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~4%

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

• Total households: ~5,900
• Average household size: ~2.3–2.4 persons
• Tenure: ~39% owner-occupied, ~61% renter-occupied
• High share of nonfamily households driven by student population

Key insight

• Radford University heavily shapes the city’s profile: very young age structure, modest household sizes, and a renter-majority housing market. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey)

Email usage snapshot — Radford, VA (independent city)

• Estimated email users: ~13.6k adults (≈94% of ~14.5k adults), plus most high-school/college students.
• Age distribution of adult email users (approx. share of users):
  • 18–24: 46% (near-universal adoption; college-heavy population)
  • 25–44: 25%
  • 45–64: 20%
  • 65+: 9% (adoption lower but rising)
• Gender split among users: ~52% female, ~48% male, tracking the local population; usage rates are effectively equal by gender.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Household broadband subscription: ≈89% (ACS-style broadband: cable/DSL/fiber/cellular). Smartphone-only home internet: ~20%, higher in student areas.
  • Fixed broadband availability is effectively citywide; multiple wired options plus strong mobile coverage support near-universal email access.
  • Public and institutional access: Radford University’s campus-wide high-speed network and public library Wi‑Fi broaden access for students and residents.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population ≈16.5k over ~10 sq mi (≈1,650 residents/sq mi), aiding network build-out and consistent service quality.
• Key insight: Radford’s unusually large 18–24 cohort drives some of the highest email engagement profiles in Southwest Virginia, with seniors closing the gap as mobile and webmail use expand.

Scope note: Radford is an independent city (FIPS 51750), not a county. Figures below refer to Radford, VA.

Topline estimate of mobile users

• Population baseline: 16,070 (2020 Census). The city’s age profile is dominated by college-age residents due to Radford University.
• Adults (18+) are an unusually large share locally; using ACS patterns for college towns, a conservative adult share of ~88% yields ~14,100 adults.
• Applying current U.S./Virginia smartphone adoption levels among adults (≈92–95%), and adjusting upward for Radford’s heavy 18–29 presence (where adoption is ≈98% nationally), the city likely has about 13,300–13,700 adult smartphone users. Including teens with phones pushes total active mobile users to roughly 14,000–15,000 device users within city limits during the academic year.

How Radford differs from Virginia overall

• Younger, student-heavy: Median age in Radford is in the low 20s (≈23), versus ≈38 statewide. Residents 18–24 are several times the Virginia share. This drives near‑saturation smartphone adoption, heavier app-based communication, and higher mobile data consumption per capita than the state average.
• More renters, more mobile‑only households: Roughly two-thirds of occupied housing units are renter‑occupied in Radford, versus about one-third statewide. That correlates with shorter tenures and a higher rate of households relying on mobile data plans and hotspots instead of fixed home broadband. Expect mobile‑only or mobile‑primary internet use to be materially higher than Virginia’s ~12–15% benchmark, likely in the 20–25% range locally.
• Lower household income, higher plan price sensitivity: Median household income is substantially below the Virginia median (reflecting the student population). That typically raises adoption of prepaid/MVNO plans and budget Android devices relative to the state mix, while still maintaining very high smartphone penetration due to the age profile.

Usage patterns and seasonality

• Academic calendar peaks: Mobile traffic and network load are markedly higher when classes are in session (weekday daytime and evening peaks, major-event weekends), with lighter loads in summer and academic breaks. That variability is more pronounced than in most Virginia localities.
• On‑campus and downtown centric demand: The highest concentration of devices and data use is in and around Radford University, adjacent student housing, and downtown corridors, with evening spikes for streaming and social/video apps.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• 5G availability: All three national carriers (Verizon, AT&T, T‑Mobile) provide 5G coverage across the city. T‑Mobile’s mid‑band (n41) and Verizon/AT&T mid‑band (n77) underpin most 5G capacity; mmWave is limited, venue- or street‑level if present.
• Capacity focus areas: Macro sites along the I‑81/US‑11 corridor and on local high points cover most outdoor areas. Small cells or sector densification are typically deployed around campus/downtown to handle peak student demand and indoor penetration in masonry buildings.
• Backhaul and fiber: The I‑81/New River Valley corridor has multiple long‑haul and metro fiber routes (e.g., regional carriers such as Segra/Lumos and national carriers), supporting robust tower backhaul. This underpins consistent 5G capacity within city limits compared with more rural Virginia areas.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA): 5G home internet from T‑Mobile is widely marketed in and around Radford; Verizon’s 5G Home availability is more location‑specific. FWA options contribute to the higher incidence of mobile‑primary home internet compared with Virginia overall.

Demographic breakdown (salient points that shape mobile behavior)

• Age: Median ≈23; outsized 18–24 cohort relative to Virginia. This pushes smartphone adoption to the high end of the state range and increases per‑user data consumption.
• Tenure/housing: Majority renter‑occupied units; higher churn aligns with prepaid/MVNO plan adoption and mobile‑only households.
• Income: Student‑skewed incomes below state median; more budget plan/device mix but no meaningful reduction in smartphone uptake.

Key implications for Radford versus Virginia

• Higher smartphone and mobile‑internet reliance per capita than the state average, despite lower household incomes.
• More pronounced time‑of‑day and calendar-driven demand swings that require localized capacity management (small cells, additional 5G mid‑band carriers) in core student areas.
• FWA and hotspot usage play a larger role in home connectivity than statewide norms, reinforcing the need for strong indoor 5G coverage in multifamily student housing.

Summary user estimate for planning

• Active smartphone users during the academic year: approximately 13,300–13,700 adults; 14,000–15,000 total device users when including teens and secondary lines/devices.
• Share of households that are mobile‑only or mobile‑primary for internet: materially above the Virginia average, plausibly in the 20–25% range locally, versus ~12–15% statewide.

Social media usage snapshot for Radford, Virginia (note: Radford is an independent city; there is no “Radford County”)

Overall platform use (U.S. adult benchmarks to anchor local expectations; Pew Research Center, 2024)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• TikTok: 33%
• Snapchat: 27%
• X/Twitter: 23%
• Reddit: 22%
• Pinterest: 35%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• WhatsApp: 21%

Local context and implications

• Demographics: Radford’s population skews unusually young because of Radford University, so Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok over-index relative to national averages; Facebook remains strongest among non-student residents, families, and civic groups. YouTube is near-universal across ages.

Age-group patterns (behavioral trends)

• 18–24: Daily, heavy use of Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube; content is short-form video and Stories; high DM usage; peaks evenings/weekends; campus- and nightlife-driven posting.
• 25–34: Instagram/TikTok/YouTube for discovery and entertainment; Facebook for Marketplace/events; more creator-following and local business interactions via DMs.
• 35–54: Facebook primary, YouTube secondary; Instagram for family and local updates; usage spikes around school, sports, and community events.
• 55+: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Facebook Groups for neighborhood info and city updates; Messenger is a common comms channel.

Gender breakdown (Pew 2024 benchmarks; reflects local tendencies)

• Women: Higher use of Instagram and Pinterest; Pinterest is used by 50% of U.S. women vs 19% of men. More active in local Facebook Groups (buy/sell, events, school).
• Men: Higher use of Reddit and X/Twitter; Reddit is used by 29% of U.S. men vs 16% of women. Sports, gaming, tech, and news conversations are common entry points.

Most-used platforms in Radford (practical ranking with expected deviation from U.S. averages)

1. YouTube (~83% benchmark; locally similar or higher across all ages)
2. Instagram (47% benchmark; locally higher due to student concentration)
3. Snapchat (27% benchmark; locally higher among 18–24)
4. TikTok (33% benchmark; locally higher among 18–34)
5. Facebook (68% benchmark; strong among non-students, lower among students)
6. X/Twitter (23%; used for sports/news and campus chatter)
7. Reddit (22%; strong among students for niches and local threads)
8. LinkedIn (30%; grads, faculty, job-seekers)
9. Pinterest (35%; projects, crafts, home, wedding planning)
10. WhatsApp (21%; international students, group coordination)

Behavioral trends specific to Radford

• Seasonality: Large spikes in August–September and January (semester starts, move-ins, campus events); lulls in summer and major holidays.
• Content formats: Short-form vertical video (Reels/TikTok) and ephemeral content (Stories/Snap) outperform static posts; student UGC drives reach.
• Discovery and coordination: Campus orgs and local venues announce via Instagram; events cross-posted to Facebook; Snap Map used for nightlife and gatherings.
• Local commerce: Facebook Marketplace is widely used; Instagram DMs for reservations/inquiries; promo codes and limited-time offers see strong same-day uptake.
• Community and safety: Facebook Groups for yard sales, lost & found, and local alerts; city and university accounts see high engagement during weather or public safety updates.

Data notes

• Platform percentages are definitive U.S. benchmarks from Pew Research Center (2024). Because platform-level figures are not published at the city level, Radford’s ranks and over/under-indexing are inferred from its young age profile and university-driven behavior.