Rockbridge County

Rockbridge County, Virginia (excludes independent cities of Lexington and Buena Vista)

Population

• Total population (2020 Census): 22,650

Age

• Median age: ~49 years
• Under 18: ~18%
• 18 to 64: ~57%
• 65 and over: ~25%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Race and ethnicity (ACS, shares of total population)

• White (alone): ~91%
• Black or African American (alone): ~5%
• Asian (alone): ~1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (alone): <1%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3%

Households and housing

• Households: ~9,500
• Average household size: ~2.3
• Family households: ~63% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~22%
• One-person households: ~27%
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: ~78%

Key insights

• Older age profile than Virginia overall, with about one-quarter of residents 65+
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White population with small but present racial/ethnic diversity
• High homeownership and smaller household sizes, consistent with a rural, aging community

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census and 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates (tables DP05, S0101, S1101, DP04, DP02)

• Scope: Rockbridge County, VA (2020 pop. ≈22,650; land ≈600 sq mi; density ≈38 people/sq mi, predominantly rural).
• Estimated email users (adults 18+): ≈16,400 of ≈18,100 adults, using Pew adult email use rates and local age mix.
• Age distribution of adult email users (est. counts, share of users):
  • 18–29: ≈3,100 (19%)
  • 30–49: ≈5,050 (31%)
  • 50–64: ≈4,170 (25%)
  • 65+: ≈4,060 (25%)
• Gender split among adult email users: near parity; ≈49% male, ≈51% female (email use rates are essentially equal by gender).
• Digital access (ACS 2018–2022, county-level):
  • Households with any internet subscription: ≈84%
  • Households with fixed broadband (cable/DSL/fiber): ≈79%
  • Smartphone-only internet households: ≈15%
  • Households with a computer: ≈88–90%
• Trends and insights:
  • Email is near-universal among connected adults; usage dips modestly among 65+.
  • Broadband adoption has risen steadily since mid‑2010s, with fiber/cable expansion along primary corridors and in towns (e.g., near I‑81/I‑64), but gaps persist on rural roads and mountainous terrain, driving higher smartphone-only reliance than the Virginia average.
  • Lower population density and topography increase last‑mile costs, correlating with pockets of slower speeds and lower fixed-broadband take-up outside town centers.

Rockbridge County, VA: Mobile phone usage snapshot (2024 best-available estimates)

Headline trend: Mobile adoption is high but trails Virginia on smartphones and 5G performance. A larger share of households depend on cellular data as their primary internet, reflecting older demographics, sparse wired broadband in mountainous areas, and infrastructure concentrated along the I-81/I-64 corridors.

Scale and user estimates

• Population and households: ~22,500 residents; ~9,500 households
• Adults (18+): ~17,500
• Mobile phone ownership (any cellphone): 95% of adults (~16,600 users)
• Smartphone ownership: 80% of adults (~14,000 users)
• Households with a cellular data plan (any mobile broadband): 64%
• Cellular-only internet households (no wired broadband): 14%

How this differs from Virginia overall

• Smartphone ownership: Rockbridge 80% vs Virginia ~86%
• Households with a cellular data plan: Rockbridge 64% vs Virginia ~76%
• Cellular-only internet households: Rockbridge 14% vs Virginia ~9%
• Median mobile speeds (typical user experience): Rockbridge ~40–55 Mbps down vs Virginia ~90–120 Mbps
• 5G population coverage: Rockbridge ~70–80% vs Virginia >90% (coverage is continuous along major corridors statewide but more fragmented in Rockbridge’s interior valleys)

Demographic breakdown (usage patterns)

• Age:
  • 18–34: ~96% smartphone adoption; heavy video/social use; strongest 5G uptake along I-81 towns
  • 35–64: ~85% smartphone adoption; mixed work/personal use; hotspot use common where home broadband is weak
  • 65+: ~62% smartphone adoption; higher basic cellphone retention; growing but modest telehealth/video use
• Income:
  • < $35k household income: ~72% smartphone adoption; higher reliance on cellular-only internet to avoid wired bills
  • $35k–$75k: ~82% smartphone adoption; frequent use of mobile hotspots to supplement DSL/satellite

  • $75k: ~91% smartphone adoption; more multi-line family plans and device upgrades

• Geography within the county:
  • I-81/I-64 corridor communities (e.g., Fairfield, Raphine edge areas, Fancy Hill): strongest 5G and mid-band capacity
  • Western and southeastern mountainous tracts (e.g., near Goshen Pass, Collierstown, Irish Creek): LTE-only pockets and occasional dead zones; outdoor coverage often exceeds reliable indoor service

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Macro sites: roughly 50 cellular towers countywide, yielding low tower density for the county’s 600+ square miles; small cells are sparse and concentrated near interchanges and population clusters
• Radio access: All three national carriers operate LTE; 5G is present primarily as low-band (wide-area) with selected mid-band sectors near the interstate corridor
• Backhaul: Fiber backbones follow I-81/US-11; outside corridors, several towers still rely on microwave backhaul, limiting peak capacity and upload speeds
• Local broadband interplay: Ongoing fiber buildouts by regional providers and BARC Electric’s fiber initiative reduce some cellular-only dependence near served roads, but many hollow/valley areas still lean on mobile data
• Public safety: FirstNet coverage is solid along primary routes and towns, with performance tapering in forested and ridge-shadowed zones

Usage implications and actionable insights

• Higher cellular-only reliance than the state means mobile networks function as a primary home internet for many households; plan structures with higher data allowances and reliable LTE fallback matter more here than in metro Virginia
• Coverage is roadway-centric; reliability drops fast off-corridor due to terrain. Signal boosters and Wi‑Fi calling materially improve indoor coverage in ridge-shadowed homes
• Capacity is more constrained than statewide averages; peak-time slowdowns are more common, favoring carriers with mid-band 5G sectors along the corridor for commuters and students
• The county’s older age profile tempers smartphone penetration and advanced app usage, but telehealth uptake is rising where 5G/LTE is dependable; clinician-facing services should support LTE-grade video and low-bandwidth modes

Methodological note: Figures reflect 2023–2024 estimates synthesized from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 5-year S2801 for device and subscription types), FCC mobile coverage datasets, and national adoption benchmarks (Pew and state-level telephony/broadband indicators), adjusted to Rockbridge County’s demographic and geographic profile.

Rockbridge County, VA — social media usage snapshot (2025)

Population baseline

• Adults (18+): ~18,600 (county-only; excludes the independent cities of Lexington and Buena Vista)

Most-used platforms among adults (estimated local reach)

• YouTube: 80% (~14,900 adults)
• Facebook: 67% (~12,500)
• Instagram: 37% (~6,900)
• Pinterest: 33% (~6,100)
• TikTok: 29% (~5,400)
• LinkedIn: 24% (~4,500)
• Snapchat: 19% (~3,500)
• X (Twitter): 18% (~3,300)
• Reddit: 17% (~3,200)

Age structure of adult users and platform tendencies

• Adult age mix (approx.): 18–29: 13%; 30–49: 27%; 50–64: 30%; 65+: 30% (Rockbridge skews older)
• Expected usage by age (share of each age group using the platform):
  • 18–29: YouTube ~93%, Instagram ~78%, Snapchat ~65%, TikTok ~62%, Facebook ~67%
  • 30–49: YouTube ~92%, Facebook ~75%, Instagram ~49%, TikTok ~39%, LinkedIn ~40%
  • 50–64: Facebook ~69%, YouTube ~83%, Instagram ~29%, TikTok ~24%, Pinterest ~36%
  • 65+: Facebook ~58%, YouTube ~60%, Instagram ~15%, TikTok ~10%, Pinterest ~18%

Gender breakdown

• Adult population is roughly 51% women / 49% men; overall social platform use is comparable by gender
• Platform skews locally mirror national patterns:
  • More women: Pinterest (roughly two-thirds women), Facebook and Instagram (slight female tilt)
  • More men: Reddit, X (Twitter), LinkedIn (modest male tilt)
  • Near-even: YouTube, Snapchat

Behavioral trends in the county

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of local groups for announcements, school/sports updates, civic info, and buy/sell/trade; Marketplace is a primary channel for secondhand goods and services
• Video-first consumption: YouTube is used for how-to content, home/land management, outdoor recreation, church and local events; short-form video (Reels/TikTok) gains traction with under-35s
• Local discovery and trust: Residents rely on Facebook Pages/Groups and word-of-mouth shares for local businesses, events, and weather/road updates; photo- and video-led posts outperform text-only updates
• Messaging behavior: Facebook Messenger is the default for inquiries and scheduling; Snapchat DMs are common among younger adults
• Timing and cadence: Engagement clusters in early morning (commute/school run), lunch, and evening (after-dinner scroll); weekends see spikes around events and sports
• Content that performs: Community-oriented posts (volunteers, schools, first responders), seasonal/outdoor content, limited-time offers, and short, captioned videos

Method note and sources

• Figures are county-level estimates for adults (18+) derived by applying 2023–2024 Pew Research Center platform usage rates by age to the county’s older-leaning age structure from recent U.S. Census/ACS data; counts rounded to the nearest hundred. This produces locally adjusted percentages and user counts suitable for planning and targeting.