Staunton City County

Staunton city, Virginia (independent city; county-equivalent) — Key demographics

Population

• 25,971 (2023 estimate)
• 25,750 (2020 Census)

Age

• Under 5: 5.1%
• Under 18: 19.6%
• 65 and over: 22.1%

Gender

• Female: 52.7%
• Male: 47.3%

Race/ethnicity

• White alone: 81.0%
• Black or African American alone: 12.1%
• Asian alone: 1.2%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 0.4%
• Two or more races: 3.9%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): 5.4%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: 78.1%

Households and housing

• Households: 11,527 (ACS 2018–2022)
• Persons per household: 2.13
• Housing units: 12,415
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: 59.1% (renter-occupied ~40.9%)

Insights

• Small, slow growth since 2020 (~+0.9% through 2023)
• Older age profile (22.1% 65+) and small household size (2.13)
• Predominantly White with a notable Black population and a smaller Hispanic community

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts for Staunton city, Virginia (Population Estimates Program 2023; ACS 2018–2022; 2020 Decennial Census)

Staunton City (county-equivalent), VA has about 25,800 residents; roughly 21,100 are adults. Estimated adult email users: ~19,400 (≈92% adoption).

Age pattern (share using email):

• 18–29: ~98%
• 30–49: ~97%
• 50–64: ~92%
• 65+: ~82% Email use is near-universal under 65 and strong among seniors.

Gender: Adoption is essentially parity; given local demographics (~53% female, ~47% male), email users mirror this split.

Digital access trends:

• Household broadband subscription: ~84–86%
• Home computer access: ~90%+
• Smartphone-only internet households: ~10–13%
• Fixed broadband ≥100 Mbps available to >95% of residents; gigabit options reach most neighborhoods.
• 4G/5G coverage is widespread along the I‑81 corridor and the urban core.

Local density/connectivity:

• Area ≈20 sq mi; population density ~1,280 per sq mi, supporting robust cable and growing fiber footprints.
• Remote/hybrid work and telehealth have lifted demand, with steady gains in broadband subscriptions and higher-speed tiers.

Bottom line: Email reach in Staunton is effectively universal among working-age adults, with remaining gaps concentrated among the oldest cohorts and smartphone-only households.

Mobile phone usage in Staunton city, Virginia (independent city; county-equivalent, FIPS 51790)

Executive highlights

• Smartphone access is widespread but trails the Virginia average. Staunton households show higher reliance on cellular-only internet and a larger share with no home internet than the state.
• An older age profile and lower median income than Virginia overall correlate with slightly lower smartphone and broadband uptake and greater use of prepaid/limited mobile plans.
• 5G from all three national carriers is present; mid-band 5G capacity is available but overall mobile performance is typically below statewide medians.

User estimates (people and households)

• Resident smartphone users (estimate): 17,500–18,500 adults. Method: ACS household smartphone availability and age mix applied to the city’s adult population.
• Households with a smartphone: 89–91% in Staunton vs 92–93% in Virginia. This equates to roughly 10,000–10,400 of Staunton’s ~11,300 households having at least one smartphone.
• Smartphone-only households (smartphone but no desktop/laptop): 12–14% in Staunton vs ~9% statewide.
• Households relying on a cellular data plan as their only internet subscription: 15–17% in Staunton vs ~10% in Virginia.
• Households with no home internet subscription: 13–14% in Staunton vs ~8% statewide.

Demographic context linked to usage

• Age: Staunton has a higher share of residents age 65+ (about 21–22%) than Virginia (~16–17%). Older age cohorts adopt smartphones and mobile broadband at lower rates, contributing to the city’s gap with the state.
• Income: Median household income in Staunton is materially below the Virginia median (roughly high-$50Ks vs ~low-$90Ks), associated with higher smartphone-only and cellular-only reliance and more price-sensitive plan selection.
• Education: A smaller share of adults hold a bachelor’s degree or higher in Staunton (upper-20s to low-30s percent) than statewide (~low-40s percent), a factor that typically tracks with slightly lower device and broadband adoption.
• Housing/tenure: A higher renter share than nearby suburbs correlates with more mobile-only connectivity and less fixed-wireline adoption.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Carrier footprint: AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon all provide 4G LTE and 5G NR across the city. Mid-band 5G (Verizon C‑band n77; T‑Mobile 2.5 GHz n41; AT&T C‑band n77) is available in and around the core and transport corridors, with low-band 5G (n5/n71) filling remaining areas.
• Coverage traits: Outdoor 4G/5G coverage is effectively citywide. At the fringes and in hilly pockets, devices may step down to LTE or low‑band 5G, with indoor performance varying by building materials.
• Capacity and speeds: Typical median mobile download speeds measured in and around Staunton run below the Virginia median by roughly 15–25%, reflecting less dense mid‑band 5G layering than in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads. Peak speeds are achievable near interchanges and macro sites along I‑81/I‑64, but consistency lags larger metros.
• Fixed wireless availability: 5G home internet (Verizon, T‑Mobile) is offered to many addresses and is a visible contributor to the city’s higher “cellular‑only” household share.
• Public safety: FirstNet (AT&T) coverage is established across the market; Band 14 improves resilience but does not materially change consumer speed trends.

How Staunton differs from Virginia (what stands out)

• More mobile‑reliant households: Cellular‑only internet is 5–7 percentage points higher than the state average, indicating heavier dependence on mobile data for home connectivity.
• Higher offline share: Households with no internet subscription are about 5–6 points higher than the state average, driven by older age and income mix.
• Slightly lower smartphone penetration: Household smartphone availability in Staunton trails Virginia by ~2–3 points.
• Performance gap: Median mobile speeds are meaningfully below the statewide median, reflecting less dense mid‑band/Small‑cell deployment than in the state’s largest metros.
• Adoption skew: Smartphone‑only households are ~3–5 points higher than Virginia, signaling substitution away from PCs toward phones, especially in lower‑income and renter segments.

Data notes and sources

• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2019–2023 5‑year and 2023 1‑year: Types of Computers and Internet Subscriptions (S2801) for Staunton city, VA and Virginia totals; Demographic and economic profiles (age, income, education).
• FCC Broadband Data Collection (2024–2025 filings): Carrier‑reported 4G LTE and 5G NR availability for Staunton city census blocks.
• Industry performance aggregators (2024–2025): Regional median mobile performance indicators used for relative comparisons to Virginia medians.

All figures reflect the most recent ACS 2023 and FCC 2024–2025 reporting windows available, converted to city-level counts where applicable. Percentages are reported to the nearest whole number when margins of error are small and as ranges where sampling error is larger at the city scale.

Social media usage in Staunton (independent city), VA — 2024/25 snapshot

Population base

• Residents: ≈26,000
• Adults (18+): ≈21,000
• Median age: ~44; Female: ~54%

Overall social media reach

• Adults using at least one social platform: ~72% of adults (≈15,000 people)
• Teens (13–17): ~95% use at least one platform (≈1,500 people)
• Total users 13+: ≈16,500

Most‑used platforms (share of local adults; modeled from 2024 Pew rates, age‑adjusted for Staunton’s older median age)

• YouTube: 78–82% of adults
• Facebook: 62–66%
• Instagram: 38–42%
• Pinterest: 32–36%
• TikTok: 26–30%
• LinkedIn: 22–25%
• Snapchat: 20–24%
• X (Twitter): 18–22%
• Reddit: 18–21%
• Nextdoor: 10–15%

Age makeup of local social media users (share of all users, 13+)

• 13–17: ~8–10%
• 18–24: ~12–14%
• 25–34: ~16–18%
• 35–44: ~16–18%
• 45–54: ~16–18%
• 55–64: ~17–19%
• 65+: ~14–17%

Gender breakdown

• Overall user base: ~54% women, ~46% men (mirrors city demographics; overall adoption by gender is similar)
• Platform skews: Facebook and Pinterest skew female; Reddit and X skew male; Instagram and TikTok skew slightly female; LinkedIn near‑even

Behavioral trends observed in similar small/older U.S. markets and consistent with Staunton’s profile

• Facebook is the community backbone: heavy use of Groups (neighborhoods, schools, youth sports, churches), local news, and Marketplace buys/sells
• Video leads engagement: short‑form (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) for events, dining, local attractions; YouTube for how‑tos, local government streams, church services, and cord‑cutting
• Discovery patterns: 18–34s find restaurants, live music, and trails via Instagram/TikTok; 35+ rely on Facebook posts, shares, and event pages
• Nextdoor is used for neighborhood watch, city service notices, lost/found pets, and contractor referrals
• Peak engagement windows: weekdays 6–9 pm; weekend late mornings and early evenings; mobile‑first (>90% of consumption)
• Content that performs: local faces and landmarks, concise event info, before/after home projects, limited‑time offers from small businesses, and civic updates

Notes on methodology and sources

• Figures are modeled local estimates anchored to U.S. Census Bureau ACS (2023) demographics for Staunton and Pew Research Center social media adoption rates (2023–2024), adjusted for Staunton’s older age structure. Percentages indicate share of local adults; users can (and do) use multiple platforms.