Westmoreland County

Westmoreland County, Virginia — key demographics

Population size

• 18,477 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~48.5 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~20%
• 65 and over: ~27%

Gender

• Female: ~50.5%
• Male: ~49.5% (ACS 2018–2022)

Racial/ethnic composition (shares of total population)

• White alone: ~69–71%
• Black or African American alone: ~23–24%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.6%
• Asian alone: ~0.5%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.1%
• Two or more races: ~3–5%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~10–11%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~61% (2020 Census; ACS 2018–2022)

Households and housing

• Households: ~7,700–7,900 (ACS 2018–2022)
• Persons per household: ~2.3
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~78%
• Total housing units: ~13,000–14,000 (high share of seasonal/vacant units compared to households)

Insights

• Older age profile than state and U.S. averages, with roughly one in four residents age 65+.
• Small household size and high owner-occupancy consistent with a rural/second-home market.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (P.L. 94-171) and American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates (QuickFacts/ACS).

Westmoreland County, VA email usage (estimates, 2022–2024 data synthesis: U.S. Census/ACS, FCC, Pew Research)

• Population: ≈18.5k; adults (18+): ≈14.8k.
• Estimated adult email users: ≈11.9k.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 18–34: ≈21% (≈2.5k)
  • 35–54: ≈29% (≈3.4k)
  • 55–64: ≈20% (≈2.3k)
  • 65+: ≈31% (≈3.7k)
• Gender split among email users: ≈51% female, 49% male (mirrors county demographics).
• Digital access and adoption:
  • Households with a broadband subscription (any type, incl. cellular): ≈77%.
  • Households without any internet subscription: ≈16%.
  • Among connected households, roughly 1 in 8 are smartphone‑only.
  • Computer access in households: ≈85–90%.
• Trends and local connectivity context:
  • Rural, low-density county (80 people/sq. mi.) in the Northern Neck; dispersion raises last‑mile costs and depresses subscription rates below the Virginia average (87%).
  • Fixed broadband availability is widespread, but take‑up lags; mobile data and public Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools, civic centers) remain important access points.
  • Older age profile (≈1 in 4 residents 65+) slightly lowers overall email uptake but usage remains near‑universal among connected adults.

Mobile phone usage in Westmoreland County, Virginia (2025 snapshot)

User estimates (adults)

• Adult base: approximately 15,000–16,500 adult residents
• Mobile phone users (any mobile device): 94–97% of adults, or about 14,200–16,000 users
• Smartphone users: 85–88% of adults, or about 13,000–14,500 users
• Smartphone-only internet users (no home broadband, mobile data primary): 18–22% of adults, or about 2,800–3,500 users
• Feature-phone users: 7–10% of adults (higher than statewide), or roughly 1,100–1,600 adults

Demographic breakdown (modeled from ACS demographics, Pew adoption patterns, and rural Virginia differentials)

• Age
  • 18–34: smartphone ownership 95–98%; smartphone-only reliance 20–24%
  • 35–64: smartphone ownership 88–92%; smartphone-only reliance 16–20%
  • 65+: smartphone ownership 70–78% (below state average); smartphone-only reliance 10–14%
• Income
  • < $35k: smartphone ownership 78–82%; smartphone-only reliance 28–35%
  • $35k–$75k: smartphone ownership 88–92%; smartphone-only reliance 18–22%

  • $75k: smartphone ownership 95–98%; smartphone-only reliance 8–12%

• Race/ethnicity
  • White (majority share): smartphone ownership 83–87%; smartphone-only reliance 15–18%
  • Black: smartphone ownership 88–92%; smartphone-only reliance 25–30%
  • Hispanic/Latino: smartphone ownership 90–94%; smartphone-only reliance 28–32%
• Plan types and usage patterns
  • Prepaid plans and month-to-month arrangements are more common than statewide, reflecting lower median income and credit constraints
  • Device replacement cycles run longer than statewide averages; a noticeable minority uses older LTE-only handsets

Digital infrastructure points

• Mobile network coverage
  • 4G LTE from major carriers covers roughly 96–99% of populated areas; indoor coverage still varies in low-density zones
  • 5G (primarily low-/mid-band) is present along main corridors (VA-3, VA-205, Montross, Colonial Beach) and town centers; estimated 70–85% of the population but with patchier geographic reach in farm/forest tracts and near river bluffs
  • Typical user speeds: LTE 10–50 Mbps; sub-6 GHz 5G 50–200 Mbps where available; uplink often constrained in fringe areas
• Fixed broadband context (drives smartphone dependence)
  • Household fixed broadband subscription: about 67–72% (below VA’s ~82–85%)
  • Fiber availability today: approximately 25–35% of households, but expanding rapidly
  • Ongoing builds via VATI/BEAD-backed projects (e.g., All Points Broadband with Northern Neck Electric Cooperative/Dominion partnerships) are targeting near-universal fiber coverage of remaining unserved/underserved addresses by 2026
• Coverage pain points
  • Terrain, tree cover, and waterfront bluffs create localized dead zones and indoor signal weakness away from corridors and town centers
  • Congestion spikes during seasonal tourism in Colonial Beach and at event venues can depress throughput

How Westmoreland differs from Virginia overall

• Higher smartphone-only reliance: 18–22% of adults vs roughly 14% statewide, reflecting lower fixed-broadband subscription rates
• Slightly lower overall smartphone penetration (by 2–4 percentage points) due to an older age profile and lower median income than the state
• Larger feature-phone footprint and older device mix than statewide
• Greater variability in 5G availability and median speeds; performance depends heavily on proximity to corridors and town centers
• Prepaid/mobile-first behaviors are more prevalent, influencing ARPU and plan selection
• Rapid near-term change expected: fiber buildouts are likely to reduce smartphone-only dependence by several points by 2026, bringing county patterns closer to state norms

Key takeaways

• Mobile is the primary internet pathway for a substantial minority of adults, especially lower-income residents and younger cohorts
• Optimizing services for mobile-first, low-to-moderate bandwidth, and intermittent coverage environments will reach more residents than desktop-first approaches
• SMS and app-based outreach remain effective countywide; expect gradual migration toward home Wi‑Fi usage as fiber rollouts complete

Notes on methods

• Figures are modeled from U.S. Census Bureau ACS demographics, FCC mobile/broadband availability data, Virginia rural broadband program disclosures (VATI/BEAD), and Pew Research smartphone adoption/ reliance trends, adjusted for Westmoreland County’s older age structure, rural settlement pattern, and income distribution. Estimates represent 2024–2025 conditions.

Social media usage in Westmoreland County, VA (2025 snapshot)

Overall user base

• Residents (est.): 18,900
• Residents age 13+: ~16,200
• Social media users (monthly, 13+): ~12,300 (76% of 13+; ~65% of total population)

Gender (share of local social media users)

• Women: 54%
• Men: 46%

Age mix (share of local social media users)

• 13–17: 6%
• 18–24: 9%
• 25–34: 14%
• 35–44: 17%
• 45–54: 16%
• 55–64: 18%
• 65+: 20%

Most‑used platforms (share of local social media users who use each at least monthly)

• YouTube: 78%
• Facebook: 72%
• Instagram: 44%
• TikTok: 33%
• Pinterest: 27%
• Snapchat: 22%
• Facebook Messenger: 55%
• WhatsApp: 14%
• X (Twitter): 14%
• LinkedIn: 17%
• Nextdoor: 8%

Behavioral trends and usage patterns

• Community‑centric: Facebook Groups anchor local life (county updates, schools/athletics, churches, civic groups); Marketplace is a primary channel for local buying/selling.
• Video‑led consumption: YouTube dominates long‑form how‑to, local history, fishing/boating, and home‑repair content; Facebook Reels/Instagram Reels capture short, local event highlights.
• Older‑leaning engagement: Above‑average 55+ share means higher Facebook commenting/sharing and lower TikTok/Snapchat penetration than urban Virginia averages.
• Small business discovery: Instagram and Facebook drive foot traffic for restaurants, real estate, home services, and seasonal tourism; Pinterest performs well with DIY, gardening, home projects.
• Seasonal spikes: Summer brings elevated activity around Colonial Beach, marinas, and events; school‑year peaks around sports and fundraisers.
• Device and timing: Mobile‑first usage; engagement concentrates in evenings and weekends, with steady daytime activity from retirees.
• Local trust signals: Posts from known neighbors, schools, churches, and volunteer groups outperform brand‑only messaging; user‑generated photos and short, place‑tagged videos lift reach.
• Advertising implications: Facebook/Instagram provide the most efficient reach; YouTube pre‑roll is effective for awareness; tight geo‑targeting (10–20 miles) and interest layers (boating, fishing, home improvement) improve performance.

Notes on figures

• Numbers are 2025 localized estimates derived by weighting national platform adoption (Pew/DataReportal 2023–2024) to Westmoreland County’s age structure and rural broadband profile (ACS/Census). Percentages refer to residents age 13+ who use at least one platform monthly; platform shares are of local social media users. Rounded to whole percentages.