Benton County

Here are core demographics for Benton County, Washington (latest Census Bureau data; population estimate is Vintage 2023, other indicators from ACS 2018–2022 5-year):

• Population size: ~214,000 (2023 estimate)
• Age:
  • Median age: ~37
  • Under 18: ~25%
  • 65 and over: ~14%
• Sex (gender):
  • Male: ~50%
  • Female: ~50%
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Non-Hispanic White: ~64–66%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~20–22%
  • Two or more races: ~7–9%
  • Asian: ~3–4%
  • Black or African American: ~1.5–2%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~1–2%
  • Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: <1%
• Households:
  • Number of households: ~78,000–80,000
  • Average household size: ~2.6–2.7
  • Family households: ~66–68% of households; married-couple families ~50%
  • Owner-occupied housing rate: ~66–68%

Note: Percentages are rounded; small year-to-year variation is normal.

Benton County, WA snapshot (estimates)

• Estimated email users: 155,000–175,000 residents (roughly 72–82% of the total population; about 88–93% of those age 13+).
• Age profile of email adoption:
  • 13–17: ~75–90% use email; ~7–9% of local email users.
  • 18–34: ~95–99%; ~28–32% of users.
  • 35–64: ~93–98%; ~45–50% of users.
  • 65+: ~78–85%; ~14–18% of users.
• Gender split: approximately 50/50 male–female; differences are typically within 1–3%.
• Digital access trends:
  • About 88–92% of households have a broadband subscription; 8–12% are smartphone‑only internet households.
  • Fiber and high‑speed cable are expanding in the Tri‑Cities; rural south/east parts of the county show remaining gaps.
  • Schools and libraries offer robust Wi‑Fi; high K–12 device programs drive student email accounts and daily use.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population density ~120 people per square mile overall, with most residents concentrated in the Tri‑Cities (Kennewick, Richland, West Richland).
  • Urban areas commonly have 100+ Mbps service with gigabit options via cable/fiber.
  • Benton PUD operates a countywide fiber backbone supporting last‑mile ISPs; state and local grants continue targeting unserved blocks.

Estimates synthesized from recent ACS, FCC, and national tech‑use studies.

Below is a compact, county-specific view built from public benchmarks (ACS population and demographics, Pew smartphone adoption, FCC broadband/5G maps, and carrier buildouts through 2024). Figures are estimates intended for planning; they should be validated with local survey or operator data.

Headline estimates (2025)

• Population: ~215,000–225,000; adults (18+): ~160,000–170,000.
• Adult smartphone users: ~140,000–155,000 (≈85–90% adult ownership).
• Total mobile lines (including children, IoT, business): ~230,000–270,000 active lines.
• “Mobile-mostly” internet households: materially above big-metro WA; concentrated in southern/rural Benton and lower-income tracts in Kennewick.

Demographic patterns that shape usage

• Age: Benton skews slightly younger than WA overall (family-heavy Tri-Cities, large working-age cohort). Expect near-universal ownership among 18–49 and faster take-up of 5G devices than rural WA peers, but below Seattle-area flagship adoption.
• Income/education: A bimodal profile—STEM/professional cluster (PNNL/Hanford, Richland) with high-end devices and heavy data demand, and price-sensitive segments (service, agriculture) with more budget/prepaid plans and shared/family data usage.
• Ethnicity/language: Hispanic/Latino share is higher than the WA average, supporting stronger demand for Spanish-language apps/services and, historically, a somewhat higher prepaid mix.
• Commuting: Daily flows on I‑82/I‑182/US‑395/SR‑240 concentrate peak-hour loads; business-liable lines are a larger slice than in many WA counties due to federal/contractor presence.

Digital infrastructure snapshot

• Coverage: Strong macro and mid-band 5G in the Kennewick–Richland–West Richland core; reliable corridors along I‑82/I‑182/US‑395. Coverage thins south and southwest of Kennewick (Horse Heaven Hills, toward the Oregon line) and in some river breaks—voice works but 5G capacity is inconsistent.
• 5G specifics:
  • T‑Mobile generally offers the broadest mid-band 5G footprint in the urban core and corridors.
  • Verizon and AT&T C‑band is solid in-town and along highways; capacity falls off faster off-corridor.
• Backhaul: Robust long‑haul fiber along the Columbia/Snake corridors and utility ROWs; Benton PUD and regional carriers provide ample fiber backhaul in urban areas, enabling dense 5G. Rural backhaul is spottier, limiting small‑cell economics.
• Resilience: Wind/wildfire and winter events can isolate a handful of rural sectors; urban cores benefit from better power redundancy. Public-safety/FirstNet adoption is notable given DOE/Hanford presence.

How Benton County differs from Washington State overall

• Less “mega‑city” effect: Without Seattle’s ultra-dense small-cell buildouts, Benton’s average 5G capacity is lower than top WA metros, but higher than many rural counties.
• Higher business/contractor usage: A larger share of enterprise-liable and work-oriented lines (Hanford/PNNL ecosystem) than the state average outside King/Snohomish, affecting daytime load and device refresh cycles.
• More mobile-reliant households: A greater proportion of households using mobile as primary internet than the statewide average, driven by rural last‑mile gaps and cost sensitivity, especially since the wind‑down of ACP subsidies.
• Prepaid and family plans: Slightly higher prepaid/family-plan penetration than Puget Sound, reflecting price sensitivity and larger household sizes; top-tier device penetration lags King County but exceeds many Eastern WA peers.
• Coverage contrast: Urban Tri‑Cities see competitive 5G from all three nationals; the south/west rural fringe has more pronounced gaps than the state average, which is dominated by Puget Sound’s near‑ubiquitous coverage.

Implications and near-term trends

• Capacity hotspots: Expect continued sector congestion at peak commute times along SR‑240 (Hanford access) and retail corridors; additional mid-band capacity and small cells are likely ROI‑positive.
• Rural fill‑in: Targeted macro infill south/west of Kennewick and along farm roads would yield outsized reliability gains compared with already-strong urban cores.
• Device mix: Steady 5G migration as older LTE devices age out; premium-device share will remain below Seattle but above most of Eastern WA due to the professional workforce.
• Digital equity: With ACP winding down, watch for increased mobile-only reliance and churn to prepaid; partnerships with PUD/open‑access fiber and fixed wireless could mitigate affordability gaps.

Benton County, WA — social media snapshot (short)

How these were estimated

• Population base: ~210,000 residents; ~175,000–180,000 are age 13+. Figures model statewide/national adoption to the county’s age mix, plus platform ad-reach indicators (Q3–Q4 2024). Treat as directional ranges.

Estimated user base

• Monthly social media users (13+): ~140,000–155,000 (≈80–86% of 13+ residents)

Age mix of local social users (share of all social users)

• 13–17: 8–10%
• 18–24: 12–14%
• 25–34: 20–22%
• 35–44: 19–21%
• 45–54: 16–18%
• 55–64: 12–14%
• 65+: 10–12%

Gender breakdown

• Overall social audience is roughly even (about 49–51% split). Typical skews locally:
  • More female: Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat (younger cohorts), Pinterest
  • More male: LinkedIn, Reddit, X (Twitter)
  • Facebook leans slightly female among 25+

Most-used platforms (estimated monthly reach of 13+ population)

• YouTube: 85–90% (≈150k–160k people)
• Facebook: 60–65% (≈105k–115k)
• Instagram: 42–48% (≈75k–85k)
• TikTok: 38–44% (≈67k–78k)
• Snapchat: 32–38% (≈57k–67k; strongest at 13–24)
• LinkedIn: 25–30% (≈44k–53k; higher than average due to PNNL/Hanford/engineering jobs)
• Pinterest: 18–22% (≈32k–39k; home/DIY, events)
• X (Twitter): 16–20% (≈28k–35k)
• Reddit: 12–16% (≈21k–28k)
• Nextdoor: used by roughly 20–30% of households; strongest in suburban neighborhoods

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first on Facebook: Heavy use of local Groups (Tri-Cities buy/sell, schools/PTO, youth sports, lost & found, neighborhood watch). Events discovered and RSVP’d on Facebook more than elsewhere.
• Video drives discovery: Short vertical video (TikTok/Reels/Shorts) outperforms static for food, wineries, outdoor recreation, family activities, and local “what’s new” content.
• Messaging funnel: Posts spark interest; conversions often move to DMs (Messenger, Instagram, Snapchat). Businesses that answer DMs quickly see better outcomes.
• Strong evening and weekend usage: Peaks around 7–10 pm; morning news check 6:30–8 am; weekend family/outdoor planning mid-day Sat/Sun.
• Professional footprint: Above-average LinkedIn activity tied to Hanford/PNNL, healthcare, and engineering; employer branding and recruiting perform well.
• Spanish-language opportunity: With a sizable Hispanic community, bilingual posts/ads perform well in parts of Kennewick/Prosser; WhatsApp and Facebook are key touchpoints.
• Local trust signals matter: Reviews, recommendations, and Nextdoor referrals heavily influence decisions for home services, healthcare, and dining.
• News and sports: High engagement with local outlets (Tri-City Herald, KEPR/KNDU) on Facebook; high school sports content travels well across Facebook and Instagram Stories.

Notes

• Use geo-targeted ads by ZIP/radius around Kennewick (99336), Richland (99352), West Richland (99353), Prosser (99350), Benton City (99320) for efficient reach.
• Percentages are approximate and based on WA/US adoption patterns and platform-reported reach; verify current figures in platform ad tools before campaigns.