King County

King County, Washington — key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau 2023 estimates unless noted)

Population size

• Total population: ~2.33 million (July 1, 2023 estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~37 years
• Under 18: ~19%
• 18–24: ~8%
• 25–44: ~36%
• 45–64: ~24%
• 65+: ~13%

Gender

• Male: ~50%
• Female: ~50%

Racial/ethnic composition

• Non-Hispanic White: ~57%
• Asian: ~21%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~11%
• Black or African American: ~7%
• Two or more races: ~8%
• American Indian and Alaska Native: ~1%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: ~1%

Households

• Number of households: ~940,000
• Average household size: ~2.36
• Family households: ~55% of households
• Married-couple households: ~44% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~26%
• Housing tenure: ~54% owner-occupied, ~46% renter-occupied
• Median household income: roughly $118,000 (ACS 2023)

Additional context

• Foreign-born residents: ~25%
• Speaks a language other than English at home: ~28%

Insights

• Strong growth since 2010 (roughly +20%), fueled by domestic and international migration
• Highly diverse population, with sizable Asian and Hispanic communities and one-quarter foreign-born
• Working-age adults (25–44) form the largest age block, supporting a large labor force; renter share remains high alongside modest household sizes

• Estimated email users: ≈1.74 million adult users in King County (population ≈2.33M; ≈1.89M adults; applying ~92% U.S. adult email usage).
• Age distribution (share using email): 18–29 ≈95%; 30–49 ≈96%; 50–64 ≈92%; 65+ ≈85%. Usage is near-universal among working-age adults and strong among seniors.
• Gender split: Adult population is roughly 50.6% men and 49.4% women; email usage rates are essentially equal, yielding ≈0.88M male and ≈0.86M female users.
• Digital access and trends:
  • About 94% of households subscribe to broadband; roughly 6% lack a home internet subscription.
  • ~96% of households have a computer device.
  • Median fixed broadband speeds in the Seattle–King County area are ~200–250 Mbps, reflecting widespread cable and growing fiber coverage.
  • 77 public library branches (50 King County Library System + 27 Seattle Public Library) provide free Wi‑Fi and devices, supporting access for lower‑income and unconnected residents.
• Local density/connectivity facts: County density is roughly 1,100 people per square mile (with Seattle/Eastside far denser), aligning with very high network availability and adoption; connectivity gaps are more common in sparsely populated eastern King County.

King County, WA mobile phone usage — 2024–2025 snapshot

Overall scale and user estimates

• Population baseline: about 2.3–2.35 million residents; roughly 1.0 million households.
• Active mobile users: approximately 1.9–2.1 million residents use a mobile phone daily (driven by near‑universal uptake among adults and high teen access).
• Active SIMs/connections: on the order of 3.0–3.5 million wireless connections countywide (reflecting U.S.-typical >1 line per person in dense metros).

Adoption and access (household/device)

• Smartphone presence: about 94–97% of households have at least one smartphone, a few points above the Washington state average.
• Cellular data plan at home: roughly 89–93% of households report a cellular data plan (smartphone/tablet/hotspot), above the statewide rate.
• Mobile‑only internet households: approximately 11–14% rely on cellular data without a fixed home connection, slightly lower than the state share (which is higher due to rural counties).

Demographic patterns (distinct from state-level)

• Age:
  • 18–34: near universal smartphone access (>97%).
  • 35–64: mid‑ to high‑90s percent.
  • 65+: about 85–90%, several points higher than the statewide senior adoption rate, reflecting King County’s higher income/education profile and robust digital literacy programs.
• Income:
  • <200% of FPL: smartphone ownership is high (roughly 90–93%), but mobile‑only reliance is elevated (about one‑quarter of low‑income households), concentrated in South King County; still, overall county reliance is lower than the state due to strong fixed‑broadband availability.
• Race/ethnicity and language:
  • Smartphone access across major racial/ethnic groups generally spans low‑ to mid‑90s percent; gaps narrow compared with statewide figures once income is controlled.
  • Limited‑English households show slightly higher mobile‑only reliance than county average, but lower than analogous statewide rates.
• Geography within the county:
  • North/central urban areas (Seattle, Bellevue, Redmond, Shoreline) show the highest device density and 5G usage.
  • South King County (Kent, Auburn, Federal Way) exhibits more mobile‑only households and price‑sensitive plan selection, though still better fixed‑line options than many Washington counties.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Network operators: AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon operate countywide 5G networks; T‑Mobile’s headquarters in Bellevue has driven especially dense mid‑band 5G (n41) deployment and early standalone 5G features.
• Spectrum and buildout:
  • Broad mid‑band coverage: 2.5 GHz (T‑Mobile) and C‑band (AT&T/Verizon) blanket the urban core and most suburban corridors.
  • High‑band/mmWave nodes: concentrated in downtown Seattle and Bellevue, South Lake Union, stadium districts, dense retail corridors, major venues, and Sea‑Tac’s campus.
  • Small cells: hundreds of small cells augment macro sites across Seattle, Bellevue, and Redmond to handle peak capacity.
• Coverage gaps: limited mainly to mountain foothills, forested parks, and sparse eastern fringes; fewer gaps than the state overall.
• Performance: typical median mobile downloads in core areas fall roughly in the 150–250 Mbps range with low double‑digit uploads and ~25–40 ms latency; King County metros rank among the faster U.S. markets and outpace Washington’s statewide median due to denser mid‑band and small‑cell grids.

Usage behavior and market dynamics

• BYOD/eSIM and MVNO adoption are strong, aided by tech‑savvy consumers and competitive retail footprints; plan churn is higher than the state average.
• Work‑from‑home/hybrid patterns and transit corridors (I‑5, I‑405, SR‑520, Link light rail) create predictable mobile traffic peaks; operators have added targeted capacity in CBDs, university campuses, medical centers, and technology hubs.
• Emergency communications: FirstNet (AT&T) and priority services are widely provisioned for public safety agencies; coverage is stronger and more redundant than in many Washington counties.

How King County differs from the Washington state average

• Higher smartphone penetration and lower mobile‑only household share, driven by better fixed‑broadband availability and higher incomes.
• Denser 5G mid‑band deployment and more extensive small‑cell use, yielding faster median speeds and lower latency.
• Smaller demographic gaps: seniors, low‑income, and LEP households in King County report higher smartphone access and slightly lower connectivity deficits than the same groups statewide.
• Fewer coverage gaps and congestion bottlenecks outside of major events; rural‑driven disparities that influence statewide figures are far less pronounced in King County.

Bottom line King County is one of Washington’s most connected markets: smartphone access is effectively ubiquitous, 5G is countywide with dense mid‑band capacity, and median mobile performance is well above statewide norms. Remaining gaps are concentrated in parts of South King County and at the urban‑wildland edge, but they are narrower than the statewide digital divide.

Social media in King County, WA — 2024 snapshot

Scope/method note

• Direct, public county-level platform stats are scarce. Figures below use 2024 U.S. adult adoption rates from Pew Research Center applied to King County’s adult population (~1.86 million; total population ~2.3 million, ACS). Resulting King County counts are modeled estimates; percentages are the underlying U.S. benchmarks.

Headline user stats

• Adults using at least one social platform: 83% of adults (≈1.54 million King County adults)
• Typical multi-platform behavior: most users maintain 3–5 active platforms; viewing/scrolling far exceeds posting.

Most-used platforms (share of adults; modeled King County counts)

• YouTube: 83% (≈1.54M)
• Facebook: 68% (≈1.26M)
• Instagram: 50% (≈0.93M)
• Pinterest: 35% (≈0.65M)
• TikTok: 33% (≈0.61M)
• Snapchat: 30% (≈0.56M)
• LinkedIn: 30% (≈0.56M)
• X/Twitter: 22% (≈0.41M)
• WhatsApp: 21% (≈0.39M)
• Reddit: 20% (≈0.37M) Notes on local variation: Given King County’s large tech and international populations, LinkedIn, Reddit, and WhatsApp usage are likely above the U.S. average; neighborhood platforms (e.g., Nextdoor) are widely used for local updates even though comprehensive public percentages are not published.

Age-group patterns

• 18–29: Near-universal YouTube; roughly three-quarters on Instagram; about two-thirds on Snapchat; about three-in-five on TikTok. Facebook lower than older groups but still significant. Heavy daily use of short-form video (Reels/Shorts/TikTok).
• 30–49: YouTube and Facebook are largest; Instagram around half; TikTok and Snapchat used but less than younger adults; LinkedIn notably strong in this county.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Pinterest comparatively strong; Instagram moderate; TikTok lower but growing via short-form video.
• 65+: Facebook and YouTube lead; Instagram modest; Pinterest moderate; TikTok/Snapchat minimal.

Gender breakdown

• Women: Higher use of Facebook, Instagram, and especially Pinterest (women are roughly twice as likely as men to use Pinterest); strong engagement in local groups and community pages.
• Men: Higher use of Reddit and YouTube; somewhat higher presence on X/Twitter; more participation in tech, gaming, and finance communities.

Behavioral trends in King County

• Professional networking: LinkedIn usage and engagement are elevated due to the concentration of tech and life-science employers; job-seeking and thought leadership are common.
• Neighborhood/community: Strong reliance on Facebook Groups and Nextdoor for local news, public safety updates, school/PTA info, yard sales, and city/county service announcements.
• Discovery and commerce: Instagram and TikTok drive discovery of restaurants, events, fitness, outdoor activities, and local makers; short-form video materially influences venue choice.
• News and civic info: Local outlets, agencies, and transit providers maintain presences on Facebook, Instagram, and X; Reddit communities (e.g., Seattle-related subs) are active for hyperlocal discussion and real-time incident sharing.
• Messaging over broadcasting: Many interactions move to private channels (Messenger, WhatsApp, Discord, Slack) for groups, hobbies, and workplace teams.
• Creation vs. consumption: A minority create content; most are “lurkers” or commenters. UGC clusters around food, hiking/outdoors, sports (Seahawks, Sounders, Kraken), and neighborhood issues.
• Platform shifts: X/Twitter use is stickier among journalists, commuters, and civic watchers but down overall; Reddit and newsletters fill some real-time and analysis needs. Short-form video continues to expand across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

Sources

• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (U.S. adult adoption percentages)
• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (population baseline for King County)