Pacific County

Pacific County, Washington — Key demographics (most recent Census/ACS)

Population size

• 23,365 (2020 Census)
• 23,9xx (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimate; approx. mid‑24k)

Age

• Median age: ~52 years
• Under 18: ~17%
• 18–64: ~53%
• 65 and over: ~30%

Gender

• Male: ~51%
• Female: ~49%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2019–2023; Hispanic can be of any race)

• Non-Hispanic White: ~81%
• Hispanic or Latino: ~12–13%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (NH): ~3%
• Two or more races (NH): ~3%
• Asian (NH): ~1%
• Black (NH): <1%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander and Other (NH): <1%

Households

• Total households: ~10.8k
• Average household size: ~2.15
• Family households: ~58% of households
• Married-couple families: ~46% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~18%
• Tenure: ~78% owner-occupied, ~22% renter-occupied

Insights

• Older age profile: nearly 3 in 10 residents are 65+, and the median age is ~10 years higher than the U.S. median.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White with a meaningful Hispanic/Latino community.
• Small household sizes and high owner-occupancy typical of retirement- and second-home communities.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey (ACS) 2019–2023 5-year estimates.

• Context: Pacific County, WA has about 23–24k residents over ~930 sq mi (≈25 people/sq mi), making it a low-density, rural coastal county.

• Estimated email users: ≈18,000 adults use email regularly (≈92–94% of adults), based on Pew Research U.S. adoption rates applied to local age structure.

• Age distribution of email users (est. counts):

  • 18–34: ~3.2k (≈98–99% use)
  • 35–54: ~5.0k (≈97–98% use)
  • 55–64: ~4.5k (≈95–96% use)
  • 65+: ~5.1k (≈88–92% use) Older residents are numerous locally, so they account for a large share of total users despite slightly lower adoption.

• Gender split: Near parity. Email adoption is effectively equal by gender; roughly half of users are women and half men (≈9k each), reflecting the county’s ~50/50 adult gender mix.

• Digital access and connectivity:

  • ~90% of households have a computer; ~80–85% have a home broadband subscription; ~12–14% report no home internet (ACS “Computer and Internet Use”).
  • Smartphone‑only home internet is ~7–9%.
  • Fixed broadband and mobile coverage are strongest in Long Beach/Ilwaco and Raymond–South Bend corridors; inland forested areas and parts of the Willapa Bay shoreline have spottier service, increasing reliance on satellite/fixed‑wireless and public Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools).
  • Broadband adoption has trended upward since 2018, narrowing the senior gap.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Pacific County, Washington

County context

• Population and households: Approximately 24,000 residents and about 11,000 households (2023 Census estimates). The county skews older (median age 52; roughly 30% aged 65+), with lower median household income ($55–60k) than Washington state (~$85–95k range).
• Rural/tourism profile: Small towns along the Long Beach Peninsula and US‑101 corridor; interior forested terrain and coastal headlands create coverage and backhaul constraints and large seasonal population swings during summer events.

User estimates

• Adult smartphone users: About 14,500–15,500 adults, or 72–78% of the adult population. This is 10–15 percentage points lower than Washington’s statewide adult smartphone adoption, reflecting the county’s older age profile and lower incomes (modeled from Pew Research age-specific adoption rates applied to Pacific County’s age mix).
• Household cellular data subscriptions: About 68% of households have a cellular data plan (ACS Computer and Internet Use, 2018–2022 5‑year), versus roughly 80% statewide.
• Smartphone‑only internet households: Approximately 12–14% of households rely on a smartphone as their only internet subscription, versus about 9–10% statewide (ACS). That equates to roughly 1,300–1,500 Pacific County households.

Demographic breakdown (adult smartphone adoption, modeled to local demographics)

• Ages 18–29: ~95% adoption; 30–49: ~92–95%; 50–64: ~80–85%; 65+: ~60–65%. Because about 30% of residents are 65+, overall county adoption averages in the mid‑70s, below the state average in the high‑80s to low‑90s.
• Income: Households below $35k show markedly higher reliance on smartphone‑only access (≈20% in-county) than higher‑income households; this is several points higher than the statewide smartphone‑only share due to Pacific County’s lower median income and more limited fixed broadband options in outlying areas.
• Geography and work: Residents in interior valleys and hills are more likely to be LTE‑only and to use data frugally or on prepaid plans. Coastal service and US‑101 corridors see higher 5G use and heavier seasonal data loads.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage pattern: 5G coverage is concentrated in and around Long Beach, Ocean Park/Seaview/Ilwaco, Raymond, and South Bend along US‑101 and SR‑103. LTE is the dominant layer outside towns; interior forested areas (e.g., Willapa Hills, Naselle and Willapa River valleys, parts of the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge) experience weaker signals or dead zones.
• Backhaul and capacity: Carrier sites along the coast and highway corridors typically have fiber backhaul; some inland sites use microwave, which constrains peak capacity. Seasonal tourism on the Long Beach Peninsula produces recurring weekend and festival congestion, with measurable speed dips and latency spikes compared with shoulder seasons.
• State and federal investments: Recent Rural Digital Opportunity Fund and Washington State Broadband Office projects have prioritized fixed broadband; mobile improvements have principally followed new fiber laterals and backhaul upgrades along US‑101 and SR‑6, widening 5G availability in town centers but leaving large LTE‑only pockets inland.
• Emergency coverage: Given tsunami and coastal storm risks, carriers have hardened select coastal sites and expanded Wireless Emergency Alerts reach along primary evacuation routes; redundancy remains thinner away from highways.

How Pacific County differs from the Washington state pattern

• Lower adoption and use:
  • Adult smartphone adoption is lower by roughly 10–15 points versus state average because of the larger 65+ population share.
  • Household cellular data-plan penetration is about 68% versus ~80% statewide.
• Higher smartphone‑only dependence:
  • Smartphone‑only internet households are 3–5 points higher than the state share, driven by lower incomes and patchier fixed broadband in rural tracts.
• Coverage and capacity gaps:
  • 5G is far less ubiquitous by land area; LTE remains the workhorse outside towns, and indoor coverage is less reliable in forested and hilly areas than the statewide norm.
• Seasonal strain:
  • The county exhibits sharper summer congestion spikes than most Washington counties because visitor volumes can exceed resident population on peak weekends on the Long Beach Peninsula.

Actionable insights

• Expand mid‑band 5G and fiber backhaul beyond coastal towns to reduce LTE‑only pockets and seasonal congestion.
• Target digital inclusion for seniors and low‑income households, where smartphone ownership and data-plan affordability are the main adoption constraints.
• Prioritize in‑building coverage solutions and small cells in tourist corridors and event venues to stabilize peak‑season performance.
• Coordinate with fixed broadband builds (fiber laterals along US‑101/SR‑6 and inland exchanges) to synchronize mobile backhaul upgrades and fill coverage gaps.

Sources and methods

• U.S. Census Bureau (2020–2023) for population, age, and income context.
• ACS 2018–2022 5‑year Computer and Internet Use tables for household cellular data and smartphone‑only measures (county vs state comparisons).
• Pew Research Center (2021–2023) for age‑specific smartphone adoption rates, applied to Pacific County’s age distribution to estimate adult smartphone users.
• FCC Broadband DATA Collection mobile maps (2023–2024) and carrier public coverage updates for 4G/5G footprint patterns in the county.

Pacific County, WA — social media snapshot (2025)

Baseline population context

• Total population: ~23,500 (ACS 2023). Adults 18+: ~19,400.
• Adult age mix (approx.): 18–29: 13%; 30–49: 26%; 50–64: 28%; 65+: 33%.
• Gender: roughly even overall; women slightly overrepresented in 65+.

Overall usage

• Adults using at least one major social platform: 77% (15,000 adults).

Most-used platforms (share of adults; estimated users)

• YouTube: 79% (15,300)
• Facebook: 60% (11,600)
• Instagram: 36% (7,000)
• Pinterest: 32% (6,200)
• TikTok: 28% (5,400)
• X (Twitter): 20% (3,900)
• Snapchat: 18% (3,500)

Age-group usage patterns

• 18–29: Very high adoption across platforms; heavy on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; Facebook used mainly for groups/events.
• 30–49: Broadest mix; YouTube, Facebook, Instagram dominate; TikTok rising.
• 50–64: High YouTube and Facebook; moderate Pinterest and Instagram; lighter TikTok.
• 65+: Facebook and YouTube lead; smaller but growing Pinterest/Instagram use.

Gender patterns

• Facebook and Pinterest skew female; YouTube and X skew male. Instagram is near-balanced; TikTok slightly female-skewed among under‑35. Overall user base is close to county gender split, with older-female Facebook groups especially active.

Behavioral trends observed in rural coastal Washington counties (applies to Pacific County)

• Community-first Facebook behavior: Strong reliance on local groups (community news, events, buy/sell/trade, school and safety updates). Event- and weather-driven engagement spikes are common.
• Video as the default format: YouTube for DIY, home repair, fishing/boating, storm prep; short-form video (Reels/TikTok) drives discovery for hospitality and tourism (lodging, restaurants, charter fishing).
• Practical content wins: Road closures, severe weather, wildfire/smoke updates, local services, lost-and-found pets, and seasonal events consistently outperform brand-only posts.
• Discovery and planning split: Instagram/TikTok used for inspiration and deciding where to go; Facebook used to confirm details (hours, menus, closures) and read local comments/reviews.
• Messaging and groups: Facebook Messenger and private groups handle recommendations and neighborhood coordination more than public pages.
• Seasonality: Engagement lifts in spring–summer (tourism season) and during coastal storm periods in fall–winter; businesses see measurable reach gains when posting timely service updates or deals.

Notes on methodology and sources

• County-level platform metrics are modelled from Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. platform adoption rates by age, applied to Pacific County’s ACS 2023 age structure. Figures are rounded and reflect adult (18+) residents.