Barbour County

Here are key demographics for Barbour County, WV from the latest U.S. Census Bureau data.

Population

• Total population (2023 estimate): about 15.2K

Age

• Median age: ~44 years
• Under 18: ~20%
• 18 to 64: ~59%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Female: ~49–50%
• Male: ~50–51%

Race and ethnicity (shares of total)

• White alone, not Hispanic: ~94–95%
• Black or African American alone: ~1–2%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~1–2%
• Other groups (American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander): each <1%

Households

• Total households: about 6,000
• Average household size: ~2.4
• Family households: ~63% of households (married-couple ~45–47%)
• Nonfamily households: ~37%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates (DP05, DP02); 2023 Vintage Population Estimates. Figures are rounded; ACS margins of error apply.

Barbour County, WV (pop. roughly 15.5–16.5k) is rural, with low density (~45 people/sq. mile). Estimates below synthesize ACS/Pew national and WV rural data.

Estimated email users: 9,000–11,000 residents use email at least monthly (driven by home broadband adoption and smartphone access).

Age distribution (share who use email):

• Teens (13–17): ~60–70% (school accounts; heavier messaging app use)
• 18–29: ~85–95%
• 30–49: ~85–95%
• 50–64: ~75–85%
• 65+: ~60–75% (growing steadily)

Gender split: Approximately even (near 50/50; no meaningful usage gap observed in surveys).

Digital access trends:

• About 70–75% of households have a broadband subscription (WV rates trail U.S. average).
• 15–20% are likely smartphone‑only internet users; libraries/schools provide important public Wi‑Fi.
• Email use skews toward adults employed, in school, or managing benefits/healthcare portals; seniors’ adoption rising with telehealth.

Connectivity/local context:

• Terrain and rural spacing lead to patchy fixed broadband; FCC maps indicate remaining unserved/underserved pockets, though fiber builds are expanding via state/federal programs.
• Internet and email reliance highest around Philippi and along main corridors; access is more variable in outlying areas.

(All figures are reasoned estimates, not official counts.)

Mobile phone usage in Barbour County, WV — 2025 snapshot, with how it differs from statewide patterns

Bottom-line ways Barbour County differs from the West Virginia average

• Coverage and speeds: More coverage gaps off main roads, fewer mid-band 5G sites, and generally lower median mobile speeds than the state overall.
• Access patterns: Higher reliance on “smartphone-only” internet at home and on prepaid/MVNO plans than the WV average, driven by income and fixed-broadband gaps.
• Demographics: An older, smaller population base and the 2023 closure of Alderson Broaddus University in Philippi reduce the share of college-age users and removed a major public Wi‑Fi hub—unlike many WV counties with active campuses.
• Investment intensity: Fewer new tower builds and small-cells than urban WV counties; most upgrades are incremental (software and antenna swaps) on existing sites.

User estimates (orders of magnitude; rounded)

• Population base: About 15–16 thousand residents; roughly 11.5–12.5 thousand adults (18+).
• Residents with a mobile phone: Approximately 10.5–12 thousand.
• Adult smartphone users: Roughly 9.6–10.5 thousand (about 80–85% of adults; slightly below WV’s overall rate).
• Teen users (13–17): ~0.8–0.9 thousand with smartphones (high adoption, but a smaller cohort share than in WV metro counties).
• Smartphone-only internet at home: Estimated 20–30% of households rely mainly on a cellular data plan for home internet—higher than the WV average (typically mid-teens to low-20s), reflecting patchier wired broadband.
• Plan mix: Prepaid/MVNO share likely above the state average due to price sensitivity; postpaid still dominant in multi-line family plans.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age
  • 65+: Smartphone adoption trails the state average; many in this group keep basic cell phones or use smartphones primarily on Wi‑Fi. Emergency and telehealth use is growing but still constrained by spotty signal in hollows and ridges.
  • 18–34: Near-universal smartphone adoption but a smaller cohort locally than statewide; the loss of the AB University student base further reduced heavy mobile data users in Philippi.
• Income and education
  • Median household income is lower than the WV average, correlating with greater use of prepaid, data-conserving behavior (heavy Wi‑Fi, smaller data buckets), and smartphone-only households for homework, job applications, and telehealth.
  • Lower bachelor’s attainment than the state average aligns with higher rates of mobile-as-primary internet, particularly in rental households.
• Work patterns
  • Jobs in healthcare, education, small manufacturing, trades, and resource industries rely on voice/text and LTE for scheduling, navigation, and field coordination; livestreaming and high-throughput mobile workflows are less common than in urban WV.

Digital infrastructure points

• Radio access
  • 4G LTE: Generally available in and between Philippi, Belington, and along US‑250/US‑119; coverage drops quickly on secondary roads and in steep terrain. Users frequently report needing Wi‑Fi calling indoors outside town centers.
  • 5G: Low-band 5G present around town centers and primary corridors; mid-band 5G (fast “n77”-type) is sparse or absent, unlike Charleston/Huntington/Morgantown where mid-band is expanding. mmWave is not a factor.
• Capacity and performance
  • Typical experience is below state median speeds, with evening congestion around town nodes and higher latency where backhaul is microwave rather than fiber. Performance varies sharply over short distances because of terrain shadowing.
• Sites and buildout
  • Fewer macro towers per square mile than WV’s urban counties; most carriers co-locate on a handful of sites near towns, with limited new greenfield towers. Small cells and DAS are rare outside public safety or campus settings.
• Backhaul and middle-mile
  • Fiber backhaul exists along main corridors, but many cell sites still depend on long fiber laterals or microwave, constraining upgrade paths. Ongoing state/NTIA/BEAD-funded middle‑mile and fiber-to-the-home projects are expected to improve backhaul options, but impacts will roll in over multiple years.
• Public access/walk-up connectivity
  • Libraries and schools in Philippi/Belington remain key Wi‑Fi anchors. The 2023 closure of Alderson Broaddus University removed a significant campus Wi‑Fi footprint and student density—an atypical shift versus many WV counties.

What this means relative to the state

• Adoption is only slightly lower than WV’s average but is paired with higher dependence on smartphones as the primary internet connection.
• Coverage quality diverges more than adoption: Barbour has more “dead zones,” fewer mid-band 5G upgrades, and lower consistency than state averages buoyed by urban counties.
• Price sensitivity is higher, pushing uptake of prepaid/MVNO plans and careful data use.
• The local higher-ed contraction (AB closure) is a unique factor reducing campus-driven demand and public Wi‑Fi availability.

Notes on method and uncertainty

• Figures are 2023–2025 approximations derived from Census/ACS population structure, national/rural smartphone adoption research (e.g., Pew), WV rural broadband patterns, and carrier coverage norms for central WV. For decisions needing precision (e.g., siting or market sizing), pair this with the latest FCC mobile coverage maps, crowdsourced speed tests, and county-level ACS “Computer and Internet Use” tables.

Below is a concise, locality-adjusted snapshot for Barbour County, WV. Because platform data is rarely published at the county level, figures are estimates extrapolated from Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. social media usage, adjusted for rural WV demographics and Barbour County’s older age profile. Treat ranges as directional, not precise.

Population context

• Residents: ~15K
• Rural, older-than-average age mix; internet/broadband adoption below the U.S. average but robust smartphone use.

Estimated social-media users

• Total users (age 13+): ~8,500–10,500 (≈65–75% of 13+ population)
• Usage frequency: Facebook and YouTube daily use is most common; Instagram/TikTok daily use concentrated in under-35s.

Most-used platforms (share of local social-media users)

• Facebook: 80–85%
• YouTube: 75–80%
• Instagram: 30–40%
• Pinterest: 25–35%
• TikTok: 18–25%
• Snapchat: 15–20%
• X (Twitter): 10–15%
• WhatsApp: 8–12%
• LinkedIn: 8–12% Notes: Facebook over-indexes in rural and older communities; Pinterest skews female; Reddit is small but present (male-skewed), typically under 10%.

Age patterns (who uses what)

• Teens/18–29: Heavy Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; still on YouTube; Facebook mainly for events/family.
• 30–44: Facebook + YouTube core; growing Instagram/Reels; some TikTok for entertainment/how-tos.
• 45–64: Predominantly Facebook (Groups, Marketplace) + YouTube; light Instagram; limited TikTok.
• 65+: Facebook first (family, church, local news), YouTube for how-tos and local sports recaps; minimal on newer apps.

Gender breakdown

• Overall social-media use is roughly even by gender locally.
• Platform skews:
  • More women: Facebook (slight), Instagram (slight), Pinterest (strong).
  • More men: YouTube (slight), X/Twitter and Reddit (moderate).
  • TikTok/Snapchat: near-even to slight female lean.

Behavioral trends (local signals)

• Facebook Groups as the community hub: schools, churches, youth sports, volunteer fire departments, local government updates.
• Marketplace is a major activity: buy/sell/trade, vehicles, tools, appliances; posts with clear photos and prices outperform.
• Video is surging: short-form (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) for entertainment and local highlights; longer-form YouTube for how‑to, hunting/fishing, small-engine repair, home projects.
• Trust and reach: Content from known local people, businesses, and institutions travels farther via shares than polished brand creative.
• Timing: Evenings (6–10 pm) and weekend mid‑day see the most engagement; weather events, school closings, and local sports drive spikes.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is the default for inquiries; quick replies materially increase conversions.
• Content style: Authentic, plainly shot photos/video with people locals recognize; community involvement posts outperform pure promos.
• Discovery: Geo-targeted content within ~10–20 miles of Philippi/Belington performs better than broad statewide targeting.

Sources and method

• Estimates derived from Pew Research Center (Social Media Use, 2024) and rural vs. national adoption differences, scaled to Barbour County’s population/age profile using recent Census/ACS totals.