Brooke County

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Brooke County, WV snapshot (estimates)

• Population: ~21–22k. Adults ~17–18k.
• Email users: 15.5k–17k adults (extrapolating Pew-reported ~90%+ email use among U.S. adults; slightly tempered for an older WV profile).
• Age pattern:
  • 18–34: high adoption (~95–99%); ~3–4k users.
  • 35–54: very high (~95–98%); ~5–6k users.
  • 55–64: high (~90–96%); ~3k users.
  • 65+: lower but majority (~75–90%); ~3–4k users.
• Gender split: ~51% female, 49% male; email usage near parity (no meaningful gender gap in national data).
• Digital access trends:
  • Roughly mid‑80% of households have a home internet subscription (ACS-like patterns for similar WV counties).
  • 15–20% are smartphone‑only users; 10–15% lack home internet, concentrated among seniors and lower‑income households.
  • Device access is strongest in river towns; rural interiors show more gaps.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Compact communities (Wellsburg, Follansbee, Bethany) along the WV‑2/Ohio River corridor have better cable/fiber options; hillier interior areas rely more on DSL/fixed wireless, with patchier speeds.
  • State broadband initiatives continue to expand fiber in the Northern Panhandle.

Notes: Figures are modeled from U.S./WV benchmarks (Pew, ACS) applied to Brooke County’s population and age structure.

Brooke County, WV: mobile usage snapshot with county-vs-state differences

Headline takeaways

• More and better 5G than much of West Virginia (proximity to the Pittsburgh/Ohio River corridor), so data performance and fixed‑wireless availability are stronger than the state average.
• Slightly older, smaller, and lower‑income than the U.S., which moderates smartphone take‑up versus national rates; however, coverage and competition keep Brooke roughly on par with or a touch above West Virginia overall on mobile adoption.
• Reliance on mobile-only home internet is lower than the state average where cable/fiber are available in river towns, but higher in the hilly interior with patchier wireline options.

User estimates (2025, rounded; see methods note)

• Total residents: ~21–22k.
• Any mobile phone users: ~18.5k–20k (about 85–92% of residents).
• Smartphone users: ~15.5k–17.5k (about 72–82% of residents; ~82–88% of adults 18+).
• Feature‑phone only: ~1.3k–1.9k (6–9% of adults), skewing 65+.
• No mobile phone: ~1.8k–2.5k (8–12%), concentrated among the oldest age brackets and very low‑income households. How this differs from WV overall
• Smartphone adoption: roughly similar or 1–2 points higher than the statewide average, driven by better 5G availability along the Ohio River corridor despite Brooke’s older age profile.
• Mobile‑only home internet households: estimated 12–16% in Brooke vs 18–22% statewide; cable and some fiber in river towns reduce mobile‑only reliance compared with many rural WV counties.
• Fixed‑wireless (5G home internet) take‑up potential: higher than the WV average due to mid‑band 5G coverage in and between Weirton (partly in Brooke), Follansbee, and Wellsburg.

Demographic breakdown (patterns, not strict counts)

• By age
  • 18–49: very high smartphone use (≈92–97%); video‑first usage and hotspotting common for commuters toward the Pittsburgh metro.
  • 50–64: high smartphone use (≈80–88%) but above‑average feature‑phone retention vs national norms.
  • 65+: smartphone use ≈60–70%; larger share with talk/text only. Device affordability and training are key barriers.
• By income/education
  • Lower‑income and fixed‑income households over‑index on prepaid/MVNO plans and older Android devices.
  • Households with cable/fiber access are less likely to be mobile‑only; in hilltop/hollow areas with weaker wireline, mobile‑only or fixed‑wireless substitution is more common.
• By geography within the county
  • River corridor towns (Weirton areas/Follansbee/Wellsburg): highest 5G performance and device upgrade rates; strong competition among national carriers.
  • Interior/ridgelines: more dead zones and indoor coverage challenges; external antennas or Wi‑Fi calling are common workarounds.

Digital infrastructure points (what’s different from much of WV)

• Coverage and technology mix
  • All three national carriers operate macro sites along the Ohio River (US‑22/WV‑2), with widespread low‑band 5G and meaningful mid‑band 5G (n41 on T‑Mobile; C‑band n77 on Verizon, and growing AT&T mid‑band) in population centers—earlier and denser than many central/southern WV counties.
  • LTE remains the fallback in hollows and behind ridgelines; in‑building penetration can be weak in older steel/concrete structures.
• Towers and siting
  • Dozens of registered macro sites serve the county, clustered along the river corridor and on ridgelines; fewer sites in sparsely populated interiors create localized dead spots. This tower pattern is less dense but more fiber‑fed than in many rural WV counties.
• Backhaul
  • River/US‑22 transport routes host multiple fiber providers, so carriers more often use fiber backhaul here than microwave—supporting higher 5G capacity than the WV average.
• Fixed‑wireless home internet
  • T‑Mobile and Verizon 5G home internet are broadly marketable in the corridor; availability and speeds exceed much of rural WV and act as alternatives where cable/fiber is absent or pricey.
• Public safety and resiliency
  • FirstNet (AT&T) presence and overlapping carrier footprints along the river improve redundancy versus interior WV counties. Terrain still creates spotty handheld coverage in some valleys without vehicle boosters.
• Cross‑border effects
  • Proximity to Ohio and Pennsylvania strengthens competition and roaming overlaps; pricing and promo intensity tend to be closer to the Pittsburgh DMA than to interior WV markets.

Trends to watch vs state

• Device mix: Faster shift to 5G‑only handsets in Brooke than in many WV counties due to tangible mid‑band benefits; but senior cohorts slow overall conversion.
• Plan types: Above‑average adoption of prepaid/MVNO and fixed‑wireless bundles; below‑average mobile‑only households where cable/fiber are available.
• Network upgrades: C‑band/n41 densification likely to focus first on the river towns and US‑22, widening the performance gap with interior WV areas.

Methods and caveats

• Estimates synthesize county population and age structure with Pew’s smartphone adoption by age, adjusted for rural/low‑income effects and for better‑than‑average local 5G coverage; they are presented as ranges, not precise counts.
• County‑level mobile usage is not directly reported by a single federal source; for a tighter readout, combine the latest ACS 1‑year tables (age/income/commute), FCC Broadband Maps (5G and FWA serviceable locations), and carrier coverage tools.

Below is a concise, county-specific snapshot built by applying the latest Pew Research Center U.S. social-media adoption rates to Brooke County’s demographics (small, older-leaning, ~22–23k residents, ~51% female). Treat figures as estimates; true county-level platform data is rarely published.

At-a-glance context

• Population profile: Skews older; sizable 50–64 and 65+ segments; roughly even gender split.
• Connectivity: Household broadband in the low-to-mid 80% range; smartphone use high among <65, lower in 65+.

Most-used platforms (estimated share of Brooke County adults)

• YouTube: ~80–83%
• Facebook: ~64–70%
• Instagram: ~45–50%
• TikTok: ~30–35%
• Snapchat: ~25–30% (concentrated under 35)
• Pinterest: ~33–38% overall; roughly ~50% of women
• LinkedIn: ~28–32% (skews to employed/degree holders)
• X (Twitter): ~20–24%
• Reddit: ~20–23% (skews male/younger)
• WhatsApp: ~20–22%
• Nextdoor: likely ~10–15% locally (national adult usage ~20%; adoption is typically lower in rural/small-town areas)

Age-group patterns (share using each platform, approximate)

• 18–29: YouTube ~90%+; Instagram ~75–80%; Snapchat ~60–65%; TikTok ~60–65%; Facebook ~55–65%.
• 30–49: YouTube ~90%+; Facebook ~70–75%; Instagram ~50–55%; TikTok/Snapchat ~35–40%.
• 50–64: Facebook ~65–70%; YouTube ~80–85%; Instagram ~30%; TikTok ~20–25%; Snapchat ~10–15%.
• 65+: Facebook ~55–60%; YouTube ~55–60%; Instagram ~15%; TikTok ~10%; Snapchat ~5% or lower.

Gender breakdown (tendencies)

• Women: Higher usage of Facebook, Instagram, and especially Pinterest (about half of women). Slightly higher on TikTok than men.
• Men: Higher on Reddit, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, and WhatsApp. YouTube strong for both.

Behavioral trends in Brooke County

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of local groups for school updates, youth sports, church/community events, yard sales, public notices, and local news. Engagement often peaks early morning and evenings.
• Private messaging is key: Facebook Messenger is widely used; WhatsApp presence is modest.
• Video-first consumption: YouTube for how‑to, repairs, outdoor/recreation, sermons, and local-interest content; TikTok for short-form entertainment and local culture. Most users consume more than they post.
• Younger residents favor ephemeral and short-form: Snapchat and Instagram Stories/Reels for day-to-day sharing; cross-posting Reels to Facebook to reach family/community.
• Local business playbook: Promotions, giveaways, and event posts on Facebook drive the most interaction; Instagram effective for visual brands (food, salons, boutiques). Short-form video outperforms static posts.
• Older segments: More likely to be “readers/commenters” than original content creators; rely heavily on Facebook for information.

Sources and method

• Platform adoption rates: Pew Research Center, “Social Media Use in 2024.”
• Demographics/connectivity: U.S. Census Bureau (ACS/QuickFacts) for Brooke County, WV; ACS S2801 for device/broadband. Estimates above apply Pew adoption rates to local age/gender mix and adjust qualitatively for rural/older skew.