Gilmer County

To give you precise, current figures, I need to know which data vintage you prefer. Options:

• ACS 5-year (most reliable for small counties; e.g., 2018–2022)
• 2020 Decennial Census (exact counts, fewer household details)
• Population estimates (e.g., 2023)

Which should I use? If no preference, I’ll use ACS 2018–2022 and report:

• Total population
• Age: median age and broad age brackets
• Sex: male/female share
• Race/ethnicity: White, Black, Hispanic/Latino, Two+ races, others
• Households: number of households, average household size, families vs. nonfamily households

Email usage snapshot: Gilmer County, WV

• Estimated email users: 3,700–4,300 residents. Basis: population ≈7,400 (2020), ~5,500–5,800 adults; with rural WV internet/email adoption around 65–75% of adults.
• Age distribution (approx. email use by age):
  • 18–29: 90–95%
  • 30–49: 90–95%
  • 50–64: 80–90%
  • 65+: 60–75% University students in Glenville likely lift usage among 18–24.
• Gender split: Roughly even; men and women use email at similar rates.
• Digital access trends:
  • Fixed-broadband adoption is below the U.S. average in rural WV; a meaningful minority are smartphone‑only for home internet.
  • Ongoing fiber builds (state BEAD/ARP-funded and provider projects) are improving availability; public and campus Wi‑Fi help fill gaps.
  • Terrain and dispersed settlements produce patchy last‑mile coverage; some households still rely on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Low population density (~22 people per sq. mile across ~340 sq. miles) raises per‑premise build costs and contributes to uneven service.
  • Presence of Glenville State University increases local network capacity and digital engagement; the federal correctional facility skews demographics but does not reflect typical consumer email use.

Figures are estimates derived from Census population and national/rural email adoption patterns.

Below is a concise, county-specific picture built from publicly available statewide patterns, rural-Appalachia benchmarks, and Gilmer County’s known context (small population, mountainous terrain, Glenville State University presence). Figures are estimates intended to frame orders of magnitude and likely trends.

Headline user estimates (resident base)

• Population baseline: roughly 7,300–7,700 residents.
• Adults (18+): about 5,800–6,200.
• Smartphone users (residents): approximately 5,000–5,800.
• Total mobile phone users (smartphone + basic phone): roughly 5,600–6,400.
• Wireless-only voice households (no landline): likely 60–70% (roughly in line with rural WV but a bit below urban WV).
• Mobile-dependent for internet (primary home internet via phone/hotspot): meaningfully above WV’s metro counties due to patchy fixed broadband; expect elevated reliance in outlying hollows and among lower-income households.

Demographic and usage patterns (what’s distinctive vs West Virginia overall)

• Age mix:
  • 18–24 share is higher than the WV average because of Glenville State University; smartphone adoption in this cohort is near universal, which pulls up app usage, social/video, and campus-Wi‑Fi offload.
  • 65+ share is still sizable and adoption there lags (roughly 55–65% smartphone adoption), keeping a larger-than-urban share of basic/voice-centric usage.
  • Net effect: a bimodal usage profile (heavy, app-centric student usage in town; voice/SMS-first usage in rural tracts).
• Income and access:
  • Lower incomes than the state average translate to more prepaid/MVNO plans and budget data tiers than you’d see in university-adjacent metro counties like Monongalia.
  • The wind-down of the Affordable Connectivity Program in 2024 likely pushed some households to rely more on mobile data/tethering; the impact is sharper here than in better-served metro WV.
• Seasonal swings:
  • Noticeable traffic spikes tied to the university calendar (Aug–Dec, Jan–May). Cellular load in Glenville eases during breaks—this seasonality is more pronounced than at the state level.
• Carrier mix tendencies:
  • Coverage-driven preference for Verizon and AT&T (including FirstNet for public safety). T‑Mobile can work along the interstate corridor and in-town, but coverage is less consistent in valleys—skew more pronounced than statewide averages.
• Workday mobility:
  • Commuter flows to I‑79 and institutional employers (e.g., the federal correctional facility) create peaking on approach roads and in Glenville more than in purely residential rural counties.

Digital infrastructure snapshot (coverage, capacity, backhaul)

• 4G LTE: Broadest and most reliable layer for all three national carriers; strongest along US‑33/119, WV‑5, and toward I‑79. Terrain causes shadowing and dead zones on side roads and hollows—more acute than WV’s urban counties but typical for central Appalachia.
• 5G availability:
  • Low‑band 5G (AT&T/Verizon DSS; T‑Mobile n71) is present in/near Glenville and along the I‑79 approach; it expands coverage rather than delivering metro‑class speeds.
  • Mid‑band 5G (especially T‑Mobile n41) is largely tied to the I‑79 corridor and select sites; inside much of the county, expect LTE or low‑band 5G. Overall 5G capacity share is below the statewide average.
• Speeds and reliability (typical, not guaranteed):
  • In-town/near highway: roughly LTE/low‑band 5G in the 10–80 Mbps down range, depending on carrier/load; upload 2–15 Mbps.
  • Outlying areas: larger variance; drops to single‑digit Mbps or fallback to 3G/voice-over-LTE-only in pockets.
• Backhaul:
  • Fiber backhaul clusters near the interstate corridor and institutional anchors (e.g., the university). Some rural sites rely on microwave backhaul, which constrains peak capacity—more common here than in WV metros.
• FirstNet/public safety:
  • County agencies likely leverage FirstNet coverage from AT&T for data; land-mobile radio (state SIRN) remains primary for mission-critical voice. Generator-backed rural cell sites help, but extended power outages still degrade capacity—risk is higher than WV’s urban average.
• Offload and workarounds:
  • Heavy Wi‑Fi offload on campus and at public venues; residents without robust home broadband often use phone hotspots for homework and streaming—above the state’s metro average.

Estimated segment breakdown (share of resident smartphone users)

• 13–17: 9–11% of smartphone users; >85% adoption, heavy social/video.
• 18–24: 20–25%; near‑universal adoption; peak data/video/gaming; strongest Wi‑Fi offload.
• 25–64: 45–55%; high adoption, mix of postpaid and prepaid; notable hotspot use for home connectivity in rural tracts.
• 65+: 12–18%; rising but below-average adoption; more voice/SMS, telehealth usage where coverage permits.

Key ways Gilmer differs from the WV statewide picture

• Higher share of 18–24 users and stronger academic-year seasonality in traffic.
• Lower 5G mid‑band footprint and more microwave‑backhauled sites than the state’s urban counties; speeds are more variable and terrain-limited.
• Greater reliance on prepaid/MVNO and mobile-as-primary-internet among outlying households.
• More pronounced town-versus-hollow divide: good experience in Glenville/corridors versus frequent dead zones a few miles out.

Notes on method and where to validate

• Use ACS 1‑year county population and age structure; Pew Research for smartphone adoption by age; CDC NHIS for wireless‑only household trends; FCC/National Broadband Map and carrier maps for coverage/5G layers; local emergency management for FirstNet/SIRN use; speedtest aggregators (e.g., Ookla) for performance medians. Adjust for the Glenville State University enrollment cycle when interpreting any monthly network metrics.

Below is a concise, decision-ready snapshot built from public U.S. and WV patterns (Pew Research, ACS) adjusted for a small, rural county with a local university (Glenville State). County-level surveys aren’t published; figures are modeled estimates and presented as ranges.

Headline size

• Population: ~7,000–7,500 residents
• Internet access: ~72–80% of households; mobile-first behavior is common
• Active social media users: ~4,800–5,500 people (≈65–75% of total population; ≈80–90% of internet users)

Age and gender among active users (estimated share of active users)

• 13–17: 7–10%
• 18–24: 14–18% (boosted by Glenville State students)
• 25–34: 16–20%
• 35–44: 16–19%
• 45–54: 14–17%
• 55–64: 12–15%
• 65+: 10–13%
• Gender split: ~52–55% female, ~45–48% male

Most-used platforms (estimated monthly reach among online residents)

• Facebook: 78–85% (Groups and Marketplace are core)
• YouTube: 82–88% (how‑to, news clips, outdoor/hobby content)
• Facebook Messenger: 70–78%
• Instagram: 35–45% (strongest with 18–34; campus/community life)
• TikTok: 30–40% (18–34 heavy; local humor, crafts, small biz promos)
• Snapchat: 25–35% (teens/younger 20s)
• Pinterest: 28–35% (skews female 25–54; recipes, DIY, home)
• X/Twitter: 10–15% (niche: sports/news followers)
• Reddit: 10–15% (younger males; tech/outdoors subs)
• LinkedIn: 8–12% (professional niche)
• WhatsApp: 8–12% (lower than national; family groups)

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first: Facebook Groups drive local news, school closings, church and civic events, yard sales, lost/found pets, obituaries.
• Marketplace matters: Heavy use for vehicles, tools, farm/rural equipment, furniture.
• Video wins: Short-form (Reels/TikTok) for quick updates and promos; YouTube for tutorials (auto repair, homesteading, hunting/fishing, small engine, crafts).
• Local trust: Posts from recognizable community members, schools, teams, and churches outperform brand-style content.
• Messaging > comments: Many conversations move to Messenger after initial public posts.
• Timing: Peaks 7–10 pm; secondary spikes 6:30–8:30 am. Students extend late-night activity; weekend mornings are strong for Marketplace.
• Content that performs: High school and Glenville State sports highlights, weather alerts/road closures, local photos, event recaps, giveaways from local businesses.
• Advertising notes: FB/IG geotargeting works well; simple creative with local faces/landmarks and clear CTAs outperform polished generic ads.
• Access constraints: Patchy broadband keeps experiences mobile-first; keep assets lightweight and vertical-friendly.

How to use this

• Start on Facebook/Instagram (core + Reels), supplement with short TikTok and YouTube how‑to/evergreen video.
• For youth reach, add Snapchat; for women 25–54, seed Pinterest boards that link back to FB/IG or site.
• Post evenings and weekend mornings; cross-post to relevant local groups and tag schools/teams when appropriate.