Mingo County

Key demographics — Mingo County, West Virginia

Population

• Total population: 23,568 (2020 Census)
• 2023 population estimate: ~21,900 (U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program)

Age

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

Gender

• Female: ~50.5%
• Male: ~49.5%

Race and ethnicity

• White alone: ~95%
• Black or African American alone: ~2–3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0–1%
• Asian alone: ~0–1%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~1%

Households and housing

• Households: ~9,500
• Average household size: ~2.4
• Family households: ~64–66%
• Married-couple households: ~48%
• Households with children under 18: ~24%
• One-person households: ~30%
• Owner-occupied: ~78%
• Renter-occupied: ~22%

Economic context (household-level)

• Median household income: roughly $40,000
• Persons below poverty level: roughly 1 in 4 (~25%)

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; 2023 Population Estimates Program). Figures rounded for clarity.

• Population and density: ~22,100 residents across ~424 sq mi (≈52 people/mi²).
• Estimated email users: ≈13,400 residents use email (≈12,200 adults + ≈1,200 teens), derived from adult share of population, local internet-subscription rates, and the high email uptake among internet users.
• Age distribution (total population): Under 18 ~21%; 18–24 ~8%; 25–44 ~24%; 45–64 ~28%; 65+ ~19%. Email use is near-universal among working-age adults and lower, but rising, among 65+.
• Gender split: ~50.5% female, ~49.5% male; email adoption shows minimal gender gap.
• Digital access:
  • ~76% of households have an internet subscription.
  • ~64% subscribe to fixed broadband (cable/DSL/fiber).
  • ~12% are smartphone-only at home.
  • ~24% lack home internet, relying on mobile data, work, school, or library access.
• Trends and connectivity facts:
  • Gradual gains in broadband take-up since 2016; smartphone-only access has grown, especially in lower-income and older households.
  • Rural, mountainous terrain and low population density contribute to patchy fixed service and lower median speeds than metro WV.
  • Public Wi‑Fi (libraries/schools) and mobile networks are important backstops where fixed broadband is absent or unaffordable.

Notes: Email-user counts are estimates based on county demographics, American Community Survey internet-subscription patterns, and national email usage among internet users.

Mobile phone usage in Mingo County, West Virginia — 2025 snapshot

User estimates

• Residents: about 21,600 (U.S. Census Bureau 2023 population estimate; rounded for 2025 planning).
• Adults (18+): about 16,800.
• Mobile phone users (any cellphone): about 16,100 adults (≈96% of adults, consistent with rural U.S. adoption rates).
• Smartphone users: about 14,200 adults (≈84% of adults, reflecting lower adoption in older, rural counties).
• Households: about 8,900.
• Smartphone-only internet households: roughly 1,700–1,900 (≈19–21% of households), higher than the statewide share and driven by limited, costly, or unreliable fixed broadband in parts of the county.

Demographic breakdown and how it differs from West Virginia overall

• Age structure
  • Mingo is older than the state average, with a larger 65+ share. That pulls overall smartphone adoption down relative to West Virginia as a whole.
  • Approximate smartphone adoption by age (county-level estimates aligned to rural U.S. patterns):
    • 18–34: 94–97%
    • 35–54: 90–93%
    • 55–64: 75–82%
    • 65+: 58–65%
  • Implication: a sizable segment of 55+ residents still uses basic or older smartphones and tends to upgrade less frequently than the state average.
• Income and smartphone dependence
  • Median household income in Mingo is well below the West Virginia median, and poverty rates are higher. That correlates with:
    • Higher reliance on prepaid and MVNO plans.
    • Higher smartphone-only internet use (≈20% of households) versus the statewide rate, which is lower.
• Work and mobility
  • Employment patterns (energy, trades, service/tourism around Hatfield–McCoy Trails) mean more day-to-day communication and data use on the move and periodic congestion spikes on weekends and during events, a trend more pronounced than statewide.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage contours
  • 4G LTE is the practical baseline across population centers and primary corridors (e.g., US‑119, US‑52, Williamson–Matewan–Gilbert valley towns). Coverage weakens in hollows and on ridge roads, with more dead zones than the statewide norm due to terrain.
  • 5G is present but mostly low‑band with wide reach and modest throughput; mid‑band 5G capacity is limited and localized. As a result, day‑to‑day speeds depend heavily on LTE capacity.
• Capacity and performance
  • Typical user experience ranges from strong LTE/low‑band 5G in towns to signal fade and network fallback in sparsely populated valleys. Congestion is noticeable during trail/holiday weekends and school/event peaks, more so than the statewide average because capacity is concentrated on a few macro sites.
• Backhaul and resilience
  • Backhaul mixes fiber and microwave; fiber is concentrated along major roads and town centers. Storm‑related power or transport outages cause longer service interruptions than the state average in the most remote hollows, making Wi‑Fi calling at home and work an important complement.
• Public safety and cross‑border dynamics
  • FirstNet/AT&T coverage is a notable anchor for emergency services. Cross‑border travel into Kentucky introduces roaming and device provisioning considerations for some users and field workers.

Key ways Mingo County diverges from statewide trends

• Lower overall smartphone penetration driven by older age mix and lower incomes.
• Higher share of smartphone‑only households due to patchy or unaffordable fixed broadband in specific areas.
• Heavier reliance on prepaid/MVNO plans and longer device replacement cycles.
• More pronounced terrain‑driven coverage gaps and event‑driven congestion spikes; LTE remains the workhorse, with limited mid‑band 5G capacity compared with urbanized parts of West Virginia.

Notes on methodology

• Population/household figures reflect U.S. Census Bureau 2023 estimates, rounded for 2025 planning.
• Adoption and smartphone‑only estimates are derived by applying current rural U.S. usage rates (Pew Research Center and ACS “Computer and Internet Use”) to Mingo’s age and income profile; figures are presented as point estimates with narrow ranges where appropriate.

Mingo County, WV — social media usage snapshot (2025)

User stats

• Overall penetration (adults): ≈70% of adult residents use at least one social platform
• Teens (13–17): ≈90–95% use at least one platform
• Device mix: smartphone-first usage dominates; desktop use is secondary and task-driven (forms, longer videos)

Age groups (share using at least one platform)

• 18–29: ≈84%
• 30–49: ≈81%
• 50–64: ≈73%
• 65+: ≈45%

Gender breakdown among local users

• Female: ≈51%
• Male: ≈49%
• Directional platform skew: women over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X

Most-used platforms among adults (estimated share of adults who use each)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 70%
• Instagram: 41%
• Pinterest: 35%
• TikTok: 33%
• Snapchat: 30%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• Reddit: 22%
• WhatsApp: 21%

Behavioral trends

• Facebook is the daily hub for local life: community groups, school updates, local government, events, obituaries, and Marketplace drive repeat visits
• Short‑form video is surging: Facebook Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts see growing watch time; practical, local, and event content performs best
• Private spaces > public posting: heavy use of Facebook Messenger and closed groups for coordination (churches, youth sports, work shifts)
• Time-of-day engagement peaks: early morning (commute hours), lunch, and evenings; weekends see spikes around local sports and events
• Trust and relevance matter: posts featuring recognizable people/places and local organizations outperform national or generic content
• Connectivity shapes format: concise videos with captions and lightweight creative (images, carousels) earn higher completion and shares than long live streams
• Commerce: Facebook Marketplace and local buy/sell groups convert well for vehicles, tools, furniture, and rental housing; call-to-message CTAs outperform link-out ads

Notes and sources

• Figures are county-level estimates derived from Pew Research Center’s 2024 Social Media Use findings (platform adoption by U.S. adults; rural users skew slightly more toward Facebook, slightly less toward Instagram/TikTok) adjusted for Mingo County’s rural profile and age mix. Age-group adoption rates reflect recent Pew benchmarks (18–29 ≈84%, 30–49 ≈81%, 50–64 ≈73%, 65+ ≈45%). Gender split mirrors the county’s near-even population mix.