Summers County

Summers County, West Virginia — key demographics

• Population size: 11,959 (2020 Census)

• Age (ACS 2019–2023 estimates)

  • Median age: ~48 years
  • Under 18: ~19%
  • 18–64: ~57%
  • 65 and over: ~24%

• Gender (ACS 2019–2023)

  • Female: ~51%
  • Male: ~49%

• Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2019–2023; Hispanic is any race)

  • White: ~93%
  • Black or African American: ~4%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.3%
  • Asian: ~0.2%
  • Two or more races: ~2–3%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~1–2%

• Households and housing (ACS 2019–2023)

  • Households: ~5,300
  • Average household size: ~2.2
  • Family households: ~60%
  • Owner-occupied housing: ~78%

Insights:

• The county is older than the U.S. overall, with roughly one in four residents 65+.
• Demographics are predominantly non-Hispanic White, with small but present Black and multiracial populations.
• Household sizes are modest and homeownership is high, consistent with rural West Virginia.

• Population and density: Summers County has about 12,000 residents (2020 Census) and roughly 33 people per square mile, reflecting highly rural, dispersed settlement.
• Estimated email users: ~8,000–8,500 adult users (≈82–88% of adults). Basis: near‑universal email use among internet users (Pew) tempered by rural WV internet adoption.
• Age distribution of email use (penetration among each group, reflecting rural WV patterns):
  • 18–34: ~95%
  • 35–54: ~90%
  • 55–64: ~85%
  • 65+: ~70% Given Summers’ older profile (roughly one‑quarter 65+), overall email penetration skews slightly lower than urban areas.
• Gender split: Approximately even; ~51% female, ~49% male among email users, mirroring the county’s population balance.
• Digital access and connectivity:
  • Computer ownership: roughly low‑to‑mid 80% of households.
  • Home broadband subscription: roughly mid‑to‑upper 60% of households (ACS-style rural WV levels), with notable smartphone‑only internet users (~15%).
  • Fixed broadband availability has improved with recent fiber expansions and state/federal investments; adoption lags availability, so mobile data plays a larger role than in metro areas.
• Insights: Email is the default communication channel for working‑age adults and most seniors, but patchy fixed‑line adoption and low density increase reliance on smartphones and public Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools), shaping usage toward lighter, mobile‑first email behavior.

Mobile phone usage in Summers County, West Virginia — key findings (latest available public sources, primarily ACS 2018–2022 5‑year and FCC broadband mapping)

Headline usage metrics (household-based)

• Households with a smartphone: roughly 78–82% in Summers County, versus about 83–86% statewide. This places the county a few points below the West Virginia average.
• Households with any cellular data plan (for a smartphone, tablet, or other device): about 73–77% in Summers County, versus about 78–81% statewide.
• Cellular-only internet (households reporting a cellular data plan with no fixed/wireline subscription): approximately 18–22% in Summers County, higher than the statewide share of roughly 14–17%.
• No internet subscription of any kind: approximately 22–26% of Summers County households, compared with about 18–21% in West Virginia overall.

User estimates (interpreting household measures)

• Total households: approximately 5,300–5,700 (Census/ACS).
• Smartphone-using households: about 4,100–4,600.
• Cellular-only households (using mobile data as their primary/only internet): about 950–1,250. These figures reflect household-level adoption; the actual number of individual mobile users is higher than the household counts.

Demographic breakdown (drivers of county–state differences)

• Age: Summers County skews older than the state average. Households headed by residents 65+ have materially lower smartphone and broadband adoption (typically 10–15 percentage points below the county average), which pulls down overall smartphone penetration more than at the state level.
• Income: A larger share of Summers County households are below $25,000 annual income. In this bracket, smartphone ownership and any‑internet subscriptions are lower, and cellular-only reliance is higher, than for middle‑ and higher‑income households. This mix effect explains much of the county’s above‑average cellular‑only rate.
• Education: Households headed by adults with high school or less show lower smartphone and broadband adoption; Summers County has a slightly higher share in this category than the WV average, reinforcing lower overall adoption.
• Race/ethnicity: Given the county’s predominantly White, non-Hispanic population, racial gaps are less explanatory locally than age and income. The county’s usage profile is driven primarily by socioeconomic and age structure, not race.

Digital infrastructure and market context

• Terrain and settlement pattern: Steep ridges and river valleys produce shadow zones that complicate radio propagation and raise the cost per covered household. This results in more uneven signal quality than state averages in flatter regions.
• 4G/5G availability: 4G LTE is the primary coverage layer countywide. 5G NR is present in limited, low‑band pockets near denser population clusters; mid‑band 5G coverage is sparse. Outside the county seat and the immediate vicinity of primary corridors (e.g., WV‑3, WV‑12, WV‑20), users are more likely to experience 4G‑only service or weak indoor reception.
• Tower density and backhaul: Fewer macro sites per square mile than in state metro areas; backhaul is often microwave or limited-capacity fiber. This constrains peak speeds and uplink performance and contributes to time‑of‑day congestion in populated valleys.
• Fixed-broadband alternatives: Cable and fiber footprints are concentrated in and around Hinton. Outside town, many locations rely on aging DSL, satellite, or fixed wireless. Where fixed options are slow or unavailable, households disproportionately substitute with cellular, which explains the county’s higher cellular‑only share and higher no‑internet share versus the state.

Trends that differ from the state-level pattern

• Greater mobile substitution: Summers County exhibits a meaningfully higher reliance on cellular-only internet than West Virginia overall, reflecting both infrastructure gaps and affordability constraints.
• Lower smartphone household penetration: Smartphone adoption lags the WV average by several points, largely due to an older age structure and lower incomes.
• Wider digital divide: The county has a higher share of households with no internet subscription of any kind than the state average, indicating affordability and availability challenges that are more acute than statewide norms.
• Performance variability: Because of terrain and sparser tower/backhaul infrastructure, day‑to‑day and location‑to‑location variability in mobile performance is greater than the statewide norm, even when nominal coverage maps show service.

Interpretation notes

• Statistics are based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s ACS 2018–2022 5‑year tables S2801/S2802 (household-level device and internet subscriptions) and on generalized FCC Broadband Data Collection mapping for coverage context. County‑level mobile usage is best measured at the household level; figures above reflect that convention. Margin‑of‑error and year‑to‑year revisions can shift point estimates slightly, but the county–state gaps described here are consistent across recent releases.

Social media usage in Summers County, WV (2024 snapshot)

Overall user base

• Adults (18+): ~79–82% use at least one social platform weekly
• Teens (13–17): ~94–97% use social platforms weekly
• Primary access: mobile-first; most usage occurs evenings (7–10 pm) and weekends

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

• YouTube: ~80%
• Facebook: ~72%
• Instagram: ~35–40%
• TikTok: ~28–32%
• Pinterest: ~30–35% (skews female)
• Snapchat: ~22–26% (skews under 30)
• WhatsApp: ~18–22%
• X (Twitter): ~15–20%
• Reddit: ~12–15%
• LinkedIn: ~15–18%
• Nextdoor: <5%

Age-group profile (platforms with notable reach)

• 13–17: YouTube 95%+, Snapchat ~75–80%, TikTok ~70–75%, Instagram ~65–70%, Facebook ~30–35%
• 18–29: YouTube ~90–95%, Instagram ~70–75%, TikTok ~60–65%, Snapchat ~55–60%, Facebook ~50–55%
• 30–49: Facebook ~78–82%, YouTube ~85–90%, Instagram ~40–50%, TikTok ~28–35%, Pinterest ~35–40%
• 50–64: Facebook ~75–80%, YouTube ~70–78%, Instagram ~18–25%, TikTok ~12–18%
• 65+: Facebook ~68–75%, YouTube ~55–62%, Instagram ~8–12%, TikTok ~5–10%

Gender breakdown (adults)

• Women: higher use of Facebook (75–78%), Instagram (38–42%), Pinterest (45–50%), TikTok (30–35%); heavier engagement with Facebook Groups, Marketplace, local events/schools/churches
• Men: higher use of YouTube (83–86%), Reddit (18–20%), X/Twitter (~18–22%); more news/sports, tech, DIY/watch-time heavy behavior

Behavioral trends (local/rural pattern)

• Facebook is the community hub: local news, school and church updates, community groups, civic info, and Marketplace. Sharing and commenting outpace original posting among 30+.
• Video-first consumption: YouTube for how‑to, repairs, hunting/outdoors, auto, and music; short‑form TikTok/Instagram Reels for entertainment and local happenings.
• Messaging over public posting: Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, and SMS coordinate family, work, and community events; private group chats drive activity.
• Practical content wins: local services, weather/road conditions, high‑school sports, bargains, and health/benefits info get high engagement.
• Creator/brand guidance: concise video (15–60s), captions on by default, clear thumbnails; evenings/weekends posting yields better reach; cross‑posting video to Facebook + Reels + TikTok maximizes coverage.

Notes on figures

• Percentages reflect best-available 2024 estimates for rural U.S. usage (Pew Research Center) scaled to Summers County’s age/sex mix (U.S. Census Bureau ACS). County‑level platform stats are not directly published; figures are rounded to practical ranges for planning and are directionally reliable for Summers County.