Wirt County

Wirt County, West Virginia — key demographics

Population

• 5,194 (2020 Census)
• ~5.3K (2023 Census estimate; continued slow decline since 2010)

Age

• Median age: ~46 years
• Under 18: ~21%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Sex

• Female: ~50%

Race and ethnicity (2020 Census)

• White alone: ~97–98%
• Black or African American alone: ~0–1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0–1%
• Asian alone: ~0–1%
• Two or more races: ~1–2%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~1%

Households

• ~2,050 households
• Average household size: ~2.5 persons
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~80–85%

Insights

• Very small, rural county with an aging population, predominantly White, high homeownership, and smaller household sizes.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 ACS 5-year; 2023 Population Estimates). Values rounded for clarity.

Wirt County, WV email usage (estimates derived from recent Census/ACS and national usage rates):

• Population and density: ~5,200 residents; ~22 people per square mile. Wirt is West Virginia’s least-populous county, reflecting a very rural profile.
• Estimated email users: ~4,100 residents use email regularly.
• Gender split among users: 50% women (2,050) and 50% men (2,050); usage rates are essentially equal by gender.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 18–29: 15% (620 users)
  • 30–49: 33% (1,350)
  • 50–64: 29% (1,190)
  • 65+: 23% (940) Adoption is highest under 50, but seniors still show strong participation.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Household internet subscriptions: ~78% fixed broadband, ~10% cellular-data-only, ~12% no home internet.
  • Smartphone access is widespread; computer access is lower, typical of rural WV.
  • Broadband adoption trails the U.S. average by roughly 10–12 percentage points, reflecting sparse settlement and last‑mile costs.
  • Connectivity is strongest in and around Elizabeth; service quality and speeds drop in outlying areas. Recent statewide build-outs are improving availability, but take-up remains constrained by affordability and geography.

Insight: Despite rural constraints, email is near-universal among connected adults; expansion efforts should pair new infrastructure with affordability and device support to lift remaining non-users.

Mobile phone usage in Wirt County, WV (2023–2024 snapshot)

Headline estimates

• Population baseline: ~5,200 residents (small, rural county; older-than-state age profile).
• Mobile phone users (any mobile handset): 3,800–4,100 people.
• Smartphone users: 3,300–3,600 people.
• Households with a cellular data plan: 60–65% of households.
• Smartphone-only internet households (no fixed broadband at home): 20–25% of households, notably higher than WV overall (~15–20%).
• Wireless-only voice (no landline): 70–75% of adults.

How these figures were derived

• Estimates blend the latest American Community Survey (ACS 2019–2023, Computer and Internet Use), Pew Research Center mobile adoption by age/income, and rural-versus-urban differentials applied to Wirt’s population size and age structure. They reflect realistic ranges for Wirt’s rural profile rather than a single-point administrative count.

Demographic breakdown (usage patterns)

• Age:
  • 18–34: ~92–96% smartphone adoption; heavy app and social use; mobile is the primary internet for a sizable minority.
  • 35–64: ~88–90% smartphone adoption; mixed fixed-mobile use; productivity and navigation heavy.
  • 65+: ~65–70% smartphone adoption; higher share of basic/older devices; larger fraction with voice/text focus and intermittent data use.
• Income:
  • < $35k household income: materially higher smartphone-only internet reliance (≈35–45% of these households), reflecting limited fixed broadband availability/cost.
  • ≥ $75k: smartphone ownership near-ubiquitous, but smartphone-only internet is uncommon (≈8–12%).
• Plan types:
  • Prepaid and budget MVNO plans have above-state penetration, with a higher incidence of data-capped plans; this suppresses high-bandwidth mobile behaviors (e.g., 4K streaming, large updates over cellular).

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage:
  • 4G LTE: Reported by at least two national carriers across nearly all populated areas; signal quality degrades in hollows/ridge-shadowed pockets typical of the county’s terrain.
  • 5G: Low-band 5G is present from at least one major carrier in and around the primary population center(s); estimated population coverage 60–75%, below WV’s statewide 5G footprint (~80–85%). Mid-band 5G capacity (e.g., n41/n77) is sparse or absent, limiting peak throughput.
• Speeds and latency (typical user experience):
  • Downloads: ~10–35 Mbps in towns/along primary roads; >100 Mbps possible close to well-provisioned sites; single-digit Mbps common in fringe areas.
  • Uploads: ~2–8 Mbps typical.
  • Latency: ~30–80 ms on LTE/low-band 5G; higher variance at cell edges.
• Site density and backhaul:
  • Macro sites are widely spaced relative to urban WV, with terrain-limited propagation. A nontrivial share of sites rely on microwave backhaul, constraining peak/consistent capacity versus fiber-fed sites.
• Fixed broadband context (drives mobile reliance):
  • Household fixed broadband subscription rate is lower than the WV average (≈68–72% in Wirt vs ≈78–82% statewide), with pockets of DSL-only or legacy cable and limited fiber. This gap directly increases smartphone-only internet use and the importance of cellular data plans.

Trends that differ from the West Virginia state-level picture

• Higher smartphone-only internet dependence by roughly +5 to +10 percentage points versus the state, driven by limited fixed broadband options and lower household incomes.
• Lower effective 5G capacity: low-band 5G is present but mid-band capacity is limited, resulting in lower median mobile speeds than the state’s urbanized corridors.
• Greater prevalence of prepaid/capped plans and slower device refresh cycles, which suppress data-intensive behaviors and elevate text-first communication.
• More pronounced coverage variability due to topography and sparser tower spacing, yielding more indoor dead zones and road-segment drop-offs than the state average.
• Mobile is used as a primary or backup home internet solution more often than statewide, especially among lower-income and older residents.

Implications

• Network upgrades that prioritize mid-band 5G and fiber backhaul to existing sites would yield outsized benefits in Wirt relative to typical WV counties.
• Affordability programs (ACP successors or carrier-led discounts) and targeted in-fill sites in shadowed valleys would materially reduce smartphone-only reliance and improve service equity.

Sources informing these estimates: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019–2023 (S2801 Computer and Internet Use), Pew Research Center mobile device adoption by age/income (2021–2023), FCC Broadband Data Collection coverage filings (2023–2024), and statewide mobile performance benchmarks.

Wirt County, WV — social media usage snapshot (2025, modeled from the latest available federal and Pew Research data)

Headline user stats

• Residents ages 13+ who use at least one social platform: ~3,200
• Adults (18+) who use social media: ~2,900 (≈72% of adults)
• Share of social-media users by age group (of all users, ages 13+):
  • 13–17: ~9%
  • 18–29: ~16%
  • 30–49: ~33%
  • 50–64: ~25%
  • 65+: ~16%
• Gender split among social-media users: women ~52%, men ~48%

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

• YouTube: ~80%
• Facebook: ~70%
• Instagram: ~38%
• Pinterest: ~32%
• TikTok: ~28%
• Snapchat: ~25%
• LinkedIn: ~16%
• Reddit: ~15%
• X (Twitter): ~18%
• WhatsApp: ~12%

Age-group patterns (platform highlights)

• Teens (13–17): Very high use overall; heaviest on YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram; limited Facebook posting (more account-holding than active feed posting).
• 18–29: Near-universal YouTube; strong Instagram and Snapchat; high TikTok viewing and creation; Facebook used for events/groups and family.
• 30–49: Broadest multi-platform use; Facebook and YouTube anchor daily habits; Instagram moderate; TikTok rising but still secondary; Pinterest common for projects, recipes, and home.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram/TikTok used but less frequently; Pinterest steady; Snapchat niche (family streaks).
• 65+: Facebook and YouTube are primary; lighter use of other platforms.

Gender breakdown (tendencies among adult users)

• Women: More likely to be active on Facebook and Pinterest; modest lead on Instagram and TikTok engagement.
• Men: More likely to be heavy YouTube users; higher representation on Reddit and X; similar Facebook membership but lower posting frequency than women.

Behavioral trends in-county

• Facebook as the community hub: Local news, school updates, county services, civic groups, sports, yard-sales/Marketplace, church and fundraiser promotion. Groups and Messenger drive most interactions.
• Video-first consumption: YouTube for “how-to,” automotive, home repair, hunting/fishing, and faith content; short-form Reels/TikTok used for quick updates and local moments, often cross-posted to Facebook.
• Event- and season-driven spikes: Weather alerts, school sports, road closures, and elections generate outsized engagement; buy/sell/trade activity increases around holidays and summer.
• Creator behavior: Small businesses, churches, and booster clubs rely on boosted Facebook posts and short videos; younger residents post short-form vertical videos, with comments and shares accruing on Facebook even when created on TikTok/Instagram.
• Messaging norms: Facebook Messenger is the default for local coordination; WhatsApp is niche; Snapchat is common among teens/young adults for private communication.
• Participation style: Many older adults “lurk” and react/share in groups more than they post original content; younger users post more ephemeral content and stories.

Notes on data and method

• Population base: Wirt County’s 13+ and 18+ populations from the U.S. Census Bureau (latest decennial counts and age structure).
• Platform reach and demographics: Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. social media use benchmarks, adjusted to rural West Virginia age mix and platform skews.
• Figures are point-in-time modeled estimates for Wirt County in 2025; percentages are rounded and reflect share of adults using each platform (platforms are not mutually exclusive).