One in six Georgians connected by cell phone only

Nearly 17 percent of Georgians live in a cell-phone only world, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease control.

Download the National Health Statistics Report here.

As a state, we’re about middle of the pack. Vermont is the most wireless state in the Union, with more than a quarter of households operating without a land line. The District of Columbia is another cell-phone heavy region, with 25.5 percent of all adults relying it for most communication.

The study is based on 2007 data, so consider the real number something above that. The report says that, nationally, the number of cell-phone only adults jumped from 13.6 percent at the end of 2007 to 16.1 percent by June 2008.

Obviously, this is a major point of concern for those interested in political polling. Here’s the conclusion:

Because of the absence of state-level prevalence estimates for the wireless-only population, survey researchers interested in combining state-level samples of wireless-only households with samples of landline households have relied on national or regional estimates of the relative sizes of these two populations.

Similarly, telecommunications companies seeking greater understanding of conditions in state and local markets have relied on regional estimates of the prevalence of wireless-only households. The results in this report clearly show that, for many states, national and regional estimates are not sufficiently accurate for these purposes.

The study includes no breakdown by age, which is essential when considering the impact on political reporting. One presumes that younger adults are more likely to live without a land line. But the 18- to 25-year-old group is also the least likely to cast ballots, says Matt Carrothers, spokesman for Secretary of State Karen Handel.

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