The last nationwide US Census figures represented a rise of 4.3% from the numbers declared at the Census in 2000. Since then, the population has grown only modestly, and it is now estimated to be just 2.99 million. If similar increases continue to occur, then the number of people living in Mississippi may soon surpass 3 million.
At the time of the Census, the population was recorded as 2,967,297. Mississippi currently has a population growth rate of 0.30%, relatively slow, and ranks at 40th in the nation.
On Novemver 3, 2020, Mississippi residents voted on a new state flag, the New Magnolia. The new flag replaced Mississippi's state flag that featured the Confederate flag.
Situated in the southeast U.S., Mississippi is the 32nd largest state in the country with an area that covers 48,430 square miles. Population figures are consistent with its size, and it is the 31st most populous state. Its population density ranks 32nd in the United States.
Mississippi has a very widely spread population with a density of just 63.2 people per square mile, which ranks 32nd in the country. For many generations, people have been leaving the United States' rural areas and concentrating in urban areas, with only 1 in 5 people in the country classified as rural. However, Mississippi is a sharp contrast, as 51.2% still live in rural areas, which is the country's 4th largest rural population.
There is only one city in the state with over 100,000, and that's Jackson. Only two other cities currently have a population of at least 50,000: Hattiesburg and Gulfport. The most populated counties are Hinds (239,479 - but has been losing population since 2010), Harrison (205,027), and DeSoto (178,751) counties. Both Harrison and DeSoto counties have a substantial growth rate of over 9% in each county.
The median age of the Mississippi population is approximately 36.7 years of age. The state's gender ratio is split at 51.5% female and 48.5% male.
In terms of preferred religions across the state, 83% of the population is affiliated with a Christian based faith, 2% affiliate with a non-Christian based faith, and 14% have no affiliation with any religion.
Most present-day Mississippi was part of Georgia until the south-central portions of Mississippi and Alabama were established as Mississippi Territory, authorized by Congress in 1798 and agreed to by Georgia in 1802. In 1804, the Territory was expanded to include the northern parts of the two future States. The Gulf Coast portions were added in 1812, although still in dispute with Spain until 1819. Mississippi was admitted as a State on December 10, 1817 with essentially its present boundaries.
Census coverage of present-day Mississippi began in 1800 in the southwestern section close to the Mississippi River. The populations shown for 1800 and 1810 exclude counties now in Alabama. The Census did not fully cover the central and northern portions until 1840.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Mississippi was:
Up until the 1930s, black Americans made up the majority of citizens in Mississippi, and although that picture has changed, there is still a relatively large black community in the state. In 2010, Mississippi had the highest proportion of African Americans in the United States.
People of Scots-Irish, Scottish and English ancestry are widespread throughout Mississippi, and people with these ancestries are thought to be higher than reported. One historian estimates at least 20% of the state's population is of English ancestry alone.
Interestingly, the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek of 1830 between the U.S. Government and the Choctaw allowed these people to sell their land and agree to be removed to a reservation in current-day Oklahoma, although Article 14 of the treaty allowed those who wanted to remain to become U.S. citizens. Today, about 9,500 Choctaw live in Leake, Jones, Newton and Neshoba counties in Mississippi.
Mississippi also has one of the highest rates of increase of its mixed-race population, which increased 70% from 2000 to 2012, even though the population of the state itself has not increased much.
20K
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60K
80K
100K
120K
140K
160K
180K
200K
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
---|---|---|
White | 1,685,022 | 56.95% |
Black or African American | 1,101,841 | 37.24% |
Two or more races | 87,204 | 2.95% |
Other race | 41,764 | 1.41% |
Asian | 29,041 | 0.98% |
Native American | 12,777 | 0.43% |
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 1,200 | 0.04% |
White
Black or African American
Two or more races
Other race
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
---|---|---|---|---|
All | 1,121,270 | 2.55 | 69.2 | 30.8 |
Married | 497,533 | 3.17 | 85.3 | 14.7 |
Non Family | 381,419 | 1.19 | 58 | 42 |
Female | 190,400 | 3.49 | 50.8 | 49.2 |
Male | 51,917 | 3.27 | 63.7 | 36.3 |
3.18
Average Family Size
2.55
Average Household Size
69.2%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
9th to 12th Grade | 179,853 | 9.14% |
Associates Degree | 209,117 | 10.62% |
Bachelors Degree | 286,132 | 14.54% |
Graduate Degree | 183,939 | 9.34% |
High School Graduate | 586,782 | 29.81% |
Less Than 9th Grade | 91,246 | 4.64% |
Some College | 431,253 | 21.91% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
---|---|---|---|
White | 1,168,330 | 1,046,450 | 323,186 |
Black | 691,165 | 566,311 | 121,137 |
Hispanic | 50,470 | 34,512 | 8,057 |
2+ Races | 42,318 | 35,077 | 9,511 |
Other Race | 21,284 | 13,652 | 3,411 |
Asian | 20,177 | 17,403 | 9,250 |
Native American | 7,458 | 5,582 | 731 |
Islander | 745 | 682 | 229 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 91.54%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 45.84%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
---|---|---|---|
Bachelors Degree | $50,373 | $61,484 | $44,027 |
Graduate Degree | $63,251 | $81,993 | $55,522 |
High School Graduate | $32,974 | $40,671 | $24,774 |
Less Than 9th Grade | $25,363 | $30,828 | $17,218 |
Overall | $39,709 | $47,077 | $33,092 |
Some College | $36,994 | $47,221 | $30,097 |
$39,709
Average Earnings
$47,077
Average Male
$33,092
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
96.01% of Mississippi residents speak only English, while 3.99% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 2.43% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
---|---|---|---|
Black | 1,055,240 | 316,904 | 30.03% |
White | 1,608,230 | 188,130 | 11.7% |
Hispanic | 92,681 | 22,659 | 24.45% |
Multiple | 83,890 | 18,104 | 21.58% |
Other | 40,362 | 10,413 | 25.8% |
Native | 12,127 | 3,858 | 31.81% |
Asian | 28,158 | 3,735 | 13.26% |
Islander | 998 | 331 | 33.17% |
19.2%
Overall Poverty Rate
17.23%
Male Poverty Rate
21.03%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Mississippi is Islander, with 33.17% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Mississippi is White, with 11.7% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.52%. Among those working part-time, it was 21.52%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 28.02%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Less Than 9th Grade | 31.79% |
High School | 19.46% |
Some College | 13.13% |
Bachelors or Greater | 5.4% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Female Unemployed | 42.91% |
Male Unemployed | 31.15% |
Female Employed | 10.89% |
Male Employed | 6.28% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
---|---|---|
Families | $67,731 | $88,319 |
Households | $52,985 | $74,149 |
Married Families | $87,568 | $107,862 |
Non Families | $28,909 | $43,695 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
44.6%
Overall Marriage Rate
47.0%
Male Marriage Rate
42.4%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
155,583
Number of Veterans
140,015
Male Veterans
15,568
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
---|---|
Vietnam | 51,347 |
First Gulf War | 40,602 |
Second Gulf War | 38,785 |
Korea | 7,970 |
World War II | 2,012 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
---|---|
35 to 54 | 39,790 |
65 to 74 | 39,504 |
75+ | 32,148 |
55 to 64 | 31,148 |
18 to 34 | 12,993 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
---|---|---|
White | 105,824 | 7.96% |
Black | 43,000 | 5.28% |
2+ Races | 4,017 | 7.8% |
Hispanic | 2,944 | 4.81% |
Asian | 923 | 4.05% |
Other Race | 814 | 3.19% |
Native American | 688 | 7.4% |
Islander | 317 | 32.45% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
8.28%
Veteran Poverty Rate
33.53%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
57.2%
Labor Force Participation
53%
Employment Rate
6.4%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
71.4%
Born in Mississippi
97.69%
Native Born
2.31%
Foreign Born
1.3%
Non Citizen
1%
Naturalized
97.69% of Mississippi residents were born in the United States, with 71.4% having been born in Mississippi. 1.3% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.