Meridian is a city located in Lauderdale County Mississippi. Meridian has a 2024 population of 33,112. It is also the county seat of Lauderdale County. Meridian is currently declining at a rate of -1.31% annually and its population has decreased by -5.03% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 34,867 in 2020.
The average household income in Meridian is $56,934 with a poverty rate of 31.94%. The median age in Meridian is 39.4 years: 38.6 years for males, and 39.9 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Meridian was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 21,539 | 62.49% |
| White | 10,472 | 30.38% |
| Two or more races | 1,431 | 4.15% |
| Other race | 614 | 1.78% |
| Asian | 395 | 1.15% |
| Native American | 15 | 0.04% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0 | 0% |
Black or African American
White
Two or more races
Other race
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 14,978 | 2.22 | 47.6 | 52.4 |
| Non Family | 6,614 | 1.12 | 39.8 | 60.2 |
| Married | 4,193 | 2.97 | 76.6 | 23.4 |
| Female | 3,339 | 3.11 | 31.8 | 68.2 |
| Male | 832 | 3.65 | 26.2 | 73.8 |
3.02
Average Family Size
2.22
Average Household Size
47.6%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 3,130 | 13.45% |
| Associates Degree | 2,806 | 12.06% |
| Bachelors Degree | 2,749 | 11.81% |
| Graduate Degree | 2,078 | 8.93% |
| High School Graduate | 6,761 | 29.05% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 1,018 | 4.37% |
| Some College | 4,731 | 20.33% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 13,715 | 10,423 | 1,544 |
| White | 8,108 | 7,464 | 2,941 |
| 2+ Races | 761 | 685 | 203 |
| Hispanic | 437 | 326 | 46 |
| Asian | 271 | 246 | 139 |
| Other Race | 195 | 124 | 0 |
| Native American | 15 | 15 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among native american people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 51.29%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $46,731 | $56,600 | $41,346 |
| Graduate Degree | $53,146 | $82,604 | $47,548 |
| High School Graduate | $26,376 | $33,151 | $23,565 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $16,239 | $0 | $15,798 |
| Overall | $29,545 | $41,169 | $24,735 |
| Some College | $31,010 | $46,705 | $25,901 |
$29,545
Average Earnings
$41,169
Average Male
$24,735
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
96.3% of Meridian residents speak only English, while 3.7% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Other languages, which is spoken by 1.1% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 20,849 | 8,752 | 41.98% |
| White | 9,746 | 1,399 | 14.35% |
| Asian | 395 | 212 | 53.67% |
| Multiple | 1,428 | 156 | 10.92% |
| Hispanic | 686 | 119 | 17.35% |
| Other | 604 | 50 | 8.28% |
31.94%
Overall Poverty Rate
28.78%
Male Poverty Rate
34.6%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Meridian is Asian, with 53.67% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Meridian is Other, with 8.28% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 9.49%. Among those working part-time, it was 32.12%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 38.27%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 44.85% |
| High School | 29.08% |
| Some College | 24.51% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 9.97% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 61.13% |
| Male Unemployed | 45.81% |
| Female Employed | 19.18% |
| Male Employed | 9.66% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $48,932 | $72,603 |
| Households | $34,657 | $56,934 |
| Married Families | $81,454 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $23,070 | $34,610 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
32.6%
Overall Marriage Rate
36.0%
Male Marriage Rate
29.8%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 35-44, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
2,467
Number of Veterans
2,199
Male Veterans
268
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 676 |
| Second Gulf War | 629 |
| First Gulf War | 587 |
| Korea | 47 |
| World War II | 5 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 55 to 64 | 797 |
| 65 to 74 | 594 |
| 35 to 54 | 557 |
| 75+ | 334 |
| 18 to 34 | 185 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Black | 1,489 | 9.37% |
| White | 887 | 10.32% |
| 2+ Races | 83 | 8.88% |
| Other Race | 8 | 2.35% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
19.34%
Veteran Poverty Rate
36.13%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
55.4%
Labor Force Participation
50.2%
Employment Rate
7.2%
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
78.88%
Born in Meridian
97.88%
Native Born
2.12%
Foreign Born
1.2%
Non Citizen
0.91%
Naturalized
97.88% of Meridian residents were born in the United States, with 78.88% having been born in Mississippi. 1.2% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 30,918 | -439 | -1.4% |
| 2028 | 31,357 | -439 | -1.38% |
| 2027 | 31,796 | -439 | -1.36% |
| 2026 | 32,235 | -438 | -1.34% |
| 2025 | 32,673 | -439 | -1.33% |
| 2024 | 33,112 | -439 | -1.31% |
| 2023 | 33,551 | -356 | -1.05% |
| 2022 | 33,907 | -505 | -1.47% |
| 2021 | 34,412 | -455 | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 34,867 | -1,674 | -4.58% |
| 2019 | 36,541 | -684 | -1.84% |
| 2018 | 37,225 | -705 | -1.86% |
| 2017 | 37,930 | -710 | -1.84% |
| 2016 | 38,640 | -584 | -1.49% |
| 2015 | 39,224 | -649 | -1.63% |
| 2014 | 39,873 | -544 | -1.35% |
| 2013 | 40,417 | -250 | -0.61% |
| 2012 | 40,667 | -387 | -0.94% |
| 2011 | 41,054 | -39 | -0.09% |
| 2010 | 41,093 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 39,968 | -1,068 | -2.6% |
| 1990 | 41,036 | -5,541 | -11.9% |
| 1980 | 46,577 | 1,494 | 3.31% |
| 1970 | 45,083 | -4,291 | -8.69% |
| 1960 | 49,374 | 7,481 | 17.86% |
| 1950 | 41,893 | 6,412 | 18.07% |
| 1940 | 35,481 | 3,527 | 11.04% |
| 1930 | 31,954 | 8,555 | 36.56% |
| 1920 | 23,399 | 114 | 0.49% |
| 1910 | 23,285 | 9,235 | 65.73% |
| 1900 | 14,050 | 3,426 | 32.25% |
| 1890 | 10,624 | 6,616 | 165.07% |
| 1880 | 4,008 | 1,299 | 47.95% |
| 1870 | 2,709 | -28,209 | -91.24% |