Mississippi Counties by Population (2024)

There are 82 counties in Mississippi. The most populous county in Mississippi is Hinds County. Hinds County is home to 237,085 people, including the city of Jackson, which is the state’s capital and the most populous city in the state. Hinds County comprises about 7.94% of the state’s total population but has a population decline of 3.52% since 2010. The second-most populous country in Mississippi is Harrison County with a population of 206,650, followed by DeSoto County, with a population of 182,001. DeSoto County is the most densely populated county in Mississippi with 382.13 persons per square kilometer. Both Harrison County and DeSoto County have grown by double-digits since the 2010 Census, by 10.01% and 12.50% respectively.

Mississippi Counties with the Fewest Residents

Of Mississippi’s 82 counties, Issaquena County has the fewest residents with just 1,308. This accounts for just 0.04% of Mississippi’s total population. Since 2010, Issaquena County’s population has declined by 5.63%.

Sharkey County is the second-least populous county in Mississippi with 4,377 people, about 0.15% of the state’s total population. This is followed by Quitman County with a population of 7,051. Sharkey County has shrunk by 10.42% since 2010 and Quitman County has shrunk by 13.57%.

Mississippi Counties with Rapid Growth

Lafayette County has grown the most since 2010, growing by 15.19%. Lafayette is the 14th-most populous county in Mississippi. Other counties with double-digit growth are Desoto (12.50%), Lamar (11.43%), Madison (10.56%), Harrison (10.01%).

While some counties have experienced growth, many have experienced population decline. Quitman County has experienced the largest decline since 2010 of 13.57%, followed by Coahoma County with a decline of 13.32%. Other counties with double-digit declines include Washington (11.81%), Humphreys (11.55%), Sunflower (11.20%), Wilkinson (10.85%), and Leflore (10.79%).