Simpson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. Its western border is formed by the Pearl River, an important transportation route in the 19th century. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,949.[1] The county seat is Mendenhall.[2] The county is named for Josiah Simpson (1787-1817),[3] a territorial judge who also served as a delegate to Mississippi's Constitutional Convention.[4]
Simpson County | |
|---|---|
 Simpson County courthouse in Mendenhall | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi | |
 Mississippi's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 31°55′N 89°55′W / 31.92°N 89.92°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Mississippi |
| Founded | 1824 |
| Named for | Josiah Simpson |
| Seat | Mendenhall |
| Largest city | Magee |
| Area | |
| • Total | 590 sq mi (1,500 km2) |
| • Land | 589 sq mi (1,530 km2) |
| • Water | 1.3 sq mi (3 km2) 0.2% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 25,949 |
| • Density | 44/sq mi (17/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
Simpson County is part of the Jackson, MS Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 590 square miles (1,500 km2), of which 589 square miles (1,530 km2) is land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km2) (0.2%) is water.[5]
Major highways
U.S. Highway 49
Mississippi Highway 13
Mississippi Highway 28
Mississippi Highway 43
Mississippi Highway 149
Adjacent counties
- Rankin County (north)
- Smith County (east)
- Covington County (southeast)
- Jefferson Davis County (south)
- Lawrence County (southwest)
- Copiah County (west)
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1830 | 2,680 | — | |
| 1840 | 3,380 | 26.1% | |
| 1850 | 4,734 | 40.1% | |
| 1860 | 6,080 | 28.4% | |
| 1870 | 5,718 | −6.0% | |
| 1880 | 8,008 | 40.0% | |
| 1890 | 10,138 | 26.6% | |
| 1900 | 12,800 | 26.3% | |
| 1910 | 17,201 | 34.4% | |
| 1920 | 18,109 | 5.3% | |
| 1930 | 20,897 | 15.4% | |
| 1940 | 22,024 | 5.4% | |
| 1950 | 21,819 | −0.9% | |
| 1960 | 20,454 | −6.3% | |
| 1970 | 19,947 | −2.5% | |
| 1980 | 23,441 | 17.5% | |
| 1990 | 23,953 | 2.2% | |
| 2000 | 27,639 | 15.4% | |
| 2010 | 27,503 | −0.5% | |
| 2020 | 25,949 | −5.7% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 25,715 | [6] | −0.9% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9] 1990-2000[10] 2010-2013[11] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 15,928 | 61.38% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 8,803 | 33.92% |
| Native American | 36 | 0.14% |
| Asian | 84 | 0.32% |
| Pacific Islander | 2 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed | 710 | 2.74% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 386 | 1.49% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 25,949 people, 9,486 households, and 6,617 families residing in the county.
Communities
Cities
Town
Village
Unincorporated communities
Ghost town
Politics
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 7,635 | 64.62% | 4,037 | 34.17% | 143 | 1.21% |
| 2016 | 7,393 | 64.74% | 3,874 | 33.93% | 152 | 1.33% |
| 2012 | 7,424 | 60.61% | 4,723 | 38.56% | 102 | 0.83% |
| 2008 | 7,641 | 60.59% | 4,817 | 38.20% | 152 | 1.21% |
| 2004 | 7,138 | 68.15% | 3,272 | 31.24% | 64 | 0.61% |
| 2000 | 6,254 | 65.32% | 3,227 | 33.71% | 93 | 0.97% |
| 1996 | 4,455 | 56.56% | 2,851 | 36.19% | 571 | 7.25% |
| 1992 | 5,358 | 57.45% | 3,213 | 34.45% | 755 | 8.10% |
| 1988 | 6,151 | 66.69% | 3,016 | 32.70% | 56 | 0.61% |
| 1984 | 5,983 | 67.04% | 2,894 | 32.43% | 47 | 0.53% |
| 1980 | 5,190 | 55.60% | 4,015 | 43.01% | 129 | 1.38% |
| 1976 | 4,291 | 53.91% | 3,600 | 45.23% | 69 | 0.87% |
| 1972 | 5,669 | 85.87% | 871 | 13.19% | 62 | 0.94% |
| 1968 | 875 | 12.47% | 1,079 | 15.37% | 5,064 | 72.16% |
| 1964 | 4,949 | 94.81% | 271 | 5.19% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 606 | 18.89% | 1,034 | 32.23% | 1,568 | 48.88% |
| 1956 | 467 | 14.64% | 2,140 | 67.11% | 582 | 18.25% |
| 1952 | 878 | 24.09% | 2,767 | 75.91% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 59 | 2.29% | 171 | 6.65% | 2,342 | 91.06% |
| 1944 | 78 | 3.06% | 2,470 | 96.94% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 40 | 1.70% | 2,316 | 98.26% | 1 | 0.04% |
| 1936 | 48 | 1.92% | 2,445 | 98.04% | 1 | 0.04% |
| 1932 | 47 | 2.36% | 1,941 | 97.59% | 1 | 0.05% |
| 1928 | 231 | 10.88% | 1,893 | 89.12% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 100 | 6.15% | 1,518 | 93.42% | 7 | 0.43% |
| 1920 | 109 | 10.63% | 902 | 88.00% | 14 | 1.37% |
| 1916 | 34 | 3.38% | 966 | 96.02% | 6 | 0.60% |
| 1912 | 19 | 2.79% | 606 | 88.86% | 57 | 8.36% |
Education
Simpson County School District is the local school district.[14]
See also
References
External links
Media related to Simpson County, Mississippi at Wikimedia Commons- Mississippi Courthouses – Simpson County
