Simpson County, Mississippi

Simpson County, Mississippi
County
Simpson County Courthouse in Mendenhall
Simpson County Courthouse in Mendenhall
Map of Mississippi highlighting Simpson County
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Coordinates: 31°55′N 89°55′W / 31.92°N 89.92°W / 31.92; -89.92
Country United States
State Mississippi
Founded1824
Named forJosiah Simpson
SeatMendenhall
Largest cityMagee
Area
 • Total
590 sq mi (1,500 km2)
 • Land589 sq mi (1,530 km2)
 • Water1.3 sq mi (3.4 km2)  0.2%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
25,949
 • Estimate 
(2025)
25,498 Decrease
 • Density44.1/sq mi (17.0/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district3rd
Websitesimpsoncountyms.com

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. The county seat is Mendenhall. The county is named for Josiah Simpson (1787–1817), a territorial judge who also served as a delegate to Mississippi's Constitutional Convention. Simpson County is part of the Jackson, Mississippi metropolitan 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.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18302,680—
18403,38026.1%
18504,73440.1%
18606,08028.4%
18705,718−6.0%
18808,00840.0%
189010,13826.6%
190012,80026.3%
191017,20134.4%
192018,1095.3%
193020,89715.4%
194022,0245.4%
195021,819−0.9%
196020,454−6.3%
197019,947−2.5%
198023,44117.5%
199023,9532.2%
200027,63915.4%
201027,503−0.5%
202025,949−5.7%
2025 (est.)25,498 Decrease−1.7%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2013

Racial and ethnic composition

Simpson County, Mississippi – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 1980 Pop 1990 Pop 2000 Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 1980 % 1990 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 16,100 16,086 17,686 17,131 15,928 68.68% 67.16% 63.99% 62.29% 61.38%
Black or African American alone (NH) 7,135 7,732 9,432 9,624 8,803 30.44% 32.28% 34.13% 34.99% 33.92%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 15 46 32 35 36 0.06% 0.19% 0.12% 0.13% 0.14%
Asian alone (NH) 9 22 35 78 84 0.04% 0.09% 0.13% 0.28% 0.32%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) x x 3 34 2 x x 0.01% 0.12% 0.01%
Other race alone (NH) 1 0 6 16 62 0.00% 0.00% 0.02% 0.06% 0.24%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) x x 127 198 648 x x 0.46% 0.72% 2.50%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 181 67 318 387 386 0.77% 0.28% 1.15% 1.41% 1.49%
Total 23,441 23,953 27,639 27,503 25,949 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 25,949. The median age was 40.4 years. 24.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 94.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.6 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 61.6% White, 34.1% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.9% from some other race, and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.5% of the population.

<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 10,014 households in the county, of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 45.1% were married-couple households, 18.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 30.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 11,559 housing units, of which 13.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 75.8% were owner-occupied and 24.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.1%.

Communities

Cities

Town

Village

Unincorporated communities

Ghost town

Politics

Simpson county used to be democratic in the Solid South era, but it has since become more republican. It has not supported a Democratic presidential candidate since 1956, nor any third-party candidates since 1968.[citation needed.]

United States presidential election results for Simpson County, Mississippi
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
1912 19 2.79% 606 88.86% 57 8.36%
1916 34 3.38% 966 96.02% 6 0.60%
1920 109 10.63% 902 88.00% 14 1.37%
1924 100 6.15% 1,518 93.42% 7 0.43%
1928 231 10.88% 1,893 89.12% 0 0.00%
1932 47 2.36% 1,941 97.59% 1 0.05%
1936 48 1.92% 2,445 98.04% 1 0.04%
1940 40 1.70% 2,316 98.26% 1 0.04%
1944 78 3.06% 2,470 96.94% 0 0.00%
1948 59 2.29% 171 6.65% 2,342 91.06%
1952 878 24.09% 2,767 75.91% 0 0.00%
1956 467 14.64% 2,140 67.11% 582 18.25%
1960 606 18.89% 1,034 32.23% 1,568 48.88%
1964 4,949 94.81% 271 5.19% 0 0.00%
1968 875 12.47% 1,079 15.37% 5,064 72.16%
1972 5,669 85.87% 871 13.19% 62 0.94%
1976 4,291 53.91% 3,600 45.23% 69 0.87%
1980 5,190 55.60% 4,015 43.01% 129 1.38%
1984 5,983 67.04% 2,894 32.43% 47 0.53%
1988 6,151 66.69% 3,016 32.70% 56 0.61%
1992 5,358 57.45% 3,213 34.45% 755 8.10%
1996 4,455 56.56% 2,851 36.19% 571 7.25%
2000 6,254 65.32% 3,227 33.71% 93 0.97%
2004 7,138 68.15% 3,272 31.24% 64 0.61%
2008 7,641 60.59% 4,817 38.20% 152 1.21%
2012 7,424 60.61% 4,723 38.56% 102 0.83%
2016 7,393 64.74% 3,874 33.93% 152 1.33%
2020 7,635 64.62% 4,037 34.17% 143 1.21%
2024 7,552 68.07% 3,479 31.36% 63 0.57%

Education

Simpson County School District is the local school district.

It is in the district of Copiah–Lincoln Community College, and has been since 1934. The district maintains the Simpson County Center.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Census - Geography Profile: Simpson County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Simpson". politicalgraveyard.com. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  4. ↑ Blakeney, Amanda. 2022. 1/82: Simpson County. Mississippi Landmarks (Mississippi State University), Vol. 18, No. 2, Page 27, October 2022.
  5. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  6. ↑ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2025". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  7. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  11. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
  12. ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Simpson County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau.
  13. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Simpson County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau.
  14. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Simpson County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau.
  15. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  16. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  17. ↑ not an option in the 1980 Census
  18. ↑ not an option in the 1990 Census
  19. 1 2 3 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  20. 1 2 "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  21. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  22. ↑ Presidential Elections Results, uselectionatlas.org; accessed December 6, 2017.
  23. ↑ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Simpson County, MS" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved May 5, 2023. - Text list
  24. ↑ "History". Copiah–Lincoln Community College. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  25. ↑ "Campuses and Maps". Copiah–Lincoln Community College. Retrieved September 27, 2024.

31°55′N 89°55′W / 31.92°N 89.92°W / 31.92; -89.92