Adams County, Mississippi

History

Adams County was created on April 2, 1799, from part of Pickering Territorial County. The county was organized eighteen years before Mississippi became a state. Five Mississippi governors have come from Adams County: David Holmes, George Poindexter, John A. Quitman, Gerard Brandon, and William Allain.

In 1860, before the US Civil War, Adams County was the richest county in the United States.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 488 sqmi, of which 462 sqmi is land and 25 sqmi (5.2%) is water.

Major highways

• [[Image:US 61.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 61
• [[Image:US 84.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 84
• [[Image:US 98.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 98
• [[Image:US 425.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 425
• [[Image:Natchez Trace Parkway Logo.svg|20px]] Natchez Trace Parkway

Adjacent counties and parishes

• Jefferson County (north)
• Franklin County (east)
• Wilkinson County (south)
• Concordia Parish, Louisiana (southwest)
• Tensas Parish, Louisiana (northwest)

National protected areas

• Homochitto National Forest (part)
• Natchez National Historical Park
• Natchez Trace Parkway (part)
• St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 29,538. The median age was 43.7 years. 20.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 90.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.0 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 37.2% White, 56.8% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% Asian,

63.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 36.5% lived in rural areas.

There were 12,686 households in the county, of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 31.5% were married-couple households, 21.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 42.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 14,885 housing units, of which 14.8% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 66.7% were owner-occupied and 33.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.0%.

Racial and ethnic composition

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 32,297 people, 11,237 households, and 6,650 families residing in the county. In 2010, 53.5% were Black or African American, 42.7% White, 0.4% Asian, 0.3% Native American, 1.7% of some other race and 1.4% of two or more races. 6.7% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

Education

All residents of the county are in the Natchez-Adams School District.

Alcorn State University, a historically black college that was designated as a land-grant institution, has its School of Business and School of Nursing at Natchez. The School of Business offers Masters of Business Administration degree and some undergraduate classes at the School of Business, Natchez campus.

It is in the district of Copiah–Lincoln Community College, and has been since 1971. There is a campus in Natchez. This is adjacent to the Natchez campus of Alcorn State University.

Economy

Adams County Correctional Center, a private prison operated by the Corrections Corporation of America on behalf of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, is in an unincorporated area in the county.

Top employers

The top employers of Adams County are as follows:

1. Natchez-Adams School District (620)

2. Merit Health Natchez (425)

3. Adams County Correctional Center (380)

4. Walmart (365)

5. City of Natchez (275)

6. Magnolia Bluffs Casino (250)

7. Jordan Carriers (250)

8. Supermarket Operations (250)

9. Adams County Government (220)

10. Energy Drilling (220)

Communities

City

• Natchez (county seat and only municipality)

Unincorporated areas

Census-designated places

• Cloverdale
• Morgantown

Other communities

• Cranfield
• Kingston
• Pine Ridge
• Sibley
• Stanton
• Washington

Ghost/extinct towns

• Arnot
• Briers
• Ellis Cliffs
• Hutchins Landing
• Kienstra
• Selsertown

Politics

Adams County, typical of other counties in the Solid South, was heavily Democratic during the first half of the 20th century. After supporting Dixiecrat Strom Thurmond in 1948, it began to lean more Republican, and remained that way until the 1980s. Since 1992, Adams County has returned to the Democratic fold.

References

Sources

• Brieger, James. Hometown, Mississippi.

References

1. "Explore Census Data".
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
3. "Southern economics".
4. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
5. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
6. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
7. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
8. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
9. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
10. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau.
11. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
12. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
13. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
14. "Explore Census Data".
15. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Adams County, MS". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].
16. "History". [[Copiah–Lincoln Community College]].
17. "Campuses & Maps". [[Copiah-Lincoln Community College]].
18. "[http://www.cca.com/facilities/adams-county-correctional-center Adams County Correctional Center] {{Webarchive. link. (August 1, 2016 ." [[Corrections Corporation of America]]. Retrieved on June 28, 2016. "20 Hobo Fork Road, Natchez, MS 39120")
19. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".