Hinds County, Mississippi

Etymology

The county is named for General Thomas Hinds, a hero of the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 877 sqmi, of which 870 sqmi is land and 7.6 sqmi (0.9%) is water. It is the third-largest county in Mississippi by land area and fifth-largest by total area.

Adjacent counties

• Madison County (northeast)
• Rankin County (east)
• Copiah County (south)
• Claiborne County (southwest)
• Warren County (west)
• Yazoo County (northwest)

National protected area

• Natchez Trace Parkway (part)

Transportation

Major highways

Airports

The following public-use airports are located in Hinds County:

• Hawkins Field (HKS) in Jackson
• John Bell Williams Airport (JVW) in Raymond

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020

With a population of 8,645 at the 1830 census, the county's population has experienced growth to an initial historic high of 250,000 in 1980; its second historic high was 254,441 at the 1990 census. Since then, its population has fluctuated to 250,800 in 2000 and 245,285 in 2010.

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 227,742. The median age was 37.7 years. 22.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 89.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 85.0 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 25.8% White, 69.4% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% Asian,

82.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 17.6% lived in rural areas.

There were 92,774 households in the county, of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 30.2% were married-couple households, 23.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 41.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 36.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 106,134 housing units, of which 12.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 58.1% were owner-occupied and 41.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.4%.

Racial and ethnic composition

With the trend of greater diversification in the United States leading up to and following the 2020 census, the population of non-Hispanic whites declined from 37.0% of the population in 2000 to about 25.5% of the population in 2020. The 2020 census reported the county's population as majority Black or African American, with the remaining composition including Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander, other races, two or more races, and Hispanic or Latino residents as detailed above.

Law enforcement

The Hinds County Sheriffs Department provides police services to areas of the county that are unincorporated or in municipalities that do not have their own local police force. It was founded on January 1, 1928.

Tyrone Lewis took office January 3, 2012, taking over from Malcolm E. McMillin who had held the role for 20 years. Victor Mason defeated Tyrone Lewis August 4, 2015, as Lewis sought another term. Mason went on to secure the Office November 3, 2015. Mason defeated 3 other candidates securing more than seventy percent of the vote. Victor Mason was defeated in the Democratic Primary on August 27, 2019, by Lee D. Vance. On August 4, 2021, Sheriff Lee Vance was found deceased at his home after contracting COVID-19. The current sheriff is Tyree Jones, elected November 23, 2021.

Politics

Hinds County is one of the most staunchly Democratic counties in Mississippi due to it being an urban county and having a large African-American population. The last Republican to win the county was George H. W. Bush in his failed 1992 re-election bid.

Education

Public schools

School districts:

• Clinton Public School District
• Hinds County School District (Raymond)
• Jackson Public School District

State-operated schools:

• Mississippi School for the Blind
• Mississippi School for the Deaf

Private schools

• Clinton Christian Academy (Clinton)
• Hillcrest Christian School (Jackson)
• Jackson Academy (Jackson)
• Mt. Salus Christian School (Clinton)
• Rebul Academy (Learned)
• Central Hinds Academy (Raymond)

Colleges and universities

• Belhaven University (Jackson)
• Hinds Community College (Raymond)
• Jackson State University (Jackson)
• Millsaps College (Jackson)
• Mississippi College (Clinton)
  • Mississippi College School of Law (Jackson)
• Reformed Theological Seminary (Jackson)
• Tougaloo College (Tougaloo)
• University of Mississippi Medical Center (Jackson)
• Wesley Biblical Seminary (Jackson)

Hinds County is in the community college district of Hinds Community College.

Public libraries

• Jackson/Hinds Library System

Communities

Cities

• Byram
• Clinton
• Jackson (county seat; partly in Madison and Rankin counties)
• Raymond (county seat)

Towns

• Bolton
• Edwards
• Learned
• Terry
• Utica

Unincorporated communities

• Brownsville
• Cayuga
• Cynthia
• Midway
• Oakley
• Pocahontas

Notable people

• Kate Stone (1841–1907), diarist
• Henry Sloan (1870–1948), delta blues musician
• Charley Patton (1891–1934), blues musician
• Richard Durham (1917–1984), writer of the radio series Destination Freedom

References

References

1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
2. [https://eji.org/sites/default/files/lynching-in-america-second-edition-supplement-by-county.pdf ''Lynching in America'', 2nd edition] {{Webarchive. link. (June 27, 2018 , Supplement by County, p. 5)
3. (September 28, 2022). "This SC county has among the highest STD rates in the US, report shows. Do you live there?".
4. Gannett, Henry. (1905). "The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States". Govt. Print. Off..
5. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
6. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau.
7. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
9. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
10. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
11. "2020 Race and Population Totals".
12. (April 26, 2021). "Census shows Mississippi lost population and diversified".
13. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
14. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
15. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
16. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Hinds County, Mississippi".
17. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Hinds County, Mississippi".
18. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Hinds County, Mississippi".
19. Frey, William H.. (August 13, 2021). "New 2020 census results show increased diversity countering decade-long declines in America's white and youth populations".
20. (September 3, 2013). "Sheriff".
21. (August 4, 2021). "Hinds County Sheriff Lee Vance passes away".
22. (November 24, 2021). "Tyree Jones elected Hinds County Sheriff".
23. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
24. "2020 Census – School District Reference Map: Hinds County, MS". [[United States Census Bureau]].
25. "Admission Guide 2019-2020". [[Hinds Community College]].