Jackson County, Mississippi

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1043 sqmi, of which 723 sqmi is land and 321 sqmi (31%) is water. It is the largest county in Mississippi by total area.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

• George County - north
• Mobile County, Alabama - east
• Harrison County - west
• Stone County - northwest

National protected areas

• De Soto National Forest (part)
• Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge (part)
• Gulf Islands National Seashore (part)
• Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge

Demographics

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

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 143,252. The median age was 39.9 years. 23.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 95.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 92.4 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 66.1% White, 21.0% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 3.3% from some other race, and 6.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 7.0% of the population.

69.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 30.3% lived in rural areas.

Households and housing

There were 55,677 households in the county, of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 45.5% were married-couple households, 18.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 29.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 62,190 housing units, of which 10.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 69.3% were owner-occupied and 30.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 13.2%.

Choctaw people

Jackson County is home to the Vancleave Live Oak Choctaw, which the State of Mississippi, through House Resolution 50 (HR50), ceremonially recognized as "The Official Native American Tribe of the Choctaw People of Jackson County, Mississippi" in 2016. This legislative action acknowledges the tribe's historical and cultural significance in the state.

Public safety

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement services for communities in the county that do not have their own local law enforcement. These communities are known as Census-Designated Places, or CDPs.

Education

School districts in the county include:

The Jackson County School District serves the Hurley, Wade, Big Point, Three Rivers, Harleston, Vestry, Latimer, and Vancleave communities, along with St. Martin and a small portion of Escatawpa. The Pascagoula-Gautier School District serves Pascagoula and most of the City of Gautier. The Moss Point School District serves Moss Point and most of Escatawpa. The Ocean Springs School District serves Ocean Springs.

Communities

Cities

• Gautier
• Moss Point
• Ocean Springs
• Pascagoula (county seat)

Census-designated places

• Big Point
• Escatawpa
• Gulf Hills
• Gulf Park Estates
• Helena
• Hurley
• Latimer
• St. Martin
• Vancleave
• Wade

Unincorporated places

• East Moss Point
• Poticaw Landing

Ghost towns

• Brewton

Former census-designated places

• Hickory Hills, merged into city of Gautier

Politics

Like most of the Solid South, Jackson County consistently voted for the Democratic presidential candidate through 1960, except for 1948, when it was carried by Dixiecrat Strom Thurmond. For much of this time, Republicans were lucky to get even 1,000 votes. It voted overwhelmingly for Republican Barry Goldwater in 1964, voted for George Wallace in 1968 over Republican Richard Nixon, and has stuck with Republicans ever since. Jimmy Carter is the last Democrat to manage 40 percent of the vote.

References

References

1. "Census - Geography Profile: Jackson County, Mississippi". [[United States Census Bureau]].
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
3. Gannett, Henry. (1905). "The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States". Govt. Print. Off..
4. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
5. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau.
6. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
7. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
8. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
9. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
10. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
11. "Explore Census Data".
12. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
13. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
14. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
15. "Mississippi House Resolution 50".
16. (22 January 2022). "Indian Entities Recognized by and Eligible To Receive Services From the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs". Federal Register.
17. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Jackson County, MS". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].
18. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".