Mississippi

State

Add Comparison

2019 Population

2.98M

0.348% 1-year decline

US Senator

Roger Wicker

Republican Party

US Senator

Cindy Hyde-Smith

Republican Party

2019 Median Age

38.3

1.59% 1-year increase

2019 Poverty Rate

20.3%

2.21% 1-year decrease

2019 Median Household Income

$45,792

2.4% 1-year growth

2019 Median Property Value

$128,200

3.97% 1-year growth

2019 Employed Population

1.2M

2.2% 1-year growth

About

In 2019, Mississippi had a population of 2.98M people with a median age of 38.3 and a median household income of $45,792. Between 2018 and 2019 the population of Mississippi declined from 2.99M to 2.98M, a −0.348% decrease and its median household income grew from $44,717 to $45,792, a 2.4% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Mississippi are White (Non-Hispanic) (56.3%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (37.8%), White (Hispanic) (1.73%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (1.26%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.04%). 0% of the households in Mississippi speak a non-English language at home as their primary language.

98.8% of the residents in Mississippi are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Mississippi are University of Mississippi (6,211 degrees awarded in 2020), Mississippi State University (5,238 degrees), and Hinds Community College (4,138 degrees).

In 2019, the median property value in Mississippi was $128,200, and the homeownership rate was 67.3%. Most people in Mississippi drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Mississippi was 2 cars per household.

Mississippi borders Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee.

Photo by Tony Webster

United States

Diversity

Mississippi is home to a population of 2.98M people, from which 98.8% are citizens. As of 2019, 2.37% of Mississippi residents were born outside of the country (70.5k people).

In 2019, there were 1.49 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (1.68M people) in Mississippi than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.13M Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 51.4k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Mississippi

White (Non-Hispanic)
1.68M ± 1.31k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
1.13M ± 7.32k
White (Hispanic)
51.4k ± 5.74k

3.03%

Hispanic Population

90.1k people

3.03% of the people in Mississippi are hispanic (90.1k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Mississippi as a share of the total population.

Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

2.37%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

70.5k people

2.34%

2018 Foreign-Born Population

69.8k people

As of 2019, 2.37% of Mississippi residents (70.5k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2018, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Mississippi was 2.34%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Mississippi compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Age by Nativity

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.2

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 2.3

In 2019, the median age of all people in Mississippi was 38.3. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 38, were generally younger than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 40. But people in Mississippi are getting getting older. In 2018, the average age of all Mississippi residents was 38.

Global Diversity

Most Common Origin

Mexico
18,505 ± 3,329 people
India
5,117 ± 1,755 people
China
3,481 ± 1,448 people

In 2019, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Mississippi was Mexico, the natal country of 18,505 Mississippi residents, followed by India with 5,117 and China with 3,481.

Citizenship

98.8%

2019 Citizenship

98.5%

2018 Citizenship

As of 2019, 98.8% of Mississippi residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2018, the percentage of US citizens in Mississippi was 98.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Mississippi compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
49,719 ± 2,972
Gulf War (2001-)
39,382 ± 4,536
Gulf War (1990s)
23,065 ± 2,980

Mississippi has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.26 times greater than any other conflict.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Mississippi, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Mississippi (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in Mississippi. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Mississippi.

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Community Mobility

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Mississippi across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Economy

Median household income in Mississippi is $45,792. In 2019, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Mississippi was Madison County, MS with a value of $68,171, followed by Rankin County, MS and DeSoto County, MS, with respective values of $67,012 and $66,078.

Males in Mississippi have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $41,179. The income inequality in Mississippi (measured using the Gini index) is 0.458, which is lower than than the national average.

The economy of Mississippi employs 1.2M people. The largest industries in Mississippi are Elementary & secondary schools (84,985 people), Restaurants & Food Services (79,667 people), and Construction (70,329 people), and the highest paying industries are Pipeline transportation ($116,734), Drugs, sundries, & chemical & allied products merchant wholesalers ($106,862), and Air transportation ($103,839).

Wages

Median Household Income

$45,792

2019 value

± $1,184

2.4%

1 Year Growth

± 3.06%

Households in Mississippi have a median annual income of $45,792, which is less than the median annual income of $65,712 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $44,717 in 2018, which represents a 2.4% annual growth.

The following chart shows how the median household income in Mississippi compares to that of its neighboring and parent geographies.

Wage by Sex in Common Jobs

$55,088

Average Male Salary in Mississippi

± $1,892

$41,179

Average Female Salary in Mississippi

± $1,509

In 2019, full-time male employees in Mississippi made 1.34 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the sex-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Mississippi by number of full-time employees.

Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity in Mississippi

Asian
$49,444 ± $11,108
White
$48,381 ± $1,529
Two or More Races
$35,327 ± $7,758

In 2019 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Mississippi workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.02 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity in Mississippi.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Mississippi by number of full-time employees.

Wage Distribution

0.458

2019 Wage GINI in Mississippi

0.446

2018 Wage GINI in Mississippi

In 2019, the income inequality in Mississippi was 0.458 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 2.68% growth from 2018 to 2019, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Mississippi was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Mississippi in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Mississippi across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2019, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Mississippi was Madison County, MS with a value of $68,171, followed by Rankin County, MS and DeSoto County, MS, with respective values of $67,012 and $66,078.

The following map shows all of the counties in Mississippi colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Poverty by Age and Sex

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

20.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Mississippi (586k out of 2.89M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.3%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 35 - 44.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

Black
341,979 ± 4,369
White
217,458 ± 3,747
Hispanic
21,250 ± 1,226

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Mississippi is Black, followed by White and Hispanic.

Occupations

Employment by Occupations

1.2M

2019 Value

2.2%

1 Year growth

± 2.2%

From 2018 to 2019, employment in Mississippi grew at a rate of 2.2%, from 1.17M employees to 1.2M employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Mississippi, are Driver/sales workers & truck drivers (41,810 people), Registered nurses (37,264 people), and Cashiers (31,426 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Mississippi.

Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Mississippi, by number of employees, are Driver/sales workers & truck drivers (41,810 people), Registered nurses (37,264 people), and Cashiers (31,426 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other states, Mississippi has an unusually high number of residents working as Upholsterers (9.39 times higher than expected), Meter readers, utilities (5.3 times), and Furnace, kiln, oven, drier, & kettle operators & tenders (5.27 times).

Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Mississippi, by average salary, are Surgeons ($339,395), Physicians ($244,793), and Miscellaneous extraction workers, including roof bolters & helpers ($238,334).

Industries

Employment by Industries

1.2M

2019 Value

2.2%

1 Year growth

± 2.2%

From 2018 to 2019, employment in Mississippi grew at a rate of 2.2%, from 1.17M employees to 1.2M employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Mississippi, are Elementary & secondary schools (84,985 people), Restaurants & Food Services (79,667 people), and Construction (70,329 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Mississippi, though some of these residents may live in Mississippi and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Most Common

The most common industries in Mississippi, by number of employees, are Elementary & secondary schools (84,985 people), Restaurants & Food Services (79,667 people), and Construction (70,329 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other states, Mississippi has an unusually high number of Logging (7.22 times higher than expected), Ship & boat building (6.63 times), and Furniture & related product manufacturing (5.59 times) industries.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Mississippi, by average salary, are Pipeline transportation ($116,734), Drugs, sundries, & chemical & allied products merchant wholesalers ($106,862), and Air transportation ($103,839).

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Mississippi to other states, or from other states to Mississippi.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Mississippi product (by dollars) was Pharmaceuticals with $30.5B, followed by Coal-n.e.c. ($25.1B) and Motorized vehicles ($12.3B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Mississippi products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Mississippi.

$182B

2020 Value in Mississippi

$374B

Projected 2050 Value in Mississippi

105% growth

In 2020, total outbound Mississippi trade was $182B. This is expected to increase 105% to $374B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Mississippi trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Mississippi to other states, or from other states to Mississippi.

Most Common Trade Partners

Alabama
$21.9B
Louisiana
$11.4B
Tennessee
$10.5B

In 2020, the top outbound Mississippi domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Alabama with $21.9B, followed by Louisiana with $11.4B and Tennessee and $10.5B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Mississippi shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Mississippi went to Donald J. Trump with 57.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (41.1%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.611%). The most partisan county was George County, MS with 87.9% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith are the senators currently representing the state of Mississippi. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Mississippi is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (57.6%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (41.1%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.611%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Mississippi went to Donald J. Trump with 57.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (41.1%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.611%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Mississippi for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Presidential Popular Vote by County

Donald J. Trump

Popular Vote for Mississippi

57.6% for the Republican Party

Most Partisan Counties in Mississippi

George County, MS
87.9% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Itawamba County, MS
87.2% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Tishomingo County, MS
86.8% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)

In the 2020 presidential election, the most partisan county in Mississippi was George County, MS with 87.9% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

The following map shows the counties in Mississippi colored by their party leaning.

US Senators from Mississippi

Roger Wicker

Senator from Mississippi

Assumed office on December 31, 2007
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Trent Lott.

Cindy Hyde-Smith

Senator from Mississippi

Assumed office on April 9, 2018
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Thad Cochran.

Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith are the senators currently representing Mississippi.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Mississippi over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representatives from Mississippi

Mississippi is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Mississippi have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2020, universities in Mississippi awarded 46,072 degrees. The student population of Mississippi is skewed towards women, with 63,059 male students and 102,731 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Mississippi are White (26,002 and 57.5%), followed by Black or African American (15,112 and 33.4%), Unknown (1,192 and 2.64%), and Hispanic or Latino (1,160 and 2.56%).

The largest universities in Mississippi by number of degrees awarded are University of Mississippi (6,211 and 13.5%), Mississippi State University (5,238 and 11.4%), and Hinds Community College (4,138 and 8.98%).

The most popular majors in Mississippi are General Studies (3,861 and 8.38%), General Business Administration & Management (2,685 and 5.83%), and Registered Nursing (2,471 and 5.36%).

The median tuition costs in Mississippi are $14,200 for private four year colleges, and $8,111 and $8,111 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
1,150 degree-majorss awarded
General Biological Sciences
892 degree-majorss awarded
General Business Administration & Management
1,310 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Mississippi was Registered Nursing with 1,150 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Mississippi according to their major.

Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of Mississippi
6,211 degrees awarded
Mississippi State University
5,238 degrees awarded
Hinds Community College
4,138 degrees awarded

$8,111

Median In-State Public

$14,200

Median Private

In 2020, the Mississippi institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Mississippi with 6,211 degrees awarded.

Student Sex for Common Institutions

18,419

Degrees Awarded to Men

27,653

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2020, 18,419 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Mississippi, which is 0.666 times less than the 27,653 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 institutions in Mississippi by degrees awarded.

Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
26,002 degrees awarded
Black or African American
15,112 degrees awarded
Unknown
1,192 degrees awarded

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions in Mississippi was White students. These 26,002 degrees mean that there were 1.72 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 15,112 degrees awarded.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Mississippi was $128,200 in 2019, which is 0.533 times smaller than the national average of $240,500. Between 2018 and 2019 the median property value increased from $123,300 to $128,200, a 3.97% increase. The homeownership rate in Mississippi is 67.3%, which is higher than the national average of 64.1%. People in Mississippi have an average commute time of 24.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Mississippi is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$128,200

2019 Median

± $2,821

$123,300

2018 Median

± $2,586

In 2019, the median property value in Mississippi grew to to $128,200 from the previous year's value of $123,300.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Mississippi compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Mississippi the largest share of households have a property value in the $100k - $125k range.

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$45,792

Median Household Income

± $1,184

1.1M

Number of Households

± 18,983

In 2019, the median household income of the 1.1M households in Mississippi grew to $45,792 from the previous year's value of $44,717.

The following chart displays the households in Mississippi distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Property Taxes

< $800

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Mississippi distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Mississippi the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

Rent vs Own

67.3%

2019 Homeownership

68.2%

2018 Homeownership

In 2019, 67.3% of the housing units in Mississippi were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 68.2%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 64.1%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Mississippi compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Commute Time

24.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Mississippi have a shorter commute time (24.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26 minutes). Additionally, 2.8% of the workforce in Mississippi have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Mississippi compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2019

Drove Alone (84.8%)
Carpooled (8.94%)
Worked At Home (3.11%)

In 2019, 84.8% of workers in Mississippi drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.94%) and those who worked at home (3.11%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Mississippi distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Mississippi have 2 cars, followed by false.

Health

87% of the population of Mississippi has health coverage, with 40.6% on employee plans, 21.1% on Medicaid, 11.9% on Medicare, 11.2% on non-group plans, and 2.29% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Mississippi was $7,646 in 2014. This is a 3.86% increase from the previous year ($7,362).

Primary care physicians in Mississippi see 1890 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.0529% increase from the previous year (1889 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2051 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 591 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Sunflower County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (24.6%). Additionally, Sunflower County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (53.7%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,890 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Mississippi

Primary care physicians in Mississippi see an average of 1,890 patients per year. This represents a 0.0529% increase from the previous year (1,889 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Mississippi in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

West Virginia
8.26% of the population affected
Arkansas
8.13% of the population affected
New Hampshire
7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

Mississippi
19.2% of adults
Texas
17.9% of adults
Louisiana
17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

Health Care Spending

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.

$7,646

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care in Mississippi

$4,045

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$6,690

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$11,021

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Mississippi (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 3.86%, from $7,362 to $7,646.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

Health Care Coverage

13%

Uninsured

40.6%

Employer Coverage

21.1%

Medicaid

11.9%

Medicare

11.2%

Non-Group

2.29%

Military or VA

Between 2018 and 2019, the percent of uninsured citizens in Mississippi grew by 6.97% from 12.1% to 13%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Mississippi changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.