Population 191,301 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in DeSoto County
Household size in DeSoto County
| Period | DeSoto County | Memphis area | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.79 | 2.72 | 2.66 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.83 | 2.74 | 2.67 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.86 | 2.70 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.75 | 2.65 | 2.57 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | −0.06 | −0.09 | −0.03 |
The typical household in DeSoto County holds 2.75 people, slightly more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has edged down from 2.79 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Households are largest in the southeast and smallest in the west.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in DeSoto County
| Period | DeSoto County | Memphis area | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.6 | 35.8 | 36.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.9 | 36.7 | 37.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.6 | 37.6 | 38.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.9 | 37.7 | 39.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.4 | +1.9 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
DeSoto County is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 37.9, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 35.6, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the northwest and oldest in the southwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in DeSoto County
| Period | DeSoto County | Memphis area | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.3% | 17.3% | 15.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.1% | 16.4% | 15.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.1% | 15.6% | 14.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.1% | 16.3% | 14.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in eight households in DeSoto County (13.1%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. Still, single parents are less common here than in the Memphis area overall (16.3%).
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in DeSoto County
Renters in DeSoto County
| Period | DeSoto County | Memphis area | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.5% | 34.7% | 29.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 26.0% | 37.9% | 31.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.0% | 40.0% | 31.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.1% | 39.5% | 30.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | +4.8 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 22.1% of households in DeSoto County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About three in ten owners (29.3%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the west; owners are most common in the southeast.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in DeSoto County
| Period | DeSoto County | Memphis area | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 12.1% | 13.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.6% | 11.7% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.9% | 11.6% | 16.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 9.8% | 14.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −2.3 pts | +0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in DeSoto County: 6.6% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. No other Mississippi county has a lower vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in DeSoto County
| Period | DeSoto County | Memphis area | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1993 | 1980 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1994 | 1981 | 1983 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1995 | 1981 | 1984 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1998 | 1983 | 1987 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +3 | +5 | +6 |
Much of the housing in DeSoto County is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1998, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1993 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the northwest has the oldest housing. Only one other Mississippi county has newer homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in DeSoto County
| Period | DeSoto County | Memphis area | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $986 | $912 | $703 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,072 | $991 | $758 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,184 | $1,080 | $819 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,619 | $1,428 | $1,018 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$633 | +$516 | +$315 | +$606 |
Rent in DeSoto County runs $1,619 a month at the median, utilities included, close to the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents here are higher than in the wider Memphis area ($1,428). Rents are up $633 a month from 2006–10, a 64% jump, roughly in step with the nation. No other Mississippi county has higher rents.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in DeSoto County
Bachelor's degrees in DeSoto County
| Period | DeSoto County | Memphis area | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.9% | 25.5% | 20.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.4% | 26.6% | 21.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.1% | 28.0% | 22.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 29.1% | 30.5% | 25.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.2 pts | +5.0 pts | +5.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in DeSoto County than nationally: 29.1% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 7.2 points, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the northwest.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in DeSoto County
| Period | DeSoto County | Memphis area | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.6% | 84.8% | 80.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.1% | 86.4% | 82.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.4% | 87.8% | 84.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.6% | 89.2% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +4.4 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in DeSoto County is a bit above the national rate: 91.6% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.9 points, as it has nationally. Only five of Mississippi's 82 counties have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in DeSoto County
| Period | DeSoto County | Memphis area | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 10.1% | 9.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.0% | 11.0% | 11.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.3% | 7.1% | 7.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.1% | 6.9% | 5.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | −3.2 pts | −3.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in DeSoto County has been low: just 3.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 4.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
DeSoto County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeSoto County | 2.75 | 37.9 | 13.1% | 22.1% | 6.6% | 1998 | $1,619 | 29.1% | 91.6% | 3.1% |
| Marshall County | 2.55 | 41.9 | 15.9% | 20.9% | 14.7% | 1991 | $1,106 | 14.8% | 81.6% | 4.8% |
| Benton County | 2.46 | 46.7 | 10.3% | 14.0% | 23.6% | 1990 | $702 | 13.1% | 81.5% | 2.7% |
| St. Francis County | 2.39 | 41.3 | 15.0% | 44.5% | 17.5% | 1985 | $742 | 12.6% | 84.3% | 6.5% |
| Alcorn County | 2.37 | 40.2 | 11.1% | 32.2% | 11.4% | 1983 | $723 | 18.8% | 84.9% | 4.4% |
| Prairie County | 2.42 | 46.2 | 6.2% | 24.2% | 19.1% | 1980 | $651 | 18.0% | 87.0% | 3.2% |
| Lonoke County | 2.67 | 38.1 | 12.0% | 25.0% | 7.7% | 1996 | $1,130 | 22.0% | 90.9% | 4.5% |
| Lauderdale County | 2.39 | 41.1 | 8.8% | 31.1% | 12.3% | 1982 | $882 | 29.7% | 90.1% | 3.7% |
| Perry County | 2.46 | 44.9 | 11.5% | 19.6% | 16.2% | 1990 | $766 | 16.5% | 87.8% | 3.6% |
| Limestone County | 2.76 | 40.2 | 8.8% | 22.4% | 7.7% | 1999 | $1,308 | 34.7% | 87.9% | 3.0% |
| Scott County | 2.44 | 42.7 | 9.0% | 21.9% | 21.5% | 1980 | $723 | 12.6% | 82.7% | 7.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Beaufort County, SC · El Dorado County, CA · Medina County, OH · Livingston County, MI · Peoria County, IL · Kent County, DE · Kanawha County, WV · Imperial County, CA · Hernando County, FL · Cass County, ND
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up DeSoto County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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