Population 39,126 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Mississippi County
Household size in Mississippi County
| Period | Mississippi County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.73 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.54 | 2.55 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.61 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.12 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
At 2.61 people per household, Mississippi County sits close to the national average of 2.65. Household size has dropped from 2.73 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Mississippi County
| Period | Mississippi County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.7 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.6 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.1 | 39.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.7 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.0 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Mississippi County is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 37.7, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 35.7, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the east, the oldest in the west.
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 Mississippi County
| Period | Mississippi County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.3% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.5% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 19.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 16.0% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | −0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Mississippi County: 16.0% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has fallen 3.3 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Mississippi County has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Arkansas counties.
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 Mississippi County
Renters in Mississippi County
| Period | Mississippi County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.1% | 32.3% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 41.4% | 33.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 43.6% | 34.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 40.0% | 33.6% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.0 pts | +1.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
About four in ten households in Mississippi County rent their homes (40.0%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 52.3% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Only seven of Arkansas' 75 counties have a higher share of renters.
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 Mississippi County
| Period | Mississippi County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.4% | 13.4% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.9% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 19.5% | 14.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.5% | 13.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 18.5% of the housing in Mississippi County, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is up 3.1 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Mississippi County
| Period | Mississippi County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1983 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1976 | 1985 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1988 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Mississippi County are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1977, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are older than in Arkansas as a whole, where the median home dates to 1988. The median year built has moved up from 1973 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the north has the oldest housing.
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 Mississippi County
| Period | Mississippi County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $548 | $660 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $609 | $718 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $637 | $785 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $820 | $1,007 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$272 | +$346 | +$606 |
Rent in Mississippi County runs $820 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $272 a month since 2006–10, up 50%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 32.6% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Mississippi County
Bachelor's degrees in Mississippi County
| Period | Mississippi County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.6% | 20.6% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.1% | 21.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.0% | 23.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.2% | 26.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | +5.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Mississippi County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 14.2%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 2.7 points, in line with the national trend. Mississippi County has a lower share of college graduates than at least four in five Arkansas counties.
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 Mississippi County
| Period | Mississippi County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 75.9% | 82.6% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 78.7% | 84.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 81.1% | 86.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.0% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +10.1 pts | +6.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Mississippi County never finished high school, more than nationally: 86.0% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 10.1 points, as it has nationally.
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 Mississippi County
| Period | Mississippi County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.8% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.7% | 8.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.2% | 5.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.4 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Mississippi County than nationally: unemployment was 6.4%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 5.4 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).
Mississippi 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi County | 2.61 | 37.7 | 16.0% | 40.0% | 18.5% | 1977 | $820 | 14.2% | 86.0% | 6.4% |
| Lauderdale County | 2.52 | 38.4 | 16.8% | 35.6% | 13.7% | 1981 | $771 | 12.3% | 83.9% | 5.4% |
| Craighead County | 2.57 | 35.7 | 16.7% | 39.9% | 10.8% | 1992 | $1,059 | 29.6% | 90.1% | 5.4% |
| Crockett County | 2.52 | 40.4 | 15.2% | 28.4% | 9.9% | 1980 | $845 | 16.8% | 88.0% | 2.9% |
| Gibson County | 2.52 | 39.8 | 13.4% | 31.2% | 10.7% | 1978 | $954 | 20.7% | 88.8% | 5.9% |
| Independence County | 2.60 | 39.9 | 10.1% | 30.8% | 12.8% | 1987 | $816 | 18.3% | 88.5% | 3.7% |
| Stone County | 2.40 | 47.4 | 12.1% | 24.1% | 24.4% | 1988 | $574 | 16.1% | 88.0% | 3.9% |
| Hickman County | 2.54 | 42.6 | 13.5% | 20.8% | 11.9% | 1988 | $955 | 13.9% | 86.1% | 2.8% |
| Searcy County | 2.48 | 48.2 | 8.7% | 20.6% | 31.5% | 1983 | $621 | 15.2% | 83.9% | 4.3% |
| Williamson County | 2.91 | 40.9 | 6.2% | 21.2% | 5.4% | 2001 | $2,202 | 63.1% | 96.3% | 2.5% |
| Newton County | 2.21 | 49.9 | 7.7% | 23.5% | 22.7% | 1985 | $583 | 15.6% | 83.1% | 3.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Henry County, IN · San Sebastian Municipio, PR · San Lorenzo Municipio, PR · San German Municipio, PR · Houghton County, MI · Hopkins County, KY · Holmes County, OH · Hillsdale County, MI · Hill County, TX · Highland County, OH
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 Mississippi 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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