Population 19,718 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Wayne County
Household size in Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.41 | 2.66 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.55 | 2.67 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.61 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.85 | 2.57 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.44 | −0.09 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Wayne County holds 2.85 people, more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has climbed from 2.41 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Of Mississippi's 82 counties, only four have larger households.
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 Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.1 | 36.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.9 | 37.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.5 | 38.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.5 | 39.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.4 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Wayne County are younger than 39.5 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 38.1, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the east.
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 Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.6% | 15.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.9% | 15.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.2% | 14.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.8% | 14.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Wayne County: 14.8% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. Mississippi as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 1.3 points, even as the national share fell.
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 Wayne County
Renters in Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.0% | 29.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.3% | 31.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.5% | 31.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 14.7% | 30.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts |
Wayne County is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 14.7% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 68.2% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 3.3 points, even as the national share rose.
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 Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 13.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.1% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 20.9% | 16.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.4% | 14.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +7.1 pts | +0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Wayne County: 17.4% of homes are empty, 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. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 7.1 points, 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 Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1984 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1983 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1985 | 1984 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1987 | 1980 |
| Change | +0 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Wayne County are a bit newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1984, versus 1980 across the U.S. That is in line with the rest of Mississippi. The newest homes are mostly in the east, the oldest in the center.
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 Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $478 | $703 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $469 | $758 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $588 | $819 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $887 | $1,018 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$409 | +$315 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Wayne County costs $887 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $409 a month from 2006–10, an 86% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 40.3% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the southeast and lowest in the northeast.
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 Wayne County
Bachelor's degrees in Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.9% | 20.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.7% | 21.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.9% | 22.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.0% | 25.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | +5.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Wayne County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 15.0%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 3.0 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the southeast.
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 Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 72.5% | 80.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 73.5% | 82.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 78.7% | 84.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.4% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +12.9 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Wayne County never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is up 12.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Wayne County
| Period | Wayne County | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 9.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 11.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.5% | 7.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 5.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −3.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Wayne County is close to the national rate: 5.2% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 3.2 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Wayne 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County | 2.85 | 39.5 | 14.8% | 14.7% | 17.4% | 1984 | $887 | 15.0% | 85.4% | 5.2% |
| Jones County | 2.64 | 38.6 | 14.5% | 24.9% | 13.8% | 1983 | $802 | 20.3% | 86.9% | 4.2% |
| Clarke County | 2.68 | 41.4 | 12.6% | 29.2% | 27.1% | 1981 | $772 | 14.5% | 85.4% | 8.5% |
| Covington County | 2.48 | 40.1 | 14.2% | 22.5% | 12.8% | 1989 | $679 | 18.2% | 83.2% | 3.7% |
| Jefferson Davis County | 2.50 | 47.1 | 14.9% | 15.5% | 22.0% | 1988 | $727 | 12.0% | 87.7% | 9.5% |
| Lawrence County | 2.80 | 39.6 | 10.0% | 16.5% | 24.4% | 1983 | $763 | 12.8% | 84.7% | 9.3% |
| Lincoln County | 2.73 | 42.2 | 12.0% | 25.1% | 18.4% | 1985 | $814 | 19.0% | 87.3% | 3.2% |
| Butler County | 2.43 | 43.2 | 13.3% | 34.2% | 22.5% | 1980 | $783 | 13.5% | 86.8% | 6.3% |
| Crenshaw County | 2.51 | 42.2 | 12.6% | 26.8% | 20.1% | 1984 | $714 | 19.1% | 85.9% | 5.0% |
| Jefferson County | 2.87 | 43.9 | 22.0% | 17.1% | 25.1% | 1986 | $669 | 11.9% | 80.1% | 2.0% |
| Adams County | 2.35 | 44.8 | 15.7% | 31.9% | 23.0% | 1971 | $744 | 21.8% | 86.8% | 6.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Comerio Municipio, PR · Crawford County, IN · Craig County, OK · Cottonwood County, MN · Coosa County, AL · Cooper County, MO · Cook County, GA · Converse County, WY · Conecuh County, AL · Concordia Parish, LA
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 Wayne 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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