Marion County, Mississippi
County in Mississippi, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 24,441.[1] Its county seat is Columbia.[2] Marion County is named for American Revolutionary War guerrilla leader Francis Marion also known as The Swamp Fox.[3]
Marion County, Mississippi | |
|---|---|
Marion County Courthouse in Columbia | |
 Flag | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi | |
| Coordinates: 31°14′N 89°49′W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Mississippi |
| Founded | 1811 |
| Named after | Francis Marion |
| Seat | Columbia |
| Largest city | Columbia |
| Area | |
• Total | 549 sq mi (1,420 km2) |
| • Land | 542 sq mi (1,400 km2) |
| • Water | 6.2 sq mi (16 km2) 1.1% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 24,441 |
• Estimate (2025) | 24,001  |
| • Density | 45.1/sq mi (17.4/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | www |
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 549 square miles (1,420 km2), of which 542 square miles (1,400 km2) is land and 6.2 square miles (16 km2) (1.1%) is water.[4]
Major highways
Adjacent counties
- Jefferson Davis County (north)
- Lamar County (east)
- Pearl River County (southeast)
- Washington Parish, Louisiana (south)
- Walthall County (west)
- Lawrence County (northwest)
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 3,116 | — | |
| 1830 | 3,691 | 18.5% | |
| 1840 | 3,830 | 3.8% | |
| 1850 | 4,410 | 15.1% | |
| 1860 | 4,686 | 6.3% | |
| 1870 | 4,211 | −10.1% | |
| 1880 | 6,901 | 63.9% | |
| 1890 | 9,532 | 38.1% | |
| 1900 | 13,501 | 41.6% | |
| 1910 | 15,599 | 15.5% | |
| 1920 | 17,144 | 9.9% | |
| 1930 | 19,923 | 16.2% | |
| 1940 | 24,085 | 20.9% | |
| 1950 | 23,967 | −0.5% | |
| 1960 | 23,293 | −2.8% | |
| 1970 | 22,871 | −1.8% | |
| 1980 | 25,708 | 12.4% | |
| 1990 | 25,544 | −0.6% | |
| 2000 | 25,595 | 0.2% | |
| 2010 | 27,088 | 5.8% | |
| 2020 | 24,441 | −9.8% | |
| 2025 (est.) | 24,001 | [5] | −1.8% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8] 1990-2000[9] 2010-2013[10] | |||
Racial and ethnic composition
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[11] | Pop 1990[12] | Pop 2000[13] | Pop 2010[14] | Pop 2020[15] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 17,872 | 17,651 | 17,063 | 17,661 | 15,721 | 69.52% | 69.10% | 66.67% | 65.20% | 64.32% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 7,558 | 7,683 | 8,106 | 8,729 | 7,583 | 29.40% | 30.08% | 31.67% | 32.22% | 31.03% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 23 | 23 | 58 | 42 | 42 | 0.09% | 0.09% | 0.23% | 0.16% | 0.17% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 14 | 44 | 53 | 84 | 65 | 0.05% | 0.17% | 0.21% | 0.31% | 0.27% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x [16] | x [17] | 1 | 9 | 0 | x | x | 0.00% | 0.03% | 0.00% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 0 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 46 | 0.00% | 0.02% | 0.02% | 0.04% | 0.19% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x [18] | x [19] | 150 | 217 | 578 | x | x | 0.59% | 0.80% | 2.36% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 241 | 137 | 158 | 336 | 406 | 0.94% | 0.54% | 0.62% | 1.24% | 1.66% |
| Total | 25,708 | 25,544 | 25,595 | 27,088 | 24,441 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 24,441. The median age was 40.8 years. 23.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.2 males age 18 and over.[20][21]
The racial makeup of the county was 64.7% White, 31.2% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.9% from some other race, and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.7% of the population.[21]
25.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 74.5% lived in rural areas.[22]
There were 9,520 households in the county, of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 45.3% were married-couple households, 18.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 31.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[20]
There were 11,080 housing units, of which 14.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 78.1% were owner-occupied and 21.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.5%.[20]
Government and infrastructure
The Mississippi Department of Human Services's Division of Youth Services operated the Columbia Training School in unincorporated Marion County. The facility was closed in 2008.[23][24]
Politics
Marion County is a Republican stronghold, having only voted for a Democrat once since the 1960s. Its Republican tilt has been increasingly evident in recent years, with the 2024 presidential election showing the strongest Republican support in the county since 1972.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 12 | 2.51% | 438 | 91.44% | 29 | 6.05% |
| 1916 | 51 | 6.01% | 792 | 93.40% | 5 | 0.59% |
| 1920 | 143 | 18.52% | 613 | 79.40% | 16 | 2.07% |
| 1924 | 99 | 8.70% | 1,039 | 91.30% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1928 | 526 | 36.33% | 922 | 63.67% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 94 | 3.71% | 2,429 | 95.97% | 8 | 0.32% |
| 1936 | 37 | 1.88% | 1,932 | 98.07% | 1 | 0.05% |
| 1940 | 45 | 2.11% | 2,083 | 97.89% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 54 | 2.16% | 2,441 | 97.84% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 49 | 1.79% | 205 | 7.47% | 2,491 | 90.75% |
| 1952 | 1,420 | 35.35% | 2,597 | 64.65% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 611 | 20.15% | 1,751 | 57.75% | 670 | 22.10% |
| 1960 | 698 | 22.92% | 1,082 | 35.53% | 1,265 | 41.54% |
| 1964 | 5,469 | 91.55% | 505 | 8.45% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 763 | 9.16% | 1,722 | 20.66% | 5,848 | 70.18% |
| 1972 | 6,805 | 79.40% | 1,693 | 19.75% | 72 | 0.84% |
| 1976 | 5,300 | 49.36% | 5,283 | 49.20% | 154 | 1.43% |
| 1980 | 5,218 | 48.73% | 5,366 | 50.12% | 123 | 1.15% |
| 1984 | 7,355 | 66.11% | 3,757 | 33.77% | 13 | 0.12% |
| 1988 | 7,019 | 61.87% | 4,240 | 37.38% | 85 | 0.75% |
| 1992 | 5,776 | 49.74% | 4,654 | 40.08% | 1,183 | 10.19% |
| 1996 | 5,023 | 50.39% | 4,334 | 43.48% | 611 | 6.13% |
| 2000 | 6,796 | 61.79% | 4,114 | 37.41% | 88 | 0.80% |
| 2004 | 7,999 | 66.95% | 3,888 | 32.54% | 60 | 0.50% |
| 2008 | 8,513 | 65.43% | 4,422 | 33.99% | 75 | 0.58% |
| 2012 | 8,237 | 64.71% | 4,393 | 34.51% | 99 | 0.78% |
| 2016 | 7,836 | 67.01% | 3,677 | 31.45% | 180 | 1.54% |
| 2020 | 8,273 | 67.94% | 3,787 | 31.10% | 117 | 0.96% |
| 2024 | 7,874 | 70.38% | 3,215 | 28.74% | 99 | 0.88% |
Communities
City
- Columbia (county seat & only incorporated place)
Census-designated places
Unincorporated communities
- Bunker Hill
- Cheraw
- Expose, an unincorporated area of Marion County that was founded by Harry Solomon Expose (born 1861), a community leader who owned a general store and served as postmaster.[27] Monroe Work's Negro Yearbook listed it among "Negro Towns and Settlements in the United States." Football great Walter Payton's mother Alyne Sibley Payton was born in Expose on January 14, 1926.[28]
- Good Hope
- Goss
- Hopewell
- Hub
- Morgantown
- Sandy Hook
Education
There are two school districts in the county: Columbia School District and Marion County School District.[29]
The county is in the service area of Pearl River Community College.[30]
Notable people
- Earl W. Bascom (1906–1995), "Father of Modern Rodeo," Mississippi Rodeo Hall of Fame inductee, producer of Marion County's first rodeo in 1935[31]
- Charles C. Bass (1875–1975), "Father of Preventive Dentistry"; researcher in tropical medicine
- Charles Coleman (American football) (born 1963), American football player
- Logan Cooke - NFL punter
- Peggy Dow, American actress
- Walter Payton, American football player
