Jackson County, Mississippi

Coordinates: 30°28′N 88°37′W / 30.46°N 88.62°W / 30.46; -88.62
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jackson County
The Jackson County Courthouse in Pascagoula
The Jackson County Courthouse in Pascagoula
Official seal of Jackson County
Map of Mississippi highlighting Jackson County
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Map of the United States highlighting Mississippi
Mississippi's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 30°28′N 88°37′W / 30.46°N 88.62°W / 30.46; -88.62
Country United States
State Mississippi
Founded1812
Named forAndrew Jackson
SeatPascagoula
Largest cityPascagoula
Area
 • Total1,043 sq mi (2,700 km2)
 • Land723 sq mi (1,870 km2)
 • Water321 sq mi (830 km2)  31%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total143,252
 • Density140/sq mi (53/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district4th
Websitewww.co.jackson.ms.us

Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 143,252,[1] making it the fifth-most populous county in Mississippi. Its county seat is Pascagoula.[2] The county was named for Andrew Jackson, general in the United States Army and afterward President of the United States.[3]

Jackson County is included in the Pascagoula, MS Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is located at the southeastern tip of the state. The county has sandy soil and is in the Piney Woods area. It borders the state of Alabama on its east side.

The county was severely damaged by both Hurricane Camille in August 1969 and Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005, which caused catastrophic effects.

Geography[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,043 square miles (2,700 km2), of which 723 square miles (1,870 km2) is land and 321 square miles (830 km2) (31%) is water.[4] It is the largest county in Mississippi by total area.

Despite the county's name, Jackson County does not contain the City of Jackson, the latter is located in Hinds County.

Major highways[edit]

Adjacent counties[edit]

National protected areas[edit]

Demographics[edit]

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
18201,682
18301,7926.5%
18401,9659.7%
18503,19662.6%
18604,12229.0%
18704,3625.8%
18807,60774.4%
189011,25147.9%
190016,51346.8%
191015,451−6.4%
192019,20824.3%
193015,973−16.8%
194020,60129.0%
195031,40152.4%
196055,52276.8%
197087,97558.5%
1980118,01534.1%
1990115,243−2.3%
2000131,42014.0%
2010139,6686.3%
2020143,2522.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]
1790-1960[6] 1900-1990[7]
1990-2000[8] 2010-2013[9]
Jackson County racial composition as of 2020[10]
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 92,881 64.84%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 29,713 20.74%
Native American 572 0.4%
Asian 3,173 2.21%
Pacific Islander 91 0.06%
Other/Mixed 6,772 4.73%
Hispanic or Latino 10,050 7.02%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 143,252 people, 56,323 households, and 38,007 families residing in the county.

Public Safety[edit]

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement services for communities in the county that do not have their own local law enforcement. These communities are known as Census-Designated Places, or CDPs.

Education[edit]

School districts in the county include:[11]

The Jackson County School District serves the Hurley, Wade, Big Point, Three Rivers, Harleston, Vestry, Latimer, and Vancleave communities, along with St. Martin and a small portion of Escatawpa. The Pascagoula-Gautier School District serves Pascagoula and most of the City of Gautier. The Moss Point School District serves Moss Point and most of Escatawpa. The Ocean Springs School District serves Ocean Springs.

Communities[edit]

Cities[edit]

Census-designated places[edit]

Unincorporated places[edit]

Ghost towns[edit]

Former census-designated places[edit]

Politics[edit]

Like most of the Solid South, Jackson County consistently voted for the Democratic presidential candidate through 1960, except for 1948, when it was carried by Dixiecrat Strom Thurmond. For much of this time, Republicans were lucky to get even 1,000 votes. It swung hard to Republican Barry Goldwater in 1964, voted for George Wallace in 1968 over Republican Richard Nixon, and has stuck with Republicans ever since. Jimmy Carter is the last Democrat to manage even 40 percent of the vote.

United States presidential election results for Jackson County, Mississippi[12]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 36,295 66.54% 17,375 31.86% 873 1.60%
2016 33,629 67.85% 14,657 29.57% 1,281 2.58%
2012 35,747 66.62% 17,299 32.24% 609 1.14%
2008 35,993 66.29% 17,781 32.75% 522 0.96%
2004 35,134 68.79% 15,572 30.49% 369 0.72%
2000 30,068 66.66% 14,193 31.47% 846 1.88%
1996 24,918 59.86% 13,598 32.67% 3,109 7.47%
1992 25,321 56.36% 13,017 28.97% 6,592 14.67%
1988 29,830 73.90% 10,328 25.59% 206 0.51%
1984 29,585 76.79% 8,821 22.89% 123 0.32%
1980 22,498 62.57% 12,226 34.00% 1,234 3.43%
1976 17,177 55.26% 12,533 40.32% 1,372 4.41%
1972 22,204 88.68% 2,534 10.12% 300 1.20%
1968 2,942 14.39% 2,236 10.94% 15,261 74.67%
1964 11,357 82.73% 2,371 17.27% 0 0.00%
1960 2,266 24.70% 5,000 54.50% 1,908 20.80%
1956 2,692 38.98% 3,882 56.21% 332 4.81%
1952 2,170 34.36% 4,146 65.64% 0 0.00%
1948 238 6.41% 783 21.09% 2,692 72.50%
1944 213 7.48% 2,636 92.52% 0 0.00%
1940 171 7.43% 2,124 92.35% 5 0.22%
1936 120 6.55% 1,704 93.06% 7 0.38%
1932 126 7.12% 1,634 92.32% 10 0.56%
1928 567 31.02% 1,261 68.98% 0 0.00%
1924 158 13.50% 1,010 86.32% 2 0.17%
1920 121 17.24% 577 82.19% 4 0.57%
1916 87 10.21% 743 87.21% 22 2.58%
1912 14 2.28% 514 83.85% 85 13.87%

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Jackson County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 167.
  4. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  5. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  6. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  7. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  8. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  9. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 3, 2013.
  10. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  11. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Jackson County, MS" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 1, 2022. Retrieved July 31, 2022. - Text list
  12. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 2, 2018.

External links[edit]

30°28′N 88°37′W / 30.46°N 88.62°W / 30.46; -88.62