Lamar County, Mississippi

Coordinates: 31°13′N 89°31′W / 31.21°N 89.51°W / 31.21; -89.51
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Lamar County
Lamar County Courthouse in Purvis
Lamar County Courthouse in Purvis
Map of Mississippi highlighting Lamar County
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Map of the United States highlighting Mississippi
Mississippi's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 31°13′N 89°31′W / 31.21°N 89.51°W / 31.21; -89.51
Country United States
State Mississippi
Founded1904
Named forLucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar
SeatPurvis
Largest cityWest Hattiesburg
Area
 • Total500 sq mi (1,000 km2)
 • Land497 sq mi (1,290 km2)
 • Water3.4 sq mi (9 km2)  0.7%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total64,222
 • Density130/sq mi (50/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district4th
Websitewww.lamarcountyms.gov/11/index.php

Lamar County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 64,222.[1] Its county seat is Purvis.[2] Named for Confederate Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar, the county was carved out of Marion County to the west in 1904.

Lamar County is part of the Hattiesburg, MS Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is largely a rural county, except for its northeast quarter.

Geography[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 500 square miles (1,300 km2), of which 497 square miles (1,290 km2) is land and 3.4 square miles (8.8 km2) (0.7%) is water.[3]

Major highways[edit]

Adjacent counties[edit]

Demographics[edit]

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
191011,741
192012,8699.6%
193012,848−0.2%
194012,096−5.9%
195013,2259.3%
196013,6753.4%
197015,20911.2%
198023,82156.6%
199030,42427.7%
200039,07028.4%
201055,65842.5%
202064,22215.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[4]
1790-1960[5] 1900-1990[6]
1990-2000[7] 2010-2013[8]
Lamar County racial composition as of 2020[9]
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 43,865 68.3%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 14,296 22.26%
Native American 108 0.17%
Asian 1,091 1.7%
Pacific Islander 50 0.08%
Other/Mixed 2,450 3.81%
Hispanic or Latino 2,362 3.68%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 64,222 people, 22,116 households, and 15,584 families residing in the county.

Politics[edit]

Lamar County, historically, is one of the most conservative counties in Mississippi. The county has voted for Republican presidential candidates with 60 percent or more of the vote in the past ten elections.

United States presidential election results for Lamar County, Mississippi[10]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 20,704 72.57% 7,340 25.73% 486 1.70%
2016 18,751 76.25% 5,190 21.10% 651 2.65%
2012 19,101 76.74% 5,494 22.07% 294 1.18%
2008 18,497 77.36% 5,159 21.58% 254 1.06%
2004 16,410 80.19% 3,923 19.17% 132 0.65%
2000 12,795 77.07% 3,478 20.95% 329 1.98%
1996 8,609 67.39% 3,169 24.81% 996 7.80%
1992 8,259 63.37% 3,208 24.62% 1,565 12.01%
1988 9,145 77.86% 2,535 21.58% 66 0.56%
1984 7,929 79.85% 1,964 19.78% 37 0.37%
1980 5,395 63.13% 3,005 35.16% 146 1.71%
1976 4,056 54.71% 3,109 41.93% 249 3.36%
1972 5,022 88.38% 493 8.68% 167 2.94%
1968 546 10.27% 351 6.60% 4,422 83.14%
1964 3,372 90.99% 334 9.01% 0 0.00%
1960 636 27.26% 651 27.90% 1,046 44.83%
1956 429 24.97% 805 46.86% 484 28.17%
1952 1,034 45.07% 1,260 54.93% 0 0.00%
1948 36 2.45% 91 6.19% 1,342 91.35%
1944 93 8.03% 1,065 91.97% 0 0.00%
1940 55 4.57% 1,148 95.43% 0 0.00%
1936 91 6.97% 1,210 92.65% 5 0.38%
1932 31 2.90% 1,033 96.63% 5 0.47%
1928 410 36.35% 718 63.65% 0 0.00%
1924 80 8.78% 795 87.27% 36 3.95%
1920 192 21.74% 672 76.10% 19 2.15%
1916 89 10.09% 744 84.35% 49 5.56%
1912 16 3.17% 399 79.01% 90 17.82%

Government and infrastructure[edit]

The Mississippi Department of Mental Health operates the South Mississippi State Hospital in unincorporated Lamar County, near Purvis.[11]

Communities[edit]

Cities[edit]

Town[edit]

Census-designated places[edit]

Other unincorporated communities[edit]

Education[edit]

School districts include:[12]

Former school districts:[13]

The county is in the service area of Pearl River Community College.[15]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Lamar County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  4. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  5. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  6. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  7. ^ "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 6, 2014.
  8. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  9. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  10. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  11. ^ "Contact Us Archived 2012-03-14 at the Wayback Machine." South Mississippi State Hospital. Retrieved on November 1, 2010. "South Mississippi State Hospital 823 Highway 589 Purvis, MS 39475."
  12. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Lamar County, MS" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 13, 2022. Retrieved July 18, 2022. - Text list - In 2020 there were two school districts
  13. ^ "SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2010 CENSUS): Lamar County, MS" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 13, 2022. Retrieved July 18, 2022. - Text list - In 2010 there were three school districts
  14. ^ Ciurzak, Ellen (June 8, 2018). "Lawsuit fails to derail Lumberton schools consolidation". Hattiesburg American. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  15. ^ "2014-2016 Catalog" (PDF). Pearl River Community College. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 7, 2015. Retrieved April 13, 2022.

External links[edit]

31°13′N 89°31′W / 31.21°N 89.51°W / 31.21; -89.51