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Mississippi Demographics & Population 2026

During the 2020–2024 ACS period, Mississippi had a total population of 2,946,779, with a median household income of $56,447, which is 30% lower than the national average. The poverty rate is 18.9%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Mississippi Quick Facts

Population 2,946,779
Median Household Income $56,447
Median Home Value $169,800
Poverty Rate 18.9%
Unemployment Rate 5.8%
Median Age 38.6 years
Homeownership Rate 70.0%
Affordability Ratio 3.0x
Bachelor's Degree+ 25.1%
High School Graduation 87.1%
Counties 82
Cities/Places 420
Population 2,946,779
Median Income $56,447 30% lower than national
Poverty Rate 18.9%
Unemployment 5.8%

How Mississippi Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric2019–20232020–2024Change
Population2,951,4382,946,779-0.2%
Median household income$54,915$56,447+2.8%
Median home value$161,400$169,800+5.2%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 23.2%
$25K-$50K 22.0%
$50K-$100K 28.5%
$100K+ 26.3%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
7.1%
$10K-$15K
6.0%
$15K-$20K
5.0%
$20K-$25K
5.1%
$25K-$30K
4.7%
$30K-$35K
4.6%
$35K-$40K
4.2%
$40K-$45K
4.4%
$45K-$50K
4.1%
$50K-$60K
7.2%
$60K-$75K
9.3%
$75K-$100K
12.0%
$100K-$125K
8.6%
$125K-$150K
5.8%
$150K-$200K
6.2%
$200K+
5.8%

Employment

5.8% Unemployment Rate National: 5.2%
57.4% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 70.0%
Renter 30.0%
Affordability Index Affordable
3.0x home value to income ratio
Median gross rent $954/mo 20.3% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

56out of 100
High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 56 | National average: 61

Education

Largest Cities in Mississippi

#CityPopulationMedian IncomePoverty
1Jackson146,631$42,07127.9%
2Gulfport73,003$49,91922.8%
3Southaven56,226$78,48312.6%
4Biloxi48,861$57,20416.4%
5Hattiesburg48,619$46,34228.3%
6Olive Branch47,019$100,6064.6%
7Tupelo37,791$66,25715.1%
8Meridian34,137$36,56234.3%
9Greenville28,166$40,08328.0%
10Madison27,946$119,3384.8%

Richest Cities in Mississippi

#CityMedian IncomeHome ValueBachelor's+
1Bridgetown$139,224$344,50039.3%
2Hurley$133,216$282,70025.1%
3Gluckstadt$124,348$316,60069.0%
4Madison$119,338$352,90064.2%
5Mooreville$118,333$177,90052.2%
6Sharon$102,188N/A14.1%
7Olive Branch$100,606$290,00031.4%
8Guntown$95,625$210,60033.4%
9Brandon$92,783$278,90041.3%
10Beechwood$91,600$236,00037.0%

Most Affordable Cities in Mississippi

By home-value-to-income ratio (lower = more affordable). Min. population 1,000.

#CityRatioHome ValueIncome
1Pearl River1.2x$61,200$50,922
2Magnolia1.3x$72,500$55,057
3Robinhood1.3x$93,100$69,875
4Tchula1.4x$49,000$35,417
5Vardaman1.4x$53,800$38,456
6Mooreville1.5x$177,900$118,333
7Blue Mountain1.6x$79,700$49,667
8Centreville1.6x$67,400$42,000
9Leakesville1.7x$114,300$68,428
10Tutwiler1.7x$58,900$34,073

Explore Mississippi Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

All Counties in Mississippi (82)

82 results
Hinds County218,533$49,40222.7%$159,900
Harrison County210,891$59,47917.1%$212,200
DeSoto County191,301$85,2979.7%$269,600
Rankin County158,854$79,3579.8%$237,400
Jackson County145,249$66,20113.8%$193,100
Madison County111,647$83,44111.2%$311,100
Lee County83,034$67,86314.5%$199,500
Forrest County78,272$53,64021.0%$168,000
Lauderdale County71,504$50,81726.3%$133,300
Jones County66,472$52,21618.7%$143,100
Lamar County65,713$70,90914.7%$224,700
Lafayette County58,327$67,18518.5%$315,400
Lowndes County57,838$53,81217.3%$164,100
Pearl River County57,458$58,13516.5%$182,300
Oktibbeha County51,771$46,69525.5%$237,700
Hancock County46,167$67,70813.8%$224,200
Warren County43,020$59,40119.5%$156,400
Washington County42,765$42,16526.5%$104,000
Pike County39,602$43,81427.1%$110,800
Lincoln County34,877$51,11921.2%$155,800
Alcorn County34,289$51,26015.8%$142,100
Marshall County33,979$53,45823.0%$167,900
Monroe County33,747$51,86618.0%$120,800
Panola County32,808$45,94523.3%$127,800
Pontotoc County31,550$51,48416.7%$157,100
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All Cities & Places in Mississippi (420)

420 results
Jackson146,631$42,07127.9%$111,700
Gulfport73,003$49,91922.8%$174,600
Southaven56,226$78,48312.6%$236,300
Biloxi48,861$57,20416.4%$225,100
Hattiesburg48,619$46,34228.3%$165,900
Olive Branch47,019$100,6064.6%$290,000
Tupelo37,791$66,25715.1%$212,800
Meridian34,137$36,56234.3%$107,900
Greenville28,166$40,08328.0%$103,800
Madison27,946$119,3384.8%$352,900
Pearl27,737$61,69512.2%$182,500
Clinton27,195$74,7459.6%$225,800
Horn Lake26,647$53,31119.0%$171,400
Oxford26,411$64,45125.4%$385,700
Starkville25,721$42,12530.7%$299,900
Brandon25,542$92,7838.5%$278,900
Ridgeland24,587$66,0389.9%$275,200
Columbus23,348$42,23521.3%$125,700
Pascagoula21,710$52,22224.4%$144,700
Vicksburg20,589$45,78126.8%$125,900
Gautier19,046$61,92617.5%$166,400
Ocean Springs18,646$79,7125.5%$259,400
Hernando17,949$76,9508.8%$315,900
Laurel17,679$47,66123.3%$125,800
Long Beach17,009$70,33211.5%$215,200
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Download Mississippi Data

Free CSV downloads of Mississippi demographic data — no account or payment required. Files use official Census place names (e.g. "Springfield city", "Oakdale CDP"), so they match Census Bureau sources exactly.

📊
Cities Data (CSV) All cities: population, income, housing, race, education
📋
Counties Data (CSV) All counties: population, income, housing, race, education

Population Overview

Mississippi has a total population of 2,946,779, making it a smaller state in the nation. The median age is 38.6 years, about the same as the national median of 38.9 years.

Age Demographics

The median age in Mississippi is 38.6 years. This is about the same as the national median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Mississippi is $56,447. This is 30% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 18.9%. This is 52% higher than the national poverty rate of 12.4%. The unemployment rate is 5.8%. This is 10% higher than the national rate of 5.2%. The median home value is $169,800. Housing costs are 49% lower than the national median of $332,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.0x. 70.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 7% higher than the national average of 65.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Mississippi is White (non-Hispanic), making up 55.2% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 36.3%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the national average (36.3% vs 11.9%). The Hispanic or Latino population (3.7%) is well below the national average of 19.3%. The Asian population (1.0%) is well below the national average of 5.9%.

Education

25.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 30% lower than the national rate of 35.7%. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 87.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Mississippi come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Mississippi?

Mississippi has a total population of 2,946,779 according to the U.S. Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What is the median income in Mississippi?

The median household income in Mississippi is $56,447, which is 30% lower than the national median of $80,734.

How many cities are in Mississippi?

Mississippi has 420 Census-designated places (cities, towns, and CDPs) and 82 counties.

What is the poverty rate in Mississippi?

The poverty rate in Mississippi is 18.9%, compared to the national average of 12.4%.

What is the largest city in Mississippi?

The largest city in Mississippi is Jackson with a population of 146,631.