Ashland, Mississippi Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 657, Ashland's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Ashland is a small community located in Mississippi, within Benton County. The total population is 657. It ranks as the 240th most populous out of 420 Census-designated places in Mississippi.

Age Demographics

The median age in Ashland is 34.9 years. This is 10% lower than the state median of 38.6 years. 17.2% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Ashland is $38,482. This is 32% lower than the state median of $56,447. It is also 52% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 27.5%. This is 45% higher than the state poverty rate of 18.9%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 1.3%. This is 78% lower than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $98,800. Housing costs are 42% lower than the state median of $169,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.6x, Ashland is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 81.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 16% higher than the state average of 70.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Ashland is White (non-Hispanic), making up 79.6% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 15.8%. The Black or African American population (15.8%) is well below the state average of 36.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.7%) is well below the state average of 3.7%.

Education

10.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 59% lower than the state rate of 25.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 83.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Ashland, Mississippi is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Mississippi state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 420 Census-designated places in Mississippi. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.