Panola County, Mississippi Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Panola County is located in Mississippi with a total population of 32,808. It is the 24th most populous county out of 82 in Mississippi. The county encompasses 7 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Panola County is 39.4 years. This is 2% higher than the state median of 38.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Panola County is $45,945. This is 19% lower than the state median of $56,447. It is also 43% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 23.3%. This is 23% 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 6.6%. This is 15% higher than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $127,800. Housing costs are 25% lower than the state median of $169,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.8x, Panola County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 71.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 2% higher than the state average of 70.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Panola County is Black or African American, making up 48.2% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 46.5%.

Education

17.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 30% 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 82.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Panola County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Mississippi and 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.