Tallahatchie County, Mississippi Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Tallahatchie County is located in Mississippi with a total population of 12,363. It is the 63rd most populous county out of 82 in Mississippi. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Tallahatchie County is 38.4 years. This is about the same as the state median of 38.4 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Tallahatchie County is $37,383. This is 32% lower than the state median of $54,915. It is also 52% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 26.5%. This is 39% higher than the state poverty rate of 19.1%. 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 10.2%. This is 69% higher than the state rate of 6.0%. The median home value is $82,200. Housing costs are 49% lower than the state median of $161,400. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.2x, Tallahatchie County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 66.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 4% lower than the state average of 69.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Tallahatchie County is Black or African American, making up 62.0% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 36.0%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (62.0% vs 36.9%). The Hispanic or Latino population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 3.6%. The Asian population (0.0%) is well below the state average of 1.0%.

Education

11.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 51% lower than the state rate of 24.2%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 81.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Tallahatchie County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), 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.