Tunica County, Mississippi Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Tunica County is located in Mississippi with a total population of 9,586. It is the 71st most populous county out of 82 in Mississippi. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Tunica County is 34.7 years. This is 10% lower than the state median of 38.4 years. With 28.3% of the population under 18, Tunica County has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Tunica County is $38,402. This is 30% lower than the state median of $54,915. It is also 51% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 33.8%. This is 77% 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 13.1%. This is 118% higher than the state rate of 6.0%. The median home value is $154,500. Housing costs are 4% lower than the state median of $161,400. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.0x. 40.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 41% lower than the state average of 69.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Tunica County is Black or African American, making up 79.3% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 18.2%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (18.2%) is well below the state average of 55.4%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (79.3% vs 36.9%).

Education

16.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 34% 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 81.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Tunica 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.