Walnut Grove, Mississippi Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 737, Walnut Grove'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

Walnut Grove is a small community located in Mississippi, within Leake County. The total population is 737. It ranks as the 228th most populous out of 420 Census-designated places in Mississippi.

Age Demographics

The median age in Walnut Grove is 40.3 years. This is 4% higher than the state median of 38.6 years. With 34.2% of the population under 18, Walnut Grove has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Walnut Grove is $42,634. This is 24% lower than the state median of $56,447. It is also 47% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 26.5%. This is 40% 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 survey records no unemployed residents in Walnut Grove, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $85,900. Housing costs are 49% lower than the state median of $169,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.0x, Walnut Grove is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 23.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 66% lower than the state average of 70.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Walnut Grove is Black or African American, making up 57.4% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 36.6%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (57.4% vs 36.3%).

Education

10.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 58% 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 77.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Walnut Grove, 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.