Mississippi County, Missouri Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Mississippi County is located in Missouri with a total population of 12,079. It is the 75th most populous county out of 115 in Missouri. The county encompasses 7 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Mississippi County is 42.2 years. This is 8% higher than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Mississippi County is $46,258. This is 33% lower than the state median of $68,920. It is also 41% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 23.0%. This is 82% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. 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 3.8%. This is 8% lower than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $100,300. Housing costs are 53% lower than the state median of $215,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.2x, Mississippi County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 60.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 10% lower than the state average of 67.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Mississippi County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 70.7% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 22.7%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (22.7% vs 11.0%). The Hispanic or Latino population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 5.1%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 2.1%.

Education

14.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 56% lower than the state rate of 31.9%. 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 Mississippi County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), with comparisons drawn against Missouri 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.