Chickasaw County, Mississippi

Chickasaw County
County
East façade of the Chickasaw County Courthouse in Houston
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Mississippi's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 33°55′N88°57′W / 33.92°N 88.95°W / 33.92; -88.95
Country	United States
State	Mississippi
Founded	1836
Named for	Chickasaw people
Seat	Houston and Okolona
Largest city	Houston
Area
• Total	504 sq mi (1,310 km2)
• Land	502 sq mi (1,300 km2)
• Water	2.5 sq mi (6 km2)  0.5%
Population  (2020)
• Total	17,106
• Density	34/sq mi (13/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	www.chickasawcoms.com

Chickasaw County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,106. ^[1] Its county seats are Houston and Okolona. ^[2] The county is named for the Chickasaw people, who lived in this area for hundreds of years. Most were forcibly removed to Indian Territory in the 1830s, but some remained and became citizens of the state and the United States.

History

The Mississippi state legislature created Chickasaw County in 1836, following the cession of the land by the Chickasaw Indians. It was quickly settled by Americans from the east, mainly from the Southern states. By the time of the Civil War, riverfront landings had been developed by the many large cotton plantations worked by slaves, who outnumbered the white residents of the county. ^[3]

The American Civil War devastated the local economy, completely destroying the plantation-based infrastructure of Chickasaw County. The newly freed slaves had to adapt to the new labor system, in which the white landowners still retained partial control over their lives through the practice of sharecropping. The economy declined again in the late 19th century, when falling cotton prices reduced both black and white residents to poverty. Farmers eventually began diversifying their crops, and the economy slowly began to improve. ^[3]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 504 square miles (1,310 km²), of which 502 square miles (1,300 km²) is land and 2.5 square miles (6.5 km²) (0.5%) is water. ^[4]

Major highways

• U.S. Route 45 Alternate (Mississippi)
• Mississippi Highway 8
• Mississippi Highway 15
• Mississippi Highway 32
• Mississippi Highway 41
• Mississippi Highway 47
• Natchez Trace Parkway

Adjacent counties

• Pontotoc County (north)
• Lee County (northeast)
• Monroe County (east)
• Clay County (southeast)
• Webster County (southwest)
• Calhoun County (west)

National protected areas

• Natchez Trace Parkway (part)
• Tombigbee National Forest (part)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1840	2,955		—
1850	16,369		453.9%
1860	16,426		0.3%
1870	19,899		21.1%
1880	17,905		−10.0%
1890	19,891		11.1%
1900	19,892		0.0%
1910	22,846		14.9%
1920	22,212		−2.8%
1930	20,835		−6.2%
1940	21,427		2.8%
1950	18,951		−11.6%
1960	16,891		−10.9%
1970	16,805		−0.5%
1980	17,853		6.2%
1990	18,085		1.3%
2000	19,440		7.5%
2010	17,392		−10.5%
2020	17,106		−1.6%
2023 (est.)	16,866	[5]	−1.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [6] 1790-1960 [7] 1900-1990 [8] 1990-2000 [9] 2010-2013 [10]

2020 census

Chickasaw County racial composition ^[11]

Race	Num.	Perc.
White	8,584	50.18%
Black or African American	7,407	43.3%
Native American	13	0.08%
Asian	41	0.24%
Pacific Islander	4	0.04%
Other/Mixed	419	2.45%
Hispanic or Latino	642	3.75%

As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 17,106 people, 6,476 households, and 4,278 families residing in the county.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 17,392 people living in the county. 54.0% were White, 42.1% Black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Native American, 2.5% of some other race and 1.0% of two or more races. 3.7% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

2000 census

As of the census ^[12] of 2000, there were 19,440 people, 7,253 households, and 5,287 families living in the county. The population density was 39 people per square mile (15 people/km²). There were 7,981 housing units at an average density of 16 units per square mile (6.2 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 56.89% White, 41.26% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.99% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races. 2.29% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

According to the census ^[12] of 2000, the largest ancestry groups in Chickasaw County were English 44.1%, African 41% and Scots-Irish 13.5%.

There were 7,253 households, out of which 36.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.80% were married couples living together, 18.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.10% were non-families. 24.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.60% under the age of 18, 9.30% from 18 to 24, 27.60% from 25 to 44, 21.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 92.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $26,364, and the median income for a family was $33,819. Males had a median income of $25,459 versus $20,099 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,279. About 16.80% of families and 20.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.90% of those under age 18 and 22.40% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

• Houston (county seat)
• Okolona (county seat)

Towns

• New Houlka

Villages

• Woodland

Census-designated place

• Van Vleet

Unincorporated communities

• Atlanta
• Buena Vista
• Egypt
• McCondy
• Pyland
• Shake Rag
• Sparta
• Thorn
• Trebloc

Politics

United States presidential election results for Chickasaw County ^[13]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	4,079	56.39%	3,090	42.71%	65	0.90%
2020	4,175	51.28%	3,810	46.80%	156	1.92%
2016	4,127	52.31%	3,649	46.25%	114	1.44%
2012	3,994	46.97%	4,378	51.49%	131	1.54%
2008	4,395	48.52%	4,588	50.65%	75	0.83%
2004	4,193	50.22%	4,078	48.84%	79	0.95%
2000	3,549	49.46%	3,519	49.05%	107	1.49%
1996	2,535	42.75%	2,971	50.10%	424	7.15%
1992	3,150	44.96%	3,220	45.95%	637	9.09%
1988	3,390	55.35%	2,713	44.29%	22	0.36%
1984	3,605	60.52%	2,329	39.10%	23	0.39%
1980	2,540	40.13%	3,622	57.23%	167	2.64%
1976	2,581	45.10%	2,891	50.52%	251	4.39%
1972	3,753	84.66%	579	13.06%	101	2.28%
1968	381	7.38%	720	13.95%	4,062	78.68%
1964	3,138	91.83%	279	8.17%	0	0.00%
1960	385	15.17%	791	31.17%	1,362	53.66%
1956	231	11.24%	1,650	80.25%	175	8.51%
1952	685	27.51%	1,805	72.49%	0	0.00%
1948	12	0.61%	115	5.89%	1,827	93.50%
1944	180	8.51%	1,935	91.49%	0	0.00%
1940	58	3.18%	1,764	96.76%	1	0.05%
1936	18	1.14%	1,559	98.80%	1	0.06%
1932	16	1.08%	1,455	98.64%	4	0.27%
1928	171	10.26%	1,495	89.74%	0	0.00%
1924	86	6.07%	1,301	91.88%	29	2.05%
1920	194	16.67%	944	81.10%	26	2.23%
1916	47	3.61%	1,215	93.32%	40	3.07%
1912	19	2.00%	856	90.30%	73	7.70%

Notable locals

• Singer-songwriter Bobbie Gentry, a Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame inductee
• Bukka White, early blues performer
• William Raspberry, journalist
• Milan Williams, founding member of The Commodores
• Jim Hood, politician and former Mississippi Attorney General
• Jeff Busby, United States Representative who spearheaded the Natchez Trace Parkway
• Shaquille Vance, 2012 U.S. Paralympic National Championship, gold medal (100m), silver medal (200m)
• Ida Mae Brandon Gladney, central character in the Pulitzer Prize-winning nonfiction book The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson ^[14]

Fictional locals

• Titus Andromedon, aka Ronald Ephen Wilkerson, one of the main characters from the comedy series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt , was originally from Chickasaw County ^[15]

In popular culture

Candieland, the plantation of the fictional Calvin Candie, played by Leonardo DiCaprio in Quentin Tarantino's film Django Unchained , is located in Chickasaw County. ^[16]

Titus Andromedon, from the Netflix series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt , is from Chickasaw County

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Chickasaw County, Mississippi

References

1. "Census - Geography Profile: Chickasaw County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 8, 2023.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 9, 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. "Chickasaw County History". msgw.org. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
4. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved November 3, 2014.
5. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
6. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 3, 2014.
7. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on March 31, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2014.
8. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 3, 2014.
9. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved November 3, 2014.
10. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 3, 2013.
11. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
12. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
13. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
14. "The Great Migration: Journey That Reshaped America". NPR . October 2, 2010. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
15. "Tituss Burgess Airs His Launcry" . Retrieved February 12, 2017.
16. Kaster, Gregory L. (January 2, 2013). "The Law of Slavery Lies at the Heart of the Movies "Lincoln" and "Django Unchained"". The Ohio State University. Retrieved March 5, 2018.

33°55′N88°57′W / 33.92°N 88.95°W / 33.92; -88.95