Lawrence County, Mississippi

Last updated

Lawrence County, Mississippi
County
Lawrence County Mississippi Courthouse.jpg
Lawrence County Courthouse
Map of Mississippi highlighting Lawrence County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Coordinates: 31°33′N90°07′W / 31.55°N 90.11°W / 31.55; -90.11
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Mississippi.svg Mississippi
Founded1814
Named after James Lawrence
Seat Monticello
Largest townMonticello
Area
 • Total
436 sq mi (1,130 km2)
 • Land431 sq mi (1,120 km2)
 • Water5.1 sq mi (13 km2)  1.2%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
12,016
 • Density27.9/sq mi (10.8/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 3rd
Website lawrencecountyms.com

Lawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,016. [1] Its county seat is Monticello. [2] The county is named for the naval hero James Lawrence. [3]

Contents

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 436 square miles (1,130 km2), of which 431 square miles (1,120 km2) is land and 5.1 square miles (13 km2) (1.2%) is water. [4]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1820 4,916—
1830 5,2937.7%
1840 5,92011.8%
1850 6,4789.4%
1860 9,21342.2%
1870 6,720−27.1%
1880 9,42040.2%
1890 12,31830.8%
1900 15,10322.6%
1910 13,080−13.4%
1920 12,663−3.2%
1930 12,471−1.5%
1940 13,98312.1%
1950 12,639−9.6%
1960 10,215−19.2%
1970 11,1379.0%
1980 12,51812.4%
1990 12,458−0.5%
2000 13,2586.4%
2010 12,929−2.5%
2020 12,016−7.1%
2024 (est.)11,672 [5] Decrease2.svg−2.9%
U.S. Decennial Census [6]
1790-1960 [7] 1900-1990 [8]
1990-2000 [9] 2010-2013 [10]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 12,016. The median age was 41.6 years. 24.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 90.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 88.0 males age 18 and over. [11] [12]

The racial makeup of the county was 65.3% White, 30.8% Black or African American, 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.7% from some other race, and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.7% of the population. [12]

<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas. [13]

There were 4,823 households in the county, of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 45.4% were married-couple households, 18.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 31.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. [11]

There were 5,717 housing units, of which 15.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 80.8% were owner-occupied and 19.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.1%. [11]

Communities

Towns

Unincorporated communities

Education

Public education is governed by the Lawrence County School District, which encompasses the entire county. [14]

It is in the district of Copiah–Lincoln Community College, and has been since 1965. [15]

Notable people

Politics

Lawrence County, like most of Mississippi, was reliably Democratic until 1960, when a majority of voters elected a slate of unpledged Democratic electors nominated by segregationist governor Ross Barnett. Afterward, the county became increasingly Republican. The last Democrat to carry the county was Jimmy Carter in 1976; Bill Clinton won the county in 1996 with an 89-vote plurality.

United States presidential election results for Lawrence County, Mississippi [23]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
1912 92.43%33289.49%308.09%
1916 182.41%72597.18%30.40%
1920 13119.88%52679.82%20.30%
1924 557.54%67492.46%00.00%
1928 21021.67%75978.33%00.00%
1932 313.21%93396.68%10.10%
1936 342.57%1,28697.35%10.08%
1940 372.95%1,21897.05%00.00%
1944 452.85%1,53597.15%00.00%
1948 130.97%664.92%1,26294.11%
1952 55633.23%1,11766.77%00.00%
1956 27618.17%1,02567.48%21814.35%
1960 25915.69%46928.41%92355.91%
1964 2,37390.95%2369.05%00.00%
1968 3298.45%74019.00%2,82572.55%
1972 3,39481.70%70917.07%511.23%
1976 2,10947.54%2,24250.54%851.92%
1980 2,78150.02%2,69248.42%871.56%
1984 3,97063.49%2,27436.37%90.14%
1988 3,68259.17%2,51740.45%240.39%
1992 2,68944.12%2,58242.36%82413.52%
1996 2,39244.54%2,48146.19%4989.27%
2000 3,67455.78%2,84143.13%721.09%
2004 3,95662.73%2,30836.60%420.67%
2008 4,36962.33%2,58736.91%530.76%
2012 4,19262.59%2,46836.85%380.57%
2016 4,09164.28%2,19534.49%781.23%
2020 4,28564.80%2,26034.18%681.03%
2024 4,11367.95%1,89931.37%410.68%

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Census - Geography Profile: Lawrence County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p.  182 . Retrieved October 15, 2016.
  4. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  5. ↑ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
  6. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on December 28, 2014. Retrieved November 6, 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 December 18, 2014. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  10. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  11. 1 2 3 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  12. 1 2 "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  13. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  14. ↑ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Lawrence County, MS" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved September 27, 2024. - Text list
  15. ↑ "History". Copiah–Lincoln Community College . Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  16. ↑ "ECH work party spiffs up new horsecamp - News - VVdailypress.com - Victorville, CA". Archived from the original on August 18, 2018. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Lawrence County | Mississippi Encyclopedia". Archived from the original on November 6, 2019. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  18. ↑ "2016 Bascom's - Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on August 10, 2017. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  19. ↑ "Cherokee-Choctaw Cowgirl, Texas Rose Bascom - IndianCountryToday.com". Archived from the original on August 18, 2018. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Edgar Godbold". lahistory.org. Archived from the original on November 23, 2009. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  21. ↑ "Bio RodPaige.com". Archived from the original on January 9, 2015. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Ahmad Hardy - Football". University of Missouri Athletics. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  23. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved March 3, 2018.

31°33′N90°07′W / 31.55°N 90.11°W / 31.55; -90.11

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