Moorhead, Mississippi

Moorhead, Mississippi
City
Entrance sign
Flag Seal
Location of Moorhead, Mississippi
Moorhead, Mississippi Location in the United States
Coordinates: 33°26′58″N90°30′17″W / 33.44944°N 90.50472°W / 33.44944; -90.50472
Country	United States
State	Mississippi
County	Sunflower
Area [1]
• Total	1.29 sq mi (3.35 km2)
• Land	1.29 sq mi (3.35 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation [2]	115 ft (35 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,937
• Density	1,495.75/sq mi (577.39/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	38761
Area code	662
FIPS code	28-48760
GNIS feature ID	2404297 [2]

Moorhead is a city in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,405. This dropped in 2022 and the population recorded was 1,512. ^[3]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²), of which 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) is land and 0.77% is water.

Moorhead is along U.S. Route 82, east of Indianola, at its intersection with Mississippi Highway 3. Moorhead is located at the intersection of the Southern and Yazoo Delta railroads. This is the origin of the legendary blues crossroads phrase "where the Southern cross the Dog". ^[4]

Climate

Climate data for Moorhead, Mississippi (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1913–2019)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	83 (28)	89 (32)	90 (32)	94 (34)	101 (38)	109 (43)	110 (43)	108 (42)	108 (42)	99 (37)	88 (31)	85 (29)	110 (43)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	52.2 (11.2)	56.6 (13.7)	65.2 (18.4)	73.7 (23.2)	81.7 (27.6)	87.9 (31.1)	90.6 (32.6)	91.3 (32.9)	87.2 (30.7)	76.9 (24.9)	64.1 (17.8)	55.1 (12.8)	73.5 (23.1)
Daily mean °F (°C)	43.7 (6.5)	47.6 (8.7)	55.7 (13.2)	64.2 (17.9)	72.7 (22.6)	79.3 (26.3)	82.0 (27.8)	82.0 (27.8)	76.8 (24.9)	66.1 (18.9)	54.1 (12.3)	46.6 (8.1)	64.2 (17.9)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	35.1 (1.7)	38.7 (3.7)	46.2 (7.9)	54.7 (12.6)	63.7 (17.6)	70.8 (21.6)	73.4 (23.0)	72.6 (22.6)	66.3 (19.1)	55.4 (13.0)	44.1 (6.7)	38.1 (3.4)	54.9 (12.7)
Record low °F (°C)	−7 (−22)	−10 (−23)	14 (−10)	28 (−2)	38 (3)	42 (6)	51 (11)	51 (11)	35 (2)	24 (−4)	14 (−10)	0 (−18)	−10 (−23)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	5.11 (130)	5.39 (137)	5.48 (139)	6.17 (157)	4.65 (118)	3.89 (99)	4.24 (108)	3.06 (78)	3.53 (90)	3.89 (99)	4.68 (119)	5.67 (144)	55.76 (1,418)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	0.4 (1.0)	0.1 (0.25)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.5 (1.25)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	10.4	10.0	11.0	9.5	9.2	8.7	9.4	7.9	6.3	7.1	9.3	11.5	110.3
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)	0.2	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.3
Source: NOAA [5] [6]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1900	437		—
1910	506		15.8%
1920	1,600		216.2%
1930	1,553		−2.9%
1940	1,504		−3.2%
1950	1,749		16.3%
1960	1,754		0.3%
1970	2,284		30.2%
1980	2,358		3.2%
1990	2,417		2.5%
2000	2,573		6.5%
2010	2,405		−6.5%
2020	1,937		−19.5%
U.S. Decennial Census [7]

2020 census

Moorhead Racial Composition ^[8]

Race	Num.	Perc.
White	426	21.99%
Black or African American	1,443	74.5%
Asian	4	0.21%
Other/Mixed	19	0.98%
Hispanic or Latino	45	2.32%

As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 1,937 people, 522 households, and 313 families residing in the city.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 2,405 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 82.2% Black, 16.3% White, 0.3% Native American, 0.2% Asian and 0.2% from two or more races. 0.7% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2000 census

As of the census ^[9] of 2000, there were 2,573 people, 688 households, and 520 families living in the city. The population density was 1,988.9 inhabitants per square mile (767.9/km²). There were 720 housing units at an average density of 556.6 per square mile (214.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 20.44% White, 78.97% African American, 0.19% Asian, 0.27% from other races, and 0.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.24% of the population.

There were 8,391 households, out of which 37.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.7% were married couples living together, 34.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.3% were non-families. 20.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.14 and the average family size was 3.67.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.1% under the age of 18, 26.7% from 18 to 24, 21.3% from 25 to 44, 16.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $20,401, and the median income for a family was $23,000. Males had a median income of $26,538 versus $17,697 for females. The per capita income for the city was $8,631. About 32.4% of families and 38.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 46.3% of those under age 18 and 33.5% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Mississippi Blues Trail marker in downtown Moorhead

A historic plaque in Moorhead is located where the Southern Railroad once crossed the Yazoo Delta Railroad (known as the "Yellow Dog"). The Southern travelled east-west, and later became the Columbus and Greenville Railway, while the Yellow Dog travelled north-south, and later became the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad. The level junction (diamond) is still preserved as an historic site, though the north-south line has since been abandoned through Moorhead. This railroad crossing is very significant in the history of blues music. It is widely believed that W. C. Handy, after hearing an old man singing about "where the Southern cross the Yellow Dog", was moved by the sound and began what came to be known as the "blues". ^[10]

Education

James C. Rosser Elementary School

The City of Moorhead is served by the Sunflower County Consolidated School District (formerly Sunflower County School District). Schools serving Moorhead and in Moorhead include the K-8 school Moorhead Central School, which was formerly Moorhead Middle School until 2018. ^[11] It also has James C. Rosser Early Learning Center, which was formerly James Rosser Elementary School. ^[12] As of 2012 ^[update] it was zoned to Ruleville Central High School (now Thomas E. Edwards, Sr. High School), at the time the sole school of the district. ^[13]

Moorhead is home to Mississippi Delta Community College's main campus.

The Sunflower County Library operates the Kathy June Sheriff Public Library in Moorhead. ^[14]

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Moorhead, Mississippi
3. "Census profile: Moorhead, MS". Census Reporter. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
4. Moye, J. Todd. Let the People Decide: Black Freedom and White Resistance Movements in Sunflower County, Mississippi, 1945-1986. University of North Carolina Press, November 29, 2004. 28. Retrieved from Google Books on February 26, 2012. ISBN   0-8078-5561-8, ISBN   978-0-8078-5561-4.
5. "NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
6. "Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
7. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
8. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
9. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
10. "Where the Southern Crosses the Dog". The Official Tourism Resource for the State of Mississippi.
11. Thomas, Recardo (January 25, 2018). "District picks name, mascot and colors for Moorhead school". Enterprise-Tocsin . Retrieved August 21, 2022.
12. "Moorhead Schools." Sunflower County School District. Retrieved on August 17, 2010.
13. "Schools." Sunflower County School District. September 14, 2012. Retrieved on July 8, 2017.
14. "Sunflower County Library Directory." Sunflower County Library. Retrieved on July 21, 2010.

External links

• Mississippi portal

• Media related to Moorhead, Mississippi at Wikimedia Commons
• Moorhead Middle School
• James C. Rosser Elementary School