Demographics
As of the
censusA census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 40,633 people, 13,776 households, and 9,725 families residing in the county. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 46 people per square mile (18/km²). There were 14,939 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile (7/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 65.11%
BlackRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or
African AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 33.24%
WhiteRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.10%
Native AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.49%
AsianRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.01%
Pacific IslanderRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.48% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.56% from two or more races. 1.17% of the population were
HispanicRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or
LatinoRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
By 2005 the county had a population that was 32.6% non-Hispanic white. African-Americans made up 65.7% of the county population. The only other census identified group over on e percent was Latinos who constituted 1.2% of the population.
There were 13,776 households out of which 35.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.20% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 27.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.40% were non-families. 25.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.36.
In the county the population was spread out with 29.60% under the age of 18, 14.00% from 18 to 24, 25.70% from 25 to 44, 19.60% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 87.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $23,428, and the median income for a family was $27,301. Males had a median income of $27,643 versus $20,774 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $12,088. About 27.90% of families and 33.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 43.90% of those under age 18 and 27.90% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Bolivar County is governed via a five-member board of supervisors. Each member is elected from an individual district. The county is led by a county administrator who is appointed.
Communities
- Cities
- Cleveland
Cleveland is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 12,334 as of the 2010 census.Cleveland has a fairly large commercial economy, with numerous restaurants, stores, and services along U.S. Highway 61...
- Rosedale
Rosedale is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,414 at the 2000 census.It is the same "Rosedale" that bluesman Robert Johnson referenced in his song "Traveling Riverside Blues." Locals claim that Johnson sold his soul to the Devil at the intersection of...
- Mound Bayou
Mound Bayou is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi. The population was 2,102 at the 2000 census. It is notable for having been founded as an independent black community in 1887 by former slaves led by Isaiah Montgomery. By percentage, its 98.4 percent African-American majority population is one...
- Shaw
Shaw is a city in Bolivar and Sunflower Counties in the U.S. state of Mississippi, in the Mississippi Delta region. The named derived from an old Indian tribe northeast of this region. The population was 2,312 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
(small portion in Sunflower County)
- Shelby
Shelby is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,926 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Shelby is located at ....
- Towns
- Benoit
Benoit is a town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 611 at the 2000 census. The 1956 movie Baby Doll was shot on location in Benoit; many local residents played in minor roles.-Geography:...
- Beulah
Beulah is a town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 473 as of the 2000 census.-Geography:Beulah is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all land....
- Boyle
Boyle is a town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 720 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Andrew Boyle, the discoverer of the area...
- Duncan
Duncan is a town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 578 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Duncan is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all land....
- Gunnison
Gunnison is a town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 633 at the 2000 census. The mayor is Frances L. Ward.-Geography:Gunnison is located at ....
- Merigold
Merigold is a town in Bolivar County, Mississippi,United States. The population was 664 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Merigold is located at ....
- Pace
Pace is a town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 364 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Pace is located at ....
- Renova
Renova is a town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 623 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Renova is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
- Winstonville
Winstonville is a town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was about 319 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Winstonville is located at ....
- Villages
- Alligator
Alligator is a village in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 220 at the 2000 census.In 2009, Tommie "Tomaso" Brown was elected Alligator's first black mayor...
- Unincorporated places
- Choctaw (Bolivar County)
- Deeson
Deeson is an unincorporated community located in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States along Mississippi Highway 1. Deeson is approximately south of Rena Lara and approximately north of Gunnison....
- Hushpuckena
Hushpuckena is an unincorporated community located in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States along U.S. Route 61. Hushpuckena is approximately south of Duncan and approximately north of Shelby....
- Lamont
Lamont is an unincorporated community located in southern Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States on Mississippi Highway 1 on the Bolivar County/Washington County border. Lamont is approximately north of Winterville and approximately south of Scott....
- Litton
- Malvina
Malvina is an unincorporated community located in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. Malvina is approximately northwest of Symonds and approximately east of Rosedale....
- O'Reilly
O'Reilly is an unincorporated community located in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States along U.S. Highway 61. O'Reilly is approximately south of Boyle and approximately north of Shaw....
- Perthshire
Perthshire is an unincorporated community located in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States along Mississippi Highway 1. Perthshire is approximately south of Deeson and approximately north of Gunnison....
- Round Lake
Round Lake is an unincorporated community located in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States along Mississippi Highway 1. Round Lake is approximately west of Duncan and approximately north of Deeson....
- Scott
Scott is an unincorporated community located in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States on Mississippi Highway 1. Scott is approximately north of Lamont and approximately south of Benoit....
- Skene
Skene is an unincorporated community located in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States on Mississippi Highway 446. Skene is approximately west of Boyle and approximately north of Shaw....
- Stringtown
Stringtown is an unincorporated community located in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. Stringtown is approximately south of Benoit and approximately east of Choctaw ....
- Symonds
Symonds is an unincorporated community located in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. Symonds is approximately southeast of Malvina and approximately northwest of Pace....
Education
- Colleges and Universities
- Delta State University
Delta State University, also known as DSU, is a regional public university located in Cleveland, Mississippi, United States, in the heart of the Mississippi Delta...
(Cleveland)
- Public School Districts
- Benoit School District
The Benoit School District is a public school district based in Benoit, Mississippi .-2006-07 school year:There were a total of 300 students enrolled in the Benoit School District during the 2006-2007 school year. The gender makeup of the district was 47% female and 53% male. The racial makeup of...
(Benoit)
- Cleveland School District
The Cleveland School District is a public school district based in Cleveland, Mississippi .In addition to Cleveland, the district also serves the towns of Boyle, Renova, and Merigold.-Middle Schools:*Grades 7-8**D.M...
(Cleveland)
- Mound Bayou School District (Mound Bayou)
- North Bolivar School District
The North Bolivar School District is a public school district located in northern Bolivar County in the state of Mississippi. The school district serves the towns of Shelby, Alligator, and Duncan...
(Shelby)
- Shaw School District
The Shaw School District is a public school district based in Shaw, Mississippi . The district serves the Bolivar County portion of the city. The small portion of the city that lies in Sunflower County is served by the Sunflower County School District....
(Shaw)
- West Bolivar School District
The West Bolivar School District is a public school district based in Rosedale, Mississippi .In addition to Rosedale, the district also serves the towns of Gunnison, Beulah, and Pace in western Bolivar County.-2006-07 school year:...
(Rosedale)
- Private Schools
- Bayou Academy
Bayou Academy is a non-profit private school located near Cleveland, Mississippi on Highway 8. The school serves about 350 students in grades PK through 12.The school is accredited by the MAIS.- Sports :...
(Cleveland)
Notable people
- Charles Capps
Charles Wilson 'Charlie' Capps, Jr. was a Mississippi politician and legislator.He was sheriff of Bolivar County, Mississippi in 1964. From 1972 until 2005, he was a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives....
- Medgar Evers
Medgar Wiley Evers was an African American civil rights activist from Mississippi involved in efforts to overturn segregation at the University of Mississippi...
- T.R.M. Howard
- Amzie Moore
Amzie Moore was an African American, civil rights leader, and entrepreneur in the Mississippi Delta.-Early life:Moore was born on the Wilkin plantation near the Grenada and Carroll County lines...
- Peter B. Starke, state representative and state senator, Confederate general in the Civil War
External links