Issaquena County, Mississippi
Encyclopedia
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A 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 2,274 people, 726 households, and 509 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 5.15 people per square mile (2/km²). There were 877 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 36.32% White
Race (United States Census)
Race 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...
, 62.75% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race 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 American
Race (United States Census)
Race 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...
, 0.09% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race 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...
, 0.22% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race 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 0.62% from two or more races. 0.44% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race 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 Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race 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.
There were 726 households out of which 34.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.60% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage 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, 16.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.80% were non-families. 26.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.37.
In the county the population was spread out with 27.70% under the age of 18, 10.90% from 18 to 24, 30.90% from 25 to 44, 19.90% from 45 to 64, and 10.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 113.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 130.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $19,936, and the median income for a family was $23,913. Males had a median income of $23,167 versus $17,115 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per 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 $10,581. About 25.90% of families and 33.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 43.20% of those under age 18 and 41.00% of those age 65 or over.
Issaquena County has the second lowest
Mississippi locations by per capita income
Mississippi is the poorest state in the United States of America, with a per capita income of $15,853 .- Mississippi Counties Ranked by Per Capita Income :1. Madison County - $32,469 2. DeSoto County - $20,468 3. Rankin County - $20,412...
per capita income in Mississippi and the 36th lowest
Lowest-income counties in the United States
-100 counties with lowest per capita income:Number of counties by state in the 100 poorest counties: Texas, 17; Kentucky, 16; Mississippi, 14; South Dakota, 10; Louisiana, 5; Alabama, 4; Georgia, 4; Montana, 4; New Mexico, 4; North Dakota, 3; Arizona, 2; Idaho, 2; Nebraska, 2; Tennessee, 2; West...
in the United States.
Of Note:
Just before the Civil War, Issaquena County had the highest concentration of slaves at 92.5%. 115 owners held 7,244 slaves.
Communities
- Towns
- MayersvilleMayersville, MississippiMayersville is a town in Issaquena County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 795 at the 2000 census. The town was named for David Mayer, on whose plantation the town was built. It is the county seat of Issaquena County. One of its more famous natives is Unita Blackwell, Mississippi's...
- Mayersville
- Unincorporated places
- FitlerFitler, MississippiFitler is an unincorporated community in Issaquena County, Mississippi, United States....
- GraceGrace, MississippiGrace is an unincorporated community in Issaquena County, Mississippi, United States. It is located several miles northeast of Mayersville.Although it is unincorporated, Grace has a post office, with the ZIP code of 38745....
- Valley ParkValley Park, MississippiValley Park is an unincorporated community in Issaquena County, Mississippi, United States. Its elevation is 95 feet . Although unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 39177. On April 24, 2010 Valley Park was the site of a strong tornado, though no injuries were reported. The...
- Fitler
Education
There are no schools located in Issaquena County. Students attend campuses in neighboring Sharkey and Washington counties.- Public School Districts
- South Delta School DistrictSouth Delta School DistrictThe South Delta School District is a public school district based in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, USA.The district serves all of Sharkey County and most of Issaquena County .-Schools:*South Delta High School*South Delta Middle School*South Delta Elementary School*South Delta Vocational...
– Based in Rolling ForkRolling Fork, MississippiRolling Fork is a city in Sharkey County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,486 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Sharkey County.-Geography:Rolling Fork is located at ....
; Serves most of Issaquena County including Mayersville. - Western Line School DistrictWestern Line School DistrictThe Western Line School District is a public school district based in the community of Avon, Mississippi .In addition to Avon, the district serves the town of Metcalfe, a small portion of Greenville, as well as the unincorporated communities of Glen Allan, Riverside, and Wayside in Washington County...
– Based in AvonAvon, MississippiAvon is an unincorporated community located along Highway 1 in southwestern Washington County, Mississippi, United States.Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 38723....
; Serves northwestern portion of Issaquena County.
- South Delta School District
- Private Schools
- Sharkey-Issaquena AcademySharkey-Issaquena AcademySharkey-Issaquena Academy is a private, nonsectarian, school in Rolling Fork, Mississippi .Located at 272 Academy Drive in Rolling Fork, the school serves students in grades pre-kindergarten through twelve....
– Located in Rolling Fork; Enrollment open to Issaquena County residents.
- Sharkey-Issaquena Academy
Famous Natives
- Muddy WatersMuddy WatersMcKinley Morganfield , known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues musician, generally considered the "father of modern Chicago blues"...
, Blues Musician (1913–1983) - Unita BlackwellUnita BlackwellUnita Blackwell is an American civil rights activist who was the first African-American woman, and the tenth African-American, to be elected mayor in the U.S. state of Mississippi. Blackwell was a project director for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and helped organize voter drives...
, civil rights leader and mayor of MayersvilleMayersville, MississippiMayersville is a town in Issaquena County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 795 at the 2000 census. The town was named for David Mayer, on whose plantation the town was built. It is the county seat of Issaquena County. One of its more famous natives is Unita Blackwell, Mississippi's...
1976-2001; first female African-American mayor in Mississippi
See also
- Blackwell v. Issaquena County Board of Education, an important 1965 civil rights legal case
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Issaquena County, Mississippi