Wayne County is a
countyA county is a land area of local government within a country. A county may have cities and towns within its area. Originally, in continental Europe, a county was the land under the jurisdiction of a count .Counts are called earls in post-Celtic Britain, Ireland and France—the term is from Old...
located in the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
of
MississippiMississippi is a state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The state's name comes from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, and takes its name from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi . The state is heavily forested outside of the...
. As of 2000, the population was 21,216. Its
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
is
WaynesboroWaynesboro is a city in Wayne County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 5,197 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Wayne County.-Geography:Waynesboro is located at , just east of the Chickasawhay River....
. Wayne County is named for General
Anthony WayneAnthony Wayne was a United States Army general and statesman. Wayne adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his military exploits and fiery personality quickly earned him a promotion to the rank of brigadier general and the sobriquet of "Mad Anthony".-Early...
.
According to the
U.S. Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the county has a total area of 814 square miles (2,107 km²), of which, 810 square miles (2,099 km²) of it is land and 3 square miles (8 km²) of it (0.39%) is water.
U.S.
Wayne County is a
countyA county is a land area of local government within a country. A county may have cities and towns within its area. Originally, in continental Europe, a county was the land under the jurisdiction of a count .Counts are called earls in post-Celtic Britain, Ireland and France—the term is from Old...
located in the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
of
MississippiMississippi is a state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The state's name comes from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, and takes its name from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi . The state is heavily forested outside of the...
. As of 2000, the population was 21,216. Its
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
is
WaynesboroWaynesboro is a city in Wayne County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 5,197 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Wayne County.-Geography:Waynesboro is located at , just east of the Chickasawhay River....
. Wayne County is named for General
Anthony WayneAnthony Wayne was a United States Army general and statesman. Wayne adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his military exploits and fiery personality quickly earned him a promotion to the rank of brigadier general and the sobriquet of "Mad Anthony".-Early...
.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the county has a total area of 814 square miles (2,107 km²), of which, 810 square miles (2,099 km²) of it is land and 3 square miles (8 km²) of it (0.39%) is water.
Major highways
- U.S. Highway 45
U.S. Highway 84
Mississippi Highway 63
Adjacent counties
- Clarke County
Clarke County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of 2000, the population was 17,955. Its county seat is Quitman. Clarke County is named for the first Mississippi state chancellor and judge Joshua G. Clarke....
(north)
- Choctaw County, Alabama
Choctaw County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is named for the Choctaw tribe of American Indians, though most of those which resided here were removed to Oklahoma. As of 2000 the population was 15,922...
(northeast)
- Washington County, Alabama
Washington County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. The county was named in honor of George Washington, first President of the United States of America. As of 2000, the population was 18,097. Its county seat is Chatom. Washington County is a dry county.Washington County was where the...
(southeast)
- Greene County
Greene County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. It was established in 1811 and is named for General Nathanael Greene. As of 2000, the population was 13,299. Its county seat is Leakesville.-Geography:According to the U.S...
(south)
- Perry County
Perry County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. It is part of the Hattiesburg, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 12,138. Its county seat is New Augusta. It was named after the War of 1812 naval hero, Oliver Hazard...
(southwest)
- Jones County
Jones County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of 2000, the population was 64,958. Its county seats are Laurel and Ellisville.Jones County is part of the Laurel Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:According to the U.S...
(west)
- Jasper County
Jasper County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of 2000, the population was 18,149. Its county seats are Bay Springs and Paulding.Jasper County is part of the Laurel, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
(northwest)
Wayne County High School War Eagle Football
A cultural phenomenon that started in 2000. Since that time Wayne County's War Eagle football team has appeared in 4 State Championship games (2002,2003,2005,2006), and won 3 State titles (2002,2003,2006). War Eagle fans are known around the state of Mississippi for their ability to pack stadiums and impact games. As many as 10,000 fans are known to show up to important home games. Rivals include Quitman, Laurel, and West Jones. The West Jones/Wayne County rivalry is known for its importance on outcomes of division titles and South State Championships. Team colors resemble those of
Auburn University, and the logo for Wayne County High School also resembles the logo for Auburn University. A major tradition among fans is the act of bringing bottles filled with rocks or pellets to the games, and shaking them while watching the game to increase the volume of crowd noise. Running through the tunnel is a pre-game tradition in which the players run onto the field through a large tunnel placed at one end-zone. At the end of the tunnel a large banner is held by the cheer squad, on which is painted a unique slogan for that particular contest. Another tradition observed by fans is the "War Eagle" chant. During the chant, the crowd stretches the word "War" out, and as the kicker's foot hits the ball and it is booted toward the return-man, the crowd simultaneously says "Eagle". This chant resembles the chant of "War Eagle, Hey" heard at Auburn University football games during kickoffs. The head coach since 2001 has been Marcus Boyles.
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.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 21,216 people, 7,857 households, and 5,853 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. It is a key term used in geography....
was 26 people per square mile (10/km²). There were 9,049 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 61.29%
WhiteRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , 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...
, 38.01%
BlackRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , 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 United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , 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...
, 0.07%
Native AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , 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...
, 0.15%
AsianRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , 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 United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , 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...
, 0.13% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , 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 0.33% from two or more races. 0.63% of the population were
HispanicRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , 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 United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , 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 7,857 households out of which 37.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.00% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
living together, 17.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.50% were non-families. 23.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the county the population was spread out with 29.20% under the age of 18, 9.70% from 18 to 24, 27.60% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 11.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 91.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $25,918, and the median income for a family was $30,513. Males had a median income of $27,139 versus $16,680 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the county was $12,757. About 21.40% of families and 25.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.70% of those under age 18 and 21.90% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
- Cities
- Waynesboro
Waynesboro is a city in Wayne County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 5,197 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Wayne County.-Geography:Waynesboro is located at , just east of the Chickasawhay River....
- Towns
- State Line
State Line is a town in Greene and Wayne Counties in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The population was 555 at the 2000 census.-Geography:State Line is located at . The town is on the boundary between Wayne County on the north and Greene County on the south, with the town's area approximately...
(partly in Greene County)
- Unincorporated places
- Buckatunna
- Chicora
- Clara
Clara is an unincorporated community in Wayne County, Mississippi, United States. It is located at ....
- Eucutta
- Hiwannee
- Matherville
Matherville is an unincorporated community located in the United States State of Mississippi . Matherville is located in the north-west corner of Wayne County, Mississippi, just to the west of the state of Alabama....
- Pleasant Grove
- Whistler