Lamar County, Mississippi
| Lamar County, Mississippi | |
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Lamar County Courthouse in Purvis
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 Location in the U.S. state of Mississippi |
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 Mississippi's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | 1904 |
| Named for | Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar |
| Seat | Purvis |
| Largest city | Hattiesburg |
| Area | |
| • Total | 500 sq mi (1,295 km2) |
| • Land | 497 sq mi (1,287 km2) |
| • Water | 3.4 sq mi (9 km2), 0.7% |
| Population | |
| • (2010) | 55,658 |
| • Density | 112/sq mi (43/km²) |
| Congressional district | 4th |
| Time zone | Central: UTC-6/-5 |
Lamar County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2010 census, the population was 55,658.[1] Its county seat is Purvis.[2] Named for the post-Civil War Mississippi statesman Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar, the county was carved out of Marion County to the west in 1904.
Lamar County is part of the Hattiesburg, MS Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is largely a rural county, except for its northeast quarter.
Contents
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 500 square miles (1,300 km2), of which 497 square miles (1,290 km2) is land and 3.4 square miles (8.8 km2) (0.7%) is water.[3]
Major highways
Interstate 59
U.S. Highway 11
U.S. Highway 98
Mississippi Highway 13
Mississippi Highway 42
Mississippi Highway 44
Adjacent counties
- Covington County (north)
- Forrest County (east)
- Pearl River County (south)
- Marion County (west)
- Jefferson Davis County (northwest)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 11,741 | — | |
| 1920 | 12,869 | 9.6% | |
| 1930 | 12,848 | −0.2% | |
| 1940 | 12,096 | −5.9% | |
| 1950 | 13,225 | 9.3% | |
| 1960 | 13,675 | 3.4% | |
| 1970 | 15,209 | 11.2% | |
| 1980 | 23,821 | 56.6% | |
| 1990 | 30,424 | 27.7% | |
| 2000 | 39,070 | 28.4% | |
| 2010 | 55,658 | 42.5% | |
| Est. 2014 | 60,099 | [4] | 8.0% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[5] 1790-1960[6] 1900-1990[7] 1990-2000[8] 2010-2013[1] |
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As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 39,070 people, 14,396 households, and 10,725 families residing in the county. The population density was 79 people per square mile (30/km²). There were 15,433 housing units at an average density of 31 per square mile (12/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 85.34% White, 12.90% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.30% from other races, and 0.64% from two or more races. 1.09% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 14,396 households out of which 38.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.60% were married couples living together, 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.50% were non-families. 20.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the county the population was spread out with 28.00% under the age of 18, 10.90% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 21.00% from 45 to 64, and 9.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 93.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,628, and the median income for a family was $44,611. Males had a median income of $32,791 versus $22,260 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,849. About 9.70% of families and 13.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.30% of those under age 18 and 17.00% of those age 65 or over.
Lamar County has the third highest per capita income in the State of Mississippi.
Politics
Lamar County, historically, is one of the most conservative counties in Mississippi. The county has voted for Republican candidates with 60 percent or more of the vote in the past 7 elections.
| Year | Winner | Loser | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Other |
| 2012 | 76.7% | 22.1% | 1.2% |
| 2008 | 77.4% | 21.6% | 1.0% |
| 2004 | 80.2% | 19.2% | 0.6% |
| 2000 | 77.1% | 21.0% | 1.9% |
| 1996 | 67.4% | 24.8% | 7.2% |
| 1992 | 63.4% | 24.6% | 12.0% |
| 1988 | 77.9% | 21.6% | 0.6% |
Government and infrastructure
The Mississippi Department of Mental Health operates the South Mississippi State Hospital in unincorporated Lamar County, near Purvis.[11]
Communities
Cities
- Hattiesburg (mostly in Forrest County)
- Lumberton (partly in Pearl River County)
- Purvis (county seat)
Town
Census-designated place
Unincorporated communities
See also
References
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- ↑ "Contact Us." South Mississippi State Hospital. Retrieved on November 1, 2010. "South Mississippi State Hospital 823 Highway 589 Purvis, MS 39475."
Links
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Jefferson Davis County | Covington County | |
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| Marion County |  |
Forrest County | ||
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| Pearl River County |
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Municipalities and communities of Lamar County, Mississippi, United States
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| Cities |
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| Other unincorporated communities |
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| Footnotes |
‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
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