Lamar County, Mississippi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lamar County, Mississippi
Map
Map of Mississippi highlighting Lamar County
Location in the state of Mississippi
Map of the U.S. highlighting Mississippi
Mississippi's location in the U.S.
Statistics
Founded 1904
Seat Purvis
Largest city Hattiesburg[1]
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

500 sq mi (1,295 km²)
497 sq mi (1,287 km²)
3 sq mi (8 km²), 0.68%
Population
 - (2000)
 - Density

39,070
78/sq mi (30/km²)

Lamar 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 39,070. 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. It is largely a rural county.

Contents

[edit] Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 500 square miles (1,296 km²), of which, 497 square miles (1,287 km²) of it is land and 3 square miles (9 km²) of it (0.68%) is water.

[edit] Major highways

[edit] Adjacent counties

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
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%
Est. 2007 47,698 22.1%

As of the census[3] 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 fifth highest per capita income in the State of Mississippi.

[edit] Communities

[edit] References

  1. ^ Subcounty population estimates: Mississippi (CSV). 2006 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division (2007-06-28). Retrieved on 2007-07-21.
  2. ^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  3. ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 31°13′N 89°31′W / 31.21, -89.51