Lawrence County, Mississippi

Lawrence County, Mississippi
County
Lawrence County Courthouse
Lawrence County Courthouse
Map of Mississippi highlighting Lawrence County
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Coordinates: 31°33′N 90°07′W / 31.55°N 90.11°W / 31.55; -90.11
Country United States
State Mississippi
Founded1814
Named afterJames Lawrence
SeatMonticello
Largest townMonticello
Area
 • Total
436 sq mi (1,130 km2)
 • Land431 sq mi (1,120 km2)
 • Water5.1 sq mi (13 km2)  1.2%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
12,016
 • Estimate 
(2025)
11,819 Decrease
 • Density27.9/sq mi (10.8/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district3rd
Websitelawrencecountyms.com

Lawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,016.[1] Its county seat is Monticello.[2] The county is named for the naval hero James Lawrence.[3]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 436 square miles (1,130 km2), of which 431 square miles (1,120 km2) is land and 5.1 square miles (13 km2) (1.2%) is water.[4]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18204,916—
18305,2937.7%
18405,92011.8%
18506,4789.4%
18609,21342.2%
18706,720−27.1%
18809,42040.2%
189012,31830.8%
190015,10322.6%
191013,080−13.4%
192012,663−3.2%
193012,471−1.5%
194013,98312.1%
195012,639−9.6%
196010,215−19.2%
197011,1379.0%
198012,51812.4%
199012,458−0.5%
200013,2586.4%
201012,929−2.5%
202012,016−7.1%
2025 (est.)11,819[5] Decrease−1.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010-2013[10]

Racial and ethnic composition

Lawrence County, Mississippi – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 1980[11] Pop 1990[12] Pop 2000[13] Pop 2010[14] Pop 2020[15] % 1980 % 1990 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 8,580 8,275 8,835 8,567 7,807 68.54% 66.42% 66.64% 66.26% 64.97%
Black or African American alone (NH) 3,834 4,109 4,233 3,961 3,690 30.63% 32.98% 31.93% 30.64% 30.71%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 9 7 21 17 17 0.07% 0.06% 0.16% 0.13% 0.14%
Asian alone (NH) 5 15 35 33 33 0.04% 0.12% 0.26% 0.26% 0.27%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) x [16] x [17] 3 0 4 x x 0.02% 0.00% 0.03%
Other race alone (NH) 3 1 0 4 11 0.02% 0.01% 0.00% 0.03% 0.09%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) x [18] x [19] 42 73 247 x x 0.32% 0.56% 2.06%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 87 51 89 274 207 0.69% 0.41% 0.67% 2.12% 1.72%
Total 12,518 12,458 13,258 12,929 12,016 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 12,016. The median age was 41.6 years. 24.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 90.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 88.0 males age 18 and over.[20][21]

The racial makeup of the county was 65.3% White, 30.8% Black or African American, 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.7% from some other race, and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.7% of the population.[21]

<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[22]

There were 4,823 households in the county, of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 45.4% were married-couple households, 18.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 31.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[20]

There were 5,717 housing units, of which 15.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 80.8% were owner-occupied and 19.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.1%.[20]

Communities

Towns

Unincorporated communities

Education

Public education is governed by the Lawrence County School District, which encompasses the entire county.[23]

It is in the district of Copiah–Lincoln Community College, and has been since 1965.[24]

Notable people

Politics

Lawrence County, like most of Mississippi, was reliably Democratic until 1960, when a majority of voters elected a slate of unpledged Democratic electors nominated by segregationist governor Ross Barnett. Afterward, the county became increasingly Republican. The last Democrat to carry the county was Jimmy Carter in 1976; Bill Clinton won the county in 1996 with an 89-vote plurality.

United States presidential election results for Lawrence County, Mississippi[32]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
1912 9 2.43% 332 89.49% 30 8.09%
1916 18 2.41% 725 97.18% 3 0.40%
1920 131 19.88% 526 79.82% 2 0.30%
1924 55 7.54% 674 92.46% 0 0.00%
1928 210 21.67% 759 78.33% 0 0.00%
1932 31 3.21% 933 96.68% 1 0.10%
1936 34 2.57% 1,286 97.35% 1 0.08%
1940 37 2.95% 1,218 97.05% 0 0.00%
1944 45 2.85% 1,535 97.15% 0 0.00%
1948 13 0.97% 66 4.92% 1,262 94.11%
1952 556 33.23% 1,117 66.77% 0 0.00%
1956 276 18.17% 1,025 67.48% 218 14.35%
1960 259 15.69% 469 28.41% 923 55.91%
1964 2,373 90.95% 236 9.05% 0 0.00%
1968 329 8.45% 740 19.00% 2,825 72.55%
1972 3,394 81.70% 709 17.07% 51 1.23%
1976 2,109 47.54% 2,242 50.54% 85 1.92%
1980 2,781 50.02% 2,692 48.42% 87 1.56%
1984 3,970 63.49% 2,274 36.37% 9 0.14%
1988 3,682 59.17% 2,517 40.45% 24 0.39%
1992 2,689 44.12% 2,582 42.36% 824 13.52%
1996 2,392 44.54% 2,481 46.19% 498 9.27%
2000 3,674 55.78% 2,841 43.13% 72 1.09%
2004 3,956 62.73% 2,308 36.60% 42 0.67%
2008 4,369 62.33% 2,587 36.91% 53 0.76%
2012 4,192 62.59% 2,468 36.85% 38 0.57%
2016 4,091 64.28% 2,195 34.49% 78 1.23%
2020 4,285 64.80% 2,260 34.18% 68 1.03%
2024 4,113 67.95% 1,899 31.37% 41 0.68%

See also

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Lawrence County, Mississippi

References

  1. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Lawrence County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 182. Retrieved October 15, 2016.
  4. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  5. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2025". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  6. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  7. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  8. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on December 28, 2014. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  9. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  10. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  11. ^ "1980 Census of Population - General Social and Economic Characteristics - Mississippi - Table 58 - Race by Sex: 1980 and Table 59 - Persons by Spanish Origin, Race, and Sex: 1980" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 17-32. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 7, 2022 – via Wayback Machine.
  12. ^ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Mississippi: Table 6 - Race and Hispanic Origin" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 9-37. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 21, 2024 – via Wayback Machine.
  13. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Lawrence County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau.
  14. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lawrence County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau.
  15. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lawrence County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau.
  16. ^ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  17. ^ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  18. ^ not an option in the 1980 Census
  19. ^ not an option in the 1990 Census
  20. ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  21. ^ a b "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  22. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  23. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Lawrence County, MS" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 27, 2024. - Text list
  24. ^ "History". Copiah–Lincoln Community College. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  25. ^ "ECH work party spiffs up new horsecamp - News - VVdailypress.com - Victorville, CA". Archived from the original on August 18, 2018. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  26. ^ "Lawrence County | Mississippi Encyclopedia". Archived from the original on November 6, 2019. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  27. ^ "2016 Bascom's - Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on August 10, 2017. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  28. ^ "Cherokee-Choctaw Cowgirl, Texas Rose Bascom - IndianCountryToday.com". Archived from the original on August 18, 2018. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  29. ^ "Edgar Godbold". lahistory.org. Archived from the original on November 23, 2009. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  30. ^ "Bio RodPaige.com". Archived from the original on January 9, 2015. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
  31. ^ "Ahmad Hardy - Football". University of Missouri Athletics. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  32. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  • Wikimedia Commons logo Media related to Lawrence County, Mississippi at Wikimedia Commons
  • Mississippi Courthouses – Lawrence County
  • Lawrence County Mississippi Genealogy and History

31°33′N 90°07′W / 31.55°N 90.11°W / 31.55; -90.11

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