Lee County is a county in U.S. state of Mississippi. At the 2020 census, the population was 83,343. Its county seat is Tupelo. Lee County is included in the Tupelo Micropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Lee County was established by the Mississippi Legislature on October 26, 1866, and named for General Robert E. Lee, General in Chief of the Armies of the Confederate States. It was formed from Itawamba and Pontotoc counties; therefore, the record and list of early settlers mentioned in those counties embrace a great number who were residents of what is present day Lee County.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.7%) is water.
Major highways
- 20px Interstate 22
- 20px U.S. Highway 45
- 20px U.S. Highway 78
- 20px U.S. Route 278
- 20px Natchez Trace Parkway
- 20px Mississippi Highway 6
- 20px Mississippi Highway 145
- 20px Mississippi Highway 178
- 20px Mississippi Highway 363
- 20px Mississippi Highway 245
- 20px Mississippi Highway 371
- 20px Mississippi Highway 370
Adjacent counties
- Prentiss County (north)
- Itawamba County (east)
- Monroe County (southeast)
- Chickasaw County (southwest)
- Pontotoc County (west)
- Union County (northwest)
National protected areas
- Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site
- Natchez Trace Parkway (part)
- Tupelo National Battlefield
Demographics
thumb|right|Family in a wagon in Lee County, 1935. Photo by [[Arthur Rothstein.]]
Racial and ethnic composition
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Lee County, Mississippi – Racial and ethnic composition<br><small></small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(NH = Non-Hispanic)</small>
!Pop 1980
!Pop 1990
!Pop 2000
!Pop 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" | Pop 2020
!% 1980
!% 1990
!% 2000
!% 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020
|-
|White alone (NH)
|45,019
|51,059
|55,367
|56,854
|style='background: #ffffe6; |52,854
|78.90%
|77.86%
|73.09%
|68.57%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |63.42%
|-
|Black or African American alone (NH)
|11,538
|13,972
|18,495
|22,498
|style='background: #ffffe6; |24,131
|20.22%
|21.30%
|24.41%
|27.14%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |28.95%
|-
|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)
|36
|57
|93
|120
|style='background: #ffffe6; |94
|0.06%
|0.09%
|0.12%
|0.14%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.11%
|-
|Asian alone (NH)
|71
|129
|393
|513
|style='background: #ffffe6; |920
|0.12%
|0.20%
|0.52%
|0.62%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.10%
|-
|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)
|x
|x
|7
|19
|style='background: #ffffe6; |25
|x
|x
|0.01%
|0.02%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.03%
|-
|Other race alone (NH)
|30
|4
|24
|33
|style='background: #ffffe6; |181
|0.05%
|0.01%
|0.03%
|0.04%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.22%
|-
|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)
|x
|x
|494
|882
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,310
|x
|x
|0.65%
|1.06%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.77%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino (any race)
|367
|360
|882
|1,991
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,828
|0.64%
|0.55%
|1.16%
|2.40%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.39%
|-
|Total
|57,061
|65,581
|75,755
|82,910
|style='background: #ffffe6; |83,343
|100.00%
|100.00%
|100.00%
|100.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%
|}
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 83,343. The median age was 39.4 years. 23.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 91.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 88.3 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 64.1% White, 29.1% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.0% from some other race, and 3.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.4% of the population.
There were 33,499 households in the county, of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 44.5% were married-couple households, 18.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 31.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. of 2000, there were 75,755 people, 29,200 households, and 20,819 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 31,887 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 73.66% White, 24.51% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. 1.16% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 29,200 households, out of which 36.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.60% were married couples living together, 14.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.70% were non-families. 25.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.05. In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.70% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 30.50% from 25 to 44, 21.80% from 45 to 64, and 11.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.50 males. The median income for a household in the county was $36,165, and the median income for a family was $43,149. Males had a median income of $31,039 versus $22,235 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,956. About 10.50% of families and 13.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.90% of those under age 18 and 15.50% of those age 65 or over. Lee County has the ninth highest per capita income in the state of Mississippi.
Communities
Cities
- Baldwyn (partly in Prentiss County)
- Saltillo
- Tupelo (county seat)
- Verona
- Nettleton (Partly in Monroe County)
- Guntown
Towns
- Plantersville
- Shannon
- Sherman (partly in Pontotoc County and Union County)
Census-designated places
- Mooreville
Unincorporated communities
- Barrett Ridge
- Belden
- Brewer
- Eggville
- Jug Fork
Education
Lee County is served by the Baldwyn, Lee County, Nettleton, and Tupelo school districts.
Politics
Lee County has been a Republican stronghold since the mid-1980s. The last Democratic presidential candidate who carried this county was Jimmy Carter in the election of 1980.
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See also
- List of memorials to Robert E. Lee
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Lee County, Mississippi
References
External links
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; Government
; General information
- Lee County, Mississippi at MSGenWeb
- Lee-Itawamba Library System
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