Prentiss County, Mississippi

Prentiss County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,008. Its county seat is Booneville. The county is named for Seargent Smith Prentiss, a noted speaker and US Congressman from Natchez.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.8%) is water.

Major highways

20px U.S. Highway 45
20px Mississippi Highway 4
20px Mississippi Highway 30
20px Mississippi Highway 145

Adjacent counties

Alcorn County (north)
Tishomingo County (east)
Itawamba County (southeast)
Lee County (southwest)
Union County (west)
Tippah County (northwest)

National protected area

Natchez Trace Parkway (part)

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Prentiss County, Mississippi – Racial and ethnic composition

!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)

!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)

|21,310

|20,397

|21,845

|21,172

|style='background: #ffffe6; |20,166

|88.70%

|87.62%

|85.48%

|83.76%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |80.64%

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|2,543

|2,739

|3,285

|3,481

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,547

|10.58%

|11.77%

|12.85%

|13.77%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |14.18%

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|23

|24

|43

|29

|style='background: #ffffe6; |62

|0.10%

|0.17%

|0.11%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.25%

|Asian alone (NH)

|19

|23

|40

|33

|style='background: #ffffe6; |85

|0.08%

|0.10%

|0.16%

|0.13%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.34%

|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|style='background: #ffffe6; |5

|0.00%

|0.01%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.02%

|Other race alone (NH)

|18

|style='background: #ffffe6; |47

|0.00%

|0.02%

|0.07%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.19%

|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|162

|234

|style='background: #ffffe6; |691

|0.63%

|0.93%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.76%

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|130

|94

|176

|307

|style='background: #ffffe6; |405

|0.54%

|0.40%

|0.69%

|1.21%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.62%

|Total

|24,025

|23,278

|25,556

|25,276

|style='background: #ffffe6; |25,008

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 25,008. The median age was 39.0 years. 22.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 88.6 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 81.2% White, 14.3% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.8% from some other race, and 3.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.6% of the population.

There were 9,616 households in the county, of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 46.6% were married-couple households, 18.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 30.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. of 2000, there were 25,556 people, 9,821 households, and 7,169 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 10,681 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 85.85% White, 12.94% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.17% from other races, and 0.70% from two or more races. 0.69% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

In 2000 there were 9,821 households, out of which 33.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.30% were married couples living together, 12.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.00% were non-families. 24.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.00% under the age of 18, 11.60% from 18 to 24, 27.10% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 94.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,446, and the median income for a family was $35,125. Males had a median income of $26,862 versus $19,766 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,131. About 13.10% of families and 16.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.60% of those under age 18 and 22.40% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Baldwyn (partly in Lee County)
Booneville (county seat)

Towns

Jumpertown
Marietta

Census-designated places

New Site
Wheeler

Unincorporated communities

Altitude
Blackland
Hobo Station
Thrasher

Politics

Prentiss County has become a Republican powerhouse, having last supported a Democrat in 1980. Since 1996 the Republican strength in the county has increased in every presidential election, and in 2024 Prentiss was one of 12 counties in the state where the Republican candidate received over 80% of the vote.

Education

School districts include:

Baldwyn School District
Booneville School District
Prentiss County School District

Northeast Mississippi Community College is the community college for Prentiss County.