Lauderdale County, Mississippi

Lauderdale County is a county located on the eastern border of the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,984.[1] The county seat is Meridian.[2] The county is named for Colonel James Lauderdale, who was killed at the Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812.[3] Lauderdale County is included in the Meridian, MS Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Lauderdale County
County
Lauderdale County Courthouse
Lauderdale County Courthouse
Map of Mississippi highlighting Lauderdale County
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Map of the United States highlighting Mississippi
Mississippi's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 32°24′N 88°40′W
Country United States
State Mississippi
Founded1833
Named forJames Lauderdale
SeatMeridian
Largest cityMeridian
Area
 • Total715 sq mi (1,850 km2)
 • Land704 sq mi (1,820 km2)
 • Water12 sq mi (30 km2)  1.6%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total72,984
 • Density100/sq mi (39/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district3rd
Websitewww.lauderdalecounty.org

History

An early explorer Sam Dale died in the county and is buried in Daleville, and a large monument is placed at his burial site. Andrew Jackson traveled through the county on his way to New Orleans and a town was named Hickory after his nickname "Old Hickory".

The largest city in the county is Meridian, which was in important railway intersection during the early 20th century. It was also home to the Soule Steam Feed Works which manufactured steam engines. Logging and rail transport were important early industries in the county. One of the largest waterfalls in Mississippi, Dunns Falls, is located in the county and a water driven mill still exists on the site. Lauderdale county is also home to the headquarters of Peavey Electronics which has manufactured audio and music equipment for half a century.

Like much of the post-Reconstruction South the county has a checkered racial history with 16 documented lynchings in the period from 1877 to 1950; most occurred around the turn of the 20th century.[4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 715 square miles (1,850 km2), of which 704 square miles (1,820 km2) is land and 12 square miles (31 km2) (1.6%) is water.[5]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18405,358—
18508,71762.7%
186013,31352.7%
187013,4621.1%
188021,50159.7%
189029,66138.0%
190038,15028.6%
191046,91923.0%
192045,897−2.2%
193052,74814.9%
194058,24710.4%
195064,17110.2%
196067,1194.6%
197067,0870.0%
198077,28515.2%
199075,555−2.2%
200078,1613.4%
201080,2612.7%
202072,984−9.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010-2013[10]

2020 census
Lauderdale County Racial Composition[11]
Race Num. Perc.
White 36,534 50.06%
Black or African American 31,980 43.82%
Native American 101 0.14%
Asian 571 0.78%
Pacific Islander 28 0.04%
Other/Mixed 1,981 2.71%
Hispanic or Latino 1,789 2.45%

As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 72,984 people, 29,367 households, and 19,612 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 78,161 people, 29,990 households, and 20,573 families residing in the county. The population density was 111 inhabitants per square mile (43/km2). There were 33,418 housing units at an average density of 48 per square mile (19/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 60.15% White, 38.18% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races, and 0.63% from two or more races. 1.14% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 29,990 households, out of which 33.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.70% were married couples living together, 18.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.40% were non-families. 28.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.60% under the age of 18, 9.80% from 18 to 24, 28.00% from 25 to 44, 21.40% from 45 to 64, and 14.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 90.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,768, and the median income for a family was $37,581. Males had a median income of $31,069 versus $21,111 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,026. About 17.10% of families and 20.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.80% of those under age 18 and 18.80% of those age 65 or over.

2015

As of 2015 the largest self-identified ancestry groups in Lauderdale County, Mississippi are:

  • English - 9.3%
  • Irish - 8.9%
  • American - 8.0%
  • German - 5.9%
  • Scottish - 2.1%
  • Scots-Irish - 1.7%
  • Italian - 1.2%
  • French (except Basque) - 1.1%
  • French-Canadian - 0.6%[13]

Government and infrastructure

The East Mississippi Correctional Facility is located in an unincorporated area of the county, near Meridian. Intended to provide intensive treatment for up to 1500 state prisoners who are mentally ill, it has been operated since 2012 by Management and Training Corporation under contract to the Mississippi Department of Corrections. In 2013 the ACLU and Southern Poverty Law Center filed a class-action suit against the state and MTC for poor conditions at the facility.[14] The court granted the plaintiffs class certification in 2015, allowing the case to proceed.[15] The former for-profit contractor, GEO Group,[16] was forced out of its contracts for this and two other state facilities in 2012 as a result of settlement of a class-action suit for its poor management of the Walnut Grove Youth Correctional Facility.[17]

United States presidential election results for Lauderdale County, Mississippi[18]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 17,967 57.50% 12,960 41.48% 320 1.02%
2016 17,741 60.13% 11,269 38.19% 496 1.68%
2012 18,700 57.05% 13,814 42.15% 263 0.80%
2008 19,582 59.14% 13,332 40.26% 200 0.60%
2004 19,736 65.42% 10,292 34.11% 142 0.47%
2000 17,315 66.67% 8,412 32.39% 243 0.94%
1996 15,055 60.62% 8,668 34.90% 1,111 4.47%
1992 17,098 62.25% 8,489 30.91% 1,879 6.84%
1988 18,302 68.99% 7,967 30.03% 260 0.98%
1984 18,807 69.00% 7,534 27.64% 916 3.36%
1980 14,727 56.38% 9,918 37.97% 1,474 5.64%
1976 14,273 58.39% 9,813 40.14% 360 1.47%
1972 18,337 81.79% 3,453 15.40% 630 2.81%
1968 2,328 11.43% 3,195 15.69% 14,842 72.88%
1964 13,291 89.36% 1,583 10.64% 0 0.00%
1960 2,836 26.39% 3,755 34.95% 4,154 38.66%
1956 2,817 30.86% 5,414 59.32% 896 9.82%
1952 4,137 41.46% 5,841 58.54% 0 0.00%
1948 171 2.81% 578 9.51% 5,330 87.68%
1944 379 5.91% 6,036 94.09% 0 0.00%
1940 303 4.85% 5,936 95.04% 7 0.11%
1936 67 1.09% 6,075 98.72% 12 0.19%
1932 191 3.79% 4,830 95.85% 18 0.36%
1928 1,798 33.57% 3,558 66.43% 0 0.00%
1924 320 7.78% 3,204 77.90% 589 14.32%
1920 228 7.88% 2,539 87.76% 126 4.36%
1916 157 4.76% 3,058 92.67% 85 2.58%
1912 50 2.05% 2,204 90.33% 186 7.62%

Education

Lauderdale County is within the service area of the East Mississippi Community College system.[19] The system offers classes at the Naval Air Station Meridian Extension in Meridian.[20] Other academic institutions are Meridian Community College, and Mississippi State University Meridian Campus.

Communities

City
  • Meridian (county seat and largest municipality)

Town

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Notable people
  • Samuel Dale (1772–1841), American frontiersman, known as the "Daniel Boone of Alabama" and a veteran of the Creek War of 1813–14. In 1836, Dale was elected as Lauderdale County's first representative in the Mississippi state legislature.[21]

See also

References
  1. "Census - Geography Profile: Lauderdale County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. 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.
  4. Lynching in America, 2nd edition Archived 2018-06-27 at the Wayback Machine, Supplement by County, p. 5
  5. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  6. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  7. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  8. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. 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 March 27, 2010. 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. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  12. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  13. Bureau, U.S. Census. "American FactFinder - Results". factfinder.census.gov. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  14. Gabriel Eber (May 30, 2013). "NEW LAWSUIT: Massive Human Rights Violations at Mississippi Prison", ACLU. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  15. Dockery v. Epps, updated September 2015, Cases: Prisoners' Rights, ACLU official website; accessed 7 March 2017
  16. "Private Prisons Archived 2012-10-13 at the Wayback Machine," Mississippi Department of Corrections. Retrieved on November 19, 2010.
  17. Goode, Erica (June 7, 2014). "Seeing Squalor and Unconcern in a Mississippi Jail". New York Times. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  18. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  19. "CATALOG 2007-2009 Archived 2010-12-18 at the Wayback Machine." East Mississippi Community College. 3 (3/147). Retrieved on March 1, 2011.
  20. "CATALOG 2007-2009 Archived 2010-12-18 at the Wayback Machine." East Mississippi Community College. 10 (10/147). Retrieved on March 1, 2011.
  21. Lewis, Herbert J. "Jim" (July 25, 2012). "Samuel Dale". Encyclopedia of Alabama.

32.40°N 88.66°W / 32.40; -88.66

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