Lafayette County, Mississippi

Lafayette County is a county in the U.S. state of Mississippi. At the 2020 census, the population was 55,813.[1] Its county seat is Oxford.[2] The local pronunciation of the name is "la-FAY-et." The county's name honors Marquis de Lafayette, a French military hero and American general who fought during the American Revolutionary War.[3]

Lafayette County
County
Lafayette County courthouse in Oxford
Lafayette County courthouse in Oxford
Map of Mississippi highlighting Lafayette County
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Map of the United States highlighting Mississippi
Mississippi's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 34°22′N 89°29′W
Country United States
State Mississippi
Founded1836
Named forMarquis de Lafayette
SeatOxford
Largest cityOxford
Area
 • Total679 sq mi (1,760 km2)
 • Land632 sq mi (1,640 km2)
 • Water47 sq mi (120 km2)  7.0%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total55,813
 • Density82/sq mi (32/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitelafayettems.com

The Oxford, MS Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Lafayette County. The county is policed by the Lafayette County Sheriff's Department.

Lafayette County is often regarded as the inspiration for Yoknapatawpha County, the fictional setting of many of William Faulkner's works.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 679 square miles (1,760 km2), of which 632 square miles (1,640 km2) is land and 47 square miles (120 km2) (7.0%) is water.[4]

Major highways

cr 249


Adjacent counties

National protected area

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18406,531—
185014,069115.4%
186016,12514.6%
187018,80216.6%
188021,67115.3%
189020,553−5.2%
190022,1107.6%
191021,883−1.0%
192019,243−12.1%
193019,9783.8%
194021,2576.4%
195022,7987.2%
196021,355−6.3%
197024,18113.2%
198031,03028.3%
199031,8262.6%
200038,74421.7%
201047,35122.2%
202055,81317.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]
1790–1960[6] 1900–1990[7]
1990–2000[8] 2010–2020[9]

2020 census
Lafayette County Racial Composition[10]
Race Num. Perc.
White 38,766 69.46%
Black or African American 11,300 20.25%
Native American 68 0.12%
Asian 1,685 3.02%
Pacific Islander 24 0.04%
Other/Mixed 1,828 3.28%
Hispanic or Latino 2,142 3.84%

As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 55,813 people, 18,721 households, and 11,111 families residing in the county.

2010 Census[11]

As of the census of 2010, there were 45,859 people. There were 21,646 housing units. The medium age was 26.8 years old. The racial makeup of the county was 71.5% white, 23.9% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, and 2.0% Asian. 2.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2000 Census

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 38,744 people, 14,373 households, and 8,321 families residing in the county. The population density was 61 people per square mile (24 people/km2). There were 16,587 housing units at an average density of 26 units per square mile (10 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 71.85% White, 25.05% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.67% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.42% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. 1.10% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

The largest European ancestry groups in Lafayette county are:[13]

Many people in Mississippi may claim Irish ancestry because of the term "Scots-Irish", but most of the time in Mississippi this term is used for those with Ulster Scots roots rather than Irish Catholics.[14]

In 2000, there were 14,373 households, out of which 26.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.20% were married couples living together, 11.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.10% were non-families. 29.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 19.50% under the age of 18, 27.10% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 17.10% from 45 to 64, and 9.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females there were 96.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,517, and the median income for a family was $42,910. Males had a median income of $30,964 versus $21,207 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,406. About 10.20% of families and 21.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.60% of those under age 18 and 19.40% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

City
  • Oxford (county seat and largest municipality)

Town

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

Politics

Unlike many counties dominated by college towns, Lafayette County tilts Republican. It last supported a Democrat for president in 1980. However, it is not as heavily Republican as other counties in north Mississippi, particularly those in the Memphis area. The Democrats have received at least 40 percent of the vote in every election since 1988, a period when much of north Mississippi swung hard to the GOP.

United States presidential election results for Lafayette County, Mississippi[15]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 12,949 55.28% 10,070 42.99% 404 1.72%
2016 10,872 55.35% 7,969 40.57% 802 4.08%
2012 11,075 56.78% 8,091 41.48% 339 1.74%
2008 10,278 55.68% 7,997 43.32% 185 1.00%
2004 9,004 58.46% 6,218 40.37% 179 1.16%
2000 7,081 55.85% 5,139 40.53% 458 3.61%
1996 4,753 47.18% 4,646 46.12% 675 6.70%
1992 5,251 46.07% 5,224 45.84% 922 8.09%
1988 5,841 59.29% 3,967 40.27% 44 0.45%
1984 6,006 62.05% 3,646 37.67% 28 0.29%
1980 4,366 45.62% 4,887 51.06% 318 3.32%
1976 3,735 44.73% 4,375 52.39% 241 2.89%
1972 5,391 76.89% 1,545 22.04% 75 1.07%
1968 1,235 20.11% 1,578 25.69% 3,329 54.20%
1964 3,202 81.64% 720 18.36% 0 0.00%
1960 705 24.13% 1,308 44.76% 909 31.11%
1956 575 21.29% 1,968 72.86% 158 5.85%
1952 868 26.86% 2,363 73.14% 0 0.00%
1948 48 2.42% 744 37.58% 1,188 60.00%
1944 87 3.89% 2,148 96.11% 0 0.00%
1940 65 2.88% 2,188 97.03% 2 0.09%
1936 26 1.54% 1,652 98.16% 5 0.30%
1932 26 1.40% 1,831 98.39% 4 0.21%
1928 131 7.35% 1,652 92.65% 0 0.00%
1924 89 4.51% 1,848 93.62% 37 1.87%
1920 321 26.62% 873 72.39% 12 1.00%
1916 47 3.29% 1,370 95.80% 13 0.91%
1912 28 2.63% 973 91.28% 65 6.10%

Law enforcement
Lafayette County Sheriff's Department
Common nameLafayette County Sheriff
AbbreviationLCSD
Motto"Protect and Serve"
Agency overview
Formed1836
Employees26
Jurisdictional structure
Governing bodyLafayette County Board of Supervisors
General nature
Operational structure
Headquarters711 Jackson Avenue East, Oxford, MS 38655
Deputys26 (2014)
Facilities
DistrictsOxford, Mississippi
Website
lafayettems.com/us/elected-officials/sheriff/

The Lafayette County Sheriff's Department is the law enforcement agency responsible for the policing and maintenance of public order of Lafayette County, Mississippi. They are also the primary law enforcement agency for all locales excluding Oxford, and work in tandem with the Oxford Police Department and The University of Mississippi's University Police Department in those jurisdictions. Responsible for maintenance and administration of its jail, the Lafayette County Detention Center in Oxford, it is also their duty to stand as guards of Lafayette County's County and Chancery Courts. In September 2018 the department employed 26 full-time deputies,[16] in addition to other staff employed as guards for the county jail. In comparison, Oxford Police Department, which patrols a small fraction of the area done by the Sheriff's Department, employs over 75 full-time officers.

F.D. "Buddy" East was the long-time sheriff, who held the office from 1972 until his death in September 2018, having been elected to twelve terms as sheriff.[17] At the time he was the longest serving Sheriff in the history of the United States, having held the position for 46 years.[18][19][20] The sheriff's son, Joey East, was concurrently the Oxford Police Department's Chief of Police.[21] After the November 2019 elections, Joey East became the sheriff of Lafayette County, following his father.

Education

School districts include Lafayette County School District and Oxford School District.[22]

University of Mississippi is in the county.

Northwest Mississippi Community College operates the Lafayette-Yalobusha Technical Center.[23]

See also

References
  1. "Census - Geography Profile: Lafayette 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. Government Printing Office. pp. 178.
  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. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  6. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  7. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  8. "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.
  9. "2020 Population and Housing State Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  10. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  11. Bureau, U. S. Census. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  12. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  13. American FactFinder Archived 2020-02-12 at archive.today. Factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved on 2013-08-17.
  14. Census 2000 Map - Top U.S. Ancestries by County
  15. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  16. "Sheriff". Lafayette County, Mississippi. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  17. Phifer, Donica (September 8, 2018). "Buddy Eat, long-time Lafayette County sheriff, dead at 76". Oxford Eagle. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  18. Davis, John (February 14, 2015). "East seeking 12th term as sheriff". Oxford Citizen. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  19. Gibbs, Anna (August 28, 2018). "Sheriff Buddy East celebrates 46 years serving Lafayette County". Oxford Eagle. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  20. Apel, Therese (October 8, 2018). "Mississippi's longest-serving sheriff dies after 46 years in office". Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  21. "Oxford Police Department". Oxford, MS. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  22. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Lafayette County, MS" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 21, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2022. - Text list
  23. "Lafayette-Yalobusha". Northwest Mississippi Community College. Retrieved July 21, 2022.

34.36°N 89.49°W / 34.36; -89.49

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