County of Prentiss | |
|---|---|
 Prentiss County Courthouse inBooneville | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofMississippi | |
 Mississippi's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:34°37′N88°31′W / 34.61°N 88.52°W /34.61; -88.52 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Mississippi |
| Founded | April 15, 1870 (155 years ago) (1870-04-15) |
| Named after | Seargent Smith Prentiss |
| Seat | Booneville |
| Largest city | Booneville |
| Area | |
• Total | 418 sq mi (1,080 km2) |
| • Land | 415 sq mi (1,070 km2) |
| • Water | 3.2 sq mi (8.3 km2) 0.8% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 25,008 |
• Estimate (2024) | 25,489 |
| • Density | 60.3/sq mi (23.3/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | www |
Prentiss County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofMississippi. As of the2020 census, the population was 25,008.[1] Itscounty seat isBooneville.[2] The county is named forSeargent Smith Prentiss, a noted speaker and US Congressman fromNatchez.[3]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 418 square miles (1,080 km2), of which 415 square miles (1,070 km2) is land and 3.2 square miles (8.3 km2) (0.8%) is water.[4]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 9,348 | — | |
| 1880 | 12,158 | 30.1% | |
| 1890 | 13,679 | 12.5% | |
| 1900 | 15,788 | 15.4% | |
| 1910 | 16,931 | 7.2% | |
| 1920 | 17,606 | 4.0% | |
| 1930 | 19,265 | 9.4% | |
| 1940 | 20,921 | 8.6% | |
| 1950 | 19,810 | −5.3% | |
| 1960 | 17,949 | −9.4% | |
| 1970 | 20,133 | 12.2% | |
| 1980 | 24,025 | 19.3% | |
| 1990 | 23,278 | −3.1% | |
| 2000 | 25,556 | 9.8% | |
| 2010 | 25,276 | −1.1% | |
| 2020 | 25,008 | −1.1% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 25,489 | [5] | 1.9% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8] 1990-2000[9] 2010-2013[10] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White | 20,166 | 80.64% |
| Black or African American | 3,547 | 14.18% |
| Native American | 62 | 0.25% |
| Asian | 85 | 0.34% |
| Pacific Islander | 5 | 0.02% |
| Other/Mixed | 738 | 2.95% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 405 | 1.62% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 25,008 people, 9,145 households, and 6,092 families residing in the county.
As of thecensus[12] of 2000, there were 25,556 people, 9,821 households, and 7,169 families living in the county. Thepopulation density was 62 people per square mile (24 people/km2). There were 10,681 housing units at an average density of 26 units per square mile (10 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 85.85%White, 12.94%Black orAfrican American, 0.18%Native American, 0.16%Asian, 0.17% fromother races, and 0.70% from two or more races. 0.69% of the population wereHispanic orLatino 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% weremarried 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. Theper capita income for the county was $14,131. About 13.10% of families and 16.50% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 18.60% of those under age 18 and 22.40% of those age 65 or over.
Prentiss County has become a Republican powerhouse, having last supported a Democrat in 1976. 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.[13]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 85 | 7.74% | 839 | 76.41% | 174 | 15.85% |
| 1916 | 164 | 10.66% | 1,342 | 87.26% | 32 | 2.08% |
| 1920 | 496 | 32.27% | 992 | 64.54% | 49 | 3.19% |
| 1924 | 179 | 12.73% | 1,225 | 87.13% | 2 | 0.14% |
| 1928 | 269 | 16.45% | 1,366 | 83.55% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 76 | 3.70% | 1,976 | 96.30% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 50 | 2.68% | 1,809 | 97.10% | 4 | 0.21% |
| 1940 | 118 | 5.28% | 2,117 | 94.72% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 175 | 9.58% | 1,652 | 90.42% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 74 | 4.44% | 602 | 36.16% | 989 | 59.40% |
| 1952 | 731 | 21.48% | 2,672 | 78.52% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 383 | 15.96% | 1,942 | 80.95% | 74 | 3.08% |
| 1960 | 740 | 24.79% | 1,777 | 59.53% | 468 | 15.68% |
| 1964 | 2,289 | 69.32% | 1,013 | 30.68% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 723 | 11.63% | 440 | 7.08% | 5,055 | 81.30% |
| 1972 | 4,607 | 91.12% | 398 | 7.87% | 51 | 1.01% |
| 1976 | 2,362 | 33.85% | 4,431 | 63.51% | 184 | 2.64% |
| 1980 | 3,264 | 39.91% | 4,832 | 59.09% | 82 | 1.00% |
| 1984 | 4,821 | 62.35% | 2,897 | 37.47% | 14 | 0.18% |
| 1988 | 4,348 | 55.09% | 3,429 | 43.45% | 115 | 1.46% |
| 1992 | 4,317 | 50.63% | 3,385 | 39.70% | 824 | 9.66% |
| 1996 | 3,473 | 48.73% | 3,053 | 42.84% | 601 | 8.43% |
| 2000 | 5,101 | 60.14% | 3,287 | 38.75% | 94 | 1.11% |
| 2004 | 6,538 | 65.83% | 3,327 | 33.50% | 67 | 0.67% |
| 2008 | 7,703 | 70.39% | 3,020 | 27.60% | 221 | 2.02% |
| 2012 | 7,075 | 70.52% | 2,817 | 28.08% | 141 | 1.41% |
| 2016 | 7,648 | 77.47% | 2,067 | 20.94% | 157 | 1.59% |
| 2020 | 8,370 | 78.64% | 2,153 | 20.23% | 121 | 1.14% |
| 2024 | 8,581 | 82.66% | 1,727 | 16.64% | 73 | 0.70% |
School districts include:[15]
Northeast Mississippi Community College is the community college for Prentiss County.[16]
Places adjacent to Prentiss County, Mississippi | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofPrentiss County, Mississippi,United States | ||
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| Towns | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Other communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
34°37′N88°31′W / 34.61°N 88.52°W /34.61; -88.52
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