Mississippi saw its first population decrease in 60 years, according to preliminary 2020 U.S. Census Bureau data released in May.
The data reported Mississippi’s resident population as 2,961,279 million people, marking a decrease of 6,018 since 2010, marking only the third time a population decrease in Mississippi has been recorded. The first was a decrease of 6,496 people in 1920, and the second was a decline of 773 in 1960.
Tate County also saw a 2.4 percent drop in its population over the last 10 years to 28,269.
Lafayette County has grown the most since 2010, growing by 15.1 percent and is the 14th-most populous county in Mississippi. Other counties with double-digit growth were Desoto at 12.5 percent, Lamar at 11.4 pecent, Madison at 10.5 percent and Harrison at 10 percent.
In the 2010 census count, Mississippi had a population of 2,967,297, so the state’s resident population has declined by 0.2 percent, according to the nation’s once-a-decade headcount. With those numbers, Mississippi will retain four congressional seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Magnolia State has had four U.S. House seats for 20 years now, since the 2000 Census caused Mississippi to lose a seat. In the 2010 census count, Mississippi had a population of 2,967,297, so the state’s resident population has declined by 0.2 percent, according to the nation’s once-a-decade headcount.
Mississippi is now the 34th most populous state, falling from the rank of 31 it held under the 2010 population numbers.
Nationwide, the country’s total population is now 331,449,281, a growth rate of 7.4 percent since the 2010 census. This is the second lowest decade of population growth in the country history, as measured by the census. The slowest decade of growth occurred from 1930 to 1940, at 7.3 percent.
The 2020 Census occurred even as the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the count and curtailed many traditional outreach efforts.
Mississippi was one of only three states to see a population decline in the 2020 census, though its decline was the smallest among them. Illinois’ population decreased by 18,124 and the state lost one of its 18 congressional seats as a result. West Virginia saw the greatest population decline, losing 59,278 residents.
