Adams County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 29,538.[1] The county seat is Natchez.[2]
Adams County | |
---|---|
Adams County Courthouse | |
![]() Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi | |
![]() Mississippi's location within the U.S. | |
Coordinates: 31°29′N 91°21′W / 31.48°N 91.35°W | |
Country | ![]() |
State | ![]() |
Founded | 1799 |
Named for | John Adams |
Seat | Natchez |
Largest city | Natchez |
Area | |
• Total | 488 sq mi (1,260 km2) |
• Land | 462 sq mi (1,200 km2) |
• Water | 25 sq mi (60 km2) 5.2% |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 29,538 |
• Density | 61/sq mi (23/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
Congressional district | 2nd |
Website | www |
The county is the first to have been organized in the former Mississippi Territory. It is named for the second President of the United States, John Adams, who held that office when the county was organized in 1799. Adams County is part of the Natchez micropolitan area which consists of Adams County, Mississippi and Concordia Parish, Louisiana.
History
editAdams County was created on April 2, 1799, from part of Pickering Territorial County. The county was organized eighteen years before Mississippi became a state. Five Mississippi governors have come from Adams County: David Holmes, George Poindexter, John A. Quitman, Gerard Brandon, and William Allain.
In 1860, before the US Civil War, Adams County was the richest county in the United States.[3]
Geography
editAccording to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 488 square miles (1,260 km2), of which 462 square miles (1,200 km2) is land and 25 square miles (65 km2) (5.2%) is water.[4]
Major highways
editAdjacent counties and parishes
edit- Jefferson County (north)
- Franklin County (east)
- Wilkinson County (south)
- Concordia Parish, Louisiana (southwest)
- Tensas Parish, Louisiana (northwest)
National protected areas
editDemographics
editCensus | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1800 | 4,660 | — | |
1810 | 10,002 | 114.6% | |
1820 | 12,076 | 20.7% | |
1830 | 14,937 | 23.7% | |
1840 | 19,434 | 30.1% | |
1850 | 18,601 | −4.3% | |
1860 | 20,165 | 8.4% | |
1870 | 19,084 | −5.4% | |
1880 | 22,649 | 18.7% | |
1890 | 26,031 | 14.9% | |
1900 | 30,111 | 15.7% | |
1910 | 25,265 | −16.1% | |
1920 | 22,183 | −12.2% | |
1930 | 23,564 | 6.2% | |
1940 | 27,238 | 15.6% | |
1950 | 32,256 | 18.4% | |
1960 | 37,730 | 17.0% | |
1970 | 37,293 | −1.2% | |
1980 | 38,035 | 2.0% | |
1990 | 35,356 | −7.0% | |
2000 | 34,340 | −2.9% | |
2010 | 32,297 | −5.9% | |
2020 | 29,538 | −8.5% | |
2023 (est.) | 28,746 | [5] | −2.7% |
U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8] 1990-2000[9] 2010-2013[10] |
Population
editAs of the 2020 United States Census, there were 29,538 people, 11,237 households, and 6,650 families residing in the county.
Race
editRace | Num. | Perc. |
---|---|---|
White | 10,926 | 36.99% |
Black or African American | 16,709 | 56.57% |
Native American | 56 | 0.19% |
Asian | 165 | 0.56% |
Pacific Islander | 7 | 0.02% |
Other/Mixed | 663 | 2.24% |
Hispanic or Latino | 1,012 | 3.43% |
In 2020, its racial makeup was 56.57% Black/African American, 36.99% non-Hispanic white, 0.19% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.24% other or mixed, and 3.43% Hispanic or Latino of any race. In 2010, 53.5% were Black or African American, 42.7% White, 0.4% Asian, 0.3% Native American, 1.7% of some other race and 1.4% of two or more races. 6.7% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).
Education
editAlcorn State University, a historically black college that was designated as a land-grant institution, has its School of Business and School of Nursing at Natchez. The School of Business offers Masters of Business Administration degree and some undergraduate classes at the School of Business, Natchez campus. Adjacent to the Natchez campus of Alcorn State University is Copiah-Lincoln Community College.
Economy
editAdams County Correctional Center, a private prison operated by the Corrections Corporation of America on behalf of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, is in an unincorporated area in the county.[13]
Top employers
editThe top employers of Adams County are as follows:
1. Natchez-Adams School District (620)
2. Merit Health Natchez (425)
3. Adams County Correctional Center (380)
4. Walmart (365)
5. City of Natchez (275)
6. Magnolia Bluffs Casino (250)
7. Jordan Carriers (250)
8. Supermarket Operations (250)
9. Adams County Government (220)
10. Energy Drilling (220)
Communities
editCity
edit- Natchez (county seat and only municipality)
Unincorporated areas
editCensus-designated places
editOther communities
editGhost/extinct towns
editPolitics
editYear | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2020 | 5,696 | 41.40% | 7,917 | 57.54% | 146 | 1.06% |
2016 | 5,874 | 42.45% | 7,757 | 56.06% | 205 | 1.48% |
2012 | 6,293 | 40.74% | 9,061 | 58.66% | 93 | 0.60% |
2008 | 6,566 | 41.83% | 9,021 | 57.47% | 109 | 0.69% |
2004 | 6,996 | 45.20% | 8,423 | 54.42% | 60 | 0.39% |
2000 | 6,691 | 44.97% | 8,065 | 54.20% | 123 | 0.83% |
1996 | 5,378 | 37.29% | 8,218 | 56.99% | 825 | 5.72% |
1992 | 5,831 | 36.73% | 8,255 | 51.99% | 1,791 | 11.28% |
1988 | 8,116 | 50.74% | 7,732 | 48.34% | 146 | 0.91% |
1984 | 9,440 | 54.32% | 7,849 | 45.17% | 89 | 0.51% |
1980 | 7,523 | 48.97% | 7,228 | 47.05% | 612 | 3.98% |
1976 | 6,431 | 46.40% | 6,619 | 47.75% | 811 | 5.85% |
1972 | 8,500 | 67.16% | 3,697 | 29.21% | 460 | 3.63% |
1968 | 1,475 | 10.93% | 5,214 | 38.62% | 6,812 | 50.46% |
1964 | 5,900 | 84.37% | 1,093 | 15.63% | 0 | 0.00% |
1960 | 1,227 | 23.57% | 1,452 | 27.90% | 2,526 | 48.53% |
1956 | 1,664 | 40.64% | 1,279 | 31.24% | 1,151 | 28.11% |
1952 | 2,372 | 58.29% | 1,697 | 41.71% | 0 | 0.00% |
1948 | 95 | 4.32% | 71 | 3.23% | 2,034 | 92.45% |
1944 | 282 | 14.69% | 1,638 | 85.31% | 0 | 0.00% |
1940 | 166 | 8.15% | 1,869 | 91.80% | 1 | 0.05% |
1936 | 124 | 6.67% | 1,732 | 93.12% | 4 | 0.22% |
1932 | 384 | 21.11% | 1,420 | 78.06% | 15 | 0.82% |
1928 | 840 | 38.59% | 1,337 | 61.41% | 0 | 0.00% |
1924 | 304 | 26.30% | 836 | 72.32% | 16 | 1.38% |
1920 | 114 | 15.02% | 642 | 84.58% | 3 | 0.40% |
1916 | 42 | 5.88% | 671 | 93.98% | 1 | 0.14% |
1912 | 31 | 4.06% | 491 | 64.35% | 241 | 31.59% |
Adams County, typical of other counties in the Solid South, was heavily Democratic during the first half of the 20th century. After supporting Dixiecrat Strom Thurmond in 1948, it began to lean more Republican, and remained that way until the 1980s. Since 1992, Adams County has returned to the Democratic fold.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ "Southern economics". inside.sfuhs.org. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved November 2, 2014.
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 2, 2014.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 2, 2014.
- ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 2, 2014.
- ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 2, 2014.
- ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved September 2, 2013.
- ^ Based on 2000 census data
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
- ^ "Adams County Correctional Center." Corrections Corporation of America. Retrieved on June 28, 2016. "20 Hobo Fork Road, Natchez, MS 39120"
- ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved November 15, 2016.
Sources
edit- Brieger, James. Hometown, Mississippi. ISBN 1-886017-27-1
External links
edit- Media related to Adams County, Mississippi at Wikimedia Commons
- Mississippi Courthouses – Adams County
- Adams County Interactive Oil Well Map Mississippi Oil Journal
- Adams County Police and Miscellaneous County Records, Special Collections at The University of Southern Mississippi.