Lee County, Mississippi

Lee County, Mississippi
Location in the state of Mississippi
Mississippi's location in the U.S.
Founded	26 October 1866
Seat	Tupelo
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	453.14 sq mi (1,174 km²) 449.59 sq mi (1,164 km²) 3.55 sq mi (9 km²), 0.78%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	82,910 184/sq mi (71/km²)

Lee is a county in north east Mississippi. The county seat is Tupelo.

History

Lee was established on 26 October 1866 by the Mississippi State Legislature from parts of Itawamba and Pontotoc. It was named in honor of General Robert Edward Lee, General-in-Chief of the Armies of the Confederate States.

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 453.14 square miles (1,173.6 km²), of which 449.59 square miles (1,164.4 km²) (or 99.22%) is land and 3.55 square miles (9.2 km²) (or 0.78%) is water.

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 45
• U.S. Highway 78
• Mississippi Highway 6
• Natchez Trace Parkway

Adjacent counties

• Prentiss County (north)
• Itawamba County (east)
• Monroe County (southeast)
• Chickasaw County (southwest)
• Pontotoc County (west)
• Union County (northwest)

National protected areas

• Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site
• Natchez Trace Parkway (part)
• Tupelo National Battlefield

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1870	15,955		—
1880	20,470		28.3%
1890	20,040		−2.1%
1900	21,956		9.6%
1910	28,894		31.6%
1920	29,618		2.5%
1930	35,313		19.2%
1940	38,838		10.0%
1950	38,237		−1.5%
1960	40,589		6.2%
1970	46,148		13.7%
1980	57,061		23.6%
1990	65,581		14.9%
2000	75,755		15.5%
2010	82,910		9.4%
MS Counties 1900-1990 GeoHive - 2000 & 2010 statistics

As of the census of 2000, there were 75,755 people, 29,200 households, and 20,819 families residing in the county. The population density was 168 people per square mile (65/km²). There were 31,887 housing units at an average density of 71 per square mile (27/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 73.66% White, 24.51% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. 1.16% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 29,200 households out of which 36.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.60% were married couples living together, 14.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.70% were non-families. 25.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the county the population was spread out with 27.70% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 30.50% from 25 to 44, 21.80% from 45 to 64, and 11.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 92.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,165, and the median income for a family was $43,149. Males had a median income of $31,039 versus $22,235 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,956. About 10.50% of families and 13.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.90% of those under age 18 and 15.50% of those age 65 or over.

Lee County has the fourth highest per capita income in the State of Mississippi.

Communities

Family in a wagon, Lee County, August 1935, photograph by Arthur Rothstein

• Cities
  • Baldwyn (partly in Prentiss County)
  • Tupelo
  • Verona

• Towns
  • Guntown
  • Nettleton (partly in Monroe County)
  • Plantersville
  • Saltillo
  • Shannon
  • Sherman (mostly in Pontotoc County, small portion in Union County)

• Unincorporated places
  • Mooreville

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Lee County, Mississippi