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Lamar County, Mississippi

Coordinates: 31°13′N 89°31′W / 31.21°N 89.51°W / 31.21; -89.51
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lamar County, Mississippi
County
Lamar County Courthouse in Purvis
Lamar County Courthouse in Purvis
Map of Mississippi highlighting Lamar County
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Coordinates: 31°13′N 89°31′W / 31.21°N 89.51°W / 31.21; -89.51
Country United States
State Mississippi
Founded1904
Named afterLucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar
SeatPurvis
Largest communityWest Hattiesburg
Area
 • Total
500 sq mi (1,300 km2)
 • Land497 sq mi (1,290 km2)
 • Water3.4 sq mi (8.8 km2)  0.7%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
64,222
 • Estimate 
(2025)
67,403 Increase
 • Density129/sq mi (49.9/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district4th
Websitewww.lamarcountyms.gov/11/index.php

Lamar County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 64,222.[1] Its county seat is Purvis.[2] Named for Confederate Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar, the county was carved out of Marion County to the west in 1904.

Lamar County is part of the Hattiesburg metropolitan area. It is largely a rural county, except for its northeast quarter.

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 500 square miles (1,300 km2), of which 497 square miles (1,290 km2) is land and 3.4 square miles (8.8 km2) (0.7%) is water.[3]

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
191011,741—
192012,8699.6%
193012,848−0.2%
194012,096−5.9%
195013,2259.3%
196013,6753.4%
197015,20911.2%
198023,82156.6%
199030,42427.7%
200039,07028.4%
201055,65842.5%
202064,22215.4%
2025 (est.)67,403[4] Increase5.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]
1790-1960[6] 1900-1990[7]
1990-2000[8] 2010-2013[9]

Racial and ethnic composition

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Lamar County, Mississippi – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 1980[10] Pop 1990[11] Pop 2000[12] Pop 2010[13] Pop 2020[14] % 1980 % 1990 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 20,959 26,477 33,090 42,296 43,865 87.99% 87.03% 84.69% 75.99% 68.30%
Black or African American alone (NH) 2,539 3,628 5,027 10,834 14,296 10.66% 11.92% 12.87% 19.47% 22.26%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 15 37 61 109 108 0.06% 0.12% 0.16% 0.20% 0.17%
Asian alone (NH) 53 113 245 655 1,091 0.22% 0.37% 0.63% 1.18% 1.70%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) x [15] x [16] 4 19 50 x x 0.01% 0.03% 0.08%
Other race alone (NH) 13 1 12 33 206 0.05% 0.00% 0.03% 0.06% 0.32%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) x [17] x [18] 205 507 2,244 x x 0.52% 0.91% 3.49%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 242 168 426 1,205 2,362 1.02% 0.55% 1.09% 2.17% 3.68%
Total 23,821 30,424 39,070 55,658 64,222 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2020 census

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As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 64,222. The median age was 34.8 years. 25.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 13.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 90.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 86.8 males age 18 and over.[19][20]

The racial makeup of the county was 69.2% White, 22.4% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.9% from some other race, and 4.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.7% of the population.[20]

46.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 53.7% lived in rural areas.[21]

There were 25,001 households in the county, of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 48.3% were married-couple households, 16.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 29.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[19]

There were 27,434 housing units, of which 8.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 65.5% were owner-occupied and 34.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.3%.[19]

Politics

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Lamar County, historically, is one of the most conservative counties in Mississippi. The county has voted for Republican presidential candidates with 60 percent or more of the vote in the past twelve elections.

United States presidential election results for Lamar County, Mississippi[22][23][24]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
1912 16 3.17% 399 79.01% 90 17.82%
1916 89 10.09% 744 84.35% 49 5.56%
1920 192 21.74% 672 76.10% 19 2.15%
1924 80 8.78% 795 87.27% 36 3.95%
1928 410 36.35% 718 63.65% 0 0.00%
1932 31 2.90% 1,033 96.63% 5 0.47%
1936 91 6.97% 1,210 92.65% 5 0.38%
1940 55 4.57% 1,148 95.43% 0 0.00%
1944 93 8.03% 1,065 91.97% 0 0.00%
1948 36 2.45% 91 6.19% 1,342 91.35%
1952 1,034 45.07% 1,260 54.93% 0 0.00%
1956 429 24.97% 805 46.86% 484 28.17%
1960 636 27.26% 651 27.90% 1,046 44.83%
1964 3,372 90.99% 334 9.01% 0 0.00%
1968 546 10.27% 351 6.60% 4,422 83.14%
1972 5,022 88.38% 493 8.68% 167 2.94%
1976 4,056 54.71% 3,109 41.93% 249 3.36%
1980 5,395 63.13% 3,005 35.16% 146 1.71%
1984 7,929 79.85% 1,964 19.78% 37 0.37%
1988 9,145 77.86% 2,535 21.58% 66 0.56%
1992 8,259 63.37% 3,208 24.62% 1,565 12.01%
1996 8,609 67.39% 3,169 24.81% 996 7.80%
2000 12,795 77.07% 3,478 20.95% 329 1.98%
2004 16,410 80.19% 3,923 19.17% 132 0.65%
2008 18,497 77.36% 5,159 21.58% 254 1.06%
2012 19,101 76.74% 5,494 22.07% 294 1.18%
2016 18,751 76.25% 5,190 21.10% 651 2.65%
2020 20,704 72.68% 7,340 25.77% 441 1.55%
2024 20,775 73.75% 7,038 24.98% 358 1.27%

Government and infrastructure

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The Mississippi Department of Mental Health operates the South Mississippi State Hospital in unincorporated Lamar County, near Purvis.[25]

Communities

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Cities

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Town

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Census-designated places

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Other unincorporated communities

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Education

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School districts include:[26]

Former school districts:[27]

The county is in the service area of Pearl River Community College.[29]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Lamar County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  4. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2025". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  5. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  6. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. 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. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  10. ^ "1980 Census of Population - General Social and Economic Characteristics - Mississippi - Table 58 - Race by Sex: 1980 and Table 59 - Persons by Spanish Origin, Race, and Sex: 1980" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 17-32. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 7, 2022 – via Wayback Machine.
  11. ^ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Mississippi: Table 6 - Race and Hispanic Origin" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 9-37. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 21, 2024 – via Wayback Machine.
  12. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Lamar County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau.
  13. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lamar County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau.
  14. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lamar County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau.
  15. ^ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  16. ^ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  17. ^ not an option in the 1980 Census
  18. ^ not an option in the 1990 Census
  19. ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  20. ^ a b "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  21. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  22. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  23. ^ Watson, Michael (November 3, 2020). "Statewide Recapitulation Report" (PDF). Secretary of State of Mississippi. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 27, 2025. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
  24. ^ Watson, Michael (November 5, 2024). "Statewide Recapitulation Report" (PDF). Secretary of State of Mississippi. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 11, 2025. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
  25. ^ "Contact Us Archived 2012-03-14 at the Wayback Machine." South Mississippi State Hospital. Retrieved on November 1, 2010. "South Mississippi State Hospital 823 Highway 589 Purvis, MS 39475."
  26. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Lamar County, MS" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 13, 2022. Retrieved July 18, 2022. - Text list - In 2020 there were two school districts
  27. ^ "SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2010 CENSUS): Lamar County, MS" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 13, 2022. Retrieved July 18, 2022. - Text list - In 2010 there were three school districts
  28. ^ Ciurzak, Ellen (June 8, 2018). "Lawsuit fails to derail Lumberton schools consolidation". Hattiesburg American. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  29. ^ "2014-2016 Catalog" (PDF). Pearl River Community College. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 7, 2015. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
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  • Official City of Lumberton Business Website
  • Wikimedia Commons logo Media related to Lamar County, Mississippi at Wikimedia Commons
  • Mississippi Courthouses – Lamar County

31°13′N 89°31′W / 31.21°N 89.51°W / 31.21; -89.51

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