Pontotoc County, MS

County

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2024 Population

31,550

US Senator

Roger Wicker

Republican Party

US Senator

Cindy Hyde-Smith

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

35.9

0.56% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

16.7%

12.1% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$51,484

2.38% 1-year decline

2024 Median Property Value

$157,100

10.9% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

13,822

0.167% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Pontotoc County, MS reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.9% of the residents in Pontotoc County, MS are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Pontotoc County, MS are KC's School of Hair Design (41 degrees awarded in 2023).

In 2024, the median property value in Pontotoc County, MS was $157,100, and the homeownership rate was 69.8%.

Most people in Pontotoc County, MS drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 26.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Pontotoc County, MS was 2 cars per household.

Pontotoc County, MS borders Lee County, MS, Calhoun County, MS, Chickasaw County, MS, Lafayette County, MS, and Union County, MS.

United States Mississippi Tupelo, MS

Population & Diversity

Pontotoc County, MS is home to a population of 31.6k people, from which 97.9% are citizens. As of 2024, 2.48% of Pontotoc County, MS residents were born outside of the country (783 people).

In 2024, there were 5.05 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (23.4k people) in Pontotoc County, MS than any other race or ethnicity. There were 4.63k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 1.38k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.9%

2024 Citizenship

97.3%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 97.9% of Pontotoc County, MS residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Pontotoc County, MS was 97.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Pontotoc County, MS compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Pontotoc County, MS

White (Non-Hispanic)
23.4k ± 264
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
4.63k ± 371
Other (Hispanic)
1.38k ± 340

7.14%

Hispanic Population

2.25k people

7.14% of the people in Pontotoc County, MS are hispanic (2.25k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Pontotoc County, MS as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Mississippi.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
17,149 ± 3,206 people
Honduras
5,066 ± 1,746 people
India
4,341 ± 1,616 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Mississippi was Mexico, the natal country of 17,149 Mississippi residents, followed by Honduras with 5,066 and India with 4,341.

Foreign-Born Population

2.48%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

783 people

3.1%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

970 people

As of 2024, 2.48% of Pontotoc County, MS residents (783 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Pontotoc County, MS was 3.1%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Pontotoc County, MS compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (1990s)
336 ± 185
Vietnam
239 ± 104
Gulf War (2001-)
224 ± 131

Pontotoc County, MS has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (1990s), 1.41 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Pontotoc County, MS.

Economy

The economy of Pontotoc County, MS employs 13.8k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Pontotoc County, MS were Manufacturing (3,687 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,909 people), and Retail Trade (1,710 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($70,802), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($55,179), and Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation ($52,596).

Employment

Occupations

13.8k

2024 Value

± 1,024

0.167%

1 Year growth

± 10.4%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Pontotoc County, MS grew at a rate of 0.167%, from 13.8k employees to 13.8k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Pontotoc County, MS, are Production Occupations (2,491 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,665 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (1,329 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Pontotoc County, MS.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Mississippi (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

13.8k

2024 Value

± 1,024

0.167%

1 Year growth

± 10.4%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Pontotoc County, MS grew at a rate of 0.167%, from 13.8k employees to 13.8k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Pontotoc County, MS, are Manufacturing (3,687 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,909 people), and Retail Trade (1,710 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Pontotoc County, MS, though some of these residents may live in Pontotoc County, MS and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$46,629

Median earning men ± $3,403

$36,157

Median earning women ± $1,629

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($73,544), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($60,446), and Manufacturing ($52,075).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($55,234), Construction ($41,250), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($40,848).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.

Y-Axis

1.38%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 1.17M people employed in Mississippi. This represents a 1.38% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 12.5%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Mississippi.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

58
Retail Trade
38
Other Services (except Public Administration)
26
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$302k
Manufacturing
$38.7k
Transportation and Warehousing
$36.5k
Health Care and Social Assistance

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Mississippi went to Donald J. Trump with 60.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (38%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.439%).

Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith are the senators currently representing the state of Mississippi. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Mississippi is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Pontotoc County, MS. Showing the available data for Mississippi.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (60.9%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (38%)
Democratic Party
Robert Kennedy (0.439%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Mississippi went to Donald J. Trump with 60.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (38%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.439%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Mississippi for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Mississippi

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.

Roger Wicker

Senator from Mississippi

Assumed office on December 31, 2007
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Trent Lott.

Cindy Hyde-Smith

Senator from Mississippi

Assumed office on April 9, 2018
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Thad Cochran.

Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith are the senators currently representing Mississippi.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Mississippi over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Education

In 2023, universities in Pontotoc County, MS awarded 41 degrees. The student population of Pontotoc County, MS in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 0 male students and 54 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Pontotoc County, MS are White (37 and 90.2%), Black or African American (3 and 7.32%), and Asian (1 and 2.44%).

The largest universities in Pontotoc County, MS by number of degrees awarded are KC's School of Hair Design (41 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Pontotoc County, MS are General Cosmetology (35 and 85.4%), Nail Specialist & Manicurist (4 and 9.76%), and Cosmetology, Barber, & Nail Instructor (2 and 4.88%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 54 students enrolled in Pontotoc County, MS, 0% men and 100% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 51 records, of which 100% were women and 0% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Cosmetology
35 degrees awarded
Cosmetology, Barber, & Nail Instructor
2 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate recipients in Pontotoc County, MS was N/A with N/A degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate from schools in Pontotoc County, MS according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

KC's School of Hair Design

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

41 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was KC's School of Hair Design with 41 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2023, 1 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Pontotoc County, MS, which is 0.025 times less than the 40 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 37 degrees mean that there were 12.3 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 3 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Pontotoc County, MS was $157,100 in 2024, which is 0.472 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $141,700 to $157,100, a 10.9% increase. The homeownership rate in Pontotoc County, MS is 69.8%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Pontotoc County, MS have an average commute time of 26.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Pontotoc County, MS is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 9.21% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Pontotoc County, MS. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 1.49%.

Housing

Property

$157,100

Median Property Value 2024

±$11,824

$8,244

Median Property Taxes

±$778

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Pontotoc County, MS the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Pontotoc County, MS compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

69.8%

Homeownership

2024

68.5%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 69.8% of the housing units in Pontotoc County, MS were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 70.6%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Pontotoc County, MS compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$51,484

Median Household Income

± $2,949

11.8k

Number of Households

± 936

In 2024, the median household income of the 11.8k households in Pontotoc County, MS declined from $51,484 from the previous year's value of $52,741.

The following chart displays the households in Pontotoc County, MS distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Pontotoc County, MS is from Mississippi.

0.45

2023 Wage GINI in Mississippi

0.452

2022 Wage GINI in Mississippi

In 2023, the income inequality in Mississippi was 0.45 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.442% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Mississippi was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Mississippi in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Mississippi across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (87.4%)
Carpooled (9.02%)
Worked At Home (2.51%)

In 2024, 87.4% of workers in Pontotoc County, MS drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.02%) and those who worked at home (2.51%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

26.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Pontotoc County, MS have a shorter commute time (26.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 3.38% of the workforce in Pontotoc County, MS have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Pontotoc County, MS compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Pontotoc County, MS distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Pontotoc County, MS have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 9.21% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Pontotoc County, MS. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 1.49%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

16.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Pontotoc County, MS (5.23k out of 31.3k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Females 6 - 11.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Pontotoc County, MS is White, followed by Black and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 18.7% of the children was living in poverty in Pontotoc County, MS. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 6.7%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2016, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 43.3 in Pontotoc County, MS. From 2014 to 2016, the indicator grew 10.8 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

87.8% of the population of Pontotoc County, MS has health coverage, with 42.4% on employee plans, 20.7% on Medicaid, 12.1% on Medicare, 11.3% on non-group plans, and 1.32% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Pontotoc County, MS see 5,241 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (5,241 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 10463 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 2426 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.9% were men and 50.1% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

5,241 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Pontotoc County, MS

Primary care physicians in Pontotoc County, MS see an average of 5,241 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (5,241 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Pontotoc County, MS in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 28% under 18 years, 20.7% between 18 and 34 years, 36.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.9% were men and 50.1% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

12.2%

Uninsured

42.4%

Employer Coverage

20.7%

Medicaid

12.1%

Medicare

11.3%

Non-Group

1.32%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Pontotoc County, MS grew by 1.06% from 12% to 12.2%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Pontotoc County, MS changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 65.8 in Pontotoc County, MS.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Pontotoc County, MS.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 43.4% in Pontotoc County, MS.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Pontotoc County, MS.