Sunflower County, MS

County

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2024 Population

24,333

US Senator

Roger Wicker

Republican Party

US Senator

Cindy Hyde-Smith

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

37.1

1.33% 1-year decrease

2024 Poverty Rate

28.9%

3.42% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$39,956

0.767% 1-year decline

2024 Median Property Value

$100,300

3% 1-year decline

2024 Employed Population

8,811

0.25% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Sunflower 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.

98.3% of the residents in Sunflower County, MS are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Sunflower County, MS are Mississippi Delta Community College (393 degrees awarded in 2023).

In 2024, the median property value in Sunflower County, MS was $100,300, and the homeownership rate was 54.9%.

Most people in Sunflower County, MS drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 20.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Sunflower County, MS was 2 cars per household.

Sunflower County, MS borders Bolivar County, MS, Coahoma County, MS, Humphreys County, MS, Leflore County, MS, Tallahatchie County, MS, and Washington County, MS.

United States Mississippi Indianola, MS

Population & Diversity

Sunflower County, MS is home to a population of 24.3k people, from which 98.3% are citizens. As of 2024, 1.76% of Sunflower County, MS residents were born outside of the country (429 people).

In 2024, there were 3.17 times more Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents (17.7k people) in Sunflower County, MS than any other race or ethnicity. There were 5.58k White (Non-Hispanic) and 549 Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.3%

2024 Citizenship

98.8%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 98.3% of Sunflower County, MS residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Sunflower County, MS was 98.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Sunflower County, MS

Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
17.7k ± 184
White (Non-Hispanic)
5.58k ± 35
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
549 ± 96

2.84%

Hispanic Population

692 people

2.84% of the people in Sunflower County, MS are hispanic (692 people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Sunflower 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

1.76%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

429 people

1.28%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

323 people

As of 2024, 1.76% of Sunflower County, MS residents (429 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 Sunflower County, MS was 1.28%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
215 ± 94
Gulf War (2001-)
136 ± 120
Gulf War (1990s)
125 ± 78

Sunflower County, MS has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.58 times greater than any other conflict.

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

Economy

The economy of Sunflower County, MS employs 8.81k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Sunflower County, MS were Health Care & Social Assistance (1,619 people), Retail Trade (1,303 people), and Educational Services (1,025 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($91,154), Educational Services ($51,063), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($48,370).

Employment

Occupations

8.81k

2024 Value

± 708

0.25%

1 Year growth

± 11.3%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Sunflower County, MS grew at a rate of 0.25%, from 8.79k employees to 8.81k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Sunflower County, MS, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (869 people), Management Occupations (859 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (846 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Sunflower 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

8.81k

2024 Value

± 708

0.25%

1 Year growth

± 11.3%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Sunflower County, MS grew at a rate of 0.25%, from 8.79k employees to 8.81k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Sunflower County, MS, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,619 people), Retail Trade (1,303 people), and Educational Services (1,025 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Sunflower County, MS, though some of these residents may live in Sunflower County, MS and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$35,116

Median earning men ± $1,957

$30,375

Median earning women ± $4,031

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($155,833), Wholesale Trade ($46,197), and Manufacturing ($41,786).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($47,745), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($39,183), and Information ($38,500).

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

37
Retail Trade
28
Other Services (except Public Administration)
28
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

$67.1k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$50.7k
Transportation and Warehousing
$20.9k
Retail Trade

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 Sunflower 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 Sunflower County, MS awarded 393 degrees. The student population of Sunflower County, MS in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 742 male students and 1,295 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Sunflower County, MS are Black or African American (245 and 62.3%), White (125 and 31.8%), Hispanic or Latino (11 and 2.8%), and Unknown (9 and 2.29%).

The largest universities in Sunflower County, MS by number of degrees awarded are Mississippi Delta Community College (393 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Sunflower County, MS are Other Health Preparatory Programs (64 and 16.3%), Registered Nursing (42 and 10.7%), and General Studies (38 and 9.67%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 2,037 students enrolled in Sunflower County, MS, 36.4% men and 63.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Black or African American with 1,298 records, of which 64% were women and 36% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Other Health Preparatory Programs
64 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
42 degrees awarded
General Studies
38 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Sunflower County, MS was Other Health Preparatory Programs with 64 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Sunflower County, MS according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Mississippi Delta Community College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

393 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Mississippi Delta Community College with 393 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2023, 130 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Sunflower County, MS, which is 0.494 times less than the 263 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Black or African American students. These 245 degrees mean that there were 1.96 times more degrees awarded to Black or African American students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 125 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.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($3,450) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($90) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($1,400) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Sunflower County, MS was $100,300 in 2024, which is 0.301 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $103,400 to $100,300, a 3% decrease. The homeownership rate in Sunflower County, MS is 54.9%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Sunflower County, MS have an average commute time of 20.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Sunflower County, MS is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 16.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Sunflower County, MS. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 3.83%.

Housing

Property

$100,300

Median Property Value 2024

±$9,349

$4,414

Median Property Taxes

±$467

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 Sunflower County, MS the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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

Rent vs Own

54.9%

Homeownership

2024

59.9%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 54.9% of the housing units in Sunflower County, MS were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 56.3%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Sunflower 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.

$39,956

Median Household Income

± $4,403

8.03k

Number of Households

± 655

In 2024, the median household income of the 8.03k households in Sunflower County, MS declined from $39,956 from the previous year's value of $40,265.

The following chart displays the households in Sunflower 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 < $10k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Sunflower 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 (80.7%)
Carpooled (11.2%)
Worked At Home (5.62%)

In 2024, 80.7% of workers in Sunflower County, MS drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (11.2%) and those who worked at home (5.62%).

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

20.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Sunflower County, MS have a shorter commute time (20.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.82% of the workforce in Sunflower County, MS have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Sunflower 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 Sunflower County, MS distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Sunflower County, MS have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 16.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Sunflower County, MS. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 3.83%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

28.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Sunflower County, MS (6.13k out of 21.2k 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 6 - 11 and then Females 45 - 54.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Sunflower County, MS is Black, followed by White 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, 39.6% of the children was living in poverty in Sunflower County, MS. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 18.8%.

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 503 in Sunflower County, MS. From 2014 to 2016, the indicator grew 0 per 100,000 population.

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

Health

88.6% of the population of Sunflower County, MS has health coverage, with 30.6% on employee plans, 34.9% on Medicaid, 8.43% on Medicare, 13.6% on non-group plans, and 1.04% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Sunflower County, MS see 2,822 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,822 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2481 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 2719 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.2% were men and 52.8% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,822 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Sunflower County, MS

Primary care physicians in Sunflower County, MS see an average of 2,822 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,822 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 26.2% under 18 years, 24.2% between 18 and 34 years, 34.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.2% were men and 52.8% were women.

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

Uninsured People

11.4%

Uninsured

30.6%

Employer Coverage

34.9%

Medicaid

8.43%

Medicare

13.6%

Non-Group

1.04%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Sunflower County, MS grew by 0.349% from 11.4% to 11.4%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Sunflower 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 135 in Sunflower County, MS.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Sunflower 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 47.5% in Sunflower County, MS.

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