Lauderdale County, MS

County

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2022 Population

72,741

1.38% 1-year decline

US Senator

Roger Wicker

Republican Party

US Senator

Cindy Hyde-Smith

Republican Party

2022 Median Age

38.5

1.32% 1-year increase

2022 Poverty Rate

24.8%

4.6% 1-year increase

2022 Median Household Income

$45,649

5.42% 1-year growth

2022 Median Property Value

$121,900

10.6% 1-year growth

2022 Employed Population

29,057

2.5% 1-year decline

About

In 2022, Lauderdale County, MS had a population of 72.7k people with a median age of 38.5 and a median household income of $45,649. Between 2021 and 2022 the population of Lauderdale County, MS declined from 73,756 to 72,741, a −1.38% decrease and its median household income grew from $43,301 to $45,649, a 5.42% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Lauderdale County, MS are White (Non-Hispanic) (51.3%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (43.4%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (1.83%), White (Hispanic) (1.28%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (0.742%).

None of the households in Lauderdale 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.

99.2% of the residents in Lauderdale County, MS are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Lauderdale County, MS are Meridian Community College (744 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2022, the median property value in Lauderdale County, MS was $121,900, and the homeownership rate was 62.7%.

Most people in Lauderdale County, MS drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23 minutes. The average car ownership in Lauderdale County, MS was 2 cars per household.

Lauderdale County, MS borders Choctaw County, AL, Sumter County, AL, Clarke County, MS, Jasper County, MS, Kemper County, MS, Neshoba County, MS, and Newton County, MS.

United States Mississippi Meridian, MS

Population & Diversity

Lauderdale County, MS is home to a population of 72.7k people, from which 99.2% are citizens. As of 2022, 1.47% of Lauderdale County, MS residents were born outside of the country (1.07k people).

In 2022, there were 1.18 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (37.3k people) in Lauderdale County, MS than any other race or ethnicity. There were 31.6k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 1.33k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.2%

2022 Citizenship

99.2%

2021 Citizenship

As of 2022, 99.2% of Lauderdale County, MS residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.5%. In 2021, the percentage of US citizens in Lauderdale County, MS was 99.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Lauderdale County, MS

White (Non-Hispanic)
37.3k ± 172
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
31.6k ± 328
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
1.33k ± 384

2.25%

Hispanic Population

1.64k people

2.25% of the people in Lauderdale County, MS are hispanic (1.64k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Lauderdale 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
16,383 ± 3,134 people
India
5,084 ± 1,749 people
Guatemala
3,926 ± 1,537 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Mississippi was Mexico, the natal country of 16,383 Mississippi residents, followed by India with 5,084 and Guatemala with 3,926.

Foreign-Born Population

1.47%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

1.07k people

1.66%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

1.22k people

As of 2022, 1.47% of Lauderdale County, MS residents (1.07k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2021, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Lauderdale County, MS was 1.66%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
1,111 ± 261
Vietnam
1,091 ± 214
Gulf War (1990s)
784 ± 225

Lauderdale County, MS has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.02 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Lauderdale County, MS employs 29.1k people. The largest industries in Lauderdale County, MS are Health Care & Social Assistance (6,395 people), Retail Trade (3,326 people), and Manufacturing (2,962 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($86,875), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($84,143), and Information ($57,098).

Males in Mississippi have an average income that is 1.39 times higher than the average income of females, which is $46,477. The income inequality in Mississippi (measured using the Gini index) is 0.452, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

29.1k

2022 Value

± 1,435

−2.5%

1 Year decline

± 7.25%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Lauderdale County, MS declined at a rate of −2.5%, from 29.8k employees to 29.1k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Lauderdale County, MS, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (3,061 people), Sales & Related Occupations (2,927 people), and Management Occupations (2,280 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Lauderdale County, MS.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

29.1k

2022 Value

± 1,435

−2.5%

1 Year decline

± 7.25%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Lauderdale County, MS declined at a rate of −2.5%, from 29.8k employees to 29.1k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Lauderdale County, MS, are Health Care & Social Assistance (6,395 people), Retail Trade (3,326 people), and Manufacturing (2,962 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Lauderdale County, MS, though some of these residents may live in Lauderdale County, MS and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$41,184

Median earning men ± $3,835

$29,846

Median earning women ± $3,726

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2022 are Information ($71,875), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($70,037), and Wholesale Trade ($59,803).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2022 are Information ($55,223), Construction ($44,415), and Manufacturing ($41,908).

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

141
Retail Trade
137
Other Services (except Public Administration)
108
Retail Trade

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

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$316k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$128k
Retail Trade
$103k
Manufacturing

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

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Lauderdale County, MS went to Donald J. Trump with 57.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (41.5%), followed by Other (0.547%).

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

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (57.5%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (41.5%)
Democratic Party
Other (0.547%)
Green and Other Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Lauderdale County, MS went to Donald J. Trump with 57.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (41.5%), followed by Other (0.547%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Lauderdale County, MS for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

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.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Mississippi

Mississippi is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Mississippi have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Lauderdale County, MS awarded 744 degrees. The student population of Lauderdale County, MS in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 847 male students and 1,774 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Lauderdale County, MS are White (344 and 46.2%), followed by Black or African American (331 and 44.5%), Unknown (30 and 4.03%), and Hispanic or Latino (12 and 1.61%).

The largest universities in Lauderdale County, MS by number of degrees awarded are Meridian Community College (744 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Lauderdale County, MS are Other Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies, & Humanities (221 and 29.7%), Registered Nursing (111 and 14.9%), and Truck, Bus, & Commercial Vehicle Operator & Instructor (45 and 6.05%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2022 there were 2,621 students enrolled in Lauderdale County, MS, 32.3% men and 67.7% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Black or African American with 1,160 records, of which 73.6% were women and 26.4% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Other Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies, & Humanities
221 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
111 degrees awarded
Physical Therapy Technician
11 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Lauderdale County, MS was Other Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies, & Humanities with 221 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Meridian Community College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

744 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Meridian Community College with 744 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2022, 279 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Lauderdale County, MS, which is 0.6 times less than the 465 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 344 degrees mean that there were 1.04 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 331 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 ($3,552) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($259) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($2,000) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2022, 1.04% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.852% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (690k), Some college (543k), and Secondary Education (397k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Lauderdale County, MS was $121,900 in 2022, which is 0.432 times smaller than the national average of $281,900. Between 2021 and 2022 the median property value increased from $110,200 to $121,900, a 10.6% increase. The homeownership rate in Lauderdale County, MS is 62.7%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.8%.

People in Lauderdale County, MS have an average commute time of 23 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Lauderdale County, MS is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Lauderdale County, MS is $45,649. In 2022, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Lauderdale County, MS was Census Tract 11.01 with a value of $76,250, followed by Census Tract 103.01 and Census Tract 9800, with respective values of $69,673 and $66,250.

In 2023, 14.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Lauderdale County, MS. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 0.402%.

Housing

Property

$121,900

Median Property Value 2022

±$11,351

$17,766

Median Property Taxes

±$1,172

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

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

Rent vs Own

62.7%

Homeownership

2022

67.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2022

In 2022, 62.7% of the housing units in Lauderdale County, MS were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 63.1%.

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

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 11.01
Census Tract 103.01
Census Tract 9800

In 2022, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Lauderdale County, MS was Census Tract 11.01 with a value of $76,250, followed by Census Tract 103.01 and Census Tract 9800, with respective values of $69,673 and $66,250.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Lauderdale County, MS colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

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

$45,649

Median Household Income

± $2,295

28.3k

Number of Households

± 1,377

In 2022, the median household income of the 28.3k households in Lauderdale County, MS grew to $45,649 from the previous year's value of $43,301.

The following chart displays the households in Lauderdale 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 Lauderdale County, MS is from Mississippi.

0.452

2022 Wage GINI in Mississippi

0.45

2021 Wage GINI in Mississippi

In 2022, the income inequality in Mississippi was 0.452 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.553% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Mississippi was lower than than the national average of 0.478. 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 2022

Drove Alone (80.8%)
Carpooled (10.1%)
Worked At Home (4.02%)

In 2022, 80.8% of workers in Lauderdale County, MS drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (10.1%) and those who worked at home (4.02%).

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

23 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Lauderdale County, MS have a shorter commute time (23 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.7 minutes). Additionally, 3.28% of the workforce in Lauderdale County, MS have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 14.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Lauderdale County, MS. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 0.402%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

24.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Lauderdale County, MS (17.3k out of 69.6k 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 Males 25 - 34 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Lauderdale County, MS is Black, followed by White and Hispanic.

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 2023, 31.1% of the children was living in poverty in Lauderdale County, MS. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 9.2%.

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.

Health

90.1% of the population of Lauderdale County, MS has health coverage, with 37.1% on employee plans, 22.6% on Medicaid, 12.2% on Medicare, 15.2% on non-group plans, and 3.02% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Lauderdale County, MS see 1101 patients per year on average, which represents a 3.97% increase from the previous year (1059 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1386 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 304 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46% were men and 54% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,101 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Lauderdale County, MS

Primary care physicians in Lauderdale County, MS see an average of 1,101 patients per year. This represents a 3.97% increase from the previous year (1,059 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2022, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.7% under 18 years, 19.3% between 18 and 34 years, 37% between 35 and 64 years, and 18% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46% were men and 54% were women.

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

Uninsured People

9.92%

Uninsured

37.1%

Employer Coverage

22.6%

Medicaid

12.2%

Medicare

15.2%

Non-Group

3.02%

Military or VA

Between 2021 and 2022, the percent of uninsured citizens in Lauderdale County, MS grew by 2.87% from 9.64% to 9.92%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 94.3 in Lauderdale County, MS.

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

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, 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 40.9% in Lauderdale County, MS.

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