Wayne County, MS

County

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2024 Population

19,718

US Senator

Roger Wicker

Republican Party

US Senator

Cindy Hyde-Smith

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

39.4

0.767% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

22.8%

0.154% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$37,619

2.25% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$91,100

3.52% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

7,844

4.05% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Wayne 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.

97.1% of the residents in Wayne County, MS are U.S. citizens.

In 2024, the median property value in Wayne County, MS was $91,100, and the homeownership rate was 85.3%.

Most people in Wayne County, MS drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 32.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Wayne County, MS was 2 cars per household.

Wayne County, MS borders Choctaw County, AL, Washington County, AL, Clarke County, MS, Greene County, MS, Jasper County, MS, Jones County, MS, and Perry County, MS.

United States Mississippi

Population & Diversity

Wayne County, MS is home to a population of 19.7k people, from which 97.1% are citizens. As of 2024, 3.12% of Wayne County, MS residents were born outside of the country (615 people).

In 2024, there were 1.49 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (11.1k people) in Wayne County, MS than any other race or ethnicity. There were 7.47k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 478 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.1%

2024 Citizenship

96%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 97.1% of Wayne County, MS residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Wayne County, MS was 96%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Wayne County, MS

White (Non-Hispanic)
11.1k ± 22
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
7.47k ± 526
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
478 ± 231

2.2%

Hispanic Population

433 people

2.2% of the people in Wayne County, MS are hispanic (433 people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Wayne 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
15,967 ± 3,094 people
Honduras
6,221 ± 1,934 people
Guatemala
4,623 ± 1,668 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Mississippi was Mexico, the natal country of 15,967 Mississippi residents, followed by Honduras with 6,221 and Guatemala with 4,623.

Foreign-Born Population

3.12%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

615 people

4.3%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

848 people

As of 2024, 3.12% of Wayne County, MS residents (615 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 Wayne County, MS was 4.3%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
288 ± 118
Gulf War (1990s)
134 ± 112
Gulf War (2001-)
119 ± 102

Wayne County, MS has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.15 times greater than any other conflict.

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

Health

84.8% of the population of Wayne County, MS has health coverage, with 31.2% on employee plans, 26.6% on Medicaid, 11.6% on Medicare, 14.2% on non-group plans, and 1.3% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Wayne County, MS see 3,285 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (3,285 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 6560 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 1516 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.3% were men and 50.7% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

3,285 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Wayne County, MS

Primary care physicians in Wayne County, MS see an average of 3,285 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (3,285 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.5% under 18 years, 20.2% between 18 and 34 years, 36.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.3% were men and 50.7% were women.

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

Uninsured People

15.2%

Uninsured

31.2%

Employer Coverage

26.6%

Medicaid

11.6%

Medicare

14.2%

Non-Group

1.3%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Wayne County, MS declined by 7.53% from 16.4% to 15.2%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Wayne 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 average number of mentally unhealthy days reported in past 30 days (age-adjusted) was 5.58 in Wayne County, MS.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Wayne 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 45.5% in Wayne County, MS.

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

Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 16.3% in Wayne County, MS.

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

Economy

The economy of Wayne County, MS employs 7.84k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Wayne County, MS were Manufacturing (1,606 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,086 people), and Educational Services (888 people), and the highest paying industries were Wholesale Trade ($113,125), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($70,233), and Transportation & Warehousing ($61,090).

Employment

Occupations

7.84k

2024 Value

± 807

4.05%

1 Year growth

± 14.4%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Wayne County, MS grew at a rate of 4.05%, from 7.54k employees to 7.84k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Wayne County, MS, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (985 people), Production Occupations (797 people), and Building & Grounds Cleaning & Maintenance Occupations (557 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Wayne 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

7.84k

2024 Value

± 807

4.05%

1 Year growth

± 14.4%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Wayne County, MS grew at a rate of 4.05%, from 7.54k employees to 7.84k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Wayne County, MS, are Manufacturing (1,606 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,086 people), and Educational Services (888 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Wayne County, MS, though some of these residents may live in Wayne County, MS and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$38,909

Median earning men ± $5,442

$24,781

Median earning women ± $2,189

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Wholesale Trade ($168,750), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($60,288), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($49,450).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($62,873), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($35,071), and Public Administration ($31,145).

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

38
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
33
Other Services (except Public Administration)
29
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

$48.2k
Manufacturing
$32.2k
Wholesale Trade
$29k
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 Wayne 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.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Wayne County, MS was $91,100 in 2024, which is 0.274 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $88,000 to $91,100, a 3.52% increase. The homeownership rate in Wayne County, MS is 85.3%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Wayne County, MS have an average commute time of 32.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Wayne County, MS is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 9.91% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Wayne County, MS. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 3.99%.

Housing

Property

$91,100

Median Property Value 2024

±$8,311

$6,553

Median Property Taxes

±$689

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

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

Rent vs Own

85.3%

Homeownership

2024

63%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 85.3% of the housing units in Wayne County, MS were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 88.3%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Wayne 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.

$37,619

Median Household Income

± $5,069

7.68k

Number of Households

± 762

In 2024, the median household income of the 7.68k households in Wayne County, MS grew to $37,619 from the previous year's value of $36,791.

The following chart displays the households in Wayne 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 $15k - $20k range.

Wage Distribution

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

0.447

2024 Wage GINI in Mississippi

0.45

2023 Wage GINI in Mississippi

In 2024, the income inequality in Mississippi was 0.447 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.74% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Mississippi was lower than than the national average of 0.474. 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 (85.1%)
Carpooled (8.41%)
Worked At Home (4%)

In 2024, 85.1% of workers in Wayne County, MS drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.41%) and those who worked at home (4%).

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

32.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Wayne County, MS have a longer commute time (32.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 6.02% of the workforce in Wayne County, MS have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 9.91% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Wayne County, MS. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 3.99%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

22.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Wayne County, MS (4.49k out of 19.7k 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 Males 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Wayne 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.