Itawamba County, Mississippi

Itawamba County, Mississippi
Location in the U.S. state of Mississippi
Mississippi's location in the U.S.
Founded	1836
Named for	Levi Colbert (Itawamba)
Seat	Fulton
Largest city	Fulton
Area
• Total	540 sq mi (1,399 km2)
• Land	533 sq mi (1,380 km2)
• Water	7.7 sq mi (20 km2), 1.4%
Population
• (2010)	23,401
• Density	44/sq mi (17/km²)
Congressional district	1st
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5

Itawamba County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2010 census, the population was 23,401. Its county seat is Fulton. The county was named for the Chickasaw leader Itawamba, known to English-speaking settlers as Levi Colbert. He was prominent during the Indian Removal period of the early 19th century, but died before his people left the area.

The county is part of the Tupelo, MS Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 540 square miles (1,400 km²), of which 533 square miles (1,380 km²) is land and 7.7 square miles (20 km²) (1.4%) is water.

Major highways

• Interstate 22
• U.S. Highway 78
• Mississippi Highway 23
• Mississippi Highway 25
• Natchez Trace Parkway

Adjacent counties

• Tishomingo County (northeast)
• Franklin County, Alabama (east)
• Marion County, Alabama (southeast)
• Monroe County (south)
• Lee County (west)
• Prentiss County (northwest)

National protected area

• Natchez Trace Parkway (part)
• Pharr Mounds (near Tupelo), 85-acre (340,000 m²) complex of earthwork burial mounds from the Middle Woodland period

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1840	5,375		—
1850	13,528		151.7%
1860	17,695		30.8%
1870	7,812		−55.9%
1880	10,663		36.5%
1890	11,708		9.8%
1900	13,544		15.7%
1910	14,526		7.3%
1920	15,647		7.7%
1930	18,225		16.5%
1940	19,922		9.3%
1950	17,216		−13.6%
1960	15,080		−12.4%
1970	16,847		11.7%
1980	20,518		21.8%
1990	20,017		−2.4%
2000	22,770		13.8%
2010	23,401		2.8%
Est. 2014	23,527		0.5%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013

As of the census of 2000, there were 22,770 people, 8,773 households, and 6,500 families residing in the county. The population density was 43 people per square mile (17/km²). There were 9,804 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile (7/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.47% White, 6.47% Black or African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.32% from other races, and 0.42% from two or more races. 0.99% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

In 2000, there were 8,773 households out of which 33.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.30% were married couples living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.90% were non-families. 23.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the county the population was spread out with 24.20% under the age of 18, 10.60% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 14.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,156, and the median income for a family was $36,793. Males had a median income of $29,231 versus $20,900 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,956. About 10.10% of families and 14.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.70% of those under age 18 and 23.60% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

City

• Fulton (county seat)

Towns

• Mantachie
• Tremont

Unincorporated communities

• Beans Ferry
• Bounds Crossroads
• Carolina
• Clay
• Dorsey
• Evergreen
• Fairview
• Kirkville
• Peaceful Valley
• Sandy Springs
• Tilden

Ghost towns

• Rara Avis
• Reedsville
• Ryan's Well
• Van Buren
• Wheeling
• Yale

Notable people

• Tammy Wynette, American country music legend, was born near Tremont.
• Delphia Spencer Hankins, an American supercentenarian, was born in Itawamba County.
• John E. Rankin, sixteen-term Democratic U.S. Congressman (1920-1952)
• Constance McMillen, whose attempt to take her girlfriend to the 2010 Itawamba County Agricultural High School Prom led to its cancellation by school officials, drawing international attention.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Itawamba County, Mississippi