Mississippi saw its first population decrease in 60 years, according to preliminary 2020 U.S. Census Bureau data released last month and Coahoma County and Quitman County led the pack in the North Delta in decline.
Preliminary numbers show Coahoma County lost 17.41 percent of its 2010 estimated population of 26,151. That rounds out to abotu 5,100 people moving out of the county over the past 10 years. That leaves Coahoma County with an estimated 2021 Census population of 21,000.
Exact county population figures will be released at a later date by the U.S. Census Bureau. The figures can be adjusted after receiving additional information from the state and local officials.
The 2018 estimated population for Coahoma County was 22,628
Quitman County saw the second highest decline in the state with an estimated population loss of 17.08 percent.
Counties in northwest Mississippi that saw an increase were Desoto with an increase of 16.38 percent and Lafayette with 14.36 pecent increase in population.
The data reported Mississippi’s resident population as 2,961,279 million people, marking a decrease of 6,018 since 2010. This is only the third time a population decrease in Mississippi has been recorded. The first was a decrease of 6,496 recorded in 1920, and the second was a decline of 773 recorded in 1960.
Mississippi was one of only three states to see a population decline in the 2020 census, though its decline was the smallest among them. Illinois’ population decreased by 18,124 and the state lost one of its 18 congressional seats as a result. West Virginia saw the greatest population decline, losing 59,278 residents.
The map below shows population changes by Mississippi county between 2010 and 2020, based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 Population Estimates Program. More detailed 2020 Census county-by-county data will be released later this year. Hover over counties to see the population change.
-- Article credit to Will Stribling of Mississippi Today --
