Harrison County, Mississippi

Harrison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 208,621,[1] making it the second-most populous county in Mississippi. Its county seats are Biloxi and Gulfport.[2] The county is named after U.S. President William Henry Harrison.[3]

Harrison County
County
Dan M. Russell Jr Federal Courthouse in Gulfport, Harrison County
Dan M. Russell Jr Federal Courthouse in Gulfport, Harrison County
Official seal of Harrison County
Seal
Map of Mississippi highlighting Harrison County
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Map of the United States highlighting Mississippi
Mississippi's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 30°25′N 89°05′W
Country United States
State Mississippi
Founded1841
Named forWilliam Henry Harrison
SeatBiloxi and Gulfport
Largest cityGulfport
Area
 • Total976 sq mi (2,530 km2)
 • Land574 sq mi (1,490 km2)
 • Water402 sq mi (1,040 km2)  41%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total208,621
 • Estimate 
(2021)
209,396 Increase
 • Density362/sq mi (140/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district4th
Websiteharrisoncountyms.gov

Harrison County is part of the Gulfport-Biloxi metropolitan area.

The county was severely damaged from both Hurricane Camille on August 17, 1969, and Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005, causing catastrophic effects.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 976 square miles (2,530 km2), of which 402 square miles (1,040 km2) (41%) are covered by water.[4] The Tchoutacabouffa River has its mouth at Biloxi Bay just north of the city of Biloxi. Gulfport, Mississippi, is the chief port in the state, with access to the Gulf of Mexico through a ship channel. This is the second-largest county in Mississippi by total area.

Wildlife

A single pond in the county contains the critically endangered dusky gopher frog.[5]

Major highways

Adjacent counties and parishes

National protected areas

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18504,875—
18604,819−1.1%
18705,79520.3%
18807,89536.2%
189012,48158.1%
190021,00268.3%
191034,65865.0%
192032,855−5.2%
193044,14334.4%
194050,79915.1%
195084,07365.5%
1960119,48942.1%
1970134,58212.6%
1980157,66517.2%
1990165,3654.9%
2000189,60114.7%
2010187,105−1.3%
2020208,62111.5%
2021 (est.)209,396[6]0.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2020[1]

2020 census
Harrison County racial composition[11]
Race Number Percent
White (non-Hispanic) 125,092 59.96%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 51,143 24.51%
Native American 786 0.38%
Asian 5,913 2.83%
Pacific Islander 257 0.12%
Other/mixed 11,454 5.49%
Hispanic or Latino 13,976 6.7%

As of the 2020 United States census, 208,621 people, 74,628 households, and 50,074 families were residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, 187,479 people, 71,538 households, and 48,574 families resided in the county. The population density was 326 people per square mile (126/km2). The 79,636 housing units had an average density of 137 per square mile (53/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 73.15% White, 21.09% African American, 0.45% Native American, 2.60% Asian, 0.99% from other races, and 1.72% from two or more races. About 2.59% of the population were Hispanic or Latinos of any race.

Of the 71,538 households, 33.5% had children under 18 living with them, 48.1% were married couples living together, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were not families. About 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.55, and the average family size was 3.07.

In the county, the age distribution was 26.0% under 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.10 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 97.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,624, and for a family was $41,445. Males had a median income of $29,867 versus $22,030 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,024. About 14.6% of the population and 11.6% of families were below the poverty line; 20.7% of those under 18 and 11.3% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Harrison County has the sixth-highest per capita income in Mississippi.

Corrections system

Harrison County has been studied by CNN and other media, which have reported on the beatings of inmates in the Harrison County Jail in Gulfport. Inmate Jessie Lee Williams Jr. died while in custody on February 4, 2006.[12] In 2006 and 2007, six Harrison County Sheriff's Department deputies pleaded guilty to crimes related to the abuse of inmates at the jail.[13] Sheriff Melvin Brisolara-R was elected in 2008, for Harrison County.

Communities
Water from the Tchoutacabouffa River is overflowing its banks near the intersection of Old Hwy 67 and MS 15 on September 29, 1998, after Hurricane Georges made landfall.

Cities

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Politics

Since 1964, Harrison County has voted overwhelmingly Republican. The last Democrat to receive over 40% of the vote was Jimmy Carter in 1976.

United States presidential election results for Harrison County, Mississippi[14]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 46,822 61.70% 27,728 36.54% 1,335 1.76%
2016 40,354 63.74% 21,169 33.44% 1,790 2.83%
2012 39,470 62.33% 23,119 36.51% 739 1.17%
2008 38,757 62.55% 22,673 36.59% 527 0.85%
2004 39,703 62.73% 23,076 36.46% 509 0.80%
2000 32,256 61.30% 19,142 36.38% 1,218 2.31%
1996 25,486 52.84% 18,775 38.92% 3,974 8.24%
1992 25,049 52.84% 15,268 32.21% 7,090 14.96%
1988 32,892 68.88% 14,439 30.24% 423 0.89%
1984 33,995 72.83% 12,495 26.77% 187 0.40%
1980 25,175 58.70% 16,318 38.05% 1,395 3.25%
1976 19,207 51.72% 16,569 44.61% 1,363 3.67%
1972 28,962 84.02% 4,761 13.81% 747 2.17%
1968 6,542 22.37% 4,549 15.55% 18,157 62.08%
1964 16,301 75.14% 5,393 24.86% 0 0.00%
1960 5,177 30.89% 8,961 53.47% 2,621 15.64%
1956 5,742 44.17% 6,549 50.37% 710 5.46%
1952 5,960 45.35% 7,181 54.65% 0 0.00%
1948 415 5.56% 692 9.28% 6,351 85.16%
1944 622 9.43% 5,976 90.57% 0 0.00%
1940 633 10.19% 5,577 89.75% 4 0.06%
1936 495 10.44% 4,208 88.78% 37 0.78%
1932 449 9.72% 4,124 89.28% 46 1.00%
1928 1,485 28.57% 3,712 71.43% 0 0.00%
1924 523 13.99% 3,044 81.41% 172 4.60%
1920 314 19.29% 1,270 78.01% 44 2.70%
1916 197 11.96% 1,395 84.70% 55 3.34%
1912 45 2.82% 1,292 80.95% 259 16.23%

Education

School districts include:[15]

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 150.
  4. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  5. Dusky gopher frog
  6. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2021". Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  7. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  9. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  10. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  11. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  12. "CNN.com - Anderson Cooper 360° Blog". www.cnn.com. Retrieved March 2, 2018.
  13. "Sixth Harrison County Sheriff's Department Officer Pleads Guilty"
  14. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
  15. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Harrison County, MS" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 31, 2022. Retrieved July 31, 2022. - Text list

Further reading
  • Burt, D.E. and H.L. Welch. (2007). Quality of water in selected wells, Harrison County, Mississippi, 1997-2005 [U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007-1287]. Reston, VA: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey.

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