Adams County, Mississippi

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Adams County, Mississippi
The Adams County Courthouse at 201 South Wall Street in Natchez was built in 1821 and enlarged in 1925.
Location in the state of Mississippi
Mississippi's location in the U.S.
Founded	1799
Named for	John Adams
Seat	Natchez
Largest city	Natchez
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	488 sq mi (1,264 km²) 462 sq mi (1,197 km²) 25 sq mi (65 km²), 5.2
Population  - (2020)  - Density	29,538
Congressional district	3rd
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5
Website	https://www.adamscountyms.net/

Stone wall provides protection to Natchez, Mississippi from the Mississippi River.

A portion of the historic Natchez City Cemetery in Adams County

Adams County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 29,538. The county seat is Natchez.

The county is the first to have been organized in the former Mississippi Territory. It is named for the second President of the United States, John Adams, who held that office when the county was organized in 1799. Adams County is part of the Natchez micropolitan area which consists of Adams County, Mississippi and Concordia Parish, Louisiana.

History

Adams County was created on April 2, 1799, from part of Pickering Territorial County. The county was organized eighteen years before Mississippi became a state. Four Mississippi governors have come from Adams County: David Holmes, George Poindexter, John A. Quitman, and Gerard Brandon.

In 1860, before the US Civil War, Adams County was the richest county in the United States.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 488 square miles (1,260 km²), of which 462 square miles (1,200 km²) is land and 25 square miles (65 km²) (5.2%) is water.

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 61
• U.S. Highway 84
• U.S. Highway 98
• U.S. Highway 425
• Natchez Trace Parkway

Adjacent counties

• Jefferson County (north)
• Franklin County (east)
• Wilkinson County (south)
• Concordia Parish, Louisiana (southwest)
• Tensas Parish, Louisiana (northwest)

National protected areas

• Homochitto National Forest (part)
• Natchez National Historical Park
• Natchez Trace Parkway (part)
• St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1800	4,660		—
1810	10,002		114.6%
1820	12,076		20.7%
1830	14,937		23.7%
1840	19,434		30.1%
1850	18,601		−4.3%
1860	20,165		8.4%
1870	19,084		−5.4%
1880	22,649		18.7%
1890	26,031		14.9%
1900	30,111		15.7%
1910	25,265		−16.1%
1920	22,183		−12.2%
1930	23,564		6.2%
1940	27,238		15.6%
1950	32,256		18.4%
1960	37,730		17.0%
1970	37,293		−1.2%
1980	38,035		2.0%
1990	35,356		−7.0%
2000	34,340		−2.9%
2010	32,297		−5.9%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020

Age pyramid Adams County

2020 census

Adams County Racial Composition

Race	Num.	Perc.
White	10,926	36.99%
Black or African American	16,709	56.57%
Native American	56	0.19%
Asian	165	0.56%
Pacific Islander	7	0.02%
Other/Mixed	663	2.24%
Hispanic or Latino	1,012	3.43%

As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 29,538 people, 11,237 households, and 6,650 families residing in the county.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 32,297 people living in the county. 53.5% were Black or African American, 42.7% White, 0.4% Asian, 0.3% Native American, 1.7% of some other race and 1.4% of two or more races. 6.7% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 34,340 people, 13,677 households, and 9,409 families living in the county. The population density was 75 people per square mile (29/km²).

There were 15,175 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile (13/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 52.76% Black or African American, 46.04% White, 0.14% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. 0.79% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 13,677 households, out of which 31.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.80% were married couples living together, 21.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.20% were non-families. 28.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.80% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 25.60% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 15.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,234, and the median income for a family was $29,591. Males had a median income of $30,260 versus $20,383 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,778. About 22.90% of families and 25.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.80% of those under age 18 and 19.20% of those aged 65 or over.

Education

Alcorn State University, a historically black college that was designated as a land-grant institution, has its School of Business and School of Nursing at Natchez. The School of Business offers Masters of Business Administration degree and some undergraduate classes at the School of Business, Natchez campus. Adjacent to the Natchez campus of Alcorn State University is Copiah-Lincoln Community College.

Economy

Adams County Correctional Center, a private prison operated by the Corrections Corporation of America on behalf of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, is in an unincorporated area in the county.

Top employers

The top employers of Adams County are as follows:
1. Natchez-Adams School District (620)
2. Merit Health Natchez (425)
3. Adams County Correctional Center (380)
4. Walmart (365)
5. City of Natchez (275)
6. Magnolia Bluffs Casino (250)
7. Jordan Carriers (250)
8. Supermarket Operations (250)
9. Adams County Government (220)
10. Energy Drilling (220)

Communities

City

• Natchez (county seat and only municipality)

Census-designated places

• Cloverdale
• Morgantown

Unincorporated communities

• Cranfield
• Kingston
• Pine Ridge
• Sibley
• Stanton
• Washington

Ghost/extinct towns

• Arnot
• Briers
• Ellis Cliffs
• Hutchins Landing
• Kienstra
• Selsertown

Politics

United States presidential election results for Adams County, Mississippi

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	5,696	41.40%	7,917	57.54%	146	1.06%
2016	5,874	42.45%	7,757	56.06%	205	1.48%
2012	6,293	40.74%	9,061	58.66%	93	0.60%
2008	6,566	41.83%	9,021	57.47%	109	0.69%
2004	6,996	45.20%	8,423	54.42%	60	0.39%
2000	6,691	44.97%	8,065	54.20%	123	0.83%
1996	5,378	37.29%	8,218	56.99%	825	5.72%
1992	5,831	36.73%	8,255	51.99%	1,791	11.28%
1988	8,116	50.74%	7,732	48.34%	146	0.91%
1984	9,440	54.32%	7,849	45.17%	89	0.51%
1980	7,523	48.97%	7,228	47.05%	612	3.98%
1976	6,431	46.40%	6,619	47.75%	811	5.85%
1972	8,500	67.16%	3,697	29.21%	460	3.63%
1968	1,475	10.93%	5,214	38.62%	6,812	50.46%
1964	5,900	84.37%	1,093	15.63%	0	0.00%
1960	1,227	23.57%	1,452	27.90%	2,526	48.53%
1956	1,664	40.64%	1,279	31.24%	1,151	28.11%
1952	2,372	58.29%	1,697	41.71%	0	0.00%
1948	95	4.32%	71	3.23%	2,034	92.45%
1944	282	14.69%	1,638	85.31%	0	0.00%
1940	166	8.15%	1,869	91.80%	1	0.05%
1936	124	6.67%	1,732	93.12%	4	0.22%
1932	384	21.11%	1,420	78.06%	15	0.82%
1928	840	38.59%	1,337	61.41%	0	0.00%
1924	304	26.30%	836	72.32%	16	1.38%
1920	114	15.02%	642	84.58%	3	0.40%
1916	42	5.88%	671	93.98%	1	0.14%
1912	31	4.06%	491	64.35%	241	31.59%

Adams County, typical of other counties in the Solid South, was heavily Democratic during the first half of the 20th century. After supporting Dixiecrat Strom Thurmond in 1948, it began to lean more Republican, and remained that way until the 1980s. Since 1992, Adams County has returned to the Democratic fold.

See also

• Jefferson College
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Adams County, Mississippi

Sources

• Brieger, James. Hometown, Mississippi. ISBN 1-886017-27-1

External links

• Adams County Courthouse Pictures
• Adams County Interactive Oil Well Map Mississippi Oil Journal