Jefferson County, Mississippi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Jefferson County, Mississippi | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Mississippi |
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| Statistics | |
| Formed | |
|---|---|
| Seat | Fayette |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
1,365 km² (527 mi²) 1,345 km² (519 mi²) 20 km² (8 mi²), 1.48% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
9,740 7/km² |
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of 2000, the population is 9,740. Its county seat is Fayette6. It is known for having highest county percentage of African Americans in the United States.
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[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,365 km² (527 mi²). 1,345 km² (519 mi²) of it is land and 20 km² (8 mi²) of it (1.48%) is water.
[edit] Major Highways
[edit] Adjacent Counties
- Claiborne County (north)
- Copiah County (northeast)
- Lincoln County (southeast)
- Franklin County (south)
- Adams County (southwest)
- Tensas Parish, Louisiana (west)
[edit] Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 9,740 people, 3,308 households, and 2,338 families residing in the county. The population density was 7/km² (19/mi²). There were 3,819 housing units at an average density of 3/km² (7/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 13.06% White, 86.49% Black or African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.02% from other races, and 0.24% from two or more races. 0.66% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Jefferson County has the highest percentage of black residents out of all U.S. counties.
There were 3,308 households out of which 36.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.00% were married couples living together, 28.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.30% were non-families. 27.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.36.
In the county the population was spread out with 28.80% under the age of 18, 12.10% from 18 to 24, 28.50% from 25 to 44, 19.60% from 45 to 64, and 10.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 99.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $18,447, and the median income for a family was $23,188. Males had a median income of $25,726 versus $18,000 for females. The per capita income for the county was $9,709. About 32.50% of families and 36.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 46.00% of those under age 18 and 34.40% of those age 65 or over. The county's per-capita income makes it one of the poorest counties in the United States.
[edit] Trivia
According to a May 2004 Time Magazine article on obesity in the United States, Jefferson County had the highest percentage of obese residents (26.1%) of any county in the U.S. In that context, the percentage measured were those with a body mass index between 30 and 40 (Anything greater than 40 is morbid obesity).
