Wikipedia

Lee County, Mississippi

Lee County is a county in U.S. state of Mississippi. At the 2020 census, the population was 83,343. Its county seat is Tupelo. Lee County is included in the Tupelo Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Lee County, Mississippi
County
Clock tower of the Lee County Courthouse
Clock tower of the Lee County Courthouse
Map of Mississippi highlighting Lee County
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Country United States
State Mississippi
FoundedOctober 26, 1866
(159 years ago) (1866-10-26)
Named afterGen. Robert E. Lee
SeatTupelo
Largest cityTupelo
Area
 • Total
453 sq mi (1,170 km2)
 • Land450 sq mi (1,200 km2)
 • Water3.2 sq mi (8.3 km2)  0.7%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
83,343
 • Estimate 
(2025)
83,731 Increase
 • Density190/sq mi (72/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes
38801, 38804, 38824, 38826, 38828, 38843, 38849, 38857, 38858, 38860, 38862, 38866, 38868, 38879
Area code662
Congressional district1st
Websiteleecoms.com

History

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Lee County was established by the Mississippi Legislature on October 26, 1866, and named for General Robert E. Lee,[1] General in Chief of the Armies of the Confederate States. It was formed from Itawamba and Pontotoc counties; therefore, the record and list of early settlers mentioned in those counties embrace a great number who were residents of what is present day Lee County.[2]

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 453 square miles (1,170 km2), of which 450 square miles (1,200 km2) is land and 3.2 square miles (8.3 km2) (0.7%) is water.[3]

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

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National protected areas

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
187015,955—
188020,47028.3%
189020,040−2.1%
190021,9569.6%
191028,89431.6%
192029,6182.5%
193035,31319.2%
194038,83810.0%
195038,237−1.5%
196040,5896.2%
197046,14813.7%
198057,06123.6%
199065,58114.9%
200075,75515.5%
201082,9109.4%
202083,3430.5%
2025 (est.)83,731[4] Increase0.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]
1790-1960[6] 1900-1990[7]
1990-2000[8] 2010-2013[9] 2018[10]
Family in a wagon in Lee County, 1935. Photo by Arthur Rothstein.

Racial and ethnic composition

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Lee County, Mississippi – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 1980[11] Pop 1990[12] Pop 2000[13] Pop 2010[14] Pop 2020[15] % 1980 % 1990 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 45,019 51,059 55,367 56,854 52,854 78.90% 77.86% 73.09% 68.57% 63.42%
Black or African American alone (NH) 11,538 13,972 18,495 22,498 24,131 20.22% 21.30% 24.41% 27.14% 28.95%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 36 57 93 120 94 0.06% 0.09% 0.12% 0.14% 0.11%
Asian alone (NH) 71 129 393 513 920 0.12% 0.20% 0.52% 0.62% 1.10%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) x [16] x [17] 7 19 25 x x 0.01% 0.02% 0.03%
Other race alone (NH) 30 4 24 33 181 0.05% 0.01% 0.03% 0.04% 0.22%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) x [18] x [19] 494 882 2,310 x x 0.65% 1.06% 2.77%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 367 360 882 1,991 2,828 0.64% 0.55% 1.16% 2.40% 3.39%
Total 57,061 65,581 75,755 82,910 83,343 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2020 census

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As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 83,343. The median age was 39.4 years. 23.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 91.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 88.3 males age 18 and over.[20][21]

The racial makeup of the county was 64.1% White, 29.1% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.0% from some other race, and 3.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.4% of the population.[21]

48.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 51.7% lived in rural areas.[22]

There were 33,499 households in the county, of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 44.5% were married-couple households, 18.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 31.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[20]

There were 37,261 housing units, of which 10.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 67.9% were owner-occupied and 32.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 14.9%.[20]

2000 census

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As of the census[23] of 2000, there were 75,755 people, 29,200 households, and 20,819 families residing in the county. The population density was 168 inhabitants per square mile (65/km2). There were 31,887 housing units at an average density of 71 per square mile (27/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 73.66% White, 24.51% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. 1.16% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 29,200 households, out of which 36.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.60% were married couples living together, 14.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.70% were non-families. 25.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.05. In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.70% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 30.50% from 25 to 44, 21.80% from 45 to 64, and 11.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.50 males. The median income for a household in the county was $36,165, and the median income for a family was $43,149. Males had a median income of $31,039 versus $22,235 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,956. About 10.50% of families and 13.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.90% of those under age 18 and 15.50% of those age 65 or over. Lee County has the ninth highest per capita income in the state of Mississippi.

Communities

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Cities

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Towns

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Census-designated places

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Unincorporated communities

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Education

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Lee County is served by the Baldwyn, Lee County, Nettleton, and Tupelo school districts.[24]

Politics

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Lee County has been a Republican stronghold since the mid-1980s. The last Democratic presidential candidate who carried this county was Jimmy Carter in the election of 1980.

United States presidential election results for Lee County, Mississippi[25][26]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
1912 39 2.62% 1,390 93.54% 57 3.84%
1916 91 5.12% 1,683 94.60% 5 0.28%
1920 302 15.38% 1,652 84.11% 10 0.51%
1924 152 5.48% 2,621 94.52% 0 0.00%
1928 367 11.75% 2,757 88.25% 0 0.00%
1932 129 3.36% 3,704 96.51% 5 0.13%
1936 42 1.16% 3,585 98.84% 0 0.00%
1940 120 3.05% 3,814 96.93% 1 0.03%
1944 230 6.15% 3,509 93.85% 0 0.00%
1948 82 2.13% 636 16.54% 3,128 81.33%
1952 2,002 32.42% 4,174 67.58% 0 0.00%
1956 929 18.01% 3,883 75.30% 345 6.69%
1960 1,550 23.34% 3,653 55.01% 1,438 21.65%
1964 5,165 68.19% 2,409 31.81% 0 0.00%
1968 2,522 18.45% 1,912 13.99% 9,232 67.55%
1972 10,730 82.60% 1,632 12.56% 629 4.84%
1976 7,366 45.10% 8,504 52.07% 463 2.83%
1980 8,326 44.08% 10,047 53.19% 516 2.73%
1984 13,312 67.47% 6,208 31.46% 210 1.06%
1988 13,767 66.42% 6,604 31.86% 357 1.72%
1992 12,231 54.36% 7,710 34.27% 2,560 11.38%
1996 11,815 54.48% 8,438 38.91% 1,433 6.61%
2000 15,551 61.97% 9,142 36.43% 401 1.60%
2004 20,254 66.14% 10,127 33.07% 240 0.78%
2008 22,694 64.91% 12,021 34.39% 245 0.70%
2012 22,415 63.49% 12,563 35.58% 328 0.93%
2016 22,220 67.51% 10,029 30.47% 664 2.02%
2020 24,207 65.51% 12,189 32.98% 558 1.51%
2024 24,339 68.87% 10,616 30.04% 383 1.08%

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States (Report). U.S. Geological survey. Bulletin no. 258 (2nd ed.). Washington: Government Printing Office. p. 184. LCCN 05000751. OCLC 1156805 – via United States Geological Survey.
  2. ↑ Lowry, Robert; McCardle, William H. (1891). A History of Mississippi, From the Discovery of the Great River by Hernando De Soto, Including the Earliest Settlement Made by the French, Under Iberville, to the Death of Jefferson Davis. Jackson, Miss.: R. H. Henry & Co. p. 520. LCCN 01002485. OCLC 2109804. OL 271554M.
  3. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  4. ↑ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2025". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  5. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  8. ↑ "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 6, 2014.
  9. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Lee County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  11. ↑ "1980 Census of Population - General Social and Economic Characteristics - Mississippi - Table 58 - Race by Sex: 1980 and Table 59 - Persons by Spanish Origin, Race, and Sex: 1980" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 17-32. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 7, 2022 – via Wayback Machine.
  12. ↑ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Mississippi: Table 6 - Race and Hispanic Origin" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 9-37. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 21, 2024 – via Wayback Machine.
  13. ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Lee County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau.
  14. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lee County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau.
  15. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lee County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau.
  16. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  17. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  18. ↑ not an option in the 1980 Census
  19. ↑ not an option in the 1990 Census
  20. 1 2 3 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  21. 1 2 "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  22. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  23. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  24. ↑ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Lee County, MS" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 1, 2022. Retrieved July 31, 2022. - Text list
  25. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  26. ↑ Clark, Eric (March 22, 2005). "Certification of Presidential Electors" (PDF). Secretary of State of Mississippi. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 1, 2024. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
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