Itawamba County, Mississippi

Itawamba County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 23,863.^[1] Its county seat is Fulton.^[2] The county is part of the Tupelo, MS Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Itawamba County
County
Itawamba County Courthouse in Fulton
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Mississippi's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 34°17′N 88°22′W
Country	United States
State	Mississippi
Founded	1836
Named after	Levi Colbert (Itawamba)
Seat	Fulton
Largest city	Fulton
Area
• Total	540 sq mi (1,400 km2)
• Land	533 sq mi (1,380 km2)
• Water	7.7 sq mi (20 km2)  1.4%
Population  (2020)
• Total	23,863
• Density	44/sq mi (17/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	itawamba.gov

The county was named for Itawamba, an early 19th-century Chickasaw leader.^[3] He was prominent during the Indian Removal period of the early 19th century, but died before his people left the area.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 540 square miles (1,400 km²), of which 533 square miles (1,380 km²) is land and 7.7 square miles (20 km²) (1.4%) is water.^[4]

Major highways

• Interstate 22
• U.S. Highway 78
• Mississippi Highway 23
• Mississippi Highway 25
• Mississippi Highway 76
• Mississippi Highway 178
• Natchez Trace Parkway

Adjacent counties

• Tishomingo County - northeast
• Franklin County, Alabama - east
• Marion County, Alabama - southeast
• Monroe County - south
• Lee County - west
• Prentiss County - northwest

National protected area

• Natchez Trace Parkway (part)
• Pharr Mounds (near Tupelo), 85-acre (340,000 m²) complex of earthwork burial mounds from the Middle Woodland period

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1840	5,375		—
1850	13,528		151.7%
1860	17,695		30.8%
1870	7,812		−55.9%
1880	10,663		36.5%
1890	11,708		9.8%
1900	13,544		15.7%
1910	14,526		7.3%
1920	15,647		7.7%
1930	18,225		16.5%
1940	19,922		9.3%
1950	17,216		−13.6%
1960	15,080		−12.4%
1970	16,847		11.7%
1980	20,518		21.8%
1990	20,017		−2.4%
2000	22,770		13.8%
2010	23,401		2.8%
2020	23,863		2.0%
2023 (est.)	24,093	[5]	1.0%
US Decennial Census[6] 1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8] 1990-2000[9] 2010-2013[10] 2017[11]

2020 census

Itawamba County racial composition^[12]

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	21,129	88.54%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	1,623	6.8%
Native American	51	0.21%
Asian	50	0.21%
Other/Mixed	626	2.62%
Hispanic or Latino	384	1.61%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 23,863 people, 8,653 households, and 6,207 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States Census,^[13] there were 22,770 people, 8,773 households, and 6,500 families in the county. The population density was 43 inhabitants per square mile (17/km²). There were 9,804 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile (6.9/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.47% White, 6.47% Black or African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.32% from other races, and 0.42% from two or more races. 0.99% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

In 2000, there were 8,773 households, out of which 33.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.30% were married couples living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.90% were non-families. 23.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.95.

The county population contained 24.20% under the age of 18, 10.60% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 14.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,156, and the median income for a family was $36,793. Males had a median income of $29,231 versus $20,900 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,956. About 10.10% of families and 14.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.70% of those under age 18 and 23.60% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Itawamba County, Mississippi

City

• Fulton (county seat)

Towns

• Mantachie
• Tremont

Census-designated place

• Kirkville

Unincorporated communities

• Beans Ferry
• Bounds Crossroads
• Cadamy
• Carolina
• Clay
• Dorsey
• Tilden
• Turon

Ghost towns

• Rara Avis
• Ryan's Well
• Van Buren
• Wheeling
• Yale

Politics

Originally a Democratic stronghold, Itawamba County has, since 1984, swung heavily to the Republican party. In the 21st Century it has shifted further to the right in each subsequent election, and in 2024 it was the most Republican county in Mississippi.^[14]

United States presidential election results for Itawamba County, Mississippi^[15]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	9,523	89.66%	1,027	9.67%	71	0.67%
2020	9,438	87.24%	1,249	11.54%	132	1.22%
2016	8,470	86.99%	1,117	11.47%	150	1.54%
2012	7,393	79.34%	1,706	18.31%	219	2.35%
2008	7,663	77.01%	2,084	20.94%	204	2.05%
2004	6,833	70.34%	2,802	28.84%	79	0.81%
2000	5,424	63.33%	2,994	34.96%	146	1.70%
1996	3,490	48.22%	2,987	41.27%	760	10.50%
1992	4,142	47.54%	3,635	41.72%	936	10.74%
1988	4,535	58.95%	3,143	40.86%	15	0.19%
1984	4,587	62.96%	2,674	36.71%	24	0.33%
1980	2,906	37.00%	4,852	61.79%	95	1.21%
1976	2,153	32.11%	4,480	66.82%	72	1.07%
1972	4,419	89.20%	509	10.27%	26	0.52%
1968	569	9.19%	417	6.74%	5,204	84.07%
1964	2,140	65.50%	1,127	34.50%	0	0.00%
1960	366	13.21%	1,752	63.23%	653	23.57%
1956	298	11.18%	2,310	86.68%	57	2.14%
1952	556	19.91%	2,236	80.09%	0	0.00%
1948	50	2.88%	634	36.54%	1,051	60.58%
1944	183	11.94%	1,350	88.06%	0	0.00%
1940	119	6.77%	1,627	92.55%	12	0.68%
1936	47	3.11%	1,465	96.89%	0	0.00%
1932	40	2.11%	1,851	97.68%	4	0.21%
1928	331	27.93%	854	72.07%	0	0.00%
1924	62	6.53%	888	93.47%	0	0.00%
1920	198	16.18%	1,023	83.58%	3	0.25%
1916	184	11.56%	1,407	88.38%	1	0.06%
1912	24	2.35%	914	89.35%	85	8.31%

Education

The school district is Itawamba County School District.^[16]

Itawamba Community College is in the county.

Civil Rights

The County holds an annual Civil Rights march and speaker series in January on/around the celebration of MLK day. MLK Day Celebration The county was the site of the 2010 Itawamba County School District prom controversy when a lesbian student, Constance McMillen, from Fulton, had attempted to bring her partner to prom. The matter went to court, with the ACLU representing McMillen. On July 20, 2010, the school district settled the case out of court by paying McMillen US$ 35,000 (equivalent to $41,537 in 2020), paying her attorneys' fees, and agreeing to create a non-discrimination policy that includes sexual orientation.

Notable people

• Brian Dozier, All-Star Major League Baseball second baseman, won 2019 World Series with the Washington Nationals
• Delphia Spencer Hankins, American supercentenarian
• John E. Rankin, sixteen-term Democratic U.S. Congressman (1920–1952)
• Jumpin' Gene Simmons, American songwriter, co-writer of Indian Outlaw (1937-2006)
• Tammy Wynette, American country music artist
• Walter Willams, last living Confederate soldier

See also

• Mississippi portal

• List of counties in Mississippi
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Itawamba County, Mississippi