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
County
County of Lee
Clock tower of the Lee County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Mississippi's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 34.29°N 88.68°W / 34.29; -88.68
Country	United States
State	Mississippi
Founded	October 26, 1866 (158 years ago) (1866-10-26)
Named after	Gen. Robert E. Lee
Seat	Tupelo
Largest city	Tupelo
Area
• Total	453 sq mi (1,170 km2)
• Land	450 sq mi (1,200 km2)
• Water	3.2 sq mi (8 km2)  0.7%
Population  (2020)
• Total	83,343
• Estimate  (2023)	82,799
• Density	180/sq mi (71/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes	38801, 38804, 38824, 38826, 38828, 38843, 38849, 38857, 38858, 38860, 38862, 38866, 38868, 38879
Area code	662
Congressional district	1st
Website	leecoms.com

History

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

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

• Interstate 22
• U.S. Highway 45
• U.S. Highway 78
• U.S. Route 278
• Natchez Trace Parkway
• Mississippi Highway 6
• Mississippi Highway 145
• Mississippi Highway 178
• Mississippi Highway 363
• Mississippi Highway 245
• Mississippi Highway 371
• Mississippi Highway 370

Adjacent counties

• Prentiss County (north)
• Itawamba County (east)
• Monroe County (southeast)
• Chickasaw County (southwest)
• Pontotoc County (west)
• Union County (northwest)

National protected areas

• Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site
• Natchez Trace Parkway (part)
• Tupelo National Battlefield

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1870	15,955		—
1880	20,470		28.3%
1890	20,040		−2.1%
1900	21,956		9.6%
1910	28,894		31.6%
1920	29,618		2.5%
1930	35,313		19.2%
1940	38,838		10.0%
1950	38,237		−1.5%
1960	40,589		6.2%
1970	46,148		13.7%
1980	57,061		23.6%
1990	65,581		14.9%
2000	75,755		15.5%
2010	82,910		9.4%
2020	83,343		0.5%
2023 (est.)	82,799	[4]	−0.7%
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.

2020 census

Lee County Racial Composition^[11]

Race	Num.	Perc.
White	52,854	63.42%
Black or African American	24,131	28.95%
Native American	94	0.11%
Asian	920	1.1%
Pacific Islander	25	0.03%
Other/Mixed	2,491	2.99%
Hispanic or Latino	2,828	3.39%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 83,343 people, 30,378 households, and 21,437 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the census^[12] 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

Cities

• Baldwyn (partly in Prentiss County)
• Saltillo
• Tupelo (county seat)
• Verona
• Nettleton (Partly in Monroe County)
• Guntown

---Towns---

• Plantersville
• Shannon
• Sherman (partly in Pontotoc County and Union County)

Census-designated places

• Mooreville

Unincorporated communities

• Barrett Ridge
• Belden
• Brewer
• Eggville
• Jug Fork

Education

Lee County is served by the Baldwyn, Lee County, Nettleton, and Tupelo school districts.^[13]

Politics

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^[14]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	24,339	68.87%	10,616	30.04%	383	1.08%
2020	24,207	65.51%	12,189	32.98%	558	1.51%
2016	22,220	67.51%	10,029	30.47%	664	2.02%
2012	22,415	63.49%	12,563	35.58%	328	0.93%
2008	22,694	64.91%	12,021	34.39%	245	0.70%
2004	20,254	66.11%	10,127	33.05%	258	0.84%
2000	15,551	61.97%	9,142	36.43%	401	1.60%
1996	11,815	54.48%	8,438	38.91%	1,433	6.61%
1992	12,231	54.36%	7,710	34.27%	2,560	11.38%
1988	13,767	66.42%	6,604	31.86%	357	1.72%
1984	13,312	67.47%	6,208	31.46%	210	1.06%
1980	8,326	44.08%	10,047	53.19%	516	2.73%
1976	7,366	45.10%	8,504	52.07%	463	2.83%
1972	10,730	82.60%	1,632	12.56%	629	4.84%
1968	2,522	18.45%	1,912	13.99%	9,232	67.55%
1964	5,165	68.19%	2,409	31.81%	0	0.00%
1960	1,550	23.34%	3,653	55.01%	1,438	21.65%
1956	929	18.01%	3,883	75.30%	345	6.69%
1952	2,002	32.42%	4,174	67.58%	0	0.00%
1948	82	2.13%	636	16.54%	3,128	81.33%
1944	230	6.15%	3,509	93.85%	0	0.00%
1940	120	3.05%	3,814	96.93%	1	0.03%
1936	42	1.16%	3,585	98.84%	0	0.00%
1932	129	3.36%	3,704	96.51%	5	0.13%
1928	367	11.75%	2,757	88.25%	0	0.00%
1924	152	5.48%	2,621	94.52%	0	0.00%
1920	302	15.38%	1,652	84.11%	10	0.51%
1916	91	5.12%	1,683	94.60%	5	0.28%
1912	39	2.62%	1,390	93.54%	57	3.84%

See also

• List of memorials to Robert E. Lee
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Lee County, Mississippi