Benton County, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Benton County
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The Old Benton County courthouse in Ashland
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Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
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 Mississippi's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Mississippi |
| Founded | 1870 |
| Named for | Samuel Benton |
| Seat | Ashland |
| Largest town | Hickory Flat |
| Area | |
| • Total | 409 sq mi (1,060 km2) |
| • Land | 407 sq mi (1,050 km2) |
| • Water | 2.0 sq mi (5 km2) 0.5% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 7,646 |
| • Density | 18.694/sq mi (7.218/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
Benton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,646. Its county seat is Ashland.
It is locally believed that residents convinced the post-Civil War Reconstruction government that Benton County was named after U.S. Senator Thomas Hart Benton, but the name actually honored Confederate Brigadier General Samuel Benton of nearby Holly Springs in Marshall County, nephew of the senator.
Benton County is included in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 409 square miles (1,060 km2), of which 407 square miles (1,050 km2) is land and 2.0 square miles (5.2 km2) (0.5%) is water. It is the fifth-smallest county by area in Mississippi.
The headwaters of the Wolf River meander and braid their way north and west across northern Benton County from Baker's Pond, the river's source spring (highest origin of continuous flow) in the Holly Springs National Forest approximately one mile southwest of where U.S. Highway 72 passes into Tippah County, Mississippi. The Wolf River passes into Fayette County, Tennessee between Michigan City (on the Mississippi side) and La Grange, Tennessee.
Major highways
Interstate 22
U.S. Route 72
U.S. Route 78
Mississippi Highway 2
Mississippi Highway 4
Mississippi Highway 5
Mississippi Highway 7
Mississippi Highway 178
Mississippi Highway 370
Adjacent counties
- Hardeman County, Tennessee (northeast)
- Tippah County (east)
- Union County (south)
- Marshall County (west)
- Fayette County, Tennessee (northwest)
National protected area
- Holly Springs National Forest (part)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 11,023 | — | |
| 1890 | 10,585 | −4.0% | |
| 1900 | 10,510 | −0.7% | |
| 1910 | 10,245 | −2.5% | |
| 1920 | 9,851 | −3.8% | |
| 1930 | 9,813 | −0.4% | |
| 1940 | 10,429 | 6.3% | |
| 1950 | 8,793 | −15.7% | |
| 1960 | 7,723 | −12.2% | |
| 1970 | 7,505 | −2.8% | |
| 1980 | 8,153 | 8.6% | |
| 1990 | 8,046 | −1.3% | |
| 2000 | 8,026 | −0.2% | |
| 2010 | 8,729 | 8.8% | |
| 2020 | 7,646 | −12.4% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 7,438 | −14.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013 |
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2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White | 4,565 | 59.7% |
| Black or African American | 2,654 | 34.71% |
| Native American | 6 | 0.08% |
| Asian | 1 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed | 275 | 3.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 145 | 1.9% |
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 7,646 people, 3,149 households, and 2,082 families residing in the county.
Communities
Towns
- Ashland (county seat)
- Hickory Flat
- Snow Lake Shores
Census-designated place
Unincorporated places
- Canaan
- Hopewell
- Michigan City
- Winborn
Extinct town
Education
Benton County School District operates public schools.
From 1965 to the late 1980s, Benton County was also home to Gray's Academy, a private segregation school located in Ashland.
Notable people
- Norris C. Williamson, member of the Louisiana State Senate, 1916 to 1932; worked to eradicate the cattle tick pest, born in Benton County in 1874
- Floyd Lee (1933–2020), was a blues musician who was a founding member of Music Under New York, and later a judge on their board. He was born in Lamar.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Benton (Misisipi) para niños
