Lamar County, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lamar County
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Lamar County Courthouse in Purvis
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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 | 1904 |
| Named for | Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar |
| Seat | Purvis |
| Largest city | West Hattiesburg |
| Area | |
| • Total | 500 sq mi (1,000 km2) |
| • Land | 497 sq mi (1,290 km2) |
| • Water | 3.4 sq mi (9 km2) 0.7% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 64,222 |
| • Density | 128/sq mi (50/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 4th |
Lamar County is a county located in the state of Mississippi in the United States. In 2020, about 64,222 people lived there. The main town, or county seat, where the county government is located, is Purvis.
Lamar County was created in 1904 from a part of Marion County. It was named after Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar. Most of Lamar County is countryside, except for the northeast part. It is also part of the larger Hattiesburg area.
Contents
Exploring Lamar County's Geography
Lamar County covers a total area of about 500 square miles. Most of this area, around 497 square miles, is land. The remaining 3.4 square miles is water, like rivers and lakes.
Main Roads in Lamar County
These are the major highways that run through Lamar County:
Interstate 59
U.S. Highway 11
U.S. Highway 98
Mississippi Highway 13
Mississippi Highway 42
Mississippi Highway 44
Neighboring Counties
Lamar County shares its borders with several other counties:
- Covington County (to the north)
- Forrest County (to the east)
- Pearl River County (to the south)
- Marion County (to the west)
- Jefferson Davis County (to the northwest)
Lamar County's Population Story
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 11,741 | — | |
| 1920 | 12,869 | 9.6% | |
| 1930 | 12,848 | −0.2% | |
| 1940 | 12,096 | −5.9% | |
| 1950 | 13,225 | 9.3% | |
| 1960 | 13,675 | 3.4% | |
| 1970 | 15,209 | 11.2% | |
| 1980 | 23,821 | 56.6% | |
| 1990 | 30,424 | 27.7% | |
| 2000 | 39,070 | 28.4% | |
| 2010 | 55,658 | 42.5% | |
| 2020 | 64,222 | 15.4% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 66,217 | 19.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013 |
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The population of Lamar County has grown a lot over the years. In 2020, there were 64,222 people living here. About 68% of the people were White, and about 22% were Black or African American. There were also people of Asian, Native American, and other backgrounds. About 3.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Cities and Towns in Lamar County
Lamar County has several communities, from larger cities to smaller towns and villages.
Cities
- Hattiesburg (most of this city is actually in Forrest County)
- Lumberton (a small part of this city is in Pearl River County)
- Purvis (This is the county seat, where the main government offices are.)
Town
Census-Designated Places
These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities or towns.
Other Small Communities
These are smaller, unincorporated places in the county:
Learning in Lamar County
Lamar County has several school districts that help students get a good education.
- Hattiesburg Public School District
- Lamar County School District
There used to be another school district, the Lumberton Public School District, but it joined the Lamar County district in 2018. For students who want to continue their education after high school, Lamar County is served by Pearl River Community College.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Lamar (Misisipi) para niños
