Pearl River County, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pearl River County
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Pearl River County Courthouse in Poplarville
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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 |
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| State |  Mississippi |
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| Founded | 1890 | |
| Named for | Pearl River | |
| Seat | Poplarville | |
| Largest city | Picayune | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 819 sq mi (2,120 km2) | |
| • Land | 811 sq mi (2,100 km2) | |
| • Water | 8.0 sq mi (21 km2) 1.0% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 56,145 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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57,978 | |
| • Density | 68.55/sq mi (26.469/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) | |
| Congressional district | 4th | |
Pearl River County is a county located in the state of Mississippi, United States. It's home to over 56,000 people. Its main town, or county seat, is Poplarville. Pearl River County is part of a larger area that includes Picayune, and is also connected to the New Orleans area in Louisiana.
Contents
History of Pearl River County
Pearl River County wasn't always called that! It was first formed as "Pearl County" in 1872. It was created from parts of Hancock and Marion Counties.
However, because not many people lived there and it didn't collect much tax money, Pearl County was dissolved in 1878. Later, in 1890, the Mississippi Legislature decided to create the county again. This time, it was named Pearl River County, using the same land area as before.
Hurricane Katrina's Impact
On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused a lot of damage in Pearl River County, especially in the town of Poplarville. The strongest wind gust during the storm was recorded at Pearl River Community College, reaching about 135 miles per hour (217 km/h).
After the hurricane, the Ohio Army National Guard arrived to help the community recover. They helped secure banks, pharmacies, and gas stations. They also responded to emergencies in rural areas. The unit stayed for three weeks, checking on every family and building in the county.
On September 5, 2005, then-President George W. Bush, his wife Laura Bush, and Governor Haley Barbour visited Pearl River Community College. They came to see the damage and support the recovery efforts after Hurricane Katrina.
Geography of Pearl River County
Pearl River County covers a total area of 819 square miles (2,120 km²). Most of this area, about 811 square miles (2,100 km²), is land. Only a small part, about 8.0 square miles (21 km²), is water. This makes it the fourth-largest county in Mississippi by land area.
Major Roads
You can travel through Pearl River County using several important roads:
Interstate 59
U.S. Highway 11
Mississippi Highway 13
Mississippi Highway 26
Mississippi Highway 43
Mississippi Highway 53
Neighboring Counties and Parishes
Pearl River County shares borders with several other counties and parishes:
- Lamar County (to the north)
- Forrest County (to the northeast)
- Stone County (to the east)
- Hancock County (to the south)
- St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana (to the southwest)
- Washington Parish, Louisiana (to the west)
- Marion County (to the northwest)
Protected Natural Areas
Parts of two special natural areas are located in Pearl River County:
- Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge
- De Soto National Forest
Media in Pearl River County
Newspaper
The local newspaper for the Picayune area is called the Picayune Item.
Radio
The local radio station is WRJW 1320-AM. People in the Picayune area can also listen to television and radio stations from New Orleans and Biloxi/Gulfport.
Population of Pearl River County
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 2,957 | — | |
| 1900 | 6,697 | 126.5% | |
| 1910 | 10,593 | 58.2% | |
| 1920 | 15,648 | 47.7% | |
| 1930 | 19,405 | 24.0% | |
| 1940 | 19,125 | −1.4% | |
| 1950 | 20,641 | 7.9% | |
| 1960 | 22,411 | 8.6% | |
| 1970 | 27,802 | 24.1% | |
| 1980 | 33,795 | 21.6% | |
| 1990 | 38,714 | 14.6% | |
| 2000 | 48,621 | 25.6% | |
| 2010 | 55,834 | 14.8% | |
| 2020 | 56,145 | 0.6% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 57,978 | 3.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013 2018 |
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As of the 2020 United States census, there were 56,145 people living in Pearl River County. There were 21,020 households and 15,078 families.
Most people in the county are White (about 78.55%). Other groups include Black or African American (about 11.87%), Native American (0.46%), Asian (0.49%), and people of two or more races (4.56%). About 4.07% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.
Communities in Pearl River County
Cities
- Lumberton (mostly in Lamar County)
- Picayune
- Poplarville (the county seat)
Census-Designated Places
These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities:
- Hide-A-Way Lake
- Nicholson
Other Unincorporated Communities
These are smaller communities that are not officially part of a city or census-designated place:
Education in Pearl River County
Students in Pearl River County attend schools in several different school districts:
- Lamar County School District
- Pearl River County School District
- Picayune School District
- Poplarville Separate School District
The county is also served by Pearl River Community College, which offers higher education programs.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Pearl River para niños
