Perry County, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Perry County
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Perry County courthouse New Augusta
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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 | 1820 |
| Named for | Oliver Hazard Perry |
| Seat | New Augusta |
| Largest town | Richton |
| Area | |
| • Total | 650 sq mi (1,700 km2) |
| • Land | 647 sq mi (1,680 km2) |
| • Water | 3.0 sq mi (8 km2) 0.5% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 11,511 |
| • Density | 17.71/sq mi (6.84/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 4th |
Perry County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,511. The county seat is New Augusta. The county is named after the War of 1812 naval hero, Oliver Hazard Perry.
Perry County is part of the Hattiesburg, MS Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Until 1906, the county seat was the old town of Augusta, near the center of the county on the east bank of the Leaf River. At Old Augusta, the outlaw James Copeland was executed by hanging on October 30, 1857. Old Augusta remains a small village today. New Augusta, two miles south of Old Augusta, was made the county seat of Perry County, because it was situated on the Mobile, Jackson & Kansas City Railroad.
Contents
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 650 square miles (1,700 km2), of which 647 square miles (1,680 km2) is land and 3.0 square miles (7.8 km2) (0.5%) is water.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 98
Mississippi Highway 15
Mississippi Highway 29
Mississippi Highway 42
Adjacent counties
- Wayne County (northeast)
- Greene County (east)
- George County (southeast)
- Stone County (south)
- Forrest County (west)
- Jones County (northwest)
National protected area
- De Soto National Forest (part)
- Black Creek Wilderness
- Leaf River Wildlife Management Area
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 2,037 | — | |
| 1830 | 2,300 | 12.9% | |
| 1840 | 1,889 | −17.9% | |
| 1850 | 2,438 | 29.1% | |
| 1860 | 2,606 | 6.9% | |
| 1870 | 2,694 | 3.4% | |
| 1880 | 3,427 | 27.2% | |
| 1890 | 6,494 | 89.5% | |
| 1900 | 14,682 | 126.1% | |
| 1910 | 7,685 | −47.7% | |
| 1920 | 8,987 | 16.9% | |
| 1930 | 8,197 | −8.8% | |
| 1940 | 9,292 | 13.4% | |
| 1950 | 9,108 | −2.0% | |
| 1960 | 8,745 | −4.0% | |
| 1970 | 9,065 | 3.7% | |
| 1980 | 9,864 | 8.8% | |
| 1990 | 10,865 | 10.1% | |
| 2000 | 12,138 | 11.7% | |
| 2010 | 12,250 | 0.9% | |
| 2020 | 11,511 | −6.0% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 11,315 | −7.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013 |
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| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 8,868 | 77.04% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 2,097 | 18.22% |
| Native American | 45 | 0.39% |
| Asian | 29 | 0.25% |
| Pacific Islander | 3 | 0.03% |
| Other/Mixed | 315 | 2.74% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 154 | 1.34% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 11,511 people, 4,623 households, and 3,347 families residing in the county.
Communities
Towns
- Beaumont
- New Augusta (county seat)
- Richton
Census-designated place
Unincorporated communities
- Corinth
- Good Hope
- Hintonville
- Janice
- Mahned
- Tallahala
- Wingate
Notable people
- John Prentiss Carter, American politician
- Dale Goodin, American politician
- Tristan Jackson, American football player
- Brandon Sumrall, American football player
- De'Lance Turner, American football player
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Perry (Misisipi) para niños
