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Perry County, Mississippi facts for kids

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Perry County
U.S. county
Perry County courthouse New Augusta
Perry County courthouse New Augusta
Map of Mississippi highlighting Perry County
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Map of the United States highlighting Mississippi
Mississippi's location within the U.S.
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)
 • 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 place in the state of Mississippi, USA. It is a type of local government area called a county. In 2020, about 11,511 people lived there. The main town, called the county seat, is New Augusta. The county is named after Oliver Hazard Perry, a brave naval hero from the War of 1812.

Perry County is part of the larger Hattiesburg area. This means it is connected to the city of Hattiesburg for things like jobs and shopping.

Before 1906, the county seat was an older town called Augusta. This town was located near the middle of the county, by the Leaf River. Later, New Augusta became the county seat. This happened because New Augusta was on a railroad line, which made it easier for people and goods to travel. Old Augusta is still a small village today.

Geography of Perry County

Perry County covers a total area of about 650 square miles. Most of this area, about 647 square miles, is land. The rest, about 3.0 square miles, is water.

Main Roads in Perry County

These are the important roads that go through Perry County:

  • US 98.svg U.S. Highway 98
  • Circle sign 15.svg Mississippi Highway 15
  • Circle sign 29.svg Mississippi Highway 29
  • Circle sign 42.svg Mississippi Highway 42

Neighboring Counties

Perry County shares borders with these other counties:

Protected Natural Areas

Parts of these special natural areas are found in Perry County:

  • De Soto National Forest
  • Black Creek Wilderness
  • Leaf River Wildlife Management Area

People of Perry County

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

In 2020, there were 11,511 people living in Perry County. These people lived in 4,623 homes, and 3,347 of these were families.

Here's a look at the different groups of people living in Perry County in 2020:

Perry County racial composition as of 2020
Group Number Percentage
White (not Hispanic) 8,868 77.04%
Black or African American (not 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%

Communities in Perry County

Towns

Census-designated place

Other Communities

These are smaller communities that are not officially towns:

Well-Known People from Perry County

Some notable people who have connections to Perry County include:

  • John Prentiss Carter, a politician from America
  • Dale Goodin, another American politician
  • Tristan Jackson, an American football player
  • Brandon Sumrall, an American football player
  • De'Lance Turner, an American football player

Education in Perry County

There are two main school districts in Perry County:

  • Perry County Schools
  • Richton School District

Students in the county can also attend Jones College.

Images for kids

  • Perry County Mississippi Courthouse

    Perry County courthouse in New Augusta

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