Jackson County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

. As of the 2010 census, the population was 139,668, making it the fifth-most populous county in Mississippi. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

Pascagoula The Pascagoula (also Pascoboula, Pacha-Ogoula, Pascagola, Pascaboula, Paskaguna) were an indigenous group living in coastal Mississippi on the Pascagoula River. The name ''Pascagoula'' is a Mobilian Jargon term meaning "bread people". Choctaw ...

. The county was named for

Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...

, general in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

and afterward

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...

. Jackson County is included in the Pascagoula, MS

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...

. It is located at the southeastern tip of the state. The county has sandy soil and is in the Piney Woods area. It borders the state of

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

on its east side. The county was severely damaged by both

Hurricane Camille Hurricane Camille was the second most intense tropical cyclone on record to strike the United States, behind the 1935 Labor Day hurricane. The most intense storm of the 1969 Atlantic hurricane season, Camille originated as a tropical depression ...

in August 1969 and

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...

on August 29, 2005, which caused catastrophic effects.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (31%) is water. It is the largest county in Mississippi by total area. Despite the county's name, Jackson County does not contain the City of Jackson, the latter is located in Hinds County.

Major highways

Interstate 10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost cross-country highway in the American Interstate Highway System. I-10 is the fourth-longest Interstate in the United States at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. This freeway is part of the originally pl ...

U.S. Highway 90 U.S. Route 90 or U.S. Highway 90 (US 90) is an east–west major United States highway in the Southern United States. Despite the "0" in its route number, US 90 never was a full coast-to-coast route. With the exception of a short-lived ...

Mississippi Highway 57 Mississippi Highway 57 (MS 57) is a state highway in southeastern Mississippi. It runs in a north/south direction for approximately , serving four counties: Jackson, George, Greene, and Wayne. Route description MS 57 begins in Jackson County ...

Mississippi Highway 63 Mississippi Highway 63 (MS 63) is an state highway in southeastern Mississippi that runs north–south for approximately . It serves Jackson County, George County, Greene County, and Wayne County. Route description MS 63 begins in Jacks ...

Mississippi Highway 609 Mississippi Highway 609 (MS 609) is a north-south state highway in Jackson County in the Mississippi Gulf Coast region of Mississippi, consisting of two sections. The first is signed along Washington Avenue between US Highway 90 (US 90) an ...

Mississippi Highway 611 Mississippi Highway 611 (MS 611), also known as Industrial Road, is a north–south state highway in the southeastern corner of the city of Pascagoula, in the Mississippi Gulf Coast region of Mississippi. It serves to connect the city's main ind ...

Mississippi Highway 613 Mississippi Highway 613 (MS 613) is a north-south state highway in the eastern Mississippi Gulf Coast region of southeastern Mississippi. It connects the town of Lucedale with the city of Pascagoula. Route description MS 613 begins in Jack ...

Mississippi Highway 614 Mississippi Highway 614 (MS 614) is a east–west state highway in northeastern Jackson County, Mississippi. It connects the communities of Wade and Hurley with the Alabama state line and the city of Mobile. Route description MS 614 begin ...

Adjacent counties

* George County - north *

Mobile County, Alabama Mobile County ( ) is located in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is the second most-populous county in the state after Jefferson County. As of the 2020 census, its population was 414,809. Its county seat is Mobile, whi ...

- east * Harrison County - west * Stone County - northwest

National protected areas

De Soto National Forest De Soto National Forest, named for 16th-century Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto, is of pine forests in southern Mississippi. It is one of the most important protected areas for the biological diversity of the Gulf Coast ecoregion of North Ame ...

(part) * Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge (part) *

Gulf Islands National Seashore Gulf Islands National Seashore offers recreation opportunities and preserves natural and historic resources along the Gulf of Mexico barrier islands of Florida and Mississippi. The protected regions include mainland areas and parts of seven i ...

(part) *

Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge The Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1975 to safeguard the endangered Mississippi sandhill crane and its unique disappearing wet pine savanna habitat. The refuge consists of more than in four units and is no ...

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 143,252 people, 56,323 households, and 38,007 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 131,420 people, 47,676 households, and 35,709 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 181 people per square mile (70/km²). There were 51,678 housing units at an average density of 71 per square mile (27/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 75.35%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 20.87%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.33% Native American, 1.57%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.04%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 0.72% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 1.12% from two or more races. 2.14% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race. There were 47,676 households, out of which 37.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.70% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 14.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.10% were non-families. 20.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.14. In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.70% under the age of 18, 9.30% from 18 to 24, 29.80% from 25 to 44, 22.90% from 45 to 64, and 10.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.90 males. The median income for a household in the county was $39,118, and the median income for a family was $45,091. Males had a median income of $32,996 versus $22,770 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $17,768. About 10.50% of families and 12.70% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 17.80% of those under age 18 and 12.10% of those age 65 or over. Jackson County has the fifth highest per capita income in the State of Mississippi.

Public Safety

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office provides

law enforcement Law enforcement is the activity of some members of government who act in an organized manner to enforce the law by discovering, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules and norms governing that society. The term en ...

services for communities in the county that do not have their own local law enforcement. These communities are known as Census-Designated Places, or CDPs.

Education

School districts in the county include:
Text list
/ref> The Jackson County School District serves the Hurley, Wade, Big Point, Three Rivers, Harleston, Vestry, Latimer, and Vancleave communities, along with St. Martin and a small portion of Escatawpa. The

Pascagoula-Gautier School District The Pascagoula-Gautier School District is a public school system based in Pascagoula, Mississippi. It includes Pascagoula and most of Gautier. Schools Pascagoula ;High School (Grades 9–12) * Gautier High School *Pascagoula High School ;Mi ...

serves

and most of the City of Gautier. The Moss Point School District serves Moss Point and most of Escatawpa. The Ocean Springs School District serves

Ocean Springs Ocean Springs is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States, approximately east of Biloxi and west of Gautier. It is part of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 17,225 at the 2000 U.S. Census ...

Communities

Cities

* Gautier * Moss Point *

(county seat)

Census-designated places

Big Point Big or BIG may refer to: * Big, of great size or degree Film and television * ''Big'' (film), a 1988 fantasy-comedy film starring Tom Hanks * '' Big!'', a Discovery Channel television show * ''Richard Hammond's Big'', a television show present ...

* Escatawpa * Gulf Hills * Gulf Park Estates * Helena * Hurley * Latimer * St. Martin * Vancleave *

Wade Wade, WADE, or Wades may refer to: Places in the United States * Wade, California, a former settlement * Wade, Maine, a town * Wade, Mississippi, a census-designated place * Wade, North Carolina, a town * Wade, Ohio, an unincorporated communi ...

Unincorporated places

* East Moss Point * Poticaw Landing

Ghost towns

* Brewton

Former census-designated places

* Hickory Hills, merged into city of Gautier

Politics

References

External links

Official Web Site of Jackson County, Mississippi
{{coord, 30.46, -88.62, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-MS_source:UScensus1990 Mississippi counties Pascagoula metropolitan area 1812 establishments in Mississippi Territory Populated places established in 1812