Lowndes County is a

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

on the eastern border of 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 so ...

Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...

. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 58,879. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

is Columbus. The county is named for U.S. Congressman William Jones Lowndes. Lowndes County comprises the Columbus, MS Micropolitan Statistical Area. Since the late 20th century, it has been designated as one of three counties in the Golden Triangle region of the state.

History

This upland area was settled by European Americans who wanted to develop cotton plantations to produce what became the largest commodity crop in the state. In the period from 1877 to 1950, Lowndes County had 19 documented lynchings of African Americans, third to Carroll and Leflore counties, which had 29 and 48, respectively. This form of racial terrorism was at its height in the decades around the turn of the 20th century, which followed the state's disenfranchisement of most blacks in 1890 through creating barriers to voter registration.

Geography

Lowndes County lies on the east side of Mississippi, bordering the U.S. state of

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

. Its terrain was completely wooded before settlement; at present its more level areas have been cleared and turned to agricultural or urban use, with the drainages (about 40% of the total area) still wooded. The Tennessee−Tombigbee Waterway flows south-southeastward through the center of the county, with a significant lock system ( John C. Stennis Lock and Dam) near Columbus. The county's highest point ( ASL) is a small rise near the county's NE corner. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (2.1%) is water.

Major highways

* U.S. Highway 45 * U.S. Route 45 Alternate * U.S. Highway 82 * Mississippi Highway 12 * Mississippi Highway 50 * Mississippi Highway 69 * Mississippi Highway 182

Adjacent counties

* Noxubee County - south * Oktibbeha County - west * Clay County - northwest * Monroe County - north * Lamar County, Alabama - northeast *

Pickens County, Alabama Pickens County is a County (United States), county located on the west central border of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 19,123. Its county seat is Carrollton, Alabama, Carrollton, ...

- southeast

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 58,879 people, 22,436 households, and 14,654 families residing in the county.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 59,779 people in the county. 54.0% were

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 43.5% Black or African American, 0.7% Asian, 0.2% Native American, 0.1%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, 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 th ...

, 0.6% of some other race and 1.1% of two or more races. 1.5% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 61,586 people, 22,849 households, and 16,405 families in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

was . There were 25,104 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 56.47%

, 41.56%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.17% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.03%

, 0.39% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. 1.11% of the population were

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race. There were 22,849 households, out of which 36.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.20% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 18.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 24.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.13. The county population contained 28.60% under the age of 18, 10.60% from 18 to 24, 29.20% from 25 to 44, 20.40% from 45 to 64, and 11.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 89.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.20 males. The median income for a household in the county was $32,123, and the median income for a family was $38,248. Males had a median income of $31,792 versus $20,640 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the county was $16,514. About 18.00% of families and 21.30% 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 ...

, including 31.80% of those under age 18 and 16.80% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Portions of Lowndes County are served by the Columbus Municipal School District, Lowndes County School District, and the

Mississippi Association of Independent Schools The Midsouth Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) is a consortium of schools in Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana and Arkansas. It is responsible for accreditation of its member private schools as well as governing athletic competition for i ...

– Lowndes County Division. The Columbus Municipal School District includes: * Columbus High School * Columbus Middle School * McKellar Technology Center * Joe Cook Elementary Fine Arts Magnet School * Fairview Elementary Aerospace and Science Magnet School * Franklin Academy Elementary Medical Sciences and Wellness Magnet School * Sale Elementary International Studies Magnet School * Stokes-Beard Elementary Communication and Technology Magnet School * Columbus Alternative School The Lowndes County School District has three areas, each with an elementary school, a middle school, and a high school * Caledonia Schools * New Hope Schools * West Lowndes Schools The Mississippi Association of Independent Schools – Lowndes County Division has provided five private and parochial schools for Lowndes County * Heritage Academy High School * Heritage Academy Elementary School * Columbus Christian Academy * Victory Christian Academy * Annunciation Catholic School

Colleges and universities

Mississippi University for Women Mississippi University for Women (MUW or "The W") is a coeducational public university in Columbus, Mississippi. It was formerly named the "Industrial Institute and College for the Education of White Girls" and later the "Mississippi State Coll ...

is located in Columbus. Lowndes County is within the service area of the East Mississippi Community College system. The Golden Triangle Campus is located in Mayhew, an

unincorporated area An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...

in Lowndes County. The system also offers classes at the Columbus Air Force Base Extension in Columbus.CATALOG 2007-2009
. East Mississippi Community College. 10 (10/147). Accessed March 1, 2011.

Communities

City

* Columbus (county seat)

Town

* Artesia *

Caledonia Caledonia (; ) was the Latin name used by the Roman Empire to refer to the forested region in the central and western Scottish Highlands, particularly stretching through parts of what are now Lochaber, Badenoch, Strathspey, and possibly as ...

* Crawford ("Crawfordsville" 1852–1870; "Crawfordville 1870–1879)

Census-designated places

* Columbus Air Force Base * New Hope

Unincorporated communities

* Bent Oak * Billups * Flint Hill * Forreston * Kolola Springs * Mayhew * McCrary * Penns * Plum Grove * Steens *

Trinity The Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the Christian doctrine concerning the nature of God, which defines one God existing in three, , consubstantial divine persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit, thr ...

* Wells * Whitebury * Woodlawn

Ghost towns

* Moores Bluff *

Nashville Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

Plymouth Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...

Politics

Lowndes County leans Republican, having not supported a Democrat since 1956. However, in 2008 Democrat

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

came the closest to winning the county since

Adlai Stevenson Adlai Stevenson may refer to: * Adlai Stevenson I Adlai Ewing Stevenson (October 23, 1835 – June 14, 1914) was an American politician and diplomat who served as the 23rd vice president of the United States from 1893 to 1897 under President Gr ...

had won it in 1956, and in 2012 Obama came even closer, only losing it by 130 votes. While the margin has widened again in subsequent elections, Republican candidates have been unable to regain double digit victories in the county.

References

{{coord, 33.47, -88.44, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-MS_source:UScensus1990 Mississippi counties 1830 establishments in Mississippi Populated places established in 1830 Majority-minority counties in Mississippi