Water Valley is a city in

Yalobusha County, Mississippi Yalobusha County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2010 census, the population was 12,678. It has two county seats, Water Valley and Coffeeville. History ''Yalobusha'' is a Native American word, likely from th ...

, United States. The population was 3,392 at the 2010 census. It is the larger of two county seats in the rural county, and at one time was the center of railroad shops.

Geography

According to the

United States 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 city has a total area of , all land.

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 3,380 people, 1,336 households, and 818 families residing in the city.

2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 3,677 people in 1,470 households, including 961 families, in the city. The population density was 523.2 people per square mile (201.9/km). There were 1,675 housing units at an average density of 238.3 per square mile (92.0/km). The

racial makeup A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...

of the city was 57.87% White, 40.74% African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.22% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.20%. Of the 1,470 households 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.0% were married couples living together, 23.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 31.8% of households were one person and 16.2% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.07. The age distribution was 26.5% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% 65 or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 74.3 males. The median household income was $23,777 and the median family income was $31,083. Males had a median income of $26,888 versus $20,127 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,324. About 23.7% of families and 26.9% 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 37.5% of those under age 18 and 15.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The City of Water Valley is served by the

Water Valley School District The Water Valley School District is a public school district based in Water Valley, Mississippi (USA). In addition to Water Valley, the district also serves rural areas in northeastern Yalobusha County. Schools * Water Valley High School (Grad ...

Notable people

Hubert Creekmore Hubert Creekmore (16 January 1907 – 23 May 1966) was an American poet and writer from the small Mississippi town of Water Valley. Creekmore was born into one of the oldest Southern families of the area but he would grow up to embody ideals v ...

(1907–1966), author * James A. Ford (1911–1968), archaeologist * Lloyd L. Gaines, plaintiff in '' Missouri ex rel. Gaines v. Canada'' *

Kevin Horan Kevin Horan (born October 29, 1961) is an American attorney and politician serving as a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from the 34th district. He assumed office in January 2012. Horan previously represented the 24th district ...

, attorney and member of the

Mississippi House of Representatives The Mississippi House of Representatives is the lower house of the Mississippi Legislature, the lawmaking body of the U.S. state of Mississippi. According to the state constitution of 1890, it is to comprise no more than 122 members elected fo ...

Casey Jones John Luther "Casey" Jones (March 14, 1863 – April 30, 1900) was an American railroader who was killed when his passenger train collided with a stalled freight train at Vaughan, Mississippi. Jones was a locomotive engineer for the Illinois C ...

(1863–1900), railroad engineer * John William Meece, (1843–1924), member of the Mississippi Legislature in 1911 *

Bryant Mix Bryant Lee Mix (born July 28, 1972) is a former American football defensive end who played two seasons with the Houston/Tennessee Oilers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Houston Oilers in the second round of the 1996 NFL Dr ...

(born 1974), NFL player * Ray Terrell (1919–1997), World War II veteran and professional football player

References

External links

Water Valley Chamber of Commerce
{{authority control Cities in Mississippi Cities in Yalobusha County, Mississippi County seats in Mississippi