Myrtle is a town in Union County,

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 ...

, United States. The population was 490 at the 2010 census.

History

Myrtle is rooted in a settlement known as "Candy Hill," which was established about south of the town's present location in 1857. When Candy Hill applied for a post office after the Civil War, it changed its name to "Myrtle," after the abundance of myrtle trees growing in the area. Following the construction of the Kansas City, Memphis and Birmingham Railroad in the 1880s, the town shifted northward to its present location.

Geography

Myrtle is located northwest of New Albany along

Mississippi Highway 178 Mississippi Highway 178 (MS 178), or simply "Old 78", is a east-west State highway (US), state highway across the northern portion of the state of Mississippi. It is the former alignment of U.S. Route 78 in Mississippi, U.S. Route 78 (US&nbs ...

Interstate 22 Interstate 22 (I-22) is a Interstate Highway in the US states of Mississippi and Alabama, connecting I-269 near Byhalia, Mississippi, to I-65 near Birmingham, Alabama. I-22 is also Corridor X of the Appalachian Development Highway System. ...

passes through the southern part of town. 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 town has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

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 407 people, 162 households, and 117 families residing in the town. 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 715.6 people per square mile (275.7/km). There were 183 housing units at an average density of 321.7 per square mile (124.0/km). The racial makeup of the town was 85.26%

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 ...

, 13.02%

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 ...

, 1.72% 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 ...

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 were 1.72% of the population. There were 162 households, out of which 42.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.1% 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, 19.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.2% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.01. In the town, the population was spread out, with 32.7% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 79.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.8 males. The median income for a household in the town was $28,125, and the median income for a family was $34,583. Males had a median income of $25,227 versus $20,875 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 town was $11,268. About 12.1% of families and 15.3% 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 15.5% of those under age 18 and 24.4% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The town of Myrtle is served by the Union County School District.

Notable people

* Henry Clay Collins, Mississippi state senator (1916-1920, 1932-1936) *

Armintie Price Armintie Ada (Price) Herrington (born April 3, 1985) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Washington Mystics of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Price, who played collegiately at the Universit ...

, WNBA Player

References

External links

* {{authority control Towns in Mississippi Towns in Union County, Mississippi