Editing Washington County, Mississippi

{{short description|County in Mississippi, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Washington County
 | state           = Mississippi
 | ex image             = First National Bank Greenville.JPG
 | ex image size        = 220px
 | ex image cap         = [[First National Bank of Greenville]]
 | seal                 = 
 | founded              = 1827
 | seat wl          = Greenville
 | largest city wl  = Greenville
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 761
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 725
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 36
 | area percentage      = 4.8
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 44922
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 41946 {{loss}}
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | web                  = www.washingtoncounty.ms
 | district             = 2nd
 | time zone           = Central
 | named for            = [[George Washington]] }}

'''Washington County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Mississippi]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 44,922.<ref>{{cite web|title=Census - Geography Profile: Washington County, Mississippi|url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Washington_County,_Mississippi?g=0500000US28151|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 15, 2023}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Greenville, Mississippi|Greenville]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> The county is named in honor of the first [[president of the United States]], [[George Washington]]. It is located next to the Arkansas border. The Greenville, MS [[Micropolitan Statistical Area]] includes all of Washington County. It is located in the [[Mississippi Delta]].

==History==
{{More citations needed section|date=October 2022}}
Located in the Mississippi Delta, Washington County was first developed for cotton cultivation in the antebellum years. Most plantations were developed to have access to the rivers, which were the major transportation routes. Cotton was based on slave labor.

In an 1860 Census,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3861e.cw0013200/?r=0.325,0.35,0.215,0.107,0 | title=Map showing the distribution of the slave population of the southern states of the United States. Compiled from the census of 1860 | website=[[Library of Congress]] | date=January 1861 }}</ref> Washington County had an enslaved population of 92.3%, the second-highest anywhere in the country, only behind [[Issaquena County, Mississippi|Issaquena County]], Mississippi (92.5%). In the period from 1877 to 1950, Washington County had 12 documented [[Lynching in the United States|lynchings of African Americans]].<ref name="eji">[https://eji.org/sites/default/files/lynching-in-america-third-edition-summary.pdf ''Lynching in America'', 3rd edition] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023063004/https://eji.org/sites/default/files/lynching-in-america-third-edition-summary.pdf |date=October 23, 2017 }}, Supplement by County, pg. 6</ref> Most occurred around the turn of the 20th century, as part of white imposition of [[Jim Crow]] conditions and suppression of black voting.

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|761|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|725|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|36|sqmi}} (4.8%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_28.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=November 8, 2014|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928074019/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_28.txt|archive-date=September 28, 2013}}</ref>

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Bolivar County, Mississippi|Bolivar County]] (north)
* [[Sunflower County, Mississippi|Sunflower County]] (northeast)
* [[Humphreys County, Mississippi|Humphreys County]] (east)
* [[Sharkey County, Mississippi|Sharkey County]] (southeast)
* [[Issaquena County, Mississippi|Issaquena County]] (south)
* [[Chicot County, Arkansas]] (west)
* [[Desha County, Arkansas]] (northwest)

===National protected areas===
* [[Holt Collier National Wildlife Refuge]]
* [[Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge]] (part)
* [[Yazoo National Wildlife Refuge]]

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1830= 1976
|1840= 7287
|1850= 8389
|1860= 15679
|1870= 14569
|1880= 25367
|1890= 40414
|1900= 49216
|1910= 48933
|1920= 51092
|1930= 54310
|1940= 67576
|1950= 70504
|1960= 78638
|1970= 70581
|1980= 72344
|1990= 67935
|2000= 62977
|2010= 51137
|2020= 44922
|estyear=2023
|estimate=41946
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2023">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 5, 2024}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=November 8, 2014}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=November 8, 2014}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ms190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=November 8, 2014}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=November 8, 2014}}</ref> 2010-2013<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/28/28151.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 7, 2013|archive-date=June 7, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607052514/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/28/28151.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Washington County Racial Composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US28151&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 7, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]]
|11,180
|24.89%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]]
|31,919
|71.05%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
|48
|0.11%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|302
|0.67%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
|5
|0.01%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
|884
|1.97%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|584
|1.3%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 44,922 people, 17,988 households, and 11,232 families residing in the county.

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States Census]], there were 51,137 people living in the county. 71.3% were [[African American|Black or African American]], 27.0% [[White American|White]], 0.6% [[Asian American|Asian]], 0.1% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 0.4% of some other race and 0.6% [[Multiracial American|of two or more races]]. 1.0% were [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (of any race).

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 62,977 people, 22,158 households, and 15,931 families living in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|87|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 24,381 housing units at an average density of {{convert|34|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 69.57% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 33.97% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.09% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.53% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.02% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.25% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.57% from two or more races. 0.84% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

According to the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, the largest ancestry groups in Washington County were [[African American|African]] 69.57%, [[English American|English]] 21.4%, [[Scottish American|Scottish]] 8.2% and [[Scots-Irish American|Scots-Irish]] 3.1%

Washington County by 2005 was 67.2% African-American in population. Latinos constituted 1.1% of the population in the county while non-Hispanic whites made up 31.7% of the population.

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 22,158 households, out of which 36.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.60% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 26.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 24.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.35.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 31.50% under the age of 18, 10.10% from 18 to 24, 26.50% from 25 to 44, 20.50% from 45 to 64, and 11.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 87.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,757, and the median income for a family was $30,324. Males had a median income of $28,266 versus $20,223 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $13,430. About 24.90% of families and 29.20% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 38.40% of those under age 18 and 24.60% of those age 65 or over.

Washington County's demographics are rooted in the region's mid-nineteenth-century ascendance in cotton production and, accordingly, importation of people as slaves. According to the historian Sven Beckert, the county had "more than ten slaves for every white inhabitant" in 1840, and "every white family in the county held on average more than eighty slaves" by 1850.<ref>{{Cite book|title = Empire of Cotton: a Global History|last = Beckert|first = Sven|publisher = Knopf|year = 2014|location = New York}}</ref>

=== 1990 census ===
As of the [[census]] of [https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1990/cp-1/cp-1-26.pdf#page=38 1990], there were 67,935 people living in the county. The racial makeup of the county was 57.46% (39,035) [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]], 41.47% (28,174) [[White (U.S. census)|White]], 0.08% (53) [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.36% (244) [[Asian (U.S. census)|Asian]], and 0.02% (13) from [[Other races (U.S. Census)|other races]]. 0.61% (416) were [[Hispanic (U.S. census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race.

==Transportation==

===Major highways===
* [[File:US 82.svg|21px]] [[U.S. Highway 82]]
* [[File:US 61.svg|21px]] [[U.S. Highway 61]]
* [[File:US 278.svg|21px]] [[U.S. Highway 278]]
* [[File:Circle sign 1.svg|21px]] [[Mississippi Highway 1]]
* [[File:Circle sign 12.svg|21px]] [[Mississippi Highway 12]]

===Airport===
[[Mid Delta Regional Airport]], owned by the [[Greenville, Mississippi|City of Greenville]], is located in an [[unincorporated area]] in the county.<ref>"[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/MapItDrawServlet?geo_id=16000US2829180&_bucket_id=50&tree_id=420&context=saff&_lang=en&_sse=on Greenville city, Mississippi] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510083848/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/MapItDrawServlet?_bucket_id=50&tree_id=420&context=saff&_lang=en&_sse=on&geo_id=16000US2829180 |date=2008-05-10 }}." [[U.S. Census Bureau]]. Retrieved on July 15, 2011.</ref>

==Education==
* '''Public School Districts'''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st28_ms/schooldistrict_maps/c28151_washington/DC20SD_C28151.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609211507/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st28_ms/schooldistrict_maps/c28151_washington/DC20SD_C28151.pdf |archive-date=June 9, 2021 |url-status=live|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Washington County, MS|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=July 18, 2022}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st28_ms/schooldistrict_maps/c28151_washington/DC20SD_C28151_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>
** [[Greenville Public School District]]
** [[Leland School District]]
** [[Hollandale School District]]
** [[Western Line School District]]
* '''Private Schools'''
** Deer Creek School (Arcola)
** [[Greenville Christian School]]
** [[St. Joseph Catholic High School (Greenville, Mississippi)|Saint Joseph Catholic High School]] (Greenville)
** [[Washington School (Mississippi)|Washington School]] (Greenville)

[[Pillow Academy]] in unincorporated [[Leflore County, Mississippi|Leflore County]], near [[Greenwood, Mississippi|Greenwood]], enrolls some students from Washington County.<ref name="Profile20102011">"[http://www.pillowacademy.com/profile.htm Profile of Pillow Academy 2010-2011] {{webarchive|url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20011201014229/http://www.pillowacademy.com/profile.htm |date=2001-12-01 }}." Pillow Academy. Retrieved on March 25, 2012.</ref> It originally was a [[segregation academy]].<ref>{{cite magazine | url = http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/cearas_season_111809/ | magazine = [[Jackson Free Press]] | title = Ceara's Season | author = Lynch, Adam | date = November 18, 2009 | access-date = August 19, 2011}}</ref>

==Communities==

===Cities===
* [[Greenville, Mississippi|Greenville]] (third and current county seat)
* [[Hollandale, Mississippi|Hollandale]]
* [[Leland, Mississippi|Leland]]

===Towns===
* [[Arcola, Mississippi|Arcola]]
* [[Metcalfe, Mississippi|Metcalfe]]

===Census-designated places===
* [[Elizabeth, Mississippi|Elizabeth]]
* [[Glen Allan, Mississippi|Glen Allan]]
* [[Stoneville, Mississippi|Stoneville]]
* [[Winterville, Mississippi|Winterville]]

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[Avon, Mississippi|Avon]]
* [[Burdett, Mississippi|Burdett]]
* [[Chatham, Mississippi|Chatham]]
* [[Darlove, Mississippi|Darlove]]
* [[Erwin, Mississippi|Erwin]]
* [[Foote, Mississippi|Foote]]
* [[McCutcheon, Mississippi|McCutcheon]]
* [[Murphy, Mississippi|Murphy]]
* [[Percy, Mississippi|Percy]]
* [[Refuge, Mississippi|Refuge]]
* [[Tralake, Mississippi|Tralake]]
* [[Tribbett, Mississippi|Tribbett]]
* [[Wayside, Mississippi|Wayside]]
* Wilmot
{{div col end}}

===Ghost towns===
* [[New Mexico, Mississippi|New Mexico]] (first county seat)
* [[Port Anderson, Mississippi|Port Anderson]]
* [[Princeton, Mississippi|Princeton]] (second county seat)

==Politics==
Washington County has a very high African American population and is a Democratic stronghold, having been so for decades. The last Republican to carry the county was [[George H. W. Bush]], who won it by 7 votes in 1988.<ref>https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/</ref>

{{PresHead|place=Washington County, Mississippi|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=February 20, 2021}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|4,649|9,735|156|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|5,300|12,503|231|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|5,244|11,380|201|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|5,651|13,981|83|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|6,347|13,148|88|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|7,731|11,569|297|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|7,367|10,405|556|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|6,762|10,053|625|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|7,598|10,588|1,503|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|10,229|10,222|236|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|12,454|10,617|343|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|8,978|10,722|417|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|7,474|9,650|1,025|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|9,634|4,623|847|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|3,500|5,520|6,300|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|5,611|2,004|0|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|2,292|3,105|1,258|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|1,973|2,722|795|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|3,301|2,618|0|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1948|Dixiecrat|271|260|2,448|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|454|2,012|0|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|292|2,349|1|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|94|2,143|4|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|100|1,691|4|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|246|1,496|0|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|143|1,277|2|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|60|776|1|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|47|836|3|Mississippi}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|20|731|76|Mississippi}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Mississippi}}
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Washington County, Mississippi]]

==Footnotes==
{{reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
* Russell S. Hall, Princella W. Nowell, and Stacy Childress, ''Washington County, Mississippi.'' Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2000.
* Bern Keating, ''A History of Washington County, Mississippi.'' Greenville, MS: Greenville Junior Auxiliary, 1976.
* John L. McCoy, [https://archive.org/details/FactorsAssociatedWithLevel-of-livingInWashingtonCountyMississippi ''Factors Associated with Level-of-Living in Washington County, Mississippi.''] US Department of Agriculture Technical Bulletin no. 1501. Washington, DC: US Dept. of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, 1974.
* William Bert Thompson, ''A History of the Greenville, Mississippi, Public Schools under the Administration of E.E. Bass, 1884-1932.'' MA thesis. University, MS: University of Mississippi, 1968.

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Washington County, Mississippi
|North     = [[Bolivar County, Mississippi|Bolivar County]]
|Northeast = [[Sunflower County, Mississippi|Sunflower County]]
|East      = [[Humphreys County, Mississippi|Humphreys County]]
|Southeast = [[Sharkey County, Mississippi|Sharkey County]]
|South     = [[Issaquena County, Mississippi|Issaquena County]]
|Southwest =
|West      = [[Chicot County, Arkansas]]
|Northwest = [[Desha County, Arkansas]]
}}

{{Washington County, Mississippi}}
{{Mississippi}}

{{coord|33.29|-90.95|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-MS_source:UScensus1990}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Washington County, Mississippi| ]]
[[Category:Mississippi counties]]
[[Category:1827 establishments in Mississippi]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1827]]
[[Category:Mississippi counties on the Mississippi River]]
[[Category:Black Belt (U.S. region)]]
[[Category:Majority-minority counties in Mississippi]]