Mississippi
MS · Data from 2022–2023 government sources
Mississippi, the Magnolia State, is steeped in history, music, and literary tradition. The birthplace of the blues and a crucible of the Civil Rights Movement, Mississippi has shaped American culture in ways that belie its small population. The Mississippi Delta — the flat, fertile alluvial plain between the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers — is one of the most culturally significant regions in the country.
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Mississippi was home to the Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Natchez peoples before European contact. France, Britain, and Spain all controlled portions of the territory. Mississippi became the 20th state on December 10, 1817. The state's economy was built on cotton and slave labor, making it one of the wealthiest states before the Civil War — and one of the poorest after. Mississippi was at the center of the Civil Rights Movement: the murder of Emmett Till (1955), the integration of Ole Miss (1962), and Freedom Summer (1964) are defining chapters in American history.
Economy
Mississippi's economy includes agriculture, manufacturing, energy, and military installations. The state is a leading producer of poultry, catfish, cotton, and sweet potatoes. Manufacturing — particularly automotive (Nissan and Toyota have plants in the state) — has grown significantly. The Gulf Coast supports a petroleum refining and shipbuilding industry. Despite economic growth, Mississippi consistently ranks among the poorest states by per-capita income.
Geography & Landmarks
Mississippi covers 48,432 square miles, bordered by the Mississippi River on the west and the Gulf of Mexico on the south. The Delta region in the northwest is flat, incredibly fertile alluvial plain — historically the heart of cotton country. Central Mississippi features rolling hills and pine forests. The Gulf Coast, devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, has since rebuilt. The Natchez Trace Parkway follows a historic trail for 444 miles from Natchez to Nashville. The Mississippi Delta is not a true river delta but a 200-mile-long, 87-mile-wide region of extraordinarily fertile soil deposited by millennia of river flooding. Tishomingo State Park in northeastern Mississippi features unique rock outcroppings of 345-million-year-old Paleozoic sandstone, a geological anomaly in the otherwise flat Coastal Plain.
Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument — NAACP Records, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress
Source: NPS API
Culture & Traditions
Mississippi is the birthplace of the blues, with the Mississippi Delta giving rise to Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, and the musical tradition that became the foundation of rock and roll, R&B, and soul. The B.B. King Museum in Indianola and the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale preserve this heritage, while the crossroads of Highways 61 and 49 in Clarksdale is legendary in blues mythology. Mississippi's literary output is extraordinary for a small state — William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, Tennessee Williams, and Richard Wright all called it home. The state's culinary traditions run deep, from tamales in the Delta (introduced by Mexican laborers in the early 1900s) to catfish fry plates, comeback sauce, and slugburgers in Corinth. Ole Miss football in Oxford and Mississippi State's cowbell tradition in Starkville fuel a fierce in-state rivalry known as the Egg Bowl.
Notable Cities
Jackson
CapitalThe state capital and largest city, a center of Civil Rights history. The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, opened in 2017, is one of the most powerful museums in the country.
153,271
Population
$42,193
Median income
$104,900
Home value
$980
Median rent
34.1
Median age
9.3%
Unemployment
48.9%
Homeownership
15,806
Bachelor's+
Biloxi
A Gulf Coast resort city with casino resorts, beaches, and a rich history as a fishing and shrimping community.
Oxford
Home to the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) and a literary town that produced William Faulkner. Rowan Oak, Faulkner's home, is a museum.
Natchez
Mississippi's oldest city on the bluffs above the river, known for its collection of antebellum mansions and annual spring pilgrimage tours.
Clarksdale
The heart of the Mississippi Delta blues. The crossroads where Robert Johnson allegedly sold his soul, and the Delta Blues Museum, draw music pilgrims from around the world.
Capital city data: Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022)
Intel File · Fun Facts
The blues was born in the Mississippi Delta — Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, and countless other legends came from this region.
Mississippi is the largest producer of farm-raised catfish in the United States.
William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, Tennessee Williams, and Richard Wright are among the literary giants who called Mississippi home.
Coca-Cola was first bottled in Vicksburg, Mississippi in 1894.
The Natchez Trace, a 444-mile scenic parkway, follows a path used by Native Americans for centuries.
Data & Statistics
Demographics
- Population
- 2,958,846
- Median income
- $52,985
- Median age
- 38.1
- Median home value
- $151,000
- Below poverty line
- 548,804
- Bachelor's degree+
- 286,132
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2022)
Agriculture
- Total farms
- 31,290
- Cropland
- 5,135,334 acres
- Market value
- $8,248M
Source: USDA NASS, Census of Agriculture (2022)
Public Health
- Obesity rate
- 40.1%
- Diabetes rate
- 17.0%
- Smoking rate
- 15.6%
- High blood pressure
- 46.0%
- Uninsured
- 10.5%
Source: CDC BRFSS Prevalence Data (2023, 2022 fallback)
National Parks & Sites
- National parks
- 0
- Total NPS sites
- 10
- Sites
- Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site, Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, Natchez National Historical Park, Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail, Natchez Trace Parkway, Shiloh National Military Park, Tupelo National Battlefield, Vicksburg National Military Park
Source: National Park Service API
Climate
- Avg temperature
- 63.6°F
- Avg high
- 75.3°F
- Avg low
- 52.3°F
- Annual precipitation
- 57.2 in
- Annual snowfall
- 0.5 in
Source: NOAA Climate Normals (2010)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the capital of Mississippi?▾
Jackson is the capital of Mississippi, named after President Andrew Jackson. It is the state's largest city and a center of Civil Rights history.
What is the Mississippi Delta?▾
The Mississippi Delta is the flat, incredibly fertile alluvial plain between the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers in northwestern Mississippi. It is NOT the Mississippi River delta at the Gulf of Mexico. The region is the birthplace of the blues and was historically the center of cotton plantation agriculture.
What music came from Mississippi?▾
Mississippi is the birthplace of the blues, which gave rise to rock and roll. Blues legends Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, and Son House all came from Mississippi. Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo. The state also has deep roots in gospel, country, and soul music.
What happened at Ole Miss in 1962?▾
In 1962, James Meredith became the first Black student to enroll at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), sparking riots that required federal troops to quell. The integration of Ole Miss was a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement.
Data sources
U.S. Census Bureau · USDA NASS · CDC BRFSS · National Park Service · NOAA CDO
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau. This product uses the NASS API but is not endorsed or certified by NASS.
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