Pearl River County, Mississippi Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Pearl River County, Mississippi, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Pearl River County, Mississippi. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Pearl River County, Mississippi. The estimated population of Pearl River County, Mississippi is 55,972 people, with a median age of 41.3.

We can look at the total population in Pearl River County over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
55,972
+0.83%
+1.68%
2020
55,512
+0.53%
-
2019
55,219
+0.13%
-
2018
55,149
+0.18%
-
2017
55,049
 - -

Population of Pearl River County, Mississippi by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
80.8%
81.9%
 -1.34%
Black/African American
12.8%
12.9%
 -0.78%
Native
0%
0.1%
 -100.00%
Hispanic
3.3%
3%
 +10.00%
Asian
0.3%
0.3%
 0.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
2.2%
1.6%
 +37.50%
Other
0.5%
0.1%
 +400.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Pearl River County, Mississippi by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 41.3 -0.96% 39.9 -0.25% 42.4 -1.62%
2020 41.7 +1.96% 40 +1.27% 43.1 +0.94%
2019 40.9 0% 39.5 -0.25% 42.7 0%
2018 40.9 -0.24% 39.6 -0.25% 42.7 +0.47%
2017 41 - 39.7 - 42.5 -

The median age of Pearl River County, Mississippi gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 3,478 -1.91% 3,242 +7.55% 3,411 3,471
10 to 19 4,059 -3.92% 3,629 -1.66% 3,893 3,564
20 to 29 3,328 +1.69% 3,214 +1.41% 3,372 3,259
30 to 39 2,799 +12.48% 2,821 +14.98% 3,153 3,253
40 to 49 3,545 -5.88% 3,849 -11.97% 3,328 3,394
50 to 59 3,819 -10.98% 3,832 -0.39% 3,413 3,801
60 to 69 3,349 +12.99% 3,768 -0.46% 3,803 3,708
70+ 2,729 +16.3% 3,588 +10.22% 3,196 3,953

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Pearl River County, Mississippi is $53,855.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Pearl River County.

  • Under 25
    $20,869.00
  • 25 to 44
    $73,987.00
  • 45 to 64
    $54,835.00
  • 65 and over
    $37,641.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Pearl River County, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Pearl River County, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Pearl River County, Mississippi is currently $68,182.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

3.99% of households in Pearl River County are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Pearl River County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    23.63%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    23.73%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    17.27%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    13.08%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    15.00%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    3.30%
  • $200,000 or more
    3.99%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Pearl River County is $26,065.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Pearl River County by the total population of Pearl River County.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Pearl River County, Mississippi, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Pearl River County to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    8.15%
  • Bachelor's degree
    19.09%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    17.36%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    50.89%
  • Less than high school diploma
    4.51%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Pearl River County that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Pearl River County over the age of 16 is 44,740.

Of those people, a total of 54.20% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Pearl River County is 50.70%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 3,107 31.40% 24.20%
20 to 24 years 3,281 65.20% 10.30%
25 to 29 years 3,350 73.70% 10.60%
30 to 34 years 2,900 79.60% 1.60%
35 to 44 years 6,543 82.30% 7.80%
45 to 54 years 7,309 75.40% 4.80%
55 to 59 years 3,590 56.20% 0.20%
60 to 64 years 4,194 41.60% 0.70%
65 to 74 years 6,324 22.40% 1.20%
75 years and over 4,142 6.70% 24.50%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Pearl River County. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 37,580 54.80% 5.50%
Black or African American 5,465 50.10% 14.90%
American Indian and Alaska Native 212 62.70% 0.00%
Asian 135 60.00% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 4 0.00% 0.00%
Other 186 61.80% 0.00%
Two or more races 1,158 51.10% 2.00%
Hispanic or Latino 1,313 57.30% 2.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 36,826 54.80% 5.50%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Pearl River County as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Pearl River County is 22,699, with median earnings of $35,055.00.

Women in Pearl River County, Mississippi earning approximately 58.50% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 22,699 $35,055.00
Male 12,763 $43,286.00
Female 9,936 $25,332.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 1,742 $73,286.00
Business and Financial 733 $46,455.00
Computer and Mathematical 501 $78,250.00
Architecture and Engineering 222 $67,104.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 92 $110,577.00
Community and Social Service 481 $34,760.00
Legal 127 $66,599.00
Educational and Library 1,264 $38,438.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 312 $17,184.00
Healthcare Practitioners 1,728 $39,810.00
Healthcare Support 646 $15,947.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 454 $23,909.00
Law Enforcement 189 $48,861.00
Food Preparation and Serving 1,382 $12,958.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 916 $17,449.00
Personal Care and Service 475 $19,578.00
Sales 2,087 $21,250.00
Office and Administrative Support 2,255 $30,101.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 21 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 1,515 $48,393.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 1,285 $40,739.00
Production 1,542 $53,800.00
Transportation and Material Moving 1,501 $49,741.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 1,104 $74,699.00 638 $60,955.00
Business and Financial 306 $48,015.00 427 $34,440.00
Computer and Mathematical 414 $82,396.00 87 $51,350.00
Architecture and Engineering 222 $67,104.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 74 $101,563.00 18 $0.00
Community and Social Service 131 $37,216.00 350 $32,432.00
Legal 18 $0.00 109 $66,358.00
Educational and Library 261 $55,689.00 1,003 $36,435.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 212 $54,091.00 100 $13,519.00
Healthcare Practitioners 379 $64,671.00 1,349 $37,615.00
Healthcare Support 12 $0.00 634 $16,174.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 285 $26,250.00 169 $23,767.00
Law Enforcement 172 $48,389.00 17 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 551 $12,555.00 831 $13,242.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 683 $26,273.00 233 $4,740.00
Personal Care and Service 167 $33,975.00 308 $18,721.00
Sales 814 $37,755.00 1,273 $18,589.00
Office and Administrative Support 618 $42,231.00 1,637 $27,793.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 4 $0.00 17 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 1,508 $48,643.00 7 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 1,285 $40,739.00 0 $0.00
Production 1,168 $58,389.00 374 $27,183.00
Transportation and Material Moving 1,423 $59,125.00 78 $0.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 20,465 households in Pearl River County, with an average household size of 2.68 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 14,575 families in Pearl River County with an average family size of 3.18 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 10,861 923 2,791 5,890
Average Household Size 3.24 3.09 3.57 1.15
Total Families 10,861 923 2,791 0
Average Household Size 3.2 2.7 3.27 0

Poverty

Of the 14,575 families in Pearl River County, 11.70% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Pearl River County:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 24,635 housing units in Pearl River County, Mississippi.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 20,465 83.07%
Vacant 4,170 16.93%

13.68% of the total 24,635 housing units in Pearl River County are rental units. This is approximately 3,371 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 16,478 are occupied by the owner - or 66.89% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Pearl River County is $841.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Pearl River County that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    616
  • Less than $500
    552
  • $500 to $999
    1,942
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    763
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    72
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    42
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Pearl River County is $144,100.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Pearl River County that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    2,371
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    3,579
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    2,567
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    3,408
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    2,811
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    1,593
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    88
  • $1,000,000 or more
    61

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Pearl River County. The chart below shows the number of properties in Pearl River County that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    973
  • 1940 to 1949
    582
  • 1950 to 1959
    1,283
  • 1960 to 1969
    2,261
  • 1970 to 1979
    3,759
  • 1980 to 1989
    3,583
  • 1990 to 1999
    4,626
  • 2000 to 2009
    5,412
  • 2010 to 2013
    2,125
  • 2014 or later
    31

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Pearl River County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    685
  • 1 vehicle available
    6,381
  • 2 vehicles available
    7,744
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    5,655

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Pearl River County get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Pearl River County that commute to work in a particular way.

35.2 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Pearl River County.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    562
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    1,849
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    2,224
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    2,795
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    1,815
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    1,315
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    2,031
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    1,032
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    507
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    1,976
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    3,471
  • 90 or more minutes
    1,370

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Pearl River County, Mississippi in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in Pearl River County, Mississippi

We have data for 9 places in Pearl River County, Mississippi. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.