Smith County, Mississippi Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Smith 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 Smith County, Mississippi. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Smith County, Mississippi. The estimated population of Smith County, Mississippi is 14,483 people, with a median age of 42.4.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
14,483
 -9.02% -10.12%
2020
15,919
 -0.56% -
2019
16,009
 -0.34% -
2018
16,063
 -0.32% -
2017
16,114
 - -

Population of Smith 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
73.6%
74.3%
 -0.94%
Black/African American
23.9%
23.6%
 +1.27%
Native
0%
0%
 0.00%
Hispanic
0.9%
1.6%
 -43.75%
Asian
0.4%
0%
 0.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0.3%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
0.8%
0.3%
 +166.67%
Other
0.1%
0%
 0.00%

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 Smith 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 42.4 +0.71% 41.8 +6.09% 42.8 -0.7%
2020 42.1 +1.45% 39.4 +1.03% 43.1 +0.47%
2019 41.5 +3.49% 39 -0.76% 42.9 +3.87%
2018 40.1 0% 39.3 -0.25% 41.3 -0.72%
2017 40.1 - 39.4 - 41.6 -

The median age of Smith 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 1,093 +1.85% 915 -4.67% 1,102 844
10 to 19 1,201 -55.23% 1,112 +3.08% 657 1,142
20 to 29 852 -0.54% 1,001 -31.97% 839 717
30 to 39 854 0.66% 1,016 -21.2% 837 799
40 to 49 1,027 -24.56% 933 +4.49% 790 940
50 to 59 1,084 -4.54% 1,095 -1.32% 1,031 1,067
60 to 69 965 -2.47% 1,024 -14.05% 934 877
70+ 762 +8.3% 1,180 -7.55% 824 1,083

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Smith County, Mississippi is $51,792.00.

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 Smith County.

  • Under 25
    $61,429.00
  • 25 to 44
    $60,787.00
  • 45 to 64
    $56,411.00
  • 65 and over
    $29,071.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Smith 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 Smith County, Mississippi is currently $60,318.00.

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.

1.30% of households in Smith 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 Smith County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    32.33%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    16.87%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    19.39%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    14.32%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    11.58%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    4.21%
  • $200,000 or more
    1.30%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Smith County is $23,635.00.

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

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Smith 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 Smith 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
    11.98%
  • Bachelor's degree
    15.19%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    5.57%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    61.97%
  • Less than high school diploma
    5.28%

Employment

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

The total population of Smith County over the age of 16 is 11,561.

Of those people, a total of 49.10% 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 Smith County is 46.90%.

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 823 8.10% 6.00%
20 to 24 years 775 59.50% 8.20%
25 to 29 years 781 86.90% 11.90%
30 to 34 years 815 64.40% 4.40%
35 to 44 years 1,686 78.60% 3.20%
45 to 54 years 1,819 62.40% 3.60%
55 to 59 years 1,144 55.70% 0.00%
60 to 64 years 864 53.50% 4.50%
65 to 74 years 1,659 21.50% 1.10%
75 years and over 1,195 2.50% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Smith 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 8,774 49.90% 2.80%
Black or African American 2,657 46.70% 10.60%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0 0.00% 0.00%
Asian 57 100.00% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 44 0.00% 0.00%
Other 3 100.00% 0.00%
Two or more races 26 7.70% 0.00%
Hispanic or Latino 74 64.90% 0.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 8,703 49.80% 2.80%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Smith 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 Smith County is 5,422, with median earnings of $41,043.00.

Women in Smith County, Mississippi earning approximately 64.60% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 5,422 $41,043.00
Male 3,058 $50,625.00
Female 2,364 $32,696.00

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 734 $56,905.00
Business and Financial 154 $53,529.00
Computer and Mathematical 27 $55,313.00
Architecture and Engineering 41 $51,827.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 60 $34,527.00
Community and Social Service 33 $38,631.00
Legal 20 $0.00
Educational and Library 338 $30,658.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 6 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 363 $50,927.00
Healthcare Support 251 $21,411.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 60 $29,000.00
Law Enforcement 78 $54,286.00
Food Preparation and Serving 61 $12,132.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 151 $17,750.00
Personal Care and Service 76 $20,511.00
Sales 308 $38,421.00
Office and Administrative Support 651 $33,097.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 97 $28,429.00
Construction and Extraction 250 $48,571.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 240 $55,955.00
Production 715 $43,869.00
Transportation and Material Moving 447 $47,604.00

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 474 $75,987.00 260 $46,667.00
Business and Financial 13 $54,688.00 141 $53,173.00
Computer and Mathematical 9 $56,563.00 18 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 41 $51,827.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 60 $34,527.00 0 $0.00
Community and Social Service 12 $29,643.00 21 $0.00
Legal 20 $0.00 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 2 $0.00 336 $30,592.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 2 $0.00 4 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 36 $61,500.00 327 $50,202.00
Healthcare Support 27 $0.00 224 $21,477.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 48 $25,000.00 12 $0.00
Law Enforcement 78 $54,286.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 10 $0.00 51 $18,021.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 149 $12,361.00 2 $0.00
Personal Care and Service 0 $0.00 76 $20,511.00
Sales 187 $43,775.00 121 $20,489.00
Office and Administrative Support 148 $51,105.00 503 $31,593.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 97 $28,429.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 250 $48,571.00 0 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 240 $55,955.00 0 $0.00
Production 506 $50,641.00 209 $26,250.00
Transportation and Material Moving 400 $57,835.00 47 $23,586.00

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 5,370 households in Smith 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 3,446 families in Smith County with an average family size of 3.53 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 2,592 237 617 1,924
Average Household Size 3.43 4.25 3.96 1.07
Total Families 2,592 237 617 0
Average Household Size 3.42 4.05 3.81 0

Poverty

Of the 3,446 families in Smith County, 11.80% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Smith 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 6,704 housing units in Smith County, Mississippi.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 5,370 80.10%
Vacant 1,334 19.90%

5.24% of the total 6,704 housing units in Smith County are rental units. This is approximately 351 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 4,814 are occupied by the owner - or 71.81% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Smith County is $626.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Smith 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
    205
  • Less than $500
    78
  • $500 to $999
    268
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    5
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    0
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Smith County is $111,100.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    976
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    1,221
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    811
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    700
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    515
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    347
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    244
  • $1,000,000 or more
    0

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    271
  • 1940 to 1949
    219
  • 1950 to 1959
    480
  • 1960 to 1969
    525
  • 1970 to 1979
    1,622
  • 1980 to 1989
    814
  • 1990 to 1999
    1,120
  • 2000 to 2009
    1,110
  • 2010 to 2013
    530
  • 2014 or later
    13

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 Smith County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    340
  • 1 vehicle available
    1,907
  • 2 vehicles available
    1,992
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    1,131

Commuting to Work

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

32.3 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Smith 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
    168
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    427
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    648
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    489
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    692
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    297
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    690
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    166
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    256
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    349
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    589
  • 90 or more minutes
    298

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Smith 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 Smith County, Mississippi

We have data for 10 places in Smith County, Mississippi. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.