Basic Information

Full Name: State of Mississippi
Capital: Jackson
Joined Union: December 10, 1817 (205 years ago)

Geographic Properties

Total Area: 48,430 mi²
Land Area: 46,920 mi²
Water Area: 1,509 mi²
Farmland Area: 11.5 million acres
Mean Elevation: 295.3 ft
Highest Point: Woodall Mountain, 807.1 ft
Lowest Point: Gulf of Mexico, 0 ft

Demographics

Population: 2.95 million people (2021)
Population Growth: +0.3% per year (2010-12)
Population Density: 60.91 people/mi² (2021)
Race Distribution:
- White: 58.4%
- Black/African American: 37.7%
- Two or more races: 1.4%
- Others
Hispanic Origin: 3.1%
US Citizens: 98.6%

Education

College Degree and Above: 31.8% (0.782 × national average)
High School Diploma: 30.4% (1.13 × national average)
Less Than High School Diploma: 15.5% (1.29 × national average)

Housing

Housing Units: 1.282 million (2011)
Households: 1.085 million (2011)
People per Household: 2.745 people (2010)

Economy

Number of Businesses: 225,977 (2007)
Median Household Income: $45,081.00 per year (0.717 × national average)
Per Capita Income: $24,369 per year per person (0.715 × national average)
Population Below Poverty Line: 20.3% (1.51 × national average)

Crime

Total Rate of Crime: 2,654 crimes/100,000 people/yr (2019 estimate)
Total Number of Crimes: 78,979 crimes per year (2019 estimate)

Voting and Registration

Total Voting Rate: 69.2% (2020)
Total Registration Rate: 79.1% (2020)

Public School Finance

Total Expenditures: $4.553 billion ($9,269 per student) (2020)
Total Revenue: $4.381 billion ($8,919 per student) (2009)

State Symbols

State Bird: Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
State Flower: Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)
State Tree: Magnolia or evergreen magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)
State Motto: Virtute et armis