Jasper County, Mississippi

Infobox U.S. County
county = Jasper County
state = Mississippi


map size = 150
founded = 1833
seat = Bay Springs and Paulding | largest city = Bay Springs | area_total_sq_mi =677
area_land_sq_mi =676
area_water_sq_mi =1
area percentage = 0.21%
census yr = 2000
pop = 18149
density_km2 =10
web =
|

Jasper County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of 2000, the population is 18,149. Its county seats are Bay Springs and PauldingGR|6.

Jasper County is part of the Laurel, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 677 square miles (1,755 km²), of which, 676 square miles (1,751 km²) of it is land and 1 square miles (4 km²) of it (0.21%) is water.

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

*Newton County (north)
*Clarke County (east)
*Wayne County (southeast)
*Jones County (south)
*Smith County (west)

History

Jasper County was formed in 1833 from the middle section of what been Jones County. It was named for Sgt. William Jasper who first distinguished himself in the defense of Fort Moultrie in 1776. When a shell from a British warship shot away the flagstaff, he recovered the flag, raised it on a temporary staff, and held it under fire until a new staff was installed. Sgt. Jasper was killed in the Siege of Savannah in 1779.

Demographics

USCensusPop
1840= 3958
1850= 6184
1860= 11007
1870= 10884
1880= 12126
1890= 14785
1900= 15394
1910= 18498
1920= 18508
1930= 18634
1940= 19484
1950= 18912
1960= 16909
1970= 15994
1980= 17265
1990= 17114
2000= 18149
estyear=2007
estimate=18071
footnote= [http://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ms190090.txt MS Counties 1900-1990] As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 18,149 people, 6,708 households, and 4,957 families residing in the county. The population density was 27 people per square mile (10/km²). There were 7,671 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 46.47% White, 52.88% Black or African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races, and 0.41% from two or more races. 0.64% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,708 households out of which 35.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.90% were married couples living together, 18.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.10% were non-families. 24.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the county the population was spread out with 27.90% under the age of 18, 9.60% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 21.90% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 91.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $24,441, and the median income for a family was $29,951. Males had a median income of $27,183 versus $17,260 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,889. About 19.30% of families and 22.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.90% of those under age 18 and 23.70% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

*Cities
**Bay Springs

*Towns
**Heidelberg
**Louin
**Montrose

*Unincorporated places
**Baxter
**Garlandville
**Moss
**Paulding
**Rose Hill
**Stringer
**Vossburg

References

External links

* [http://www.mississippicourthouses.com/jasper/ Jasper County Courthouse Pictures]
* [http://www.rootsweb.com/~msjasper/jashist.htm History of Jasper County]
* [http://purl.oclc.org/umarchives/MUM00242/ Jasper County, MS Register of Motor Vehicles & Motorcyles sic (MUM00242)] at the University of Mississippi, Archives and Special Collections.