Newton County
County
Alabama and Vicksburg Railroad Depot
Alabama and Vicksburg Railroad Depot
Map of Mississippi highlighting Newton County
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Map of the United States highlighting Mississippi
Mississippi's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 32°25′N 89°07′W / 32.41°N 89.12°W / 32.41; -89.12
Country United States
State Mississippi
Founded1836
SeatDecatur
Largest cityNewton
Area
 • Total580 sq mi (1,500 km2)
 • Land578 sq mi (1,500 km2)
 • Water1.5 sq mi (4 km2)  0.3%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total21,291
 • Density37/sq mi (14/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district3rd
Websitewww.newtoncountyms.net

Newton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 21,291.[1] Its county seat is Decatur.[2]

History

The land that would become Newton County was purchased from the Choctaw under the terms of the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek. Newton County was split off from the southern part of Neshoba County and organized on February 26, 1836.[3] The county is named for scientist Isaac Newton.[4][5]

The Battle of Newton's Station was fought in the county on April 24, 1863, during Grierson's Raid of the American Civil War. Union troops pulled up railroad tracks and burned the depot at Newton's Station.[6]

In February 1864, General William Tecumseh Sherman crossed the county, burning the county seat at Decatur and was nearly captured during the Meridian Campaign. Sherman stopped during the return trip from Meridian and slept at Boler's Inn in the town of Union.[7]

On October 8, 1908, a black sharecropper named Shep Jones had a disagreement with his white employer, leading to the employer's death. While searching for Jones, a white mob destroyed property owned by black people, burned their church and meeting lodge, threatened black families, and hanged Jones' father-in-law and two other black men. Many black people fled Newton County. No arrests or restitution occurred.[8]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 580 square miles (1,500 km2), of which 578 square miles (1,500 km2) is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km2) (0.3%) is water.[9]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18402,527—
18504,46576.7%
18609,661116.4%
187010,0674.2%
188013,43633.5%
189016,62523.7%
190019,70818.5%
191023,08517.1%
192020,727−10.2%
193022,91010.5%
194024,2495.8%
195022,681−6.5%
196019,517−14.0%
197018,983−2.7%
198019,9445.1%
199020,2911.7%
200021,8387.6%
201021,720−0.5%
202021,291−2.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12]
1990-2000[13] 2010-2013[14]

2020 census

Newton County Racial Composition[15]
Race Num. Perc.
White 12,796 60.1%
Black or African American 6,447 30.28%
Native American 1,169 5.49%
Asian 77 0.36%
Other/Mixed 473 2.22%
Hispanic or Latino 329 1.55%

As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 21,291 people, 8,037 households, and 5,697 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the census[16] of 2000, there were 21,838 people, 8,221 households, and 6,001 families residing in the county. The population density was 38 people per square mile (15 people/km2). There were 9,259 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile (6.2/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 65.01% white, 30.37% black or African American, 3.68% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.33% from other races, and 0.44% from two or more races. 0.91% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,221 households, out of which 33.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.00% were married couples living together, 16.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.00% were non-families. 24.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.20% under the age of 18, 11.20% from 18 to 24, 26.00% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 92.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,735, and the median income for a family was $34,606. Males had a median income of $27,820 versus $20,757 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,008. About 16.40% of families and 19.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.30% of those under age 18 and 21.70% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

City

Towns

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

Politics

United States presidential election results for Newton County, Mississippi[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 6,997 68.71% 3,075 30.20% 111 1.09%
2016 6,548 69.38% 2,756 29.20% 134 1.42%
2012 6,394 65.40% 3,319 33.95% 64 0.65%
2008 6,579 66.76% 3,218 32.65% 58 0.59%
2004 6,165 72.63% 2,280 26.86% 43 0.51%
2000 5,540 71.59% 2,147 27.75% 51 0.66%
1996 4,223 61.30% 2,163 31.40% 503 7.30%
1992 5,128 65.69% 2,146 27.49% 532 6.82%
1988 5,658 70.70% 2,332 29.14% 13 0.16%
1984 5,911 73.23% 2,127 26.35% 34 0.42%
1980 4,317 54.36% 3,455 43.51% 169 2.13%
1976 3,813 57.00% 2,741 40.97% 136 2.03%
1972 5,585 88.05% 597 9.41% 161 2.54%
1968 542 7.85% 799 11.58% 5,561 80.57%
1964 4,735 95.21% 238 4.79% 0 0.00%
1960 508 15.05% 912 27.01% 1,956 57.94%
1956 360 11.52% 2,359 75.46% 407 13.02%
1952 851 25.70% 2,460 74.30% 0 0.00%
1948 39 1.47% 169 6.38% 2,442 92.15%
1944 56 2.18% 2,516 97.82% 0 0.00%
1940 41 1.61% 2,495 98.27% 3 0.12%
1936 39 1.46% 2,624 98.42% 3 0.11%
1932 56 2.41% 2,253 97.11% 11 0.47%
1928 368 15.07% 2,074 84.93% 0 0.00%
1924 72 3.95% 1,657 90.94% 93 5.10%
1920 108 7.73% 1,208 86.41% 82 5.87%
1916 19 1.34% 1,341 94.70% 56 3.95%
1912 6 0.47% 1,197 94.62% 62 4.90%

Education

School districts include:[18]

Conehatta Elementary School of the Choctaw Tribal School System is in the community.[19]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Census - Geography Profile: Newton County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ r2WPadmin. "Newton County". Mississippi Encyclopedia. Retrieved December 15, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ↑ Rowland, Dunbar (1907). Mississippi: Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form. Vol. 2. Southern Historical Publishing Association. p. 339.
  5. ↑ "Newton County Mississippi". Newton County. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Grierson's Raid Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Boler's Inn Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Descendants of Lynching Victims Dedicate Historical Marker in Hickory, Mississippi". Equal Justice Initiative. August 19, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  9. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  10. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  14. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on March 9, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  16. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  17. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  18. ↑ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Newton County, MS" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 19, 2021. Retrieved August 6, 2022. - Text list
  19. ↑ "Home". Conehatta Elementary School. Retrieved August 6, 2022. 851 Tushka Drive Conehatta, MS 39057
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32°25′N 89°07′W / 32.41°N 89.12°W / 32.41; -89.12

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