Mississippi saw its first population decrease in 60 years, according to preliminary 2020 U.S. Census Bureau data released last month.
The data reported Mississippi’s resident population as 2,961,279 million people, marking a decrease of 6,018 since 2010. This is only the third time a population decrease in Mississippi has been recorded. The first was a decrease of 6,496 recorded in 1920, and the second was a decline of 773 recorded in 1960.
Mississippi was one of only three states to see a population decline in the 2020 census, though its decline was the smallest among them. Illinois’ population decreased by 18,124 and the state lost one of its 18 congressional seats as a result. West Virginia saw the greatest population decline, losing 59,278 residents.
The map below shows population changes by Mississippi county between 2010 and 2020, based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 Population Estimates Program. More detailed 2020 Census county-by-county data will be released later this year. Hover over counties to see the population change.
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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