How Many Counties in Mississippi and Which are the Most Popular?

Known as the birthplace of blues music and a key player in the United States’ Civil War, the state of Mississippi is so packed with history and culture that you need to visit multiple times just to get a taste of it. It’s a beautiful place to visit and an even more beautiful place to live.

Mississippi is bounded by the Gulf of Mexico to the south, the Mississippi River to the west (which borders Louisiana and Arkansas), Alabama to the east, and Tennessee to the north. In terms of area, Mississippi is 48,430 sq mi – which ranks 32nd in the United States.

With a population of 2.96 million people, Mississippi is the 35th most populous state and 32nd most densely-populated state in the US. You’ll meet a lot of wonderful people here in The Magnolia State and you can find some extremely nice areas to settle down and raise a family.

Not only that, but residents have easy access to Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Louisiana thanks to the I-55 (which runs vertically through the middle of the state) and the I-20 (which runs horizontally through the middle of the state). There are seven other interstate highways.

How Many Counties in Mississippi?

Mississippi consists of five metropolitan areas, 20 micropolitan areas, and three combined areas. There are a total of 362 places in the entire state – which includes 298 incorporated places (110 cities, 169 towns, and 19 villages) and 64 census-designated places (CDP).

There are a total of 82 Mississippi counties in the state of Mississippi -- each with their own board of supervisors – and 410 county subdivisions. The state capital is Jackson, MS, which is located in Hinds County – the most populous county in Mississippi. Harrison County is the second.

Some of the other big cities in Mississippi include Gulfport, Southaven, Biloxi, Hattiesburg, Olive Branch, Tupelo, and Meridian – all of which are home to at least 30,000 people.

Some of the most popular counties include the Monroe and Washington counties, Marion and Pike counties, Hancock and Marion counties, Adams county, Greene and Jackson counties, DeSoto and Marshall counties, Rankin and Wayne counties, Jefferson Davis county, Jones and Wayne Counties, and Franklin and Hinds counties.

Let’s take a closer look at 10 of the most populous counties in Mississippi and what makes them unique.

10. Jones County - 68,307 residents

Jones County is in southeast Mississippi by the Covington and Wayne counties and is part of the larger Laurel micropolitan area. Roughly 62% of its residents are white and 28% are black. Fun things to do in Jones County include the Bak Homa Casino, the Veteran’s Memorial Museum, and Lake Bogue Homa.

9. Forrest County - 75,162 residents

Forrest County is in southeast Mississippi (northeast of Jones County) and is part of the Hattiesburg metropolitan area. Roughly 55% of residents are white and 36% are black. Fun things to do in Forrest County are Paul B Johnson State Park and Hattiesburg Zoo.

8. Lauderdale County - 75,557 residents

Lauderdale County sits on the eastern border of Mississippi (right in the middle) and is part of the Meridian micropolitan area. Roughly 50% of residents are white and 44% are black. Fun things to do include The MAX, Bonita Lakes Park, Meridian Museum of Art, and much more.

7. Lee County - 85,304 residents

Lee County is in the northeast corner of Mississippi, is part of the Tupelo micropolitan area, and was named after Robert E. Lee. 63% of residents are white and 29% are black. Fun things to do are Elvis Presley’s birthplace, the Tupelo Buffalo Park & Zoo, and the Tupelo National Battlefield.

6. Madison County - 105,482 residents

Madison County is in central Mississippi, is part of the Jackson metropolitan area, and is named after President James Madison. Roughly 55% of residents are white and 35% are black. Some fun things to do include the Cypress Swamp, Mississippi Petrified Forest, and Liberty Park.

5. Jackson County - 142,872 residents

Jackson County is in the southeastern tip of Mississippi by Greene county and is part of the larger Pascagoula metropolitan area. 65% of residents are white and 21% are black. Some fun things to do are Shepard State Park, Gulf Islands National Seashore, and the Walter Anderson Museum of Art.



4. Rankin County - 154,119 residents

Rankin County is in south central Mississippi and is part of the Jackson metropolitan area. Roughly 71% of residents are white and another 21% are black. Some of the sights to see include the Brandon Amphitheater and Trustmark Park – home of the Mississippi Braves

3. DeSoto County - 182,256 residents

DeSoto County is in the northwestern tip of Mississippi and is part of the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metropolitan area. Roughly 59% of the residents are white and 30% are black. Fun things to do include the Commerce Street Market, Central Park, Arkabutla Lake, and Conger Park.

2. Harrison County - 206,169 residents

Harrison County sits in the middle of the southern border of Mississippi and is part of the Gulfport-Biloxi metropolitan area. 60% of residents are white and 25% are black. Fun things to do are the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Harrah’s Gulf Coast, and IP Casino Resort Spa.

1. Hinds County - 235,604 residents

Hinds County is in west central Mississippi and is part of the larger Jackson metropolitan area. Roughly 25% of the residents are white and 69% are black. Some fun things to do and see include The Jackson Zoo, the Museum of Mississippi History, and LeFleur’s Bluff State Park.

Are You Selling Your House in Mississippi?

Mississippi is a tremendous place to live, but it’s common for people to move to a different neighborhood, city, or even out of state – which means thousands of homes are going up for sale every single year. If you’re one of those homeowners, then we’d like to talk to you!

At Sell Your House Fast Mississippi, we would like to offer you cash for your home. We make the home-selling process quick, painless, and easy for each and every one of our clients -- no matter what Mississippi county you live in. If you’re interested in receiving a no-obligation cash offer for your home in Mississippi, contact us.

One of our representatives will speak with you to get a better idea of what your house is, where it’s located, and what condition it’s in. Once we have all the information we need, we’ll send over a cash offer and you can either accept or decline.