Newton County, Mississippi

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Template:Infobox U.S. county

File:Newton County, Mississippi Courthouse.jpg
Newton County, Mississippi Court House

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 dispute with his white employer regarding his work schedule. The altercation escalated, resulting in the employer's death. In response, a white mob terrorized the local Black community, destroying property, burning a church and meeting lodge near Gardlandville, and threatening families. Unable to locate Jones, the mob targeted and lynched his father-in-law, William Fielder, on October 9. The following day, the mob lynched two other Black men, Dee Dawkins and Frank Johnson, who were associated with Jones. The violence prompted many Black residents to flee Newton County. No one was held accountable for the lynchings or the destruction of property.[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

Template:US Census population

Racial and ethnic composition

Newton County, Mississippi – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 1980[10] Pop 1990[11] Pop 2000[12] Pop 2010[13] Pop 2020[14] % 1980 % 1990 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 13,935 13,643 14,095 13,599 12,796 69.87% 67.24% 64.54% 62.61% 60.10%
Black or African American alone (NH) 5,356 5,826 6,617 6,536 6,447 26.86% 28.71% 30.30% 30.09% 30.28%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 491 723 796 1,072 1,169 2.46% 3.56% 3.65% 4.94% 5.49%
Asian alone (NH) 7 6 39 51 77 0.04% 0.03% 0.18% 0.23% 0.36%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) x [15] x [16] 0 0 0 x x 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Other race alone (NH) 0 8 9 9 29 0.00% 0.04% 0.04% 0.04% 0.14%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) x [17] x [18] 84 166 444 x x 0.38% 0.76% 2.09%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 155 85 198 287 329 0.78% 0.42% 0.91% 1.32% 1.55%
Total 19,944 20,291 21,838 21,720 21,291 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 21,291. The median age was 39.1 years. 24.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 90.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 87.9 males age 18 and over.[19][20]

The racial makeup of the county was 60.4% White, 30.4% Black or African American, 5.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.8% from some other race, and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.5% of the population.[20]

<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[21]

There were 8,024 households in the county, of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 45.6% were married-couple households, 18.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 31.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[19]

There were 9,073 housing units, of which 11.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 77.2% were owner-occupied and 22.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.6%.[19]

2000 census

As of the census[22] 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

Newton County is a longtime Republican stronghold, having not supported a Democratic presidential candidate since 1956.

United States presidential election results for Newton County, Mississippi[23][24]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
1912 6 0.47% 1,197 94.62% 62 4.90%
1916 19 1.34% 1,341 94.70% 56 3.95%
1920 108 7.73% 1,208 86.41% 82 5.87%
1924 72 3.95% 1,657 90.94% 93 5.10%
1928 368 15.07% 2,074 84.93% 0 0.00%
1932 56 2.41% 2,253 97.11% 11 0.47%
1936 39 1.46% 2,624 98.42% 3 0.11%
1940 41 1.61% 2,495 98.27% 3 0.12%
1944 56 2.18% 2,516 97.82% 0 0.00%
"text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Dixiecrat |1948 39 1.47% 169 6.38% 2,442 92.15%
1952 851 25.70% 2,460 74.30% 0 0.00%
1956 360 11.52% 2,359 75.46% 407 13.02%
"text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Dixiecrat |1960 508 15.05% 912 27.01% 1,956 57.94%
1964 4,735 95.21% 238 4.79% 0 0.00%
"text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/American Independent |1968 542 7.85% 799 11.58% 5,561 80.57%
1972 5,585 88.05% 597 9.41% 161 2.54%
1976 3,813 57.00% 2,741 40.97% 136 2.03%
1980 4,317 54.36% 3,455 43.51% 169 2.13%
1984 5,911 73.23% 2,127 26.35% 34 0.42%
1988 5,658 70.70% 2,332 29.14% 13 0.16%
1992 5,128 65.69% 2,146 27.49% 532 6.82%
1996 4,223 61.30% 2,163 31.40% 503 7.30%
2000 5,540 71.59% 2,147 27.75% 51 0.66%
2004 6,165 72.64% 2,280 26.86% 42 0.49%
2008 6,579 66.76% 3,218 32.65% 58 0.59%
2012 6,394 65.40% 3,319 33.95% 64 0.65%
2016 6,548 69.38% 2,756 29.20% 134 1.42%
2020 6,997 68.71% 3,075 30.20% 111 1.09%
2024 6,641 71.23% 2,603 27.92% 79 0.85%
2016 1 33.33% 1 33.33% 1 33.33%


Education

School districts include:[25]

Conehatta Elementary School of the Choctaw Tribal School System is in the community.[26]

Newton County Agricultural High School started operations in 1914. It became a part of the community college after that institution formed in 1928. In 1958 the students were moved to the Decatur School.[27]

East Central Community College (formerly East Central Junior College) covers Newton County.[28] Newton County was part of the college territory since fall 1928.[27]

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.
  4. ↑ Rowland, Dunbar (1907). Mississippi: Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form. 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. ↑ "1980 Census of Population - General Social and Economic Characteristics - Mississippi - Table 58 - Race by Sex: 1980 and Table 59 - Persons by Spanish Origin, Race, and Sex: 1980" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 17-32. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 7, 2022 – via Wayback Machine.
  11. ↑ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Mississippi: Table 6 - Race and Hispanic Origin" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 9-37. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 21, 2024 – via Wayback Machine.
  12. ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Newton County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau.
  13. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Newton County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau.
  14. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Newton County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau.
  15. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  16. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  17. ↑ not an option in the 1980 Census
  18. ↑ not an option in the 1990 Census
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  21. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  22. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  23. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  24. ↑ Clark, Eric (March 22, 2005). "Certification of Presidential Electors" (PDF). Secretary of State of Mississippi. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 1, 2024. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
  25. ↑ Geography Division (December 21, 2020). 2020 Census - School District Reference Map: Newton County, MS (PDF) (Map). Suitland, Maryland: U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 19, 2021. Retrieved August 6, 2022. - Text list
  26. ↑ "Home". Conehatta Elementary School. Retrieved August 6, 2022. 851 Tushka Drive Conehatta, MS 39057
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 "History of the College" (PDF). East Central Community College. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
  28. ↑ "President's Welcome". East Central Community College. Archived from the original on April 25, 2013. Retrieved April 14, 2013.

Further reading

Template:Geographic Location

Template:Newton County, Mississippi Template:Mississippi Coordinates: 32°25′N 89°07′W / 32.41°N 89.12°W / 32.41; -89.12

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