Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Counties in Mississippi

Counties in Mississippi by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Holmes County had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 82 counties in 2021, at 39.2%. DeSoto County had the lowest, at 9.6%. The median was 21.5% and the figure for Mississippi was 19.4%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest39.2Holmes County
Lowest9.6DeSoto County
Median21.582 counties
Mississippi19.4History

Map of counties, 2021

Adams County: 29.3 %Alcorn County: 16.5 %Amite County: 30.8 %Attala County: 25.9 %Benton County: 14.5 %Bolivar County: 33 %Calhoun County: 20.5 %Carroll County: 16 %Chickasaw County: 21.9 %Choctaw County: 18.4 %Claiborne County: 34.8 %Clarke County: 20.2 %Clay County: 23.2 %Coahoma County: 37.5 %Copiah County: 22.1 %Covington County: 22.8 %DeSoto County: 9.6 %Forrest County: 23 %Franklin County: 22.9 %George County: 21.1 %Greene County: 15.3 %Grenada County: 22.8 %Hancock County: 15.7 %Harrison County: 17.9 %Hinds County: 20.9 %Holmes County: 39.2 %Humphreys County: 35.4 %Issaquena County: 21.1 %Itawamba County: 9.9 %Jackson County: 15.2 %Jasper County: 19.5 %Jefferson County: 30.1 %Jefferson Davis County: 21.8 %Jones County: 21.7 %Kemper County: 25.3 %Lafayette County: 20.6 %Lamar County: 17.6 %Lauderdale County: 23.8 %Lawrence County: 21 %Leake County: 22.7 %Lee County: 13.4 %Leflore County: 31.6 %Lincoln County: 20 %Lowndes County: 19.7 %Madison County: 10.2 %Marion County: 24.4 %Marshall County: 20.6 %Monroe County: 17.3 %Montgomery County: 25.5 %Neshoba County: 25.8 %Newton County: 24.1 %Noxubee County: 28 %Oktibbeha County: 27.7 %Panola County: 22 %Pearl River County: 14.5 %Perry County: 21.4 %Pike County: 31.8 %Pontotoc County: 14.5 %Prentiss County: 16.5 %Quitman County: 34.8 %Rankin County: 9.6 %Scott County: 22.8 %Sharkey County: 27.3 %Simpson County: 19.2 %Smith County: 15.6 %Stone County: 18.5 %Sunflower County: 31.3 %Tallahatchie County: 29.1 %Tate County: 15.3 %Tippah County: 20.6 %Tishomingo County: 20.8 %Tunica County: 32.4 %Union County: 12.3 %Walthall County: 25.6 %Warren County: 19 %Washington County: 30.4 %Wayne County: 18 %Webster County: 16.5 %Wilkinson County: 21.4 %Winston County: 25.4 %Yalobusha County: 21.9 %Yazoo County: 27 %
  • Under 16
  • 16 to 20
  • 20 to 22
  • 22 to 24
  • 24 to 29
  • 29 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Holmes County: 39.2 %Holmes County39.2Coahoma County: 37.5 %Coahoma County37.5Humphreys County: 35.4 %Humphreys County35.4Quitman County: 34.8 %Quitman County34.8Claiborne County: 34.8 %Claiborne County34.8Bolivar County: 33 %Bolivar County33Tunica County: 32.4 %Tunica County32.4Pike County: 31.8 %Pike County31.8Leflore County: 31.6 %Leflore County31.6Sunflower County: 31.3 %Sunflower County31.3Amite County: 30.8 %Amite County30.8Washington County: 30.4 %Washington County30.4Jefferson County: 30.1 %Jefferson County30.1Adams County: 29.3 %Adams County29.3Tallahatchie County: 29.1 %Tallahatchie County29.1Noxubee County: 28 %Noxubee County28Oktibbeha County: 27.7 %Oktibbeha County27.7Sharkey County: 27.3 %Sharkey County27.3Yazoo County: 27 %Yazoo County27Attala County: 25.9 %Attala County25.9Neshoba County: 25.8 %Neshoba County25.8Walthall County: 25.6 %Walthall County25.6Montgomery County: 25.5 %Montgomery County25.5Winston County: 25.4 %Winston County25.4Kemper County: 25.3 %Kemper County25.3Marion County: 24.4 %Marion County24.4Newton County: 24.1 %Newton County24.1Lauderdale County: 23.8 %Lauderdale County23.8Clay County: 23.2 %Clay County23.2Forrest County: 23 %Forrest County23Franklin County: 22.9 %Franklin County22.9Scott County: 22.8 %Scott County22.8Covington County: 22.8 %Covington County22.8Grenada County: 22.8 %Grenada County22.8Leake County: 22.7 %Leake County22.7Copiah County: 22.1 %Copiah County22.1Panola County: 22 %Panola County22Yalobusha County: 21.9 %Yalobusha County21.9Chickasaw County: 21.9 %Chickasaw County21.9Jefferson Davis County: 21.8 %Jefferson Davis County21.8Holmes County: 39.2 %Holmes County39.2Coahoma County: 37.5 %Coahoma County37.5Humphreys County: 35.4 %Humphreys County35.4Quitman County: 34.8 %Quitman County34.8Claiborne County: 34.8 %Claiborne County34.8Bolivar County: 33 %Bolivar County33Tunica County: 32.4 %Tunica County32.4Pike County: 31.8 %Pike County31.8Leflore County: 31.6 %Leflore County31.6Sunflower County: 31.3 %Sunflower County31.3Amite County: 30.8 %Amite County30.8Washington County: 30.4 %Washington County30.4Jefferson County: 30.1 %Jefferson County30.1Adams County: 29.3 %Adams County29.3Tallahatchie County: 29.1 %Tallahatchie County29.1Noxubee County: 28 %Noxubee County28Oktibbeha County: 27.7 %Oktibbeha County27.7Sharkey County: 27.3 %Sharkey County27.3Yazoo County: 27 %Yazoo County27Attala County: 25.9 %Attala County25.9Neshoba County: 25.8 %Neshoba County25.8Walthall County: 25.6 %Walthall County25.6Montgomery County: 25.5 %Montgomery County25.5Winston County: 25.4 %Winston County25.4Kemper County: 25.3 %Kemper County25.3Marion County: 24.4 %Marion County24.4Newton County: 24.1 %Newton County24.1Lauderdale County: 23.8 %Lauderdale County23.8Clay County: 23.2 %Clay County23.2Forrest County: 23 %Forrest County23Franklin County: 22.9 %Franklin County22.9Scott County: 22.8 %Scott County22.8Covington County: 22.8 %Covington County22.8Grenada County: 22.8 %Grenada County22.8Leake County: 22.7 %Leake County22.7Copiah County: 22.1 %Copiah County22.1Panola County: 22 %Panola County22Yalobusha County: 21.9 %Yalobusha County21.9Chickasaw County: 21.9 %Chickasaw County21.9Jefferson Davis County: 21.8 %Jefferson Davis County21.8
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Holmes County39.2
2Coahoma County37.5
3Humphreys County35.4
4Quitman County34.8
5Claiborne County34.8
6Bolivar County33
7Tunica County32.4
8Pike County31.8
9Leflore County31.6
10Sunflower County31.3
11Amite County30.8
12Washington County30.4
13Jefferson County30.1
14Adams County29.3
15Tallahatchie County29.1
16Noxubee County28
17Oktibbeha County27.7
18Sharkey County27.3
19Yazoo County27
20Attala County25.9
21Neshoba County25.8
22Walthall County25.6
23Montgomery County25.5
24Winston County25.4
25Kemper County25.3
26Marion County24.4
27Newton County24.1
28Lauderdale County23.8
29Clay County23.2
30Forrest County23
31Franklin County22.9
32Scott County22.8
33Covington County22.8
33Grenada County22.8
35Leake County22.7
36Copiah County22.1
37Panola County22
38Yalobusha County21.9
39Chickasaw County21.9
40Jefferson Davis County21.8
41Jones County21.7
42Perry County21.4
43Wilkinson County21.4
44Issaquena County21.1
45George County21.1
46Lawrence County21
47Hinds County20.9
48Tishomingo County20.8
49Tippah County20.6
50Marshall County20.6
51Lafayette County20.6
52Calhoun County20.5
53Clarke County20.2
54Lincoln County20
55Lowndes County19.7
56Jasper County19.5
57Simpson County19.2
58Warren County19
59Stone County18.5
60Choctaw County18.4
61Wayne County18
62Harrison County17.9
63Lamar County17.6
64Monroe County17.3
65Prentiss County16.5
66Alcorn County16.5
67Webster County16.5
68Carroll County16
69Hancock County15.7
70Smith County15.6
71Greene County15.3
72Tate County15.3
73Jackson County15.2
74Benton County14.5
75Pearl River County14.5
75Pontotoc County14.5
77Lee County13.4
78Union County12.3
79Madison County10.2
80Itawamba County9.9
81Rankin County9.6
82DeSoto County9.6

Other periods

About this ranking

People with income in the past 12 months below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people whose poverty status is determined. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

The headline single-year rate for states and counties is poverty_rate (SAIPE). Poverty status is not determined for people in institutions, military group quarters or college dormitories, or for unrelated children under 15. Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in Mississippi by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Mississippi by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/mississippi-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in Mississippi by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/mississippi-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Mississippi by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/mississippi-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_mississippi_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Mississippi by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/mississippi-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Mississippi by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/mississippi-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/mississippi-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Holmes County, with 39.2% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

DeSoto County, with 9.6% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Counties in Mississippi: more rankings