*Appeared in the Laurel Leader Call newspaper
According to recent Census Bureau data, Mississippi is one of just three states that lost population, seeing a slight decrease from 2010 to 2020 of -0.2 percent. (The other states that lost population are Illinois and West Virginia.)
But, there are some pockets of Mississippi that are growing. Over the last ten years, approximately 18 counties saw population gains, even though some gains were only slight. It appears that at least 12 counties had growth of at least three percent, including Desoto (14.9%), Harrison (11.5%), Rankin (10.9%), Madison (14.6%), Lamar (15.4%), Lafayette (17.9%), Forrest (4.3%), Hancock (4.8%), Oktibbeha (8.6%), Pontotoc (4.1%), George (7.8%), and Stone (3.1%).
Here in the Free State, growth was slightly negative, at -0.8 percent. In 2010, the total population for Jones County was 67,761; in 2020, that figure dropped to 67,246.
As was noted by an Empower Mississippi analysis of population, the state’s growth was primarily limited to areas including the Gulf Coast; Jackson, Miss. suburbs of Rankin and Madison; the Tupelo/Lee County region; the Pine Belt; SEC towns (such as Oxford in Lafayette and Starkville in Oktibbeha); and Desoto County, which they characterize as a suburb of Memphis.
As I write this column, the Census Bureau is holding a news conference to release the first local level results from the 2020 Census, which will be used by states to draw the boundaries of congressional districts and state legislative districts. The news conference will also provide analysis of the population change, race, ethnicity, the age 18 and over population, and housing occupancy status. (Data nerds rejoice!)
Growth in the Pine Belt region is a net positive for citizens in this area. New Census numbers mean a redistricting effort is around the corner, and areas which experience growth tend to receive more legislative love than those where population losses are sustained.
In fact, citizens will have an opportunity to voice their input into redistricting efforts during one of nine scheduled public hearings held on behalf of the joint legislative committee which oversees redrawing legislative lines.
The hearings will be live-streamed on the Mississippi Legislature website (www.legislature.ms.gov and click on “webcast”). The meetings are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. and are scheduled in places like Meridian, Tupelo, Senatobia, Itta Bena, Starkville, Natchez, Gulfport, and Jackson. The closest hearing for Pine Belt residents will be held August 19 in Hattiesburg at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Joe Paul Theater in the Thad Cochran Center.
If you’re concerned about representation at the federal or state level, I encourage you to attend and/or watch these hearings to better understand how redistricting is handled from the Mississippi legislative perspective. After all, it will be another ten years or so before you get this type of opportunity again.
