Carroll County is a county in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,998. Its county seats are Carrollton and Vaiden. The county is named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the last surviving signatory of the Declaration of Independence.
Carroll County is part of the Greenwood, Micropolitan Statistical Area. Bordered by the Yazoo River on the west and the Big Black River to the east, it is considered to lie within the Mississippi Delta region. Most of its land, however, is in the hill country.
The county is referred to in the third verse of Bobbie Gentry's 1967 hit song, "Ode to Billie Joe".
History This area was developed by European Americans for cotton plantations near the rivers. These were dependent on the labor of large gangs of enslaved African Americans. After the American Civil War, many freedmen worked as sharecroppers or tenant farmers on the plantations. Other areas were harvested for timber.
In the period from 1877 to 1950, Carroll County had 29 documented lynchings of African Americans, the second-highest number in the state.Lynching in America, 3rd ed. , Supplement by County, p. 6
Geography Carroll County consists of rolling hills, largely covered with trees.Carroll County MS (Google Maps, accessed 25 January 2020) The county's highest point is adjacent to State Highway 35, WSW of Winona, at ASL.Carroll County High Point, Mississippi (PeakBagger.com - accessed 25 January 2020) According to the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.0%) is water.
Major highways
Interstate 55 U.S. Route 51 U.S. Route 82 Mississippi Highway 17 Mississippi Highway 35
Adjacent counties
Grenada County - north Montgomery County - east Attala County - southeast Holmes County - southwest Leflore County - west
Demographics
From 1940 to 1970, the county population declined markedly, as many African Americans left in the Great Migration to West Coast cities that had a growing defense industry. Others went North to Chicago and other industrial cities. Rural whites also moved to cities to find work.
Racial and ethnic composition +Carroll County, Mississippi – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)5,3095,5416,7056,9276,52954.31%59.99%62.26%65.37%65.30%Black or African American alone (NH)4,3093,6333,9263,4443,03044.08%39.33%36.46%32.50%30.31%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)611615150.06%0.12%0.06%0.14%0.15%Asian alone (NH)2101719290.02%0.11%0.16%0.18%0.29%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census100xx0.01%0.00%0.00%Other race alone (NH)4003180.04%0.00%0.00%0.03%0.18%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census3583223xx0.33%0.78%2.23%Hispanic or Latino (any race)14642791061541.49%0.45%0.73%1.00%1.54%Total9,7769,23710,76910,5979,998 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%
2020 census As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 9,998. The median age was 47.3 years. 18.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 23.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 105.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 104.9 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 65.4% White, 30.4% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.1% 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.
<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 4,040 households in the county, of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 48.0% were married-couple households, 19.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 29.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 4,914 housing units, of which 17.8% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 82.0% were owner-occupied and 18.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 16.8%.
2000 census As of the 2000 United States census, there were 10,769 people, 4,071 households, and 3,069 families in the county. The population density was . There were 4,888 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 62.67% White, 36.61% Black or African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.13% from other races, and 0.36% from two or more races. 0.73% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 4,071 households, out of which 32.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.20% were married couples living together, 15.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.60% were non-families. 22.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.80% 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 3.01.
The largest ancestry groups in Carroll County were English 51%, African 38.6%, and Scots-Irish 12.1%
The county population contained 24.50% under the age of 18, 9.60% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 25.70% from 45 to 64, and 13.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $28,878, and the median income for a family was $35,711. Males had a median income of $28,459 versus $19,695 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,744. About 13.70% of families and 16.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.30% of those under age 18 and 23.50% of those age 65 or over.
Education Carroll County School District is the area public school district. It operates one high school, J. Z. George High School, and formerly operated Vaiden High School.
Carroll Academy is an area private school that is financially supported by the Council of Conservative Citizens, a white supremacist group.
Pillow Academy in unincorporated Leflore County, near Greenwood, enrolls some students from Carroll County.Profile of Pillow Academy 2010-2011 . Pillow Academy. Retrieved March 25, 2012. It originally was a segregation academy.
Communities Towns Carrollton (2nd county seat) North Carrollton Vaiden (1st county seat)
Unincorporated places
Avalon Black Hawk Coila McCarley Oklahoma Teoc Valley Hill
Notable people Henry Pinckney McCain - US Army General, born in Carroll County 1861 Lafayette Joseph Lott – Democratic politician, born in Carroll County 1863 John S. McCain, Sr. - (US Navy Admiral), born in Carroll County 1884 Mississippi John Hurt - Musician, born in Carroll County 1893
Politics Carroll County is a Republican stronghold. The last time it voted for a Democratic candidate was Jimmy Carter in 1976.
See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Carroll County, Mississippi
References