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County in Mississippi, United States From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Harrison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 208,621.[1] Its county seats are Biloxi and Gulfport.[2] The county is named after U.S. President William Henry Harrison.[3] Harrison County is part of the Gulfport-Biloxi metropolitan area. The county was severely damaged from both Hurricane Camille on August 17, 1969, and Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005, causing catastrophic effects.
Harrison County | |
|---|---|
 Dan M. Russell Jr. United States Courthouse in Gulfport, Harrison County | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi | |
 Mississippi's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 30°25′N 89°05′W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Mississippi |
| Founded | 1841 |
| Named for | William Henry Harrison |
| Seat | Biloxi and Gulfport |
| Largest city | Gulfport |
| Area | |
| • Total | 976 sq mi (2,530 km2) |
| • Land | 574 sq mi (1,490 km2) |
| • Water | 402 sq mi (1,040 km2) 41% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 208,621 |
| • Estimate (2023) | 210,612 |
| • Density | 210/sq mi (83/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 4th |
| Website | harrisoncountyms |
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 976 square miles (2,530 km2), of which 402 square miles (1,040 km2) (41%) are covered by water.[4] The Tchoutacabouffa River has its mouth at Biloxi Bay just north of the city of Biloxi. Gulfport, Mississippi, is the chief port in the state, with access to the Gulf of Mexico through a ship channel. This is the second-largest county in Mississippi by total area.
A single pond in the county contains the critically endangered dusky gopher frog.[5]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 4,875 | — | |
| 1860 | 4,819 | −1.1% | |
| 1870 | 5,795 | 20.3% | |
| 1880 | 7,895 | 36.2% | |
| 1890 | 12,481 | 58.1% | |
| 1900 | 21,002 | 68.3% | |
| 1910 | 34,658 | 65.0% | |
| 1920 | 32,855 | −5.2% | |
| 1930 | 44,143 | 34.4% | |
| 1940 | 50,799 | 15.1% | |
| 1950 | 84,073 | 65.5% | |
| 1960 | 119,489 | 42.1% | |
| 1970 | 134,582 | 12.6% | |
| 1980 | 157,665 | 17.2% | |
| 1990 | 165,365 | 4.9% | |
| 2000 | 189,601 | 14.7% | |
| 2010 | 187,105 | −1.3% | |
| 2020 | 208,621 | 11.5% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 210,612 | [6] | 1.0% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9] 1990-2000[10] 2010-2020[1] | |||
| Race | Number | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 125,092 | 59.96% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 51,143 | 24.51% |
| Native American | 786 | 0.38% |
| Asian | 5,913 | 2.83% |
| Pacific Islander | 257 | 0.12% |
| Other/mixed | 11,454 | 5.49% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 13,976 | 6.7% |
As of the 2020 United States census, 208,621 people, 74,628 households, and 50,074 families were residing in the county.
Harrison County has been studied by CNN and other media, which have reported on the beatings of inmates in the Harrison County Jail in Gulfport. Inmate Jessie Lee Williams Jr. died while in custody on February 4, 2006.[12] In 2006 and 2007, six Harrison County Sheriff's Department deputies pleaded guilty to crimes related to the abuse of inmates at the jail.[13] Sheriff Melvin Brisolara-R was elected in 2008, for Harrison County.
Since 1964, Harrison County has voted overwhelmingly Republican. The last Democrat to receive over 40% of the vote was Jimmy Carter in 1976.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 46,822 | 61.70% | 27,728 | 36.54% | 1,335 | 1.76% |
| 2016 | 40,354 | 63.74% | 21,169 | 33.44% | 1,790 | 2.83% |
| 2012 | 39,470 | 62.33% | 23,119 | 36.51% | 739 | 1.17% |
| 2008 | 38,757 | 62.55% | 22,673 | 36.59% | 527 | 0.85% |
| 2004 | 39,703 | 62.73% | 23,076 | 36.46% | 509 | 0.80% |
| 2000 | 32,256 | 61.30% | 19,142 | 36.38% | 1,218 | 2.31% |
| 1996 | 25,486 | 52.84% | 18,775 | 38.92% | 3,974 | 8.24% |
| 1992 | 25,049 | 52.84% | 15,268 | 32.21% | 7,090 | 14.96% |
| 1988 | 32,892 | 68.88% | 14,439 | 30.24% | 423 | 0.89% |
| 1984 | 33,995 | 72.83% | 12,495 | 26.77% | 187 | 0.40% |
| 1980 | 25,175 | 58.70% | 16,318 | 38.05% | 1,395 | 3.25% |
| 1976 | 19,207 | 51.72% | 16,569 | 44.61% | 1,363 | 3.67% |
| 1972 | 28,962 | 84.02% | 4,761 | 13.81% | 747 | 2.17% |
| 1968 | 6,542 | 22.37% | 4,549 | 15.55% | 18,157 | 62.08% |
| 1964 | 16,301 | 75.14% | 5,393 | 24.86% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 5,177 | 30.89% | 8,961 | 53.47% | 2,621 | 15.64% |
| 1956 | 5,742 | 44.17% | 6,549 | 50.37% | 710 | 5.46% |
| 1952 | 5,960 | 45.35% | 7,181 | 54.65% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 415 | 5.56% | 692 | 9.28% | 6,351 | 85.16% |
| 1944 | 622 | 9.43% | 5,976 | 90.57% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 633 | 10.19% | 5,577 | 89.75% | 4 | 0.06% |
| 1936 | 495 | 10.44% | 4,208 | 88.78% | 37 | 0.78% |
| 1932 | 449 | 9.72% | 4,124 | 89.28% | 46 | 1.00% |
| 1928 | 1,485 | 28.57% | 3,712 | 71.43% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 523 | 13.99% | 3,044 | 81.41% | 172 | 4.60% |
| 1920 | 314 | 19.29% | 1,270 | 78.01% | 44 | 2.70% |
| 1916 | 197 | 11.96% | 1,395 | 84.70% | 55 | 3.34% |
| 1912 | 45 | 2.82% | 1,292 | 80.95% | 259 | 16.23% |
School districts include:[15]
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