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Lamar County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 64,222.[1] Its county seat is Purvis.[2] Named for Confederate Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar, the county was carved out of Marion County to the west in 1904.
Lamar County | |
|---|---|
 Lamar County Courthouse in Purvis | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi | |
 Mississippi's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 31°13′N 89°31′W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Mississippi |
| Founded | 1904 |
| Named for | Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar |
| Seat | Purvis |
| Largest city | West Hattiesburg |
| Area | |
• Total | 500 sq mi (1,000 km2) |
| • Land | 497 sq mi (1,290 km2) |
| • Water | 3.4 sq mi (9 km2) 0.7% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 64,222 |
| • Density | 130/sq mi (50/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 4th |
| Website | www |
Lamar County is part of the Hattiesburg, MS Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is largely a rural county, except for its northeast quarter.
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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 500 square miles (1,300 km2), of which 497 square miles (1,290 km2) is land and 3.4 square miles (8.8 km2) (0.7%) is water.[3]
Major highways
Adjacent counties
- Covington County (north)
- Forrest County (east)
- Pearl River County (south)
- Marion County (west)
- Jefferson Davis County (northwest)
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| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | 11,741 | — | |
| 1920 | 12,869 | 9.6% | |
| 1930 | 12,848 | −0.2% | |
| 1940 | 12,096 | −5.9% | |
| 1950 | 13,225 | 9.3% | |
| 1960 | 13,675 | 3.4% | |
| 1970 | 15,209 | 11.2% | |
| 1980 | 23,821 | 56.6% | |
| 1990 | 30,424 | 27.7% | |
| 2000 | 39,070 | 28.4% | |
| 2010 | 55,658 | 42.5% | |
| 2020 | 64,222 | 15.4% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 66,217 | [4] | 3.1% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[5] 1790-1960[6] 1900-1990[7] 1990-2000[8] 2010-2013[9] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 43,865 | 68.3% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 14,296 | 22.26% |
| Native American | 108 | 0.17% |
| Asian | 1,091 | 1.7% |
| Pacific Islander | 50 | 0.08% |
| Other/Mixed | 2,450 | 3.81% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2,362 | 3.68% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 64,222 people, 22,116 households, and 15,584 families residing in the county.
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Lamar County, historically, is one of the most conservative counties in Mississippi. The county has voted for Republican presidential candidates with 60 percent or more of the vote in the past ten elections.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 20,775 | 73.51% | 7,038 | 24.90% | 449 | 1.59% |
| 2020 | 20,704 | 72.57% | 7,340 | 25.73% | 486 | 1.70% |
| 2016 | 18,751 | 76.25% | 5,190 | 21.10% | 651 | 2.65% |
| 2012 | 19,101 | 76.74% | 5,494 | 22.07% | 294 | 1.18% |
| 2008 | 18,497 | 77.36% | 5,159 | 21.58% | 254 | 1.06% |
| 2004 | 16,410 | 80.19% | 3,923 | 19.17% | 132 | 0.65% |
| 2000 | 12,795 | 77.07% | 3,478 | 20.95% | 329 | 1.98% |
| 1996 | 8,609 | 67.39% | 3,169 | 24.81% | 996 | 7.80% |
| 1992 | 8,259 | 63.37% | 3,208 | 24.62% | 1,565 | 12.01% |
| 1988 | 9,145 | 77.86% | 2,535 | 21.58% | 66 | 0.56% |
| 1984 | 7,929 | 79.85% | 1,964 | 19.78% | 37 | 0.37% |
| 1980 | 5,395 | 63.13% | 3,005 | 35.16% | 146 | 1.71% |
| 1976 | 4,056 | 54.71% | 3,109 | 41.93% | 249 | 3.36% |
| 1972 | 5,022 | 88.38% | 493 | 8.68% | 167 | 2.94% |
| 1968 | 546 | 10.27% | 351 | 6.60% | 4,422 | 83.14% |
| 1964 | 3,372 | 90.99% | 334 | 9.01% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 636 | 27.26% | 651 | 27.90% | 1,046 | 44.83% |
| 1956 | 429 | 24.97% | 805 | 46.86% | 484 | 28.17% |
| 1952 | 1,034 | 45.07% | 1,260 | 54.93% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 36 | 2.45% | 91 | 6.19% | 1,342 | 91.35% |
| 1944 | 93 | 8.03% | 1,065 | 91.97% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 55 | 4.57% | 1,148 | 95.43% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 91 | 6.97% | 1,210 | 92.65% | 5 | 0.38% |
| 1932 | 31 | 2.90% | 1,033 | 96.63% | 5 | 0.47% |
| 1928 | 410 | 36.35% | 718 | 63.65% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 80 | 8.78% | 795 | 87.27% | 36 | 3.95% |
| 1920 | 192 | 21.74% | 672 | 76.10% | 19 | 2.15% |
| 1916 | 89 | 10.09% | 744 | 84.35% | 49 | 5.56% |
| 1912 | 16 | 3.17% | 399 | 79.01% | 90 | 17.82% |
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The Mississippi Department of Mental Health operates the South Mississippi State Hospital in unincorporated Lamar County, near Purvis.[12]
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Cities
- Hattiesburg (mostly in Forrest County)
- Lumberton (partly in Pearl River County)
- Purvis (county seat)
Town
Census-designated places
Other unincorporated communities
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School districts include:[13]
Former school districts:[14]
- Lumberton Public School District - Merged into the Lamar County district in 2018.[15]
The county is in the service area of Pearl River Community College.[16]
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