Coahoma County, Mississippi

Coahoma County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of 2000, the population was 30,622. Its county seat is Clarksdale ⁶.

History

Coahoma County was established February 9, 1836, and is located in the northwestern part of the state in the fertile Yazoo Delta region. The name "Coahoma" is a Choctaw word meaning "red panther." The act creating the county defined its limits as follows:

Beginning at the point where the line between townships 24 and 25 of the surveys of the late Choctaw cession intersects the Mississippi River, and running thence up the said river to the point where the dividing line between the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes of Indians intersects the same; thence with the dividing line to the point where the line between ranges two and three of the survey of the said Choctaw cession intersects the same; thence with said range line, to the line between townships 24 and 25 aforesaid, and thence with the said township line to the beginning.

Port Royal was once the county seat of Coahoma County. It was a rival of Friars Point, five miles up the Mississippi River. In the early days the county seats of the Mississippi River counties were always located on the banks of that stream. When Port Royal was cut off from the river in 1848, its fate was sealed and the county seat of justice was located at Friars Point, which still remained a river town. The latter place had a population of about 1,000 (census of 1920), and received its name in honor of Robert Friar, one of its earliest settlers. Clarksdale, one of the county seats, is now the largest and most important city in the county, and had a population of 7,500 in 1920. Clarksdale was named for John Clark, a brother-in-law of Governor James L. Alcorn, whose home, Eagle’s Nest, was in this county.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,510 km² (583 mi²). 1,435 km² (554 mi²) of it is land and 75 km² (29 mi²) of it (4.97%) is water.

Adjacent Counties

Demographics

As of the census ² of 2000, there were 30,622 people, 10,553 households, and 7,482 families residing in the county. The population density was 21/km² (55/mi²). There were 11,490 housing units at an average density of 8/km² (21/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 29.28% White, 69.21% Black or African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races, and 0.60% from two or more races. 0.90% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 10,553 households out of which 36.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.20% were married couples living together, 28.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.10% were non-families. 26.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.42.

In the county the population was spread out with 33.00% under the age of 18, 10.30% from 18 to 24, 25.30% from 25 to 44, 19.10% from 45 to 64, and 12.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 84.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $22,338, and the median income for a family was $26,640. Males had a median income of $26,841 versus $19,611 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,558. About 29.80% of families and 35.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 45.90% of those under age 18 and 31.50% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

External links

Coahoma County Courthouse Pictures