Mississippi State Facts & Information

As of 2024, Mississippi's population is approximately 2.94 million (2,943,045). Mississippi is the 35th most populated state in the country. The most populous cities are Jackson (141,449), Gulfport (74,621), Southaven (57,493), Hattiesburg (48,522), and Biloxi (48,144).

Tate Reeves serves as Mississippi's 65th governor, having first assumed office in 2020 and being re-elected in 2023. A member of the Republican Party, Reeves previously served as lieutenant governor (2012-2020) and state treasurer (2004-2012). He has focused on economic development, tax reform, education improvement, and reducing state income tax.

In 2024, Mississippi's real GDP reached $122.4 billion, the highest in state history. Mississippi ranked #2 nationally for GDP growth in 2024 with an impressive 4.2% real growth rate. The GDP per capita is $41,603. Major contributors to growth include agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, and manufacturing sectors, with the state ranking 8th nationally in manufacturing growth.

Jackson is Mississippi's capital and most populous city, with a population of approximately 146,000 (2022 census). Founded in 1821 as the new state capital, it was originally called "LeFleur's Bluff" before being renamed after General Andrew Jackson. The city's slogan is "The City with Soul," reflecting its rich musical heritage in blues, gospel, folk, and jazz.

Mississippi's state bird is the Mockingbird (adopted 1944), the state flower and tree is the Magnolia (flower adopted 1900, tree adopted 1952). Other symbols include the Largemouth Bass (state fish), White-Tailed Deer (state land mammal), Bottlenose Dolphin (state water mammal), and American Alligator (state reptile). The state motto is "Virtute et Armis" (By Valor and Arms).

Mississippi was admitted to the Union as the 20th state on December 10, 1817. Known as "The Magnolia State," the state's name comes from the Mississippi River, which derives from the Ojibwe word "misi-ziibi" meaning "great river." The Mississippi State Capitol, built in 1903, was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2016.

Jackson was a home base for the Civil Rights movement during the 1950s and 1960s. Several historic Freedom Trail Markers run through the capital, including the home of Medgar Evers, the Greyhound Bus Station, Mississippi State Capitol, and the 1963 Woolworth's sit-in site. The city houses the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, honoring this pivotal period in American history.

Mississippi's population shows stark regional contrasts. Growth is concentrated in suburban and coastal areas like DeSoto County (Memphis suburb, 6.1% growth) and Harrison County (211,000 residents). Meanwhile, rural counties, particularly in the Delta region, face severe population losses, with Sharkey County declining 18.2% and Quitman County down 14.1%. The Jackson metro area shows Hinds County losing 7.6% while neighboring Madison County grew 5.2%.