Winston County, Mississippi

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Winston County, Mississippi
The historic Strand Theatre in Louisville, Mississippi.
Location in the state of Mississippi
Mississippi's location in the U.S.
Founded	1833
Named for	Louis Winston
Seat	Louisville
Largest city	Louisville
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	610 sq mi (1,580 km²) 607 sq mi (1,572 km²) 2.8 sq mi (7 km²), 0.5
Population  - (2020)  - Density	17,714
Congressional district	1st
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5

Winston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. In the 2020 census, the population was 17,714. Its county seat is Louisville. The county is named for Louis Winston (1784–1824), a colonel in the militia, a prominent lawyer, and a judge of the Mississippi Supreme Court.

The county is the site of Nanih Waiya, an ancient mound built in the Woodland period, about 1 CE-300 CE. Since the 17th century, it has been venerated by the Choctaw people who later occupied the area. As of 2008, the mound is owned by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, a federally-recognized tribe.

History

The county is one of sixteen formed when chief Greenwood LeFlore ceded the lands in the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, which resulted in the removal of the Choctaw Nation from their ancestral lands to Oklahoma.

In 1863, during the American Civil War, the Union Army under Colonel Benjamin H. Grierson, marched through Louisville with 900 troops on a raid through Mississippi. There was no fighting in Winston County and no significant destruction of property.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 610 square miles (1,600 km²), of which 607 square miles (1,570 km²) is land and 2.8 square miles (7.3 km²) (0.5%) is water.

Major highways

• Mississippi Highway 14
• Mississippi Highway 15
• Mississippi Highway 19
• Mississippi Highway 25

Adjacent counties

• Oktibbeha County (north)
• Noxubee County (east)
• Kemper County (southeast)
• Neshoba County (south)
• Attala County (west)
• Choctaw County (northwest)

National protected area

• Tombigbee National Forest (part)

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1840	4,650		—
1850	7,956		71.1%
1860	9,811		23.3%
1870	8,984		−8.4%
1880	10,087		12.3%
1890	12,089		19.8%
1900	14,124		16.8%
1910	17,139		21.3%
1920	18,139		5.8%
1930	21,239		17.1%
1940	22,751		7.1%
1950	22,231		−2.3%
1960	19,246		−13.4%
1970	18,406		−4.4%
1980	19,474		5.8%
1990	19,433		−0.2%
2000	20,160		3.7%
2010	19,198		−4.8%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020

Age pyramid Winston County

2020 census

Winston County Racial Composition

Race	Num.	Perc.
White	8,856	49.99%
Black or African American	8,078	45.6%
Native American	162	0.91%
Asian	39	0.22%
Pacific Islander	1	0.01%
Other/Mixed	352	1.99%
Hispanic or Latino	226	1.28%

As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 17,714 people, 7,269 households, and 4,737 families residing in the county.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 19,198 people living in the county. 51.9% were White, 45.6% Black or African American, 1.1% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% of some other race and 0.9% of two or more races. 1.0% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 20,160 people, 7,578 households and 5,471 families living in the county. The population density was 33 per square mile (13/km²). There were 8,472 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 55.26% White, 43.25% Black or African American, 0.66% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.28% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races. 1.21% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 7,578 households, of which 33.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.90% were married couples living together, 18.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.80% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.09.

26.80% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 26.10% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 15.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.30 males.

The median household income was $28,256, and the median family income was $33,602. Males had a median income of $28,665 versus $18,210 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,548. About 19.40% of families and 23.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.90% of those under age 18 and 18.90% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

City

• Louisville (county seat)

Town

• Noxapater

Unincorporated communities

• Highpoint
• Vernon

Ghost towns

• Perkinsville
• Randalls Bluff
• Singleton

Education

There are three public high schools in Winston County, Louisville High School (Louisville Wildcats) , Nanih Waiya Attendance Center (Nanih Waiya Warriors) and Noxapater Attendance Center (Noxapater Tigers). In addition, there are two private schools Winston Academy also known as (W.A.) or (Winston Patriots) was established in 1969 as an alternative for white students who wished to experience a segregated education. The second is Grace Christian School (Eagles) in Louisville which was founded in 1970.

Politics

United States presidential election results for Winston County, Mississippi

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	5,112	55.35%	4,040	43.74%	84	0.91%
2016	4,910	55.29%	3,850	43.35%	121	1.36%
2012	5,168	52.58%	4,607	46.87%	54	0.55%
2008	5,497	53.78%	4,653	45.52%	71	0.69%
2004	5,386	57.21%	3,978	42.25%	51	0.54%
2000	4,645	55.51%	3,672	43.88%	51	0.61%
1996	3,498	47.03%	3,488	46.89%	452	6.08%
1992	4,311	48.07%	3,953	44.08%	704	7.85%
1988	5,317	57.61%	3,851	41.73%	61	0.66%
1984	5,192	59.36%	3,543	40.51%	11	0.13%
1980	3,998	46.79%	4,416	51.68%	131	1.53%
1976	3,659	46.96%	3,956	50.77%	177	2.27%
1972	5,155	78.64%	1,354	20.66%	46	0.70%
1968	508	8.39%	911	15.05%	4,635	76.56%
1964	3,922	94.30%	237	5.70%	0	0.00%
1960	405	13.65%	1,056	35.60%	1,505	50.74%
1956	361	13.35%	2,132	78.82%	212	7.84%
1952	771	23.15%	2,559	76.85%	0	0.00%
1948	33	1.57%	240	11.40%	1,832	87.03%
1944	51	2.72%	1,822	97.28%	0	0.00%
1940	26	1.30%	1,979	98.70%	0	0.00%
1936	21	0.86%	2,418	99.10%	1	0.04%
1932	12	0.69%	1,720	99.08%	4	0.23%
1928	97	5.65%	1,620	94.35%	0	0.00%
1924	53	3.79%	1,344	96.21%	0	0.00%
1920	113	10.64%	932	87.76%	17	1.60%
1916	47	3.83%	1,152	93.96%	27	2.20%
1912	9	1.09%	743	90.39%	70	8.52%

Notable people

• Andy Kennedy - basketball player and coach

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Winston County, Mississippi