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Harrison County, Mississippi

Coordinates: 30°25′N 89°05′W / 30.42°N 89.09°W / 30.42; -89.09
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Harrison County
County
Dan M. Russell Jr. United States Courthouse in Gulfport, Harrison County
Dan M. Russell Jr. United States Courthouse in Gulfport, Harrison County
Flag of Harrison County
Flag
Official seal of Harrison County
Seal
Map of Mississippi highlighting Harrison County
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Map of the United States highlighting Mississippi
Mississippi's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 30°25′N 89°05′W / 30.42°N 89.09°W / 30.42; -89.09
Country United States
State Mississippi
Founded1841
Named forWilliam Henry Harrison
SeatBiloxi and Gulfport
Largest cityGulfport
Area
 • Total
976 sq mi (2,530 km2)
 • Land574 sq mi (1,490 km2)
 • Water402 sq mi (1,040 km2)  41%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
208,621
 • Estimate 
(2023)
210,612
 • Density210/sq mi (83/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district4th
Websiteharrisoncountyms.gov

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.

Geography

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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.

Wildlife

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A single pond in the county contains the critically endangered dusky gopher frog.[5]

Major highways

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Adjacent counties and parishes

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National protected areas

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18504,875—
18604,819−1.1%
18705,79520.3%
18807,89536.2%
189012,48158.1%
190021,00268.3%
191034,65865.0%
192032,855−5.2%
193044,14334.4%
194050,79915.1%
195084,07365.5%
1960119,48942.1%
1970134,58212.6%
1980157,66517.2%
1990165,3654.9%
2000189,60114.7%
2010187,105−1.3%
2020208,62111.5%
2023 (est.)210,612[6]1.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2020[1]

2020 census

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Harrison County racial composition[11]
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.

Corrections system

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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.

Communities

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Water from the Tchoutacabouffa River is overflowing its banks near the intersection of Old Hwy 67 and MS 15 on September 29, 1998, after Hurricane Georges made landfall.

Cities

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Census-designated places

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Unincorporated communities

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Politics

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Since 1964, Harrison County has voted overwhelmingly Republican. The last Democrat to receive over 40% of the vote was Jimmy Carter in 1976.

United States presidential election results for Harrison County, Mississippi[14]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 48,497 63.88% 26,555 34.98% 871 1.15%
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%

Education

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School districts include:[15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 150.
  4. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  5. ^ Dusky gopher frog
  6. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
  7. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  8. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  9. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  10. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  11. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  12. ^ "CNN.com - Anderson Cooper 360° Blog". www.cnn.com. Retrieved March 2, 2018.
  13. ^ "Sixth Harrison County Sheriff's Department Officer Pleads Guilty"
  14. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
  15. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Harrison County, MS" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 31, 2022. Retrieved July 31, 2022. - Text list

Further reading

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  • Burt, D.E. and H.L. Welch. (2007). Quality of water in selected wells, Harrison County, Mississippi, 1997-2005 [U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007-1287]. Reston, VA: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey.
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30°25′N 89°05′W / 30.42°N 89.09°W / 30.42; -89.09

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