Attala County, Mississippi Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Attala County, MS Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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C
Health Below average
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D
Income Well below average
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F
Education Well below averageLess educated than 73% of counties in Mississippi
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Attala County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,526 | 2,946,497 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 23.8 | 60.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -1.06% | -0.18% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 37.8 | 36.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 6,627 | 1,145,227 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Attala County declined by 10.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 17,526 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Attala County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 20.3% of residents. That is 1.9 points below Mississippi as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 3,561 20.3% -1.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 3,188 18.2% -2.2 pts
- Gen X 45–60 3,517 20.1% +0.7 pts
- Boomers 61–79 3,343 19.1% +1.3 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Mississippi, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 52.5% of the people living in Attala County and men 47.5%.
- Women 52.5% Mississippi 51.5%
- Men 47.5% Mississippi 48.5%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Attala County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Attala County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Attala County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,061 | $56,669 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.67% | 4.27% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Attala County is about 10% lower than in Mississippi.
Housing
| Metric | Attala County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $56,764 | $130,069 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $824 | $954 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 75.3% | 70.0% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Attala County is about 5.7 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $824 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Attala County spend about 44 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 183 hours, about 7.6 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Attala County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 21.9 | 21.5 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 43.8 | 43.0 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 183 | 179 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,662 | $5,558 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 3.6% | 5.9% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,832 | 6,176 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 273 | 914 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Mississippi:
Sharkey County (11.9 min), Coahoma County (13.2 min), Leflore County (15.2 min).
Slowest:
Wilkinson County (36.8 min), Tate County (32.8 min), Greene County (32.7 min).
The average commute time in Attala County is about the same as in Mississippi.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Attala County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Attala County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.5% | 21.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.59 | 2.49 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Mississippi:
Madison County (0.4), Lafayette County (0.3), Oktibbeha County (0.3).
Lowest:
Issaquena County (0.1), Tallahatchie County (0.2), Greene County (0.2).
Health
Attala County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Attala County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 76.9 | 74.7 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 24.5% | 23.5% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 21.9% | 22.1% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Mississippi:
Madison County (0.8), Lafayette County (0.8), Oktibbeha County (0.8).
Lowest:
Holmes County (0.7), Quitman County (0.7), Sharkey County (0.7).
Attala County, MS Compared With Nearby Counties
How Attala County, MS compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attala County, MS | 17,526 | $51,061 #2/2 | $56,764 #2/2 | 21.9 min #1/2 |
| Leake County, MS | 21,319 | $51,065 | $110,416 | 26.6 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Attala County, Mississippi.
How big is Attala County, Mississippi by population?
About 17,526 people live in Attala County, Mississippi, in 6,627 households of 2.6 people on average. The median age is 37.8, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Attala County, Mississippi urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Attala County, Mississippi has 24 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 28% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Attala County, Mississippi?
The median home costs 1.1 times the median household income ($56,764 against $51,061), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $824 a month takes about 19% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
What share of adults in Attala County, Mississippi have a college degree?
14.5% of adults in Attala County, Mississippi hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 7), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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