Marion County, Mississippi Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Marion 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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D
Health Well below averageLess healthy than 78% of counties in Mississippi
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D
Income Well below averageLess wealthy than 70% of counties in Mississippi
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F
Education Well below averageLess educated than 81% of counties in Mississippi
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Marion County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,193 | 2,946,497 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 44.1 | 60.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.80% | -0.18% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 41.5 | 36.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 9,122 | 1,145,227 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Marion County declined by 5.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 24,193 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Marion County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 20.8% of residents. That is 1.3 points below Mississippi as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 5,040 20.8% -1.3 pts
- Millennials 29–44 4,700 19.4% -0.9 pts
- Gen X 45–60 4,754 19.6% +0.2 pts
- Boomers 61–79 4,611 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 52.1% of the people living in Marion County and men 47.9%.
- Women 52.1% Mississippi 51.5%
- Men 47.9% Mississippi 48.5%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Marion County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Marion County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Marion County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $45,107 | $56,669 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.92% | 4.27% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.5% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Marion County is about 20% lower than in Mississippi.
Housing
| Metric | Marion County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $124,166 | $130,069 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $818 | $954 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 77.2% | 70.0% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Marion County is about 12.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $818 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Marion 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 | Marion County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 22.0 | 21.5 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 43.9 | 43.0 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 183 | 179 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,673 | $5,558 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 5.2% | 5.9% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,502 | 6,176 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 325 | 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 Marion 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
Marion County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Marion County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.6% | 21.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.58 | 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
Marion County has a health index of D, which means it is barely healthy.
| Metric | Marion County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 71.7 | 74.7 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 25.0% | 23.5% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 24.7% | 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).
Marion County, MS Compared With Nearby Counties
How Marion County, MS compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County, MS | 24,193 | $45,107 #3/3 | $124,166 #2/3 | 22.0 min #2/3 |
| Lamar County, MS | 65,698 | $70,466 | $167,954 | 21.6 min |
| Washington Parish, LA | 45,116 | $45,367 | $118,749 | 22.8 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Marion County, Mississippi.
How big is Marion County, Mississippi by population?
About 24,193 people live in Marion County, Mississippi, in 9,122 households of 2.6 people on average. The median age is 41.5, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 4 years.
How densely populated is Marion County, Mississippi?
Averaged over its land area, Marion County, Mississippi has 44 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 51% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Marion County, Mississippi an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 2.8 times the median household income ($124,166 against $45,107), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $818 a month takes about 22% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Marion County, Mississippi?
Unemployment in Marion County, Mississippi is 7.5%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
How educated are people in Marion County, Mississippi?
10.6% of adults in Marion County, Mississippi hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 9), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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