Sharkey County, Mississippi Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Sharkey 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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F
Health Well below averageAmong the 3 least healthy counties in Mississippi
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D
Income Well below averageLess wealthy than 74% of counties in Mississippi
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F
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Sharkey County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,872 | 2,946,497 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 8.9 | 60.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -2.26% | -0.18% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 37.1 | 36.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 1,422 | 1,145,227 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Sharkey County declined by 25.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 3,872 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Sharkey County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 22.8% of residents. That is 0.7 points above Mississippi as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 885 22.8% +0.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 683 17.6% -2.7 pts
- Gen X 45–60 789 20.4% +1.0 pts
- Boomers 61–79 722 18.7% +0.9 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 51.9% of the people living in Sharkey County and men 48.1%.
- Women 51.9% Mississippi 51.5%
- Men 48.1% Mississippi 48.5%
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Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Sharkey County
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Economy
Sharkey County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Sharkey County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $40,000 | $56,669 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.60% | 4.27% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 9.1% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Sharkey County is about 29% lower than in Mississippi.
Housing
| Metric | Sharkey County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $122,499 | $130,069 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $622 | $954 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 66.5% | 70.0% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Sharkey County is about 16.4 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $622 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Sharkey County spend about 24 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 99 hours, about 4.1 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Sharkey County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 11.9 | 21.5 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 23.8 | 43.0 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 99 | 179 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,075 | $5,558 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 1.9% | 5.9% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 625 | 6,176 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 269 | 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 Sharkey County is 12 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes 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
Sharkey County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Sharkey County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.5% | 21.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.63 | 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
Sharkey County has a health index of F, which means it scores poorly in health.
| Metric | Sharkey County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 73.5 | 74.7 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 30.6% | 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).
Sharkey County, MS Compared With Nearby Counties
How Sharkey County, MS compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharkey County, MS | 3,872 | $40,000 #2/3 | $122,499 #2/3 | 11.9 min #1/3 |
| Washington County, MS | 42,708 | $41,953 | $27,195 | 16.1 min |
| Yazoo County, MS | 24,832 | $39,375 | $317,924 | 18.7 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Sharkey County, Mississippi.
How big is Sharkey County, Mississippi by population?
About 3,872 people live in Sharkey County, Mississippi, in 1,422 households of 2.6 people on average. The median age is 37.1, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Sharkey County, Mississippi mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Sharkey County, Mississippi has 9 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 10% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Sharkey County, Mississippi?
The median home costs 3.1 times the median household income ($122,499 against $40,000), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $622 a month takes about 19% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Sharkey County, Mississippi?
Unemployment in Sharkey County, Mississippi is 9.1%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What share of adults in Sharkey County, Mississippi have a college degree?
13.5% of adults in Sharkey 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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