Washington County, Mississippi Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Washington 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 91% of counties in Mississippi
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D
Income Well below averageLess wealthy than 80% of counties in Mississippi
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Washington County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 42,708 | 2,946,497 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 56.2 | 60.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -1.65% | -0.18% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.1 | 36.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 17,090 | 1,145,227 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Washington County declined by 23.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 42,708 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Washington County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 21.7% of residents. That is 0.5 points below Mississippi as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 9,272 21.7% -0.5 pts
- Millennials 29–44 7,799 18.3% -2.1 pts
- Gen X 45–60 8,569 20.1% +0.7 pts
- Boomers 61–79 7,614 17.8% on par
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 53.2% of the people living in Washington County and men 46.8%.
- Women 53.2% Mississippi 51.5%
- Men 46.8% Mississippi 48.5%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Washington County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Washington County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Washington County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $41,953 | $56,669 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.99% | 4.27% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.3% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Washington County is about 26% lower than in Mississippi.
Housing
| Metric | Washington County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $27,195 | $130,069 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $833 | $954 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 60.2% | 70.0% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Washington County is about 2.7 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $833 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Washington County spend about 32 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 134 hours, about 5.6 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Washington County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 16.1 | 21.5 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 32.2 | 43.0 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 134 | 179 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,159 | $5,558 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 3.7% | 5.9% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,856 | 6,176 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 545 | 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 Washington County is 16 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
Washington County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Washington County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.7% | 21.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.45 | 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
Washington County has a health index of D, which means it is barely healthy.
| Metric | Washington County | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 72.3 | 74.7 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 29.2% | 23.5% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 23.9% | 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).
Washington County, MS Compared With Nearby Counties
How Washington County, MS compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County, MS | 42,708 | $41,953 #1/3 | $27,195 #2/3 | 16.1 min #3/3 |
| Sunflower County, MS | 24,333 | $39,946 | $22,352 | 15.7 min |
| Bolivar County, MS | 29,520 | $39,667 | $343,877 | 15.9 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Washington County, Mississippi.
How big is Washington County, Mississippi by population?
About 42,708 people live in Washington County, Mississippi, in 17,090 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 36.1, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Washington County, Mississippi mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Washington County, Mississippi has 56 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 65% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Washington County, Mississippi?
The median home costs 0.6 times the median household income ($27,195 against $41,953), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $833 a month takes about 24% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How educated are people in Washington County, Mississippi?
18.7% of adults in Washington County, Mississippi hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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