Kemper County, Mississippi

County in MS, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

8,729

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

40.6

years ∙ half population younger than 40.6, half older

Diversity Index

53.5%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

0.5%

foreign-born population

99.5%Native

0.5% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Kemper County is a county in Mississippi, United States.

Location

County in MS, US

Co-ordinates

DEC32.750136° N, 88.625631° W

DMS32° 45′ 00.49″ N, 88° 37′ 32.27″ W

Population Density & area

11.39/sq mi (4.4/km²)

Total Area

767 sq mi (1,986.6 km²)

Land Area

766.2 sq mi (1,984.4 km²) · 99.89%

Water Area

0.8 sq mi (2.2 km²) · 0.11%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

50.8% male

Male 50.8%

Female 49.2%

males per 100 females

Kemper County 103.4

Mississippi 94.2

United States 98

Nativity

0.5%

foreign-born population

99.5%Native

0.5% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Kemper County 0.5%

Mississippi 2.4%

United States 14.1%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

40.6

years ∙ half population younger than 40.6, half older

Kemper County

40.6

Mississippi

38.6

United States

38.9

Dependency ratio

68.1

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Kemper County 68.1

Mississippi 68

United States 64.4

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Kemper County	Mississippi	United States
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	18.4%	23.3%	22%
Working age (18-64)	59.5%	59.5%	60.8%
Senior (65+)	22.1%	17.2%	17.2%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	68.1	68	64.4
Child dependency ratio	31	39.2	36.1
Old-age dependency ratio	37.1	28.8	28.3

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

33.2%

Black

59.4%

Asian

Hispanic

1.2%

Other

6.2%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

53.5%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Kemper County 53.5%

Mississippi 56.1%

United States 61.4%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of Kemper County population

	Kemper County	Mississippi	United States
Hispanic or Latino	1.2%	3.7%	19.3%
Mexican	0.4%	2%	11.3%
Puerto Rican	0.4%	0.3%	1.8%
Cuban	0%	0.1%	0.8%
Other Hispanic / Latino	0.4%	1.3%	5.5%
Not Hispanic or Latino	98.8%	96.3%	80.7%
One race	95.4%	93.3%	76.4%
White	33.2%	55.2%	57.4%
Black or African American	59.4%	36.3%	11.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native	2.7%	0.4%	0.5%
Asian	0%	1%	5.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	0%	0.2%
Some Other Race	0%	0.3%	0.6%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	3.4%	3%	4.3%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

67.1% family

Family 67.1%

Non family 32.9%

% family households

Kemper County 67.1%

Mississippi 65.3%

United States 64.2%

Average household size

2.47

persons per household

Kemper County

2.47

Mississippi

2.49

United States

2.53

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Kemper County population

	Kemper County	Mississippi	United States
Total households	3,223	1,145,431	129,227,496
Average houshold size	2.47	2.49	2.53
Family households	2,164	747,604	82,990,528
Average family size	3.01	3.12	3.14
Married couple family	1,507	498,140	60,637,388
Other families	657	249,464	22,353,140
Male householder	238	54,654	6,572,819
Female householder	419	194,810	15,780,321
Non-family households	1,059	397,827	46,236,968
One-person households	853	346,124	37,140,836
Male householder	327	158,618	16,871,444
Senior (65+) living alone	155	50,989	5,225,110
Female householder	526	187,506	20,269,392
Senior (65+) living alone	294	95,927	10,089,070
Other living arrangements	206	51,703	9,096,132

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

3,948

housing units

Kemper County 3,948

Mississippi 1,341,114

United States 143,775,355

Occupancy status

81.6% occupied

Occupied 81.6%

Vacant 18.4%

vacancy rate

Kemper County 18.4%

Mississippi 14.6%

United States 10.1%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

70.9%

Single family houses

70.9%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

Mobile homes

21.9%

Boat, RV, van, etc

0.2%

Median Year Built

1980

Half of houses were built before 1980, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

4.2%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

22.1%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

57.3%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

16.4%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Kemper County	Mississippi	United States
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	5.4	5.7	5.5
1–3 rooms	6.6%	9.4%	15.1%
4–6 rooms	68.9%	56.6%	51.6%
7+ rooms	24.6%	34%	33.4%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	1.7%	1.6%	2.9%
1 bedroom	3.6%	6.1%	10.9%
2 bedrooms	16.4%	20.8%	25%
3 bedrooms	59.8%	51.6%	38.7%
4+ bedrooms	18.5%	19.9%	22.4%
At a glance
Median year built	1980	1987	1981
Total housing units	3,948	1,341,114	143,775,355

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

79% owners

Renter-occupied 21%

Owner-occupied 79%

homeownership rate

Kemper County 79%

Mississippi 70%

United States 65.2%

Average household size

2.29

Owner-occupied

3.18

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Kemper County 2.29

Mississippi 2.55

United States 2.64

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Kemper County	Mississippi	United States
Total occupied units	3,223	1,145,431	129,227,496
Year moved in
2020 or later	12.8%	21.6%	24.8%
2010 to 2019	31.6%	37.9%	39.6%
2000 to 2009	19.1%	17.6%	16.4%
1999 or earlier	36.6%	22.9%	19.1%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	94.2%	97.8%	96.6%
1.01 to 1.50	3.6%	1.6%	2.2%
1.51 or more	2.1%	0.6%	1.2%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	3.4%	6.3%	8.4%
1 vehicle	32.5%	32.1%	33.1%
2 vehicles	33.8%	36.1%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	30.4%	25.4%	21.9%
House heating fuel used
Gas	43.7%	39.2%	51.4%
Electricity	51.7%	58.9%	41.3%
Solar	0%	0%	0.3%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	0%	0.1%	3.9%
All other fuels	3.8%	1%	2%
No fuel used	0.8%	0.7%	1.2%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0%	0.5%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	0%	0.7%	0.8%
No telephone service available	0.7%	1.2%	0.9%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$99,600

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Kemper County

$99,600

Mississippi

$169,800

United States

$332,700

Housing Cost Burden

40%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

40%

Owners without a mortgage

19%

Renters

33.2%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Kemper County	Mississippi	United States
Property value
Median Value	$99,600	$169,800	$332,700
Under $100,000	50.2%	29.9%	11.4%
$100,000 - $200,000	28.4%	27.9%	15.8%
$200,000 - $300,000	13%	20.3%	17.8%
$300,000 - $500,000	3%	16.3%	26.9%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	5.4%	4.6%	20.9%
$1,000,000 and more	0%	0.9%	7.1%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	24.1%	49.4%	60.6%
Without a mortgage	75.9%	50.6%	39.4%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,251	$1,394	$1,963
Without a mortgage	$512	$432	$638
Gross rent
Median rent	$677	$954	$1,413

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

18.6%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Kemper County 18.6%

Mississippi 25.1%

United States 35.7%

Adults without a high school diploma

15.6%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Kemper County 15.6%

Mississippi 12.8%

United States 10.4%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

2,257

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

K–12

45.9%

College / Undergraduate

36.2%

Graduate / Professional

12.9%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

71.5%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Kemper County

71.5%

Mississippi

39.5%

United States

40.9%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Kemper County	Mississippi	United States
Total enrolled (age 3+)	2,257	726,919	80,089,790
Nursery / preschool	5%	5.9%	5.7%
K–12	45.9%	69.3%	67.6%
Kindergarten	1.9%	5%	5%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	13.6%	20.8%	19.8%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	18.8%	21.7%	21%
High School: Grades 9–12	11.5%	21.8%	21.7%
College or graduate school	49.1%	24.8%	26.7%
College, undergraduate	36.2%	19.9%	21%
Graduate, professional school	12.9%	4.9%	5.8%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	71.5%	39.5%	40.9%
School type
Public school	87.2%	83.5%	82%
Private school	12.8%	16.5%	18%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

5,983

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

4.7%

9th-12th, no diploma

10.9%

HS graduate

33.9%

Some college no degree

19.3%

Associates degree

12.6%

Bachelors degree

10.5%

Graduate or professional degree

8.1%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

72.7% · 27.3%

9th-12th, no diploma

50.5% · 49.5%

HS graduate

51.2% · 48.8%

Some college no degree

39.3% · 60.7%

Associates degree

54.6% · 45.4%

Bachelors degree

45.5% · 54.5%

Graduate or professional degree

28.9% · 71.1%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Kemper County	Mississippi	United States
Population (25+)	5,983	1,972,266	230,807,303
Less than 9th grade	4.7%	4.3%	4.7%
9th–12th, no diploma	10.9%	8.5%	5.7%
High school diploma or GED	33.9%	29.9%	26%
Some college, no degree	19.3%	21.2%	19.1%
Associate's degree	12.6%	10.9%	8.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	18.6%	25.1%	35.7%
Bachelor's degree	10.5%	15.3%	21.6%
Graduate or professional	8.1%	9.9%	14.1%
High School or higher	84.3%	87.1%	89.6%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$35,946

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$38,333

HS graduate

$31,759

Some college or associates

$31,742

Bachelors degree

$52,331

Graduate or professional degree

$50,767

Poverty Rate

11.1%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

40%

HS graduate

20.5%

Some college or associates

19.6%

Bachelors degree or higher

11.1%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Kemper County	Mississippi	United States
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$35,946	$42,912	$52,696
Less than high school graduate	$38,333	$29,259	$32,485
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$31,759	$35,321	$40,153
Some college or associate's degree	$31,742	$40,529	$47,260
Bachelor's degree	$52,331	$53,681	$70,044
Graduate or professional degree	$50,767	$65,353	$90,720
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	40%	32.8%	24.2%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	20.5%	20%	14.4%
Some college or associate's degree	19.6%	13.2%	9.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	11.1%	5.7%	4.5%

Insights for Kemper County, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.

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