Demographics

As of the census

Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 25,556 people, 9,821 households, and 7,169 families residing in the county. The population density

Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 62 people per square mile (24/km²). There were 10,681 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile (10/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 85.85% White

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 12.94% Black

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or African American

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.18% Native American

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.16% Asian

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.17% from other races

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 0.70% from two or more races. 0.69% of the population were Hispanic

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or Latino

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 of any race.

By 2005 the African-American population had risen to constitute 14% of the county's population.

In 2000 there were 9,821 households out of which 33.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.30% were married couples

Marriage

Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 living together, 12.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.00% were non-families. 24.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county the population was spread out with 25.00% under the age of 18, 11.60% from 18 to 24, 27.10% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 94.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,446, and the median income for a family was $35,125. Males had a median income of $26,862 versus $19,766 for females. The per capita income

Per capita income

Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the county was $14,131. About 13.10% of families and 16.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.60% of those under age 18 and 22.40% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

• Cities
  • Baldwyn
    Baldwyn, Mississippi
    Baldwyn is a city in Lee and Prentiss Counties, Mississippi, United States. Baldwyn is located on Highway 370, due north of Tupelo, Mississippi. It was incorporated by Act of the Legislature in Tishomingo and Itawamba Counties on April 1, 1861...
    
     (partly in Lee County)
  • Booneville
    Booneville, Mississippi
    Booneville is a city in Prentiss County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 8,625 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Prentiss County....
    
    

• Towns
  • Jumpertown
    Jumpertown, Mississippi
    Jumpertown is a town in Prentiss County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 404 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Jumpertown is located at ....
    
    
  • Marietta
    Marietta, Mississippi
    Marietta is a town in Prentiss County, Mississippi in the United States. The population was 248 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Marietta is located at ....
    
    

• Unincorporated places
  • New Site
  • Thrasher
  • Wheeler
  • Altitude (town)
    Altitude, Mississippi
    Altitude is an unincorporated community in western Prentiss County, Mississippi, about 7.1 miles from downtown Booneville, with a population of less than 100. Children in the area attend schools in the Prentiss County School District.-References:...
    
    

See also

• Dry counties
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Prentiss County, Mississippi
• Jacinto
  Jacinto
  Jacinto is a Spanish and Portuguese name meaning Hyacinth, which can refer to Saint Hyacinth, a Roman martyr , or the Hyacinth flower itself.A common English nickname for Jacinto is Jack.-See also:*Hyacinth*San Jacinto*Jacinta...
  
  , historic county seat of Prentiss' parent county, Old Tishomingo County, Mississippi
  Tishomingo County, Mississippi
  As of the census of 2000 there were 19,163 people, 7,917 households, and 5,573 families residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile . There were 9,553 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...