View source for Tippah County, Mississippi

{{short description|County in Mississippi, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2010}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Tippah County 
 | state                = Mississippi 
 | seal                 = 
 | founded              = 1836 
 | seat wl              = Ripley 
 | largest city wl      = Ripley 
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 460 
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 458 
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 2.1 
 | area percentage      = 0.5 
 | census yr            = 2020 
 | pop                  = 21815
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2024
 | population_est       = 21423 {{loss}}
 | density_sq_mi        = auto 
 | web                  = www.co.tippah.ms.us
 | ex image             = Tippah County Courthouse.jpg
 | ex image cap         = The Tippah County Courthouse in Ripley
 | district             = 1st
 | time zone            = Central
| named for            = Chickasaw language word meaning "Cut off"
}}

'''Tippah County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located on the northern border of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Mississippi]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 21,815.<ref>{{cite web|title=Census - Geography Profile: Tippah County, Mississippi|url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Tippah_County,_Mississippi?g=0500000US28139|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 15, 2023}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Ripley, Mississippi|Ripley]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> The name ''"Tippah"'' is derived from a [[Chickasaw language]] word meaning "cut off." It was taken from the [[Tippah River|creek of the same name]] that flows across much of the original county from northeast to southwest before emptying into the [[Tallahatchie River]]. The creek probably was so named because it, and the ridges on either side, "cut off" the western part of the region from the eastern portion.

One of President [[Bill Clinton]]'s great-grandfathers is buried here.<ref>[http://www.djournal.com/pages/story.asp?ID=267951&pub=1&div=Opinion Ashley Elkins, Editorial: "High-profile primary"]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, September 2008</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:Tippah County MS sign 002.jpg|thumb|right]]

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|460|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|458|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|2.1|sqmi}} (0.5%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_28.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=November 8, 2014|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928074019/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_28.txt|archive-date=September 28, 2013}}</ref>

===Major highways===
* [[Image:US 72.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 72]]
* [[Image:Circle sign 2.svg|20px]] [[Mississippi Highway 2]]
* [[Image:Circle sign 4.svg|20px]] [[Mississippi Highway 4]]
* [[Image:Circle sign 15.svg|20px]] [[Mississippi Highway 15]]

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Hardeman County, Tennessee]] (north)
* [[Alcorn County, Mississippi|Alcorn County]] (northeast)
* [[Prentiss County, Mississippi|Prentiss County]] (southeast)
* [[Union County, Mississippi|Union County]] (south)
* [[Benton County, Mississippi|Benton County]] (west)

===National protected area===
* [[Holly Springs National Forest]] (part)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1840= 9444
|1850= 20741
|1860= 22550
|1870= 20727
|1880= 12867
|1890= 12951
|1900= 12983
|1910= 14631
|1920= 15419
|1930= 18658
|1940= 19680
|1950= 17522
|1960= 15093
|1970= 15852
|1980= 18739
|1990= 19523
|2000= 20826
|2010= 22232
|2020= 21815
|estyear=2024
|estimate=21423
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2024">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html|title=County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 3, 2025}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=November 8, 2014}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=November 8, 2014}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ms190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=November 8, 2014}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=November 8, 2014}}</ref> 2010-2013<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/28/28139.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 7, 2013|archive-date=August 6, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110806014838/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/28/28139.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Tippah County Racial Composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US28139&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 8, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]]
|16,609
|76.14%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]]
|3,447
|15.8%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
|20
|0.09%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|24
|0.11%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
|597
|2.74%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|1,118
|5.12%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 21,815 people, 7,834 households, and 5,394 families residing in the county.

===2000 census===
At the 2000 [[census]],<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> there are 20,826 people, 8,108 households and 5,910 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|46|/mi2|/km2}}. There were 8,868 housing units at an average density of {{convert|19|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the county was 81.85% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 15.92% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.20% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.11% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.29% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.61% from two or more races. 2.08% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

As of 2000, there were 8,108 households, of which 33.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.20% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.10% were non-families. 24.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.40% 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.

Age distribution was 25.00% under the age of 18, 10.10% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 14.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.20 males.

The [[median household income]] was $29,300, and the median family income was $34,547. Males had a median income of $27,505 versus $20,446 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $14,041 About 14.00% of families and 16.90% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 19.00% of those under age 18 and 23.30% of those age 65 or over.

==Communities==

===City===
* [[Ripley, Mississippi|Ripley]] (county seat)

===Towns===
* [[Blue Mountain, Mississippi|Blue Mountain]]
* [[Dumas, Mississippi|Dumas]]
* [[Falkner, Mississippi|Falkner]]
* [[Walnut, Mississippi|Walnut]]

===Census-designated place===
* [[Chalybeate, Mississippi|Chalybeate]]

===Unincorporated communities===
* Brownfield
* [[Tiplersville, Mississippi|Tiplersville]]
* Lake Mohawk
* Dry Creek
* Cotton Plant
* Camp Hill

==Media==
* ''[[TippahNews.com]]''

==Politics==
Tippah County is a Republican stronghold, having moved away from the Democratic Party in the 1960s along with much of the rest of Mississippi (although southern favorite [[Jimmy Carter]] did carry the county in both 1976 and 1980). The Republican trend in the county has increased in recent presidential elections, with the 2024 election showing the strongest Republican performance since 1972.

{{PresHead|place=Tippah County, Mississippi|whig=no|source1=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|34|1,056|85|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|82|1,547|11|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|237|955|22|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|96|1,411|45|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|298|1,457|0|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|52|1,972|4|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|19|1,625|0|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|63|2,248|0|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|126|2,539|0|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1948|Dixiecrat|66|425|1,661|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|511|2,878|0|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|287|2,569|99|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|486|1,939|467|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|2,482|974|0|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|589|663|4,627|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|3,937|569|79|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|1,887|4,260|127|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|3,338|3,878|207|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|4,706|2,566|29|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|4,593|2,958|52|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|4,444|3,475|820|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|3,249|2,992|701|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|5,381|2,908|114|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|6,174|3,016|85|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|6,937|2,623|165|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|6,717|2,317|130|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|7,240|1,842|178|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|8,054|1,937|111|Mississippi}}
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|7,984|1,547|60|Mississippi}}
{{PresFoot}}

==Education==
The county has two school districts: [[North Tippah School District]] and [[South Tippah School District]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st28_ms/schooldistrict_maps/c28139_tippah/DC20SD_C28139.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Tippah County, MS|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2024-09-25}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st28_ms/schooldistrict_maps/c28139_tippah/DC20SD_C28139_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>

[[Northeast Mississippi Community College]] is the community college for Tippah County.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nemcc.edu/about/|title=About the College|publisher=[[Northeast Mississippi Community College]]|access-date=2024-09-25}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Mississippi#Tippah County|National Register of Historic Places listings in Tippah County, Mississippi]]

==External links==
* [http://www.co.tippah.ms.us/ Tippah County] - Official site.

==References==

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Tippah County, Mississippi
|North     = [[Hardeman County, Tennessee]]
|Northeast = [[Alcorn County, Mississippi|Alcorn County]]
|East      =
|Southeast = [[Prentiss County, Mississippi|Prentiss County]]
|South     = [[Union County, Mississippi|Union County]]
|Southwest =
|West      = [[Benton County, Mississippi|Benton County]]
|Northwest =
}}

{{Tippah County, Mississippi}}
{{Mississippi}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|34.77|-88.91|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-MS_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Tippah County, Mississippi| ]]
[[Category:Mississippi counties]]
[[Category:Mississippi placenames of Native American origin]]
[[Category:1836 establishments in Mississippi]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1836]]