United States › Mississippi › Kemper County COUNTY
Kemper County Mississippi · 8,600 residents (2025 est.) · 766 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Kemper County is a county of 8,729 people in Mississippi. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 19% of adults. The typical home is worth $99,600, having more than doubled since 2000. 79% of homes are owner-occupied. There are 11 people per square mile. 24.8% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 10,453 in 2000
8,600 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 13 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 35.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
9K 9K 10K 10K 11K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Kemper County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $46,431
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $23,998 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $11,985 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 26.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.463 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Transportation & warehousing 6%
Professional, scientific, technical 5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 4.1%
Education & health services 1%
Public administration 0.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
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$99,600
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $46,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$677
+60%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $233 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 83.8% in 2000
21.0% rent
from 18.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.31 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 19.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 43.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.1 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 38.9%(4,068)
Hispanic / Latino 0.7%(76)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 33.2%(2,900)
Hispanic / Latino 1.2%(106)
from 65 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 11 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 4 more ancestry groups with data from 10.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 60.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 23.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 78.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 14.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 14.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 51.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 69.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 20.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 6.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 21.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 18.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 38.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 76.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 88.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 96.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 42.9%(1,583)
Women 15+
Never married 33.3%(1,244)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 18.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 44.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 18.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 25.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 29.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 58.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 48.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 14.4%(77)
Gulf War (1990s) 24.3%(130)
Share of the 534 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Kemper County Head to head
Compare Kemper County to nearby counties KEMPER COUNTY VS
Lauderdale County
Income $50,817 +9%
Home value $133,300 +34%
Population 70,317 +718%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KEMPER COUNTY VS
Noxubee County
Income $33,833 −27%
Home value $90,800 −9%
Population 9,798 +14%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KEMPER COUNTY VS
Sumter County
Income $33,310 −28%
Home value $82,600 −17%
Population 11,588 +35%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KEMPER COUNTY VS
Neshoba County
Income $57,013 +23%
Home value $100,000 same
Population 28,732 +234%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Kemper County, Mississippi? Kemper County, Mississippi has about 8,729 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Kemper County, Mississippi? The typical household in Kemper County, Mississippi earns about $46,431 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Kemper County, Mississippi expensive? In Kemper County, Mississippi, the median home is worth about $99,600, and the typical rent is about $677 a month.
How educated are people in Kemper County, Mississippi? About 18.6% of adults age 25 and over in Kemper County, Mississippi hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Kemper County, Mississippi? About 24.8% of people in Kemper County, Mississippi live below the federal poverty line.
Has Kemper County, Mississippi grown since 1990? Yes, Kemper County, Mississippi has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,627 residents, a change of about -16 percent over that period.
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