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Mississippi

Basic Statistics

Mississippi has a population of 2,961,279, of which 76.9% of the population is aged 18+ (U.S. Census, 2021)

A silhouette of the state of Mississippi

Mississippi has a population of 2,961,279, of which 76.9% of the population is aged 18+ (U.S. Census, 2021)

24 of Mississippi's 82 counties lie within the Appalachian Region

Mississippi is home to the westernmost county in Appalachia—Panola County

Mississippi is the most impoverished state in the U.S., 21.5% of residents living at or below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level

1 out of every 5 adults in Mississippi has not graduated from high school.

Looking for More Data?

Check out APPLI's Infographics database for state- and county-level data and downloadable graphics.

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Literacy

Literacy in Mississippi

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28% of Mississippi adults read below a 3rd Grade level

37% of Mississippi adults read between a 3rd and 8th Grade level

35% of Mississippi adults are proficient in reading texts above an 8th Grade level

A silhouette of the state of Mississippi with text reading, "2 in 3 Mississippi adults read below an 8th Grade level"
Numeracy
A silhouette of the state of Mississippi with text reading, "3 in 4 Mississippi adults struggle to perform basic math"

Numeracy in Mississippi

43.4% of Mississippi adults struggle to perform math problems that require more than 1 step

30.1% of Mississippi adults struggle to perform math problems that require more than 3 steps

26.5% of Mississippi adults are proficient in math taught above an 8th Grade level

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County Data

Literacy by County

In Mississippi's 24 Appalachian counties, nearly 3 out of every 4 adults read below an 8th Grade level

1 in 5 adults has not graduated from high school

More than 1 in 3 residents earns below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level

Black Appalachians are the majority demographic in the county with the lowest levels of reading proficiency—Noxubee County

Mississippi - Literacy by County - Bar. Lower Range - 54.6%, Middle Range - 70.3%, Upper Range - 86.1%
Mississippi - Literacy by County - Heatmap
Mississippi - Numeracy by County - Heatmap
Mississippi - Numeracy by County - Bar. Lower range - 62.8%; Middle range 77.6%; Upper range - 88.4%

Numeracy by County

In Mississippi's 24 Appalachian counties, 3 out of every 4 adults struggle to perform basic math

More than 1 in 6 Appalachian residents relies on SNAP for nutrition assistance

More than 1 in 5 Appalachian residents lives in extreme poverty

More than 1 in 10 Appalachian residents lacks health insurance

Resources

Mississippi Adult Education Resources

Itawamba Community College

Crubaugh Technical Education
602 W. Hill St.
Building 202
Fulton, MS 38843

Charge for Services:

No

Counties Served:

  • Itawamba

Services Offered

  • Adult Literacy

  • Adult Numeracy

  • GED/High School Equivalency Prep

  • GED/High School Equivalency Testing

Delivery Model:

  • In-Person

  • Virtual

Contact Info:

Angeelas Shannon

Itawamba Community College

ICC Belden Center
3200 Adams Farm Rd.
Belden, MS 38826

Charge for Services:

No

Counties Served:

  • Lee

Services Offered

  • Adult Literacy

  • Adult Numeracy

  • GED/High School Equivalency Prep

  • GED/High School Equivalency Testing

  • English Language Instruction

Delivery Model:

  • In-Person

  • Virtual

Contact Info:

Angeelas Shannon

Itawamba Community College

WIN Job Center
1619 Highland Dr.
Amory, MS 38821

Charge for Services:

No

Counties Served:

  • Monroe

Services Offered

  • Adult Literacy

  • Adult Numeracy

  • GED/High School Equivalency Prep

  • GED/High School Equivalency Testing

Delivery Model:

  • In-Person

  • Virtual

Contact Info:

Angeelas Shannon

Itawamba Community College

WIN Job Center
316 Coffee St.
Pontotoc, MS 38863

Charge for Services:

No

Counties Served:

  • Pontotoc

Services Offered

  • Adult Literacy

  • Adult Numeracy

  • GED/High School Equivalency Prep

  • GED/High School Equivalency Testing

Delivery Model:

  • In-Person

  • Virtual

Contact Info:

Angeelas Shannon

Itawamba Community College

WIN Job Center
210 S Monroe St.
Houston, MS 38851

Charge for Services:

No

Counties Served:

  • Chickasaw

Services Offered

  • Adult Literacy

  • Adult Numeracy

  • GED/High School Equivalency Prep

  • GED/High School Equivalency Testing

Delivery Model:

  • In-Person

  • Virtual

Contact Info:

Angeelas Shannon

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