Mississippi
The Mississippi Coast is growing more diverse. Here’s what group is driving the shift.
The Mississippi Coast has grown more diverse over the last four years largely because of rising Hispanic populations in Harrison and Jackson counties, according to new estimates by the Census Bureau.
The data, released Thursday, shows Hispanic populations across the three coastal counties have grown by about 4,000 people since 2020.
The largest shift was in Jackson County, where data shows the Hispanic population increased by over 2,000 people and has nearly doubled since 2010. In Harrison County, the Hispanic population grew by about 13 percent.
Hispanics still make up only a fraction of each county’s total population. But the data also shows subtle growth among minority populations across the Coast.
The number of Black, Asian and multiracial residents rose slightly in Harrison and Hancock counties over the four-year period. About 40 percent of Harrison County’s population is now made up of minority groups.
The data mirrors national trends. Last year, according to the Census Bureau, the country’s Hispanic and Latino population increased by 1.9 million — more than any other race and ethnicity group combined. The shift is forcing politicians to court a diverse group of voters that swung conservative in the last presidential election but have also reported fears of becoming ensnared in the Trump administration’s plan for mass deportations.
In South Mississippi, the group has been growing for decades. The new arrivals have opened Puerto Rican restaurants, stocked grocery stores with Central American products and celebrated the Festival Hispano for Hispanic Heritage Month in Pascagoula. The area has long drawn newcomers for jobs at Ingalls Shipbuilding, and the region’s Latino population surged when construction workers arrived after Hurricane Katrina.
Over the years, Hispanic residents arriving in Pascagoula have also helped the city avoid steeper population loss.
The Census Bureau counts the country’s population every ten years. But it also estimates populations annually. It counts Hispanic origin as an ethnicity, not a race, and Hispanics can also list racial identities.
The data released Thursday also showed the share of white residents who do not identify as Hispanic dropped slightly in each coastal county over the last four years.
It follows Census Bureau estimates released last month that showed Bay St. Louis, Pass Christian and Lucedale rank among the top 10 fastest-growing places in Mississippi.
Coming off an exciting end to the season that saw them nearly make a miracle run to the NCAA Tournament, the Ole Miss Rebels have now lost a notable transfer portal battle to their heated rivals this offseason, leaving Chris Beard and the coaching staff with more questions about how to fill out their roster for next year.
Mississippi State has landed a commitment from Washington State transfer forward ND Okafor, giving the Bulldogs their fifth portal addition of the offseason. Okafor’s decision to choose Starkville comes as a surprise less than a month after he had announced his commitment to Ole Miss. He originally didn’t even have Mississippi State as one of his original finalists, but it’s clear head coach Chris Jans and the Bulldogs won him over.
By fumbling the commitment of Okafor, the Rebels miss out on a player who has four years of high-major experience and is coming off of the best season of his career. He started all 32 games for Washington State this past season, averaging 11 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. Okafor began his career at California and will now be playing for Mississippi State in his final year of college basketball.
Where Ole Miss Basketball’s Transfer Portal Class Stands
The Rebels have had a somewhat underwhelming offseason in the portal. Beard and staff brought in some interesting portal pieces last year but it remains to be seen how this offseason’s portal class stacks up.
Ole Miss has already landed five portal commitments, though the team has yet to add a true star-studded transfer. The Rebels have Pepperdine center Stefan Cicic, Seton Hall guard Adam Clark, James Madison forward Christian Brown, Saint Jospeh’s forward Dasear Haskins and Pitt forward Roman Siulepa.
As things stands, Ole Miss doesn’t have a portal addition that truly stands out as a potential game-changer for next season. Clark does offer some intrigue though, as he averaged 12.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.0 steals at Seton Hall last season. A strong defender and creator, Clark has started all 99 career games dating back to his first two years at Merrimack and will no doubt bring a veteran presence to the Ole Miss roster.
But the Rebels need more. Okafor would have been a solid addition on the wing who fits the defensive-mind approach that Beard is looking for.
It will be interesting to see where the Rebels go from here after missing out on a portal addition to their arch rivals.
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This week on Behind the Lens: “Paraquat and Parkinson’s.” Wayne County, Mississippi is the largest emitter of paraquat in the world, an herbicide linked to the fastest-growing neurodegenerative disease. Environmental reporter Delaney Nolan explains the safety concerns and what they could mean for affected communities.
Theme music by Podington Bear. Additional music includes “Rumor” by Podington Bear (soundofpicture.com) and “Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchell.
This story is a product of the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk, an independent reporting network based at the University of Missouri, in partnership with Report for America, with major funding from the Walton Family Foundation.
Music Credits:
Theme music by Podington Bear
Additional music “Rumor” by Podington Bear from soundofpicture.com and “Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchel
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