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Washington County, MS: population growth, jobs and income

Washington County lost 772 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−1.9%).

Washington County had an estimated 40,446 residents in 2025, down 9.4% (4,193 fewer people) since 2020. That is slower than Mississippi as a whole (−0.1%), and the 74th fastest growth of 82 counties in Mississippi.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Washington County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Washington County, ranked against Mississippi and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$833/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes18.0%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months92025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

New homes permitted

7

2025

0.2 per 1,000 residents

Small base: the change swings on a few homes or people, so we don't show it.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025. Housing units authorized by building permits in the year.

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration was negative in 2025: 677 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in.

Private employers had 12,297 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −7.8% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 5.2% in 2025, 2.1 points lower than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 7 new homes in 2025, or 0.2 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $42,165 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +31.7% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 3,071st.

Part of the Greenville, MS micro area.

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Washington County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
202540,446−772
202441,218−710
202341,928−572
202242,500−1,118
202143,618−1,021
202044,639–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Washington County

Washington County lost 4,193 people since 2020; the biggest drag was domestic migration (−3,638).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−85−625
International migrationfrom and to other countries−6+38
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties−677−3,638
Census adjustmentbalancing residual−4+32
Total change−772−4,193

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn MississippiAmong U.S. counties
Population growth74th of 823,071st of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents78th of 823,017th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth61st of 812,692nd of 3,092
Median household income62nd of 822,989th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate71st of 822,627th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents50th of 782,661st of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

Get the county report — $99

The County Growth and Demographics Report for Washington County, MS as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Neighbouring counties

Over 2020–25, Washington County's population change (−9.4%) was ahead of 4 of its 6 neighbouring counties and behind 2 (Bolivar County and Issaquena County).

Its median household income ($42,165, 2020–24) is higher than in all 6 of its neighbouring counties.

Washington County, MS and its 6 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Washington County, MS This county40,446−9.4%−16.70.2$42,165
Humphreys County, MS7,001−9.5%−12.30.0$33,731
Sharkey County, MS3,097−17.9%−22.30.0$40,000
Chicot County, AR9,107−10.3%−13.20.0$39,045
Sunflower County, MS22,893−10.9%−8.90.4$39,956
Bolivar County, MS28,262−8.4%−7.40.7$39,585
Issaquena County, MS1,263−4.8%−13.5–$31,429

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

All 82 Mississippi counties · Every state

Questions

Is Washington County growing?

No. Its population fell 9.4% between 2020 and 2025, about 4,193 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates). Mississippi as a whole changed −0.1% over the same years. That ranks 74th of 82 counties in Mississippi for population growth.

How many people moved to Washington County?

On net, none in 2025: about 677 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Washington County?

It averaged 5.2% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Washington County?

About 40,446 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Washington County?

Private employers there had 12,297 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −7.8% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Mississippi

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Mississippi county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

Washington County data alerts

Email me when Washington County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Washington County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.