Pine Belt hub where two universities shape a younger-than-average electorate
Home to the University of Southern Mississippi and William Carey University, Hattiesburg's metro tilts more educated and younger than much of the state, producing competitive margins in municipal races even as federal contests trend heavily in one direction.
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forrest | 79K | R+17.9 | 11,475 | 16,579 | 28,466 | 11.4% |
| Forrest | 78K | R+17.9 | 11,475 | 16,579 | 28,466 | 11.4% |
| Forrest | 76K | R+17.9 | 11,475 | 16,579 | 28,466 | 11.4% |
| Forrest | 73K | R+17.9 | 11,475 | 16,579 | 28,466 | 11.4% |
| Lamar | 66K | R+48.8 | 7,038 | 20,775 | 28,171 | 11.3% |
| Lamar | 60K | R+48.8 | 7,038 | 20,775 | 28,171 | 11.3% |
| Lamar | 47K | R+48.8 | 7,038 | 20,775 | 28,171 | 11.3% |
| Lamar | 39K | R+48.8 | 7,038 | 20,775 | 28,171 | 11.3% |
| Perry | 12K | R+60.4 | 1,078 | 4,425 | 5,539 | 2.2% |
| Perry | 12K | R+60.4 | 1,078 | 4,425 | 5,539 | 2.2% |
| Perry | 12K | R+60.4 | 1,078 | 4,425 | 5,539 | 2.2% |
| Perry | 11K | R+60.4 | 1,078 | 4,425 | 5,539 | 2.2% |
| Group | Hattiesburg, MS | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 67.2% | 57.4% |
▶Black / African American(8) | 27.6% | 12.2% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(15) | 2.5% | 19.3% |
Multiracial / Other | 1.5% | 4.0% |
▶Asian(6) | 1.0% | 6.0% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(7) | 0.3% | 0.9% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(1) | 0.2% | 0.9% |
Catholic-Evangelical edge: -72.0pp (vs national 4.5pp). A strongly Evangelical-leaning religious profile, which nationally correlates with Republican-leaning rural and exurban communities.
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents | US Pop | US Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43.0% | 73.0% | — | — | |
| 6.1% | 10.4% | — | — | |
| 3.9% | 6.6% | — | — | |
| 3.3% | 5.5% | — | — | |
| 2.6% | 4.4% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 1.8% | 3.1% | — | — |
Non-religiousPopulation | 41.1% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Hattiesburg, MS metro area? 565,361 residents across 12 counties.
27% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 6pp below the national average. Places with similar education levels vote R+3 on average nationally.
Scale, voting-age share, and this geography's footprint inside the national electorate.
Income, attainment, and ownership indicators that often shape coalition structure and turnout behavior.
Age structure, language use, and nativity signals that explain how this geography differs from state and nation.
| Offices | Margin A | Margin B | Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| President vs Senate | R+35.7 | R+37.8 | 2.1pp |