Mississippi's largest metro anchors a majority-Black urban core
The Jackson-area metro consistently posts some of the highest shares of Black residents of any mid-sized Southern market, shaping an electorate where turnout patterns and demographic composition draw close scrutiny every cycle.
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lauderdale | 79K | R+21.2 | 10,677 | 16,487 | 27,407 | 19.6% |
| Lauderdale | 78K | R+21.2 | 10,677 | 16,487 | 27,407 | 19.6% |
| Lauderdale | 78K | R+21.2 | 10,677 | 16,487 | 27,407 | 19.6% |
| Lauderdale | 72K | R+21.2 | 10,677 | 16,487 | 27,407 | 19.6% |
| Clarke | 18K | R+35.2 | 2,430 | 5,093 | 7,571 | 5.4% |
| Clarke | 17K | R+35.2 | 2,430 | 5,093 | 7,571 | 5.4% |
| Clarke | 16K | R+35.2 | 2,430 | 5,093 | 7,571 | 5.4% |
| Clarke | 15K | R+35.2 | 2,430 | 5,093 | 7,571 | 5.4% |
| Group | Meridian, MS | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 56.4% | 57.4% |
▶Black / African American(7) | 39.5% | 12.2% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(12) | 1.7% | 19.3% |
Multiracial / Other | 1.6% | 4.0% |
▶Asian(6) | 0.6% | 6.0% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(5) | 0.3% | 0.9% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(1) | 0.2% | 0.9% |
Catholic-Evangelical edge: -70.2pp (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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51.7% | 68.3% | — | — | |
| 11.5% | 15.2% | — | — | |
| 9.3% | 12.3% | — | — | |
| 2.0% | 2.6% | — | — | |
| 1.2% | 1.6% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 0.6% | 0.7% | — | — |
Non-religiousPopulation | 24.3% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Meridian, MS metro area? 373,669 residents across 8 counties.
18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 15pp below the national average. Places with similar education levels vote R+15 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+24.2 | R+27.6 | 3.4pp |