JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi became more diverse during the past decade, but it is also one of only three states that lost population, according to 2020 Census numbers released Monday.
The population loss was not large enough to cost Mississippi a congressional seat this time. The state dropped from five U.S. House seats to four after the 2000 Census because other states grew faster. It will remain at four seats after the 2020 Census.
The new Census numbers show Mississippi had a net loss of about 6,000 residents from 2010 to 2020. That is a 0.2% decrease in a state of nearly 3 million residents.
The other states that lost population were West Virginia, with a 3.2% decrease, and Illinois with a 0.1% decrease.
The Census numbers show that, from 2010 to 2019, Mississippi gained nearly 20,000 Black residents, about 16,700 Hispanic residents and about 4,500 Asian residents. The number of people who identify themselves as being of two or more races increased by about 11,200.
Mississippi lost about 48,400 white residents during the decade.
White people still make up 56% of Mississippi’s population, and Black people are about 38%.
Hispanic people are about 3% of the state’s population, and Asian people are about 1%. People who identify themselves as being of two or more races are about 1% of Mississippi’s population.
