Tate County

Part of the Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is located about 40 mi south of Memphis and one county east of the Mississippi River. This fertile river valley was developed for cotton cultivation in the 19th century.

• County — Tate County • State — Mississippi • Founded — 1873 • Seat Wl — Senatobia • Largest City Wl — Senatobia • Area Total Sq Mi — 411 • Area Land Sq Mi — 405 • Area Water Sq Mi — 6.2 • Area Water Percent — 1.5 • Population As Of — 2020 • Population Total — 28064 • Pop Est As Of — 2025 • Population Est — 28725 • Population Density Sq Mi — auto • Website — https: tatecountyms.gov/ • District — 1st • Time Zone — Central

As it was developed for cotton culture in the antebellum years, planters in the county depended on the labor of African American slaves. Blacks comprised a majority of the population for many decades. After Reconstruction, whites sometimes enforced their dominance through political intimidation or violence against blacks. In 1932, a deputy sheriff and son of County Sheriff C.A. Williams, was allegedly shot by a black man, Jesse Williams. Sheriff Williams illegally organized a posse and murdered at least five and possibly as many as seven black people, family members of a man known as "Judge" Crawford. A month later Jesse Williams was caught, "tried" and lynched by hanging. No charges were ever considered against the sheriff or lynch mob.

• Illustration — Map of Tate County According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 411 sqmi, of which 405 sqmi is land and 6.2 sqmi (1.5%) is water. It is the third-smallest county in Mississippi by land area.

• Interstate 55 • U.S. Route 51 • Mississippi Highway 3 • Mississippi Highway 4 • Mississippi Scenic Highway 304 • Mississippi Highway 305 • Mississippi Highway 306 • Mississippi Highway 740

• DeSoto County (north) • Marshall County (east) • Lafayette County (southeast) • Panola County (south) • Tunica County (west)

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 28,064. The median age was 39.1 years. 22.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 92.9 males age 18 and over. The racial makeup of the county was 64.7% White, 29.4% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.7% from some other race, and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.9% of the population. 24.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 75.7% lived in rural areas. There were 10,201 households in the county, of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 47.6% were married-couple households, 17.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 29.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. There were 11,307 housing units, of which 9.8% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 74.4% were owner-occupied and 25.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 17.3%.

As of the census of 2000, there were 25,370 people, 8,850 households, and 6,717 families residing in the county. The population density was 63 PD/sqmi. There were 9,354 housing units at an average density of 23 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 67.84% White, 31.02% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. 0.88% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 8,850 households, out of which 36.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.00% were married couples living together, 15.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.10% were non-families. 21.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.18. As of 2000, the county's population was spread out, with 27.10% under the age of 18, 11.70% from 18 to 24, 27.50% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 11.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 93.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.50 males. The median income for a household in the county was $35,836, and the median income for a family was $41,423. Males had a median income of $33,064 versus $21,154 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,154. About 10.60% of families and 13.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.20% of those under age 18 and 21.10% of those age 65 or over.

• Senatobia (county seat)

• Coldwater

• Arkabutla • Independence • Strayhorn

• Cottonville • Looxahoma • Sarah • Savage • Thyatira • Tyro

The school districts are: • Senatobia Municipal School District • Tate County School District Northwest Mississippi Community College has its main campus in Senatobia.

Tate County has, since 1980, been a Republican stronghold, having shifted from being nearly unanimously Democratic for the first half of the 20th Century.

• Actor James Earl Jones was born in Arkabutla, Mississippi, an unincorporated area of Tate County and lived here for five years. He was sent north to live with his maternal grandparents on their farm in Jackson, Michigan.