Pike County is a county located on the southwestern border of the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,324. The county seat is Magnolia. Pike County is named for explorer Zebulon Pike. Pike County is part of the McComb, MS Micropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Pike County was formed from Marion County by an act of the Territorial General Assembly on December 9, 1815. Holmesville was selected as the county seat on December 11, 1816; it was named in honor of Major Andrew Hunter Holmes, an army officer killed in the War of 1812. In 1873 Magnolia was voted in as the new county seat. The county was devoted to agriculture and is still mostly rural.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 411 square miles (1,060 km2), of which 409 square miles (1,060 km2) is land and 1.7 square miles (4.4 km2) (0.4%) is water.
Major highways
Adjacent counties
- Lincoln County (north)
- Walthall County (east)
- Washington Parish, Louisiana (southeast)
- Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana (south)
- Amite County (west)
Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 40,324 people, 14,404 households, and 8,528 families residing in the county.
Communities
Cities
- Magnolia (county seat)
- McComb
Towns
- Osyka
- Summit
Census-designated place
- Fernwood
Unincorporated communities
- Chatawa
- Holmesville
- Kirkville
- Pricedale
- Progress
- Sherman
Politics
Pike County is a swing county in presidential elections; since 2000 it has voted Democratic four times and Republican three times.
Education
Pike County has three school districts:
- McComb School District
- North Pike School District
- South Pike School District
Pike County is in the district of Southwest Mississippi Community College.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Pike County, Mississippi
- Fernwood Lumber Company
- History of Pike County Mississippi 1798-1876 by Luke W. Conerly 1909
- J. J. Carter, Pike County native who served in the late 19th century in the Louisiana House of Representatives and as mayor of Minden, Louisiana
References
External links
- Media related to Pike County, Mississippi at Wikimedia Commons
- Mississippi Courthouses – Pike County



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