Sharkey County, Mississippi

Sharkey County
County
Sharkey County courthouse in Rolling Fork
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Mississippi's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 32°53′N 90°49′W / 32.88°N 90.81°W / 32.88; -90.81
Country	United States
State	Mississippi
Founded	1876
Named for	William L. Sharkey
Seat	Rolling Fork
Largest city	Rolling Fork
Area
• Total	435 sq mi (1,130 km2)
• Land	432 sq mi (1,120 km2)
• Water	3.4 sq mi (9 km2)  0.8%
Population  (2020)
• Total	3,800
• Density	8.7/sq mi (3.4/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	2nd
Website	www.sharkeycounty.net

Sharkey County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. Part of the eastern border is formed by the Yazoo River. According to the 2020 census, the population was 3,800,^[1] making it the second-least populous county in Mississippi, after Issaquena County. Its county seat is Rolling Fork.^[2] The county is named after William L. Sharkey, the provisional Governor of Mississippi in 1865.

Sharkey County is located in the Mississippi Delta region.

On the afternoon of Sunday, February 21, 1971, a large and long-tracked F5 tornado impacted areas of Sharkey County. On March 24, 2023, a high-end EF4 tornado hit the city of Rolling Fork with estimated wind speeds of 195 mph (314kph), causing catastrophic damage throughout the community. The tornado was responsible for 17 fatalities and 165 injuries.^[3][4][5]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 435 square miles (1,130 km²), of which 432 square miles (1,120 km²) is land and 3.4 square miles (8.8 km²) (0.8%) is water.^[6]

• U.S. Route 61
• Mississippi Highway 14
• Mississippi Highway 16

• Washington County (north)
• Humphreys County (northeast)
• Yazoo County (east)
• Issaquena County (southwest)

• Delta National Forest
• Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge (part)

As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 3,800 people, 1,751 households, and 1,046 families residing in the county.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 4,916 people living in the county. 71.0% were Black or African American, 27.9% White, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% Native American, 0.4% of some other race and 0.4% or two or more races. 0.8% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

As of the census^[14] of 2000, there were 6,580 people, 2,163 households, and 1,589 families living in the county. The population density was 15 people per square mile (5.8 people/km²). There were 2,416 housing units at an average density of 6 units per square mile (2.3 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 69.32% Black or African American, 29.36% White, 0.18% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.27% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. 1.31% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,163 households, out of which 36.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.00% were married couples living together, 26.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.50% were non-families. 23.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.99 and the average family size was 3.56.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 33.00% under the age of 18, 10.40% from 18 to 24, 24.80% from 25 to 44, 20.40% from 45 to 64, and 11.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 88.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $22,285, and the median income for a family was $26,786. Males had a median income of $26,563 versus $17,931 for females. The per capita income for the county was $11,396. About 30.50% of families and 38.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 50.00% of those under age 18 and 24.20% of those age 65 or over.

Sharkey County has the tenth-lowest per capita income in Mississippi and the 73rd lowest in the United States.

• Public School Districts
  • South Delta School District, which operates South Delta High School
• Private Schools
  • Sharkey-Issaquena Academy (Rolling Fork)

• Rolling Fork (county seat)

• Anguilla
• Cary

• Delta City
• Nitta Yuma
• Panther Burn

• Egremont
• Lorenzen
• Onward
• Patmos

Sharkey County is, like the rest of the Mississippi Delta region, heavily Democratic. It has voted for the Democratic nominee for president in every election since 1976, and no Republican has broken 40% of the vote since George H. W. Bush in 1988.

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Sharkey County, Mississippi

• Official website

32°53′N 90°49′W / 32.88°N 90.81°W / 32.88; -90.81