Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Hattiesburg
City of Hattiesburg
Flag of Hattiesburg
Nickname: 
The Hub City
Location of Hattiesburg in the State of Mississippi
Location of Hattiesburg in the State of Mississippi
Hattiesburg is located in the United States
Hattiesburg
Hattiesburg
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 31°18′57″N 89°18′31″W / 31.31583°N 89.30861°W / 31.31583; -89.30861
Country United States
State Mississippi
CountiesForrest, Lamar
Founded1882
Incorporated1884
Government
 • MayorToby Barker[1] (I)
Area
 • City54.48 sq mi (141.11 km2)
 • Land53.44 sq mi (138.41 km2)
 • Water1.04 sq mi (2.70 km2)
 • Metro
2,023.7 sq mi (5,241 km2)
Elevation
171 ft (52 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • City48,730
 • Density911.9/sq mi (352.07/km2)
 • Metro
172,507 [3]
Time zoneUTC−6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP code
39401-39404, 39406, 39407
Area code(s)601, 769
FIPS code28-31020
GNIS feature ID0691565
Websitewww.hattiesburgms.com

Hattiesburg is the 5th most populous city in the U.S. state of Mississippi, located primarily in Forrest County (where it is the county seat and most populous city)[4] and extending west into Lamar County. The city population was 45,989 at the 2010 census,[5] with the population now being 48,730 in 2020.[6] Hattiesburg is the principal city of the Hattiesburg Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses Covington, Forrest, Lamar, and Perry counties.[7] The city is the anchor of the Pine Belt region.

Development of the interior of Mississippi took place primarily after the American Civil War. Before that time, only properties along the major rivers were developed as plantations. Founded in 1882 by civil engineer William H. Hardy, Hattiesburg was named in honor of Hardy's wife Hattie.[8] The town was incorporated two years later with a population of 400. Hattiesburg's population first expanded as a center of the lumber and railroad industries, from which was derived the nickname "The Hub City".

Hattiesburg is a prominent college town, home to the University of Southern Mississippi (founded as Mississippi Normal College, for the training of teachers) and William Carey University (formerly William Carey College). South of Hattiesburg is Camp Shelby, the largest US National Guard training base east of the Mississippi River, which hosts up to 100,000 National Guardsmen and Reservists annually.[9]

  1. ^ "Bio & Press Photos". Hattiesburgms.com. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  2. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  3. ^ "Census profile: Hattiesburg, MS Metro Area". Census Reporter. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  4. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  5. ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001), Hattiesburg city, Mississippi". American FactFinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  6. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  7. ^ "Combined Statistical Areas Map (March 2020)". The United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  8. ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Hattiesburg" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 13 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 62.
  9. ^ "Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center". Archived from the original on June 5, 2016. Retrieved July 16, 2021.