Issaquena County, Mississippi

Issaquena County
Historic photo of the Issaquena County Courthouse in Mayersville, Mississippi
Historic photo of the Issaquena County Courthouse in Mayersville, Mississippi
Map of Mississippi highlighting Issaquena County
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Map of the United States highlighting Mississippi
Mississippi's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 32°44′N 90°59′W / 32.74°N 90.99°W / 32.74; -90.99
Country United States
State Mississippi
FoundedJanuary 23, 1844
SeatMayersville
Largest townMayersville
Area
 • Total441 sq mi (1,140 km2)
 • Land413 sq mi (1,070 km2)
 • Water28 sq mi (70 km2)  6.4%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total1,338
 • Estimate 
(2022)
1,273 Decrease
 • Density3.0/sq mi (1.2/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district2nd

Issaquena County (/ˌɪsəˈkwnə/, ISS-ə-KWEEN-ə) is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 Census, its population was 1,338,[1] making it the least populous county in the United States east of the Mississippi River. Its county seat is Mayersville.[2] With a per-capita income of $24,489, Issaquena County is, by that measure, the third-poorest county in the United States.[3]

Issaquena County is located in the Mississippi Delta region. The Mississippi River flows along the entire western boundary of the county, and many of the earliest communities were river ports.

The county's economy is chiefly based on agriculture and a prison, the Issaquena County Correctional Facility.[4] Hunting also contributes to the economy; Mississippi's two most recent records for the heaviest alligator taken by a hunter have both been in Issaquena County, the latest in 2012 when a 697.5 lb (316.4 kg) alligator was killed at a camp near Fitler.[5]

  1. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "Personal Income by County and Metropolitan Area, 2022" (PDF). Bureau of Economic Analysis. November 16, 2023.
  4. ^ "Issaquena County Correctional Facility to remain open". WJTV. December 12, 2019. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  5. ^ "New Record Gator Bagged in Mississippi". KNOE.COM. September 25, 2012. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014.