Leake County, Mississippi

Leake County
County
Leake County Courthouse in Carthage
Leake County Courthouse in Carthage
Map of Mississippi highlighting Leake 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°45′N 89°31′W / 32.75°N 89.52°W / 32.75; -89.52
Country United States
State Mississippi
Founded1833
Named forWalter Leake
SeatCarthage
Largest cityCarthage
Area
 • Total
585 sq mi (1,520 km2)
 • Land583 sq mi (1,510 km2)
 • Water2.5 sq mi (6 km2)  0.4%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
21,275
 • Density36/sq mi (14/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district2nd
Websitewww.leakecountyms.org

Leake County is a county in the center of the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 21,275.[1] Its county seat is Carthage.[2] The county is named for Walter Leake, the Governor of Mississippi from 1822 to 1825.[3]

In 2010, the center of population of Mississippi was located in Leake County, near the town of Lena.[4]

  1. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Leake County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 183.
  4. ^ "Centers of Population by State: 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 3, 2014. Retrieved November 6, 2014.