Panola County, Mississippi
Located in Mississippi, Panola County has a population of 32,808 residents and a median age of 39.4 years, making it the #1,403 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 23.3%. The median home value is $127,800, and the median household income is $45,945, which is 39% below the national median.
Demographics
Panola County has a population of 32,808, making it the #1,403 most populous county in the US. The median age is 39.4 years, which is 1.3% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Panola County is $45,945, ranking #2,938 out of 3,222 counties — 38.9% below the national median. The poverty rate is 23.3% and unemployment stands at 6.6%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Panola County is $127,800 (-54.7% vs national). Renters pay a median of $874/mo and the homeownership rate is 71.1%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Panola County, 17.7% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 47.6% below the national average, ranking #2,405 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Panola County is 70.5 years. 27.6% of adults report poor or fair health and 14.3% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
20.6% of adults in Panola County smoke , 46.0% are obese , and 14.7% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 16.1 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Panola County is 17.4 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 9.6 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 42.0 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
35.9% of children in Panola County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 9.4 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 45.3 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Panola County is 61.8%. The mean commute time is 32.3 min, which is 17.0% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Panola County voted Republican with a margin of 14.9%. The vote was 42% Dem / 56.9% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 10.6 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Panola County, Mississippi
Panola County, Mississippi has a total population of 32,808, making it the 1,403rd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Panola County is 39.4 years, which is 1.3% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Panola County is $45,945, which ranks #2,938 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 38.9% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 23.3%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 6.6%.
The median home value in Panola County is $127,800, 54.7% below the national median. Renters in Panola County pay a median gross rent of $874 per month. The homeownership rate is 71.1%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Panola County, 17.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 47.6% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 87.3% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 32.3 min.
Panola County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is Black (non-Hispanic) at 48.2% of the population, followed by White (non-Hispanic) (46.5%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
All data for Panola County, Mississippi comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.