Quick Facts
COAHOMA COUNTY
Coahoma County, Mississippi is nestled in the upper northwest potion of the State. The county is located in the Lower Mississippi Delta region, often described as part of the underserved region that has a persistent poverty stricken population. Coahoma County is bordered on the north by Tunica County, the southern borders are Bolivar and Sunflower Counties, to the east Quitman County borders the county, and to the west anchored by the Mississippi River. Coahoma County has six towns/cities located in the county that include: Clarksdale , Coahoma, Friars Point, Jonestown, Lula, and Lyon. The 2010 Census calculated Coahoma County with a population of 26,151people.
Established 1833
# of Veterans
1,375
Coahoma County
% Persons in Poverty
22.9%
Coahoma County
% Renter-Occupied Housing
29.2%
Coahoma County
County Property Tax
101.82 mills
Coahoma County
HISTORICAL SUMMARY
The Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek was signed on February 9, 1836; the signing of the treaty established Coahoma County as the eleventh county created in the agreement. Coahoma County is an original county of the Choctaw Cession of 1830. Coahoma is a Choctaw word that means red panther. According to legends, the county’s name was derived from the large number of panthers then living in the upper regions of the Delta.
During the time when cotton was King, the county was known for its strong agricultural roots. Cotton served as the dominant crop between the late 1800s to the early 1900s. Other commodity crops, such as, soybeans and corn became important to help diversify farmer’s crops. This history of farming is still prevalent today.
DEMOGRAPHIC & ECONOMIC PROFILE
Population Trends Based on the 2010 U.S. Census, the population for Coahoma County was 26,151 people. In 2000, Coahoma County had a population of 30,622 people. Over the course of ten years the county lost 4,471 people. The decline in the population equals over 400 people migrating from the county per year.
AGE DISTRIBUTION
Age Distribution The largest age demographic in Coahoma County is 15 to 19 years old age range. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, 2,327 people or 8.9% of the county is between that age range. Further, the median age of residents living in the county is 32.8 years old.
EDUCATION
There are three public school districts for Coahoma County: Clarksdale Municipal School District, Coahoma County Agricultural, and Coahoma County School District.
Clarksdale Municipal School District has 11 schools that range from elementary to high school. The 2011 Mississippi Assessment and Accountability Reporting System reported that the municipal school district had a total enrollment of 3,457 students. Clarksdale Municipal School District has redeveloped there schools to focus on various content areas that range from performing arts to aerospace and environmental studies.
Coahoma County Agricultural is under the operations of Coahoma Community College. In 2011, the enrollment for the school was 246 from grades 9-12.
Coahoma County School District has 5 schools that 1,467 students were enrolled in for the 2010-2011 school year.
Educational Enrollment 3+ for Clarksdale, Coahoma Agricultural and Coahoma School Districts
The education attainment for the Coahoma County population 25 years old and over has declined since the 2000 U.S. Census. Based on the 2010 U.S. Census of the 15,699 people 25 year old and over, 8,863 of them have graduated from high school or equivalent. Twenty-seven percent of people 25 years old and over were dropouts. Also, 1,889 people have received Bachelor’s Degrees and 685 people have Graduate or Professional Degrees equaling approximately 2,574 people having a Bachelor’s Degree or higher.
Also, Coahoma County has a community college located near Clarksdale, Mississippi. Coahoma Community College covers Bolivar, Coahoma, Quitman, Tallahatchie, and Tunica Counties.
POVERTY
Poverty has been a challenge for residents of Coahoma County. Many of the residents in the county live at or below the poverty level. Consequently, in 2010 thirty-seven percent of people in the county were living in poverty.
The 2000 U.S. Census revealed 2,235 families living in poverty, and 10,700 people that were meeting the poverty guidelines. People with related children under 18 years of age were 55% below the poverty level. Thirty-four percent of families living in the county were in poverty. Additionally, female households with no husband present incomes were below the poverty threshold. Fiftyfour percent of families with female head of house lived in poverty. The sixty-five year old and over population in Coahoma County made up 22% of the people living in poverty.
% People Living in Poverty
% Families Living in Poverty
Several measures are taking place in Coahoma County to equalize the standards of living for the poverty stricken living in the county. The county leaders are actively recruiting industries to Coahoma County. Further, the county has developed incentives for industries, and workforce development has become a focus area for the county through the county and workforce development strategic plans for the county.
INCOME
PER CAPITA PERSONAL INCOME
The 2010 assessment from the Bureau of Economic Analysis accessed the per capita personal income (PCPI) of Coahoma County in the amount of $31,402. The PCPI of Coahoma County ranked 19th in the state, and the PCPI was 101% of the state average, $31,071. Previously, during the 2000 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy the PCPI of Coahoma County was $19,703, and the PCPI was 97% of the state average, ranking 19th in the state.
INCOME
In Coahoma County the 2010 U.S. Census noted the median household income was $24,726. 31% of households had income that was below $15,000. Also, the U.S. Census reported 3% of the households in Coahoma County had an income of $100,000 or more.
LABOR FORCE
LABOR FORCE SIZE & PARTICIPATION RATES
The labor force of Coahoma County continues to reduce in size as the population of the county shrinks. The downward trend the county is experiencing is a contrast to the NDPDD region. The District’s region has had a growing labor force. The 2000 Mississippi Department of Employment Security Annual Labor Force Report revealed 11,830 civilian laborers in Coahoma County. The 2011 report had an annual average of 10,580 civilians in the labor force. In the most recent report for 2016, the average number in the labor force was 9,270 civilians.
UNEMPLOYMENT
The Mississippi Department of Employment Security Annual Averages report showed Coahoma County had a 14.9% unemployment rate in 2011. The last CEDS in 2000 reported the county having a 7.9% unemployment rate in Coahoma County. In 2016, the county’s unemployment rate had fallen again to 8.8%.
CURRENT INFRASTRUCTURE CONDITION/CAPACITY
INDUSTRIAL PARK INFORMATION
Coahoma County has three industrial parks that are all located in Clarksdale, MS. The industrial parks include: Sunbelt Industrial Park, Leonard Pharr, and 61 Bypass Coahoma County Site. The industrial park possesses several attributes for the area. The qualities include there location; the sites are located in the most populated city in Coahoma County, Clarksdale. Additionally, the site is surrounded by several transportation options by four-lane interstates, rail transportation, and aviation.
Sunbelt Industrial Park
Available Acres: 285.0 acres
Location Highway 49 South Clarksdale, MS 38614 (Coahoma County)
Site Details
Available Acres: 285.0 acres
Adj. Avail. Acres: 0 acres
Topography: Flat & well drained
Setting: Industrial Park
Zoning: Industrial-Light
Within City Limits: Yes
Site Certification: No
Sale Price: $1,500 per acre
Transportation Summary
Nearest Interstate: I-55- 40 miles
Nearest 4-Lane Highway: US61- 1 mile
Nearest Commercial Airport: Memphis International- 75 miles
Rail Service: Yes
Mississippi Development Authority Industrial Buildings and Sites
Leonard Pharr Industrial Park
Available Acres: 27.9 acres
Location Industrial Park Clarksdale, MS 38614 (Coahoma County)
Site Details
Available Acres: 27.9 acres
Adj. Avail. Acres: 0 acres
Topography: Flat & well drained
Setting: Industrial Park Zoning: Industrial-Light
Within City Limits: Yes
Site Certification: No
Sale Price: $1,500 per acre
Transportation Summary
Nearest Interstate: I-55- 40 miles
Nearest 4-Lane Highway: US61- 2 mile
Nearest Commercial Airport: Memphis International- 75 miles
Rail Service: Yes
61 Bypass Coahoma County Site
Available Acres: 50 acres
Location Clarksdale, MS 38614 (Coahoma County)
Site Details
Available Acres: 50 acres
Adj. Avail. Acres: 0 acres
Topography: Flat & well drained
Setting: Industrial Park
Zoning: Commercial
Within City Limits: Yes
Site Certification: No
Sale Price: $-
Transportation Summary
Nearest Interstate: I-55- 32 miles
Nearest 4-Lane Highway: Adjacent
Nearest Commercial Airport: Memphis International- 72 miles
Rail Service: Yes
WATER/SEWER
There are many water and sewer providers for the county that range from the local municipalities providing water and sewer to residents or water associations that give residents access to clean water. The Coahoma County Utility District is currently merging the water and sewer associations in the county to create a cohesive utility district for the county. The county was awarded a 2011 Community Development Block Grant (CDGB) Public Facilities in the amount of $536,159. Coahoma County committed $536,159 making the grant and matching project a total of $1,072,318.00.
DOWNTOWNS
Coahoma County has numerous historic downtowns. The most noted is the City of Clarksdale. A revitalization effort has taken place in the city. Most of the revitalization efforts have occurred due to the city being noted for area’s historic blues lineage. Several festivals are hosted throughout the year celebrating the rich blues history of the Mississippi Delta in the city. The festivals and blues preservation efforts have created a new industry in the city, tourism. The tourism industry has become a vital part of the City of Clarksdale’s economy.
ROADS, HIGHWAYS & BRIDGES
The highway system in Coahoma County offers travelers several transportation routes. The local, state, and federal highways in the county include- Mississippi State Highways 1, 6, and 322; US Highways 49, 61, and 278; and the future site of Interstate 69. The various road structures of the highways range from two lane roads to four-lane highways.
ENERGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Entergy Mississippi is the largest electrical supplier for the county. Entergy Mississippi has a presence in all seven counties of the NDPDD region. Coahoma Electric is an additional energy supplier for portions of Coahoma and Tunica Counties. Natural Gas is provided by several companies. Mississippi Valley Gas is the major server of the county. Most of the unincorporated area and smaller towns are without natural gas service. Typically those areas use other gas alternatives for heating those sources include primarily butane or LPG.
Since the last CEDS, the telecommunications industry has made further strides in communications. The past CEDS noted Bellsouth as the provider for the area. Bellsouth is now AT&T after being acquired with Cingular Wireless and YP.com. The company is still the largest communications holding company in world by revenue. AT&T has been able to provide the county with phone services and internet access. Further, the high-speed Internet service has taken volume through a pilot project launch of iDelta in Coahoma County funded by Delta Regional Authority. The federal agency, DRA, has adopted high-speed internet service as one of its initiatives in the DRA service area.
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
INDUSTRY EMPLOYMENT & WAGES
EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY
The economy of Coahoma County is composed of various industries that range from manufacturing to the service/tourism industry. The United States economy has had an effect on the economy of Coahoma County with company downsizing and industries leaving the areas.
TAX STRUCTURE & OTHER FINANCIAL CONDITIONS
In 2016, Coahoma County had 7,843 Personal income Tax payers pay $8,779,348 in taxes from $190,909,129 in net taxable income. The county also had 702 Sales Tax payers pay $16,764,967 from $270,815,041 in gross sales.
ECONOMIC SUPPORT ASSETS & FUTURE IMPACT ON GROWTH
HOUSING
Coahoma County has 10,792 housing units in the county according to the 2010 U.S. Census. The previous CEDS reported the county having a total of 11,490 housing units. Based on the 2010 U.S. Census, 1,331 housing units are vacant; also, the 2010 U.S. Census estimates 9,351 housing units being occupied by residents. The median household value in 2000 was $51,200; today, the median household value is $55,600. The median household appraisal value has continued to increase since the last U.S. Census assessment. In 2000, the home value increased by more than $14,000 from $36,700 to $51,200. Further, from 2000 to 2010 the median housing value has increased by $4,400. The 2000-2010 median household value boost was not as large as the 1990- 2000 home value increase.
Additionally, other characteristics reported in the U.S. Census analysis included: 132 houses lacking complete plumbing facilities and 96 not having complete kitchen facilities out of the 9,351 housing units that are being occupied by county residents. Several Coahoma County residents still living in sub-standard housing is a challenge for the county.
HEALTH SERVICES
Coahoma County has one hospital-Northwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center located in the county’s most populated city-Clarksdale. The hospital has 195 licensed beds; 181 acute beds and 14 rehab beds. Also, there are three Medicare/Medicaid certified nursing homes or elderly care facilities with a total of 186 beds.
THREATS & OPPORTUNITIES
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
The county is predominantly rural in nature. The total land area for Coahoma County is 559 square miles or 1,448 square kilometers. 16% of the county land area is commercial forests, most of which is used of agricultural purpose; the other portion is used for industrial, commercial, and residential land use. The chart below details the diverse resources and conditions of the region: