Calhoun County is a county in Mississippi, United States, drained by the Skuna and Yalobusha rivers in the north-central part of the state. It had a population of 13,266 at the 2020 census and covers 588 square miles (1,520 km2), of which 587 square miles are land, centred near 33°56′N 89°20′W.
Pittsboro is the county seat, and its postal code is 38951. The county has four incorporated towns, three villages, and a scatter of unincorporated communities and crossroads. Calhoun County sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Calhoun County
Calhoun County’s 24 named places split into four towns, three villages — including the county seat, Pittsboro — and 17 unincorporated communities (Unincorp. in the table below) that have no municipal government of their own. Mississippi has no civil townships, so places are listed county-wide rather than grouped by township.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bruce | Town | — | 38915 |
| Calhoun City | Town | — | 38916 |
| Derma | Town | — | 38839 |
| Vardaman | Town | — | 38878 |
| Pittsboro | Village | — | 38951 |
| Big Creek | Village | — | — |
| Slate Springs | Village | — | 38954 |
| Banner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bently | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dentontown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ellard | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hollis | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Loyd | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Reid | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sabougla | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sarepta | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shepherd | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Skuna | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Benela | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bounds | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Liberty | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Partee | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pittman | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Retreat | Unincorp. | — | — |
Bruce, in the county’s northwest corner, is the largest town; Calhoun City, near the geographic centre, is the county’s commercial hub. Vardaman, in the north, calls itself the Sweet Potato Capital of the World.
ZIP Codes
- 38915 — Bruce
- 38916 — Calhoun City
- 38839 — Derma
- 38878 — Vardaman (also serves Sarepta)
- 38951 — Pittsboro
- 38954 — Slate Springs
Smaller unincorporated communities such as Banner, Sabougla, and Skuna share a ZIP code with their nearest post-office town rather than having their own.
Geography
Calhoun County lies in the hill country between the Mississippi Delta and the Pontotoc Ridge, drained by the Skuna River in the south and the Yalobusha River system in the north. The terrain is rolling and wooded, with pasture and row-crop land along the creek bottoms. The county borders Lafayette County to the north, Pontotoc County to the northeast, Chickasaw County to the east, Webster County to the south, Grenada County to the southwest, and Yalobusha County to the west.
Demographics
Calhoun County had 13,266 residents at the 2020 census, giving a density of about 22.6 people per square mile — a modest decline from prior decades as with much of rural north Mississippi. Bruce and Calhoun City are the two largest communities, together accounting for a sizeable share of the county’s population. Median household income in the county runs below the Mississippi median of $54,203, consistent with other agricultural, rural counties in this part of the state.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture and forestry anchor the local economy, with sweet potatoes as the signature crop around Vardaman — the town holds an annual Sweet Potato Festival each November. Public schools are run by the Calhoun County School District, and Calhoun Academy in Vardaman is a private K-12 school. Light manufacturing and county government employment are concentrated around Bruce and Calhoun City.
History
Calhoun County was organized in 1852 and named for John C. Calhoun, the U.S. vice president and senator from South Carolina who died two years earlier. Pittsboro has served as the county seat since the county’s founding, one of the few Mississippi county seats that never incorporated as a city.
Getting There
Calhoun County is crossed by Mississippi Highways 8, 9, 9W, 32, and 330; no interstate runs through the county. Calhoun County Airport lies about a mile southwest of Pittsboro.
- Grenada — about 25 miles southwest
- Oxford — about 35 miles north
- Tupelo — about 45 miles northeast
- Starkville — about 55 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is Tupelo Regional Airport, roughly 45 miles northeast of Pittsboro.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Calhoun County, Mississippi?
It’s in the north-central part of the state, between Grenada and Tupelo.
What is the population of Calhoun County?
13,266 as of the 2020 census.
How big is Calhoun County?
588 square miles (1,520 km2), of which 587 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Calhoun County?
Pittsboro is the county seat.
How many towns are in Calhoun County?
Four incorporated towns — Bruce, Calhoun City, Derma, and Vardaman — plus three villages and about 17 unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Calhoun County?
Main ZIPs include 38915 (Bruce), 38916 (Calhoun City), 38839 (Derma), 38878 (Vardaman), 38951 (Pittsboro), and 38954 (Slate Springs).
What is Vardaman known for?
Vardaman calls itself the Sweet Potato Capital of the World and holds an annual Sweet Potato Festival every November.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Mississippi.