Hinds County, Mississippi

Hinds County is a county in Mississippi, United States, home to the state capital, Jackson. It had a population of 227,742 at the 2020 census and covers 877 square miles (2,270 km2), centred near 32°16′N 90°26′W.

Raymond is the county seat, and Jackson, the state capital, also serves as a co-seat; Raymond’s postal code is 39154. The county has three cities and six towns, plus dozens of smaller unincorporated communities and subdivisions, all in the Central time zone (UTC−6, UTC−5 during daylight saving). Hinds County’s FIPS code is 28049.

Towns & Villages in Hinds County

Hinds County has nine incorporated municipalities — the cities of Jackson, Clinton and Byram, and the towns of Bolton, Edwards, Learned, Raymond, Terry and Utica (Utica also extends into neighboring Copiah County). Everything else on the list below is an unincorporated community, rural crossroads, or residential subdivision inside or near the Jackson metro area — marked “Unincorp.” — rather than its own separately governed place.

Most of the unincorporated names above are subdivisions, mobile-home parks, and rural crossroads inside metropolitan Jackson rather than freestanding villages, which is why the census does not report a separate population for them. Pocahontas and Tougaloo, in the county’s north end, are older rural communities with their own histories predating the Jackson metro’s suburban growth — Tougaloo gives its name to Tougaloo College, a historically Black liberal-arts college just north of the city.

ZIP Codes

• 39201 through roughly 39213, 39216, 39232, 39236, 39269 and 39272 — central and south Jackson, including the Byram area
• 39056 — Clinton
• 39154 — Raymond
• 39170 — Terry
• 39272 — Byram

Bolton, Edwards, Learned, and Utica share rural ZIP codes with their nearest post office town; their exact codes were not confirmed for this update, so they are omitted here rather than guessed.

Geography

Hinds County sits in the middle of the Jackson Prairie belt of central Mississippi, one county east of the Mississippi Delta’s southern edge. The Big Black River forms much of its northwestern and western boundary, and the Pearl River runs along its eastern edge through the Jackson metro area. The county has 870 square miles of land and 7.6 square miles of water.

Hinds County borders Madison County to the north, Rankin County to the east, Copiah County to the south, Claiborne County to the southwest, Warren County to the west, and Yazoo County to the northwest.

Demographics

Hinds County had 227,742 residents at the 2020 census, giving it a density of roughly 262 people per square mile — the highest of any Mississippi county. Jackson is by far the largest community, followed by Clinton and Byram. Median household income in Hinds County runs below the Mississippi median of $54,203, reflecting the concentration of lower-income neighborhoods within the city of Jackson alongside higher-income suburbs in Clinton, Byram, and northeast Jackson.

Economy & Local Life

Mississippi’s state government is the county’s largest single employer sector, since Jackson is the capital and home to the state Capitol, agencies, and courts. The University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson State University, Belhaven University, and Mississippi College (in Clinton) anchor healthcare and higher education. Warehousing, trucking, and light manufacturing cluster along the I-20 corridor, and the Jackson metro area serves as the wholesale and retail hub for central Mississippi.

History

Hinds County was organized in 1821, carved from land ceded by the Choctaw in the Treaty of Doak’s Stand, and named for General Thomas Hinds, who commanded Mississippi dragoons at the Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812. Jackson was laid out the following year and named the state capital in 1822 for its central location. During the Civil War, the Battle of Raymond was fought here on May 12, 1863, part of Ulysses S. Grant’s campaign against Vicksburg, and Union forces burned much of Jackson later that month.

Getting There

Interstates 20, 55, and 220 all cross Hinds County, along with US Highways 49, 51, and 80.

• Clinton — 10 miles west of downtown Jackson
• Byram — 8 miles south of downtown Jackson
• Raymond — 15 miles southwest of downtown Jackson
• Terry — 18 miles south of downtown Jackson

Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport, on the county’s eastern edge, is the state’s main commercial airport. Hawkins Field in Jackson and John Bell Williams Airport in Raymond serve general aviation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Hinds County, Mississippi?
It sits in the center of the state, straddling the Jackson Prairie between the Mississippi Delta and the Pearl River, and contains the state capital.

What is the population of Hinds County?
227,742 at the 2020 census, the most of any Mississippi county.

How big is Hinds County?
877 square miles (2,270 km2) in total, of which 870 square miles is land.

What is the Hinds County seat?
Hinds County has two co-seats: Jackson, the state capital, and Raymond.

How many towns and cities are in Hinds County?
Nine incorporated municipalities — three cities (Jackson, Clinton, Byram) and six towns (Bolton, Edwards, Learned, Raymond, Terry, Utica) — plus dozens of unincorporated communities.

What ZIP codes are in Hinds County?
Central Jackson uses ZIP codes in the 392xx range, with Clinton at 39056, Raymond at 39154, Terry at 39170, and Byram at 39272.

What was the Battle of Raymond?
A Civil War engagement fought near Raymond on May 12, 1863, during Grant’s Vicksburg campaign.

More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Mississippi.