Kemper County is a county in Mississippi, United States, on the state’s east-central border with Alabama. It had a population of 8,988 at the 2020 census and covers 767 square miles (1,990 km2) centred near 32°46′N 88°39′W.
De Kalb is the county seat, and its postal code is 39328. The county has 2 incorporated towns and 32 unincorporated communities, no civil townships (Mississippi does not use the township system), and sits in the Central time zone. Its FIPS code is 28069.
Towns & Villages in Kemper County
Kemper County has 34 named places on record: 2 incorporated towns (De Kalb and Scooba) and 32 unincorporated communities and crossroads settlements, most dating to the county’s 19th-century lumber and farming era. Places marked “Unincorp.” have no municipal government and rely on the county for services.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| De Kalb | Town · seat | 877 | 39328 |
| Scooba | Town | 744 | 39358 |
| Akron | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Binnsville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Blackwater | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bloomfield | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bluff Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bogue Chitto | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Carters | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cleveland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Coy | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cullum | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Damascus | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Electric Mills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Enondale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Giles | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kemper Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kipling | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Klondike | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Liberty | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lynville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Millington | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Moscow | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mount Nebo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oak Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Porterville | Unincorp. | — | 39352 |
| Preston | Unincorp. | — | 39354 |
| Prince Chapel | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Prismatic | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rio | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sciples Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sucarnoochee | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tamola | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Townsend | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wahalak | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 39328 — De Kalb (also serves the county seat area)
- 39358 — Scooba (also serves East Mississippi Community College)
- 39354 — Preston
- 39352 — Porterville
The remaining unincorporated communities have no post office of their own and use one of these four ZIP codes depending on location.
Geography
Kemper County lies on the Black Prairie and Pine Hills belt of east-central Mississippi, drained by the Sucarnoochee River and Oktibbeha Creek. The terrain is gently rolling, with pine and hardwood timberland covering much of the county outside the river bottoms.
Kemper County borders Noxubee County to the north, Sumter County, Alabama to the east, Lauderdale County to the south, Neshoba County to the west, and Winston County to the northwest.
Demographics
Kemper County had 8,988 residents at the 2020 census, spread across a mostly rural landscape at roughly 12 people per square mile. De Kalb (877) and Scooba (744) are the two largest communities, together holding less than a fifth of the county’s population. Median household income runs well below the Mississippi median of $54,203, itself the lowest of any state, reflecting the county’s dependence on timber, agriculture and a single large industrial employer.
Economy & Local Life
Timber and pulpwood harvesting, cattle farming and row-crop agriculture are long-standing mainstays. The county’s largest single employer has been the Kemper County energy facility near De Kalb, originally built as a lignite coal-gasification plant and converted to run on natural gas after years of cost overruns. Scooba is the year-round home of East Mississippi Community College’s Golden Triangle-area campus, whose Lions football and community programs anchor much of the town’s civic life.
History
Kemper County was organized on December 23, 1833, from land ceded by the Choctaw in the 1830 Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek. It was named for Reuben Kemper, a frontier soldier and trader who led early American resistance against Spanish rule in West Florida. De Kalb was laid out as county seat soon after organization and has held that role ever since.
Getting There
U.S. Route 11 and Mississippi Highway 16 cross the county, with Interstate 20 passing just south through Lauderdale County.
- Meridian, Mississippi — 30 miles south
- Philadelphia, Mississippi — 25 miles west
- Columbus, Mississippi — 35 miles north
- Macon, Mississippi — 20 miles north
Meridian Regional Airport, about 30 miles south in Lauderdale County, is the nearest commercial airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Kemper County, Mississippi?
It sits on Mississippi’s east-central border with Alabama, between Meridian to the south and Columbus to the north.
What is the population of Kemper County?
8,988 residents at the 2020 census.
How big is Kemper County?
767 square miles (1,990 km2), of which 766 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Kemper County?
De Kalb is the county seat.
How many towns are in Kemper County?
Two incorporated towns, De Kalb and Scooba, plus 32 unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Kemper County?
39328 (De Kalb), 39358 (Scooba), 39354 (Preston) and 39352 (Porterville).
Why is Kemper County named that?
It honors Reuben Kemper, a soldier and trader active in the early-1800s West Florida frontier.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Mississippi.