Tishomingo County is a county in Mississippi, United States, in the state’s northeastern corner along the Tennessee and Alabama lines. It had a population of 18,850 at the 2020 census and covers 445 square miles (1,150 km2) centred near 34°44′N 88°14′W.
Iuka is the county seat and its postal code is 38852. The county has one city, four incorporated towns, one village, one census-designated place and several unincorporated communities. Tishomingo County runs on Central Time and was organized February 9, 1836.
Towns & Villages in Tishomingo County
Tishomingo County has ten named places on the map: one city (the county seat), four towns, one village, one CDP and several unincorporated crossroads communities. "Unincorp." below means the place has no municipal government of its own.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iuka | City · seat | — | 38852 |
| Belmont | Town | — | 38827 |
| Burnsville | Town | — | 38833 |
| Golden | Town | — | 38847 |
| Tishomingo | Town | — | 38873 |
| Paden | Village | — | — |
| Dennis | CDP | — | 38838 |
| Bloody Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Doskie | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Eastport | Unincorp. | — | — |
| High Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Midway | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mingo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oldham | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pine Flat | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pinedale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pittsburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Short | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Holcut | Unincorp. · ghost town | — | — |
Individual town-level population figures are not published separately for every place in the county, so per-place counts are left blank above; all residents are captured in the county’s overall 2020 total. Iuka remains the only incorporated city in the county — the other four municipalities are legally towns under Mississippi code.
ZIP Codes
- 38852 — Iuka
- 38827 — Belmont
- 38833 — Burnsville
- 38847 — Golden
- 38873 — Tishomingo
- 38838 — Dennis
The county’s six ZIP codes cover about 542 square miles between them; smaller communities such as Paden, Bloody Springs and Pittsburg use the ZIP of their nearest post-office town rather than one of their own.
Geography
Tishomingo County sits in the Tennessee River hill country of the Appalachian foothills. It holds Woodall Mountain, at 806 feet the highest natural point in Mississippi, and is the only county in the state with natural limestone outcroppings. The Tennessee River forms part of the county’s eastern edge and feeds Pickwick Lake; Bay Springs Lake, on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, lies in the county’s south. Tishomingo State Park and J.P. Coleman State Park both sit within its borders.
Tishomingo County borders Hardin County, Tennessee to the north, and Lauderdale County, Colbert County and Franklin County, Alabama to the northeast, east and southeast. Within Mississippi it borders Itawamba County to the south, Prentiss County to the southwest and Alcorn County to the northwest — Hardin County, Tennessee (Hardin County, Tennessee) has a live page; the others do not yet.
Demographics
Tishomingo County had 18,850 residents at the 2020 census, giving a density of about 44 people per square mile. Iuka and Belmont are the two largest communities. The county’s median household income runs below the Mississippi median of $54,203, consistent with the mostly rural, timber-and-manufacturing economy of the state’s northeastern hill counties.
Economy & Local Life
Manufacturing, agriculture and forestry anchor the local economy, alongside retail and services centred on Iuka and the U.S. Route 72 corridor. Northeast Mississippi Community College, headquartered in Booneville, serves county residents, and Tishomingo County Schools runs the public school system. Tourism tied to Tishomingo State Park, J.P. Coleman State Park and the Natchez Trace Parkway, which crosses the county, brings seasonal visitors for hiking, fishing and canoeing on Bear Creek.
History
Tishomingo County was organized on February 9, 1836, from Chickasaw cession lands and named for Tishomingo, a Chickasaw leader who died in 1838 on the Trail of Tears. Jacinto served as the original county seat; the county was subdivided in 1870 and Iuka became the new seat. The northeastern edge of the Battle of Shiloh’s 1862 campaign extended into the county, and Union and Confederate forces skirmished repeatedly along the rail lines here during the Civil War.
Getting There
U.S. Route 72 crosses the county east-west, linking Iuka to Corinth and to Florence, Alabama. Mississippi Highways 4, 25, 30 and 172 serve the county’s smaller towns, and the Natchez Trace Parkway runs through the county’s western half.
- Corinth, Mississippi — 20 miles west
- Florence, Alabama — 30 miles east
- Tupelo, Mississippi — 55 miles south
- Memphis, Tennessee — 115 miles northwest
The nearest commercial airport is Northeast Mississippi Regional Airport in Tupelo; Huntsville International Airport in Alabama is a larger alternative to the east.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Tishomingo County?
It is in the northeastern corner of Mississippi, bordering Tennessee and Alabama.
What is the population of Tishomingo County?
18,850 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Tishomingo County?
445 square miles (1,150 km2), of which 424 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Tishomingo County?
Iuka is the county seat.
How many towns are in Tishomingo County?
One city (Iuka), four towns (Belmont, Burnsville, Golden, Tishomingo), one village (Paden) and one census-designated place (Dennis), plus several unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Tishomingo County?
38852 (Iuka), 38827 (Belmont), 38833 (Burnsville), 38847 (Golden), 38873 (Tishomingo) and 38838 (Dennis).
What is Tishomingo County known for?
Woodall Mountain, Mississippi’s highest natural point, and its natural limestone outcroppings — the only county in the state with them.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Mississippi.