Claiborne County, Mississippi

Claiborne County is a county in Mississippi, United States, bounded by the Mississippi River on the west along the Louisiana state line. It had a population of 9,135 at the 2020 census and covers 501 square miles (1,298 km2), of which 487 square miles are land and 14 square miles are water, centred near 31°58′N 90°55′W.

Port Gibson is the county seat, and its postal code is 39150. The county has one incorporated city, three census-designated places, and several unincorporated communities. Claiborne County lies in the Central time zone and carries FIPS code 28021.

Towns & Villages in Claiborne County

Port Gibson is the only incorporated municipality in Claiborne County; everything else is a census-designated place (CDP) or unincorporated community. Alcorn State University—home to the historically Black land-grant university of the same name—is itself a recognized CDP near the community of Lorman. Grand Gulf, Rocky Springs, and Bruinsburg are former river towns, now largely abandoned or preserved as historic sites.

Several names from older lists—Allen, Barland, Burnell, Galloway, Gordon, Green Meadow, Holly Rood, Humphreys, Ingleside, Insmore, Oaklawn, Reganton, Saint Elmo, Tillman, Westside, and Willows—could not be independently confirmed against current U.S. Census Bureau or Wikipedia community lists for Claiborne County and are omitted here rather than republished unverified.

ZIP Codes

• 39150 — Port Gibson (also serves Alcorn, Carlisle, Peyton, Russum, and the historic river sites)
• 39096 — Lorman (serves the Alcorn State University CDP)
• 39086 — Hermanville
• 39144 — Pattison

Most of rural Claiborne County is served by the Port Gibson post office, whose ZIP boundary extends well beyond the city limits.

Geography

Claiborne County sits in the loess bluff country of the southwestern Mississippi River Valley. The Mississippi River forms its entire western boundary, and the Big Black River marks part of its northern line. The terrain rises from river bottomland along the Mississippi to steep, wooded loess hills further inland, much of it within the Natchez Trace Parkway corridor and the Bienville National Forest system. It borders Warren County to the north, Hinds County to the northeast, Copiah County to the east, Jefferson County to the south, and Tensas Parish, Louisiana, across the river to the west.

Demographics

Claiborne County had 9,135 residents at the 2020 census, a density of about 18.8 people per square mile. Port Gibson, the county seat, and the Alcorn State University CDP are the two largest population centers. The county has the highest percentage of Black or African American residents of any county in the United States, at roughly 88.6%. Household income runs far below the Mississippi state median of $54,203—Claiborne County recorded the lowest median household income of any U.S. county in 2023 government estimates, a gap tied closely to the county’s rural, largely agricultural economy and limited commercial tax base.

Economy & Local Life

Alcorn State University, one of the oldest historically Black land-grant institutions in the country, is the county’s largest employer and anchors local life around Lorman. Agriculture—row crops and timber—and county and state government employment make up much of the rest of the local economy. Port Gibson’s historic downtown, spared by Union general Ulysses S. Grant in 1863 for being “too beautiful to burn,” draws heritage tourism tied to its antebellum churches and homes, and to the nearby Grand Gulf Military Monument Park.

History

Claiborne County was established in 1802 and named for William C. C. Claiborne, second governor of the Mississippi Territory. Grand Gulf, once a busy Mississippi River port, was largely destroyed by river erosion and Civil War bombardment and today survives mainly as a historic park. Port Gibson’s 1863 reprieve during the Vicksburg campaign left much of its 19th-century architecture intact, and the county today includes several sites on the National Register of Historic Places, including Rocky Springs, a former town preserved within the Natchez Trace Parkway.

Getting There

U.S. Route 61 runs the length of the county, connecting Port Gibson north to Vicksburg and south to Natchez; the Natchez Trace Parkway crosses the eastern part of the county.

• Vicksburg — about 30 miles north
• Natchez — about 45 miles south
• Jackson — about 70 miles northeast

The nearest commercial airport is Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport (JAN), roughly 70 miles northeast of Port Gibson.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Claiborne County?
It is in southwestern Mississippi, on the Mississippi River, between Vicksburg and Natchez.

What is the population of Claiborne County?
9,135 people at the 2020 census.

How big is Claiborne County?
501 square miles (1,298 km2), of which 487 square miles are land.

What is the county seat of Claiborne County?
Port Gibson is the county seat.

How many towns are in Claiborne County?
Port Gibson is the only incorporated city; the rest of the county is made up of a handful of CDPs and unincorporated communities.

What ZIP codes are in Claiborne County?
Port Gibson uses 39150; Lorman/Alcorn State University uses 39096; Hermanville and Pattison have their own ZIP codes as well.

What university is in Claiborne County?
Alcorn State University, one of the nation’s oldest historically Black land-grant universities, is located near Lorman.

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