Perry County is a county in Mississippi, United States, in the southeastern part of the state, within the Hattiesburg metropolitan statistical area. It had a population of 11,511 at the 2020 census and covers 650 square miles (1,700 km2) centred near 31°10′N 88°59′W.
New Augusta is the county seat, and its postal code is 39462. The county contains three incorporated towns, one census-designated place, and about two dozen unincorporated communities. Perry County observes Central Time.
Towns & Villages in Perry County
Perry County has three incorporated towns — Beaumont, New Augusta and Richton — plus the census-designated place of Runnelstown and roughly two dozen unincorporated communities and rural settlements. Type key: CDP = census-designated place (unincorporated but tracked separately by the Census Bureau); Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no town government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbara | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Batt Place | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Beaumont | Town | — | 39423 |
| Belleville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Benmore | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brewer | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Corinth | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Deep Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| East Side | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ferguson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Good Hope | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hercules Station | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hintonville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Indian Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Janice | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kittrell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Little Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mahned | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McSwain | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Augusta | Town · seat | — | 39462 |
| Oak Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Progress | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Redhill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rhodes | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Richton | Town | — | 39476 |
| Runnelstown | CDP | — | — |
| Tallahala | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wingate | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Young MH Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 39462 — New Augusta (also serves the surrounding county seat area)
- 39476 — Richton (also serves nearby Tallahala and Corinth)
- 39423 — Beaumont
Runnelstown and the county’s smaller unincorporated places share a ZIP with the nearest post-office town rather than carrying one of their own.
Geography
Perry County lies in Mississippi’s Piney Woods, low and heavily forested, with the Leaf River crossing the northern part of the county and Black Creek — a designated National Wild and Scenic River popular with canoeists — running through the south. A large share of the county’s land, including the Black Creek Wilderness, lies within the De Soto National Forest. Land makes up 647 of the county’s 650 square miles, with the remaining 3.0 square miles in water.
Perry County borders Wayne County to the north, Greene County to the east, George County to the southeast, Stone County to the south, Forrest County to the west, and Jones County to the northwest.
Demographics
Perry County had 11,511 residents at the 2020 census, a density of about 17.8 people per square mile. Richton is the county’s largest town, followed by the county seat, New Augusta. The population is majority White with a substantial Black or African American community. Household income in Perry County runs below the Mississippi median of $54,203, consistent with the county’s rural, forestry-based economy.
Economy & Local Life
Forestry and timber processing are the historic backbone of Perry County’s economy, tied directly to the surrounding pine woodland and the De Soto National Forest that covers much of the county. Agriculture, poultry farming and small-scale manufacturing around Richton and New Augusta round out local employment, and many residents commute north to jobs in the Hattiesburg metro area.
History
Perry County was organized in 1820 and named for Oliver Hazard Perry, the U.S. Navy commodore who won the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812. The county originally covered a much larger area of southeastern Mississippi before later counties, including Forrest, George and Greene, were carved out of it over the following century. The De Soto National Forest, established in the region in the 1930s, later brought Depression-era conservation work and, eventually, the Black Creek Wilderness designation to the county’s southern reaches.
Getting There
U.S. Highway 98 crosses the county east–west, and Mississippi Highways 15, 29 and 42 provide the main north–south and local routes. The nearest commercial airport is Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport.
- Hattiesburg — about 30 miles north
- Laurel — about 40 miles north
- Gulfport — about 60 miles south
- Mobile, Alabama — about 70 miles southeast
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Perry County, Mississippi?
It sits in the southeastern part of the state, within the Hattiesburg metropolitan statistical area, bordering Wayne, Greene, George, Stone, Forrest and Jones counties.
What is the population of Perry County?
11,511 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Perry County?
650 square miles (1,700 km2), of which 647 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Perry County?
New Augusta.
How many towns are in Perry County?
Three incorporated towns — Beaumont, New Augusta and Richton — plus the Runnelstown census-designated place and about two dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Perry County?
The main ZIP codes are 39462 (New Augusta), 39476 (Richton) and 39423 (Beaumont).
What is Perry County named after?
Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, the naval hero of the 1813 Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Mississippi.