Tippah County is a county in Mississippi, United States, on the Tennessee state line in the hill country of the north-central part of the state. It had a population of 21,815 at the 2020 census and covers 460 square miles (1,200 km2) centred near 34°46′N 88°55′W.
Ripley is the county seat and its postal code is 38663. The county has one city, four towns, one census-designated place and several unincorporated communities. Tippah County observes Central time and has no civil townships.
Towns & Villages in Tippah County
Tippah County has nine incorporated and census-recognized places plus a scatter of small unincorporated communities. Ripley is the only city; Blue Mountain, Dumas, Falkner and Walnut are towns; Chalybeate is a census-designated place. The rest below are unincorporated communities without their own municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ripley | City · seat | 5,462 | 38663 |
| Walnut | Town | — | 38683 |
| Blue Mountain | Town | — | 38610 |
| Falkner | Town | — | 38629 |
| Dumas | Town | — | 38625 |
| Chalybeate | CDP | — | 38663 |
| Tiplersville | Unincorp. | — | 38674 |
| Bluff | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brownfield | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Buena Vista | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Clarysville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cotton Plant | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dry Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gravestown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lowrey | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mitchell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mount Moriah | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mount Zion | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Hope | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pine Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shady Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Silver Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Walnut Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Whitten Town | Unincorp. | — | — |
The old list’s duplicate “Chalybeate” entry was collapsed to one row. Tiplersville, near the Benton County line, shares the 38674 ZIP with an adjoining stretch of Benton County.
ZIP Codes
- 38663 — Ripley (also serves Chalybeate)
- 38683 — Walnut
- 38610 — Blue Mountain
- 38629 — Falkner
- 38674 — Tiplersville
- 38625 — Dumas
The remaining unincorporated communities (Bluff, Brownfield, Buena Vista, Clarysville, Cotton Plant, Dry Creek, Gravestown, Lowrey, Mitchell, Mount Moriah, Mount Zion, New Hope, Pine Grove, Shady Grove, Silver Springs, Walnut Creek and Whitten Town) have no ZIP code of their own and use a neighboring town’s address.
Geography
Tippah County sits in the hill country of the North Central Hills, drained by the Tippah River and its tributaries toward the Tallahatchie River. The terrain is rolling hardwood ridges giving way to bottomland along the creeks. Of the county’s 460 square miles, 458 are land and 2.1 are water.
Tippah County borders Hardeman County, Tennessee to the north, Alcorn County to the northeast, Prentiss County to the southeast, Union County to the south and Benton County to the west.
Demographics
Tippah County had 21,815 residents at the 2020 census. Ripley, the county seat and only city, is the largest community with 5,462 people; Walnut is the largest town. The county is mostly rural, and its median household income runs below the Mississippi median of $54,203, the lowest state median household income figure in the nation. Population density is roughly 48 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture, timber and light manufacturing anchor the county’s economy, with Ripley serving as the retail and government hub. Northeast Mississippi Community College, based just across the line in Booneville, draws students from the county. Ripley’s First Monday Trade Day, held the weekend before the first Monday of every month along Highway 15, is one of the oldest continuously running outdoor flea markets in the United States and draws vendors and shoppers from across the region.
History
Tippah County was organized in 1836 out of Chickasaw cession lands. Its name comes from a Chickasaw word meaning “cut off,” describing how the Tippah River and its ridges divided the surrounding territory. The county lies at the edge of the North Mississippi hill country long associated with the region’s hill country blues tradition, and Ripley’s Faulkner Festival marks the family ties the county has to nearby Lafayette County’s most famous literary son.
Getting There
U.S. Highway 15 and Mississippi Highway 4 cross at Ripley, the county’s main road junction.
- Booneville, Mississippi — 15 miles east
- New Albany, Mississippi — 15 miles south
- Corinth, Mississippi — 30 miles east
- Memphis, Tennessee — 75 miles northwest
The nearest commercial airport is Memphis International Airport, about 75 miles northwest of Ripley.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Tippah County?
Tippah County is in the hill country of north-central Mississippi, on the Tennessee state line.
What is the population of Tippah County?
Tippah County had a population of 21,815 at the 2020 census.
How big is Tippah County?
Tippah County covers 460 square miles (1,200 km2), of which 458 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Tippah County?
Ripley is the county seat.
How many towns are in Tippah County?
Tippah County has one city (Ripley), three towns (Blue Mountain, Dumas, Falkner, Walnut) and one census-designated place (Chalybeate), plus around 16 unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Tippah County?
Tippah County’s ZIP codes are 38663 (Ripley), 38683 (Walnut), 38610 (Blue Mountain), 38629 (Falkner), 38674 (Tiplersville) and 38625 (Dumas).
What is Tippah County known for?
Tippah County is known for Ripley’s First Monday Trade Day flea market and its ties to the north Mississippi hill country blues tradition.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Mississippi.