Racial diversity in Mississippi is a mixed bag.
There are parts of Mississippi where there’s a high level of diversity. But where will you find the most diverse places in Mississippi?
To answer that question, we went to the US Census data. Using Saturday Night Science, we measured the Gini coefficient for all 62 cities in Mississippi to rank them from most to least diverse.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
Here are the 10 most diverse places in Mississippi for 2025:
- Pontotoc
- Forest
- Pascagoula
- Horn Lake
- Ridgeland
- Gautier
- Gulfport
- D’Iberville
- Biloxi
- New Albany
So what city is the most diverse in Mississippi? According to the most Census data, Pontotoc took the number one over all spot for diversity in Mississippi.
Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how your town ranked. To see where Mississippi ranked as a state, we have a ranking of the most diverse states in Ameria.
For more Mississippi reading:
The 10 Most Diverse Places In Mississippi For 2025
/10
Population: 5,717
HHI: 3,257
% White: 46.8%
% African American: 26.6%
% Hispanic: 16.8%
% Asian: 0.0%
More on Pontotoc: Data
/10
Population: 5,365
HHI: 3,267
% White: 24.8%
% African American: 42.3%
% Hispanic: 29.2%
% Asian: 0.0%
More on Forest: Data
/10
Population: 21,812
HHI: 3,608
% White: 44.8%
% African American: 37.4%
% Hispanic: 14.0%
% Asian: 0.9%
More on Pascagoula: Data
/10
Population: 26,622
HHI: 3,830
% White: 42.0%
% African American: 44.5%
% Hispanic: 8.9%
% Asian: 1.3%
More on Horn Lake: Data
/10
Population: 24,548
HHI: 3,861
% White: 43.4%
% African American: 43.7%
% Hispanic: 7.3%
% Asian: 3.0%
More on Ridgeland: Data
/10
Population: 19,026
HHI: 3,868
% White: 51.8%
% African American: 32.1%
% Hispanic: 12.0%
% Asian: 1.1%
More on Gautier:
/10
Population: 72,533
HHI: 3,870
% White: 48.7%
% African American: 37.8%
% Hispanic: 5.9%
% Asian: 1.5%
More on Gulfport:
/10
Population: 13,033
HHI: 4,044
% White: 59.5%
% African American: 17.7%
% Hispanic: 8.9%
% Asian: 9.8%
More on D’iberville:
/10
Population: 49,011
HHI: 4,088
% White: 59.5%
% African American: 19.7%
% Hispanic: 10.3%
% Asian: 3.8%
More on Biloxi:
/10
Population: 7,661
HHI: 4,156
% White: 55.6%
% African American: 31.0%
% Hispanic: 9.7%
% Asian: 0.0%
More on New Albany: Data
Methodology: How we determined the most diverse cities in Mississippi for 2025
We still believe in the accuracy of data — especially from the Census — and Saturday Night Science. So that’s where we went to get the race breakdown across Mississippi.
That leads us to the Census’s most recently available data, the 2019-2023 American Community Survey data from the US Census.
Specifically, we looked at table B03002: HISPANIC OR LATINO ORIGIN BY RACE. Here are the category names as defined by the Census:
- White alone*
- Black or African American alone*
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone*
- Asian alone*
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone*
- Some other race alone*
- Two or more races*
- Hispanic or Latino
We limited our analysis to non-CDPs with a population greater than 5,000 people. That left us with 62 cities.
We then calculated the HHI for each city by finding the racial breakdown of a city in percent terms, squaring them, and then adding the squares together. This left us with scores ranging from 3,257 (Pontotoc) to 7,693 (Yazoo City).
Finally, we ranked each city based on the HHI, with a lower score being more diverse than a high score. Pontotoc took the distinction of being the most diverse, while Yazoo City was the least diverse city.
We updated this article for 2025. This report is our tenth time ranking the most diverse places in Mississippi.
Summary: Diversity Across Mississippi
If you’re looking for a scientific breakdown of diversity across Mississippi, this is an accurate list.
The most diverse cities in Mississippi are Pontotoc, Forest, Pascagoula, Horn Lake, Ridgeland, Gautier, Gulfport, D’Iberville, Biloxi, and New Albany.
If you’re curious enough, here are the least diverse places in Mississippi:
- Yazoo City
- Diamondhead
- Greenville
For more Mississippi reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Mississippi
- Cheapest Places To Live In Mississippi
- Most Dangerous Cities In Mississippi
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Mississippi
- Safest Places In Mississippi
- Worst Places To Live In Mississippi
Race By City In Mississippi For 2025
| Rank | City | Population | HHI | % White | % Black | % Hispanic | % Asian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pontotoc, MS | 5,717 | 3,257 | 46.8% | 26.6% | 16.8% | 0.0% |
| 2 | Forest, MS | 5,365 | 3,267 | 24.8% | 42.3% | 29.2% | 0.0% |
| 3 | Pascagoula, MS | 21,812 | 3,608 | 44.8% | 37.4% | 14.0% | 0.9% |
| 4 | Horn Lake, MS | 26,622 | 3,830 | 42.0% | 44.5% | 8.9% | 1.3% |
| 5 | Ridgeland, MS | 24,548 | 3,861 | 43.4% | 43.7% | 7.3% | 3.0% |
| 6 | Gautier, MS | 19,026 | 3,868 | 51.8% | 32.1% | 12.0% | 1.1% |
| 7 | Gulfport, MS | 72,533 | 3,870 | 48.7% | 37.8% | 5.9% | 1.5% |
| 8 | D’iberville, MS | 13,033 | 4,044 | 59.5% | 17.7% | 8.9% | 9.8% |
| 9 | Biloxi, MS | 49,011 | 4,088 | 59.5% | 19.7% | 10.3% | 3.8% |
| 10 | New Albany, MS | 7,661 | 4,156 | 55.6% | 31.0% | 9.7% | 0.0% |
| 11 | Hattiesburg, MS | 48,507 | 4,160 | 38.8% | 51.1% | 5.2% | 0.8% |
| 12 | Clinton, MS | 27,418 | 4,161 | 48.8% | 41.8% | 2.3% | 4.5% |
| 13 | Ripley, MS | 5,415 | 4,184 | 60.0% | 19.1% | 12.1% | 0.0% |
| 14 | Tupelo, MS | 37,825 | 4,215 | 52.2% | 38.2% | 4.6% | 1.1% |
| 15 | Olive Branch, MS | 46,538 | 4,229 | 55.3% | 33.6% | 5.6% | 2.5% |
| 16 | Southaven, MS | 55,531 | 4,241 | 52.3% | 38.3% | 5.8% | 1.1% |
| 17 | Picayune, MS | 11,839 | 4,348 | 52.8% | 39.1% | 3.8% | 0.3% |
| 18 | Cleveland, MS | 10,855 | 4,413 | 40.4% | 52.5% | 0.5% | 2.3% |
| 19 | Pearl, MS | 27,458 | 4,488 | 59.8% | 29.5% | 5.7% | 2.3% |
| 20 | Leakesville, MS | 5,564 | 4,500 | 46.7% | 48.1% | 0.8% | 0.0% |
| 21 | Starkville, MS | 25,611 | 4,513 | 58.9% | 31.9% | 3.4% | 3.7% |
| 22 | Senatobia, MS | 8,306 | 4,599 | 52.8% | 42.5% | 2.0% | 0.2% |
| 23 | Philadelphia, MS | 7,030 | 4,647 | 39.7% | 55.3% | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| 24 | Batesville, MS | 7,432 | 4,705 | 41.9% | 54.2% | 0.9% | 0.2% |
| 25 | Amory, MS | 6,564 | 4,710 | 61.7% | 29.5% | 4.8% | 0.2% |
| 26 | Brookhaven, MS | 11,656 | 4,732 | 42.7% | 53.9% | 1.9% | 0.9% |
| 27 | Meridian, MS | 34,466 | 4,788 | 29.6% | 62.4% | 2.0% | 1.1% |
| 28 | Grenada, MS | 12,484 | 4,810 | 40.4% | 56.4% | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| 29 | Flowood, MS | 10,384 | 4,824 | 64.3% | 25.7% | 3.6% | 4.3% |
| 30 | Columbia, MS | 5,804 | 4,857 | 56.4% | 40.9% | 0.4% | 0.1% |
| 31 | Louisville, MS | 6,018 | 4,893 | 42.3% | 55.7% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 32 | Columbus, MS | 23,616 | 4,993 | 31.6% | 63.1% | 2.1% | 1.3% |
| 33 | Laurel, MS | 17,129 | 5,021 | 28.2% | 64.7% | 6.7% | 0.2% |
| 34 | Oxford, MS | 26,086 | 5,043 | 66.1% | 25.7% | 3.0% | 2.8% |
| 35 | Kosciusko, MS | 6,994 | 5,048 | 38.4% | 59.8% | 0.6% | 0.0% |
| 36 | Natchez, MS | 14,207 | 5,063 | 33.1% | 62.9% | 2.0% | 0.1% |
| 37 | Pass Christian, MS | 5,942 | 5,186 | 68.3% | 22.1% | 5.0% | 1.8% |
| 38 | West Point, MS | 9,967 | 5,383 | 32.9% | 65.6% | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| 39 | Richland, MS | 7,250 | 5,433 | 71.4% | 17.2% | 4.0% | 1.7% |
| 40 | Corinth, MS | 14,450 | 5,509 | 71.4% | 19.2% | 5.2% | 0.0% |
| 41 | Greenwood, MS | 13,983 | 5,597 | 24.7% | 70.6% | 2.9% | 1.0% |
| 42 | Holly Springs, MS | 6,861 | 5,635 | 25.2% | 70.6% | 0.7% | 0.1% |
| 43 | Moss Point, MS | 12,066 | 5,742 | 18.6% | 73.3% | 3.8% | 0.1% |
| 44 | Bay St. Louis, MS | 9,971 | 5,877 | 75.0% | 15.1% | 4.0% | 1.4% |
| 45 | Hernando, MS | 17,580 | 5,879 | 74.9% | 15.0% | 5.8% | 1.1% |
| 46 | Byram, MS | 12,847 | 5,884 | 24.4% | 72.7% | 1.8% | 0.6% |
| 47 | Canton, MS | 10,863 | 5,954 | 18.4% | 74.7% | 6.2% | 0.2% |
| 48 | Vicksburg, MS | 20,944 | 5,960 | 22.8% | 73.7% | 2.1% | 0.3% |
| 49 | Brandon, MS | 25,352 | 6,029 | 74.2% | 22.6% | 2.2% | 0.1% |
| 50 | Ocean Springs, MS | 18,561 | 6,039 | 76.7% | 7.6% | 8.4% | 3.3% |
| 51 | Booneville, MS | 9,060 | 6,077 | 75.6% | 18.5% | 1.9% | 0.6% |
| 52 | Mccomb, MS | 12,202 | 6,101 | 21.8% | 75.0% | 2.1% | 0.4% |
| 53 | Petal, MS | 11,195 | 6,191 | 76.8% | 16.6% | 3.5% | 0.2% |
| 54 | Waveland, MS | 7,066 | 6,330 | 78.5% | 11.4% | 3.4% | 0.5% |
| 55 | Madison, MS | 27,775 | 6,394 | 78.8% | 12.3% | 1.1% | 5.9% |
| 56 | Long Beach, MS | 16,876 | 6,493 | 79.7% | 10.1% | 3.3% | 2.0% |
| 57 | Clarksdale, MS | 14,423 | 6,753 | 14.9% | 80.8% | 2.6% | 0.4% |
| 58 | Indianola, MS | 9,360 | 6,845 | 17.9% | 80.8% | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| 59 | Jackson, MS | 149,827 | 6,852 | 14.1% | 81.5% | 2.2% | 0.3% |
| 60 | Greenville, MS | 28,833 | 6,931 | 15.7% | 81.8% | 0.3% | 1.1% |
| 61 | Diamondhead, MS | 9,338 | 7,356 | 85.3% | 2.1% | 7.6% | 0.5% |
| 62 | Yazoo City, MS | 10,270 | 7,693 | 10.0% | 87.1% | 0.3% | 0.0% |