The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 17 local governments in Pontotoc County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.
Kind of government
Census count (2022)
Listed on this page
County government
1
1
Cities, towns, villages and townships
6
0
School districts (school boards)
2
0
Special districts (elected boards)
8
0
Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).
About these counts
The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments, though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.
Who lives in Pontotoc County
31,550people
35.9median ageU.S.: 38.9
$51,484 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
16.7%below the U.S.: 12.5%
18.5%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$157,100median home valueU.S.: $332,700
3.1%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
2.5%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
4.3%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
12.2%U.S.: 8.4%
50.6%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
17.6%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%
Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 7.1% · White 74% · Black 14.7% · Asian 0% · Other or more than one race 4.2% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)
Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).
About these figures
The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.
Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.
Jobs in Pontotoc County
3.4%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.7%. Mississippi: 3.3%.
404people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
11,465people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
11,869in the September 2026, preliminary.
Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.
Every month, last two years
Month
Rate
Unemployed
Employed
Labor force
September 2026 (preliminary)
3.4%
404
11,465
11,869
August 2026
3.2%
380
11,498
11,878
July 2026
3.9%
468
11,649
12,117
June 2026
4.1%
497
11,718
12,215
May 2026
3.5%
429
11,880
12,309
April 2026
2.9%
351
11,817
12,168
March 2026
3.8%
472
11,972
12,444
February 2026
4.2%
519
11,945
12,464
January 2026
3.5%
430
11,802
12,232
December 2025
2.9%
359
12,054
12,413
November 2025
3.5%
431
11,970
12,401
October 2025
not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 2025
3.7%
454
11,905
12,359
August 2025
4.2%
513
11,819
12,332
July 2025
4.5%
564
11,842
12,406
June 2025
4.6%
561
11,763
12,324
May 2025
3.7%
458
11,862
12,320
April 2025
3.2%
394
11,975
12,369
March 2025
3.8%
478
11,938
12,416
February 2025
3.9%
491
11,969
12,460
January 2025
3.7%
465
11,947
12,412
December 2024
3.4%
419
12,077
12,496
November 2024
3.4%
423
12,053
12,476
October 2024
3.4%
417
11,920
12,337
Yearly averages
Year
Rate
Unemployed
Employed
Labor force
2025 (11 months)
3.8%
470
11,913
12,383
2024
3.1%
387
12,068
12,455
2023
3.1%
378
11,864
12,242
2022
3.8%
494
12,456
12,950
2021
4.9%
648
12,604
13,252
2020
8.5%
1,115
12,053
13,168
2019
4.8%
642
12,787
13,429
2018
4.3%
566
12,554
13,120
2017
4.3%
565
12,572
13,137
2016
5.2%
683
12,361
13,044
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. Mississippi's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 3.3% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.
Crime reported in Pontotoc County
185.3 per 100,0002025. Mississippi: 226.9.
593.0 per 100,0002025. Mississippi: 1,263.8.
1murders2025, 60 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
Year
Violent
Rate
Property
Rate
2025
60
185.3
192
593.0
2024
62
195.3
244
768.6
2023
70
221.7
278
880.5
2022
87
274.9
394
1,244.9
2021
106
326.0
319
981.0
2020
87
269.4
327
1,012.4
2019
44
137.8
201
629.7
By police agency (2)
Agency
Year
Violent
Property
People served
Pontotoc County Sheriff's Office
2025
46
96
26,223
Pontotoc Police Department
2025
14
96
6,153
Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in Mississippi · the U.S.
Police staffing
1.54 per 1,000 residents2025, 2 agencies serving 32,376 people.
50sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
17civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (2), 2025
Agency
Officers
Civilians
People served
Pontotoc County Sheriff's Office
24
15
26,223
Pontotoc Police Department
26
2
6,153
Earlier years
Year
Officers
Per 1,000
Civilians
Agencies
2025
50
1.54
17
2
2024
48
1.51
23
2
2023
44
1.39
12
2
2022
44
1.39
17
2
2021
58
1.78
3
2
2019
23
0.72
17
1
Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.
Quick answers
Who is the Pontotoc County Chancery Clerk?
Ricky Ferguson is the Chancery Clerk of Pontotoc County, Mississippi.
Who is the Pontotoc County Circuit Clerk?
Melinda Patterson Nowicki is the Circuit Clerk of Pontotoc County, Mississippi.
Who is the Pontotoc County Constable, District 1?
Neal Davis is the Constable, District 1 of Pontotoc County, Mississippi.
Who is the Pontotoc County Coroner?
Jody Riddle is the Coroner of Pontotoc County, Mississippi.
Who is the Pontotoc County County Prosecuting Attorney?
Malcolm McAuley III is the County Prosecuting Attorney of Pontotoc County, Mississippi.
Who is the Pontotoc County County Surveyor?
Jimmy Caldwell is the County Surveyor of Pontotoc County, Mississippi.
Who is the Pontotoc County Election Commissioner, District 1?
Donna Shoemaker is the Election Commissioner, District 1 of Pontotoc County, Mississippi.
Who is the Pontotoc County Election Commissioner, District 2?
Nicky Moore is the Election Commissioner, District 2 of Pontotoc County, Mississippi.
Who is the Pontotoc County Election Commissioner, District 3?
John Logan is the Election Commissioner, District 3 of Pontotoc County, Mississippi.
Who is the Pontotoc County Election Commissioner, District 4?
Shirley Dillard is the Election Commissioner, District 4 of Pontotoc County, Mississippi.
Who is the Pontotoc County Election Commissioner, District 5?
Larry E. Poe is the Election Commissioner, District 5 of Pontotoc County, Mississippi.
Who is the Pontotoc County Sheriff?
Leo Mask is the Sheriff of Pontotoc County, Mississippi.
Who is the Pontotoc County Tax Assessor?
Van McWhirter is the Tax Assessor of Pontotoc County, Mississippi.
Who is the Pontotoc County Tax Collector?
Van McWhirter is the Tax Collector of Pontotoc County, Mississippi.
Who are the Pontotoc County commissioners?
Beny Moorman (Supervisor, District 1); Mike McGregor (Supervisor, District 2); Gary Washington (Supervisor, District 3); Ernie Wright (Supervisor, District 4); Randy Ray (Supervisor, District 5).
What is the population of Pontotoc County?
About 31,550 people, with a median age of 35.9; the median household income is $51,484 and 16.7% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Pontotoc County?
3.4% in September 2026 (preliminary): 404 people unemployed in a labor force of 11,869, against 3.7% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Pontotoc County?
17 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 6 municipal, 2 school district and 8 special district governments.
Officeholders as of May 6, 2026, from the Mississippi Secretary of State's County Offices and Directory; each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.
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