Moss Point, Mississippi

Coordinates: 30°24′42″N 88°32′04″W / 30.411744°N 88.534355°W / 30.411744; -88.534355
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Moss Point, Mississippi
Moss Point City Hall
Moss Point City Hall
Flag of Moss Point, Mississippi
Official seal of Moss Point, Mississippi
Official logo of Moss Point, Mississippi
Location of Moss Point in the state of Mississippi
Location of Moss Point in the state of Mississippi
Moss Point, Mississippi is located in the United States
Moss Point, Mississippi
Moss Point, Mississippi
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 30°24′42″N 88°32′04″W / 30.411744°N 88.534355°W / 30.411744; -88.534355
CountryUnited States
StateMississippi
CountyJackson
Incorporated1901 (as a city)
Government
 • MayorBilly Knight, Sr.
Area
 • Total26.57 sq mi (68.80 km2)
 • Land24.11 sq mi (62.45 km2)
 • Water2.45 sq mi (6.35 km2)
Elevation
16 ft (5 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total12,147
 • Density503.75/sq mi (194.50/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes
39562, 39563, 39581
Area code228
FIPS code28-49240
GNIS feature ID0673878
Websitecityofmosspoint.org

Moss Point is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 12,147 in 2020, a decline from the figure of 13,704 in 2010. The Moss Point Historic District and several individual buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places' Jackson County listings.

History[edit]

On August 29, 2005, Moss Point was hit by the strong east side of Hurricane Katrina, and much of the city was flooded or destroyed (see details below). Moss Point is home to Trent Lott International Airport and the Mississippi Export Railroad.

An EF2 tornado touched down in Moss Point on June 19, 2023 [2] The tornado covered six miles of the city and destroyed over 300 homes and businesses.[3][4]

Geography[edit]

Moss Point is in southeastern Jackson County, on the east side of the Pascagoula River. It is bordered to the south by the city of Pascagoula, the county seat, and to the north by unincorporated Escatawpa. The Escatawpa River flows east–west through the city into the Pascagoula River.

U.S. Route 90 forms the southeastern boundary of Moss Point, leading southwestward into Pascagoula and northeastward to Interstate 10, which runs through the northern part of the Moss Point city limits. I-10 leads west 22 miles (35 km) to the Biloxi area and northeast 36 miles (58 km) to Mobile, Alabama. Mississippi Highways 63 and 613 (Main Street) are north–south roads through Moss Point. Highway 63 leads south to US-90 and north 38 miles (61 km) to Lucedale, while Highway 613 leads south 4 miles (6 km) to the center of Pascagoula and north 5 miles (8 km) to Escatawpa.

Moss Point has a total area of 26.6 square miles (68.8 km2), of which 24.2 square miles (62.6 km2) are land and 2.4 square miles (6.3 km2), or 9.11%, are water.[5]

Moss Point (right edge) is north of Pascagoula, on Mississippi Highway 63, north of the Gulf of Mexico.

Demographics[edit]

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1870440
18801,333203.0%
19103,054
19203,3409.4%
19302,453−26.6%
19403,04224.0%
19503,78224.3%
19606,63175.3%
197019,321191.4%
198018,998−1.7%
199017,837−6.1%
200017,653−1.0%
201013,704−22.4%
202012,147−11.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
Moss Point racial composition as of 2020[7]
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 2,617 21.54%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 8,655 71.25%
Native American 23 0.19%
Asian 40 0.33%
Pacific Islander 1 0.01%
Other/Mixed 361 2.97%
Hispanic or Latino 450 3.7%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 12,147 people, 5,102 households, and 3,263 families residing in the city.

Education[edit]

The city is served by the Moss Point School District.

Hurricane Katrina[edit]

On August 29, 2005, Moss Point was hit by the strong eastern side of Hurricane Katrina, when it passed 30 miles (48 km) east of central New Orleans with minimal gale-force winds. However, on the east side of Hurricane Katrina, much of Moss Point was flooded or destroyed in one day, by the strong hurricane-force winds which lasted several hours and a storm surge exceeding 20 feet (6.1 m) in some sections.[8]

Sister city[edit]

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Burlington, Vermont became the sister city of Moss Point and provided much-needed aid to the city.[9]

Notable people[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  2. ^ Tornado touches down in Moss Point WXXV-TV, June 19, 2023. Retrieved July 1, 2023
  3. ^ City of Moss Point provides update on tornado WXXV-TV, June 21, 2023. Retrieved July 1, 2023
  4. ^ Moss Point community prepares to rebuild after tornado WXXV-TV, June 21, 2023. Retrieved July 1, 2023
  5. ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Moss Point city, Mississippi". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  6. ^ United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing". Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  7. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  8. ^ Gary Tuchman, Transcript of "Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees" (2006-08-29) 19:00 ET, CNN, CNN-ACooper082906 GARY TUCHMAN, CNN Correspondent: Responds to Anderson Cooper that it felt like it would never end, saying winds were at least 100 miles per hour in Gulfport for seven hours, between about 7:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. For another five or six hours, on each side of that, they had hurricane-force winds over 75 miles per hour; much of the city of Gulfport, Mississippi, in Harrison County of 71,000 was then under water.
  9. ^ "Moss Point receives aid from Burlington, VT; become sister cities". Archived from the original on June 7, 2008. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  10. ^ Ward, Cherie (August 1, 2010). "Moss Point alumni honor classmate who now runs Coca-Cola at reunion". Gulflive.com. Retrieved May 2, 2023.

External links[edit]