Tupelo ( TOO-pə-loh) is a city in and the county seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1860, the population was 37,923 at the 2020 census. It is the 7th most populous city in Mississippi and is considered a commercial, industrial, and cultural hub of northern Mississippi.
Tupelo was incorporated in 1870. The area had earlier been settled as "Gum Pond" along the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. On February 7, 1934, Tupelo became the first city to receive power from the Tennessee Valley Authority, thus giving it the nickname "The First TVA City". Much of the city was devastated by a major tornado in 1936 that still ranks as one of the deadliest tornadoes...
| Ethnicity | Tupelo | USA |
|---|---|---|
| White | 55.3% | 60.1% |
| African American | 37.6% | 12.2% |
| American Indian | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| Asian | 0.7% | 5.6% |
| Hawaiian | 0.5% | 0.2% |
| Multiracial | 0.9% | 2.8% |
| Hispanic | 4.3% | 18.2% |
| Other | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| HOUSEHOLD INCOME | Tupelo | USA |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $10,000 | 5.8% | 5.8% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 8.4% | 4.1% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 9.8% | 8.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 9.7% | 8.6% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 12.2% | 12.0% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 18.6% | 17.2% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 13.6% | 12.8% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 13.2% | 15.6% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 3.9% | 7.1% |
| Education | Tupelo | USA |
|---|---|---|
| < 9th Grade | 4% | 5.0% |
| 9-12th Grade | 9% | 7.0% |
| High School or GED | 21% | 27.0% |
| Other College | 21% | 20.0% |
| Associate's Degree | 11% | 9% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 20% | 20.0% |
| Master's Degree | 9% | 9.0% |
| Professional Degree | 3% | 2.0% |
| Doctorate Degree | 2% | 1.0% |