Shuqualak ( ) is a town in Noxubee County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 399. That is down from 501 from the 2010 census. Three locations in Shuqualak, including most of the downtown area, are included on the National Register of Historic Places.
History Shaqualak was settled after the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek was signed in 1830. is a name derived from the Choctaw language purported to mean 'beads'.
A post office was established in 1855, and the town was incorporated in 1859. Shuqualak was a stop on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, built in the 1850s.
There was a devastating fire in 1885 that burned much of downtown.
Geography Shuqualak is located on U.S. Route 45, midway between Columbus and Meridian.
An auxiliary landing field for Columbus Air Force Base is located south of the town. The name of the auxiliary landing field is Gunshy.
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition +Shuqualak town, Mississippi – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2000Pop 2010Pop 2020% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)1671004029.72%19.96%10.03%Black or African American alone (NH)39139233869.57%78.24%84.71%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)0000.00%0.00%0.00%Asian alone (NH)0100.00%0.20%0.00%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)0000.00%0.00%0.00%Other race alone (NH)0000.00%0.00%0.00%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)42160.71%0.40%4.01%Hispanic or Latino (any race)0650.00%1.20%1.25%Total562501399 100.00%100.00%100.00%
2020 census As of the 2020 United States census, there were 399 people, 199 households, and 115 families residing in the town.
2000 census As of the census of 2000, there were 562 people, 214 households, and 148 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 249 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 29.72% White, 69.57% African American, and 0.71% from two or more races.
There were 214 households, out of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.3% were married couples living together, 28.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.32.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 33.1% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 74.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $21,875, and the median income for a family was $26,607. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $22,596 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,051. About 30.7% of families and 29.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.1% of those under age 18 and 16.7% of those age 65 or over.
Economy The Shuqualak Lumber Company was founded in 1948 and employs approximately 150. It is one of the largest privately owned, independent producers of southern yellow pine in the southeastern United States.
Government
Municipal government Shuqualak operates under the Code charter form of government, with a mayor and Board of Aldermen. The mayor and aldermen are all elected at-large.
Shuqualak's current mayor is Velma Jenkins of the Democratic Party, who was elected on June 3, 2025. The next election will be in June, 2029. The city clerk is Sonya Slaughter.
State government Shuqualak is located in state Senate district 32, represented by Rod Hickman since 2021, and state House district 42, represented by Carl Mickens since 2015; both are members of the Democratic Party. Senator Hickman is Chairman of the State Senate Committee on Housing, and Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Government Structure. Representative Mickens is Chairman of the House Committee on Housing.
Federal representation Shuqualak is located in Mississippi's 3rd congressional district. U.S. Representative Michael Guest, a Republican, has served since 2019. He has been Chairman of the Committee on Ethics since 2023, and Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee's Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement since 2025.
The United States Postal Service operates the Shuqualak Post Office"https://tools.usps.com/locations/details/1381605] ." United States Postal Service. Retrieved July 10, 2026..
Education The Town of Shuqualak is served by the Noxubee County School District. It was the site of Stone Female College and the now defunct Shuqualak Female College, a female seminary founded in 1880.
Notable people Vincent Dancy – American football coach James Z. George – Confederate politician and military officer
See also National Register of Historic Places listings in Noxubee County, Mississippi
References
External links Town of Shuqualak