JACKSON, Miss. ( WJTV ) – Data from the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) indicates that Mississippi’s death rate continues to surpass the birth rate.
The overall death rate surpassing the birth rate in Mississippi first occurred in 2020, according to available MSDH data . It continued through 2022, the year with the most recent findings. However, the death rate surpassed the birth rate for certain racial demographics before the pandemic. The death rate among white Mississippians has surpassed its birth rate every year since 2015. This has not occurred among other racial demographics in Mississippi.
Since 1980, white Mississippians account for 53% of births overall but over 66% of deaths. Black Mississippians make up over 45% of all births since 1980 and about 33% of all deaths. All other ethnic groups make up about 1.6% of all births and just over half a percent of all deaths.
Counties with the highest rates of strokes in Mississippi
More recent numbers show how things have changed compared to historical data. Using birth and death numbers in Mississippi from 2020-2022, white Mississippians make up 55% of births but 65% of deaths. Black children make up over 41% of all births and 34% of all deaths. All other ethnic groups make up about 3% of all births and just one percent of all deaths.