By John Howell
The population of Panola County and its three main municipalities have declined slightly since the 2010 Census, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates.
The Census Bureau’s American Fact Finder web site estimates Panola County’s population that stood at 34,707 in the 2010 Census had dropped by 540 in 2015. Batesville dropped by 78 people from 7,463 to 7,385 during the five-year period; Como by 34 from 1,279 to 1,245; Sardis by 42 from 1,703 to 1,661.
Courtland is estimated to have lost only two, from 511 to 509; Pope from 215 to 209; the Panola/Quitman municipalities of Crenshaw and Crowder from 885 to 857 and 712 to 670, respectively.
Likewise, Tate County’s population showed decline between 2010 and 2015, according to the census data, from 28,886 to 28,296, a loss of 590 people. Senatobia lost 202, from 8,165 to 7,963.
Lafayette was the only county contiguous to Panola that gained population, from 47,351 in 2010 to 53,154 last year, gaining almost 5,800 people in five years.
Oxford, recently cited as the municipality with the state’s fastest growth rate, grew by 3,398 people from 18,916 in 2010 to 22,314 in 2015.
Lafayette’s smaller municipalities recorded smaller gains, the town of Abbeville from 419 to 435 and Taylor village from 322 to 348.
The remaining contiguous counties and their municipalities all showed declines:
• Yalobusha from 12,678 to 12,447 with Water Valley going from 3,392 to 3,380 and Coffeeville from 905 to 872;
• Tallahatchie from 15,378 to 14,588;  Charleston from 2,193 to 2,048; Oakland from 527 to 514;
• Quitman from 8,223 to 7,486; Marks from 1,735 to 1,581; Lambert from 1,638 to 1,490; Sledge from 545 to 519; Falcon from 167 to 152.
• Tunica from 10,778 to 10,343; Tunica town from 1,033 to 981.