DeSoto County is one of about 3,141 counties and county equivalents in the United States. It has 637.3 sq. miles in land area and a population density of 54.4 per square mile. In the last three decades of the 1900s its population grew by 146.6%. On the 2000 census form, 98.6% of the population reported only one race, with 12.7% of these reporting African-American. The population of this county is 24.9% Hispanic (of any race). The average household size is 2.70 persons compared to an average family size of 3.00 persons. In 2007 retail trade was the largest of 20 major sectors. It had an average wage per job of $26,475. Per capita income declined by 2.2% between 1996 and 2006 (adjusted for inflation).

People & Income Overview (By Place of Residence)	Value	Rank in U.S.	Industry Overview (2007) (By Place of Work)	Value	Rank in U.S.
Population (2007)	34,675	1298	Covered Employment	8,854	1523
Growth (%) since 1990	45.3%	340	Avg wage per job	$29,207	1867
Households (2000)	10,746	1440	Manufacturing - % all jobs in County	4.9%	2292
Labor Force (persons) (2007)	14,046	1451	Avg wage per job	$45,582	696
Unemployment Rate (2007)	5.0	1210	Transportation & Warehousing - % all jobs in County	0.4%	2959
Per Capita Personal Income (2006)	$20,052	2983	Avg wage per job	$49,207	248
Median Household Income (2005)	$34,879	1968	Health Care, Social Assist. - % all jobs in County	0.0%	2182
Poverty Rate (2005)	21.4	485	Avg wage per job	$0	2185
H.S. Diploma or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	63.5	2,909	Finance and Insurance - % all jobs in County	1.9%	2195
Bachelor's Deg. or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	8.4	2,951	Avg wage per job	$39,655	1036