Hard Water Map

Mississippi Water Hardness by County

Water in Mississippi has a median hardness of 21.1 mg/L as CaCO₃ — "soft" on the USGS scale — based on 11,284 measurements at 4,240 monitoring stations. Sharkey County has the state's hardest measured water (224 mg/L); Wilkinson County the softest (0.8). Rank: #48 of the 50 states and D.C.

Mississippi water hardness map — what the numbers mean. Data verified 2026-07-22.

Of Mississippi's 74 measured counties, 1 very hard, 3 hard, 8 moderately hard, and 62 soft. The hardest are Sharkey County (224 mg/L), Adams County (160), and Jefferson County (160). Wilkinson County is the softest at 0.8 mg/L (soft).

About 3% of Mississippi's roughly 2.8 million residents in counties with gate-passing hardness data live where tap water is hard or worse.

Statewide, Mississippi's median works out to 1.2 grains per gallon and ranks #48 of the 50 states and D.C. Across 11,284 measurements at 4,240 stations — 2,032 of them since 2000 — the middle 80% of readings fall between 3 and 152 mg/L. The public record runs from 1911 to 2025.

See where Mississippi sits nationally on the national map, or what its number means on the hardness scale.

Download the Mississippi water hardness map (PNG) — Water hardness by county in Mississippi: 74 counties mapped from USGS/EPA data, statewide median 21.1 mg/L (soft); darker counties have harder water.

By county

Water hardness by county

The table lists all 74 measured Mississippi counties, hardest first. Their medians span 224 mg/L in Sharkey County to 0.8 in Wilkinson County — a 280× range. 8 more Mississippi counties lack gate-passing data.

County water hardness, hardest first — median mg/L as CaCO₃.
CountyMedianBandResultsSitesNewest
Sharkey County224Very hard45312017
Adams County160Hard114742013
Jefferson County160Hard55172004
Washington County122Hard7472002023
Coahoma County117.5Moderately hard54322019
Tunica County98.5Moderately hard54192007
Sunflower County90.1Moderately hard67382020
Alcorn County86Moderately hard125942004
Lee County83Moderately hard1961822019
Warren County81.8Moderately hard895322023
Bolivar County76.2Moderately hard215422019
Union County66.5Moderately hard28242013
Pontotoc County58.5Soft26262013
Prentiss County48Soft71372013
Wayne County45Soft136522005
Calhoun County42.1Soft112562022
Newton County41Soft44412014
Monroe County40Soft219692019
Quitman County38Soft45281996
Lowndes County36.4Soft208492025
Issaquena County35.9Soft23162018
Scott County34.5Soft61322005
Attala County33Soft37292014
Chickasaw County30Soft47252005
Holmes County29.7Soft84382019
DeSoto County28.5Soft44322019
Jasper County27Soft53482014
Oktibbeha County26.5Soft42352013
Yazoo County26Soft61492019
Tippah County25.8Soft43222013
Itawamba County25Soft104342019
Leflore County25Soft279552020
Noxubee County25Soft81512013
Webster County25Soft47332013
Hinds County24Soft293992014
Neshoba County22.4Soft65392018
Panola County22Soft45322019
Lauderdale County21.7Soft126652005
Greene County20Soft104412013
Madison County20Soft56402014
Carroll County19Soft43272007
Clarke County19Soft119522018
Montgomery County19Soft39282022
Lafayette County18.5Soft41322022
Lawrence County18Soft91162005
Tallahatchie County18Soft24232014
Choctaw County17.5Soft38332018
Copiah County17.5Soft90312005
Grenada County16.2Soft43312022
George County16Soft435342009
Pearl River County16Soft161522024
Lincoln County15.6Soft118852005
Leake County15.5Soft82252018
Smith County15.5Soft64422014
Yalobusha County15Soft55332022
Tate County14.9Soft55182019
Jackson County14.7Soft6372872021
Humphreys County14.5Soft28222019
Marshall County14.5Soft35212022
Forrest County14.4Soft194842013
Franklin County14Soft215362002
Benton County13.8Soft43272022
Rankin County12Soft92632018
Covington County10Soft49252013
Simpson County10Soft41242013
Jefferson Davis County9.5Soft26172013
Pike County8.5Soft66432013
Lamar County8Soft3392582009
Walthall County8Soft51172013
Stone County6Soft32262009
Harrison County5Soft5412102019
Perry County2.8Soft565862009
Hancock County1Soft357552020
Wilkinson County0.8Soft169302005

ZIP codes

ZIP codes in Mississippi

The ZIP codes below are grouped by the Mississippi county they fall in. Each ZIP takes its county's measured median — shown in the group header — so this is a ZIP-to-county guide, not a separate reading for every ZIP. To check the water system serving a specific address, use the lookup.

Sharkey County · 224 mg/L · Very hard

38721†38765†39054†3906139088†39159†

Adams County · 160 mg/L · Hard

39120†

Jefferson County · 160 mg/L · Hard

3906939096†39668†

Washington County · 122 mg/L · Hard

38701†38703†38722†38723†38731†3874438748†3875638760†38776

Coahoma County · 117.5 mg/L · Moderately hard

38614†38617†38631†386393864438645†3872038767

Tunica County · 98.5 mg/L · Moderately hard

386263866438676†

Sunflower County · 90.1 mg/L · Moderately hard

38736†38737†38738†3875138753†38761†3876838771†38778†

Alcorn County · 86 mg/L · Moderately hard

38834†38846†38865

Lee County · 83 mg/L · Moderately hard

38801†3880438849†38857†3886238866†38868†38879

Warren County · 81.8 mg/L · Moderately hard

39156†3918039183†

Bolivar County · 76.2 mg/L · Moderately hard

38725†38726†38730387323873338740†38746†38759†38762†38764†38769†38772†387733877438781†

Union County · 66.5 mg/L · Moderately hard

38650†3865238828

Pontotoc County · 58.5 mg/L · Soft

3882638841†38863†38864†3886938871

Prentiss County · 48 mg/L · Soft

388243882938859

Wayne County · 45 mg/L · Soft

393223932439367

Calhoun County · 42.1 mg/L · Soft

3883938878†3891338914389153891638951†

Newton County · 41 mg/L · Soft

3905739323†39327†3933239336†3933739345†

Monroe County · 40 mg/L · Soft

3882138844†38848†3887039730†39746

Quitman County · 38 mg/L · Soft

3862338643†3864638670†38964†

Lowndes County · 36.4 mg/L · Soft

39701†39702397053973639740†397433975339766†

Issaquena County · 35.9 mg/L · Soft

387453911339177†

Scott County · 34.5 mg/L · Soft

39074†3909239117†39359

Attala County · 33 mg/L · Soft

390673907939090391083916039192†39745†

Chickasaw County · 30 mg/L · Soft

38850†38851†38860†39776†

Holmes County · 29.7 mg/L · Soft

38924†39063†39095†39169

DeSoto County · 28.5 mg/L · Soft

38632†38637386413865138654†38671†3867238680

Jasper County · 27 mg/L · Soft

39338†39347†39348393563942239439†39481

Oktibbeha County · 26.5 mg/L · Soft

3975939762†39769

Yazoo County · 26 mg/L · Soft

39039†3904039162†39173†3917939194†

Tippah County · 25.8 mg/L · Soft

386103862538629†386633867438683

Itawamba County · 25 mg/L · Soft

38843†38847†3885538856†38858†38876†

Leflore County · 25 mg/L · Soft

38930†38941†38944†389463895238954†

Noxubee County · 25 mg/L · Soft

39341†3936139739

Webster County · 25 mg/L · Soft

397373974439750†397513976739771

Hinds County · 24 mg/L · Soft

39041†39056†3905839066†391543917039175392013920239203392043920639209†3921039211392123921339216392173926939272

Neshoba County · 22.4 mg/L · Soft

3935039365

Panola County · 22 mg/L · Soft

38606†38619†38620†3862138622†3865838666†

Lauderdale County · 21.7 mg/L · Soft

39301393053930739309†39320†3932539335†39342†39364†

Greene County · 20 mg/L · Soft

393623945139456†39461

Madison County · 20 mg/L · Soft

39045390463907139110391463915739174

Carroll County · 19 mg/L · Soft

3891738923389433894739176

Clarke County · 19 mg/L · Soft

39330†39355†39360†39363†39366†

Montgomery County · 19 mg/L · Soft

38925†3896739747†

Lafayette County · 18.5 mg/L · Soft

38601†38627†3865538673†3867738949

Lawrence County · 18 mg/L · Soft

396413965439663†39665

Tallahatchie County · 18 mg/L · Soft

389203892138927†38928†3895038953†38957†3896238963†38966†

Choctaw County · 17.5 mg/L · Soft

3973539752†39772†

Copiah County · 17.5 mg/L · Soft

3905939078†39083†39191†

Grenada County · 16.2 mg/L · Soft

389013892938940

George County · 16 mg/L · Soft

39452†

Pearl River County · 16 mg/L · Soft

3942639466†39470†

Lincoln County · 15.6 mg/L · Soft

3960139629†39662

Leake County · 15.5 mg/L · Soft

39051†3909439189

Smith County · 15.5 mg/L · Soft

39116391523915339168†

Yalobusha County · 15 mg/L · Soft

3892238948†3896138965†

Tate County · 14.9 mg/L · Soft

38618†38665†38668†

Jackson County · 14.7 mg/L · Soft

3955339562†39563†39564†39565†3956739581†39595†

Humphreys County · 14.5 mg/L · Soft

38754†39038†39097†39115†39166†

Marshall County · 14.5 mg/L · Soft

3861138635†3865938661†38685†

Forrest County · 14.4 mg/L · Soft

3940139406†39465

Franklin County · 14 mg/L · Soft

3963039647†39653†39661†

Benton County · 13.8 mg/L · Soft

38603†38633†38642†38647†

Rankin County · 12 mg/L · Soft

39042†3904739073†3914539148†3916739193†39208†3921839232

Covington County · 10 mg/L · Soft

39119†3942839479†

Simpson County · 10 mg/L · Soft

390443906239082†391113911439149†

Jefferson Davis County · 9.5 mg/L · Soft

39140†39421394273947439656

Pike County · 8.5 mg/L · Soft

3963539648†39652†39657†39666

Lamar County · 8 mg/L · Soft

39402394553947539482

Walthall County · 8 mg/L · Soft

39667†

Stone County · 6 mg/L · Soft

3956139573†39577†

Harrison County · 5 mg/L · Soft

3950139503†395073953039531†395323953439540†3956039571†39574†

Perry County · 2.8 mg/L · Soft

39423†39425†39462†39476†

Hancock County · 1 mg/L · Soft

39520†3952539529†39556†39572†39576

Wilkinson County · 0.8 mg/L · Soft

3963139633†39669

† 200 ZIP codes are not served by a mapped community water system — most are private-well areas. See well water hardness.

Check any ZIP's utility and hardness →

Source

Groundwater vs surface water

Mississippi's surface water measures harder than its groundwater — 25.5 mg/L across 5,668 samples versus 20 across 4,978, about 1.3× harder. For well owners that is the better side of a hard bargain: at 20 mg/L, Mississippi groundwater is still soft, and most of the state's drinking water is pumped from it. Groundwater readings there run 3 to 219.9 mg/L across the middle 80% of samples. The comparison draws on 3,664 groundwater and 573 surface-water monitoring sites; 73 readings above 2,000 mg/L were logged but held out of the medians as outliers.

Groundwater (wells)

20 mg/L as CaCO₃ · 4,978 results at 3,664 stations.

Surface water (rivers, lakes)

25.5 mg/L as CaCO₃ · 5,668 results at 573 stations.

Surface water measures about 1.3× harder than groundwater here.

Chemistry

Water chemistry in Mississippi

Beyond the hardness number, Mississippi's water carries a fuller chemical signature — here is how its measured parameters compare to national benchmarks.

TDS

154 mg/L · n=2,161

154 mg/L — below the national county median of 226.

pH

7.5 pH · n=1,924

pH 7.5 — within the EPA secondary range of 6.5–8.5, on the alkaline side.

Alkalinity

75 mg/L as CaCO3 · n=2,791

75 mg/L — modest buffering capacity.

Calcium : Magnesium

25.4 : 7.3 mg/L ≈ 3.48 : 1 · n=1,521

Calcium is about 68% of Mississippi's hardness (25.4 mg/L Ca to 7.3 mg/L Mg), a little in line with than the national ~68% calcium share.

Parameter medians may include a small share of quality-control samples; the hardness lane is fully QC-filtered.

Aquifers

Major aquifers under Mississippi

3 aquifer systems supply much of Mississippi's measured groundwater.

  • Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer — median 346 mg/L across 363 samples at 214 sites: very hard.
  • Southeastern Coastal Plain aquifer system — median 41 mg/L across 1,146 samples at 781 sites: soft.
  • Mississippi embayment aquifer system — median 12 mg/L across 1,276 samples at 1,109 sites: soft.

Together these systems account for 2,785 measured samples at 2,104 sites. Aquifer medians pool samples across a whole system and can mask local variation — see the national aquifer map for how these compare across states.

Trend

Hardness over time

1910s2020s86

Mississippi's decade median moved from 15 mg/L in the 1910s to 74.8 in the 2020s. Over the series, the decade median peaked at 86.1 mg/L in the 2010s and bottomed at 10 in the 1940s. Decade medians reflect where and what agencies sampled in each era, not just changes in the water itself.

Scale

Where Mississippi sits on the scale

On the USGS scale, Mississippi's 21.1 mg/L is soft — 1.2 grains per gallon, below the 60 mg/L soft cutoff — among the softest water measured in the US.

SoftModerately hardHardVery hard60 · 3.5 gpg120 · 7.0 gpg180 · 10.5 gpg21.1 mg/L — Soft
Harder than 10% of the 2,977 measured county medians.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Is Mississippi's water hard?
Mississippi's median hardness is 21.1 mg/L as CaCO₃, "soft" on the USGS scale and below the national county median of 140 mg/L.
Which county in Mississippi has the hardest water?
Sharkey County, with a median of 224 mg/L as CaCO₃ across 45 measurements.
Is well water harder than city water in Mississippi?
Surface water measures harder here — about 1.3× the groundwater — so wells tend to run softer (groundwater 20 vs surface water 25.5 mg/L).
How do I find my exact hardness in Mississippi?
Search your ZIP on the lookup tool, read your utility's Consumer Confidence Report, or test at home with a kit.
Is Mississippi's water harder than the national average?
No. Mississippi's median of 21.1 mg/L is below the national county median of 140 mg/L; it ranks #48 of the 50 states and D.C.

Compare

States with similar hardness

Two states measure closest to Mississippi's 21.1 mg/L: Rhode Island at 20.2 mg/L and New Hampshire at 22.9 mg/L. Mississippi measures harder than 6% of states. Browse the full ranking on the statistics page.

More: hardness scale · check your address · national statistics · the national map.

By . Source: USGS/EPA Water Quality Portal — 11,284 Mississippi measurements. Data last verified . Methodology.

Cite this page: “Mississippi Water Hardness by County.” Hard Water Map. Retrieved 2026-07-22, https://hardwatermap.com/water-hardness/mississippi/