Census data shows Mississippiâs population declining Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Mississippi is one of just three states thatâs lost population in the last decade, according to the 2020 Census information released this week. Fewer folks identifying as Mississippians isnât a shock to many. âA lot of our friends that I grew up with left the state and didnât come back,â said Schuyler Dixon. âWhat brought us back was family, but for a lot of folks whose families leave too, there isnât much of a draw here. There has to be some kind of reason to come back, whether thatâs jobs or technology.â