Lafayette County, Mississippi

Lafayette County
County
County of Lafayette
The north façade of the Lafayette County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Mississippi's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 34°22′N 89°29′W / 34.36°N 89.49°W / 34.36; -89.49
Country	United States
State	Mississippi
Established	February 9, 1836 (188 years ago) (1836-02-09)
Named for	Marquis de Lafayette
Seat	Oxford
Largest city	Oxford
Area
• Total	679 sq mi (1,760 km2)
• Land	632 sq mi (1,640 km2)
• Water	47 sq mi (120 km2)  7.0%
Population  (2020)
• Total	55,813
• Density	82/sq mi (32/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	lafayettems.com

Lafayette County is a county in the U.S. state of Mississippi. At the 2020 census, the population was 55,813.^[1] Its county seat is Oxford.^[2] The local pronunciation of the name is "la-FAY-et." The county's name honors Marquis de Lafayette, a French military hero and American general who fought during the American Revolutionary War.^[3]

The Oxford, MS Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Lafayette County. The county is policed by the Lafayette County Sheriff's Department.

Lafayette County is often regarded as the inspiration for Yoknapatawpha County, the fictional setting of many of William Faulkner's works.