Mississippi's 4th congressional district

Mississippi's 4th congressional district
Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
Representative	Mike Ezell R–Pascagoula
Area	9,536 sq mi (24,700 km2)
Distribution	53.72% urban 46.28% rural
Population (2022)	750,414[1]
Median household income	$57,460[1]
Ethnicity	65.7% White 22.7% Black 5.3% Hispanic 4.0% Two or more races 1.6% Asian 0.7% other
Occupation	51.9% White-collar 30.6% Blue-collar 18.4% Gray-collar
Cook PVI	R+22[2]

Mississippi's 4th congressional district covers the southeastern region of the state. It includes all of Mississippi's Gulf Coast, stretching ninety miles between the Alabama border to the east and the Louisiana border to the west, and extends north into the Pine Belt region. It includes three of Mississippi's four most heavily populated cities: Gulfport, Biloxi, and Hattiesburg. Other major cities within the district include Bay St. Louis, Laurel, and Pascagoula.^[3] The district is currently represented by Republican Mike Ezell. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of R+22, it is the most Republican district in Mississippi.^[2]

From statehood to the election of 1846, Mississippi elected representatives at-large statewide on a general ticket. From 1973 to 2003, the district included most of Jackson, all of Natchez and the southwestern part of the state. In 2003, after Mississippi lost a seat in redistricting, the old 4th District was eliminated. Most of Jackson, as well as the bulk of the district's black constituents, were drawn into the 2nd District, while eastern Jackson and most of Jackson's suburbs were drawn into the 3rd District. As a result, most of the old 5th District was redefined as the new 4th District.^[4]

The perimeter of the current Fourth District extends across the ninety-mile coastal southern edge of Mississippi from the Louisiana border to the Alabama border, following the Alabama state line north along the eastern border of the state to a point due east of Quitman in Clarke County where it is bounded by the 3rd District and then moves in an irregular fashion south of Quitman until it reaches the county line with Wayne County, and then follows the northern and western borders to wholly contain Jones, Forrest, Lamar, and Marion counties until it reaches the Louisiana state line, ultimately bounded by the Pearl River winding to its outlet in Lake Borgne.

Interstate 59 is an important north–south route that traverses the district, while coastal Interstate 10 serves as the major east–west route from New Orleans to Mobile. US Highway 49 is a vital hurricane evacuation route and is four-laned from Gulfport to Jackson. US Highway 84 enters the state near Waynesboro and is four-laned statewide, passing through Laurel, Brookhaven and Natchez.