This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (March 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Coffee County
County
Original Coffee County Courthouse (Elba)
Original Coffee County Courthouse (Elba)
Map of Alabama highlighting Coffee County
Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
Map of the United States highlighting Alabama
Alabama's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 31°24′12″N 85°59′12″W / 31.403333333333°N 85.986666666667°W / 31.403333333333; -85.986666666667
Country United States
State Alabama
FoundedDecember 29, 1841
Named forJohn Coffee
SeatElba (de facto)
Enterprise (annex)[1]
Largest cityEnterprise
Area
 • Total680 sq mi (1,800 km2)
 • Land679 sq mi (1,760 km2)
 • Water1.5 sq mi (4 km2)  0.2%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total53,465
 • Estimate 
(2023)
55,643 Increase
 • Density79/sq mi (30/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district2nd
Websitewww.coffeecounty.us
  • County Number 19 on Alabama Licence Plates

Coffee County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 53,465.[2] Its name is in honor of General John Coffee.

Coffee County comprises the Enterprise, Micropolitan Statistical Area, which was originally Enterprise–Ozark micropolitan area in 2010 censuses before being split off.[3] It was originally included in the Dothan-Enterprise-Ozark, Combined Statistical Area in its 2012 statistics but the area in its recent years has been separated from the Dothan metropolitan area and Ozark micropolitan area in later censuses and is its own primary statistical area now.[4][5] Despite the census change of the statistics by the United States Census Bureau, the county still remains culturally connected alongside the two core based areas as it is commonly described as part of what is called the Wiregrass region together and also it shares its locations of United States Army base, Fort Novosel. The county seat is mostly known as Elba, although Enterprise contains a second county courthouse as well.[6]

History

The land in Coffee County was originally part of Dale County, which was incorporated in 1824. Coffee County was formed from the western part of Dale County on December 29, 1841.[7] It was named after John R. Coffee,[8] a soldier in the Creek War of 1813—14. The first county seat was in Wellborn. After the courthouse was destroyed by fire in 1851, the county seat was moved to Elba.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 680 square miles (1,800 km2), of which 679 square miles (1,760 km2) is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km2) (0.2%) is water.[9] The county is located in the Wiregrass region of southeast Alabama.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18505,940—
18609,62362.0%
18706,171−35.9%
18808,11931.6%
189012,17049.9%
190020,97272.3%
191026,11924.5%
192030,07015.1%
193032,5568.3%
194031,987−1.7%
195030,720−4.0%
196030,583−0.4%
197034,87214.0%
198038,53310.5%
199040,2404.4%
200043,6158.4%
201049,94814.5%
202053,4657.0%
2023 (est.)55,643[10]4.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1790–1960[12] 1900–1990[13]
1990–2000[14] 2010–2020[2]

2020 Census

Coffee County, Alabama – Racial and Ethnic Composition
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2000[15] Pop 2010[16] Pop 2020[17] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 32,971 36,134 35,759 75.60% 72.34% 66.88%
Black or African American alone (NH) 7,950 8,257 8,643 18.23% 16.53% 16.17%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 386 602 405 0.89% 1.21% 0.76%
Asian alone (NH) 409 629 892 0.94% 1.26% 1.67%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 40 51 57 0.09% 0.10% 0.11%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 58 52 195 0.13% 0.10% 0.36%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 618 1,043 2,627 1.42% 2.09% 4.91%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1,183 3,180 4,887 2.71% 6.37% 9.14%
Total 43,615 49,948 53,465 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 53,465 people, 19,924 households, and 13,747 families residing in the county.

2010 census

As of the census[18] of 2010, there were 49,948 people, 19,849 households, and 13,837 families residing in the county. The population density was 74 people per square mile (29 people/km2). There were 22,330 housing units at an average density of 33 units per square mile (13 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 74.7% White, 16.7% Black or African American, 1.3% Native American, 1.3% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 3.2% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. 6.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

The largest self-reported ancestry groups in Coffee County were English (59.9%), German (4.4%), Irish (3.3%), "American" (3.1%), (1.8%), Scottish (1.2%) and Portuguese (1.0%).

There were 19,849 households, out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were non-families. 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.2% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.3 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,253, and the median income for a family was $54,929. Males had a median income of $41,635 versus $29,082 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,797. About 14.1% of families and 17.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.4% of those under age 18 and 13.4% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Coffee County is reliably Republican at the presidential level. The last Democrat to win the county in a presidential election is Jimmy Carter, who won it by a majority in 1976.

United States presidential election results for Coffee County, Alabama[19]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 16,899 75.87% 5,076 22.79% 300 1.35%
2016 15,875 76.44% 4,221 20.33% 671 3.23%
2012 14,666 73.99% 4,925 24.85% 230 1.16%
2008 14,919 74.12% 5,079 25.23% 130 0.65%
2004 13,019 73.90% 4,480 25.43% 117 0.66%
2000 9,938 64.39% 5,220 33.82% 276 1.79%
1996 7,805 55.12% 5,168 36.50% 1,186 8.38%
1992 7,591 48.87% 5,776 37.19% 2,166 13.94%
1988 8,890 66.57% 4,319 32.34% 146 1.09%
1984 10,558 69.84% 4,370 28.91% 190 1.26%
1980 6,760 50.45% 6,140 45.82% 499 3.72%
1976 4,683 37.02% 7,844 62.00% 124 0.98%
1972 9,076 80.06% 2,160 19.05% 100 0.88%
1968 682 6.33% 1,071 9.95% 9,013 83.72%
1964 4,910 80.19% 0 0.00% 1,213 19.81%
1960 1,381 23.54% 4,470 76.19% 16 0.27%
1956 973 18.47% 4,163 79.02% 132 2.51%
1952 699 15.13% 3,919 84.83% 2 0.04%
1948 113 5.25% 0 0.00% 2,039 94.75%
1944 115 3.88% 2,846 96.02% 3 0.10%
1940 145 6.12% 2,226 93.88% 0 0.00%
1936 110 3.33% 3,178 96.16% 17 0.51%
1932 95 3.20% 2,868 96.73% 2 0.07%
1928 1,036 39.17% 1,609 60.83% 0 0.00%
1924 323 16.61% 1,597 82.11% 25 1.29%
1920 673 27.95% 1,721 71.47% 14 0.58%
1916 426 17.21% 2,029 81.95% 21 0.85%
1912 68 3.76% 1,277 70.67% 462 25.57%
1908 341 18.08% 1,305 69.19% 240 12.73%
1904 226 13.15% 1,106 64.34% 387 22.51%

Communities

Cities

Towns

Unincorporated communities

Education

School districts include:[20]

Fort Novosel residents are within the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) system,[20] for elementary school. Students on-post in Fort Novosel beyond the elementary level may attend non-DoDEA schools for secondary levels, with an on-post family choosing one of the following three options: Enterprise City, Daleville City School System, or Ozark City Schools.[21]

Notable people

In popular culture

The county is referred to in Joe David Brown's 1971 novel Addie Pray, which inspired the movie Paper Moon.

See also

References

  1. ^ Coffee County, Alabama. "History of Coffee County". Archived from the original on October 27, 2011. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  2. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  3. ^ "Table 1. Annual Estimates of the Population of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2009 (CBSA-EST2009-01)". 2009 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. March 23, 2010. Archived from the original (CSV) on March 26, 2010. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
  4. ^ www.2census.gov. United States Census Bureau https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/econ/ec2012/csa/EC2012_330M200US222M.pdf. Retrieved December 14, 2021. ((cite web)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ^ "OMB Bulletin No. 20-01: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas" (PDF). United States Office of Management and Budget. March 6, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  6. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  7. ^ "Alabama Counties: Coffee County". Alabama Department of Archives and History. Montgomery, AL. April 9, 2010. Archived from the original on March 5, 2012. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
  8. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 86.
  9. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  10. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  11. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  12. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  13. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 24, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  14. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  15. ^ "P004 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Coffee County, Alabama". United States Census Bureau.
  16. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Coffee County, Alabama". United States Census Bureau.
  17. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Coffee County, Alabama". United States Census Bureau.
  18. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
  19. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  20. ^ a b "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Coffee County, AL" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 5, 2022. - Text list - "Fort Rucker School District" refers to the DoDEA schools.
  21. ^ "Fort Rucker Education". Military One Source. Retrieved July 5, 2022. - From a .mil site.

External links

31°24′12″N 85°59′12″W / 31.40333°N 85.98667°W / 31.40333; -85.98667

Places adjacent to Coffee County, Alabama
Municipalities and communities of Coffee County, Alabama, United States
State of Alabama
Authority control databases
Categories