Counties of Alabama
Location	State of Alabama
Number	67
Populations	Greatest: 665,409 (Jefferson) Least: 7,422 (Greene) Average: 75,736 (2022)
Areas	Largest: 1,590 sq mi (4,100 km2) (Baldwin) Smallest: 535 sq mi (1,390 km2) (Etowah) Average: 782 sq mi (2,030 km2)
Government	County government
Subdivisions	cities, towns, unincorporated communities, census designated place

The U.S. state of Alabama has 67 counties.^[1] Each county serves as the local level of government within its borders. The land enclosed by the present state borders was joined to the United States of America gradually. Following the American Revolutionary War, West Florida was ceded to Spain by treaty while the remainder was organized primarily as the Mississippi Territory, and later the Alabama Territory.^[2] The territorial assembly established some of the earliest county divisions that have survived to the present, including the earliest county formation, that of Washington County, created on June 4, 1800.^[3] In 1814, the Treaty of Fort Jackson opened the territory to American settlers, which in turn led to a more rapid rate of county creation. Alabama was admitted to the Union as the 22nd state in 1819.^[4] The Alabama state legislature formed additional counties from former native lands as the Indian Removal Act took effect and settlers populated different areas of Alabama.^[5] In 1820, Alabama had 29 counties. By 1830 there were 36 and Native Americans still occupied large areas of land in northeast and far western Alabama. By 1840, 49 counties had been created; 52 by 1850; 65 by 1870; and the present 67 counties by 1903.^[6] Houston County was the last county created in the state, on February 9, 1903.^[3]

According to 2022 U. S. Census data, the average population of Alabama's 67 counties is 75,736, with Jefferson County as the most populous (665,409), and Greene County (7,422) the least.^[7] The average land area is 756 sq mi (1,958 km²). The largest county is Baldwin (1,590 sq mi, 4,118 km²) and the smallest is Etowah (535 sq mi, 1,386 km²).^[8] The Constitution of Alabama requires that any new county in Alabama cover at least 600 square miles (1,600 km²) in area, effectively limiting the creation of new counties in the state.^[9]

The Alabama Department of Revenue's Motor Vehicle Division issues standard automobile license plates that bear a one- or two-digit number identifying the county in which the vehicle is registered. This number is given in the fourth column in the table below. The first three prefixes are reserved for the state's historically most populous counties, and thereafter proceed alphabetically. Individual license plate numbers are assigned sequentially in each licensing office. The numbers are in the format XAA1111 or XXAA111, depending on whether the prefix is one or two digits. Overflow registrations are accommodated by substituting a letter for one of the registration numbers, such that XXZ999Z is followed by XXA0A0A.^[10]

The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) code, used by the United States government to uniquely identify counties, is provided with each entry. The FIPS code links in the table point to U. S. Census "quick facts" pages for each county. Alabama's FIPS state code is 01.

Counties

County	FIPS code[11]	County seat[3]	License # [12]	Est.[3]	Formed from[13]	Etymology[6][14]	Density	Population (2022)[15]	Land Area[16]	Map
Autauga County	001	Prattville	4	1818	Montgomery County	The Autauga or Atagi people, Native Americans who were a sub-group of the Alibamu	100.5	59,759	594.44 sq mi (1,540 km2)
Baldwin County	003	Bay Minette	5	1809	Washington County and West Florida	Abraham Baldwin (1754–1807), U.S. legislator from Georgia	155.0	246,435	1,589.78 sq mi (4,118 km2)
Barbour County	005	Clayton	6	1832	Pike County	James Barbour (1775–1842), Governor of Virginia and U.S. Senator	27.9	24,706	884.88 sq mi (2,292 km2)
Bibb County	007	Centreville	7	1818	Montgomery County (as Cahawba County)	William Wyatt Bibb (1781–1820), 1st Governor of Alabama	35.3	22,005	622.58 sq mi (1,612 km2)
Blount County	009	Oneonta	8	1818	Montgomery County and Creek territories	Willie Blount (1768–1835), Governor of Tennessee	92.3	59,512	644.78 sq mi (1,670 km2)
Bullock County	011	Union Springs	9	1866	Barbour, Macon, Montgomery, and Pike counties	Edward Bullock (1822–1861), colonel in the Confederate States Army	16.4	10,202	622.80 sq mi (1,613 km2)
Butler County	013	Greenville	10	1819	Conecuh and Monroe counties	William Butler (1759–1818), captain in Creek War	24.0	18,650	776.83 sq mi (2,012 km2)
Calhoun County	015	Anniston	11	1832	St. Clair County (as Benton County)	John C. Calhoun (1782–1850), 7th U.S. Vice President	191.1	115,788	605.87 sq mi (1,569 km2)
Chambers County	017	LaFayette	12	1832	Montgomery County	Henry H. Chambers (1790–1826), U.S. Senator	57.1	34,088	596.53 sq mi (1,545 km2)
Cherokee County	019	Centre	13	1836	Cherokee territory	Cherokee people, whose lands included Northeast Alabama	45.7	25,302	553.70 sq mi (1,434 km2)
Chilton County	021	Clanton	14	1868	Autauga, Bibb, Perry, and Shelby counties (as Baker County)	William Parish Chilton (1810–1871), Alabama Supreme Court Justice and Confederate congressman	66.2	45,884	692.85 sq mi (1,794 km2)
Choctaw County	023	Butler	15	1847	Sumter and Washington counties	Choctaw people, whose lands included Alabama	13.6	12,439	913.50 sq mi (2,366 km2)
Clarke County	025	Grove Hill	16	1812	Washington County	John Clarke (1766–1832), general from Georgia	18.2	22,515	1,238.46 sq mi (3,208 km2)
Clay County	027	Ashland	17	1866	Randolph and Talladega counties	Henry Clay (1777–1852), U.S. legislator from Kentucky	23.5	14,198	603.96 sq mi (1,564 km2)
Cleburne County	029	Heflin	18	1866	Calhoun, Randolph, and Talladega counties	Patrick Cleburne (1828–1864), Major General in Confederate States Army	27.4	15,346	560.10 sq mi (1,451 km2)
Coffee County	031	Elba and Enterprise[17]	19	1841	Dale County	John Coffee (1772–1833), military leader in War of 1812 and Creek War	80.7	54,805	678.97 sq mi (1,759 km2)
Colbert County	033	Tuscumbia	20	1867	Franklin County	George Colbert (1764–1839) and Levi Colbert (1759–1834), Chickasaw chiefs	97.9	58,033	592.62 sq mi (1,535 km2)
Conecuh County	035	Evergreen	21	1818	Monroe County	The Conecuh River, which flows through the county	13.2	11,206	850.16 sq mi (2,202 km2)
Coosa County	037	Rockford	22	1832	Montgomery County	The Coosa River, which flows through the county, and is itself named after a Native American village	15.6	10,166	650.93 sq mi (1,686 km2)
Covington County	039	Andalusia	23	1821	Henry County	Leonard Covington (1768–1813), Brigadier General in War of 1812 and U.S. Congressman	36.5	37,602	1,030.46 sq mi (2,669 km2)
Crenshaw County	041	Luverne	24	1866	Butler, Coffee, Covington, Lowndes, and Pike Counties	Anderson Crenshaw (1783–1847), Alabama Supreme Court justice and early settler	21.4	13,025	608.84 sq mi (1,577 km2)
Cullman County	043	Cullman	25	1877	Blount, Morgan, and Winston counties	Colonel John G. Cullmann (1823–1895), founder of county seat	123.4	90,665	734.84 sq mi (1,903 km2)
Dale County	045	Ozark	26	1824	Covington and Henry counties	Samuel Dale (1772–1841), Brigadier General and state legislator	88.3	49,544	561.15 sq mi (1,453 km2)
Dallas County	047	Selma	27	1818	Monroe and Montgomery counties	Alexander James Dallas (1759–1817), U.S. Secretary of Treasury	37.6	36,767	978.69 sq mi (2,535 km2)
DeKalb County	049	Fort Payne	28	1836	Cherokee territory	Johann de Kalb (1721–1780), major general in American Revolutionary War	92.7	71,998	777.09 sq mi (2,013 km2)
Elmore County	051	Wetumpka	29	1866	Autauga, Coosa, Montgomery, and Tallapoosa counties	John Archer Elmore (1762–1834), Revolutionary War veteran	144.8	89,563	618.48 sq mi (1,602 km2)
Escambia County	053	Brewton	30	1868	Baldwin and Conecuh counties	Escambia Creek, a tributary of the Conecuh River	38.8	36,666	945.08 sq mi (2,448 km2)
Etowah County	055	Gadsden	31	1866	Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, DeKalb, Marshall, and St. Clair counties (as Baine County)	Etowah Indian Mounds	192.7	103,088	534.99 sq mi (1,386 km2)
Fayette County	057	Fayette	32	1824	Marion, Pickens, Tuscaloosa, and Walker counties	Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette (1757–1834), Revolutionary War commander	25.7	16,118	627.66 sq mi (1,626 km2)
Franklin County	059	Russellville	33	1818	Cherokee territory	Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), politician, diplomat, inventor, and publisher	50.4	31,932	633.82 sq mi (1,642 km2)
Geneva County	061	Geneva	34	1868	Coffee, Dale, and Henry counties	Named after Geneva, New York, the origin of several early settlers	46.6	26,783	574.41 sq mi (1,488 km2)
Greene County	063	Eutaw	35	1819	Marengo and Tuscaloosa counties	Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), Revolutionary War general	11.5	7,422	647.11 sq mi (1,676 km2)
Hale County	065	Greensboro	36	1867	Greene, Marengo, Perry, and Tuscaloosa counties	Stephen F. Hale (1816–1862), lieutenant colonel in Confederate States Army	22.7	14,595	643.94 sq mi (1,668 km2)
Henry County	067	Abbeville	37	1819	Conecuh County	Patrick Henry (1736–1799), Revolutionary War patriot and Governor of Virginia	31.4	17,655	561.75 sq mi (1,455 km2)
Houston County	069	Dothan	38	1903	Dale, Geneva, and Henry counties	George S. Houston (1811–1879), 24th Governor of Alabama and U.S. Congressman	186.4	108,079	579.82 sq mi (1,502 km2)
Jackson County	071	Scottsboro	39	1819	Cherokee territory	Andrew Jackson (1767–1845), 7th U.S. President	49.1	52,891	1,077.87 sq mi (2,792 km2)
Jefferson County	073	Birmingham	1	1819	Blount County	Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), 3rd U.S. President	598.8	665,409	1,111.28 sq mi (2,878 km2)
Lamar County	075	Vernon	40	1867	Fayette and Marion counties (as Jones County)	Lucius Q. C. Lamar (1825–1893), U.S. Supreme Court justice	22.7	13,705	604.85 sq mi (1,567 km2)
Lauderdale County	077	Florence	41	1818	Cherokee and Chickasaw territories	James Lauderdale (1780–1814), Colonel in War of 1812	143.6	95,878	667.70 sq mi (1,729 km2)
Lawrence County	079	Moulton	42	1818	Cherokee territory	James Lawrence (1781–1813), naval officer in War of 1812	48.1	33,214	690.68 sq mi (1,789 km2)
Lee County	081	Opelika	43	1866	Chambers, Macon, Russell, and Tallapoosa counties	Robert E. Lee (1807–1870), Commander of the Confederate States Army	297.5	180,773	607.54 sq mi (1,574 km2)
Limestone County	083	Athens	44	1818	Elk and Madison counties	Limestone Creek, named for local geological deposits	198.1	110,900	559.94 sq mi (1,450 km2)
Lowndes County	085	Hayneville	45	1830	Butler, Dallas, and Montgomery counties	William Lowndes (1782–1822), U.S. Congressman from South Carolina	13.7	9,777	715.91 sq mi (1,854 km2)
Macon County	087	Tuskegee	46	1832	Montgomery County	Nathaniel Macon (1758–1837), U.S. legislator from North Carolina	30.4	18,516	608.89 sq mi (1,577 km2)
Madison County	089	Huntsville	47	1808	Cherokee and Chickasaw territories	James Madison (1751–1836), 4th U.S. President	503.5	403,565	801.59 sq mi (2,076 km2)
Marengo County	091	Linden	48	1818	Choctaw territory	Battle of Marengo	19.2	18,745	976.88 sq mi (2,530 km2)
Marion County	093	Hamilton	49	1818	Tuscaloosa County	Francis Marion (1732–1795), military leader in American Revolutionary War	39.3	29,156	742.29 sq mi (1,923 km2)
Marshall County	095	Guntersville	50	1836	Blount and Jackson counties and Cherokee territory	John Marshall (1755–1835), Chief Justice of the United States 1801–1835	175.7	99,423	565.84 sq mi (1,466 km2)
Mobile County	097	Mobile	2	1812	Mobile District of West Florida after annexation into Mississippi Territory	Mobile Bay, on which county is located, and which is itself named after the Maubila tribe of Native Americans	334.6	411,411	1,229.44 sq mi (3,184 km2)
Monroe County	099	Monroeville	51	1815	Creek territory	James Monroe (1758–1831), 5th U.S. President	18.9	19,404	1,025.67 sq mi (2,656 km2)
Montgomery County	101	Montgomery	3	1816	Monroe County	Lemuel P. Montgomery (1786–1814), Major in Creek War	288.6	226,361	784.25 sq mi (2,031 km2)
Morgan County	103	Decatur	52	1818	Cherokee territory (as Cotaco County)	Daniel Morgan (1736–1802), U.S. Congressman	214.4	124,211	579.34 sq mi (1,500 km2)
Perry County	105	Marion	53	1819	Cahawba, Dallas, Marengo, and Tuscaloosa counties	Oliver Hazard Perry (1795–1819), naval officer in War of 1812	11.2	8,035	719.66 sq mi (1,864 km2)
Pickens County	107	Carrollton	54	1820	Tuscaloosa County	Andrew Pickens (1739–1817), General in the Revolutionary War	21.2	18,697	881.41 sq mi (2,283 km2)
Pike County	109	Troy	55	1821	Henry and Montgomery counties	Zebulon Pike (1779–1813), explorer and officer in War of 1812	49.1	33,014	672.09 sq mi (1,741 km2)
Randolph County	111	Wedowee	56	1832	St. Clair and Shelby counties	John Randolph (1773–1833), U.S. Senator from Virginia	38.7	22,479	580.55 sq mi (1,504 km2)
Russell County	113	Phenix City	57	1832	Barbour, Bullock, Lee and Macon counties	Gilbert C. Russell (1782–1861), officer in Creek War	91.3	58,555	641.14 sq mi (1,661 km2)
St. Clair County	115	Ashville and Pell City	59	1818	Shelby County	Arthur St. Clair (1736–1818), President of Continental Congress	148.7	93,932	631.90 sq mi (1,637 km2)
Shelby County	117	Columbiana	58	1818	Montgomery County	Isaac Shelby (1750–1826), Governor of Kentucky	293.2	230,115	784.93 sq mi (2,033 km2)
Sumter County	119	Livingston	60	1832	Choctaw territory	Thomas Sumter (1734–1832), U.S. Congressman from South Carolina	13.1	11,853	903.89 sq mi (2,341 km2)
Talladega County	121	Talladega	61	1832	St. Clair and Shelby counties	Talatigi, Creek Indian name for the county seat, meaning "border town"	109.5	80,704	736.78 sq mi (1,908 km2)
Tallapoosa County	123	Dadeville	62	1832	Montgomery and Shelby counties	Tallapoosa River	57.2	40,977	716.52 sq mi (1,856 km2)
Tuscaloosa County	125	Tuscaloosa	63	1818	Montgomery County and Choctaw territory	Iroquoian name for the Black Warrior River	179.1	236,780	1,321.75 sq mi (3,423 km2)
Walker County	127	Jasper	64	1823	Blount, Jefferson, and Tuscaloosa counties	John Williams Walker (1783–1823), U.S. Senator from Alabama	81.3	64,339	791.19 sq mi (2,049 km2)
Washington County	129	Chatom	65	1800	Adams and Pickering counties of Mississippi Territory	George Washington (1732–1799), 1st U.S. President	14.0	15,122	1,080.21 sq mi (2,798 km2)
Wilcox County	131	Camden	66	1819	Dallas and Monroe counties	Joseph M. Wilcox (1790–1814), lieutenant in Creek War	11.3	10,059	888.50 sq mi (2,301 km2)
Winston County	133	Double Springs	67	1850	Walker County (as Hancock County)	John A. Winston (1812–1871), 15th Governor of Alabama	38.8	23,755	612.98 sq mi (1,588 km2)

Former county names

Former counties