Coffee County, Alabama

Coffee County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education

County Seat: Elba
Year Organized: 1841
Square Miles: 679

Court House:

2 County Complex
County Courthouse
New Brockton, AL 36351-9791
Phone: (334) 894-5556
Fax: (334) 894-5557

Named: It was named for Gen. John Coffee, a hero of the Creek War of 1813-14.

State & County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

History

Coffee County, Alabama

Formed by the Alabama legislature on 1841 Dec. 29, from what had been part of Dale County. It was named for Gen. John Coffee, a hero of the Creek War of 1813-14. Coffee County is located in the southeastern part of the state and is bordered on the north by Pike County, on the east by Dale County, on the south by Geneva County, and on the west by Covington and Crenshaw counties. It encompasses 680 square miles. The first county seat was at Wellborn. The county courthouse was destroyed by fire in 1851, and the following year the legislature authorized an election to be held to select another site. The town of Elba, then called Bentonville, was chosen. Other towns and communities include Enterprise, Kinston, and New Brockton.

According to the census of 2000, there were 43,615 people, 17,421 households, and 12,490 families living in the county. The population density was 25/km² (64/mi²). There were 19,837 housing units at an average density of 11/km² (29/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 77.11% White, 18.37% Black or African American, 0.91% Native American, 0.95% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.89% from other races, and 1.67% from two or more races. 2.71% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 17,421 households out of which 32.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.40% were married couples living together, 12.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.30% were non-families. 24.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the county the population was spread out with 24.80% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 28.10% from 25 to 44, 24.10% from 45 to 64, and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 95.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,664, and the median income for a family was $39,664. Males had a median income of $31,468 versus $20,234 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,321. About 11.30% of families and 14.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.30% of those under age 18 and 13.50% of that age 65 or over.

Neighboring Counties:

North: Pike County
East: Dale County
Southeast: Geneva County
Southwest: Covington County
Northwest: Crenshaw County

Cities:

Chestnut Grove
Elba (County Seat)
Enterprise
Jack
Keyton
Kinston
New Brockton
Victoria

County Resources:

Enter County Resources and Information Here

Coffee County, Alabama

County Resource Guide

The history of our nation can be seen as a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names we've given our counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic features of our country!"

But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.

Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally, act locally."

Penn Foster High School

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