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Alabama Counties

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Alabama Counties

Alabama currently has sixty-seven counties. The oldest county, Washington, was created on June 4, 1800, when what is now Alabama was then part of the Mississippi Territory. The newest county is Houston, created on February 9, 1903.

In 1820, Alabama had 29 counties. By 1830 there were 36, with Indians still occupying 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.

Etowah County, Alabama

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

County Seat: Gadsden
Year Organized: 1866
Square Miles: 535

Court House:

800 Forrest Avenue
County Courthouse
Gadsden, AL 35901-3663

Etymology - Origin of County Name

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

County History

Etowah County, Alabama

Formed by the Alabama legislature on 1866 Dec. 7, and was originally named Baine County in honor of Gen. David W. Baine, a Confederate soldier from Lowndes County. The county was abolished on 1868 Dec. 1 by the Constitutional Convention and re-established on the same day, under the name of Etowah, which is from the Cherokee language. Etowah County is located in the northeastern section of the state, in the southern Appalachians. It is bordered by Marshall, DeKalb, Cherokee, Calhoun, St. Clair, and Blount Counties. It currently encompasses 542 square miles. Sand Mountain and Lookout Mountain are located in Etowah County. Gadsden is the county seat, named after Col. James Gadsden, distinguished soldier, diplomat, and railroad president. Other towns and communities include Attalla and Rainbow City.

According to the census of 2000, there were 103,459 people, 41,615 households, and 29,463 families living in the county. The population density was 75/km² (193/mi²). There were 45,959 housing units at an average density of 33/km² (86/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 82.87% White, 14.68% Black or African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.73% from other races, and 0.93% from two or more races. 1.70% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 41,615 households out of which 29.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.20% were married couples living together, 13.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.20% were non-families. 26.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the county the population was spread out with 23.80% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 24.10% from 45 to 64, and 16.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 91.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,170, and the median income for a family was $38,697. Males had a median income of $31,610 versus $21,346 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,783. About 12.30% of families and 15.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.60% of those under age 18 and 13.70% of that age 65 or over.

Neighboring Counties:

Northeast: DeKalb County; Cherokee County
Southeast: Calhoun County
Southwest: St. Clair County
West: Blount County
Northwest: Marshall County

Cities and Towns:

- Altoona	town	Incorporated Area
- Attalla	city	Incorporated Area
- Boaz	city	Incorporated Area
- Gadsden (County Seat)	city	Incorporated Area
- Glencoe	city	Incorporated Area
- Hokes Bluff	city	Incorporated Area
- Mountainboro	town	Incorporated Area
- Rainbow City	city	Incorporated Area
- Reece City	town	Incorporated Area
- Ridgeville	town	Incorporated Area
- Snead	town	Incorporated Area
- Southside	city	Incorporated Area
- Walnut Grove	town	Incorporated Area

County Resources:

Enter County Resources and Information Here

County Resources

The history of our nation was a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names given the counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic features of this 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."