Chilton County, Alabama

Chilton County is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 45,014.[1] The county seat is Clanton. Its name is in honor of William Parish Chilton, Sr. (1810–1871), a lawyer who became Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court and later represented Montgomery County in the Congress of the Confederate States of America.

Chilton County
County
Chilton County Courthouse in Clanton
Chilton County Courthouse in Clanton
Map of Alabama highlighting Chilton County
Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
Map of the United States highlighting Alabama
Alabama's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 32°50′43″N 86°42′52″W
Country United States
State Alabama
FoundedDecember 30, 1868
Named forWilliam Parish Chilton, Sr.
SeatClanton
Largest cityClanton
Area
 • Total701 sq mi (1,820 km2)
 • Land693 sq mi (1,790 km2)
 • Water7.9 sq mi (20 km2)  1.1%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total45,014
 • Estimate 
(2022)
45,884 Increase
 • Density64/sq mi (25/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts3rd, 6th
Websitechiltoncounty.org
  • County Number 14 on Alabama Licence Plates

Chilton County is included in the Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Statistical Area.

In 2010, the center of population of Alabama was located in Chilton County, near the city of Jemison, an area known as Jemison Division.[2]

The county is known for its peaches and its unique landscape. It is home to swamps, prairies, and mountains due to the foothills of the Appalachians which end in the county, the Coosa River basin, and its proximity to the Black Belt Prairie that was long a center of cotton production.

History

Baker County was established on December 30, 1868, named for Alfred Baker, with its county seat at Grantville. Residents of the county petitioned the Alabama legislature for the renaming of their county; it was not something forced upon them. On December 17, 1874, the petitioners accepted the suggestion of Chilton County, even though the Chief Justice had not lived within its boundaries.[3] In 1871, the county seat was moved to what is now Clanton after the Grantville courthouse burned.

In 1942, the U.S. Navy commissioned a new vessel, the USS Chilton, in honor of Chilton County.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 701 square miles (1,820 km2), of which 693 square miles (1,790 km2) is land and 7.9 square miles (20 km2) (1.1%) is water.[4]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18706,194—
188010,79374.2%
189014,54934.8%
190016,52213.6%
191023,18740.3%
192022,770−1.8%
193024,5797.9%
194027,95513.7%
195026,922−3.7%
196025,693−4.6%
197025,180−2.0%
198030,61221.6%
199032,4586.0%
200039,59322.0%
201043,64310.2%
202045,0143.1%
2022 (est.)45,884[5]1.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790–1960[7] 1900–1990[8]
1990–2000[9] 2010–2020[1]

2020 census
Chilton 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[10] Pop 2010[11] Pop 2020[12] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 33,897 35,395 34,878 85.61% 81.10% 77.48%
Black or African American alone (NH) 4,131 4,171 4,040 10.43% 9.56% 8.97%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 111 134 112 0.28% 0.31% 0.25%
Asian alone (NH) 65 125 176 0.16% 0.29% 0.39%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 2 11 5 0.01% 0.03% 0.01%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 16 34 121 0.04% 0.08% 0.27%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 219 353 1,264 0.55% 0.81% 2.81%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1,152 3,420 4,418 2.91% 7.84% 9.81%
Total 39,593 43,643 45,014 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the census of 2020, there were 45,014 people, 16,927 households, and 11,908 families residing in the county.

2010 census

According to the 2010 United States census, the population identifies by the following ethnicities:

Chilton County is the 23rd-richest county per capita income in Alabama.[13]

2000 census

As of the census,[14] of 2000, there were 39,593 people, 15,287 households, and 11,342 families residing in the county. The population density was 57 people per square mile (22 people/km2). There were 17,651 housing units at an average density of 25 units per square mile (9.7 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 86.71% White, 10.61% Black or African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.51% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. Nearly 2.91% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 15,287 households, of which 34.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.10% were married couples living together, 10.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.80% were non-families. Nearly 22.90% 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 2.57, and the average family size was 3.00.

25.70% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 29.00% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 12.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.90 males.

The median household income was $32,588 and the median family income was $39,505. Males had a median income of $31,006 versus $21,275 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,303. About 12.60% of families and 15.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.40% of those under age 18 and 18.20% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Chilton County contains one public school district. There are approximately 7,700 students in public PK-12 schools in Chilton County.[15]

Districts

School districts include:[16]

Government

The County Commission is made up of seven members elected by cumulative vote (CV). "Chilton County adopted cumulative voting in 1988 as part of the settlement of a vote dilution lawsuit brought against its previous election system. According to the 1990 Census, African Americans constituted 9.9% of the county's voting age population." Although passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 enabled African Americans to register and vote, in Chilton County no African American was elected to the County Commission until the first cumulative voting election, held in 1988.[17]

African Americans in Alabama had been essentially disenfranchised by the 1901 state constitution, which required payment of a poll tax and qualification by a literacy test in order to register to vote. Discriminatory in practice as administered by white officials, this system excluded most blacks from the state's political system for decades in the 20th century before Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965. After that, African Americans were able finally to register and vote in the county and state for the first time since the late 19th century.[17]

In counties in which there is a minority population and members are elected at-large or by single-member districts, minorities may be unable to elect representatives in a system dominated by the majority. The adoption of cumulative voting in Chilton County has enabled the minority to elect candidates of their choice by pooling their votes. Bobby Agee was elected as a Chilton County Commissioner in 1988 and again in the second cumulative voting election in 1992.[17] Cumulative voting depends on a multi-seat election, whether at-large or by district. "The cumulative options provide a minority of voters an opportunity to concentrate their support for a candidate or candidates more effectively than they can under the more traditional voting rules used in this country."[17] In 2014, the county commission had an African-American commissioner among its seven members. However, in 2018, the county commissioners were all white males.[18]

The commission hires a County Administrator to handle daily management of county business.

Chilton 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 Chilton County, Alabama[19]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 16,085 83.30% 3,073 15.91% 152 0.79%
2016 15,081 82.10% 2,911 15.85% 377 2.05%
2012 13,932 79.68% 3,397 19.43% 156 0.89%
2008 13,960 78.49% 3,674 20.66% 151 0.85%
2004 12,829 76.85% 3,778 22.63% 86 0.52%
2000 10,066 66.70% 4,806 31.84% 220 1.46%
1996 7,910 55.40% 5,354 37.50% 1,014 7.10%
1992 8,126 56.17% 4,946 34.19% 1,396 9.65%
1988 8,761 69.41% 3,820 30.26% 42 0.33%
1984 8,243 70.53% 2,934 25.10% 511 4.37%
1980 6,615 57.64% 4,706 41.00% 156 1.36%
1976 4,725 45.50% 5,550 53.44% 110 1.06%
1972 7,349 82.88% 1,356 15.29% 162 1.83%
1968 1,602 18.00% 566 6.36% 6,734 75.65%
1964 5,202 75.97% 0 0.00% 1,645 24.03%
1960 3,201 63.93% 1,798 35.91% 8 0.16%
1956 3,139 60.98% 1,891 36.73% 118 2.29%
1952 2,563 52.91% 2,269 46.84% 12 0.25%
1948 1,584 44.38% 0 0.00% 1,985 55.62%
1944 1,385 41.02% 1,984 58.77% 7 0.21%
1940 1,995 41.99% 2,746 57.80% 10 0.21%
1936 1,469 36.23% 2,565 63.26% 21 0.52%
1932 1,532 47.09% 1,664 51.15% 57 1.75%
1928 3,186 69.37% 1,402 30.52% 5 0.11%
1924 1,595 63.19% 848 33.60% 81 3.21%
1920 2,273 69.11% 962 29.25% 54 1.64%
1916 1,363 59.31% 881 38.34% 54 2.35%
1912 140 6.23% 880 39.18% 1,226 54.59%
1908 890 54.87% 656 40.44% 76 4.69%
1904 648 39.11% 738 44.54% 271 16.35%

Communities

Cities

Towns

Unincorporated communities

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  2. "Centers of Population by State: 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 3, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
  3. "Central Alabama Genealogy". Retrieved April 30, 2012.
  4. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  5. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022". Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  6. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  7. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  8. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 24, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  9. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  10. "P004 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Chilton County, Alabama". United States Census Bureau.
  11. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Chilton County, Alabama". United States Census Bureau.
  12. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Chilton County, Alabama". United States Census Bureau.
  13. "50 Richest Counties in Alabama by per Capita Income". January 7, 2014.
  14. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  15. "Search for Public School Districts - Chilton County, AL". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved October 2, 2022.
  16. "2020 Census - School District Reference Map: Chilton County, AL" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 2, 2022. Text list.
  17. Jason Kirksey, Richard Engstrom and Edward Still, "Cumulative Voting in an Alabama County/ Shaw v. Reno and New Election Systems", "Chapter Three: Full Representation in Local Elections", Voting and Democracy Report: 1995, in Voting Rights Review of the Southern Regional Council, reprinted at FairVote website
  18. "Chilton County Commission".
  19. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved November 16, 2016.

32°50′43″N 86°42′52″W

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