Perry County, Alabama | |
|---|---|
 Perry County Courthouse in Marion | |
 Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofAlabama | |
 Alabama's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:32°38′09″N87°17′31″W / 32.635833333333°N 87.291944444444°W /32.635833333333; -87.291944444444 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Alabama |
| Founded | December 13, 1819 |
| Named after | Oliver Hazard Perry |
| Seat | Marion |
| Largest city | Marion |
| Area | |
• Total | 724 sq mi (1,880 km2) |
| • Land | 720 sq mi (1,900 km2) |
| • Water | 4.2 sq mi (11 km2) 0.6% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 8,511 |
• Estimate (2024) | 7,719 |
| • Density | 12/sq mi (4.6/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 7th |
| Website | www |
| |
Perry County is acounty located in theBlack Belt region in thecentral part of theU.S. state ofAlabama. As of the2020 census, the population was 8,511.[1] Itscounty seat isMarion.[2] The county was established in 1819 and is named in honor of CommodoreOliver Hazard Perry ofRhode Island and theUnited States Navy.[3] As of 2020,[update] Perry County was the only county in Alabama, and one of 40 in the United States, not to have access to any wiredbroadband connections.[4]
The Perry County town ofMarion was the site of a 1965 killing of an unarmed Black man,Jimmie Lee Jackson, by a white state trooper,James Bonard Fowler, which sparked theSelma to Montgomery marches. In 2008, the county voted to establish aBarack Obama Day, a legal holiday, every second Monday of November.[5]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 724 square miles (1,880 km2), of which 720 square miles (1,900 km2) is land and 4.2 square miles (11 km2) (0.6%) is water.[6] The county boasts a diverse geography, with the southern half of the county being located in theGulf Coastal Plain region, and the northern half of the county being located in the far southern extensions of the foothills of theRidge-and-Valley Appalachians. This area is mainly forested, with some hills and valleys.[7]
U.S. Highway 80
State Route 5
State Route 14
State Route 61
State Route 175
State Route 183
State Route 219
State Route 289| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 3,646 | — | |
| 1830 | 11,490 | 215.1% | |
| 1840 | 19,086 | 66.1% | |
| 1850 | 22,285 | 16.8% | |
| 1860 | 27,724 | 24.4% | |
| 1870 | 24,975 | −9.9% | |
| 1880 | 30,741 | 23.1% | |
| 1890 | 29,332 | −4.6% | |
| 1900 | 31,783 | 8.4% | |
| 1910 | 31,222 | −1.8% | |
| 1920 | 25,373 | −18.7% | |
| 1930 | 26,385 | 4.0% | |
| 1940 | 26,610 | 0.9% | |
| 1950 | 20,439 | −23.2% | |
| 1960 | 17,358 | −15.1% | |
| 1970 | 15,388 | −11.3% | |
| 1980 | 15,012 | −2.4% | |
| 1990 | 12,759 | −15.0% | |
| 2000 | 11,861 | −7.0% | |
| 2010 | 10,591 | −10.7% | |
| 2020 | 8,511 | −19.6% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 7,719 | [8] | −9.3% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[9] 1790–1960[10] 1900–1990[11] 1990–2000[12] 2010–2020[1] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[13] | Pop 2010[14] | Pop 2020[15] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 3,642 | 3,142 | 2,345 | 30.71% | 29.67% | 27.55% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 8,057 | 7,244 | 5,914 | 67.93% | 68.40% | 69.49% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 9 | 17 | 15 | 0.08% | 0.16% | 0.18% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 4 | 30 | 10 | 0.03% | 0.28% | 0.12% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0.02% | 0.05% | 0.01% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0.01% | 0.04% | 0.00% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 44 | 35 | 137 | 0.37% | 0.33% | 1.61% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 102 | 114 | 89 | 0.86% | 1.08% | 1.05% |
| Total | 11,861 | 10,591 | 8,511 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 8,511 people, 3,070 households, and 1,476 families residing in the county.
Perry County was ranked as the county with the level of obesity byU.S. News & World Report, with a 52.5% obesity rate in 2024.[16]
As of the2010 United States census, there were 10,591 people living in the county. 68.7% wereBlack or African American, 30.3%White, 0.3%Asian, 0.2%Native American, 0.2% of some other race and 0.4%of two or more races. 1.1% wereHispanic or Latino (of any race).
As of thecensus[17] of2000, there were 11,861 people, 4,333 households, and 3,046 families living in the county. Thepopulation density was 16 people per square mile (6.2 people/km2). There were 5,406 housing units at an average density of 8 units per square mile (3.1 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 68.38% Black or African American, 30.86% White, 0.08% Native American, 0.03% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races, and 0.54% from two or more races. Nearly 0.86% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 4,333 households, out of which 33.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.40% weremarried couples living together, 25.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.70% were non-families. Nearly 27.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63, and the average family size was 3.23.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 29.80% under the age of 18, 11.10% from 18 to 24, 23.60% from 25 to 44, 20.70% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $20,200, and the median income for a family was $26,150. Males had a median income of $26,272 versus $16,839 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $10,948. About 31.20% of families and 35.40% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 48.90% of those under age 18 and 25.80% of those age 65 or over.
Perry County is a heavily Democratic county like most of the Black Belt in Alabama. The last Republican to win the county wasRichard Nixon in 1972 who won the county by only 82 votes.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1824 | 58 | 15.68% | 252 | 68.11% | 60 | 16.22% |
| 1828 | 58 | 8.36% | 636 | 91.64% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1832 | 0 | 0.00% | 504 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1836 | 827 | 74.04% | 290 | 25.96% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1840 | 973 | 54.12% | 825 | 45.88% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1844 | 869 | 50.58% | 849 | 49.42% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1848 | 826 | 56.69% | 631 | 43.31% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1852 | 261 | 33.21% | 512 | 65.14% | 13 | 1.65% |
| 1856 | 0 | 0.00% | 808 | 49.51% | 824 | 50.49% |
| 1860 | 0 | 0.00% | 99 | 5.29% | 1,773 | 94.71% |
| 1868 | 3,733 | 73.63% | 1,337 | 26.37% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1872 | 4,143 | 74.96% | 1,384 | 25.04% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1876 | 3,528 | 70.63% | 1,467 | 29.37% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1880 | 2,082 | 47.75% | 2,278 | 52.25% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1884 | 1,079 | 23.45% | 3,508 | 76.23% | 15 | 0.33% |
| 1888 | 790 | 22.45% | 2,729 | 77.55% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1892 | 48 | 1.13% | 3,452 | 81.26% | 748 | 17.61% |
| 1896 | 463 | 14.52% | 2,682 | 84.10% | 44 | 1.38% |
| 1900 | 80 | 4.31% | 1,748 | 94.18% | 28 | 1.51% |
| 1904 | 47 | 5.00% | 799 | 85.00% | 94 | 10.00% |
| 1908 | 12 | 1.52% | 776 | 97.98% | 4 | 0.51% |
| 1912 | 3 | 0.39% | 731 | 93.84% | 45 | 5.78% |
| 1916 | 20 | 2.16% | 895 | 96.44% | 13 | 1.40% |
| 1920 | 34 | 2.74% | 1,195 | 96.14% | 14 | 1.13% |
| 1924 | 25 | 2.59% | 928 | 96.17% | 12 | 1.24% |
| 1928 | 459 | 26.97% | 1,242 | 72.97% | 1 | 0.06% |
| 1932 | 37 | 2.54% | 1,382 | 95.05% | 35 | 2.41% |
| 1936 | 24 | 1.55% | 1,527 | 98.45% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 39 | 2.51% | 1,509 | 97.17% | 5 | 0.32% |
| 1944 | 47 | 4.46% | 1,004 | 95.35% | 2 | 0.19% |
| 1948 | 30 | 2.78% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,051 | 97.22% |
| 1952 | 756 | 35.80% | 1,352 | 64.02% | 4 | 0.19% |
| 1956 | 613 | 33.83% | 974 | 53.75% | 225 | 12.42% |
| 1960 | 744 | 41.52% | 973 | 54.30% | 75 | 4.19% |
| 1964 | 2,046 | 79.73% | 0 | 0.00% | 520 | 20.27% |
| 1968 | 308 | 5.55% | 2,457 | 44.25% | 2,788 | 50.21% |
| 1972 | 2,800 | 49.13% | 2,718 | 47.69% | 181 | 3.18% |
| 1976 | 2,164 | 32.38% | 4,486 | 67.13% | 33 | 0.49% |
| 1980 | 2,262 | 34.68% | 4,208 | 64.52% | 52 | 0.80% |
| 1984 | 2,600 | 48.08% | 2,731 | 50.50% | 77 | 1.42% |
| 1988 | 2,107 | 36.59% | 3,574 | 62.07% | 77 | 1.34% |
| 1992 | 1,829 | 31.46% | 3,712 | 63.86% | 272 | 4.68% |
| 1996 | 1,703 | 28.85% | 4,053 | 68.66% | 147 | 2.49% |
| 2000 | 1,732 | 29.93% | 4,020 | 69.47% | 35 | 0.60% |
| 2004 | 1,738 | 31.47% | 3,767 | 68.21% | 18 | 0.33% |
| 2008 | 1,679 | 27.26% | 4,457 | 72.37% | 23 | 0.37% |
| 2012 | 1,506 | 24.68% | 4,568 | 74.87% | 27 | 0.44% |
| 2016 | 1,407 | 26.66% | 3,824 | 72.45% | 47 | 0.89% |
| 2020 | 1,339 | 25.60% | 3,860 | 73.80% | 31 | 0.59% |
| 2024 | 1,269 | 28.42% | 3,174 | 71.09% | 22 | 0.49% |
Perry County is home to Perry Lakes Park, part of theTalladega National Forest, the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame located atJudson College, andMarion Military Institute.
Places adjacent to Perry County, Alabama | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofPerry County, Alabama,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Unincorporated communities | ||
32°38′09″N87°17′31″W / 32.63583°N 87.29194°W /32.63583; -87.29194
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