Auburn is a historiccollege town and is the home ofAuburn University. It is Alabama's fastest-growing metropolitan area and the 19th-fastest-growing metro area in the United States as measured since 1990.[6] U.S. News ranked Auburn among its top ten list of best places to live in the United States for the year 2009.[7] The city's unofficial nickname is "The Loveliest Village on the Plains", taken from a line in the poemThe Deserted Village byOliver Goldsmith: "Sweet Auburn! Loveliest village of the plain..."[8]
Inhabited in antiquity by theCreek, the land on which Auburn sits was opened to settlement in 1832 with theTreaty of Cusseta.[9] The first settlers arrived in the winter of 1836 fromHarris County, Georgia. These settlers, led by Judge John J. Harper, intended to build a town that would be the religious and educational center for the area. War soon broke out between treaty violators and the Creeks, which led to the Creeks being forcefully moved towards Oklahoma.[10]
Auburn was incorporated on February 2, 1839, in what was thenMacon County, covering an area of 2 square miles (5.2 km2).[11] By that time,Methodist andBaptist churches had been established, and a school had been built and had come into operation. In the mid-1840s, separateacademies for boys and girls were established in addition to the primary school. This concentration of educational institutions led to a rapid influx of families from the planter class into Auburn in the 1840s and 1850s. By 1858, of the roughly 1,000 free residents of Auburn, some 500 were students.[citation needed]
In 1856, the state legislature chartered a Methodist college, the East Alabama Male College in Auburn. This college, nowAuburn University, opened its doors in 1859, offering aclassical andliberal education.[10]
With the advent of theCivil War in 1861, Auburn quickly emptied. All of the schools closed, and most businesses shuttered. Auburn was the site of a hospital forTexanConfederate soldiers, but only saw direct combat with the raids ofRousseau in 1864 andWilson in 1865.
After the Civil War, Auburn's economy entered a prolonged depression that would last the remainder of the century. Public schools did not reopen until the mid-1870s, and most businesses remained closed. A series of fires in the 1860s and 1870s gutted the downtown area. East Alabama Male College was turned over to the state in 1872, and with funds from the federalMorrill Act was renamed Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical College with a new mission as aland grant college. Passage of theHatch Act in 1887 allowed for expansion of agricultural research facilities on campus.[12]
In 1892, the college became the first four-year college in Alabama toadmit women.[13] This, combined with increased interest inscientific agriculture and engineering and new funding from business licenses, allowed the city to start expanding again. By 1910, Auburn's population had returned to its antebellum level.SIAA Conference championships won by the Auburn college's football team brought attention and support to Auburn, and helped fill the city's coffers.[14]
Fortunes were quickly reversed with the collapse of cotton prices in the early 1920s and the subsequentGreat Depression a decade later. Due to these events, the state government became unable to fund the college, and—as Auburn's economy was completely derived from the college—residents were forced into abarter economy to support themselves.
Money began to flow into Auburn again with America's entry intoWorld War II. Auburn's campus was turned into a training ground for technical specialists in the armed forces. After the war, Auburn was flooded by soldiers returning to school on theG.I. Bill.
Primarily due to this influx of students, Auburn began a period of growth that lasted through the 1950s and 1960s. A considerable amount of residential and business construction pushed Auburn's growth outside of the original boundaries of the city, leading to a series of large annexations which expanded Auburn to nearly 24 square miles (62 km2). Construction ofInterstate 85 beginning in 1957 connected Auburn to the major cities of the state. This allowed forAuburn University (renamed in 1960) to schedule more home football games in Auburn rather than in larger cities, creating a strong tourism component in Auburn's economy.Auburn Mall opened as "Village Mall" in 1973.
Growth slowed somewhat in the 1970s, and a series of budget cuts made it clear that Auburn's sole economic reliance on Auburn University put the city in a tenuous position.
Backlash against what was seen as an ineffectual city council led to the election of Jan Dempsey as mayor in 1980 and the removal of the previous city government system in favor of acouncil-manager system. With a new government in place, the city began aggressively pursuing industry, leading to a nearly 1,200% increase in the number of industrial jobs over the next twenty years. As public satisfaction with the city administration reached record levels, Auburn began very rapid residential growth.
Historic Noble Hall, Auburn, Alabama
A series of reports in the 1980s and 1990s ranking the Auburn public school system among the top in the state and nation convinced thousands of new residents to move to Auburn over the past 25 years. Between 1980 and 2003, Auburn's population grew by 65%, and Auburn's economy expanded by 220%.
The population growth has only accelerated into the 21st century, both organically within the city and through annexation and incorporation of surrounding portions of Lee County. Auburn's population has grown over 77% from 2000 to the latest 2020 decennial census figures. With the continued rapid growth comes issues ofurban sprawl and expansions toinfrastructure, which have become two of Auburn's primary political issues.
The city of Auburn lies in western Lee County and is bordered by the city ofOpelika to the northeast and byChambers County to the north. The city stretches south to theMacon County line in the southwest.
The southwest and west regions of the city on the plateau are marked by rollingplains andsavannahs, with the undeveloped portion primarily being used for cattle grazing andranching. South of this region sits the coastal plain, with sandy soil andpine forest. Parts of north Auburn have much more rugged topographies, with thick forests in high hills and deep hollows of the type common to parts of easternTennessee. The region surrounded by Chewacla Park in the south of the city contains sharp peaks and sudden drops of elevation as the 1.05 billion-year-old rock of the Appalachians meets the coastal plain.[16]
Auburn sits near the divide between theChattahoochee andTallapoosa River watersheds, though the vast majority of the city resides in the latter. Auburn is drained by three main creek systems: in the south, by the Chewacla/Opintlocco Creek system; in the north, by the Saugahatchee Creek system; and in the extreme northern reaches of Auburn by Sandy Creek. The dividing line between the Chewacla and Saugahatchee watersheds roughly follows railroad line east–west through the center of town.
Auburn is located at32°35′52″N85°28′51″W / 32.59778°N 85.48083°W /32.59778; -85.48083 (32.597684, −85.480823)[17] and according to theUnited States Census Bureau in 2000, the city has a total area of 39.6 square miles (103 km2), of which, 39.1 square miles (101 km2) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2) of it (1.11%) is water. The elevation of Auburn at City Hall is 709 ft (216 m) above sea level; though due to Auburn's diverse topography, elevation ranges from 386 ft (118 m) above sea level where Chewacla Creek crosses Sand Hill Road to 845 ft (258 m) above sea level in northern Auburn near the Chambers County line.
Climate
Typical of theDeep South, Auburn has ahumid subtropical climate (KöppenCfa), marked by mild winters, early springs, long, hot, muggy summers, and warm autumns. Due to its position near theGulf of Mexico, the city receives a significant amount of rainfall—on average, 52.6 inches (1,340 mm) per year—though there is a distinct dry season in the late summer and early fall. Severe storm activity – thunderstorms producing damaging winds or large hail – is common from the late winter through early summer. There is the risk of tornadoes. Owing to its proximity to the Gulf, Auburn is also subject to fringe effects from tropical storms and hurricanes in the summer and fall. HurricanesOpal in 1995 andIvan in 2004 are among two of the most notable tropical systems to affect the Auburn area in recent memory, bringing torrential rains and high winds.
Winters are typically mild, with an average 0.7 inches (1.8 cm) of snowfall, though more than three-fourths of all seasons do not have any measurable snow.[18] Most days have 50 °F (10 °C)+ highs, and from December to February, an average total of 10–11 days of 70 °F (21 °C)+ highs, while it rarely stays below freezing all day.[18] However, the city straddles the border betweenUSDA Plant Hardiness Zones 7B and 8A,[19] and there are an average of 5.6 nights with sub-20 °F (−7 °C) lows.[18] On the other end, summers are long, hot, and humid, with 57 days of 90 °F (32 °C)+ highs.[18] Although the actual air temperature reaching 100 °F (38 °C) is uncommon (1.2 days annually),[18] highhumidity can push daytimeheat indices over that mark.
Climate data for Auburn, Alabama (Auburn University)
Auburn first appeared on the 1870 U.S. Census as an incorporated town.[22] See precinct below.
2020 census
Auburn city, Alabama – Racial and ethnic composition 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.
As of thecensus of 2010, there were 53,380 people, 22,111 households, and 9,939 families residing in the city. The population density was 919.3 inhabitants per square mile (354.9/km2). There were 20,043 housing units at an average density of 512.2 per square mile (197.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 75.1%White, 16.5%Black orAfrican American, 0.3%Native American, 5.3%Asian, 0.00%Pacific Islander, 1.10% fromother races, and 1.6% from two or more races. 2.9% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.[27]
There were 22,111 households, out of which 22.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.4% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 55.2% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 17.5% under the age of 18, 38.0% from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 14.6% from 45 to 64, and 6.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,857, and the median income for a family was $72,771. Males had a median income of $51,644 versus $36,898 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,656. About 9.2% of families and 25.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.0% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over. The reason for this enormous inequality between households and families is due to the large number of students living in the area.
The Auburn Beat (Lee County 2nd Beat) first appeared on the 1870 U.S. Census. In 1890, "beat" was changed to "precinct". In 1870, 1930 and 1940 when racial demographics were reported, it showed a Black majority. In 1960, the precinct was changed to "census division" as part of a general reorganization of counties.[28] The city boundaries and that of the census division were contiguous by that census. In 1980, the census divisions of Auburn and Opelika, along with parts of Loachapoka-Roxana, Opelika Rural-Pepperell were consolidated into the new division of Auburn-Opelika.[29]
The Auburn-Opelika Census Division was created in 1980 by the merger of Auburn and Opelika census divisions and parts of Loachapoka-Roxana, Opelika Rural-Pepperell divisions.
Law and government
City map of Auburn.
Auburn has acouncil-manager government led by an eight-member city council, a mayor, and an appointed city manager.
Thecity council acts as a legislative body of the city, passing laws and regulations and appointing citizens to the city's various boards, including the Auburn City Board of Education. Each member of the city council is elected for a four-year term from one of eight geographic wards.
The mayor of Auburn is elected in the city at-large to a four-year term. The duties of the mayor are, per State Code: 1) ceremonial, 2) to serve as the Governor's contact in the event of an emergency and 3) to conduct Council meetings, and to be the tie breaking vote for the city council legislative body. The Mayor has no administrative duties, as the City Manager serves as the CEO. As such, the position of mayor in Auburn is primarilysymbolic. The current mayor of Auburn isRon Anders, elected in2018 and re-elected in2022.[31]
The day-to-day operations of Auburn are run by theCity Manager. The City Manager is appointed by and serves at the leisure of the City Council. The City Manager is responsible for the appointment and dismissal of all department heads, advises the council on policy matters, and creates and administers the city budget. The current City Manager of Auburn is Megan McGowen Crouch.
Auburn's economy is centered on Auburn University and providing university-affiliated services. Auburn University employs 13,545 people as of 2024.[33] The Auburn-Opelika area has a 3.1 unemployment rate as of February 2025.[34]
Auburn'sindustrial base is built around mid-sized,high tech manufacturing and research firms. Auburn has one industrial park and four technology parks where main areas of industrial focus are on the manufacture of small engines, automotive wheels,fuel cells, plastic injection technology, and vehicle armor. The 156-acre (0.63 km2) Auburn Research Park[35] opened in September 2008 and will be anchored by a firm which specializes in research in high-resolution, dark field opticalmicroscopy. The Research Park includes several buildings housing research in many different specialties, including the MRI Research Center which features both a 3 tesla and a 7 teslaMRI scanner. Overall, the manufacturing sector accounts for some 5,000 jobs in Auburn.
Auburn is located between the Kia and Hyundai automobile manufacturing facilities with theKia Motors manufacturing plant about 35 miles (56 km) east on I-85 and theHyundai Motors manufacturing plant about 55 miles (89 km) west on I-85/I-65.
Public safety
The Public Safety Department has five divisions: Police, Fire, Communications, Codes Enforcement, and Administration. The department provides all law enforcement, public safety services, and emergency 911 response and dispatch services for the City of Auburn and the campus of Auburn University. Construction activities in the city are monitored and inspected by the Codes Enforcement Division. Ambulance services are provided via a contract with East Alabama Medical Center.
Auburn City Schools headquartersAuburn Public LibraryAuburn Junior High School Library
Auburn, as a college town, is largely driven by the influence of education. Auburn has one post-secondary school,Auburn University, which has an enrollment of 31,526 as of 2021–2022.[36] Auburn University is aland-grant university and a sea and space grant university with traditionally strong programs in business, engineering, agriculture, andveterinary medicine. The university is largely focused on undergraduate education, with a graduate program of 5,000. Auburn University is a research institution, with primary areas of research focus including wireless engineering, molecular biosciences, transportation, aquaculture, and forest sustainability.
Auburn'spublic school system, Auburn City Schools, has 14 campuses with over 9,400 students.[37] This includes ten elementary schools, twomiddle schools, onejunior high school, and onehigh school with a second planned for opening in August 2028.[38][39] Auburn's school system has repeatedly been ranked among the top public school systems in the state and nation. Auburn City Schools has been ranked among the top 100 school districts in the United States byParenting magazine and as the best educational value in theSoutheast byThe Wall Street Journal. Auburn's Early Education Center has specialized programs forautism education, has been recognized as a national Blue Ribbon school, and is an Intel and Scholastic School of Distinction. Wrights Mill Road Elementary School was recognized as a national Blue Ribbon school in 2009, while Auburn Junior High School is recognized nationally for its 21st Century Laptop Learning Initiative, which places laptops in the hands of students in grades 8 and 9.Auburn High School has strongInternational Baccalaureate, widely offeredAdvanced Placement, and renowned music programs, and was ranked in 2006 byNewsweek as the top non-magnet public high school in Alabama, and one of the top 30 in the United States.Auburn has the Auburn Public Library.[40]
The Auburn City Schoolspublic school system is currently served by one high school for the entire city, a 350,000 square-foot, $72 million facility that opened in 2017 and houses students in 10th through 12th grade. As of the 2021–22 school year, the student population at Auburn High is the most of any high school in the state of Alabama. After the completion of the new high school facility, the old Auburn High School site was converted into a Junior High School, serving students in 8th and 9th grade. The old Auburn Junior High School became East Samford School, a 7th grade school, while Drake Middle School hosts all 6th graders in the city school system. Elementary school zones are in pairs throughout the city; one school in the zone houses kindergarten through 2nd grade, while the other school serves grades 3 through 5.
There is daily ground transportation between Auburn and the Atlanta airport. Tiger Taxi, Eagle Town Taxi, Spirit Town Taxi all provide both local taxi service and flat-rate transportation service to other cities. Auburn University provides the Tiger Transit bus system, which runs near the campus and to area apartment complexes part of the year. Lee-Russell Public Transit (LRPT) offers Dial-A-Ride services in Lee and Russell counties. Hail-a-ride apps available: Gata Hub.
There are few sidewalks and no city bus system in Auburn.[citation needed] It is a heavily car-dependent community. It has received an award for being a bike friendly town from theLeague of American Bicyclists. The Auburn Bike Committee posts a list of bike rides and events.[41]
The Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center hosts musical theatre, dance, and concerts.[43][44] The 80,000 square foot building can hold up to 1,200 guests in the main performance venue, and the outdoor amphitheater has a capacity of 4,000.[45][46]
The Telfair Peet Theatre performs a series of plays and musicals each year.[citation needed]
Auburn has no professional sports teams, but nonetheless has a vibrant sports culture due to the presence of Auburn University'sNCAADivision I athletic squads.Auburn University football in particular is a major force in Auburn's culture and economy. When Auburn University has home football games in the fall, the city often sees over 100,000 visitors, and the yearly economic impact is measured at nearly $100 million. While other sports do not attract as many tourists to Auburn, the university's 17varsity sports offer citizens a variety of other opportunities for viewing competition.
Homefootball games particularly change the face of Auburn for several weekends a year. Tens of thousands of fans flood the campus hours—sometimes days—before the game totailgate, creating a festival-like atmosphere throughout the weekend. Football games in Auburn are played in 87,451 seatJordan–Hare Stadium, which sits on the main campus, just a few blocks from downtown.[47]
Basketball is played at 9,121-seatNeville Arena, whilebaseball games are held at 6,300-seatPlainsman Park.[48][49] Another one of Auburn's most competitive sports is the swimmingprogram, which has won seven of the last nine NCAA national championships including the last five straight and 11 consecutive SEC men's championships. Also, the women's program have won five NCAA national titles and four SEC championships. The teams compete at theJames E. Martin Aquatics Center. More Olympic swimmers have come from Auburn's swimming program than any other university swimming program.
TheAuburn Metro Area is home to 146 holes ofgolf at six courses, and has played host to several professional and amateur golf tournaments. Auburn Links was rated as one of the top three new courses in the nation when it opened in 1996, and theRobert Trent Jones-designed Grand National course in the Auburn metro is often cited as one of the top public courses in the nation. Because of this, in 2005, the Auburn Metro Area was ranked number 1 in the United States for golf by Golf Digest.
Recreational opportunities in Auburn include 16 parks, highlighted byChewacla State Park, a 700-acre (2.8 km2) park in the Appalachian foothills,Kiesel Park, a 200-acre (0.81 km2) "passive" park with numerous trails, and theLouise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve. TheDonald E. Davis Arboretum showcases 150 different tree species native to Alabama and the Southeast. Auburn is also ringed by miles of multi-usetrails and several lakes.
Radio stationsWEGL andWAUD are licensed to Auburn and broadcast from the city.Radio stationWKKR is licensed to Auburn and broadcasts from nearby Opelika.
The Water Works Board of Auburn provides water and sewer services to residents.[54] Electricity is provided byAlabama Power. Auburn Environmental Services handles picking up trash and recycling. Depending on the location of the city, internet access is available fromWOW! Internet,Spectrum, andAT&T Internet.[55]
^Svara, James (December 9, 2008).The Facilitative Leader in City Hall: Reexamining the Scope and Contributions. CRC Press. pp. 213–232.ISBN978-1-4200-6831-3.
Flynt, Wayne (2001). "The Great Depression and the South". Lecture given April 2, 2001, Auburn, Ala.
Frazer, Mary B. Reese (1920).Early History of Auburn. Manuscript. Preserved on microfilm through the USAIN/NEH State and Local Literature Preservation Project, (1997) Mobile, Ala., Document Technology, Inc.
Hausman, Tamar. School Expenses.The Wall Street Journal, Southeast Journal. (May 13, 1998).
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University (2004).JCSMFA Permanent Collection. Retrieved June 10, 2005.
