Cleburne County was established on December 6, 1866, by an act of the state legislature. The county was made from territory in Benton (now Calhoun), Randolph, and Talladega counties. In 1867, Edwardsville was made the county seat.[4] An election was held in 1905 to move the county seat to Heflin. The result of that election, which agreed to move the seat, was appealed to the Supreme Court, who decided on July 1, 1906, to uphold the election results. Heflin is still the county seat.[5] Heflin was at one point thought of as a hub for nearby farmers to send their cotton.[6] Shortly after the Civil War, a group of northern investors created the town of Fruithurst in Cleburne County as part of a wine-growing project. Fruithurst became a boomtown shortly thereafter.[7]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 561 square miles (1,450 km2), of which 560 square miles (1,500 km2) is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km2) (0.2%) is water.[8] It is the second-largest in Alabama by total area. Cleburne County is home to Alabama's highest natural point onCheaha Mountain which is part of the southernmost mountain range in theAppalachian Mountains.
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 15,056. The median age was 43.3 years. 22.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.6 males age 18 and over.[14][15]
The racial makeup of the county was 91.8% White, 3.1% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.9% from some other race, and 3.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.9% of the population.[15]
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[16]
There were 6,054 households in the county, of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 25.2% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[14]
There were 6,801 housing units, of which 11.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 75.6% were owner-occupied and 24.4% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.9%.[14]
Cleburne County, 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 the census[20] of 2010, there were 14,972 people, 5,891 households, and 4,196 families living in the county. The population density was 27 people per square mile (10 people/km2). There were 6,718 housing units at an average density of 11 units per square mile (4.2 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.0%White (non-Hispanic), 3.3%Black orAfrican American, 0.30%Native American, 0.1%Asian, 0.1%Pacific Islander, 1.0% fromother races, and 1.1% from two or more races. 2.1% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 5,891 households, out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.8% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.7% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.6 years. For every 100 females there were 99.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.9 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,077, and the median income for a family was $41,585. Males had a median income of $39,709 versus $26,229 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,490. About 11.6% of families and 17.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.0% of those under age 18 and 13.7% of those age 65 or over.
As of the census[21] of 2000, there were 14,123 people, 5,590 households, and 4,125 families living in the county. The population density was 25 people per square mile (9.7 people/km2). There were 6,189 housing units at an average density of 11 units per square mile (4.2 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 89.74%White (non-Hispanic), 7.70%Black orAfrican American, 0.30%Native American, 0.14%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.34% fromother races, and 0.77% from two or more races. 3.40% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 5,590 households, out of which 32.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.40% were married couples living together, 8.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.20% were non-families. 23.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.30% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 28.50% from 25 to 44, 25.30% from 45 to 64, and 13.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 99.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,820, and the median income for a family was $35,579. Males had a median income of $29,752 versus $18,840 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,762. About 10.90% of families and 13.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.10% of those under age 18 and 20.10% of those age 65 or over.
Cleburne County contains twopublic school districts. There are approximately 2,500 students in publicPK-12 schools in Cleburne County. Much of the county is serviced by the single county school district, but the northern portion of the county falls underPiedmont City School District, the seat of which is inCalhoun County.[22]
Although not to the same extent asWinston orChilton Counties, Cleburne County was at least in Presidential elections a Republican island in overwhelmingly Democratic Alabama during the "Solid South" era due to its unsuitable terrain forslave-based plantation agriculture. This led to considerablePopulist support during the period of "Redemption" by white Democrats, which produced later support for the Republican Party even when in most of Alabama whites associated the "Party ofLincoln" withoccupation and black political power.
Since the end of thedealigned political era of the 1960s and 1970s, Cleburne County has followed the same trajectory towards overwhelming Republican dominance as the rest of Appalachia: in2020,Joe Biden gained nine percent of the county's vote, a figure less thanGeorge McGovern in his landslide1972 defeat.
United States presidential election results for Cleburne County, Alabama[24][25]
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