Crenshaw County was established after the American Civil War on November 30, 1866, by theReconstruction era legislature. It was formed from parts of Butler, Coffee, Covington, Pike and Lowndes counties. While part of the coastal area, this county had relatively infertile soils, limiting cotton and other agriculture. Its planters used enslaved African Americans for all needed types of labor. Many of their descendants stayed in the area, and nearly one-quarter of the county population is African American.
Crenshaw County became a center of timbering in the Piney Wood region, especially after the Montgomery and Florida Railroad Company constructed a line through the county in 1886. This provided transport to markets for timber. It connected with Sprague Junction inMontgomery County, Alabama. The timber camps were rough work areas where racial tensions sometimes flared.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 611 square miles (1,580 km2), of which 609 square miles (1,580 km2) is land and 2.1 square miles (5.4 km2) (0.3%) is water.[3] The county is located in theGulf Coastal Plain region of the state. Much of the land is also covered by forests that are used for logging.
Crenshaw 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 the2020 census, the county had a population of 13,194. The median age was 44.3 years. 21.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 92.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 87.8 males age 18 and over.[12][13]
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[14]
There were 5,680 households in the county, of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 32.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[12]
There were 6,516 housing units, of which 12.8% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 71.1% were owner-occupied and 28.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.4%.[12]
As of thecensus[15] of 2010, there were 13,906 people, 5,652 households, and 3,882 families living in the county. Thepopulation density was 23 people per square mile (8.9 people/km2). There were 6,735 housing units at an average density of 11 units per square mile (4.2 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 72.6%White, 23.4%Black orAfrican American, 0.4%Native American, 1.4%Asian, 0.1%Pacific Islander, 0.7% fromother races, and 1.5% from two or more races. 1.5% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 5,652 households, out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% weremarried couples living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.9% 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 2.97.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.8% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 28.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.7 years. For every 100 females there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.3 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,140, and the median income for a family was $47,685. Males had a median income of $35,598 versus $22,410 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $19,793. About 13.7% of families and 17.7% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 25.5% of those under age 18 and 16.7% of those age 65 or over.
The largest self-reported ancestry groups in Crenshaw County were English (64.5%), German (12.1%), Irish (11.2%), Italian (3.9%), "American" (3.1%), Scottish (2.9%) and Portuguese (1.8%).
As of thecensus[16] of 2000, there were 13,665 people, 5,577 households, and 3,892 families living in the county. Thepopulation density was 22 people per square mile (8.5 people/km2). There were 6,644 housing units at an average density of 11 units per square mile (4.2 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 73.82%White, 24.79%Black orAfrican American, 0.37%Native American, 0.11%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.20% fromother races, and 0.70% from two or more races. 0.64% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 5,577 households, out of which 31.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.70% weremarried couples living together, 15.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.20% were non-families. 28.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.70% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 17.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 89.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $26,054, and the median income for a family was $31,724. Males had a median income of $27,286 versus $17,703 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $14,565. About 18.60% of families and 22.10% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 28.30% of those under age 18 and 23.50% of those age 65 or over.
Crenshaw County is reliably Republican at the presidential level. The last Democrat to win the county in a presidential election isBill Clinton, who won it by a plurality in1996.
United States presidential election results for Crenshaw County, Alabama[17]
