Calhoun County, Alabama - Wikipedia

County in Alabama, United States County in Alabama

Calhoun County, Alabama
County
Calhoun County Courthouse in Anniston
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
Coordinates: 33°46′10″N 85°49′15″W / 33.769444444444°N 85.820833333333°W / 33.769444444444; -85.820833333333
Country	United States
State	Alabama
Founded	December 18, 1832 as Benton County
Named after	John C. Calhoun
Seat	Anniston
Largest city	Oxford
Area
• Total	612 sq mi (1,590 km2)
• Land	606 sq mi (1,570 km2)
• Water	6.4 sq mi (17 km2)  1.0%
Population (2020)
• Total	116,441
• Estimate (2024)	116,427
• Density	192/sq mi (74.2/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	www.calhouncounty.org
County Number 11 on Alabama License Plates

Calhoun County is a county in the east central part of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 116,441.[1] Its county seat is Anniston.[2] It is named in honor of John C. Calhoun, a US Senator from South Carolina.

Calhoun County comprises the Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

[edit]

Benton County was established on December 18, 1832, named for Thomas Hart Benton, a member of the United States Senate from Missouri. Its county seat was Jacksonville. Benton, an enslaver, was a political ally of John C. Calhoun, a U.S. senator from South Carolina, and also a slaveholder and planter. Through the 1820s-1840s, however, Benton's and Calhoun's political interests diverged. Calhoun was increasingly interested in using the threat of secession as a weapon to maintain and expand slavery throughout the United States. Benton, on the other hand, was slowly concluding that slavery was wrong and that the preservation of the union was paramount. On January 29, 1858,[3] Alabama supporters of slavery, objecting to Benton's change of heart, renamed Benton County as Calhoun County.

During the Reconstruction era and widespread violence by whites to suppress black and white Republican voting in the state during the campaign for the 1870 gubernatorial election, four blacks and one white were lynched.[4]

After years of controversy and a State Supreme Court ruling in June 1900, the county seat was moved to Anniston.

The county was hit by an F4 tornado during the 1994 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak on March 27, 1994. Twelve minutes after the National Weather Service of Birmingham issued a tornado warning for northern Calhoun, southeastern Etowah, and southern Cherokee counties, the tornado destroyed Piedmont's Goshen United Methodist Church.

Geography

[edit]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 612 square miles (1,590 km2), of which 606 square miles (1,570 km2) is land and 6.4 square miles (17 km2) (1.0%) is water.[5]

Adjacent counties

[edit]

• Cherokee County - northeast
• Cleburne County - east
• Talladega County - south
• St. Clair County - west
• Etowah County - northwest

National protected areas

[edit]

• Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge
• Talladega National Forest (part)

Transportation

[edit]

Major highways

[edit]

• Interstate 20
• U.S. Highway 78
• U.S. Highway 278
• U.S. Highway 431
• State Route 9
• State Route 21
• State Route 144
• State Route 200
• State Route 202
• State Route 204
• State Route 301

Rail

[edit]

• Alabama and Tennessee River Railway
• Norfolk Southern Railway
• Amtrak (Crescent)

Transit

[edit]

• Areawide Community Transportation System

Demographics

[edit] Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1840	14,260	—
1850	17,163	20.4%
1860	21,539	25.5%
1870	13,980	−35.1%
1880	19,591	40.1%
1890	33,835	72.7%
1900	34,874	3.1%
1910	39,115	12.2%
1920	47,822	22.3%
1930	55,611	16.3%
1940	63,319	13.9%
1950	79,539	25.6%
1960	95,878	20.5%
1970	103,092	7.5%
1980	119,761	16.2%
1990	116,034	−3.1%
2000	112,249	−3.3%
2010	118,572	5.6%
2020	116,441	−1.8%
2024 (est.)	116,427	[6]	0.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9]1990–2000[10] 2010–2020[1]

2020 census

[edit]

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 116,441. The median age was 40.0 years. 20.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 92.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.0 males age 18 and over.[11][12]

The racial makeup of the county was 69.2% White, 22.0% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.1% from some other race, and 5.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 4.3% of the population.[12]

63.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 36.5% lived in rural areas.[13]

There were 46,437 households in the county, of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 31.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[11]

There were 53,052 housing units, of which 12.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 68.4% were owner-occupied and 31.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 12.2%.[11]

Racial and ethnic composition

[edit] Calhoun County, Alabama – Racial and ethnic compositionNote: 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 (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000[14]	Pop 2010[15]	Pop 2020[16]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	87,598	87,285	79,519	78.04%	73.61%	68.29%
Black or African American alone (NH)	20,725	24,177	23,365	18.46%	20.39%	21.78%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	427	480	386	0.38%	0.40%	0.33%
Asian alone (NH)	625	830	1,164	0.56%	0.70%	1.00%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	74	94	112	0.07%	0.08%	0.10%
Other race alone (NH)	85	109	317	0.08%	0.09%	0.27%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	862	1,704	4,568	0.86%	1.44%	3.92%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1,753	3,893	5,010	1.56%	3.28%	4.30%
Total	112,249	118,572	116,441	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

2010 census

[edit]

As of the census[17] of 2010, there were 118,572 people, 47,331 households, and 31,609 families residing in the county. The population density was 194 people per square mile (75 people/km2). There were 53,289 housing units at an average density of 87 units per square mile (34 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 74.9% White, 20.6% Black or African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.6% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. 3.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 47,331 households, out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.8% were married couples living together, 15.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% 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 22.9% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 27.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.2 years. For every 100 females there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,407, and the median income for a family was $49,532. Males had a median income of $41,599 versus $29,756 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,574. About 15.2% of families and 19.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.8% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

[edit]

Calhoun County contains five public school districts. There are approximately 17,000 students in public K-12 schools in Calhoun County.[18] Public school districts are not conterminous with the county boundary.

The county contains two public higher education institutions. Gadsden State Community College operates a campus located in Anniston, and Jacksonville State University, founded in 1883 and with an enrollment of over 9,000 students, is located in Jacksonville.

Districts

[edit]

School districts include:[19]

• Anniston City School District
• Calhoun County School District
• Jacksonville City School District
• Oxford City School District
• Piedmont City School District

Politics

[edit]

The last Democrat to win a majority in the county was Jimmy Carter in 1976. In 2016 and 2020, Republican Donald Trump won more than two-thirds of the county's vote.

United States presidential election results for Calhoun County, Alabama[20]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	№	%	№	%	№	%
1836	287	31.06%	637	68.94%	0	0.00%
1840	482	27.86%	1,248	72.14%	0	0.00%
1844	373	21.25%	1,382	78.75%	0	0.00%
1848	566	30.79%	1,272	69.21%	0	0.00%
1852	74	7.46%	918	92.54%	0	0.00%
1856	0	0.00%	1,687	79.20%	443	20.80%
1860	0	0.00%	54	1.95%	2,711	98.05%
1868	600	32.02%	1,274	67.98%	0	0.00%
1872	400	18.48%	1,764	81.52%	0	0.00%
1876	421	17.11%	2,040	82.89%	0	0.00%
1880	509	20.32%	1,984	79.20%	12	0.48%
1884	1,066	34.32%	2,035	65.52%	5	0.16%
1888	938	25.85%	2,680	73.87%	10	0.28%
1892	218	4.29%	3,249	63.91%	1,617	31.81%
1896	1,222	28.45%	2,788	64.90%	286	6.66%
1900	567	21.13%	1,835	68.37%	282	10.51%
1904	287	14.85%	1,556	80.50%	90	4.66%
1908	570	26.87%	1,438	67.80%	113	5.33%
1912	238	10.07%	1,666	70.47%	460	19.46%
1916	442	16.21%	2,231	81.81%	54	1.98%
1920	1,139	24.76%	3,423	74.40%	39	0.85%
1924	766	27.17%	1,907	67.65%	146	5.18%
1928	2,537	54.50%	2,117	45.48%	1	0.02%
1932	684	13.39%	4,392	86.00%	31	0.61%
1936	581	11.71%	4,322	87.12%	58	1.17%
1940	645	12.72%	4,408	86.93%	18	0.35%
1944	694	13.80%	4,308	85.65%	28	0.56%
1948	856	20.47%	0	0.00%	3,325	79.53%
1952	3,064	27.37%	8,023	71.68%	106	0.95%
1956	4,473	32.18%	9,069	65.24%	358	2.58%
1960	4,821	33.17%	9,590	65.97%	125	0.86%
1964	10,635	63.13%	0	0.00%	6,210	36.87%
1968	3,061	11.43%	4,146	15.48%	19,568	73.08%
1972	20,364	76.93%	5,832	22.03%	275	1.04%
1976	11,763	35.97%	20,466	62.59%	471	1.44%
1980	17,475	49.17%	17,017	47.88%	1,049	2.95%
1984	23,291	61.16%	12,752	33.49%	2,039	5.35%
1988	19,806	58.31%	12,451	36.66%	1,711	5.04%
1992	20,623	48.18%	16,453	38.44%	5,724	13.37%
1996	18,088	49.00%	15,725	42.60%	3,098	8.39%
2000	22,306	57.33%	15,781	40.56%	822	2.11%
2004	29,814	65.89%	15,083	33.33%	352	0.78%
2008	32,348	65.69%	16,334	33.17%	560	1.14%
2012	30,278	65.30%	15,511	33.45%	575	1.24%
2016	32,865	68.66%	13,242	27.67%	1,757	3.67%
2020	35,101	68.85%	15,216	29.85%	666	1.31%
2024	34,912	71.76%	13,194	27.12%	547	1.12%

Calhoun is part of Alabama's 3rd congressional district, which is held by Republican Mike D. Rogers.

Communities

[edit]

Cities

[edit]

• Anniston (County Seat)
• Glencoe (partly in Etowah County)
• Jacksonville
• Oxford (partly in Talladega County and Cleburne County)
• Piedmont (partly in Cherokee County)
• Southside (partly in Etowah County)
• Weaver

Towns

[edit]

• Hobson City
• Ohatchee

Census-designated places

[edit]

• Alexandria
• Choccolocco
• Nances Creek
• Saks
• West End-Cobb Town
• White Plains

Unincorporated communities

[edit]

• Bynum
• Chosea Springs
• DeArmanville
• Eastaboga (partly in Talladega County)
• Iron City
• Macon
• Merrellton
• Peaceburg
• Possum Trot
• Wellington

Ghost towns

[edit]

• Minden
• Tooktocaugee

Places of interest

[edit]

Calhoun County is home to Jacksonville State University, the Anniston Museum of Natural History, the Berman Museum of World History, and the Coldwater Covered Bridge. It also contains a portion of the Talladega National Forest.

See also

[edit]

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Calhoun County, Alabama
• Properties on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in Calhoun County, Alabama
• German Italian Memorial Cemetery

References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. ^ Acts of the Sixth Biennial Session of the General Assembly of Alabama held in the City of Montgomery, Commencing on the Second Monday in November, 1857. Montgomery, Alabama: N. B. Cloud, State Printer. November 1857. p. 318. Retrieved November 23, 2021. No. 306. - AN ACT - To change the name of Benton county to Calhoun.
4. ^ Shapiro, Herbert (1988). White Violence and Black Response: From Reconstruction to Montgomery. U of Massachusetts P. p. 12. ISBN 9780870235788.
5. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
6. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
7. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
8. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
9. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 24, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
10. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
11. ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
12. ^ a b "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
13. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
14. ^ "P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Calhoun County, Alabama". United States Census Bureau.
15. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Calhoun County, Alabama". United States Census Bureau.
16. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Calhoun County, Alabama". United States Census Bureau.
17. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
18. ^ "Search for Public School Districts - Calhoun County, AL". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
19. ^ "2020 Census - School District Reference Map: Calhoun County, AL" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 27, 2022. Text list.
20. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved November 15, 2016.

Places adjacent to Calhoun County, Alabama
Etowah County Cherokee County St. Clair County Calhoun County, Alabama Cleburne County Talladega County

v t e Municipalities and communities of Calhoun County, Alabama, United States
County seat: Anniston
Cities	Anniston Glencoe‡ Jacksonville Oxford‡ Piedmont‡ Southside‡ Weaver
Towns	Hobson City Ohatchee
CDPs	Alexandria Bynum Choccolocco Nances Creek Saks West End-Cobb Town White Plains
Unincorporatedcommunities	Chosea Springs DeArmanville Eastaboga‡ Iron City Macon Merrellton Peaceburg Possum Trot Wellington
Ghost town	Minden Tooktocaugee
Footnotes	‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
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33°46′10″N 85°49′15″W / 33.76944°N 85.82083°W / 33.76944; -85.82083

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