The U.S. state of Alabama has 67 counties.[1] Each county serves as the local level of government within its borders. The land enclosed by the present state borders was joined to the United States of America gradually. Following the American Revolutionary War, West Florida was ceded to Spain by treaty while the remainder was organized primarily as the Mississippi Territory, and later the Alabama Territory.[2] The territorial assembly established some of the earliest county divisions that have survived to the present, including the earliest county formation, that of Washington County, created on June 4, 1800.[3] In 1814, the Treaty of Fort Jackson opened the territory to American settlers, which in turn led to a more rapid rate of county creation. Alabama was admitted to the Union as the 22nd state in 1819.[4] The Alabama state legislature formed additional counties from former native lands as the Indian Removal Act took effect and settlers populated different areas of Alabama.[5] In 1820, Alabama had 29 counties. By 1830 there were 36 and Native Americans still occupied large areas of land in northeast and far western Alabama. By 1840, 49 counties had been created; 52 by 1850; 65 by 1870; and the present 67 counties by 1903.[6] Houston County was the last county created in the state, on February 9, 1903.[3]

Counties of Alabama
Lauderdale County, AlabamaColbert County, AlabamaFranklin County, AlabamaMarion County, AlabamaLamar County, AlabamaPickens County, AlabamaGreene County, AlabamaSumter County, AlabamaChoctaw County, AlabamaWashington County, AlabamaMobile County, AlabamaBaldwin County, AlabamaEscambia County, AlabamaMonroe County, AlabamaClarke County, AlabamaMarengo County, AlabamaHale County, AlabamaFayette County, AlabamaTuscaloosa County, AlabamaBibb County, AlabamaPerry County, AlabamaDallas County, AlabamaWilcox County, AlabamaConecuh County, AlabamaCovington County, AlabamaCrenshaw County, AlabamaMontgomery County, AlabamaButler County, AlabamaLowndes County, AlabamaAutauga County, AlabamaChilton County, AlabamaShelby County, AlabamaJefferson County, AlabamaWalker County, AlabamaWinston County, AlabamaLawrence County, AlabamaLimestone County, AlabamaMadison County, AlabamaJackson County, AlabamaDeKalb County, AlabamaCherokee County, AlabamaEtowah County, AlabamaMarshall County, AlabamaMorgan County, AlabamaCullman County, AlabamaBlount County, AlabamaSt. Clair County, AlabamaCalhoun County, AlabamaCleburne County, AlabamaTalladega County, AlabamaCoosa County, AlabamaClay County, AlabamaRandolph County, AlabamaTallapoosa County, AlabamaChambers County, AlabamaLee County, AlabamaElmore County, AlabamaMacon County, AlabamaRussell County, AlabamaBarbour County, AlabamaCoffee County, AlabamaPike County, AlabamaBullock County, AlabamaGeneva County, AlabamaDale County, AlabamaHenry County, AlabamaHouston County, Alabama
Alabama counties (clickable map)
LocationState of Alabama
Number67
PopulationsGreatest: 662,895 (Jefferson)
Least: 7,341 (Greene)
Average: 76,246 (2023)
AreasLargest: 1,590 sq mi (4,100 km2) (Baldwin)
Smallest: 535 sq mi (1,390 km2) (Etowah)
Average: 782 sq mi (2,030 km2)
Government
Subdivisions

According to 2023 U.S. Census data, the average population of Alabama's 67 counties is 76,246, with Jefferson County as the most populous (662,895), and Greene County (7,341) the least.[7] The average land area is 756 sq mi (1,958 km2). The largest county is Baldwin (1,590 sq mi, 4,118 km2) and the smallest is Etowah (535 sq mi, 1,386 km2).[8] The Constitution of Alabama requires that any new county in Alabama cover at least 600 square miles (1,600 km2) in area, effectively limiting the creation of new counties in the state.[9]

The Alabama Department of Revenue's Motor Vehicle Division issues standard automobile license plates that bear a one- or two-digit number identifying the county in which the vehicle is registered. This number is given in the fourth column in the table below. The first three prefixes are reserved for the state's historically most populous counties, and thereafter proceed alphabetically. Individual license plate numbers are assigned sequentially in each licensing office. The numbers are in the format XAA1111 or XXAA111, depending on whether the prefix is one or two digits. Overflow registrations are accommodated by substituting a letter for one of the registration numbers, such that XXZ999Z is followed by XXA0A0A.[10]

The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) code, used by the United States government to uniquely identify counties, is provided with each entry. The FIPS code links in the table point to U.S. Census "quick facts" pages for each county. Alabama's FIPS state code is 01.

Counties

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County
FIPS code[11] County seat[3] License #
[12]
Est.[3] Formed from[13] Etymology[6][14] Density
Population
(2023)[15]
Land Area[16] Map
Autauga County 001 Prattville 4 1818 Montgomery County The Autauga or Atagi people, Native Americans who were a sub-group of the Alibamu 101.5 60,342 594.44 sq mi
(1,540 km2)
 
Baldwin County 003 Bay Minette 5 1809 Washington County and West Florida Abraham Baldwin (1754–1807), U.S. legislator from Georgia 159.5 253,507 1,589.78 sq mi
(4,118 km2)
 
Barbour County 005 Clayton 6 1832 Pike County James Barbour (1775–1842), Governor of Virginia and U.S. Senator 27.8 24,585 884.88 sq mi
(2,292 km2)
 
Bibb County 007 Centreville 7 1818 Montgomery County (as Cahawba County) William Wyatt Bibb (1781–1820), 1st Governor of Alabama 35.1 21,868 622.58 sq mi
(1,612 km2)
 
Blount County 009 Oneonta 8 1818 Montgomery County and Creek territories Willie Blount (1768–1835), Governor of Tennessee 92.8 59,816 644.78 sq mi
(1,670 km2)
 
Bullock County 011 Union Springs 9 1866 Barbour, Macon, Montgomery, and Pike counties Edward Bullock (1822–1861), colonel in the Confederate States Army 15.9 9,897 622.80 sq mi
(1,613 km2)
 
Butler County 013 Greenville 10 1819 Conecuh and Monroe counties William Butler (1759–1818), captain in Creek War 23.7 18,382 776.83 sq mi
(2,012 km2)
 
Calhoun County 015 Anniston 11 1832 St. Clair County (as Benton County) John C. Calhoun (1782–1850), 7th U.S. Vice President 192.2 116,429 605.87 sq mi
(1,569 km2)
 
Chambers County 017 LaFayette 12 1832 Montgomery County Henry H. Chambers (1790–1826), U.S. Senator 57.1 34,079 596.53 sq mi
(1,545 km2)
 
Cherokee County 019 Centre 13 1836 Cherokee territory Cherokee people, whose lands included Northeast Alabama 46.4 25,666 553.70 sq mi
(1,434 km2)
 
Chilton County 021 Clanton 14 1868 Autauga, Bibb, Perry, and Shelby counties (as Baker County) William Parish Chilton (1810–1871), Alabama Supreme Court Justice and Confederate congressman 67.0 46,431 692.85 sq mi
(1,794 km2)
 
Choctaw County 023 Butler 15 1847 Sumter and Washington counties Choctaw people, whose lands included Alabama 13.4 12,252 913.50 sq mi
(2,366 km2)
 
Clarke County 025 Grove Hill 16 1812 Washington County John Clarke (1766–1832), general from Georgia 18.0 22,337 1,238.46 sq mi
(3,208 km2)
 
Clay County 027 Ashland 17 1866 Randolph and Talladega counties Henry Clay (1777–1852), U.S. legislator from Kentucky 23.4 14,111 603.96 sq mi
(1,564 km2)
 
Cleburne County 029 Heflin 18 1866 Calhoun, Randolph, and Talladega counties Patrick Cleburne (1828–1864), Major General in Confederate States Army 27.9 15,639 560.10 sq mi
(1,451 km2)
 
Coffee County 031 Elba and Enterprise[17] 19 1841 Dale County John Coffee (1772–1833), military leader in War of 1812 and Creek War 82.0 55,643 678.97 sq mi
(1,759 km2)
 
Colbert County 033 Tuscumbia 20 1867 Franklin County George Colbert (1764–1839) and Levi Colbert (1759–1834), Chickasaw chiefs 98.5 58,361 592.62 sq mi
(1,535 km2)
 
Conecuh County 035 Evergreen 21 1818 Monroe County The Conecuh River, which flows through the county 13.1 11,174 850.16 sq mi
(2,202 km2)
 
Coosa County 037 Rockford 22 1832 Montgomery County The Coosa River, which flows through the county, and is itself named after a Native American village 15.8 10,268 650.93 sq mi
(1,686 km2)
 
Covington County 039 Andalusia 23 1821 Henry County Leonard Covington (1768–1813), Brigadier General in War of 1812 and U.S. Congressman 36.8 37,952 1,030.46 sq mi
(2,669 km2)
 
Crenshaw County 041 Luverne 24 1866 Butler, Coffee, Covington, Lowndes, and Pike Counties Anderson Crenshaw (1783–1847), Alabama Supreme Court justice and early settler 21.5 13,101 608.84 sq mi
(1,577 km2)
 
Cullman County 043 Cullman 25 1877 Blount, Morgan, and Winston counties Colonel John G. Cullmann (1823–1895), founder of county seat 125.2 92,016 734.84 sq mi
(1,903 km2)
 
Dale County 045 Ozark 26 1824 Covington and Henry counties Samuel Dale (1772–1841), Brigadier General and state legislator 88.9 49,871 561.15 sq mi
(1,453 km2)
 
Dallas County 047 Selma 27 1818 Monroe and Montgomery counties Alexander James Dallas (1759–1817), U.S. Secretary of Treasury 37.0 36,165 978.69 sq mi
(2,535 km2)
 
DeKalb County 049 Fort Payne 28 1836 Cherokee territory Johann de Kalb (1721–1780), major general in American Revolutionary War 93.4 72,569 777.09 sq mi
(2,013 km2)
 
Elmore County 051 Wetumpka 29 1866 Autauga, Coosa, Montgomery, and Tallapoosa counties John Archer Elmore (1762–1834), Revolutionary War veteran 146.2 90,441 618.48 sq mi
(1,602 km2)
 
Escambia County 053 Brewton 30 1868 Baldwin and Conecuh counties Escambia Creek, a tributary of the Conecuh River 38.7 36,558 945.08 sq mi
(2,448 km2)
 
Etowah County 055 Gadsden 31 1866 Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, DeKalb, Marshall, and St. Clair counties (as Baine County) Etowah Indian Mounds 193.0 103,241 534.99 sq mi
(1,386 km2)
 
Fayette County 057 Fayette 32 1824 Marion, Pickens, Tuscaloosa, and Walker counties Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette (1757–1834), Revolutionary War commander 25.4 15,967 627.66 sq mi
(1,626 km2)
 
Franklin County 059 Russellville 33 1818 Cherokee territory Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), politician, diplomat, inventor, and publisher 50.2 31,802 633.82 sq mi
(1,642 km2)
 
Geneva County 061 Geneva 34 1868 Coffee, Dale, and Henry counties Named after Geneva, New York, the origin of several early settlers 47.0 26,988 574.41 sq mi
(1,488 km2)
 
Greene County 063 Eutaw 35 1819 Marengo and Tuscaloosa counties Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), Revolutionary War general 11.3 7,341 647.11 sq mi
(1,676 km2)
 
Hale County 065 Greensboro 36 1867 Greene, Marengo, Perry, and Tuscaloosa counties Stephen F. Hale (1816–1862), lieutenant colonel in Confederate States Army 23.1 14,888 643.94 sq mi
(1,668 km2)
 
Henry County 067 Abbeville 37 1819 Conecuh County Patrick Henry (1736–1799), Revolutionary War patriot and Governor of Virginia 31.9 17,899 561.75 sq mi
(1,455 km2)
 
Houston County 069 Dothan 38 1903 Dale, Geneva, and Henry counties George S. Houston (1811–1879), 24th Governor of Alabama and U.S. Congressman 187.1 108,462 579.82 sq mi
(1,502 km2)
 
Jackson County 071 Scottsboro 39 1819 Cherokee territory Andrew Jackson (1767–1845), 7th U.S. President 49.6 53,467 1,077.87 sq mi
(2,792 km2)
 
Jefferson County 073 Birmingham 1 1819 Blount County Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), 3rd U.S. President 596.5 662,895 1,111.28 sq mi
(2,878 km2)
 
Lamar County 075 Vernon 40 1867 Fayette and Marion counties (as Jones County) Lucius Q. C. Lamar (1825–1893), U.S. Supreme Court justice 22.6 13,661 604.85 sq mi
(1,567 km2)
 
Lauderdale County 077 Florence 41 1818 Cherokee and Chickasaw territories James Lauderdale (1780–1814), Colonel in War of 1812 145.0 96,814 667.70 sq mi
(1,729 km2)
 
Lawrence County 079 Moulton 42 1818 Cherokee territory James Lawrence (1781–1813), naval officer in War of 1812 48.5 33,502 690.68 sq mi
(1,789 km2)
 
Lee County 081 Opelika 43 1866 Chambers, Macon, Russell, and Tallapoosa counties Robert E. Lee (1807–1870), Commander of the Confederate States Army 301.6 183,215 607.54 sq mi
(1,574 km2)
 
Limestone County 083 Athens 44 1818 Elk and Madison counties Limestone Creek, named for local geological deposits 204.8 114,654 559.94 sq mi
(1,450 km2)
 
Lowndes County 085 Hayneville 45 1830 Butler, Dallas, and Montgomery counties William Lowndes (1782–1822), U.S. Congressman from South Carolina 13.6 9,717 715.91 sq mi
(1,854 km2)
 
Macon County 087 Tuskegee 46 1832 Montgomery County Nathaniel Macon (1758–1837), U.S. legislator from North Carolina 30.2 18,370 608.89 sq mi
(1,577 km2)
 
Madison County 089 Huntsville 47 1808 Cherokee and Chickasaw territories James Madison (1751–1836), 4th U.S. President 514.7 412,600 801.59 sq mi
(2,076 km2)
 
Marengo County 091 Linden 48 1818 Choctaw territory Battle of Marengo 19.1 18,684 976.88 sq mi
(2,530 km2)
 
Marion County 093 Hamilton 49 1818 Tuscaloosa County Francis Marion (1732–1795), military leader in American Revolutionary War 39.4 29,244 742.29 sq mi
(1,923 km2)
 
Marshall County 095 Guntersville 50 1836 Blount and Jackson counties and Cherokee territory John Marshall (1755–1835), Chief Justice of the United States 1801–1835 178.1 100,756 565.84 sq mi
(1,466 km2)
 
Mobile County 097 Mobile 2 1812 Mobile District of West Florida after annexation into Mississippi Territory Mobile Bay, on which county is located, and which is itself named after the Maubila tribe of Native Americans 334.8 411,640 1,229.44 sq mi
(3,184 km2)
 
Monroe County 099 Monroeville 51 1815 Creek territory James Monroe (1758–1831), 5th U.S. President 18.7 19,229 1,025.67 sq mi
(2,656 km2)
 
Montgomery County 101 Montgomery 3 1816 Monroe County Lemuel P. Montgomery (1786–1814), Major in Creek War 286.9 224,980 784.25 sq mi
(2,031 km2)
 
Morgan County 103 Decatur 52 1818 Cherokee territory (as Cotaco County) Daniel Morgan (1736–1802), U.S. Congressman 216.0 125,133 579.34 sq mi
(1,500 km2)
 
Perry County 105 Marion 53 1819 Cahawba, Dallas, Marengo, and Tuscaloosa counties Oliver Hazard Perry (1795–1819), naval officer in War of 1812 10.8 7,738 719.66 sq mi
(1,864 km2)
 
Pickens County 107 Carrollton 54 1820 Tuscaloosa County Andrew Pickens (1739–1817), General in the Revolutionary War 21.2 18,688 881.41 sq mi
(2,283 km2)
 
Pike County 109 Troy 55 1821 Henry and Montgomery counties Zebulon Pike (1779–1813), explorer and officer in War of 1812 49.3 33,137 672.09 sq mi
(1,741 km2)
 
Randolph County 111 Wedowee 56 1832 St. Clair and Shelby counties John Randolph (1773–1833), U.S. Senator from Virginia 39.2 22,786 580.55 sq mi
(1,504 km2)
 
Russell County 113 Phenix City 57 1832 Barbour, Bullock, Lee and Macon counties Gilbert C. Russell (1782–1861), officer in Creek War 91.6 58,744 641.14 sq mi
(1,661 km2)
 
St. Clair County 115 Ashville and Pell City 59 1818 Shelby County Arthur St. Clair (1736–1818), President of Continental Congress 151.2 95,552 631.90 sq mi
(1,637 km2)
 
Shelby County 117 Columbiana 58 1818 Montgomery County Isaac Shelby (1750–1826), Governor of Kentucky 296.8 233,000 784.93 sq mi
(2,033 km2)
 
Sumter County 119 Livingston 60 1832 Choctaw territory Thomas Sumter (1734–1832), U.S. Congressman from South Carolina 13.0 11,727 903.89 sq mi
(2,341 km2)
 
Talladega County 121 Talladega 61 1832 St. Clair and Shelby counties Talatigi, Creek Indian name for the county seat, meaning "border town" 110.1 81,132 736.78 sq mi
(1,908 km2)
 
Tallapoosa County 123 Dadeville 62 1832 Montgomery and Shelby counties Tallapoosa River 56.8 40,677 716.52 sq mi
(1,856 km2)
 
Tuscaloosa County 125 Tuscaloosa 63 1818 Montgomery County and Choctaw territory Iroquoian name for the Black Warrior River 179.6 237,373 1,321.75 sq mi
(3,423 km2)
 
Walker County 127 Jasper 64 1823 Blount, Jefferson, and Tuscaloosa counties John Williams Walker (1783–1823), U.S. Senator from Alabama 81.8 64,728 791.19 sq mi
(2,049 km2)
 
Washington County 129 Chatom 65 1800 Adams and Pickering counties of Mississippi Territory George Washington (1732–1799), 1st U.S. President 13.9 15,022 1,080.21 sq mi
(2,798 km2)
 
Wilcox County 131 Camden 66 1819 Dallas and Monroe counties Joseph M. Wilcox (1790–1814), lieutenant in Creek War 11.2 9,944 888.50 sq mi
(2,301 km2)
 
Winston County 133 Double Springs 67 1850 Walker County (as Hancock County) John A. Winston (1812–1871), 15th Governor of Alabama 38.5 23,611 612.98 sq mi
(1,588 km2)
 

Former county names

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County[6] Named for[6] Changed to[3]
Baine County David W. Baine, Colonel in the Civil War Etowah County in 1868
Baker County Alfred Baker, a local landowner Chilton County in 1874
Benton County Thomas Hart Benton, U.S. Senator from Missouri Calhoun County in 1858, honoring Benton's rival John C. Calhoun of South Carolina after Benton's renunciation of slavery
Cahawba County former state capital of Cahawba Bibb County in 1820
Cotaco County Cotaco Creek, a tributary of the Tennessee River Morgan County in 1821
Hancock County John Hancock, signer of the Declaration of Independence Winston County in 1858
Jones County Josiah Jones, a local political leader Covington County (its former name) in 1868 after Jones refused the honor
Jones County E.P. Jones, a local landowner Sanford County, which subsequently became Lamar County in 1877
Sanford County H.C. Sanford, a local landowner Lamar County in 1877

Former counties

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County Established Dissolved Named for Notes
Decatur County December 7, 1821 December 28, 1825 Commodore Stephen Decatur of the United States Navy. Created in 1822 with Woodville as its county seat. Abolished several years later, divided between Madison County and Jackson County.
Elk County[18] May 9, 1817 January 26, 1818 Elk River Established by Mississippi Territory prior to Mississippi–Alabama split; abolished prior to Alabama statehood

See also

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References

edit
Specific
  1. ^ "List of Alabama Counties". Bama Politics. October 23, 2018. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  2. ^ "Alabama History Timeline, 1701–1800". Alabama Department of Archives and History. Retrieved May 18, 2009.
  3. ^ a b c d e National Association of Counties. "NACo – Find a county". Archived from the original on March 9, 2008. Retrieved April 30, 2008.
  4. ^ "Alabama History Timeline, 1801–1860". Alabama Department of Archives and History. Retrieved May 18, 2009.
  5. ^ "Alabama Counties: Cherokee". Alabama Department of Archives and History. Retrieved December 29, 2008.
  6. ^ a b c d Foscue, Virginia O. (1989) Place Names in Alabama. Tuscaloosa, Alabama: University of Alabama Press. ISBN 0-8173-0410-X
  7. ^ "U.S. Census website". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  8. ^ "2010 Census U.S. Gazetteer Files". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 13, 2011.
  9. ^ Wikisource:Alabama State Constitution of 1901/Initial Constitution#Section 39
  10. ^ Nicholson, David. "Alabama License Plates, 1969–present". License Plates of North America, 1969–present. Retrieved August 8, 2007.
  11. ^ "EPA County FIPS Code Listing". U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Archived from the original on October 8, 2012. Retrieved February 23, 2008.
  12. ^ Nicholson, David. "Alabama County Codes". License Plates of North America, 1969–present. Retrieved May 25, 2009.
  13. ^ Owen, Thomas McAdory; Owen, Marie Bankhead (1921). History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography. Chicago: S.J. Clarke Publishing Company.
  14. ^ "Alabama Counties". Alabama Department of Archives and History. Archived from the original on November 20, 2008. Retrieved June 1, 2009.
  15. ^ U.S. Census Bureau. "QuickFacts: Alabama". Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  16. ^ "Community Facts". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  17. ^ Coffee County, Alabama. "History of Coffee County". Archived from the original on October 27, 2011. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  18. ^ McDonald, William Lindsey (2003) [1997]. A Walk Through the Past: People and Places of Florence and Lauderdale County, Alabama. Killen, Alabama: Bluewater Publications. pp. 223–224. ISBN 9780971994560. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
General
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  • Map series showing evolution of county boundaries. Cartographic Research Laboratory. University of Alabama Department of Geography.
  • Alabama Counties Alabama Counties Features. Digital Alabama