Editing Perry County, Alabama

{{short description|County in Alabama, United States}}
{{use mdy dates|date=May 2021}}{{Use American English|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Perry County
 | state                = Alabama
 | seal                 = Seal of Perry County, Alabama.png
 | founded year         = 1819
 | founded date         = December 13
 | seat wl              = Marion
 | largest city wl      = Marion
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 724
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 720
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 4.2
 | area percentage      = 0.6
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 8511
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 7738 {{decrease}}
 | population_density_sq_mi = auto
 | time zone            = Central
 | web                  = https://www.perrycountyal.gov/home
 | ex image             = Perry County Alabama Courthouse.jpg
 | ex image cap         = Perry County courthouse in Marion
 | district             = 7th
 | named for            = [[Oliver Hazard Perry]]
 | footnotes            = 
*County Number '''53''' on Alabama Licence Plates
}}

'''Perry County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[Black Belt (region of Alabama)|Black Belt]] region in the [[Central Alabama|central]] part of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Alabama]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 8,511.<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/perrycountyalabama/PST045222|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 9, 2023}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Marion, Alabama|Marion]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web |title=Find a County |url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |publisher=[[National Association of Counties]]}}</ref> The county was established in 1819 and is named in honor of Commodore [[Oliver Hazard Perry]] of [[Rhode Island]] and the [[United States Navy]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Owen |first1=Thomas McAdory |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r0kUAAAAYAAJ&q=Oliver+Hazard+Perry+place+names&pg=PA1108 |title=History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama biography |last2=Owen |first2=Marie Bankhead |publisher=[[S.J. Clarke Publishing Company]] |year=1921 |volume=2 |place=Chicago |page=1108}}</ref> {{As of|2020|post=,}} Perry County was the only county in Alabama, and one of 40 in the United States, not to have access to any wired [[broadband]] connections.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Analytics |title=United States County Broadband Statistics for 2020 - BroadbandNow.com |url=https://broadbandnow.com/research/county-broadband-statistics |access-date=July 30, 2022 |website=BroadbandNow |language=en-US}}</ref>

==History==
In 1935, a [[Sharecropping|sharecropper]] called Joe Spinner Johnson was organizing sharecroppers into a union. His landlord called him away from his job, and gave him up to a gang of whites. They tied him up, beat him, and took him to [[Selma, Alabama|Selma]], where he was thrown in jail. Other prisoners heard him screaming and being beaten. A few days later, his mutilated body turned up near [[Greensboro, Alabama|Greensboro]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://lynchinginamerica.eji.org/report/ |title=Lynching in America: Confronting the Legacy of Racial Terror |accessdate=May 29, 2021 |year=2017 |publisher=[[Equal Justice Initiative]]}}</ref>

The Perry County town of [[Marion, Alabama|Marion]] was the site of a 1965 killing of an unarmed Black man, [[Jimmie Lee Jackson]], by a white state trooper, [[James Bonard Fowler]], which sparked the [[Selma to Montgomery marches]]. In 2008, the county voted to establish a [[Barack Obama]] Day, a legal holiday, every second Monday of November.<ref>{{cite news |last=Bello |first=Marisol |date=January 26, 2009 |title=Renamed schools, streets mark early tributes to Obama |work=[[USA Today]] |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-01-25-renaming_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|724|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|720|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|4.2|sqmi}} (0.6%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_01.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 22, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref> The county boasts a diverse geography, with the southern half of the county being located in the [[Gulf Coastal Plain]] region, and the northern half of the county being located in the far southern extensions of the foothills of the [[Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians]]. This area is mainly forested, with some hills and valleys.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-1292|title=Perry County}}</ref>

===Major highways===
*[[Image:US 80.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 80]]
*[[Image:Alabama 5.svg|20px]] [[State Route 5 (Alabama)|State Route 5]]
*[[Image:Alabama 14.svg|20px]] [[State Route 14 (Alabama)|State Route 14]]
*[[Image:Alabama 61.svg|20px]] [[State Route 61 (Alabama)|State Route 61]]
*[[Image:Alabama 175.svg|20px]] [[Alabama State Route 175|State Route 175]]
*[[Image:Alabama 183.svg|20px]] [[Alabama State Route 183|State Route 183]]
*[[Image:Alabama 219.svg|20px]] [[State Route 219 (Alabama)|State Route 219]]
*[[Image:Alabama 289.svg|20px]] [[Alabama State Route 289|State Route 289]]

===Adjacent counties===
*[[Bibb County, Alabama|Bibb County]] (north)
*[[Chilton County, Alabama|Chilton County]] (northeast)
*[[Dallas County, Alabama|Dallas County]] (east)
*[[Marengo County, Alabama|Marengo County]] (southwest)
*[[Hale County, Alabama|Hale County]] (west)

===National protected area===
* [[Talladega National Forest]] (part)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1820= 3646
|1830= 11490
|1840= 19086
|1850= 22285
|1860= 27724
|1870= 24975
|1880= 30741
|1890= 29332
|1900= 31783
|1910= 31222
|1920= 25373
|1930= 26385
|1940= 26610
|1950= 20439
|1960= 17358
|1970= 15388
|1980= 15012
|1990= 12759
|2000= 11861
|2010= 10591
|2020= 8511
|estyear=2023
|estimate=7738
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2023">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 27, 2024}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 22, 2015}}</ref><br />1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=August 22, 2015}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/al190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 24, 1995|access-date=August 22, 2015}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=August 22, 2015}}</ref> 2010–2020<ref name="QF"/>
}}

===2020 Census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Perry County, Alabama – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''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.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Perry County, Alabama|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p004&g=050XX00US01105&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Perry County, Alabama|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US01105&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Perry County, Alabama|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US01105&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|3,642
|3,142
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,345
|30.71%
|29.67%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |27.55%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|8,057
|7,244
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5,914
|67.93%
|68.40%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |69.49%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|9
|17
|style='background: #ffffe6; |15
|0.08%
|0.16%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.18%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|4
|30
|style='background: #ffffe6; |10
|0.03%
|0.28%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.12%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|2
|5
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1
|0.02%
|0.05%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.01%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|1
|4
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.01%
|0.04%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|44
|35
|style='background: #ffffe6; |137
|0.37%
|0.33%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.61%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|102
|114
|style='background: #ffffe6; |89
|0.86%
|1.08%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.05%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''11,861'''
|'''10,591'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''8,511'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 8,511 people, 3,070 households, and 1,476 families residing in the county.

Perry County was ranked as the county with the level of obesity by ''U.S. News & World Report'', with a 52.5% obesity rate in 2024.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Steven |title=The 26 Most Obese Counties in America |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/slideshows/the-most-obese-counties-in-america?onepage |access-date=10 August 2024 |work=U.S. News & World Report |date=8 August 2024}}</ref>

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States Census]], there were 10,591 people living in the county. 68.7% were [[African American|Black or African American]], 30.3% [[White American|White]], 0.3% [[Asian American|Asian]], 0.2% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 0.2% of some other race and 0.4% [[Multiracial American|of two or more races]]. 1.1% were [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (of any race).

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR8">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=May 14, 2011|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of [[2000 United States census|2000]], there were 11,861 people, 4,333 households, and 3,046 families living in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|16|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people}}. There were 5,406 housing units at an average density of {{convert|8|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 68.38% Black or African American, 30.86% White, 0.08% Native American, 0.03% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races, and 0.54% from two or more races. Nearly 0.86% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 4,333 households, out of which 33.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.40% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 25.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.70% were non-families. Nearly 27.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63, and the average family size was 3.23.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 29.80% under the age of 18, 11.10% from 18 to 24, 23.60% from 25 to 44, 20.70% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $20,200, and the median income for a family was $26,150. Males had a median income of $26,272 versus $16,839 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $10,948. About 31.20% of families and 35.40% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 48.90% of those under age 18 and 25.80% of those age 65 or over.

==Politics==
Perry County is a heavily Democratic county like most of the Black Belt in Alabama. The last Republican to win the county was [[Richard Nixon]] in 1972 who won the county by only 82 votes.
{{PresHead|place=Perry County, Alabama|source=<ref name="DL">{{cite web|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|access-date=November 21, 2016}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|1,269|3,174|22|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|1,339|3,860|31|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|1,407|3,824|47|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|1,506|4,568|27|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|1,679|4,457|23|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|1,738|3,767|18|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|1,732|4,020|35|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|1,703|4,053|147|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|1,829|3,712|272|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|2,107|3,574|77|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1984|Democratic|2,600|2,731|77|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|2,262|4,208|52|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|2,164|4,486|33|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|2,800|2,718|181|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|308|2,457|2,788|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|2,046|0|520|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|744|973|75|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|613|974|225|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|756|1,352|4|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1948|Dixiecrat|30|0|1,051|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|47|1,004|2|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|39|1,509|5|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|24|1,527|0|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|37|1,382|35|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|459|1,242|1|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|25|928|12|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|34|1,195|14|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|20|895|13|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|3|731|45|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|12|776|4|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1904|Democratic|47|799|94|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|80|1,748|28|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|463|2,682|44|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1892|Democratic|48|3,452|748|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1888|Democratic|790|2,729|0|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1884|Democratic|1,079|3,508|15|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1880|Democratic|2,082|2,278|0|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1876|Republican|3,528|1,467|0|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1872|Republican|4,143|1,384|0|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1868|Republican|3,733|1,337|0|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1860|Southern Democratic|0|99|1,773|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1856|Know Nothing|0|808|824|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1852|Democratic|261|512|13|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1848|Whig|826|631|0|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1844|Whig|869|849|0|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1840|Whig|973|825|0|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1836|Whig|827|290|0|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1832|Democratic|0|504|0|Alabama}}
{{PresRow|1828|Democratic|58|636|0|Alabama}}
{{PresFoot|1824|Democratic|58|252|60|Alabama}}

==Communities==

===Cities===
* [[Marion, Alabama|Marion]] (county seat)
* [[Uniontown, Alabama|Uniontown]]

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col}}
*[[Adler, Alabama|Adler]]
*[[Augustin, Alabama|Augustin]]
*[[Folsom, Perry County, Alabama|Folsom]]
*[[Hamburg, Alabama|Hamburg]]
*[[Heiberger, Alabama|Heiberger]]
*[[Jericho, Alabama|Jericho]]
*[[Levert, Alabama|Levert]]
*[[Morgan Springs, Alabama|Morgan Springs]]
*[[Oakmulgee, Alabama|Oakmulgee]]
*[[Osborn, Alabama|Osborn]]
*[[Perryville, Alabama|Perryville]]
*[[Radford, Alabama|Radford]]
*[[Sprott, Alabama|Sprott]]
*[[Suttle, Alabama|Suttle]]
*[[Vaiden, Alabama|Vaiden]]
*[[Vilula, Alabama|Vilula]]
{{div col end}}

==Places of interest==
Perry County is home to Perry Lakes Park, part of the [[Talladega National Forest]], the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame located at [[Judson College (Alabama)|Judson College]], and [[Marion Military Institute]].

==See also==
*[[National Register of Historic Places listings in Perry County, Alabama]]
*[[Properties on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage by county (Madison–Perry)#Perry County|Properties on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in Perry County, Alabama]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* English, Bertis D. ''Civil Wars, Civil Beings, and Civil Rights in Alabama's Black Belt: A History of Perry County'' (University Alabama Press, 2020).
* Fraser, Rory F., Buddhi R. Gyawali, and John Schelhas. "Blacks in space: Land tenure and well-being in Perry County, Alabama." ''Small-Scale Forest Economics, Management and Policy'' 4 (2005): 21–33. [https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/download/21496.pdf online]

==External links==
* [http://www.perrysheriff.com/ Official website of Perry County Sheriff]
* Perry County [http://alabamamaps.ua.edu/contemporarymaps/alabama/counties/perry.jpg map of roads/towns] (map © 2007 [[University of Alabama|Univ. of Alabama]])

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Perry County, Alabama
|North     = [[Bibb County, Alabama|Bibb County]]
|Northeast = [[Chilton County, Alabama|Chilton County]]
|East      = [[Dallas County, Alabama|Dallas County]]
|Southeast = 
|South     = 
|Southwest = [[Marengo County, Alabama|Marengo County]]
|West      = [[Hale County, Alabama|Hale County]]
|Northwest = 
}} 
{{Perry County, Alabama}}
{{Alabama}}

{{coord|32|38|09|N|87|17|31|W|region:US-AL_type:adm2nd_source:dewiki|display=title}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Perry County, Alabama| ]]
[[Category:1819 establishments in Alabama]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1819]]
[[Category:Black Belt (U.S. region)]]
[[Category:Majority-minority counties in Alabama]]