Chilton County, Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chilton County
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Chilton County Courthouse in Clanton
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Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
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 Alabama's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Alabama |
| Founded | December 30, 1868 |
| Named for | William Parish Chilton, Sr. |
| Seat | Clanton |
| Largest city | Clanton |
| Area | |
| • Total | 701 sq mi (1,820 km2) |
| • Land | 693 sq mi (1,790 km2) |
| • Water | 7.9 sq mi (20 km2) 1.1% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 45,014 |
| • Estimate
(2021)
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45,274  |
| • Density | 64.21/sq mi (24.793/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 6th |
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Chilton County is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 45,014. The county seat is Clanton. Its name is in honor of William Parish Chilton, Sr. (1810–1871), a lawyer who became Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court and later represented Montgomery County in the Congress of the Confederate States of America.
Chilton County is included in the Birmingham-Hoover, AL Metropolitan Statistical Area.
In 2010, the center of population of Alabama was located in Chilton County, near the city of Jemison, an area known as Jemison Division.
The county is known for its peaches and its unique landscape. It is home to swamps, prairies, and mountains due to the foothills of the Appalachians which end in the county, the Coosa River basin, and its proximity to the Black Belt Prairie that was long a center of cotton production.
Contents
History
Baker County was established on December 30, 1868, named for Alfred Baker, with its county seat at Grantville. Residents of the county petitioned the Alabama legislature for the renaming of their county; it was not something forced upon them. On December 17, 1874, the petitioners accepted the suggestion of Chilton County, even though the Chief Justice had not lived within its boundaries. In 1870 the county seat was moved after the court house burned to what is now Clanton.
In 1942, the U.S. Navy commissioned a new vessel, the USS Chilton, in honor of Chilton County.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 701 square miles (1,820 km2), of which 693 square miles (1,790 km2) is land and 7.9 square miles (20 km2) (1.1%) is water.
Major highways
Interstate 65
U.S. Highway 31
U.S. Highway 82
State Route 22
State Route 139
State Route 145
State Route 155
State Route 191
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Adjacent counties
- Shelby County (north)
- Coosa County (east)
- Elmore County (southeast)
- Autauga County (south)
- Perry County (southwest)
- Dallas County (southwest)
- Bibb County (northwest)
National protected area
- Talladega National Forest (part)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 6,194 | — | |
| 1880 | 10,793 | 74.2% | |
| 1890 | 14,549 | 34.8% | |
| 1900 | 16,522 | 13.6% | |
| 1910 | 23,187 | 40.3% | |
| 1920 | 22,770 | −1.8% | |
| 1930 | 24,579 | 7.9% | |
| 1940 | 27,955 | 13.7% | |
| 1950 | 26,922 | −3.7% | |
| 1960 | 25,693 | −4.6% | |
| 1970 | 25,180 | −2.0% | |
| 1980 | 30,612 | 21.6% | |
| 1990 | 32,458 | 6.0% | |
| 2000 | 39,593 | 22.0% | |
| 2010 | 43,643 | 10.2% | |
| 2020 | 45,014 | 3.1% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 45,274 | 3.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020 |
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2020
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 34,878 | 77.48% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 4,040 | 8.97% |
| Native American | 112 | 0.25% |
| Asian | 176 | 0.39% |
| Pacific Islander | 5 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed | 1,385 | 3.08% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4,418 | 9.81% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 45,014 people, 16,927 households, and 11,908 families residing in the county.
2010
According to the 2010 United States Census, the population identifies by the following ethnicities:
- 84.1% White
- 9.7% Black
- 0.4% Native American
- 0.3% Asian
- 0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
- 1.2% Two or more races
- 7.8% Hispanic or Latino (of any race)
Chilton County is the 23rd-richest county per capita income in Alabama.
2000
At the 2000 census, there were 39,593 people, 15,287 households, and 11,342 families residing in the county. The population density was 57 per square mile (22/km2). There were 17,651 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile (10/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 86.71% White, 10.61% Black or African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.51% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. Nearly 2.91% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 15,287 households, of which 34.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.10% were married couples living together, 10.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.80% were non-families. Nearly 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57, and the average family size was 3.00.
25.70% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 29.00% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 12.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.90 males.
The median household income was $32,588 and the median family income was $39,505. Males had a median income of $31,006 versus $21,275 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,303. About 12.60% of families and 15.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.40% of those under age 18 and 18.20% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
Cities
- Calera (partly in Shelby County)
- Clanton (county seat)
- Jemison
Towns
Unincorporated communities
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Chilton para niños
