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Cleburne County, Alabama facts for kids

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Cleburne County
Cleburne County Courthouse in Heflin in 2012
Cleburne County Courthouse in Heflin in 2012
Flag of Cleburne County
Flag
Map of Alabama highlighting Cleburne County
Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
Map of the United States highlighting Alabama
Alabama's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Alabama
Founded December 6, 1866
Named for Patrick Cleburne
Seat Heflin
Largest city Heflin
Area
 • Total 561 sq mi (1,450 km2)
 • Land 560 sq mi (1,500 km2)
 • Water 0.9 sq mi (2 km2)  0.2%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 15,056
 • Estimate 
(2023)
15,639 Increase
 • Density 26.838/sq mi (10.362/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 3rd
  • County Number 18 on Alabama Licence Plates

Cleburne County is a county located in the east central portion of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 15,056. Its county seat is Heflin. Its name is in honor of Patrick R. Cleburne of Arkansas who rose to the rank of major general in the Confederate States Army. The eastern side of the county borders the state of Georgia.

History

Cleburne County was established on December 6, 1866, by an act of the state legislature. The county was made from territory in Benton (now Calhoun), Randolph, and Talladega counties. In 1867, Edwardsville was made the county seat. An election was held in 1905 to move the county seat to Heflin. The result of that election, which agreed to move the seat, was appealed to the Supreme Court, who decided on July 1, 1906, to uphold the election results. Heflin is still the county seat. Heflin was at one point thought of as a hub for nearby farmers to send their cotton. Shortly after the Civil War, a group of northern investors created the town of Fruithurst in Cleburne County as part of a wine-growing project. Fruithurst became a boomtown shortly thereafter.

Geography

Cleburne County Courthouse
Cleburne County Courthouse in March 1980.
Cheaha Lake in the Fall
Cheaha Mountain, Cleburne County
Shoal Creek Church Edwardsville Alabama
Shoal Creek Church is a historic church located in Cleburne County just north of Edwardsville, Alabama in Talladega National Forest. The church was built in 1895 and added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 4, 1974

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 561 square miles (1,450 km2), of which 560 square miles (1,500 km2) is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km2) (0.2%) is water. It is the fourth-smallest county in Alabama by land area and second-largest by total area. Cleburne County is home to Alabama's highest natural point on Cheaha Mountain which is part of the southernmost mountain range in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Adjacent counties

National protected area

  • Talladega National Forest (part)

Transportation

Major highways

Rail

  • Norfolk Southern Railway
  • Amtrak

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1870 8,017
1880 10,976 36.9%
1890 13,218 20.4%
1900 13,206 −0.1%
1910 13,385 1.4%
1920 13,360 −0.2%
1930 12,877 −3.6%
1940 13,629 5.8%
1950 11,904 −12.7%
1960 10,911 −8.3%
1970 10,996 0.8%
1980 12,595 14.5%
1990 12,730 1.1%
2000 14,123 10.9%
2010 14,972 6.0%
2020 15,056 0.6%
2023 (est.) 15,639 4.5%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010–2020

2020 census

Cleburne County, Alabama – Racial and Ethnic Composition
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
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.
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2000 Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 13,235 13,956 13,740 93.71% 93.21% 91.26%
Black or African American alone (NH) 521 494 457 3.69% 3.30% 3.04%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 41 50 42 0.29% 0.33% 0.28%
Asian alone (NH) 19 23 21 0.13% 0.15% 0.14%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 1 1 2 0.01% 0.01% 0.01%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 1 4 16 0.01% 0.03% 0.11%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 107 137 494 0.76% 0.92% 3.28%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 198 307 284 1.40% 2.05% 1.89%
Total 14,123 14,972 15,056 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 15,056 people, 5,680 households, and 3,806 families residing in the county.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 14,972 people, 5,891 households, and 4,196 families living in the county. The population density was 27 people per square mile (10 people/km2). There were 6,718 housing units at an average density of 11 units per square mile (4.2 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.0% White (non-Hispanic), 3.3% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.0% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. 2.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,891 households, out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.8% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.7% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.6 years. For every 100 females there were 99.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.9 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,077, and the median income for a family was $41,585. Males had a median income of $39,709 versus $26,229 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,490. About 11.6% of families and 17.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.0% of those under age 18 and 13.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Cleburne County contains two public school districts. There are approximately 2,500 students in public PK-12 schools in Cleburne County. Much of the county is serviced by the single county school district, but the northern portion of the county falls under Piedmont City School District, the seat of which is in Calhoun County.

Districts

School districts include:

  • Cleburne County School District
  • Piedmont City School District

Communities

City

Towns

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Cleburne (Alabama) para niños

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