Florala, Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Florala, Alabama
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Location of Florala in Covington County, Alabama.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Covington |
| Area | |
| • Total | 10.98 sq mi (28.44 km2) |
| • Land | 10.53 sq mi (27.28 km2) |
| • Water | 0.45 sq mi (1.16 km2) |
| Elevation | 262 ft (80 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,923 |
| • Density | 182.59/sq mi (70.49/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
36442
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| Area code | 334 |
| FIPS code | 01-26848 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0159617 |
Florala is a small town in Covington County, Alabama, United States. It's a friendly place with a population of 1,923 people, according to the 2020 census.
Contents
About Florala
Where is Florala?
Florala is located right on the border between Alabama and Florida. It sits next to the town of Lockhart to the west. To the south, it borders Paxton, Florida.
The town covers an area of about 28.4 square kilometers (10.98 square miles). Most of this area is land. A small part, about 1.2 square kilometers (0.45 square miles), is water. This water includes part of Lake Jackson. Half of Lake Jackson is in Florala. The other half is in Florida. Florala City Park is a lovely park that covers all of Florala's shoreline along Lake Jackson.
Florala's Weather
Florala has a warm climate. Summers are hot and humid. Winters are mild. The town gets a good amount of rain throughout the year.
| Climate data for Florala, Alabama (Florala Municipal Airport), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 2006–2020 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 83 (28) |
84 (29) |
89 (32) |
94 (34) |
99 (37) |
104 (40) |
102 (39) |
103 (39) |
103 (39) |
100 (38) |
91 (33) |
81 (27) |
104 (40) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 62.2 (16.8) |
66.2 (19.0) |
73.1 (22.8) |
79.4 (26.3) |
86.6 (30.3) |
90.3 (32.4) |
91.8 (33.2) |
91.7 (33.2) |
88.5 (31.4) |
80.0 (26.7) |
71.3 (21.8) |
63.6 (17.6) |
78.7 (26.0) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 51.3 (10.7) |
54.7 (12.6) |
61.0 (16.1) |
67.0 (19.4) |
74.7 (23.7) |
80.1 (26.7) |
82.1 (27.8) |
82.0 (27.8) |
78.4 (25.8) |
68.4 (20.2) |
59.1 (15.1) |
52.9 (11.6) |
67.6 (19.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 40.5 (4.7) |
43.3 (6.3) |
48.8 (9.3) |
54.6 (12.6) |
62.7 (17.1) |
70.0 (21.1) |
72.4 (22.4) |
72.4 (22.4) |
68.3 (20.2) |
56.7 (13.7) |
46.9 (8.3) |
42.3 (5.7) |
56.6 (13.7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 16 (−9) |
20 (−7) |
28 (−2) |
35 (2) |
43 (6) |
58 (14) |
59 (15) |
62 (17) |
50 (10) |
34 (1) |
19 (−7) |
22 (−6) |
16 (−9) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 5.28 (134) |
5.00 (127) |
5.28 (134) |
5.00 (127) |
3.78 (96) |
6.01 (153) |
6.35 (161) |
5.17 (131) |
5.18 (132) |
3.61 (92) |
4.31 (109) |
4.85 (123) |
59.82 (1,519) |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: XMACIS2 | |||||||||||||
Who Lives in Florala?
The population of Florala has changed over the years. It was around 2,439 people in 1910. By 2020, it was 1,923 people.
Population Changes Over Time
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 2,439 | — | |
| 1920 | 2,633 | 8.0% | |
| 1930 | 2,580 | −2.0% | |
| 1940 | 2,999 | 16.2% | |
| 1950 | 2,713 | −9.5% | |
| 1960 | 3,011 | 11.0% | |
| 1970 | 2,701 | −10.3% | |
| 1980 | 2,165 | −19.8% | |
| 1990 | 2,075 | −4.2% | |
| 2000 | 1,964 | −5.3% | |
| 2010 | 1,980 | 0.8% | |
| 2020 | 1,923 | −2.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2013 Estimate |
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A Look at Florala's People
In 2020, Florala had 1,923 residents. There were 646 households and 352 families. Most residents were White (77.02%). About 15.39% were Black or African American. Other groups included Native American, Asian, and people of mixed backgrounds. About 3.22% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
In 2010, there were 1,980 people living in Florala. The average household had about 2.26 people. The average family had about 2.90 people.
Many households (38.1%) were married couples. Some households (17.6%) had a female head with no husband present. About 34.7% of households were individuals living alone. Many people aged 65 or older lived alone (17.8%).
The median age in Florala in 2010 was 46.1 years. This means half the people were older than 46.1 and half were younger. About 21.6% of the population was under 18 years old.
The average income for a household in 2010 was $30,833. For families, it was $36,435. About 20.2% of the people in Florala lived below the poverty line. This included 28.5% of children under 18.
What's in a Name?
The name "Florala" is quite clever! It's a combination of "Flor" from Florida and "Ala" from Alabama. This shows how close the town is to both states.
A Glimpse into Florala's Past
In 1818, a famous general named Andrew Jackson visited the lake. Because of his visit, the lake was named Lake Jackson.
Florala is also known for a very old tradition. Since 1870, it has hosted the world's longest-running annual Masonic Day celebration. This event honors a special day in Masonic history, June 24, 1717. That's when the first Grand Masonic Lodge was started in England. The celebration happens every year around June 24.
Famous Faces from Florala
Florala has been home to several notable people:
- Rodney J. Evans (1948–1969): A brave soldier who received the Medal of Honor. This is a very high award for military heroism. He was honored for protecting his men during the Vietnam War.
- R. Barbara Gitenstein: She was the first female president of The College of New Jersey. She grew up right here in Florala.
- Mark Gitenstein: Barbara's brother, he served as an Ambassador to Romania.
- Ray Goolsby: A former professional baseball player. He played for the Washington Senators.
- Ernie Manning: Another former professional baseball player. He played for the St. Louis Browns.
- Dwight Stone: A professional football player. He played for teams like the NY Jets, Carolina Panthers, and Pittsburgh Steelers. He was born in Florala in 1964.
See also
In Spanish: Florala para niños
