Jackson County, Alabama Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Jackson County

U.S. county

Jackson County Courthouse in Scottsboro

Seal

Logo

Location within the U.S. state of Alabama

Alabama's location within the U.S.

Country

United States

State

Alabama

Founded

December 13, 1819

Largest city

Scottsboro

Area

• Total

1,127 sq mi (2,920 km²)

• Land

1,078 sq mi (2,790 km²)

• Water

49 sq mi (130 km²) 4.3%

Population

(2020)

• Total

52,579

• Estimate

(2023)

53,467

• Density

46.654/sq mi (18.013/km²)

Time zone

UTC−6 (Central)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−5 (CDT)

Congressional district

5th

County Number 39 on Alabama License Plates

Jackson County is the northeasternmost county in the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 52,579. The county seat is Scottsboro. The county was named for Andrew Jackson, general in the United States Army and afterward President of the United States of America. Jackson County is a prohibition or dry county, but three cities within the county (Bridgeport, Scottsboro, and Stevenson) are "wet", allowing alcohol sales. Jackson County comprises the Scottsboro, AL Micropolitan Statistical Area, and Jackson county is included in the Chattanooga–Cleveland–Dalton combined statistical area. It is the site of Russell Cave National Monument, an archeological site with evidence of 8,000 years of human occupation in the Southeast.

History
Geography
- Adjacent counties
- National protected areas
Demographics
- 2020 census
- 2010 census
Transportation
- Major highways
- Rail
Communities
See also

History

Jackson County was established on December 13, 1819, after the federal government arranged a treaty to remove the Cherokee from the area and extinguish their land claims. The hilly and mountainous terrain of the Appalachians made the area unsuitable for the plantation-style agriculture of the lowlands and coastal area. It was settled largely by families from Tennessee, South Carolina, and Georgia.

This area was developed largely for subsistence farming, and few families held any slaves. For instance, in 1860, Bellefonte, Alabama, then the county seat and largest community in the county, had a population of 181, of whom eight were free blacks and the remainder were white. No slaves were recorded in that community.

The county is crossed by a number of rivers and waterways; the most important is the Tennessee River, which drains most of the county. The current county seat of Scottsboro developed along the river, and was also the site of a railroad station when railroads reached the area. Hydroelectric power was developed in the first quarter of the 20th century to generate energy for industry. By the mid-20th century, industry had replaced agriculture as the most important element of the economy.

Geography

Map of Jackson County showing census subdivisions

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,127 square miles (2,920 km²), of which 1,078 square miles (2,790 km²) is land and 49 square miles (130 km²) (%) is water. It is the fifth-largest county in Alabama by total area. Much of it is located in the Appalachians.

Of special interest is Russell Cave National Monument, which is located in Doran Cove, approximately 5 miles west of the town of Bridgeport. It is believed to offer "one of the most complete records of prehistoric culture in the southeast United States." Russell Cave was declared a National Monument in May 1961 by President John F. Kennedy. The Monument consists of 310 acres (1.3 km²) of land donated by the National Geographic Society.

The cave is an important archaeological site that was excavated in 1956 by the Smithsonian Institution and the National Geographic Society. The October 1956 issue of National Geographic Magazine featured an article reporting, "Life 8,000 Years Ago Uncovered in an Alabama Cave." Evidence was found of human occupation of the cave from 6200 B.C. to A.D. 1650. The article was written by Carl F. Miller, the expedition leader. There have been follow-up studies about this site.

Adjacent counties

Marion County, Tennessee – northeast
Dade County, Georgia – east (EST)
DeKalb County – southeast
Marshall County – southwest
Madison County – west
Franklin County, Tennessee – northwest

National protected areas

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1820	8,751	—
1830	12,700	45.1%
1840	15,715	23.7%
1850	14,088	−10.4%
1860	18,283	29.8%
1870	19,410	6.2%
1880	25,114	29.4%
1890	28,026	11.6%
1900	30,508	8.9%
1910	32,918	7.9%
1920	35,864	8.9%
1930	36,881	2.8%
1940	41,802	13.3%
1950	38,998	−6.7%
1960	36,681	−5.9%
1970	39,202	6.9%
1980	51,407	31.1%
1990	47,796	−7.0%
2000	53,926	12.8%
2010	53,227	−1.3%
2020	52,579	−1.2%
2023 (est.)	53,467	0.5%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020

2020 census

**Jackson County, Alabama – Racial and ethnic composition**
*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 (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	49,200	47,937	45,123	91.24%	90.06%	85.82%
Black or African American alone (NH)	2,002	1,771	1,624	3.71%	3.33%	3.09%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	927	680	680	1.72%	1.28%	1.29%
Asian alone (NH)	123	165	214	0.23%	0.31%	0.41%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	9	29	2	0.02%	0.05%	0.00%
Other race alone (NH)	19	24	109	0.04%	0.05%	0.21%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	1,036	1,282	3,146	1.92%	2.41%	5.98%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	610	1,339	1,681	1.13%	2.52%	3.20%
Total	53,926	53,227	52,579	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the census of 2020, there were 52,579 people, 20,695 households, and 14,456 families residing in the county.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 21,615 households, out of which 31.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.00% were married couples living together, 10.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.80% were non-families. Nearly 24.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47, and the average family size was 2.92.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.20% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 28.70% from 25 to 44, 25.40% from 45 to 64, and 13.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,020, and the median income for a family was $38,082. Males had a median income of $29,777 versus $20,990 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,000. About 10.30% of families and 13.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.20% of those under age 18 and 21.00% of those age 65 or over.