Lawrence County, Alabama

Lawrence County
Lawrence County
County
	Lawrence County Courthouse in Moulton
	Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
	Alabama's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 34°31′17″N 87°18′37″W / 34.5214°N 87.3103°W
Country	United States
State	Alabama
Founded	February 6, 1818
Named for	James Lawrence
Seat	Moulton
Largest city	Moulton
Area
• Total	717 sq mi (1,860 km2)
• Land	691 sq mi (1,790 km2)
• Water	27 sq mi (70 km2) 3.7%
Population (2020)
• Total	33,073
• Estimate (2023)	33,502
• Density	46/sq mi (18/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	4th
Website	www.lawrencealabama.com
	County Number 42 on Alabama Licence Plates;

Lawrence County is a county in the northern part of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 33,073.^[1] The county seat is Moulton.^[2] The county was named after James Lawrence, a captain in the United States Navy from New Jersey.^[3]

Lawrence County is included in the Decatur, AL Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Huntsville-Decatur-Albertville, AL Combined Statistical Area.

History

For thousands of years, this area was inhabited by differing cultures of indigenous peoples. People of the Copena culture in the Middle Woodland period (1–500 CE) built complex earthworks as part of their religious and political system. Their burial mound and ceremonial platform mound, the largest in the state, are preserved at Oakville Indian Mounds Park and Museum. The museum includes exhibits on the Cherokee, an Iroquoian-speaking people who inhabited the area at the time of European encounter. Other historic Native American tribes in this state were Choctaw and Creek, who both spoke Muskogean languages.

Lawrence County was established by the legislature of the Alabama Territory on February 6, 1818. Under the Indian Removal Act of 1830, the U.S. government forced most of the members of these Southeast tribes to go west of the Mississippi River to Indian Territory to the west. They wanted to extinguish their land claims to open the area to settlement by Americans.

Numerous Cherokee and mixed-race European-Cherokee descendants, sometimes called "Black Dutch", have stayed in the Lawrence County area. According to the census, the county has the highest number of self-identified Native Americans in the state. The state-recognized Echota Cherokee Tribe of Alabama has their Blue Clan in this county with 4,000 enrolled members.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 717 square miles (1,860 km²), of which 691 square miles (1,790 km²) is land and 27 square miles (70 km²) (3.7%) is water.^[4]

River

Adjacent counties

Limestone County (northeast)
Morgan County (east)
Cullman County (southeast)
Winston County (south)
Franklin County (west)
Colbert County (west)
Lauderdale County (northwest)

National protected area

William B. Bankhead National Forest (part)

Transportation

Major highways

Rail

Norfolk Southern Railway

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1820	8,652		—
1830	14,984		73.2%
1840	13,313		−11.2%
1850	15,258		14.6%
1860	13,975		−8.4%
1870	16,658		19.2%
1880	21,392		28.4%
1890	20,725		−3.1%
1900	20,124		−2.9%
1910	21,984		9.2%
1920	24,307		10.6%
1930	26,942		10.8%
1940	27,880		3.5%
1950	27,128		−2.7%
1960	24,501		−9.7%
1970	27,281		11.3%
1980	30,170		10.6%
1990	31,513		4.5%
2000	34,803		10.4%
2010	34,339		−1.3%
2020	33,073		−3.7%
2023 (est.)	33,502	^[5]	1.3%
U.S. Decennial Census^[6] 1790–1960^[7] 1900–1990^[8] 1990–2000^[9] 2010–2020^[1]

2020 census

**Lawrence 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^[10]	Pop 2010^[11]	Pop 2020^[12]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	26,899	26,420	24,714	77.29%	76.94%	74.73%
Black or African American alone (NH)	4,613	3,917	3,302	13.25%	11.41%	9.98%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	1,839	1,928	1,440	5.28%	5.61%	4.35%
Asian alone (NH)	33	41	84	0.09%	0.12%	0.25%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	3	5	7	0.01%	0.01%	0.02%
Some Other Race alone (NH)	3	25	69	0.01%	0.07%	0.21%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH)	1,046	1,429	2,562	3.01%	4.16%	7.75%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	367	574	895	1.05%	1.67%	2.71%
Total	34,803	34,339	33,073	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the census of 2020, there were 33,073 people, 12,677 households, and 9,101 families residing in the county.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 34,339 people, 13,654 households, and 9,985 families living in the county. The population density was 50 people per square mile (19 people/km²). There were 15,229 housing units at an average density of 22 units per square mile (8.5 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 77.6% White, 11.5% Black or African American, 5.7% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.8% from other races, and 4.3% from two or more races. 1.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.^[13] Of the 13,654 households 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.9% were non-families. 24.2% of households were one person and 10.2% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.95.

The age distribution was 23.2% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 29.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% 65 or older. The median age was 40.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.4 males.

The median household income was $40,516 and the median family income was $48,425. Males had a median income of $45,787 versus $27,341 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,370. About 10.3% of families and 13.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.3% of those under age 18 and 11.0% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 34,803 people, 13,538 households, and 10,194 families living in the county. The population density was 50 people per square mile (19 people/km²). There were 15,009 housing units at an average density of 22 units per square mile (8.5 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 77.77% White, 13.36% Black or African American, 5.36% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.33% from other races, and 3.08% from two or more races. 1.05% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.^[14] In 2000, the largest ancestry groups in Lawrence County were English 61.2%, African 13.36%, Irish 4.1% and Welsh 2.0%.

Of the 13,538 households 34.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.50% were married couples living together, 11.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.70% were non-families. 22.60% of households were one person and 9.50% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.99.

The age distribution was 25.70% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 30.10% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 12.10% 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.40 males.

The median household income was $31,549 and the median family income was $38,565. Males had a median income of $31,519 versus $20,480 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,515. About 13.10% of families and 15.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.80% of those under age 18 and 24.50% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Lawrence County is home to three high schools: East Lawrence, Hatton, and Lawrence County High Schools . Lawrence County also has six elementary schools: East Lawrence, Hatton, Hazlewood, Moulton, Mt. Hope, and Speake. Also Lawrence County has three middle schools: East Lawrence, Hatton, and Moulton. Other educational facilities include the Lawrence County Center of Technology and the Judy Jester Learning Center.^[15]

Former high schools, Hazlewood High School, Speake School [a], and Mt. Hope School [a] were closed in 2009,^[16] R.A. Hubbard High School was closed in 2022.^[17]

[a] Schools are still open as elementary schools.

Government

Lawrence County is reliably Republican at the presidential level. The last Democrat to win the county in a presidential election was Al Gore in 2000.

United States presidential election results for Lawrence County, Alabama^[18]
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	12,322	76.86%	3,562	22.22%	147	0.92%
2016	10,833	73.05%	3,627	24.46%	369	2.49%
2012	8,874	62.72%	5,069	35.83%	205	1.45%
2008	9,277	63.19%	5,164	35.18%	239	1.63%
2004	7,730	55.21%	6,155	43.96%	116	0.83%
2000	5,671	46.54%	6,296	51.67%	218	1.79%
1996	3,893	38.38%	5,254	51.80%	996	9.82%
1992	3,576	30.86%	6,364	54.91%	1,649	14.23%
1988	3,616	42.96%	4,646	55.20%	155	1.84%
1984	4,466	47.04%	4,866	51.25%	162	1.71%
1980	2,456	28.09%	6,112	69.92%	174	1.99%
1976	1,415	17.08%	6,810	82.21%	59	0.71%
1972	4,433	75.61%	1,416	24.15%	14	0.24%
1968	580	7.70%	650	8.63%	6,299	83.66%
1964	1,809	50.01%	0	0.00%	1,808	49.99%
1960	1,365	31.74%	2,929	68.10%	7	0.16%
1956	1,197	28.60%	2,961	70.75%	27	0.65%
1952	809	23.34%	2,651	76.49%	6	0.17%
1948	357	19.77%	0	0.00%	1,449	80.23%
1944	565	22.94%	1,893	76.86%	5	0.20%
1940	480	17.33%	2,277	82.23%	12	0.43%
1936	444	16.67%	2,213	83.10%	6	0.23%
1932	299	13.47%	1,920	86.53%	0	0.00%
1928	1,008	49.27%	1,035	50.59%	3	0.15%
1924	468	31.79%	990	67.26%	14	0.95%
1920	831	46.63%	935	52.47%	16	0.90%
1916	43	3.71%	995	85.92%	120	10.36%
1912	198	17.46%	643	56.70%	293	25.84%
1908	344	34.82%	602	60.93%	42	4.25%
1904	410	30.73%	909	68.14%	15	1.12%

Communities

Cities

Moulton (county seat)

Towns

Census Designated Places

Hatton

Unincorporated communities

Places of interest

Lawrence County is home to part of the William B. Bankhead National Forest, Oakville Indian Mounds, Jesse Owens Memorial Park, and Pond Spring, the General Joe Wheeler Home. The Black Warrior Path, which starts in Cullman County, runs through this county and passes the Oakville Indian Mounds. It was used by Native Americans for hundreds of years, and was later used by pioneer settlers.

Events

Every year, Lawrence County hosts numerous events, including the AHSAA Cross Country state championships at the Oakville Indian Mounds, the Alabama Multicultural Indian Festival at the Oakville Indian Mounds, the Strawberry Festival in Moulton, and General Joe Wheeler's Birthday Party at Pond Spring in Courtland. The cities of Moulton and Courtland each celebrate Christmas on the Square during the month of December.