Sparsely settled after statehood, Reform first received a post office in 1841. It wasn't incorporated until March 2, 1898, following the community getting train service via the Mobile and Ohio Railroad.[2] According to tradition, the community was named from an incident when an evangelist paid the new settlement a visit, imploring the first settlers to "reform".[3]
On January 24, 1940, Reform set the record for the highest recorded snow depth for Alabama at 22 inches (55.9 cm).[4]
On August 31, 2017, the area was hit by an EF2 tornado. The tornado touched down near Reform and tracked through Pickens, Lamar, and Fayette counties. Significant damage was also caused in the nearby community of Palmetto.[6]
The city is located in west central Alabama at the intersection of U.S. Route 82 and Alabama State Route 17. US 82 runs northwest to southeast through the city, leading southeast 8 mi (13 km) to Gordo and 31 mi (50 km) to Tuscaloosa, the largest city of over 100,000 people closest to the area. Columbus, Mississippi is 29 mi (47 km) to the northwest. AL 17 runs north to south, leading north 19 mi (31 km) to Millport and south 10 mi (16 km) to Carrollton, the Pickens County seat.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.1 square miles (21 km2), of which 8.0 square miles (21 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) (0.37%) is water.
As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 1,978 people, 793 households, and 521 families living in the city. The population density was 245.9 inhabitants per square mile (94.9/km2). There were 925 housing units at an average density of 115.0 per square mile (44.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 53.34% White, 44.89% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.05% from other races, and 1.42% from two or more races. 0.35% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 793 households, out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.1% were married couples living together, 22.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.0% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 76.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 68.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $20,625, and the median income for a family was $24,875. Males had a median income of $27,019 versus $16,827 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,429. About 26.3% of families and 30.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.9% of those under age 18 and 26.6% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Education in Reform is overseen and governed by the Pickens County Board of Education. Students of Reform and its surrounding areas are served by Reform Elementary School and Pickens County High School.
